When You're a Superhero
7. You Ought to Be More Cautious
That morning, Gohan was leading a team of brilliant scientists to continue working on the aircraft model of his design. And it was the first time that he actually felt like the boss.
It surprised him how naturally he fell into that role; he was giving precise instructions on what he expected of his team, explaining patiently how he wanted to proceed, answering any inquiry they may have, asking for help when his two hands weren't enough, offering his expertise whenever they got stumped… It was a team effort for sure, but he was clearly in charge. He was the leader. It was a role he hadn't wanted when Bulma offered him the job, and yet, somehow, Gohan felt like he was right where he belonged.
Bulma had been right. That fact wasn't a surprise; she usually was. But Gohan didn't expect to feel so comfortable in his new position.
He was grateful for the opportunity and excited about what was to come. Now that he was in charge, that he didn't have to answer to a superior, Gohan could focus on the work and he had the freedom to do things his way. It made his job all the more enjoyable.
His earpiece crackled and turned on. A grocery store was getting robbed. The report indicated two armed men.
However, Gohan was busy working on the engine of the aircraft. Lying under the vehicle on a rolling board, he had his gloved hands in the greasy mechanism. Surely the police could handle two measly crooks without his assistance, right? Besides, Videl would get involved if they needed help, and Gohan doubted Videl would need him to deal with such a simple robbery.
He decided not to intervene but kept listening in to the report just in case. He wondered if Videl was going to show up, and he kinda regretted not getting to see her in action if she was. She was so graceful and skilled whenever she fought; it was always such a treat to watch her pummel bad guys to the ground.
In the end, the police handled the attempted robbery on their own, without even needing to call for Videl. Gohan couldn't help feeling glad that he didn't miss out on watching her fight crime, and he smiled to himself at the thought of their next team-up against the scums of Satan City. He was really looking forward to it.
Lunchtime rolled around. Gohan made a stop at his office to use his personal bathroom and took a quick shower. He put on a clean, dark blue suit and hummed to himself as he stood in front of the mirror and arranged his tie.
Normally, the young scientist wouldn't bother washing up in the middle of the day when he would be back working with grease and soot after lunch, but Gohan didn't want to look messy and sloppy in his stained work overalls on his first official meeting with Videl.
He was still humming a lively tune as he walked out of his office. He decided to take the stairs to get to the ground level where the company's restaurant was situated; he felt too giddy and excited to wait for the elevator.
Gohan wondered what Videl would think of him without the superhero suit. Since they got along when he was the Great Saiyaman, the young man saw no reason for their meeting not to go well. Even if they couldn't get closer when he was Gohan, he did want to make a good first impression on her.
The restaurant was lively and bustling with chatter when he got there. He spotted Videl quickly even among the mass of people, letting his ki-sensing ability guide his gaze. His smile widened when he saw Dani sitting adjacent to her on the cushioned bench; they had chosen a booth in a quieter corner. Eri and the short-haired blonde were sitting on chairs across from Videl and had their back to him.
Videl's face lit up when she noticed him. She stood and waved her hand, beckoning him over. Gohan felt his face heat up. The way her deep blue eyes sparkled when she smiled was making his chest tighten.
She looked so lovely, too. She had her hair tied in a side braid, and she was wearing white shorts along with an untucked, patterned, sleeveless, pastel yellow collar shirt with the first few buttons undone and a white tank top underneath, showing just a hint of cleavage. It was a casual and comfortable outfit, and on Videl, it looked effortlessly sexy.
Gohan couldn't help letting his gaze linger on her figure, appreciating the way her clothes tightened around the supple curve of her hips, of her chest. The sight of her bare legs made his throat tighten. His blush deepened, and he found himself unable to tear his eyes off the gorgeous young woman.
He really was a lost cause, huh? He was so utterly smitten with her.
The blonde and Eri turned around when Videl got up. The short-haired woman beamed when she saw him, but Gohan barely took notice. Videl was all he could see.
