To See You Again

by the eye of the panda

Before her, his only goal was to defeat the cyborgs and save the world. Now he can't imagine his life without her, but how can they be together when he could get killed any day? Still, despite everything, Gohan can't help this irrepressible urge to see her again… Future timeline story.

1. Third Time's the Charm

To See You Again

Part One

Chapter One: Third Time's the Charm

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Violence was something Gohan was accustomed to, to say the least. In his young life of nineteen years, he had witnessed and taken part in more fights than he could recall. Life and death battles were pretty much his everyday life, even more so now seeing as fighting those damn cyborgs had become a part of his routine.

This, however… This was different. These people were humans, earthlings. And while Gohan had known the best of the human martial arts experts in his childhood, these fights were…

He hadn't expected this kind of violence, of brutality. These fighters were fighting dirty: they were fighting to hurt, to put on a show and make the crowd of spectators go wild.

Gohan didn't like it at all.

Perhaps he'd been too sheltered as a kid. Perhaps he was still too naive or just foolishly optimistic, especially in dark times like these. Perhaps it had been stupid of him to believe that humankind wasn't, couldn't be as bad, terrible and vicious as what he'd witnessed in outer space, or whilst growing up fighting hopeless battles against those vile artificially enhanced humans.

Well, these street fights were obviously proving him otherwise.

Bulma had asked him to investigate the underground parking lots in Silver Town. They were rumored to hold clandestine street fights for quite some time. She didn't like the sound of it and as Gohan watched these people fight ruthlessly, he was forced to agree. Flesh clashed against flesh, blood spattered everywhere and stained both opponents across their exposed skin and tattered clothes. One of them, a tall, brown-haired young man, spit out red-tinted saliva as he fell into a defensive stance. He blocked the vicious attacks of the other fighter, a slightly shorter but bulkier and older man with long red hair.

Gohan had to admit, he was rather impressed. While he did not approve of the raw brutality of these street fights, the men's skills were really good.

A pained wince tensed his features when the taller guy received several hits on his stomach that made him double over in pain. His opponent immediately followed with a combo of various punches and kicks, each and every one of them striking home. With a gasp from the crowd, the younger fighter hit the ground with a thud. Not a moment later an uproar of cheers rose from the audience while the man in charge of the street fights joined the winner in the center of the room and brought the latter's arm upwards in victory, causing the excited crowd to roar even louder.

It took some time to calm the deafening cheers and to allow the organizer to be heard properly. He challenged the people around to take on the winner, who, while still catching his breath, stood tall and looked ready to get at it again.

Before Gohan could step in, a female voice responded to the challenge. The mass of people broke apart to let her get to the center of the parking lot, as it was the makeshift ring.

She's tiny, was the first thought that crossed Gohan's mind. And she was even wearing big, platform boots, too. From where he was Gohan only had a faraway view of her back, and he wondered what she looked like. His eyes traveled down along her long raven hair, pulled back into two low ponytails that went all the way down to the small of her back. Gohan unconsciously let his gaze linger on her slim waist and her straight, strong back, which was covered with a tight, dark red tank top tucked in military-kind of trousers.

And then his wandering eyes stopped their course, without meaning to, on her butt. And Gohan stared.

Gah! Where the hell am I looking at!? he inwardly berated himself, and then slapped himself to snap out of it.

What was wrong with him now? Since when was he the type to shamelessly check out women like some piece of meat? It wasn't like him. He'd never wanted to be like that and he certainly didn't want to start now.

But, well… This girl was really hot. He was simply acknowledging the fact. Nothing wrong with that, right? It wasn't like he could just ignore how slim her figure was, or how nice her curves looked, or how soft he imagined her skin to be…

Ugh… He let out a frustrated sigh, annoyed with himself. He gave a sharp shake of his head in an attempt to clear his mind, then scratched the hair at the base of his neck in a nervous habit.

He wondered distractedly what kind of fighter she was… And whether she was as pretty as he pictured her to be.

The organizer guy briefly asked for the young woman's stage name ("The Devil," she'd answered in a bored tone) and then fled the ring to allow both fighters to begin. On cue, they started circling each other – and Gohan was finally able to see what the young woman looked like.

He was not disappointed.

Gohan blinked slightly. Wow… was his first thought. She was quite the looker. The fringe suited her, although Gohan wished he could see her eyes better from the distance. They were a light color; not green, not gray, not light brown either – perhaps blue? Though, it was actually the vibrant fire they held that attracted him most.

He smiled. As he pushed his way through the crowd to get a closer look at the young woman, not taking his eyes off of her for one moment, one word came to mind.

Beautiful.

The fight began. And once again, Gohan wasn't disappointed. Her skills were quite impressive, her focus undisturbed, her precision unwavering. His smile turned into a grin as she fought the bulky man. Damn, she was good. In his mind, there was no doubt about who would win.

Then his eyes narrowed, the man's fist connecting with the girl's stomach and visibly knocking the wind out of her. An incomprehensible fury gripped his guts and boiled his blood as she received a couple more hits. It took all his self-control not to interrupt the fight and charge at the shorter man. But she didn't let her opponent get another hit on her, blocking his kick and immediately countering with her knee flying straight up at his chin. He stumbled backward, gritted his teeth and rushed her again. But she was too fast and he didn't even get to prepare his next attack as she kicked him right between his legs. With the heavy heel of her boot.

Gohan would have winced at the man's unfortunate dismay, but he actually smirked as the poor guy crumbled to the ground, both hands clasped tightly on his groin. Knocked out.

The crowd's uproar was even louder this time, while the organizer approached the new winner and held up her arm as a sign of her victory.

