15
Gohan looked at his watch, beads of sweat gathering on his forehead. He loosened his tie, undid the first button of his shirt, and tugged at his collar, trying to cool himself down.
It wasn't that hot today, but the suit he usually wore at work wasn't helping. His growing nervousness wasn't making it any better either.
Videl had told him over text that her best friend wanted to meet him. He had heard of Erasa; in the first few weeks he and Videl had started seeing each other, she would often talk about her childhood friend. Gohan was aware that Videl didn't have many friends; Erasa was her only real friend.
And then she had sent him another text, letting him know that she had told Erasa about what he did to her and about him being Saiyaman. She apologized about having shared his secret, but Erasa was her best friend in the whole world and she couldn't possibly keep something so big from her, especially since she couldn't hide how much their breakup affected her.
Gohan opened his text chain with Videl and read her last few messages with a pang in his chest. He didn't blame her at all for telling his secret to her best friend, he understood that she had needed someone to talk to and confide in at the time. Besides, Erasa hadn't told anyone, so it was alright, which was what Gohan had replied to Videl.
They went on to set up the place, date and time, which hadn't been much trouble since Gohan was working fewer hours at the hospital now, although he was still on call that day .
He was waiting for them on the terrace of a bar-restaurant, having long finished the cold drink he had ordered, hoping to cool off a little. The effects of the refreshing beverage hadn't lasted for very long, and the young man considered ordering another one. Though maybe he ought to wait for Videl and Erasa to arrive first…
He had to will his leg to stay still – last time he let himself shake it in agitation, the earth had started to quake. Gohan checked his watch for the umpteenth time. He had arrived early, not wanting to be late and make a bad impression on Erasa by making her wait. Well, an even worse impression, since she probably already hated him for what he did to her best friend.
He took off his suit jacket. He felt too hot to keep it on. After some consideration, Gohan decided to remove his tie as well; he then opened another button of his dress shirt and rolled up the sleeves, hoping to cool off, if only a little. He glanced at his wristwatch once again.
He was a nervous wreck.
After what felt like an eternity, he sensed Videl's familiar energy signature getting closer. The young doctor sat straighter and blew a long breath, trying to calm his racing heart.
His chest ached when he caught sight of the woman he loved. His chair screeched as Gohan stood, his lips breaking into an awkward smile when his gaze shifted to the short-haired blonde pushing a stroller.
"Hello," he said in a pleasant tone. His eyes softened as he looked down at the adorable little baby girl in the stroller. He was met with big blue eyes staring back at him in wonder. His heart melted.
Erasa cleared her throat. Gohan still had an awkward smile on his lips as he scratched the back of his head.
"Hi," she said coldly. Videl elbowed her in the side and she responded with a roll of her eyes. "What?"
"You promised you'd be nice," Videl mumbled, frowning at her accusingly.
Gohan decided to change the subject. He crouched down in front of the stroller and smiled at the little baby. "And who's this little sweetheart?"
"That's Delie," Videl replied with a fond smile. "Erasa kinda named her after me."
Gohan reached over slowly; he brushed the brand new blonde curls on the little girl's head. She watched him with big blue eyes.
"She's so beautiful," he murmured. "How old is she?"
"Almost five months old," Erasa answered, her tone nicer this time.
He scratched Delie's belly softly and got an adorable giggle as a reward. His eyes softened as he gazed upon the beautiful baby girl. He was reminded of Goten when he was that tiny.
His throat tightened. He wanted a baby too. He glanced up at the young woman who he hoped would later become the mother of his children. If not with Videl, Gohan couldn't imagine becoming a parent. It had to be her.
She smiled back at him, and the young man thought he saw longing and regret in her beautiful blue eyes. Could it be she was thinking the same thing?
"It's almost her nap time though," Erasa said. "She gets a little cranky at this time."
Gohan watched the little girl some more. He studied her tiny little hands, and then she grabbed on his finger and he felt his chest tighten.
Dang, he really wanted to be a dad. Maybe he could still adopt a child and become a single father if things didn't work out with Videl… At least he would be saving an orphan lost in the horrible foster care system, so one good thing would come out of his heartbreak.
He straightened up and sat back at his table. The girls followed suit, and Erasa rocked the stroller back and forth, trying to put her baby to sleep even though it was a little early.
"So," she started, eying him with a frown, "you're Gohan, huh."
"It's nice to meet you," he said with a smile. "I've heard a lot about you. Well, back when Videl and I just started seeing each other…" He felt awkward bringing up that period, especially since he and Videl were trying to make it work as friends now.
"I heard about you, too," she said, her eyes narrowing. Gohan sank lower in his seat. "At first I thought you sounded like a great guy, and then you went and did that horrible thing and I lost all respect for you."
"Erasa," Videl hissed at her friend. "This is not why I brought you to meet Gohan. We're not here to discuss the past."
Erasa huffed. "Whatever."
Gohan hung his head in shame and let out a deep sigh. "I don't blame you, Erasa… I lost all respect for myself too, when I hurt Videl so awfully. I still don't understand how I could lose control like that."
"Let's…" Videl swallowed thickly. "Let's talk about something else, shall we?"
Erasa stood. "I'll be right back, I need to use the ladies room."
Gohan rubbed the back of his neck uneasily as he found himself alone with Videl. Well, Delie was there too, at least. He smiled at the baby.
"She's so cute," he cooed dreamily.
"Babies tend to be cute, yeah," Videl chuckled.
She moved to sit on Erasa's chair to get closer to the stroller.
Gohan felt a pang in his chest as she leaned over and tapped gently on the little girl's belly; he knew it was an effective method to help babies fall asleep.