He started toward their table, but then he paused and looked around. Raven was running a little late, it seemed. Gohan held up his forefinger to sign that he would be right with them and pulled out his phone with his other hand to call Raven. Hopefully, she wouldn't be much longer. Of course, it was unlikely that in the minutes until Raven arrived, someone would bring up the Great Saiyaman and put him on the spot, but he would feel more at ease once his friend joined them regardless.
She answered the phone after two rings. "I'm here, I'm here. I'm about to get in the restaurant."
Gohan sighed in relief. "Good. I'll go introduce myself then."
"Any hot girls?" Raven asked slyly.
Gohan blushed; he wanted to reply "Yes, definitely. Especially one."
He cleared his throat. "I'll let you judge that for yourself. See you in a few."
The young superhero hung up and smiled sheepishly at the group of women watching him expectantly. He walked over to their table, trying to ignore his racing heart as his gaze once again lingered on Videl who remained standing as she waited for him to reach them.
"Hello, I'm Gohan," he introduced himself. "I took the liberty of inviting a friend of mine to join us; I hope you don't mind."
"Not at all!" the blonde blurted out, standing up in a flash. She extended her hand to him. "I'm Erasa. Twenty-three, single and ready to mingle," she added with a wink.
"And also not subtle at all." Videl snickered, her arms crossed. Gohan looked at her with his eyebrows raised and his head tilted while he shook Erasa's hand. Whatever the perky blonde wasn't subtle about, he still didn't get it. Which wasn't surprising given his track record. He was as bad at being subtle himself as he was at getting people's insinuations.
"I take it you're Videl," he said with a nervous smile and a blush, holding out his hand to her. The young woman reached over and shook it ━ and Gohan was positive he felt a pleasant spark at the contact. His face flared up, and a lump rose in his throat.
"Nice to meet you," she said.
It was the first time he got to touch her directly, seeing as he wore gloves when he was in costume. Gohan lowered his head and swallowed as he pulled back. His gaze lingered on Videl's slender hand ━ the same hand that had touched his lips last night. The still very vivid recollection made his heart pound harder.
Clearing his throat, he turned to Dani to distract himself and smiled amicably. "And this is…?"
"Dani," the teen replied curtly. Her eyes were slightly narrowed, as though she was studying him. Gohan assumed she was wary of strangers. "Videl's my legal guardian."
He nodded. "Yes, Eri told me about that. How old are you?"
"Fourteen."
He cracked a smile. "My little brother is around your age. Maybe you could meet him sometime. I'm sure you'd get along really well."
She averted her gaze and shrugged. "I guess."
Eri motioned to the empty seat next to Videl on the cushioned bench. "Why don't you take a seat, Dr. Son? I mean, um, Gohan."
The lump in his throat was back in an instant. Gohan eyed the empty seat, then he glanced at the raven-haired beauty; her elbow on the table, her chin resting on the palm of her hand, she was looking up at him, a relaxed smile playing on her gorgeous lips.
A trickle of sweat rolled down his temple.
Really? Next to Videl? He was supposed to sit so close to her? For the whole duration of the lunch hour? Were they trying to test his sanity?
He nodded nonetheless, still flushed in the face, and settled on the spot beside his secret crush. He swallowed thickly. They were so close that their arms almost touched, and he could even feel her body heat. Videl shifted slightly in her seat, and Gohan held his breath when she brushed his arm with her elbow as she pulled her phone out of her back pocket.
He was going to die from the overflow of blood in his head at this rate. This was torture. He pinched his lips together, willing his heart to calm down.
"Ah, there you are!" Raven exclaimed, finally turning up. Gohan looked at her with relief. "The restaurant's so packed, I had trouble finding your table."
Dani shuffled uncomfortably in her seat. Gohan frowned. She didn't like crowds, and while their booth was in a quieter corner, she obviously still felt queasy in the bustling restaurant. Sharing a table with so many strangers couldn't be easy for her either. He felt a pang as he watched her, wondering what kind of event in her life could have caused her social anxieties.
"I'm Raven, Gohan's friend," the young doctor said with a pleasant smile. She paused as her gaze stopped on the celebrity at the table. Her breath hitched.
