3

"So, um…"

Gohan's gaze was inevitably drawn to her rosy lips when Videl spoke. He swallowed thickly.

"Shall we… go?" she asked, her voice hesitant, nervous.

He averted his eyes and cleared his throat, his whole face turning bright red. "Uh, yeah. Hang onto me tight."

In response, Videl wrapped her arms around his neck. Gohan didn't dare look back at her, feeling too flustered to meet her deep blue eyes.

He took a deep breath. "Well, here we go."

He shot up into the sky and felt the young woman in his arms tense up. She buried her face into the crook of his neck, and Gohan felt faint. His flight flattered for a second, but the demi-Saiyan quickly regained his focus and continued going higher and higher in the sky.

They were soon surrounded by clouds and he paused in mid-air. Gohan hoped Videl could take being so high up; the oxygen was much thinner and the temperature was quite low too. He couldn't help with the former issue, but he could at least keep her warm. He raised his ki, making sure Videl wouldn't be cold.

"We're so high…" she murmured in awe while looking down below at the far, far away city.

Gohan cracked a smile as he watched her. While the sight of the city from so high up amazed her, Videl was calm and didn't seem to care that they were thousands of miles from the ground. "Guess you're not the tiniest afraid of heights, huh?"

Videl shot him a cocky smirk. "I ain't scared of anything."

He smirked back, a playful glint in his eyes. "Is that so? What if I let go of you?"

But instead of blanching or panicking like any sane person would have, Videl lit up.

"I would love that, actually!"

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Are you serious?"

She rolled her eyes. "You're obviously going to catch me, so what's the big deal? I go parachute jumping all the time; it's a super fun hobby."

He laughed. He should've known. Doing something like that was so like Videl. He may have not known her for very long but having that kind of hobby fit her personality perfectly.

"Alright then."

And so he let go of her and stopped using his ki at the same time, causing them to fall together. Like a pro, Videl was skydiving with her arms and legs spread and bent. She wasn't even screaming, instead, she had a big smile on her lips. Gohan reached out and took her hand, causing Videl to look at him.

"So you do this as a hobby, huh?" he asked loudly to be heard over the wind whistling in their ears.

"Isn't it awesome?" she exclaimed excitedly.

"Now I get why you're so eager to learn how to fly!"

They laughed. Gohan didn't want to get too close to the city and be seen, so he pulled Videl to him, her back to his front this time, and wrapped his arms around her while using his ki to fly up once more. Videl spread out her arms as he soared up the sky, pretending to be flying herself.

To make it more fun, Gohan flew in loops and zigzags, dove in a straight line faster than when they were skydiving just now, then went back up. Videl was laughing in glee; sometimes she would shriek in surprise when he would take a sharp dive.

After nearly ten minutes, Gohan reluctantly stopped the rollercoaster ride. He knew he couldn't delay going to class any longer or he was going to be late.

Videl turned her head to meet his gaze. Her lips were spread out in the widest grin and her cheeks were flushed with glee. "That was so fun! And you're so fast!"

He chuckled as he flew them back to the rooftop. "I told you speed was my strong point."

He landed and let go of Videl, who took a few steps forward before turning around to face him. Gohan felt a pang in his chest; he missed holding her already.

"I had so much fun! Thank you so much, Gohan."

He smiled, feeling his heart swell at the sight of her happy face. "You're welcome." He sighed. "But I really have to go now."

Videl laughed. "Of course. Thank you for everything, Gohan."

He started levitating again. He turned his head and gave her a sign goodbye with two fingers, and Videl waved at him.

"I look forward to our next training session."

Gohan nodded his head. "As am I, Videl."

And he was off, going on his way to the university. His heart felt light and he just couldn't stop smiling. He was so happy he met Videl. She was so… peculiar. He had never come across anyone quite like her. She was immensely talented in martial arts, she was fun, she had unusual hobbies… and she was so ridiculously beautiful.

Gohan flushed brightly at the thought. The smile on his face didn't falter in the least, however.

