Chapter 1: Teen Woes
A/N: It's my first Gohan focused fanfic and the pairing may take time to get down to setting up Go/Videl I'm just having a bit of fun with the idea breaking down the family unit and having Gohan struggle to find his way in life missing the two biggest pieces of what makes him who he is.
Handling the death of his dad, it was something he couldn't just 'get over'. The now fourteen year old Son Gohan was sitting in his living room holding the hands of his little brother. All of the normal amenities that he had been raised with were gone. Everything had begun changing rapidly after his dad died, though it had taken several years, it was more of a change than he had experienced with his training with Piccolo for the arrival of the saiyans.
The teenager knew that it had come partially out of necessity but mostly his own mom's desire to move forward in life. It was perhaps because Gohan himself hadn't wanted to move forward, wanting to pick back up with the life he'd enjoyed not too long ago. When everything didn't feel so scripted, predictable and most of all, depressing. He'd come from the rural farmland, growing up an only child for the longest time with three different parents. He had his mom and dad, but Piccolo had become a secondary father to him and a teacher after spending most of four and a half years together.
Studying, training, working the farm - that's all there was to everything. Having fun with parents, enjoying the company that was unique to their family dynamic. No one could have the same life he grew up with, because there was no other person on the planet like him or who shared in the collective experiences. Gohan had grown up in the company of fighters, an overbearing but protective mother, and a Namekian.
His dad, which he dearly missed wanting to talk to him so much and ask him questions that perhaps he alone could know the answers too. Gohan knew that his dad wasn't the brightest when it came to certain things, but in regards to people, emotions, a feeling of right and wrong - that was where his dad shined. 'No, did shine, Dad's not here anymore. Dad didn't want to come back and I thought I understood why but now. Now I'm not so sure. You were always my hero, icon, and perfect person that I so wanted to be growing up. So why didn't you want to come back? You didn't have to be Earth's hero anymore, it could've been me… if there were any problems we could've solved them together like we always managed to do. Yet you chose to stay dead, you left Mom a widow, and me a lonely teeanger with a little brother who will never know how amazing you were.'
There was a growing bitterness at his father, the great Son Goku was supposed to be the greatest fighter alive, the world's strongest man married to one of the strongest and most patient women in the world. Gohan began to place his growing resentment on his father because he was only remembering the good times. The bad, they had been bad, and they had only gotten worse since his father chose to live the life in the other world. 'Spending his days training, and fighting, forgetting all about us I'll bet.'
Trying to believe otherwise had become harder and harder for the teen as his father's void only began to fester a darkness inside of his heart that he had come to boil over. "Uuuawh?" It was his little brother, Son Goten. Gohan flashed a smile when it came to his little bro, seeing the face of his dad in the smaller boy had probably helped to remind him that was another piece of his father left behind. Yet it wasn't like his little brother was going to be answering the questions that Gohan needed now.
"Yeah?" Gohan replied, lifting up his small brother using his fingers, to effortlessly raise him off the ground much to Goten's immense delight. The laughter and happy cries of an ecstatic youth flourished in the large suite they now lived in. The traditional oak furniture, carved wood and cleaned floors by his mother were replaced.
They lived in the post modern luxury, suede leather couches, tempered and reinforced glass table tops with ornate curved metal sitting overtop an oriental rug that all probably cost more than a room in their old home.
Plucking up his little brother so he could play, using the furniture as his indoor jungle as Goten was lifted up at the edge of the black couch. His body spread eagle before Gohan helped him jump right over the same type of glass end table by the armrest. His feet kicking and the older brother didn't let his feet come close to kicking over the porcelain lamp and vase. "And we come down!" Gohan told Goten who slipped from Gohan's fingers to allow his older brother to hold his waist as they dropped down. Goten enthusiastically cheering for more.
Making sounds like he was flying, not that they wouldn't be doing it, Gohan lifted off into the air, letting his little brother make his super hero pose as they floated around the raised roof, about fifteen feet in the air the floor of the suite appearing to become smaller as Gohan floated around with his little brother. "Uh oh we're passing over the chair!" Gohan told his brother slipping down and allowing Goten's feet to run off the top of the matching black recliner dressed with several exoatic leathers and furs that matchedthe modern interior. Goten's toes tapping and the second they made contact the two acted like they were jumping. The young child's happy cries coming out as they flipped around the room. The huge one hundred and twenty inch flat plasma screen bolted to the wall, the shine of their reflections going past it.
Dropping down from the air, Gohan landed on his knees as Goten began to scamper away, their favorite family game of chase the baby. Goten scurrying at the speed of a full grown adult but he couldn't move fast enough to outrun his big brother who always was behind him. But Goten liked a challenge and began shifting directions and zig zagging all over the smooth inexpensive laminate floor. Gohan always trying just hard enough to keep things fun.
Once the teen's fingers were about to grab Goten, they'd stop just long enough or he'd slow down for just a few seconds to let Goten feel that he'd escaped.