"Nice to meet you, Raven. I'm Eri, and these are my roommates, Erasa and Videl." The young scientist motioned to each of them with her hand as she introduced the group. "Dani here just moved in with us last night; Videl is her guardian."
"Nice to meet you all," Raven said, then she shot Gohan a look. "And you couldn't have given me a heads-up?"
He smiled innocently. "I thought it'd be more fun that way."
She chuckled. "I see I've taught you well."
Raven pulled up a spare chair and sat at the end of the table, across from Dani.
"You okay?" Videl asked the young girl, who nodded her head in response. "Maybe we could go somewhere quieter?" she asked the group, a worried frown creasing her brow.
"Here is fine," Dani mumbled without looking up. "I'm fine."
Raven looked at Gohan, then she shifted her gaze to Dani and then back to him while making a motion with her hand, palm up, silently asking him what this was about. He twirled his forefinger forward to sign that he would explain later.
"Well," the young doctor started, most likely to change the subject in an attempt to lighten the mood. "I certainly didn't expect I'd get to meet the one and only Videl, long-time crime fighter and martial arts world champion." She beamed. "I was there when you won ━ both times. I'm a big fan."
Videl cracked a smile. "Thanks, I appreciate your support. It's always nice to meet a fan."
"Gohan didn't even know you existed until he saw you on the news the other day." Raven poked her friend's arm playfully. "That's what you get when you don't look up from your books every once in a while."
"That's rich coming from you, Dr. Raven, medical surgeon at the Satan City Memorial Hospital," he bantered along with an amused twinkle in his eyes.
"Oh wow, you're a surgeon?" Eri said, her eyebrows raised. "How did you two meet, for that matter?"
"In college," Raven replied. "We were in the same club."
Gohan cracked a smile at the recollection. "The cooking club. Remember that time you burned a perfectly good salmon? I was so looking forward to having some, too."
Raven rolled her eyes. "When are you not? The only reason you joined the cooking club was to stuff your face. Gohan is a huge glutton," she precised to the others, smirking. "He could clean up a whole buffet all by himself and still have room for more. It's freaky."
Gohan blushed slightly. "Regardless, I'm still a better cook than you."
"You were more motivated for sure."
He chuckled. "Can't argue with that."
"You two seem really close," Erasa observed with a slight frown. "Are you really just friends?"
Gohan and Raven shared a jaded look. Why did people always assume they were a couple? Was it that unusual for a man and a woman to be close friends and not have any romantic interest in each other?
"We really are," Raven replied. "Gohan is like a little brother to me. Besides, I like girls."
Gohan tilted his head to the side. "I thought you were bi."
She smirked. "You're still not my type though."
He laughed. "I think I'll get over it."
Gohan picked up a menu and started browsing. Raven followed suit; he assumed the others already made their choice while they waited for them to arrive.
"So, Gohan," Erasa started. "Are you seeing anyone right now?"
"I'm not," he replied easily, not picking up the flirty tone. "I'm too busy for a relationship."
"Oh."
Besides, he continued for himself, glancing to the young woman sitting beside him with a pinch in his chest, the one I'm interested in is off-limits.
"Tell me about it," Raven complained, letting out a sigh. "The dating scene is hard enough, but when you're a surgical intern? It's almost impossible."
"All the medical TV dramas seem to find a way, though," Erasa joked.
"Sorry to burst your bubble, but they're all lies." Raven laughed. "We're all way too busy studying and working long hours to even think about dating among each other."
"Bummer."
A waiter walked over. "Good afternoon, Dr. Son," he said with an amused smile, his gaze sweeping around the table. "You sure are in good company today."
Gohan blushed and chuckled nervously.
"I know, right?" Raven agreed, shooting the blond-haired young man a wink. "All these beautiful women just for him. What a lucky guy."
The waiter blushed and looked away from the attractive young doctor. He cleared his throat. "So, um, have you chosen?"
Everyone placed their orders; Gohan got looks at the amount of food he asked for and he gave a sheepish smile, scratching his cheek. He supposed they didn't realize Raven wasn't exaggerating about his appetite earlier.
The flustered waiter excused himself. Raven chuckled in amusement.