It was like he was catching a glimpse of his future. Videl as the mother of his child… Gohan felt a lump rise in his throat and tried to swallow it down.
"Do you ever think of it? Having kids," he blurted, unable to stop himself.
Videl smiled lovingly at the baby girl. "Yeah. I want kids. Maybe two, a boy and a girl."
"Only two?" he teased. She chuckled and quirked an eyebrow at him.
"Well, isn't two enough?"
"I guess it is. I have a brother, and it is pretty nice. I often wonder what it would've been like if I had more siblings, maybe a little sister too."
She glanced at him, her cheeks a lovely pink color and her lips stretched into an amused smile. "Three then?"
"Why not four?" he suggested with a grin.
"Obviously you won't be the one getting pregnant four times," she said with a playful roll of her eyes.
"Well, you don't have to get pregnant four times. We could adopt one or two kids too."
Videl flushed. He widened his eyes at his slip-up.
"I-I-I mean… We as in, both of our respective families…" he tried to cover up.
She turned back to the little girl in the stroller and coughed into her spare hand. Delie was dozing on and off, completely oblivious to the awkward atmosphere as the nice lady continued tapping on her belly.
"Not that I would mind…" he mumbled under his breath, but Videl heard him and felt her breath get caught in her throat.
"I… uh, I like the idea of adoption," she said quickly, deciding to pretend she didn't hear him. "It's a good way to have more kids without having to get pregnant each time."
"Yeah," Gohan said, scratching his hair. "You could get an older kid, too, getting straight to the easier phases."
"And we'd be saving a kid from the foster care system," she went on without thinking, her eyes lighting up. "I know first-hand how awful it is and how hopeless the kids get… You know, I'm really warming up to the idea."
Gohan grinned, deciding to pretend he didn't notice her slip-up. Maybe, just maybe, he and Videl could start a family together someday. He imagined that they could have a couple kids of their own, and then adopt a couple foster children. Maybe siblings, so that they didn't get separated.
His heart tightened. He wanted that. He yearned for that big family with the woman he loved.
It had to work out between them. It just had to. Gohan had to keep fighting for her. Surely, with time, Videl would learn to trust him again. It wasn't hopeless. He refused to believe that. It wasn't just a dream. It had to come true.
Erasa splashed her face with the cool water. She was glad she hadn't worn makeup today. Somehow, as she grew older and especially since she got married and had a baby, superficial things like wearing makeup everyday stopped mattering to her so much. She still liked to get all dolled-up, but she reserved that for special occasions. Who had the time to do that everyday anyway? Not her as a full-time mom, that was for sure.
She looked at herself in the mirror, her face still dripping.
It had been hard not to let herself react. When she first laid eyes on Gohan, she'd had to repress her urge to swoon. Goodness, he was absolutely gorgeous. And when he'd crouched down to look at Delie… Oh, boy, she knew he was trouble.
Videl had been right. He would've totally been her type if she hadn't been taken already. Dang, he actually seemed perfect for Videl. Why did he have to go and screw up so bad?
She wiped her face with hand towels, threw them out in the trash and came out of the ladies rooms. She breathed in deeply, readying herself not to let Gohan's boyish charm get to her.
"Sorry to keep you waiting," Erasa said, jogging up to their table on the terrace. She paused as she laid eyes on her baby. "Oh, you put Delie to sleep. Thanks, Vi."
"She's pretty easy, so it was no trouble," Videl replied with a smile.
She moved back to her chair to let Erasa sit down next to her sleeping baby.
"So, what were you talking about while I was gone?" she asked, glancing at the handsome doctor before turning to Videl.
"Did you ever think of adopting?" Gohan asked. "Videl and I were discussing how neat it would be to adopt an older kid or two after having a few of our own. Um, I mean…" He coughed into his fist, a bright blush tinting his cheeks. "Separately, of course."
Erasa eyed him, unconvinced by his attempt to cover his slip-up.
"It's a good way to have more kids, and you also save them from the foster care system," Videl went on. "I really like the idea. Maybe in a few years when Delie is older, you could give her a few older siblings that way."
"I don't know," Erasa said softly, gazing at her adorable baby. "I've always wanted to have a big family, but being a mom to one kid is already so exhausting…"
"It'll get easier when she gets older," Gohan offered with an encouraging smile.
"And you'd know that how?"
She was probably harsher than she needed to be, especially since Gohan was just being nice. Videl shot her a glare at her tone and she gave her an apologetic smile.
"My dad passed away before my mom found out she was pregnant, so I pretty much raised my little brother," Gohan explained in a soft voice.
Well, now she felt like a bitch.
"It's hard work, of course, and I get that you're exhausted. If you don't want more kids, that's fine too. But it's a little lonely, being an only child, you know? It was just me for the first ten years of my life, and I'm so glad I got my brother."
Erasa lowered her eyes, unable to handle his gentle gaze; she couldn't stop the heat rushing to her cheeks. Dang, her poker face was slipping off. Gohan was just too handsome, too kind for her poor little heart.
How could someone like him do something so despicable to Videl? It didn't make any sense. He was so… pure. His aura felt pleasant and comforting, his eyes were brimming with honesty and gentleness. How could someone like him cause any kind of harm to anyone, let alone to the woman he loved? He looked like the sort of person who wouldn't even hurt a fly.
"Well… I guess we'll see in a few years, when Delie's older," she said softly.
"So, what's your husband like?" Gohan asked, moving on to another topic.
A fond smile tugged at her lips as she gazed at her little angle. "His name is Matt, and he's a comic artist. I met him in college, and we've been together for five years now."
"That's a long time, and you're so young, too. Was he your first boyfriend?"