Around the black marble and granite countertop, the expansive and upgraded kitchen was just like everything else… Gohan ended up lightly tackling his brother, "Gotcha." He said smirking and as a result Goten and him began a serious bout of play wrestling, the half saiyan toddler needing some good exercise before bedtime and Gohan was looking out for his needs.
When Goten had been born it had been really hard on the family, his mother was struggling to keep the family happy and positive. It was where Gohan took over the role of father figure for his little brother. It wasn't hard with all of the books his mom and bought for his father to teach him how to raise a kid, not that Gohan really remembered his dad doing a lot of the usual father son stuff.
He'd taken it in stride, afterall Cell had been worse. So Gohan adapted, changing diapers, feeding, burping, playing, and cleaning up after his little brother for the majority of the day. Giving his mom a much needed break and rest as she was becoming undone, having a child with only Gohan to help had made her depressed.
There were many late nights Gohan would be taking care of Goten and hear his mother crying. She blamed herself for not being able to provide, but then those words shifted to venom about the man who had left them behind.
Many times Gohan would peer through the crack in the door or heard it as he rocked his little brother back to sleep from dinner table. 'I think it started back then when my admiration began to change.' He admitted that much to himself, the paragon of fatherhood, protector of all that was good, and the man who could overcome every obstacle. That image had been broken: Because his dad wasn't the best father, he protected the good in people too much, and he couldn't overcome everything because he'd laid that responsibility upon his son. An eleven year old boy was to shoulder his father's burden without warning or understanding until pushed the absolute brink of watching his friends being beaten down and the death of Sixteen to make a real difference.
'I was a boy, why couldn't you tell me the truth, Dad? Why couldn't you have taught me how to control the power that I had and use it the right way. You gave me so much time and attention but never told me why. Couldn't you have explained all of it to me, and have me know that once I had control of this power and be able to kill Cell so that you wouldn't die? You put so much faith in me, but I'm not you, I've never been anything like you except in what flows in our blood.'
Pulling apart Goten's wrists, his smile faded as Gohan lamented in his mind about all of the failings that his father had caused and laid at his feet. Goten flailed leaving a good kick into Gohan's ribs, but the teen barely noticed except the slight flinch. "Nice one, Goten." He praised and the toddler just cheered further and exclaimed that he wanted to keep playing.
Gohan then pulled back and began throwing light jabs, not enough to hurt his little brother and make the little boy know who was the bigger man here. Goten replied, "No fair!" His little voice cried out but Gohan just laughed and began using his knuckles to bop his elbow, then his knee making Goten's limbs pop involuntarily as he tapped the pressure points. "Gotta guard yourself." Gohan teased as his 'victim' did his best to put up a mild defense.
The roughhousing lasted for about another ten minutes until the door to their suite clicked as the main bolt was opened.
Gohan and Goten both snapped their heads at the sound, a card was swiped and the door clicked. 'Finally, Mom is home! I really need to tell her about today. It was-!' His excitement and enthusiasm drained away, falling into a look of bland annoyance.
A well dressed young woman with light brown hair and hazel eyes, while pretty for her age, she didn't have anything special about her as she walked inside. Wearing a dress shirt, and tight matching black pants, she wasn't a bad person. 'Just disappointed that Mom couldn't come home on time again.'
"Oh, hey, Paris." Gohan said, his entire mood just breaking down. Picking up his brother who was still in his hands. His playful attitude fading down into just another night filled with just him alone again. Their nanny was primarily to look after his brother. His mom said he didn't have to anymore, he should be out making friends and spending his time with other kids his age.
But what kids would ever be able to understand or know what kind of hell he had gone through in his life. Well that's not entirely true… anymore. Gohan had wanted to see his mom and get her advice since he actually did make a friend, sorta kinda, not really girlfriend. It felt weird being around a girl his age, sure there were a few back when he was adventuring back when he was a kid after his uncle had arrived on the planet and turned everything upside down. Those had been the closest things to regular friends in his life, everything else had been his dad's friends and people he knew.
Yet he had to again wait and push down speaking to his mom again. He handed Paris his little brother who immediately began clambering for food the moment he switched hands. "Oh always hungry Goten, don't worry your mom made sure to cook extra for you guys." A bag set down by the door was filled to the brim with food, "Could you set that out for me Gohan while I go and get Goten's bath ready?"
"Yeah," the teen said disinterestedly. Walking past the nanny who started doing her annoying baby talk. Gohan's neck hairs rose as he grabbed the bag and set it down on the countertop. Setting out his mom's now World Famous food. The whole reason they were living like this, why they came from their old house into this penthouse.
At first he had been actually happy for his mom. She was smiling again, being praised and acting like her old self before his dad was gone. She had entered a cooking competition from on T.V. Sending in her dish and her directions to win a prize, of course Gohan knew his mom's food was literally the best and he knew the world would agree. Just that the world agreed a little differently than he liked.
Gohan remembered how his mom's entree into the contest won her a spot on live television for the Amatuer Iron Cook in which eight regular skilled cooks would go up against one of the world's best. A huge cash prize was also on the line with a cookbook for the grand prize winner who would go up the celebrity chef, Dan Crispen. The whole thing was big for food critics and a lot of people got to tune in to some good home cooked recipes for the regular family.