But, like, seriously. Videl was gorgeous. Her eyes were of the deepest blue, her skin was flawless, her traits were delicate and harmonious, and she had the most amazing smile. And when he held her in his arms… Gohan couldn't think of a better feeling than that.

The university was in sight. Gohan landed in a deserted alley and continued on foot. He checked his watch and picked up the pace; his class started in ten minutes.

A thought crossed him, and the young man frowned. Was it inappropriate for him to be so attracted to her when she was his student? But that wasn't the only thing she was to him. They were friends too, weren't they? They had fun together in the sky. This wasn't just a teacher-student relationship, right?

Maybe he should talk to her about it and make things clear. About them being friends, that is ━ not about his attraction towards her, obviously.

Gohan blushed deeply. To think he had only met her yesterday, and he liked her so much already.

He was curious as to how their relationship would develop. Would Videl grow to like him too? Did she already like him, maybe?

He shook his head to clear his mind and started jogging on his way to class. He wasn't even sure they were friends yet. One thing at a time.

The sun was setting. Videl dragged her heavy feet into her apartment. She couldn't wait to take off these weights and take a long bath. Training today had been rough. Videl thought the best way to make her ki grow was to go back to basics, so she went for a run first, then she did push-ups, sit-ups and other basic workout exercises which difficulty had increased by a lot because of the weights she was wearing.

Once in the bathroom, Videl took off the weights first, heaving a sigh of relief as she massaged her sore wrist. She felt so much lighter now, even lighter than before Gohan gave her the weighted wrist and ankle bands. It made sense. That was the whole point of training with such equipment.

She started a bath and stripped off her sweaty clothes while the big, round tub filled with warm water. She got in even though the tub wasn't full yet, feeling the water level slowly rise around her body. Videl leaned back and closed her eyes, letting out a tired sigh.

But soon a smile curled on her lips. She had also been working on her ki for half of her day, going back and forth between workout exercises and ki-training, and she had made a lot of progress since this morning. She couldn't wait to show Gohan how much she had improved.

Gohan… Her face felt warmer as she pictured the young man in her head ━ but that was because of the warm water, surely. Her bath was ready, for that matter, so Videl turned off the faucet and sighed in content as she soaked in the warm water.

Flying with Gohan had been so much fun. She couldn't wait to be able to fly like that herself. When she asked him to train her yesterday, Videl couldn't have dreamed to be learning that kind of ability. She couldn't believe how lucky she was to have come across Gohan, someone who turned out to be even more extraordinary than she initially thought.

She recalled the look in his eyes when he pulled her against him, his arms around her, holding her close… She flushed and lowered herself in the bath until her mouth was underwater. At that moment… Gohan had been staring at her lips, hadn't he? The thought made her throat tighten.

Videl sighed underwater, making bubbles in the bath. She rose and leaned back against the tub, massaging her forehead. She didn't want to dwell on that right now. She didn't know Gohan all that well yet, and she wanted to focus on becoming good friends with him and on learning as much as possible from him.

But she couldn't help but wonder if it meant what she thought it meant. Gohan was… attracted to her, wasn't he? When he'd stared at her lips, she thought for sure he was thinking of kissing her.

Well, she would be lying if she said that her new trainer left her indifferent. He had gentle eyes and a very nice smile, and he was really fun to hang out with, too.

Videl closed her eyes and smiled to herself as she replayed in her head going flying with Gohan this morning. They had a real blast together, and she was more than eager to go flying with him again.

She heard a chime coming from her hoodie, signaling that she had a new text. Luckily, she had left her clothes on the counter by the bathtub, so Videl reached out and fished out her water-resistant smartphone.

Her eyes lit up. It was a text from Gohan.

"Hey, Videl. I hope you didn't overdo it today? Haha. Anyway, is five good for you tomorrow? I won't be free before that, sorry."

She grinned as she tapped her response. "No worries, and five works for me, yeah. And no, I didn't overdo it, but I can't wait to show you my progress tomorrow!" She added a grinning emoji.

"I'm sure you're going to blow my mind again, haha."