Erasa shared a look with Videl; they were both thinking of the same thing. While Sharpner hadn't technically been her first boyfriend, he was her first love and she didn't like to count the boys she dated before him. Especially Binder, who had been her first time. Binder had been a complete ass and Erasa regretted rushing into losing her virginity. She wished Sharpner had been her first. He may have hurt her horribly, but she still remembered the good times they had together fondly. They had been happy. They had been so crazy about each other.
"No. He's actually the second love of my life," she answered honestly, turning to look at him. "My high school boyfriend cheated on me after I went off to college."
Gohan swallowed, his eyes brimming with empathy. "That's terrible. I'm really sorry you had to go through that."
She shrugged. "Some people can't handle the long distance when they're in a relationship. Sharpner loved me, but he still cheated."
"I could never. I can't even…"
Gohan trailed off and flushed, shooting Videl a quick glance. He breathed in deeply, rubbing the back of his neck.
"I can't even be with another woman while my heart is taken," he whispered, finishing his sentence nonetheless.
Videl lowered her head and swallowed thickly, a deep blush staining her cheeks.
"Sorry for the wait," a waiter said as he came up to them, sweat dripping from his forehead. "We're pretty swamped at this time of the day. Have you chosen what you want to order?"
"Iced tea for me, please," Gohan and Videl said at the same time. They shared a look and giggled.
Erasa looked on with a painful pang in her chest. Damn it, damn it. She actually wanted to root for them. They were just too perfect for each other. Ugh. This was such a big waste. To think Gohan was so in love with Videl that he couldn't even move on with someone else… Surely it would get better with time, right? Okay, so time hadn't been quite helpful over the months, but it was bound to get better eventually, right? Gohan couldn't stay hung up on Videl forever. Even if it took years, surely, he would get over her someday, wouldn't he?
"I'll have a diet coke, please," she said. The waiter nodded and turned away.
While they waited for their drinks, Gohan's pager went off. He frowned as he unhooked the device from his belt and read the numbers on the tiny rectangular green screen.
"I've got an emergency at the hospital. A car accident. I'm the doctor on call," he explained. He stood and smiled at the women in apology. "Sorry, I have to go." He turned to the blonde. "But I'm glad we could meet, and I look forward to seeing you again, Erasa."
She nodded her head with an understanding smile. Gohan's gaze lingered on Videl, and then he turned to the stroller and crouched down. He stroked that tiny little head as the baby slept soundly.
"I hope to see you again soon too, little angel."
Erasa felt like crying. Why? Why did he mess up so bad? Why was he so perfect? Why couldn't Videl just be happy with the man she loved?
He leaned over to give the baby a kiss. The endearing sight broke her heart to pieces.
And then he was off, and Erasa couldn't hold it in anymore. She sniffed and rubbed her eyes. Videl frowned as she turned to her.
"Erasa? What's wrong?"
She kept wiping her tears, not letting them roll down her cheeks. "He's so perfect for you. It's not fair. You should be with him."
Videl swallowed thickly. "Erasa…"
She pulled her friend to her and let her cry on her shoulder, hugging her close. Erasa wept harder.
"This is so unfair. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I wish there was a way for you two to work things out…"
Videl chuckled. "Really? So you're not going to be mad if I blow off my date with Adam?"
"What? No, you have to go," Erasa insisted, pulling away from the hug. She wiped her face and shook her head. "You still need to get laid, Videl, especially if you plan on hanging out with Gohan on a regular basis. You won't be able to keep your pants on in his presence if you're all pent-up when you see him."
Videl flushed deeply. "Erasa…"
She grinned playfully. "You were right, though."
Her friend ran her hand over the nape of her neck, glancing at her out of the corner of her eye. "About what?"
Erasa laughed.
"He's totally my type!"
The man who got in the car accident had been in a pretty terrible state. Gohan wasn't sure he was ever going to be able to walk again. He had done everything he could, and it was a miracle that he had managed to save him.
His test results confirmed his doubts. Gohan sighed as he walked into the hospital room. His patient was staring out the window. His head and torso were covered in tight bandages, his right arm was in a cast, and so were both of his legs.
"Hello, Mr…" Gohan took the chart hanging on the bed's bars and checked to make sure he didn't get the name wrong. Something tickled his memory at the first name. "... Cilpen."
The blond man hummed in response.
Gohan walked over to the bed and moved into his patient's line of vision.
"Your test results came in. You had a very high alcohol level in your blood. You were lucky nobody else got hurt in the accident or the police would have arrested you. They're still going to come in to question you."
"Whatever."
Gohan sat on the chair by the bed, trying to catch the depressed man's eyes. "We can get you help. You can get better. You don't have to suffer alone."
"Who says I want to get better?" retorted the patient, gritting his teeth at him. "Just leave me alone. I don't want your help."
Gohan leaned back on the chair and frowned, observing the broken man thoughtfully. There had to be a way to help him still. It was just too sad. He was so young and it looked as though he felt his life was over already. To think they were actually the same age.
"What about your family, your friends? A girlfriend maybe? Surely there are people who care about you and want to see you get better, right?"
The man scoffed. "Nobody cares. And neither do I." His almond colored eyes hardened. "Just leave me alone already. I don't want to see anyone."
Gohan's throat tightened. "What happened to you?" he croaked out, feeling his heart break at the depressing sight. "What made you fall so low?"
His patient didn't answer. He stubbornly looked to the other side and kept his mouth shut, waiting for him to leave.
Gohan sighed as he stood. "I'll be back later."
As he walked out of the hospital room, he read the name on his clipboard again. "Sharpner…" he murmured to himself.
And then his eyes widened and his head whipped back to the man on the hospital bed. His patient was showing him the back of his head again, adamant to ignore his presence.