It wasn't any surprise that his mom had breezed through the competition up until the finals. Dressed in her Cheongsam covered by an apron she truly looked like the role model house cook. Of course she wasn't the personality that other people had. But the commercials portrayed her as the struggling single mom who lost her husband during the Cell Games. Everything about his mom had been put on display when she entered, his dad as the world's strongest man from years past had left behind a family and people probably connected with that.
His mind told him that this didn't change anything, but things had when his mom blew out the challenger yet again and won the Amatuer Iron Chef. While she wasn't a household name overnight her face appeared on a handful of commercials. Her image as the strong single mom raising a family after losing her husband tragically and taking on a professional chef in cooking was just a nice talking point after the four times they had before.
Positivity sold well with the right situations; so Gohan watched as his mom became some B list celebrity going on one or two talk shows and then the big night. He was so amazed that his mom was taking this so well, she was eager to win this competition against a top world chef and display her skills to some top food critics.
Son Chi-Chi vs. Dan Crispen, who will be named the better chef - the rank amatuer or the prim and polished career chef?
The moment everything changed, Gohan was there holding his baby brother. He thought everything was going to be better after this, sadly he didn't know that that was not going to be the case.
Looking at his mom on the stage before the live show started, Gohan saw her as the strongest woman in the world and he was proud to be her son. She smiled and waved to the camera wearing the same outfit that she had fought against his dad. Perhaps trying to carry that same fierce determination from the object with her into the match.
The show's host thanked the crowd and brought Chi-Chi to the judge's area so she could have a short chat and have her five seconds of fame. "So, Mrs. Chi-Chi, I know this wasn't your initial drive to win this little contest but you have shown up everyone up until tonight. Before we have you go up against our celebrity chef, do you have any words you want to share with those at home?" Putting the mic to her, Chi-Chi just smiled.
"I appreciate that, but I am here thanks to a lot of good people and I want to thank my amazing two men in my life right now." She gestured with her hand and immediately the cameras and lights were on Gohan and Goten. The crowd did an 'Aww' as was directed by the bright prompt by the lights. Gohan was holding his baby brother who was sucking on a pacifier. "My little men, Gohan and Goten, they've helped shape me into the woman I am in now and I want them to both know that I love them."
The camera flipped and Gohan's deep blush was hidden by darkness, the host readdressed Chi-Chi on stage. "You are an inspiration to all single moms out there, Chi-Chi, I would love to have a mom that could be so strong and a great cook. Your teenage son looks like he's been raised on a farm with how big and strong he is."
Chi-Chi did a fake laugh, "Oh no that's just his genes, but I'm sure my food helped grow him out a little bit."
"Quite, now let's get to your places and have the showdown of the decade!" He announced as Chi-Chi went back and put back on her apron and chef's hat. The show's main celebrity chef Dan Crispen came on next, thanked the crowd and people for watching and wished his competitor the best and admitted that on this show he was always surprised by Chi-Chi's talent and ability to cook like a woman possessed. If he lost tonight he wouldn't be surprised but he wasn't planning on going easy on her either.
The crowd applauded and the panel of food critics all lined up and gave their short talking points about what was going on tonight and how they stacked up. Gohan heard how they talked down his mom, stating that while she often won on taste she lacked the true 'pizazz' of a chef. Afterall she was just a housewife. Surprisingly it was the women who were shit talking his mom, perhaps they were jealous that she was better looking or maybe she did what they couldn't. Most of the men had Gohan's backing as they were more taste focused than solely appearance for a dish.
Then the timer sounded with an over the top gong and then things kicked off. Gohan saw a woman in a battle tear through the first round finishing almost with five minutes still on the clock - she did this often on the previous shows.
His mom was good with appetizers, knowing how to hold over two starving saiyans made her quick to fill a person up. So she did something more simple, diced garlic breadsticks sprinkled through an antipasto with flaked bacon and slices of thin steak and added in a layer of diced pineapple.
Of course Gohan could smell he fried calamari and drizzled garlic hash browns. It made his mouth begin to salivate, but he'd eaten his mom's food enough to know that it had that sweetness but also saltiness between bites.
Unfortunately his mother lost the first round, it wasn't surprising - his mom could feed an army not make fancy dinner plates.
The main course; however, his mom was always the favored, creating her traditional rice, gravy diced orange chicken, and mixed vegetables while searing eggs into the rice almost made him want to grab a plate for himself. When the cameras weren't looking during the middle course he took a second using his inhuman speed to grab a plate and begin eating. His nerves were making him extra hungry.
With it one to one as they made the dessert he wasn't sure how things were going to turn out. But when his mom's apple crisp peach ice cream hit the throat of anyone it was going to be roll of the dice for whether or not Dan Crispin could match and or best her.
Fate, however, smiled or gave a wicked grin in the long term as Chi-Chi ended up winning, much to her surprise and to the roaring applause of the audience. Gohan ran out with his little brother and hugged her as she was showered with confetti, a huge 500,000 zeni grand prize the title of the world's newest top chef and a book for her recipes to be sold in stores. It all sounded so wonderful.