"It's fun to make them blush," she said with a grin.
Gohan laughed slightly and shook his head. "You sure haven't changed a bit, huh?"
"Don't worry, Gohan, it's still the most fun to make you blush."
"So I've been told…" He gave a light chuckle and scratched the back of his head, his cheeks reddening slightly.
Little did he know that nervous habit of his piqued Videl's attention. She shot Dani a pointed look, motioning to the man beside her with her head, before picking up her phone from the table to write the girl a text.
"Did you see that?" she typed. "Saiyaman does the same thing when he's uncomfortable."
Dani's new phone vibrated in her pocket. She took it out and turned on the screen, going to her messaging app. She paused as she read Videl's text, before turning attentive eyes to the young head of Capsule Corp who was still bantering with his college friend, his hand on the back of his head.
"You're right. And they totally sound the same, too," she texted back.
"Right?" Videl sent in reply. "And he mentioned having a little brother. Saiyaman told me last night that he had younger siblings. I think it could really be him."
"We need to learn more about him."
Videl's eyes gleamed with excitement as she read Dani's message. Who knew her investigation on Saiyaman's real identity would turn out to be a way to bond with the teenage girl?
The waiter came back with a trolley and started filling the table with plates. "The rest is coming up," he told Gohan, who nodded and thanked him.
"Raven wasn't kidding about you, huh," Videl commented, staring at the numerous dishes all over the tablecloth. She turned to Gohan and looked him up and down. "How do you stay thin with everything you eat?"
He blushed and cleared his throat, focusing his attention on the food. "I have a fast metabolism."
"Some people are lucky that way," Raven added with a shrug.
"Do you work out though?" Videl asked Gohan, leaning toward the table and tilting her head to look at him better. "You seem pretty fit too."
"I, uh…" He was still blushing, scratching his hair in that familiar way while avoiding her gaze. "I do martial arts, actually…"
"Wait, really?" Eri blinked at him. "But Dr. Bulma told us you didn't know martial arts. Why would she lie?"
Gohan tilted his head and a slight frown creased his brow. "Maybe she said that because I'm not as serious about it as I used to be," he offered.
"You should see him fight, though," Raven said, her eyes sparkling. "He's incredible."
"Is that so…" Videl smirked as she observed him. The more she learned about Gohan, the more he seemed to match what she knew of Saiyaman. And if he really was the helmeted superhero, Bulma was probably in on it since they were so close. She must have lied to protect his secret. Fortunately for Videl, Gohan wasn't as guarded as the blue-haired genius.
Although, maybe he simply had nothing to hide and had no reason to pretend he couldn't fight. While the young scientist certainly was at the top of her list, it was still only speculations on her part. She had no hard proof, only circumstantial evidence. It wasn't enough to know for sure.
"Back in college," Raven went on, "there was this guy who followed me everywhere, it was kinda creepy. One time, he got upset when he saw me with Gohan, and he got hostile with us. When he tried grabbing my arm, Gohan swatted him away. Then the guy attacked him, but Gohan easily dodged everything, it was really something. And then he held the guy down and twisted his arm on his back, and made him swear he would leave me alone. The guy never bothered me again after that." She beamed at her friend. "I really owe you, Gohan."
He blushed, keeping his head down. He was scratching the back of his head again. "I, um… I'm just glad I could help you."
So he's righteous and can't help coming to people's rescue, Videl noted. Is it really him? I wish I could know for sure.
Her gaze lowered to his lips, and her frown deepened as she studied them with attention. She had observed Saiyaman's mouth enough to know its shape quite well ━ heck, she even touched his lips last night.
The memory made her heartbeat quicken, but Videl pushed down her embarrassment and focused on the shape of Gohan's mouth. The angle wasn't the best from where she was sitting, however. If Gohan could just turn more fully to her… She should have sat across from him.
"The guy sounds like a creep," Eri said. "Why didn't you report him to the police?"
"Oh, well, I felt sorry for him. Besides, who could blame him for going crazy over someone as beautiful and amazing as me?" Raven boasted with a playful grin.
Gohan chuckled. "When you say stuff like that, you remind me of Bulma."