He remembered now. He had just heard that name, barely a few hours ago. Erasa had mentioned him. And he was the same age as them… Could it be…?
Gohan cleared his throat, addressing the man once more. "Um… You wouldn't happen to know a girl named Erasa, by any chance?"
The man tried to sit up but failed and Gohan rushed to his aid. Sharpner stared at him with wide, shocked eyes.
Gohan cracked a small smile. "I take it that's a yes."
"How… How do you…? Who are you, even…?"
The young doctor chuckled as he helped his patient get in a more comfortable position on the bed.
"It's a complicated story, but I just met her, actually. Through Videl."
Sharpner gave him a dubious look. "You know Videl?"
"Well…" Gohan started, blood rushing to his face as he scratched his cheek. "We, um, we used to go out, but we broke up. We're just friends now."
The man scoffed. "That won't work. You can't be friend with your exes – it never works."
Gohan sat back on the chair by the bed, his expression turning solemn. "Erasa told me what happened…"
"Well, then you got your answer," Sharpner spat bitterly. "I lost the best thing that ever happened to me, that's what happened to me."
A deep frown creased his brow as Gohan observed the young man. "You mean… you never got over her?"
"No, I fucking didn't get over her. How are you supposed to get over losing the love of your life?"
Gohan swallowed thickly. What Sharpner said was hitting a little too close to home.
"Videl's mine," he blurted out. "The love of my life, I mean. But I screwed up and now it's over. It's been eight months, but I can't get over her. I can't even imagine myself moving on with somebody else. Let alone… you know…" He coughed into his fist, blushing profusely.
Sharpner eyed him with a pitying look. "You mean you've been going cold turkey for eight whole months? That's rough, man."
Gohan's blush worsened. "Well, no… We actually… Well, we kinda had a thing three months ago…"
The injured man quirked an eyebrow at the young doctor. "Did you, now?" He chuckled. "You lucky bastard. I see her on TV from time to time; she's even hotter now than back in high school."
Gohan slumped his shoulders. "She gets more beautiful every time I see her."
"So, what did you do? You don't look like the cheating type," Sharpner deduced accurately.
"I didn't cheat on her, no." Gohan swallowed hard. "I did something that's arguably worse."
Sharpner quirked an eyebrow at him, looking skeptical. "Worse than cheating? Did you kill someone she cares about or something?"
The spiky-haired man laughed slightly at the joke. "It's hard to explain… But I deceived her. I didn't mean to, but I hurt her terribly… I don't deserve her forgiveness, but I can't help trying to get it. I can't help hoping she might learn to trust me again."
Sharpner eyed him with a deep frown. "How old are you, anyway? You look in your early twenties, if that. Are you an intern?"
Gohan chuckled, scratching the back of his head. "I get that a lot. I'm twenty-six, but I've been a resident doctor since I was twenty-two."
Sharpner blinked. "Huh. That's super early, isn't it? Are you some kind of genius?"
Gohan cracked a smile, a humble blush forming on his face. "I… Well… I'm just really passionate about my work. I love helping people."
The young man sank deeper into his pillows. "Videl's always liked the brainy types, so that makes sense. I remember her first boyfriend when we were in high school. Adam, was it? He was studying to become a lawyer. But he was also a student in her father's gym." Sharpner looked him up and down. "I don't mean to offend you, but you don't really look like the fighting type."
A chuckle slipped out of his lips. "I guess looks can be deceiving. I'm actually into martial arts myself."
The blond raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Seriously? Man, I wouldn't have ever guessed. How long have you been into martial arts?"
"Huh… Well, I actually just got back to it recently… I started when I was four and trained intensively until I was ten."
Sharpner stared at him. Gohan gave a warm smile and got up.
"I'll leave you to rest. I'll come back later to check up on you."
But before he could pass through the open door, his patient's voice stopped him.
"How is she? Erasa."
Gohan looked at the damaged young man over his shoulder. "Are you sure you want to know?"
"Is she happy?" he asked, a desperate edge in his voice.
The young doctor turned around and smiled. "Yes, she looked happy. She got married and just had a baby."
Sharpner's breath hitched. He used his good hand to cover his eyes. "That's… good. I'm glad one of us was able to move on, at least."
Gohan observed his patient with a slight frown. "Would you be willing to get help? Once you're sober, I could try to arrange a meeting between you and Erasa so that you could maybe try to have some closure about what happened, and then maybe you could finally move on."
Sharpner let his hand drop on the mattress and closed his eyes. "I think it'd just break my heart more, seeing her again…"
"If you can't get over her, then what hope does that leave me with? Will I be in your place years from now, unable to ever forget about Videl?"
"Probably not. You're not as stupid as me," Sharpner said with a small smile.
"You'd be surprised. I made the stupidest mistake of my life when I betrayed her trust."
His voice quivered as he said that. He wanted, no, he needed to save Sharpner. Not because he was his patient, not because it was his job. Gohan needed to believe that even if things didn't work out between him and Videl, he wasn't going to end up a broken mess in years to come. He wanted to believe that the pain of losing her could lessen and even become bearable in time.
"Bah, I don't know." Sharpner sighed, opening his eyes to look at him. "I think I'm a hopeless case."
"I don't believe in hopeless cases. As long as you're alive, there'll always be hope. As long as you breathe, you can keep trying to summon the strength you need to keep fighting."
"So you don't think your story with Videl is a hopeless case? Even after you broke her trust?"
"I don't know if it is… but I'm still fighting for her nonetheless. I know Videl still loves me, and I want to show her that I'm not a liar, that she can trust me."
Sharpner turned his head to look out the window again and kept silent. Gohan took a step toward him.