"I guarantee that I will!" She added a smirking emoji, then started writing another text. "So, how was your day?"

"Not over yet. I'm taking a short break then I'm going back to work at the lab. We're on a deadline for an important client so it's been pretty hectic lately."

Videl raised her eyebrows at that. Gohan was still at work? "When do you get off?" she asked.

"At eight. Bulma usually throws me out when I lose track of the time at work, haha…"

Videl bit her lip in hesitation. Should she go for it…? She didn't want to sound like she was asking him out, but it would be nice to hang out with someone instead of spending her night alone again.

She decided to take her shot.

"Do you have dinner plans?"

"Not really. Unless planning to go straight home and work on my thesis while eating instant noodles counts?"

She chuckled slightly. "You're not on a deadline for your thesis, are you?"

"Nope. I finish it when I finish it. Why do you ask?"

"Well, to be honest… I've been living in West City for a year now, and you're the first person I really get along with. I'm not very good at making friends, heh."

"Really? But you're so easy to talk to. I really enjoy spending time with you."

Videl beamed at her phone when she read his message. "Then would you like to hang out with me tonight?"

Her heart was pounding hard as she waited for Gohan's reply. "Sure!" And then another text followed: "That means we're friends, right?"

Videl giggled. "That's what I'm hoping for, yes."

"Good to know. Would you meet me by the entrance of Capsule Corp. at seven-thirty? I'll get off work earlier than I planned so we don't have dinner too late."

"You spoil me, haha." She couldn't stop grinning. "See you there, then."

"I should get back to work. See you in a bit."

Videl was about to put her phone on the counter by the tub but it chimed again. She unlocked her screen and saw that Gohan sent her another text. She went back to the messaging app to open it.

"By the way, don't put the weights on tonight. I'm sure you've trained more than enough today and you'll be more comfortable for dinner."

"I need to wash them anyway, so I guess it's better that way."

Videl had to admit, not having to put on the weighted bands on her wrists and ankles was a relief. She didn't think she overdid her training today, but now that the weights were off, she did not look forward to putting them back on for the rest of the night.

"Okay, good," Gohan replied, and added a waving hand emoji.

Videl put her phone away and sat up in the tub to start washing herself. She was meeting Gohan in about an hour and a half, which gave her plenty of time to get ready, but she couldn't waste it lazing in her bath either. She also needed to find what she was going to wear, and she should probably handwash the weighted bands and hang them to dry before leaving, too, so that they could be ready to be used tomorrow.

Soon enough, she got out of her bath and dried herself; she twisted her hair in a towel and put on a robe. Then she took the weights and washed them in the sink with water and soap. She wrung the heavy pieces of clothing equipment, before putting them in the laundry basket and stepping out of the bathroom and going to the balcony by the living room where her clothes hanger was. She pinned the humid bands on the thin bars; they should be dry by tomorrow morning, she surmised. Good thing the weather forecasting didn't announce rain.

Videl went to her room and opened her closet. Now, what should she wear to meet with Gohan? They were going to dinner, but it was probably going to be somewhere casual. It wasn't a date, after all.

As she browsed through her clothes and considered her options, Videl found herself being a lot more picky than usual, and soon a pile of clothes had gathered on her bed. She scratched her cheek, wondering when she had become the kind of girl who fussed about her appearance.

It was embarrassing to admit, but she did want Gohan to think she looked good. She blushed slightly and rubbed her nose with the back of her forefinger.

Well, she didn't deny being attracted to him, so that kind of reaction was to be expected, she supposed. There was nothing wrong with dolling herself up a little more than usual anyway, right?

Bulma was surprised when Gohan told her he was heading out earlier than usual. Gohan couldn't help blushing when she asked him if he had plans for tonight.

He scratched the back of his head and gave an awkward chuckle. "Kinda…"

"Is it a date?" Bulma pried shamelessly, making her employee flush completely. His reaction made his denial hard to believe. The female scientist raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Is that so?"

"It's just… dinner with a friend."

Bulma smirked. "Is the friend a girl?"