Videl's focus was still on his lips. They did look similar, even though she couldn't see them as well as she would've liked.
Her face heated up as he ran his tongue over them to get a piece of rice stuck on the corner of his mouth. Her throat tightened at the oddly enticing sight. Videl quickly looked away, turning her attention on her own plate.
She couldn't tell if her attraction to Gohan could count as a clue. He was very handsome, after all. With Saiyaman, she didn't even know what he looked like, yet she couldn't deny feeling drawn to him in spite of it.
This wasn't like her, though. It was usually so rare for her to get interested in anyone ━ how did she end up finding two different men to her liking? Or could it be they were one and the same?
"So, um, Gohan," she started, "what do you like to do in your free time?"
Of course, even if he said he liked reading, it didn't bring her that much closer to figuring out whether he was Saiyaman; a lot of people enjoyed a good book, after all. But it was still an element to check off her list of the things she knew about the superhero, and if Gohan turned out not to be a big reader like Saiyaman, maybe that would mean it wasn't him after all.
Her inquiry made him turn to her; Videl refrained from staring at his lips again despite the better angle. He would surely notice, and she didn't want him to get the wrong idea.
"I like to spend time with my family and friends, and I like exploring nature."
"Bulma mentioned you grew up in the mountains," Erasa said. "Do you miss it now that you live in the city?"
As his gaze shifted to the blonde, Videl let hers drop to his lips, resuming her previous examination.
"I do. But I'm used to the city now. I used to live in the suburbs in West City before moving to Satan City. Besides, I go back home as often as I can, so I still get to enjoy the wide-open spaces over there."
Videl felt flushed; she swallowed. Saiyaman's lips had had the same effect on her. Which made sense, because she was looking right at them. Or at least, at the exact replica.
Could it be? Was Gohan really the Great Saiyaman?
"Isn't it far?" Eri asked. "The trip must take you a while."
He gave an awkward smile and rubbed the back of his neck. "It's not so bad."
Videl's heart was pounding. The similarities were too glaring. It had to be him.
"Um, do I have something on my face?"
She gave a start, and then she blushed heavily as she met Gohan's rattling eyes. They were pitch black, she noticed, not dark brown like she had first presumed. They looked back at her with an uneasiness that echoed with the red color tinging his cheeks.
She felt the inexplicable urge to reach over and take off his glasses.
Videl turned away and cleared her throat. "No, you're fine."
Her heart was racing, the erratic beat resounding in her ears.
Whether he was the Great Saiyaman or not, Gohan was a very handsome man indeed.
Sitting in the passenger seat, Raven stretched her arms, letting out a sigh of content. "Man, that was a good lunch." She shot Gohan a playful smile. "The company was nice, too. Thanks for inviting me."
He nodded without looking away from the road. "You're welcome. I'm glad you could come; I always feel more at ease when you're around."
"Aww, you're sweet."
Gohan had borrowed a car from Capsule Corp.'s stocks to drive Raven back. It was the least he could do since she had been doing him a favor.
"But in the end, you didn't need my help," she said. "Nobody mentioned the Great Saiyaman at lunch. I still don't have a clue as to why you'd need me to change the subject if that happened though."
"It's complicated." Gohan pushed the brake pedal at a red light. He looked at Raven with a wistful smile. "Maybe I'll tell you everything someday."
"I would like that. I had fun though ━ and I can't believe I got to meet Videl!" She sighed dreamily, staring off into space. "She's so cool, and she's even hotter in person."
Gohan felt his face burn up and focused his gaze on the red light, waiting for it to go green. He tapped his finger on his wheel and chewed on his lower lip. Unwilling to admit that he agreed, the young hero preferred not to respond.
"You two seemed to hit it off, too," she commented slyly. "You should ask her out."
He pursed his lips. If only he could.
"I told you, Raven, I'm not looking to date anyone."
"Not even a catch like Videl? She was totally checking you out, too."
His blush deepened. Gohan did feel Videl's gaze on him on more than one occasion during lunch.
"I'm too busy," he gave as an excuse once again. The light finally turned green and he resumed driving.