"We could start slow," he suggested. "I could get you a therapist who'll help ease your emotional distress. We have some of the best psychologists and psychiatrists of the area in this hospital. That would be a start."
The broken man let out a deep sigh. "I guess… it wouldn't hurt to try therapy…"
Gohan beamed. "Great! I'll make the arrangements right away."
He turned to leave, his heart feeling a lot lighter than when he'd walked into this hospital room.
"Do you think she'll ever forgive me?"
Gohan smiled to himself. "I think you have your chances. She's moved on, and I'm sure she hopes that you have too. She seemed really nice, and I think she'll be deeply saddened if she saw the state you've put yourself in."
Sharpner cracked a melancholic smile. He closed his eyes once more. "Yeah, she was always the sweetest." His breath hitched shakily. "I miss her so much."
Gohan felt a painful pang in his chest. "Well, if all goes well, you could see her again pretty soon. How's that for a good motivation?"
Sharpner chuckled. He looked at him again. "What's your name, anyway?"
Heavy pants slipped out of her mouth. Lying on her bed with the lights turned off, Videl closed her eyes tightly as she allowed herself to access her forbidden memories.
She saw flashes of their first time, of the way she completely lost her mind at her first taste of that incomparable pleasure. She remembered how crazy he had driven her, how much she had desired him, and how fulfilling having him deep inside of her had felt. She remembered riding him long and hard, she remembered him lifting her leg and fucking her from the side. Her throat tightened as she almost tasted the insane pleasure he had given her.
She recalled their night in the hospital break room, how he had slowly devoured her, how he had taken his sweet time savoring her body, igniting the most vibrant fire inside of her – and then how he claimed her desperately against the door, holding her so tight, thrusting so deep and hard into her while she tried to keep her voice down, muffling her cries of pleasure into her hand.
She relived that steamy kiss that had almost turned into more at the gala behind the curtains, how she couldn't control herself at all, how much she had craved for him, how much she had missed him, how she didn't even care that there was a room full of people on the other side of the curtains.
And then their last night together… He had spent hours ravishing her, unable to control himself, always needing more, and more, and more… He had completely exhausted her that night. She recalled every position they had done it in. Him on top. Her on top. On the side while holding her leg up. From behind as his fingers dug into her waist. Her legs over his shoulder. Her legs around his waist. Sitting up. Lying down. Holding her up. On all four. Ass up, face down… Never getting enough of each other.
And lastly, the morning after… The way he had rubbed himself between her legs, begging her to let him claim her once more, breathing hard against her neck as he drove her crazy with pleasure just as promised, making feverish, passionate love to her. Their last time...
She rubbed the vibrating toy harder against her clit, letting the images of her intimate moments with Gohan help her get off. She let out a moan as she remembered the way he would touch her, the way he always took care to explore every inch of her body. She imagined having his head between her thighs and her knees trembled.
"Oh, Gohan!" she cried out, feeling herself getting close.
She pictured him on top of her – Gohan always liked getting on top, she had noticed. She ran her fingers down her throat as she imagined him kissing her neck. Videl lowered her hand to her breast and fondled it roughly, wishing it could be Gohan touching her. She pinched her nipple and let out a gasp as she pushed the vibrator inside of her at the same time.
She thrust it back and forth, longing for Gohan's delicious cock. Videl threw her head to the side and panted against her pillow, going faster and faster.
She was so damn close… Gohan would have made her get off so damn easily if he were here. Ugh, she missed him so fucking much…
"Yes, yes… more… Oh, Gohan… Gohan…"
She imagined a new scenario. He came to see her at the precinct. Unable to control his burning urge to claim her, he pulled her into a storage room and turned her around, kissing her avidly from behind her. His hands would go under her blouse and grope her tits, eliciting moans of pleasure that his lips stifled. Videl would feel his erection rub against her ass, and she would slip her hand in his pants and grab him roughly.
Gohan would groan into her mouth. And then he would yank her pants down, unable to wait anymore, then he'd push her all against the wall and fuck her like a wild animal.
"Oh, yes! Yes! That's it! Oh, fuck! Gohaaaannn…!"
Her climax wasn't nearly as intense as the ones Gohan would give her, but it did the job nonetheless. Videl felt her body relax and cool off, her pent-up frustration dropping at last.
Well, now at least she would be ready to face him tomorrow… Erasa was right, she couldn't reasonably hang out with Gohan while being so sexually charged. And while she waited to be ready to find herself a suitable partner – that wasn't Gohan, thank you very much – she had no choice but to do it herself.
With a sigh, she got up to clean up her slippery toy and take a shower before bed.
Her heart leaped at the thought of seeing him tomorrow, and Videl sighed in dismay. Why couldn't that stupid organ understand that she and Gohan were over? Seriously, was that so hard to understand?
As she let the water cool her off and soaked in the shower, pushing her hair back, Videl kept repeating to herself that this was a bad idea. Seeing Gohan again, being alone with him… That was a disaster waiting to happen, as Erasa had put.
She sighed, her shoulders slumping. She was hopeless. Even though her reason kept warning her that she was playing with fire, she couldn't help but feel excited at the thought of seeing Gohan again tomorrow.
But she could control herself, right? And she even got herself ready to face him. It wasn't much, considering how they just never seemed to get enough of each other, but it was still something.
Surely she could spend a few hours with Gohan without jumping his bones, right?
Was this arriving early and stressing over seeing Videl again going to become a thing?
Gohan had suggested they go see a movie. A drama about the Great Saiyaman's adventures had come out recently actually, and ever since he heard about it Gohan had been dying to see it with Videl. Who else was going to laugh at the most likely corny lines with him? Well, cornier than his, anyway. He admitted that he could get a little cheesy at times, but it wasn't always easy coming up with new witty things to say to criminals on every encounter.