He hid his crimson face with his large hand. "Don't you have a lot of guy friends yourself?"

"I don't blush when I talk about them though."

Gohan sighed in exasperation. "Anyway, she must be waiting for me, so I'll be on my way."

"Oh, are you guys meeting nearby? I'm coming with you!"

Gohan grumbled to himself, but he couldn't find any reason for Bulma not to accompany him ━ and he really tried to find one too. So they walked together through the maze-like hallways of Capsule Corp. to get to the front entrance.

"So, what is she like?" Bulma asked. "How did you meet her? Is she pretty?"

Gohan sighed deeply. "You'll be able to judge that yourself when you see her, won't you?"

"I guess so. But how did you meet her?"

He massaged the sore muscle in the back of his neck. "I met her yesterday at the park."

Bulma pouted. "You're not gonna give me any details, are you?"

"Nope."

"Do you like her?"

Gohan looked away and raised a hand to his mouth, hoping to hide his bright blush, but his embarrassment was evident. Bulma smirked. She nudged him with her elbow and snickered.

"You do, don't you?"

Gohan moved away from her to escape her nudging. He raised his hands in defense.

"I don't know," he said not-so-honestly. "I just met her."

"You sure blush a lot when you talk about her though," Bulma pointed out snidely.

Gohan sighed and didn't reply. They were reaching the front entrance anyway, so this interrogation was coming to an end, thankfully.

He hoped he could hide how much he liked Videl when they met up with her, though… He sighed in resignation. Probably not.

They stepped outside, then passed the gate; Videl was leaning against the wall connected to it, and she perked up when she saw him.

Gohan couldn't help staring as she stepped closer. She had her hair down, the shoulder-length tendrils framing her face in a lovely way. She was wearing a red, fitted, V-neck sweater that showed a bit of cleavage, a golden-brown bomber jacket, dark skinny jeans, and white sneakers.

She looked… sexy. Very sexy. It suited her, to be dressed like that. It was more feminine and allowed her to show off her athletic and curvy figure.

"Hey, Gohan," she greeted him with a shy smile and a slight blush. Then she tilted her head as she looked him over. "You're wearing a suit again."

"I… uh…" He cleared his throat, trying to focus on his answer. "I always wear a suit for work. I dress more casually for class though."

She smiled. "Makes sense."

"Hello, I'm Bulma!" the blue-haired woman said in enthusiasm, springing out her hand forward. Videl blinked at the famous inventor who seemed to appear out of nowhere and shook her hand dumbly. "I got curious about you when Gohan said he was meeting a friend, and I have to say, I'm not disappointed. You're even lovelier than I imagined!"

Videl blushed at the compliment. "Thank you. I'm Videl. It's an honor to meet you, Dr. Bulma."

"Just call me Bulma," she said while taking a step back. "Well, I'll leave you kids be. See you tomorrow, Gohan, and have fun, you two!"

Grateful that his boss wasn't lingering about, the young man nodded his head and bid her a good night. Bulma skipped away happily while humming to herself.

Gohan then turned back to Videl and gave a shy smile, rubbing the back of his neck. He blushed. "You… um, you look really nice."

She averted her gaze and tucked a few strands behind her ear, her cheeks reddening. "Thanks…"

"So, um… Shall we go?"

Without looking at him, Videl nodded her head, and they started walking, side by side.

"Did you have a place in mind?" she asked. "I don't live in this area so I wouldn't know the good places around here."

Gohan smiled as he glanced at the young woman, but she was still avoiding his gaze. Or maybe she just preferred walking while looking where she was going. He was probably overthinking this.

He shouldn't have complimented the way she looked just now, right? They were just hanging out as friends, and telling her she looked nice, that was something you did when you were on a date, right?

He hoped the awkwardness would dissolve soon enough. Or maybe he was the only one feeling awkward? His feelings were most likely one-sided anyway. Well, he and Videl only met yesterday, so who knew how things were going to turn out?