Gohan saw his mother smiling again, she seemed happy and he felt proud to be here with her and share this moment. It was often a thing he experienced with his father and his friends, his mother was usually reading his test scores and praising him being the highlight with her. By comparison this felt amazing, all the bells and whistles and photos felt good. After being shunted by Mr. Satan for the sacrifice he and his family had made this actually felt good to have a taste of. Even if it wasn't him he was sharing the stage with his mother.
But what came next was more talk shows, her book become a top seller, recipes being used around the world to critical acclaim and she would be given a new job and place working for Dan Crispin in his upscaled five star restaurant in West City for the world's elites. A new adventure right? No. No it wasn't.
Gohan at first got used to his mom being away more and more. He thought it was just her new star power, the next big thing for the year and then things would go back to normal. Reality took a hammer to his dreams like they were glass and shattered them within the first two months.
His mom was up before he was and usually home an hour or two before he went to bed. But he still got to see her, she talked about her day and how happy she was to finally be recognized for what she could do. Gohan was still mostly taking care of Goten while they got situated into their new lives, Gohan would study, cook, clean, and care for his little brother. Those first few months got really lonely, sure Piccolo would stop by, Bulma would with Trunks, and on occasion Krillin. But those visits were rare, they had their own lives to run, surely the most powerful person on the planet who beat Cell should be able to handle taking care of his kid brother for his mom. That was easy right?
It hadn't been, it was why Paris had been looking after Goten while his mom worked not that far away. Stopping by and saying hi or checking on her baby but leaving within the hour and since they had moved into the city his mom decided to enroll him in high school. To socialize, meet people, and be a teenager.
Orange Star High School… the name made Gohan repulsed and almost hate the color and the fruit nowadays. Gohan thought being with Piccolo was bad, or fighting evil super beings was terrible. High School, though, it was hell for him.
He sighed and unpacked the food reading the note from his mom; like usual now. To my Boys, sorry I got stuck working late again. I'll be home soon! With kisses, your mom. Dropping it to the bottom of the bag he just pretended that he didn't see it. Gohan unpacked one of the large plastic trays and just looked down at the food.
All of it was just like how she made it for years except. It was missing something. It smelled great, tasted great, and looked like always. Setting it down on the counter Gohan just looked up at the room, just him all alone at the dinner table. Paris was playing with Goten in his room and changing him before bed, as evident by his cries.
Picking up a fork Gohan found himself just taking a few bites. His enthusiasm and desire to eat dropping by the second.
Walking down the hallway, Gohan paused looking in the door frame as the young nanny entertained his little brother. A part of him remembered when it was just him and Goten, the few times he could actively recall his mom doing this were few and far between. No matter how nice or kind the nanny was, she was no replacement - not his mother no matter how much she tried acting like one. Sniffing slightly, Gohan brought a hand to his own eyes and rubbed them as they began to irritate him.
He looked ahead and into his bathroom and started his own shower. Pausing Gohan looked at himself in the mirror. The teen still looked good, having nothing but training/playing with his little brother for the better part of a year. Even if he knew he wasn't as strong as he had been back when fighting Cell it didn't change that he was still in some measurable shape. Since his mother had been around to keep hounding him about his studies Gohan found the desire to push his body to help alleviate some of his own growing anxiety.
However, he actually blushed as he looked at himself before staring down towards the sink. A girl today, she actually called him cute and… oh man why am I feeling so weird.' Gohan thought as his own body had a tightness to it that wasn't normal. It was one of his classmates, a girl no less.
"Man she's cute too, I can't believe… just… I mean she actually said that I looked nice and oh… what do I do? Do I say something back to her or play it off cool?" These were questions that he couldn't find a book to help answer.
He had ripped his gym shirt - not intentionally - during class today and his teacher made him swap them out. Of course to the immediate gushing of most girls who weren't used to seeing a shirtless boy with a physique like his. His pecs were pumping, his six pack showing with nice curved lines dipping down into his hips with that light sheen from the sweat he'd actually started just apparently accumulating.
'You are so juicy, Gohan! I mean wow!' He could still remember Erasa's voice, she sounded different than when she normally talked with him. Then she reached out and touched his abs as if she didn't actually believe they were his. She almost jumped when his skin was on fire with the contact.
Her hands had felt soft, and he felt a stirring in his pants, mild because his embarrassment and blush kept it from being even more embarrassing. "You know what, you are really cute!" As if his face couldn't become any more redder.
He mumbled some kind of thanks and said something, he didn't exactly remember but it was something about her being really pretty. He just tried to be nice, you know if you get a compliment make sure to give one, it was how it was supposed to be, right?
"Aww," She blushed then leaned over while no one saw and gave him a light kiss on his cheek. Erasa was just a giggling mess leaving as she saw just how red Gohan's face was.
It wasn't normal behavior from his fellow Orange Star High School classmates. Normally he was picked on which he ignored, when he could. Erasa, the friend of the most popular girl in school, and his local tormentor, Videl Satan. The name felt fitting and somehow a little poetic like Shakespeare or Edgar Allen Poe. The man who took credit for all of his family's deeds and got super rich also gave Gohan a girl with the largest chip on her shoulder. Eager to show off, often times more than able to backup her claims of excellence perhaps warranted at times, others not so much.