He looked at his watch. Videl still had about ten minutes before their meeting time.
He heaved out a sigh. However he looked at it, this definitely felt like a date. Too bad it wasn't though… If this were a date, Gohan could've kissed her in the dark room while it showed the new film.
His throat tightened at the thought of kissing her again. He licked his lips, unable to stop the images that his mind conjured. He saw flashes of the kisses they had shared, and how things always seemed to heat up between them. How they just couldn't stop, how they couldn't help craving for more, holding each other tighter, grinding, savoring, fondling, exploring…
Gohan shook his head sharply. Now was not the time to get aroused. If he wanted his friendship with Videl to work, he had to show her that he could keep things one hundred percent platonic between them.
He cooled off after a minute or so. His senses picked up Videl's familiar presence, and a smile slowly stretched his lips as he turned to watch her arrive.
She smiled back, picking up the pace to get to him. Gohan felt a pang in his chest. He swallowed thickly. She was just so gorgeous. How was he supposed to control his burning desire for her when all he wanted was to push her against a wall and claim her passionately?
She was wearing a simple white shirt and skinny jeans, and yet she looked so amazing. Gohan pictured himself lifting the hem of her shirt and kissing her stomach, making her shiver as he slowly licked his way down to her…
He stopped his train of thought right there. Damn it, he needed to calm the heck down. He and Videl were only friends now, he had to stop thinking about her in this way – especially in her presence.
"Hey," she greeted, her eyes sparkling. "I'm so glad you wanted to see this movie. Can you believe Erasa turned me down when I offered to go see it together?"
"Raven didn't feel like seeing it with me either," he said with a grin. "I already bought my ticket, since I had some time to kill."
They started to the movie theater together. Videl quirked an eyebrow at him. "Were you always that punctual?"
"I just get a little restless while waiting to spend time with you," he admitted with an awkward chuckle. "You're a little early too, for that matter."
She averted her gaze, trying to hide her growing blush from him. "Traffic was better than I anticipated, that's all."
Gohan laughed into his hand. She wasn't a very good liar.
Her blush deepened. She glared at him out of the corner of her eyes.
"Shut up."
He grinned. "I didn't say anything."
"I can hear you thinking."
"I didn't know you were psychic."
She rolled her eyes. They got to the ticket machine and Videl proceeded to pay for her seat.
"It sure is nice that I don't have to pay for you anymore," Gohan commented playfully. "My wallet seems to really like our new arrangement."
Now if it could convince my heart that for now it's better this way… and my… other thing too…
He blushed at his own thoughts. Coughing into his fist, he decided to pretend he didn't notice the inquiring look Videl was shooting at him.
"Let's get some snacks before the movie," he suggested. "We've got plenty of time before it starts."
"Oh, my god…" Videl covered her face with her hand, watching the giant screen through the thin gaps between her fingers.
So it turned out the movie was about the Great Saiyaman and Detective Videl Satan's dramatic love story. They made it so Saiyaman's real identity was Videl's partner, creating tensions similar to many comic book series.
They got Gohan all wrong, too. The actor who played the superhero's real identity had curly blonde hair and blue eyes. He was also cocky and pompous, although that was apparently an act so as to appear as different from the super-powered vigilante as possible.
The movie got to a steamy scene between Saiyaman and Videl. Unlike what had actually happened between them, however, "Brad" – yes, they named him Brad – and Videl weren't dating when that had happened.
Unlike how it went between them eight months ago, Saiyaman kept his helmet on during the whole scene. They were also in Videl's bedroom, because apparently getting her home by flying was their thing.
On the screen, Saiyaman was staring deeply into Videl's eyes, towering over her on her bed. Despite the helmet, the audience was able to see the intense look on his face thanks to some x-ray kind of trick.
His green tunic was off and the top of his spandex was lifted up to his pecs, revealing his well-carved six-pack – though it was no comparison to Gohan's body, that was for sure. Not that anyone could ever be.
The actress had her bra on, and Saiyaman had his hands under her skirt, raising it around her hips.
Videl – the one sitting in the theater, that is – scoffed. Like she would ever wear a skirt to work. Or a thong, for that matter.
Saiyaman swallowed. "We can't…"
"Then just show me who you are," Videl panted, her chest heaving. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer. "I'm in love with you, Saiyaman… Please, just tell me your name. You can trust me, I won't ever tell anyone…"
"I…"
Gohan swallowed. He did not feel comfortable watching this, let alone while sitting right next to Videl… He leaned over and whispered in her ear, "Want to get out of here?"
A pleasant shudder made the hair on the back of her neck rise as his breath brushed her skin.
Videl kinda wanted to see what was going to happen next, though. The movie wasn't half bad.
"Just a sec," she whispered back.
Gohan slumped back into his seat, forcing himself to watch this ridiculous soap opera about a superhero that had nothing to do with him and a Videl that would never measure up to the real thing.
He supposed he just needed to stop comparing these pale imitations with them, and maybe then he could start enjoying the movie… Videl didn't seem to have the same problem, somehow. He cracked a smile as he gazed at her; her eyes were glued to the screen. She looked completely riveted by the scene.
"I'm… I'm sorry, Videl… I just can't."
And so the superhero left his love interest hanging. She groaned in frustration and pulled at her hair.
"That idiot… Can't he see how much I want him? Ugh!"
Videl was impressed. The fictional characterization of her was pretty on-point for this part. She could imagine herself reacting in this way if something like that had ever happened to her.