He glanced at her again. His face heated up. She was so pretty. Wearing her hair down really suited her. She had shiny, thick, and slightly wavy hair; it made him want to run his fingers through her silky raven locks.

Gohan shook his head.

"There's a nice place around the corner," he said, pointing at the direction he meant. "It's a steakhouse."

Videl looked at him and her eyes lit up. "Perfect. A good steak is just what I need after training all day."

He gave her a suspicious look. "You did take breaks and drink enough water throughout the day, didn't you?"

She rolled her eyes and waved him off. "Yeah, yeah. Do I look dehydrated to you?"

He cracked a smile. "I guess not."

He felt relieved that she wasn't avoiding his eyes; in the end, it was just in his head like he thought.

They got to the steakhouse; the hostess led them to a quiet booth in a corner and gave them menus. She blushed when Gohan thanked her with one of his effortlessly charming smiles and awkwardly excused herself.

Videl watched her new friend in amusement. He was smiling to himself as he browsed through the menu, completely oblivious to the effect he had on the woman.

Well, Gohan was a very good-looking guy, so that kind of thing probably happened to him all the time. Even she wasn't indifferent to his boyish charm.

Videl hadn't expected him to be that clueless, though. It made her wonder if he ever had a girlfriend before. She honestly couldn't tell. Either possibility wouldn't surprise her. If Gohan did have experience with women, though, she imagined that he hadn't been the one to initiate it. He was way too shy and clueless to actively pursue someone, she was pretty sure.

"Do you have a girlfriend?" she couldn't help but ask, too curious to stop herself.

He flushed and kept his gaze glued to his menu. "No, I don't."

"Sorry if that's an uncomfortable question. It's just, you just made the hostess blush and you didn't even notice, so I got curious."

He looked up at her and blinked. "I did what?"

Videl giggled. "You really are clueless, huh?"

Gohan blushed and scratched the back of his head. "Can't argue with that…"

"Have you had a girlfriend before?"

He shook his head no and made a face. "Is it weird?"

Videl shrugged. "I've never had a boyfriend either. We're still young anyway, and we've both been focusing on our respective careers to have time for dating."

He cracked a smile. "That's true. You're already a world-class martial artist and you're only nineteen."

"And you're the same age and working on your third doctorate." She grinned. "We're pretty impressive people, huh?"

Gohan chuckled in good humor. "Looks like it."

Videl picked up her menu and started scanning her options. "Hmm, I think I want a big cheeseburger. What about you?"

Gohan shifted his attention to the menu. "Yeah, a cheeseburger sounds nice. With some rib steak, and beef steak, and the chicken looks really good too…"

She stared at him, blinking a few times. "Are you still growing or something? Aren't you tall enough?"

He paused to look at her. A blush formed on his cheeks and he let out an embarrassed chuckle. "I just have a big appetite, and a really fast metabolism. I might still be growing though, I'm only nineteen and some men keep growing into their early twenties…" He scratched his cheek. "I haven't measured myself in a while so I don't really know."

Videl puckered out her lower lip. "So unfair. I haven't grown an inch since I was fifteen, and I didn't have that much to work with either."

Gohan laughed slightly. "Yeah, I guess it is unfair, but some men aren't very tall even though they've had longer to grow. I think it's more to do with genes than time." He tilted his head to the side, his expression innocent and curious. "Did you want to be taller? I think your height suits you. Makes you all the more impressive and badass when you fight big, muscle-bound guys."

Videl smiled and blushed at the compliment. "Is that so?"

Gohan chuckled uneasily. "I thought you looked awesome yesterday at the park, when you were showing the kids self-defense moves on that big guy. I went there to study but I couldn't help watching your class instead, haha…" He scratched his hair.

She felt a pang in her chest at the sight of his adorable smile. But before she could dwell on what it means, a waiter came up to them to take their order.

"You still set on a cheeseburger?" Gohan asked her with a kind smile.

"Um, yeah." Her cheeks felt hot.

Gohan gave his own order, and the waiter didn't seem surprised by the amount of food Gohan was asking for. Well, it was obviously not Gohan's first time in this steakhouse, so Videl figured the staff here were used to his big appetite.