"Hm, that's too bad."
A few moments passed in silence before Raven spoke again, looking out the side window. "That girl didn't peep a word the whole time though. What was her name again?"
"Dani," Gohan replied without missing a beat. "She was probably uncomfortable. I figured it was best to leave her be."
Raven started saying something in reply, but Gohan's attention was diverted by the crackle in his ear. It was a robbery at a jewelry store this time, but the female voice giving the report sounded alarmed as she urged for backup. There seemed to be something more frightening about the perpetrators than usual.
"Raven," he said firmly. "Can you drive the rest of the way? I just remembered I have something to take care of."
Gohan glanced at her, his face serious. His friend shrugged. "Sure, I know you're busy. What about the car though?"
"You can keep it."
Raven's eyes widened. "Wha…?"
He found an empty spot by the curb and parked the car, then unfastened his seatbelt. "It's fine, really. It's a display model anyway, and besides, I'm the boss so I can't get in trouble."
"But, I mean…"
He opened the car door and stepped out. "I'm in a hurry, sorry," he told her, his back hunched and his hand on the hood as he looked at her. "I'll call you later, okay?"
She nodded dumbly, and Gohan was off. He quickly found a deserted alley and jumped onto the nearby rooftop so he could transform into the Great Saiyaman. In his earpiece, he could hear the swarm of gunshots in the background while the policewoman let out a frightened shriek. His lips pursed tightly as he pushed the red button on his watch; he didn't wait for the flash of light to flicker out and took off to the sky.
He came upon the shopping street; hovering above the scene, he looked down at what he could only describe as a warzone. Cars were turned over, smoke coming out of them, street lamps and boards were laying about, the asphalt of the curbs and roads was cracked and dented here and there, shards of the front windows of the surrounding shops littered the ground, and the police officers were crouched behind their heavily damaged cars as they tried to contain the law-breakers.
But it was only two men, shielding themselves from the swarm of gunshots behind a turned-over truck. They were wearing matching black robes with red and golden streaks and hoods over their heads as well as a mask to conceal their identity better.
Gohan quickly understood how they could be causing so much trouble with just the two of them: the short, scrawny one made a swift motion with his arm and a nearby car was flung at a group of police officers. The tall, bulky criminal then extended his hands at another part of their opposing force and several of the officers suddenly cried out while holding their heads, as though they were just attacked by a terrible migraine.
"Magic…?" Gohan murmured under his breath.
This could get complicated, even for him. He wasn't immune to magic, and while Gohan felt confident he could handle the guy with telekinesis, the one with psychic abilities worried him. This one could actually harm him.
He spotted Videl's jetcopter in the distance and frowned deeply, his lips pursing in a tight line. He didn't want her to get involved with those wizards. As strong and talented as she was, she wouldn't be able to do anything against them if they targeted her with their magic powers.
Still high up in the sky, Gohan aimed a hand at the pair, preparing a ki-blast. With that kind of opponent, the caped hero concluded that a frontal approach would be a bad idea. They hadn't spotted him yet, so this was his chance to take them out and put an end to this. In his peripheral vision, he saw that Videl's jetcopter was getting closer. He needed to act quickly before she could put herself in harm's way.
But then his ball of energy flickered away and he cried out in pain; it felt like something sharp was stabbing his brain over and over. Unable to get a hold of his ki, the young superhero plummeted to the ground and crashed like a cannonball. Broken cement went flying in all directions while a cloud of smoke rose around his whimpering form. He held his temples from under his visor, gritting his teeth at the blinding pain.
This was… even worse than what he had feared. Those guys had managed to completely incapacitate him. He could do nothing but endure that torturous mental attack.
"Saiyaman!"
He vaguely recognized Videl's voice. He wanted to tell her to stay back, to run away, and his desire to protect her gave him the will to fight against the horrible mental torture. He grunted and pushed himself off the ground, panting loudly as he managed to get on his hands and knees.
And then he screamed and collapsed once again, his body thrashing and twitching as though he was having a seizure.
Somehow, the crushing agony got even worse.
August 1, 2021