Her name being that of the man who 'saved' the world gave her practical immunity from punishment. Once Gohan had joined the school and been recognized as the son of Chi-Chi the now celebrity chef from the clips on the internet and reruns painted a bullseye on his forehead from the same day.
Gohan's blush faded at the mere thought of Videl. Sighing, Gohan climbed into the shower taking a nice long steam bath as he ran his fingers through his long black hair, having grown it back out back after the Cell games. He really hadn't enjoyed it being so short that and he didn't want to be recognized on the T.V. from that event. Dende help him if Videl discovered that information.
Trying to placate and be friendly with others just didn't seem to work. Settling back and just trying to let things go back to trying to be just an ordinary teen just never seemed to work. Everyone flocked to him, many desperate to hear about his backstory as the son of an instant celebrity. It probably didn't help that everyone was always wanting to try his mom's food or asking that she come in and cook for everyone.
While he hadn't gotten her to cook, he had asked her in the first few weeks just to get people off his back and his mom had sent an order for three saiyans to her school and it had worked out until people started demanding that he do it again and again. It might've been that little act that earned him Videl's wrath, but he wasn't sure. Perhaps it was the combination of everything that had transpired since his first year at school until now.
He frowned, resting his forehead against the shower wall letting the water spray down his back. Videl just never seemed to like him, ever, always suspicious of him, never accepting of his help and all of the work he did in and out of their classroom.
Everything was always his fault, blaming him for being as she put it, not up to speed, despite everyone knowing Gohan had been home schooled his whole life was ignored. Then on top of that she made everything into a competition, he won most of the time, which probably didn't help their non-existent friendship. When they did debates, presentations, and other occasional lecture for the school it always made her angry that Gohan could best her.
Placing it more on his half-saiyan side, the teenager just didn't understand why she had to make his life miserable and there was very little he could do, or hell, even retaliate. Videl Satan was untouchable, she was a girl, and she had a grudge to bury with Gohan for reasons that he would never understand so long as he lived.
Shaking his head, Gohan pulled back letting the water splash on his face as he tried to change his thoughts to something more heartwarming or in this case; his groin.
Screw Videl, Gohan pulled his thoughts back to the blonde with blue eyes. She was cute and she always like wearing the short tops even though they were almost against the school code it didn't help that she was filling out like a woman earlier than most girls. Wait what? Gohan shook his head slightly, why were Erasa's boobs on his mind? I mean they looked nice but why was that important. Gohan felt his groin beginning to stiffen as his mind followed on a path he never had before. Wondering how good she'd look without her top and maybe…
Gohan found himself wrapping his hand around his penis and carried off his thoughts on how nice she smelled and how she had kissed him.
He found relief not too much longer after that.
Drying himself off, Gohan looked back towards the stall making sure that there was no 'evidence' as to what he had just done. It felt good to do, but his mind told him it was a bad thing. Why is this so confusing. Gohan really had just wanted to talk to his mom about this - not about him jacking off in the shower, Dende would have to spend a week healing him if he spoke about that - feelings he was having about Erasa and what he should do.
He just hoped that his now celebrity chef mom would be more understanding about everything since he really didn't have a dad to talk to anymore. Changing into a wife beater and gym shorts, his other clothes discarded in the clothes hamper inside the bathroom, Gohan went to his room and began his schoolwork. Not wanting to fall behind, he often worked on the chapters not assigned just keep himself refreshed and ready.
Not one ever to be too careful in this day and age of the surprise tests and pop quiz that school teachers loved to drop on him. That and it helped when he worked with some of his classmates and gave them his notes. Most were happy to work with the resident dork and or brainiac when it came to getting good grades in class.
Flipping open the math textbook, he went through the linear algebra equations and wrote out dozens of the sample problems before working on the answers. He already had done this stuff years before but he liked making sure his steps and methods were correct.
Scribbling along the paper Gohan listened, well heard due to his powerful hearing, the sound of Goten being fed. Paris really liked spoiling his little brother and having him be all giggles and laughs, but she always just seemed to rub him the wrong way.
Yet he kept working, spending upwards of the next twenty minutes wrapping up his math before switching to his chemistry textbooks. "Man we have lab tomorrow. I really hope Videl doesn't get put in my group again." Gohan realized the schedule in his book for the practical exercises. Considering they'd be handling acids and bases tomorrow he wouldn't put it past his tormentor/bully to make his life so much harder than it actually needed to be. Precisely what he had done to earn the colossal stick up her ass in regards to him, he didn't have the faintest of clues.
Was it that he and Erasa got along so well? Was it that she was no longer the only child of a popular celebrity, though his mother's status was nothing like that of Hercule Satan. That wasn't it, perhaps it was his grades, besting her in every category where before she was the role model and the queen of perfection to where it fell to him now because he edged her out in every subject even by fraction of points considering his scores were always perfect. But why would that make her so angry at him, she was always the poster child of the school. Whenever they needed pictures for the school paper or the paper coming to get pictures of the school it was always her shoved front and center. Always in the limelight and getting all of the praise and attention.