When the waiter left, Gohan turned his attention back to her. His smile never left his face.

"So, what kind of other hobbies do you have aside from parachute jumping? Are all your hobbies that thrilling?"

She chuckled. "Most of them, I guess. I enjoy mountain climbing, high rope course, car racing, riding on my motorcycle, but also normal stuff like playing baseball, soccer, football, and all kinds of sports. Oh and paintball too, it's super fun. That reminds me, I haven't played in a while."

"I never tried. Maybe you could show me what it's like sometime."

Gohan was leaning on his elbow with his chin in his palm, watching her with gentle eyes and a faint blush.

"I would like that. It would be nice to go with a friend."

Why did she feel the need to remind him they were just friends? Was it because it sounded like he was asking her out? Or was it because she wouldn't have minded at all if he did?

No. She didn't have time to date; her priority was to focus on her career.

But wasn't this dinner very much like a date? The only difference was what they called it.

Gohan didn't seem the least bit put out by her precision, however. He probably didn't mean anything by it and didn't see her as more than a friend.

A particular memory from this morning flashed in her head, reminding her of the way Gohan had stared at her lips when he held her against him. That wasn't the action of someone who wasn't interested, was it?

Looking sideways, Videl tucked a few locks behind her ear and let out a soft sigh. Why was she working herself up over something so silly? She was overthinking everything. Just because her new friend was very attractive didn't mean they couldn't stay platonic. And maybe in time, their relationship would evolve naturally, but for now, she was just happy to have a new friend.

"What about you?" she asked in turn. "What are your hobbies?"

"Nothing as exciting as yours." He chuckled. "I like reading and playing with my little brother and his friend. I like exploring nature and playing with animals. I enjoy flying too, obviously."

Videl grinned. "Who wouldn't?"

"Right?" He scratched behind his ear. "And… I guess that's it? I mean, I could say I like everything about science but since it's also the domain of my career, it's not really a hobby, is it?"

"It's nice that you're so passionate about what you do for a living. We're lucky that way, you and I."

He nodded in agreement.

"What about martial arts, though?" Videl asked, surprised that he didn't mention it in his hobbies.

Gohan gave her an awkward smile. "Honestly, I was never a big fan…"

She stared at him with wide eyes. "You're kidding…"

He scratched his hair with his head tilted. "It's just, I didn't really have a choice when I got into it. And I… I don't like hurting people."

"I guess I can understand that. But what do you mean, you didn't have a choice?" Videl frowned deeply. "Did your parents make you start training without asking you if you liked it? But didn't you say you were four years old were you learned about ki? It doesn't add up…"

"My parents… didn't really have a say in it either back then." Gohan sighed tiredly. "It's a complicated story… A very, very complicated story, and I don't feel like getting into it right now, sorry…"

Videl pursed her lips with a thoughtful look on her face. "I can respect that. It does sound complicated." She cracked a smile then. "I guess we don't know each other well enough yet for you to tell me more about that part of your life, huh?"

Gohan smiled at that, remembering their conversation from the day before at the park. "Thank you for understanding. I appreciate that you're not trying to pry."

"Just trying to be a good friend."

"Well, you're doing very well. I hope I can be a good friend to you too."

They shared soft smiles and fond looks. A bond was starting to form between them. Videl was glad she finally made a new friend in this city. It had been a pretty lonely year, but things were finally looking up.

Their food soon arrived, the waiter having to make several trips to get everything that Gohan ordered. The atmosphere was pleasant and friendly, and the pair kept talking throughout the meal. They laughed, joked together, bantered, but they also addressed more serious issues, especially when the subject of family was brought up.

"I'm sorry about your mother," Gohan said with a sad but heartwarming smile. "I lost a parent when I was a kid too; my dad. I miss him so much."

"Kinda not something you'd like to have in common with a friend, huh?" she said with a somber laugh.

"But it's nice to have someone who gets it, what it's like."