Only, Gohan had lacked the restraint that the on-screen Saiyaman had showed just now. Once they had started kissing, they just couldn't stop. They kept aching for more, they couldn't get enough of each other…
Videl swallowed as images of that late afternoon in the forest rushed to her head. Her first time with Gohan… She had lost it completely that day. Her desire for Saiyaman had trumped everything else, even her growing affection for the man she believed she was kinda, sorta, not really cheating on.
She heard an aggravated sigh beside her and turned her head. Gohan looked positively dejected.
He was probably thinking of the same thing…
"Let's go," she said.
She would just stream the movie once it was available on Netflix or something.
"So…" Videl started.
Gohan coughed into his fists, his cheeks still flaming red. "Yeah…"
They were just outside of the theater, standing awkwardly side by side. Videl glanced up at him; he met her gaze.
"I guess it wasn't the best choice of movie for us to watch together, huh?" she said in a joking tone. Gohan chuckled uneasily.
"Tell me about it…" He sighed, scratching his hair. "How about we get something to eat?"
She smiled. "Sounds good." They started walking along the street. "How about sushi?"
Gohan grinned. "You read my mind."
"I guess I really am psychic," she joked with a small laugh.
Gohan snapped his fingers dramatically. "I knew it!"
Videl snorted into her hand. Gosh, he was just so funny.
They soon found a Japanese restaurant, but as Gohan was holding the door for Videl – ever the gentleman even though they were only friends now – a woman was getting ready to leave and her eyes lit up when she saw Videl.
"Oh, hi! It's been so long!" the red-haired woman exclaimed. "How have you been? I haven't seen you since our high school graduation, wow!"
"Angela. What a coincidence," Videl gritted out through an extremely rigid smile.
The young woman perked up when she saw Gohan, making a show of pretending that she only now noticed him. "Oh, and is this your boyfriend?" She winked at her former classmate. "Way to go, Vi! He's hot."
Gohan coughed uneasily into his fist. He was blocking the way to and from the restaurant, though, so he quickly walked inside to join Videl and her high school acquaintance.
"I'm not her…" he started but trailed off, his heart clenching painfully at the thought of the rest of that sentence.
"He's just a friend," Videl mumbled, rubbing the nape of her neck. She was blushing.
Angela perked up, as though she just realized something. "Oh, that's right! I saw on social media that you were back with your high school boyfriend. What was his name again? Andy? Alan?"
"It's Adam," Videl ground out, clenching her fists at her sides.
Gohan swallowed. His fingers trembled. His lungs stopped working.
His heart was in pieces.
Videl was seeing someone. Not just someone, but her first boyfriend… He remembered the name Sharpner had mentioned in passing on their first meeting… Videl was back with her very first flame.
Maybe he was even… Maybe that Adam was actually the one Videl had given in to for the first time.
His fists clenched tightly as uncontrollable jealousy swirled inside of him. Why didn't he go to high school with them? He could've been Videl's first boyfriend; he could've been her first kiss, her first love, her first time… He wished Videl had been his first too. He wished she had been the only woman he had ever been with.
"Well, it was nice seeing you again! Message me on Instagram; we should meet up sometime!"
The redhead tugged at a man's arm and skipped out of the restaurant, unaware of the mess that she left behind her.
Gohan and Videl sat at a table, but the atmosphere had changed. Gohan was in no mood for playful banter anymore. He just wanted this day to be over with already. He couldn't even look at her right now.
Maybe he ought to cut this short. Too bad he wasn't on call today… He had made sure not to get interrupted this time, and now he actually regretted it.
"I'm sorry, Videl," he said, pushing his chair back and standing up. "I think I want to go home."
He still wouldn't meet her eyes.
"Gohan…"
Her voice was hoarse as she murmured his name. He closed his eyes tightly.
"I'm sorry. We were having a good time, and I still want to be your friend," he affirmed nonetheless. "But I just… I…"
"But you can't handle the idea that I'm seeing somebody," she finished for him.
He swallowed. His fists trembled. "No, I can't. And I think… I think you would feel the same if the roles were reversed." He finally looked at her, his throat tight as he croaked out, "Wouldn't you?"
Her lips trembled; her eyes welled up. "You're right…"
He turned away, running his hand through his spiky hair. "Well, you're in luck, because I can assure you, you won't ever find yourself in that situation."
"Don't say that, Gohan… I don't want you to be miserable while I try to move on. I just don't want to know about it…"
He sat back on the chair – collapsed on it, more like. He raised his head and put his hand over his forehead. "I do want you to be happy, Videl… even if it's not with me." He straightened up and his eyes got serious as they locked on hers. "Is he treating you well?"
She shook her head. "Let's not talk about that. Better yet, let's make a rule: we don't talk about our respective love lives." She held out her hand to him and smiled. "Deal?"
Gohan sighed in resignation. He leaned over the table and took her hand in his, feeling the ever pleasant spark course through his skin at the contact.
"Deal."
Not that he would ever have anything to share. Still, it was a good rule, if only to spare his poor, poor heart.
"Sorry…"
Videl pulled at the sheets to cover herself, feeling shameful and dejected. The tears wouldn't stop coming.
Things had been going well with Adam. He was indeed still single when she texted him, and while he admitted to feeling hurt by her rejection three months ago, he immediately understood when she explained the situation like Erasa had advised. He didn't mind keeping things casual with her, but he added that he hoped that with time things between them could evolve into something more – into something real.
And so they've been going on dates, reacquainting themselves with one another. The first kiss had gone smoothly, and on the next date, Videl decided to take the leap.
But it just felt… wrong. Her heart couldn't get into it, and her head kept conjuring the image of another man while Adam rediscovered her body after almost a decade.
He had been about to put it in when Videl felt a rush of panic take over her. Her heart was screaming in protest. She wanted Gohan, damn it. Gohan was the only one she should be doing this with.