Shoving back from his table in his chair with wheels, Gohan stared up at his room ceiling, "I still can never understand why she hates me."
It was athletics day, the highpoint of a bustling teen's chance to show off. Gohan was standing in his school uniform of uncomfortable tight blue shorts and white shirt. The demi saiyan would've felt way better in his fighting gi or even Bulma's battle armor than this stuff.
"Really, dork, you're competing?" The voice of the school's top jock, all regional, division, and state athlete who was getting looks from colleges and barely a freshman: Sharpner. The school hot guy, with his blond hair and constant exposure of his pecs made him 'that' guy. He was lined up on the track line with Gohan.
Gohan brushed off the insult, he'd heard worse, "Well yeah, I mean I want a good score and I haven't ever really run in a track and field event before." Gohan played his usual ignorance card. It worked.
"Why do I always forget you have no concept of high school? Look, Gohan, I know you have some build but come on man are you really wanting to get embarrassed by me?" Self assured victory, Gohan would say he would make a good example for the Frieza of the courts.
"I don't mind, plus it would be a good benchmark for how much I can improve." Lying through his teeth as Gohan stretched out and flexed showing off his quads, maybe on purpose.
"Oh wow, Gohan you have big legs!" It was Erasa, she was watching. And she was also sorta kinda not really Sharpner's girl, it depended on who you were asking. The blond eyed Gohan's large thighs to which the teen just blushed. His actions and Erasa's giggling praises made the blond jock angry.
"Hey! You're supposed to be on my side, not the nerd's!" Sharpner snapped at Erasa who just threw her hands up.
Her voice rife with sarcasm, "Oh dear me Sharpner, I didn't know that you had muscles at all. I was just overwhelmed by how big and strong Gohan was that I totally missed you." Her laughter only annoyed her sorta kinda not boyfriend at the time.
"Like the country bumpkin can manage to keep up with me, I'll have you know that-" His voice dragged on into all of his past athletic achievements in the 100m, 400m, cross country, and relay teams in his long sordid career of firsts and top three finished in the highest state levels. Nothing to scoffed at in his opinion.
He just didn't know he was going up against a demi saiyan and… "HEY! What do you think you're doing out here?!" Videl's voice snapped almost making the three classmates jump. Storming up alongside them wearing her girl version of the school uniform, Videl just stared daggers at Gohan.
"Oh. Hi, Videl, are you doing this event too?" Gohan said, looking away and leaning back as she all but shoved her face into his. Though she had to lean up to do so as he was a solid head taller than her. He counted the different cracks in the rubber track and started repeating what they were on his table of elements chart as he ignored the World Champ's daughter.
Erasa jumped over and gave Videl a hug, "Oh wonderful, you are going to race against the guys as well, Videl?" As Videl's best friend she was always allowed to break the tension. It helped when Gohan needed a safe out as even the blonde could see there was a coming argument. She wasn't oblivious to the fued her friend had with Gohan.
"Of course I am." Videl said, backing up and letting her friend safely pull her an inch away from Gohan's comfort zone. "I beat all the girls last year by almost a minute and considering I'm Mr. Satan's daughter I want a real challenge."
'Oh so it's pride and ego? Great I really have to hold back.' Gohan's mind was already warning him to back out, but he'd just said he wanted to test his skills to Sharpner and if he did back down it would only embolden the jock and piss Videl off more. 'If there's a contest she just has to be involved, doesn't she?'
Damned if you do, damned if you don't. "How about this, I give the winner one big ol' kiss, that should be a worthy prize don't you think?" Erasa butted in an effort to add some levity, that and she was totally down to see Sharpner jealous and a little humiliated by Videl.
"Yeah right, we all know I'm going to win so just give me it now." He said, shrugging his arms, a cocky grin spread over his face as he just laughed at how Erasa thought that he had even a chance of losing.
"In your dreams, Sharpner. You know I'm faster." Videl retorted, crossing her arms and glaring at the jock who matched her challenging gaze with his own condescending grin.
"You beat me? Come on Videl you may be strong but you can't beat genetics. I'm a guy therefore I am faster. Than. You." He tried tapping her nose and barely missed her hand swiping his finger into a deathlock by Videl who just barely grazed it with her knuckles.
"Oh really? Care to make that a bet?" Videl challenged, both fists resting on her hips.
"Um, guys, it's going to be starting-" Gohan said before both snapped their heads at him. "I get it, I'll shut up." Holding his hands up defensively.
"Sure," Sharpner said, "What are you offering?" He was certain that he was far faster than Videl and especially over a full sixteen hundred meter event.
"You owe me two full months of drama club with Erasa" Videl said, offering up her hand, a smug grin on her face made that Gohan realize just how much of her dad she had in her.
"Awesome, If I win you have to kiss Gohan." Slapping his hands together and making an overly dramatic kissing expression. "Your man crush." Followed up with several long lip smacking sounds.