Videl hummed in agreement. She looked out the window; the streets were quieting down. She wondered what time it was, it was probably getting late, but at the same time she couldn't care less.

"What was she like? Your mother," Gohan inquired.

A melancholic smile formed on her lips as she thought of her mom. "She loved singing, and she was a very successful singer. Her career was really important to her, and she didn't stop working after she and my dad had me. And with my dad being… who he is, well, neither of them had much time for me. I was raised by a nanny, mostly."

"That sounds a little lonely."

She shrugged, glancing back at him. "It was, sometimes, because I would miss them, but my nanny was great. I'm still really close to her even though I'm all grown up now."

Gohan put his elbow on the table and leaned his chin into his palm, a gentle smile playing on his lips. "I have someone like that, too. He took care of me when my parents couldn't, and he's also the one who taught me how to fight. He's a very dear friend to me."

"Ohhh, more info about how you got into martial arts." Videl grinned playfully. "Does that mean we're getting close enough for you to tell me the whole story?"

He gave a laugh. "Not yet, but we will be soon enough, I'm sure. Be patient, I promise the story will be worth it."

She laughed in good humor. "Alright then."

They continued talking even long after they were done with dessert, not in any rush to end this night. They were having such a pleasant time that they didn't even notice that everyone around them was leaving and that the staff had already started cleaning the tables.

Eventually, their waiter came up to them to let them know they were closing. Gohan looked at his watch and blinked.

"Wow, it's already that late?"

"Time really flies when you have fun, huh?" Videl said with a fond smile. Gohan's eyes softened as he quietly agreed.

They split the check and left the steakhouse. Walking side by side in the streets, the air was peaceful and calm in the late hour.

"Can you take me to that roof over there?" Videl asked, pointing at a nearby skyscraper. "I want to show you something."

Gohan raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

She grinned. "I was going to show you tomorrow, but I figure I might as well show you now." She tilted her head with a slight frown. "Unless you have to go? Do you have an early day tomorrow?"

He waved her off. "I'll be fine, and you got me curious. Come on, let's move out of sight so I can fly us up there."

He took her hand and pulled her with him, going to a deserted alley. Videl found herself blushing at the simple gesture. It felt oddly intimate, holding hands with Gohan like this.

When they got out of sight, he let go of her hand and picked her up, carrying her in his arms like a princess. Videl swallowed; in this position, Gohan's handsome face was way, way too close. She could smell his aftershave, mixed with his natural scent. It was having all kinds of effects on her, and her heart seemed to think it meant it had to run a marathon for some reason.

Gohan shot her a sheepish smile, before raising his head and taking off; his speed was such that it took them just a few seconds to reach the top of the skyscraper.

He landed and gently put her down. Videl's blush didn't recede as she stepped back from him, and she found herself avoiding his gaze.

"So, what did you want to show me?" Gohan asked, reminding her of the reason why she asked him to bring her on this rooftop.

"Oh, right." She scratched her hair, feeling awkward and self-conscious of his gaze on her. Videl shook her head to clear her thoughts and stood tall, her brow furrowing in concentration.

Gohan watched her with interest. He could feel Videl gather her ki, and he was impressed at how quickly she was doing it. He raised an eyebrow as he sensed her direct her energy downward, beneath her feet…

He gaped. "No way…"

And yet, here she was, floating a good two feet off the ground. His gaze traveled from the empty space below her sneakers, up her legs, along her torso, until it reached her focused face. Her raven tendrils were dancing about her head, her ki creating a soft wind around her. The vision was enchanting.

Videl slowly lowered herself and blew out a long breath. Then she looked up at him and grinned proudly. "So? Pretty neat, huh?"

"I… I don't know what to say." He chuckled, shaking his head in disbelief. "How did you even know how to do that?"

Videl smirked and crossed her arms. "You mentioned that to fly, I would have to push my ki below me and use it to lift myself up, so that's what I did."

"And you managed to teach yourself how to fly just from that?" Gohan laughed heartily, throwing his head back. "Well, I'll be damned. I was right ━ you really did blow my mind!"

May 6, 2021