She had pushed him off her before they could go all the way and murmured her apology, her voice cracking.
Adam moved closer to her, placing his hand on her quivering shoulder. "Hey… It's okay, Videl. You don't have to apologize… I get it, breakups are awful. We can take things slower if you want."
She sniffed, wiping her face with the sheet. "Thank you, Adam. You're so sweet…"
"Can we cuddle at least?"
She cracked a smile and turned to him, snuggling up to his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head.
"Do you want to tell me about him?" he asked softly.
Videl bit her lip, wondering how much she could confide in him. Adam was a good guy, but she couldn't share Gohan's secret to just anybody.
"It was actually… It was Saiyaman."
At least this way Gohan's real identity was safe.
"Whoa, for real?"
"I started seeing the real him, actually…" she explained. "I had no idea he was Saiyaman. I still hated his superhero persona back then… but, at the same time, I always felt this incomprehensible attraction to him."
She went on to explain what happened, being careful not to mention Gohan by name and addressing him as Saiyaman instead. She told Adam everything, without holding anything back, and cried as she got to the emotional parts. Though she did have to change the setting for their kiss at the gala… And she made it sound like she just happened to run into Gohan to explain their last date. Everything else… she poured her heart out to him.
"Fuck. That's messed up," Adam breathed out in disgust. "How could you agree to be friends with him after what he did to you?"
"I… I just miss him so much." She took a shaky breath. Adam rubbed her back in a soothing motion. "Despite everything, I can't stop loving him… And a part of me is hoping I can learn to trust him again."
"It's so messed up," Adam said again, his arms tightening around her. "No wonder you've been having such a hard time trusting men again…"
"I trust you, though," she mumbled into his chest. "I just… I can't stop thinking about him…"
"Well, that makes sense, since you still love him." He pulled back slightly to smile at her, cupping her cheek tenderly. "I do hope I can make you forget about him eventually. And I can wait. I've been waiting for almost ten years already… I was never able to truly forget about you, Videl." He leaned in and gave her a gentle kiss. "You were my first love, and my feelings for you never really went away."
Her lips parted as she stared at him. "But… it was your idea to break up."
"I thought it was what you wanted. I could feel you slipping away from me."
Her eyes welled up. "I'm sorry…"
He stroked her cheek. "It's okay, you're worth the wait."
She smiled as he leaned in to kiss her again.
Maybe, just maybe… with Adam's help… she could actually get over Gohan.
She stared at the text she just got, her jaw slackening.
"Hey, Videl," Gohan wrote to her. "If Erasa is near you, I need you not to react to what I'm going to say to you.
"I met Sharpner a few weeks ago. He got into a car accident and I'm his doctor."
Videl's hands trembled. She quickly glanced to her left. Erasa was eating popcorn, her eyes glued to the action/romance movie they were watching together while Delie was taking her daily nap.
"He was completely broken, physically as much as emotionally. He never got over losing Erasa… and he's still deeply in love with her. He was driving drunk when he had his car accident."
She swallowed thickly, her chest tight with anguish. She had always hoped that Sharpner had eventually moved on and started a new life with someone else… He used to be one of her best friends and she had been heartbroken when she had to choose between Erasa and him. Despite how much he had hurt Erasa, she never wished him to be miserable. She always hoped he was happy…
"I've gotten him help. He didn't want to at first, but I got through to him. He's been seeing a therapist and going to AA meetings. He's still fragile mentally, but he's doing better. I'm not very optimistic about the state of his legs, however, and I don't think he'll be able to walk again. I hope I can work out this new formula to heal him, but that's going to take time… Good thing funding isn't a problem anymore."
She smiled at that. Yes, certainly, after her bid on Gohan at the auction, as well as the one Bulma Briefs made on her husband, the hospitals in Satan City weren't going to need any more funding for a long time.
"I was waiting for him to get better before telling you about it. I'm sorry that I had to hide it from you, but I hope you understand.
"Anyway… what's been motivating him to get better is that I promised I would try to arrange a meeting between him and Erasa. He needs closure… Maybe if Erasa forgives him he'll be able to move forward? I don't really know if it can work, but I want to try. Do you think Erasa would agree to see him? If she doesn't feel comfortable staying with him alone, I can come with him, and I'm sure you would want to be by her side too.
"Well, if you don't think you should tell Erasa… you know her better than me so I trust your judgment. It's up to you now… Let me know what you decide."
Videl wiped her tears quickly. As luck would have it, the movie was now in the middle of a tragic scene, and Erasa was crying without any restraint into a crumpled tissue.
"Thank you so much for everything, Gohan," she wrote back. "I'm going to ask Erasa and I'll let you know how it goes."
Her phone vibrated in her hands barely a few seconds later. "Sounds good to me. Thanks, Videl."
She smiled fondly at her screen. Something was beginning to happen in her heart. It was glowing… radiating with something she thought was lost forever.
She was starting to trust Gohan again… She trusted him to handle the situation between Sharpner and Erasa.
Did that mean… Would she actually be able to forgive him in time?
And then her heart sank with guilt. But… if she could eventually get back together with Gohan… what about Adam? Things had been going so well between them. He had been so sweet, so understanding and patient with her…She couldn't do this to him.
But…
She bit her lip as she looked at the screen of her phone.
Gohan…
She sighed in dejection, her shoulders slumping as she sank deeper into the couch.
"Stop staring at your phone already! You're missing everything!" Erasa berated her without tearing her eyes away from the flat screen.
Videl suddenly straightened up and grabbed the remote from the armrest on her right, ignoring her friend's indignant protest when she paused the movie.
"Erasa, I need to tell you something."
Her tangled up love life could wait. This was more important.