"WHAT?!" Both Gohan and Videl said in unison though Videl ignored him. "What kind of bet is that Sharpner, I'm not kissing Gohan. I'd sooner kiss my dad's butt than his face."
'Ouch. I did not deserve that' Gohan wanted to say that, yet he refrained, keeping quiet knowing that he probably wouldn't get kissed by Videl even if Sharpner did win - which wasn't going to be happening now. Videl would never do it. She hated his guts.
"On the lips too, with tongue or are you too scared and a little bit chicken?" Holding up his arms he made them into bird wings. "Bawk bawk? Chicken Videl? Bawk?" He strutted around making other kids watching them and eavesdropping laugh and look to Videl for her answer.
"I'm just gonna leave if that's-" Gohan said but Videl put a hand on his shoulder stopping him as he let her. "Deal, because I know I won't lose to you." Yet she turned her head towards Gohan and gave him a burning glare, "You aren't chickening out either, I am beating you too."
"Yay, everyone's a winner!" Erasa cheered, clapping her hands to which Gohan felt really embarrassed but Sharpner and Videl were currently firing bolts of lighting from their eyes metaphorically speaking.
It wasn't more than two minutes later the three of them were lined up on the track line, Gohan in line four, Videl in line two and Sharpner in line one. The gym teacher held up a popgun as he looked down at his stopwatch. "Don't forget to call our your numbers as you pass me, I will mark your times and count off your laps. You have four to do so pace yourself, you burn yourself right out of the gate too soon and your times will suffer."
Gohan found the irony in that statement as he would be the only one suffering because of this event.
Videl crouched down and looked towards Sharpener who gave her another kissy face and pointed at Gohan. She returned an angry curse at him with her lips which only made him laugh and then look forward. "On your marks!" Everyone who was on the line rose up slightly except Gohan who wasn't in any real sprinting stance. "Set!" Feet were beginning to dig into the rubber asphalte. "GO!"
The crack of the pop gun sent everyone tearing off the starting line except Gohan who broke into a light jog taking up the rear of the headlong pack. Everyone trying to quickly shift back over towards the inside lane.
Sharpner and Videl both kept a solid pace together. Neither one ready to back down from each other as those around the track cheered them on. Neither party was focused on taunting each other in the moment. Both breathing steadily as their feet were hitting along the rubber track, Sharpner lightly edging out Videl as she kept up behind him. 'I'll let him be my windbreak, save up energy and then pass him on that last stretch.'
'Just stay behind me and I guarantee you won't pass me!' Intending on slowly building his lead with longer strides with his legs than Videl ever could considering the difference in their body frames.
The school was up and cheering, the cries of go Videl and Sharpner coming quick as the applause and encouragement came and they rounded the first 300 meters of the large event. But… then all eyes shifted as Gohan strode past in almost a light jog. "On your right."
Was all he said as he shot right past, his legs stretching the full length and quickly everyone who was so heavily invested in the event watched as the strange homeschooled kid lapped half of those on the track and kept running.
Still in shock for a moment, the two tried to redouble their efforts and go faster as they came around for the eight hundred meters Gohan again reappeared. "On your right." He repeated going by them with another huge burst of speed. If he appeared to be stressing or even breathing heavy he didn't show it as he completed his third lap and then broke out into a full 'sprint,' though the demi saiyan was barely trying.
The majority of faculty and students, pausing in other events just watched as Gohan lowered himself more and began to really move.
Sharpner and Videl broke 1100 meters in the last turn as Gohan shot right past them returning the same greeting earlier. He slowed down as he neared the teacher who was holding a stopwatch and looking in stunned disbelief. "That's four, how'd I do?"
"Dahh, what… oh yes!" He said remembering his place and looked down at his sheet and looked to Gohan. "Well. Gohan, that was good work you did the full 1600 in three minutes and twenty two seconds… I think that's a record."
Sharpner was distracted as they came past Gohan, missed a step and felt something rush past him on the side. It was about two seconds too late as he saw Videl breaking out in a run and tearing up the track in front of him. "HEY-!" He called out and began to run to keep up, though it wasn't him that she was racing against now. She refused to be out done by Gohan of all people! 'I won't lose to the nerd, I'm stronger and faster than anyone!' She told herself as the burning in her lungs increased but she didn't stop. Churning as sweat poured off her body, Videl blew past the line Gohan had crossed earlier.
"Time! Solid Videl that is Five fifty three exact!" The teacher than snapped Sharpner as he came in next. "Good work, solid six minute mile, Sharpner, your coach will be happy to see this."
The blond jock was sucking in air as he looked for Gohan.
Gohan was scratching the back of his head, laughing as so many people were amazed at how fast he was. He also missed as Erasa jumped up and onto his right arm immediately pressing it against her chest. "Wow that was so amazing, Gohan, you beat everyone!" The blonde stated, ignoring the fact he had run at perhaps inhuman speeds for a teenager.
But his distraction lasted for all but a second when Videl grabbed his shirt and pulled him down slightly, her grip stretching the cotton fabric. "You better start explaining now, Son Gohan!"
There was a savior for Gohan as the teacher could see the apparent tension. "Alright that's enough we have other events, no need for aggression, just an evaluation for your overall fitness." Placing a hand on Videl's, the teacher just chuckled and Videl reluctantly released him.
"This isn't over Gohan, I refuse to let you best me." Gohan wondered if there was no limit to how much she would take things out on him. The test scores weren't his fault, his restrained physical ability was as slow as he could take it without looking like he was actually trying. If he did it any other way, even more people would get suspicious of him.
Tapping his chin with his pen, Gohan had no idea what to do with that girl. As he sat back there was a light knock on the door. "Gohan, is that all you wanted to eat before-"
"Yes, I'm fine for now. I have school work to do." Gohan told her. 'You're not my mom, you don't need to come and check in on me.' Why did she always have to come around and bother him.
"Okay." He heard her say before traveling back down the hallway, no doubt getting ready to fill up his little brother.
Truthfully he did want to eat more, but not with Paris. She just made everything feel wrong, but he wasn't going to go and tell his mom that he didn't like the nanny she hired for his brother over something as immature as that.
Looking at the clock, it was almost seven, "Well I should wrap this up and maybe Mom will be home so I can ask her those questions."
Flipping back to his history textbook, Gohan just did his usual gig, mostly for Erasa who liked it when he did his notes chronologically and alphabetically for other things. It made keeping up with the who, what, when and where easier.
[***]
The door to the suite opened up, the dimmer lights were on signaling just how late it was. Coming in exhausted but more than pleased with her day was the matriarch of the house. Tossing her shoes to the side, Chi-Chi walked inside her upscaled apartment home. She went to go find the note left behind by her nanny as she made her way to grabbing herself a nice drink. A glass of everluce wine was her nightly reward. The details of the day as she requested laid out for what happened while she was away with her boys.
Her eyes skimmed through the information left behind as she popped the cork top for her wine, grabbing one of many glasses hanging upside from her set underneath the cabinets. Goten was doing better in the evenings for potty time and having fewer accidents and verbalizing more when he needed to go. That had been something she always had to check first, but fortunately Paris was on top of keeping Goten clean. 'Crisis averted.'
Mostly the day's activities and Goten's energy level since arriving, leaving Gohan in charge and having bonding time with his little brother was a small point of concern she had as her son wanted to be taking care of his little brother more and more when he no longer needed to. It was partially her fault for putting that pressure on him in the first place. She just needed help when Goten was so little since she didn't have Goku anymore. It felt great to have her son step in and help acting like the great older sibling she knew he was.
For over a year it was just the three of them like that, making everything work. A cold loneliness seeped into her body as she wished that Goku would come back to them, but after almost three years she had begun to give up hope that it would ever happen. Within the first year she believed he'd change his mind especially after she discovered she was pregnant with another child.
Yet it hadn't come, she was left the tragic widow and solely supported by her dad. Until she caught a huge break and broke out making a killing doing something she had learned while living with saiyans. She sipped her wine, letting the liquor warm up her spirits in more ways than one. Slipping out of her business dress, she laid it over the edge of her couch and went back to go change into her evening wear before seeing her little boys.
It took about half an hour to clean up and calm herself down before going back to grab her wine and the rest of the note that Paris had left for her. Sitting back in her chair Chi-Chi just sipped more wine while flipping on one of the lights nearby.
The suite was quiet so she didn't bother turning on the T.V. not wanting to disturb her kids. Humming along as she came to the part that made her concern grow slightly.
… Gohan isn't eating very much. He doesn't talk much either and just goes straight to his room.' He only eats about half a plate of food and I know you say he should eat around four or five. I don't think he has a good opinion of me which I'm okay with, but he's just distant and dismissive whenever I greet him and talk to him.'
"What's wrong, Gohan?" She asked not sure of what it could be as her son always had been her bright star in her life. Sure he had problems after coming back from Namek, there were things he didn't want to talk about, but it still haunted him clearly. Then losing his father three times in his life and now seemingly for good on the last one.
A hundred different problems surfaced from his school, to puberty, his little brother, and a whole host of possibilities. Checking towards the clock it was almost ten past eleven. Pretty late, but she could maybe go see him and at least have a small chat with him. Getting up from her seat she turned off the light and headed towards Gohan's room. Opening the door quietly she peered in and saw him in bed, turned onto his side facing away from her. Chi-Chi looked around and saw that his room was still well kept as always, she could see his studies were orderly and a host of papers were already done for the next day. Her little scholar was always so good.
She smiled and walked in, stopping just at the edge of the bed. She came down to rest just on the edge for her to sit. 'Oh he looks so handsome with that long hair and gentle face.' Bringing a hand over she softly stroked his hair. Coming up to rub his head as she leaned in to whisper to her son and see if he was awake, she heard a whimper come from across the hall.
Getting up she quickly ushered herself out to go check on Goten closing the door behind her.
On the other side, Gohan just kept his eyes closed, ignoring the urge to go and talk to his mom. He wanted to, deeply he did, but she was busy with Goten. She'd come back for him, then he'd talk.
Remembering how she touched his hair, Gohan just kept his eyes closed and waited.
But that talk never came.
R&R