"Well, that was some fight!" he exclaimed. An uneasy chuckle left his lips as the unconscious fighter groaned while he was taken away from the ring. "Who feels like challenging our new winner? Or are you too scared to end up like Red Flames? Anyone up for the challenge?!"

Gohan hesitated. He really, really didn't want to fight this girl, lest he hurt her, but only he would be able to put a stop to these fights, if only just for tonight.

His moment of hesitation cost him the opportunity to answer the challenge, for some other guy beat him to it. A very large and big guy, on top of that. With his shaved head and goatee the man reminded Gohan of the Saiyan Nappa, but the resemblance stopped there. He wore a black, spandex wrestling suit and white boots, and he was at least three times the size of "the Devil".

A brief introduction taught him that the huge man's own stage name was "the Killing Machine". Not a very reassuring one, that was for sure… Dammit, he should've stepped in sooner!

The fight began. This time, the girl's opponent charged right off the bat, throwing his enormous fist down at her head like a hammer; she evaded the deadly blow quite easily and swept the giant under his feet. He fell backward, and the next moment a pair of knees collided with his swelling stomach. She jumped back and fell into a stance, waiting for the man to get up.

Just finish him off! Gohan thought impatiently. As uncharacteristic as it was for him to think such a thing, he just wanted this fight to end before the young woman could get more hurt, so that he could finally step in and put an end to these fights.

Panting and grunting, the giant fighter struggled to his feet, and Gohan cursed under his breath, his jaw and fists clenching in anger and worry. She should've just knocked him out when he was down. But the audience was cheering for more: such a quick and easy win wouldn't do to satisfy this bunch.

Animals, scowled Gohan, his eyes narrowing to slits.

The fight resumed. The girl had the obvious upper hand, and she seemed to be toying with her much bigger opponent. Gohan frowned: she was overconfident. If she wasn't more careful, she was bound to make a mistake.

He wished he wasn't right. The huge fighter, who had been taking blow after blow while all his attempts failed, managed to grab hold of her upcoming leg and landed his big fist across her face. Gohan felt an irrepressible rage course through his being as the man, still holding her leg firmly, struck the young woman a few more times. Bruises were visible on her arms as she tried to protect herself, her face twisted in pain. Encouraged by the crowd, he finally threw her hard on the ground.

"That's it, I'm ending it," Gohan muttered to himself, and started to push himself through the wild audience, tempted to just send everyone flying with a burst of his ki.

But before he could reach the makeshift ring, the raven-haired girl jumped to her feet and charged at her gigantic opponent, crying out as her roundhouse kick hit him across the neck. He was sent flying, right at the crowd, and the few unfortunates that happened to be in his path ended up stuck under his massive weight.

She blew out a breath and stood tall while the cheers became louder than ever. Gohan let out a sigh of relief, himself, as the giant-like man did not get back up.

"Well that was some bloody mess!" exclaimed the organizer, coming up to the winner's level. "And I'm sure you are all dying for more, am I right?"

The uproar of the crowd sickened Gohan. He finally pushed himself to the front, and before the guy in charge could ask for a new challenger he spoke out loudly.

"I'm next!"

The people were so loud no one seemed to notice him. Gohan walked over to the center of the makeshift ring and repeated, shouting in irritation. He was so sick of this atmosphere; he just wanted to get this done and over with already.

"I said I'm next!"

The guy in charge seemed delighted and immediately asked for his stage name. Gohan was somewhat taken aback by the question and his earlier boost of confidence faltered slightly. He glanced to "the Devil"; she was eyeing him doubtfully with her arms crossed, as if she sensed that he didn't belong to a place like this. This did not help him find a stage name.

"Uhh… I'm, uh…"

He hated how his stupid voice quivered. He glanced at her again and saw for the first time just how deep blue her eyes were. He felt his face flush before he could help it and turned quickly away to the organizer, who was still waiting for his stage name.

"I'm Majunior," he finally said. Her stage name made him think of Piccolo's demon days, and the pen name was the first thing that came to his troubled mind.

"All right then!" cried out the man beside him, turning to the sniggering audience; they seemed to find his hesitation very amusing. "Who do you think will win, the Devil or Majunior? Place your bets!"

Gohan narrowed his eyes, as the organizer moved along the people to collect the bets of the upcoming fight. How could they be so excited at the prospect of violence in the current state of the world? One would think that evil cyborgs destroying everything in their path would be enough chaos for several lifetimes. And yet here they were, a bunch of wild animals craving to see more blood.

He just didn't get it.

The organizer gave the signal to begin the fight and the girl fell into a fighting position. Gohan, however, just stood still, gauging her stance and injuries. He frowned. Her arms were covered in bruises from when she had been protecting herself from "the Killing Machine", her chin and temple were bleeding, and she probably had more injuries that he couldn't see. The last thing he wanted was to hurt her any more; he'll have to end this quickly.

"Not taking me seriously, huh," she said in contempt.

Gohan blinked, not understanding what she meant, and the next second he found himself blocking her leg with his forearm. Her brow creased and she attacked him again. And again, and again. And Gohan easily evaded everything she threw at him.

Usually he didn't find much enjoyment in fighting, but against this girl, it was proving to be an exception. He found himself actually having fun, smirking as she gritted her teeth in frustration.

"Don't… mock me!" she uttered out angrily, her fist hurtling at his face.

But he caught it just as easily as a slow baseball, and couldn't help letting out a low chuckle as she glared at him murderously. Her right fist still stuck in his hand, she tried kicking his sides with her left leg, but again, he caught it just as easily, almost lazily. She looked furious, her face flushed, and she struggled to get free from the strange position, as he didn't let go of her limbs. But Gohan figured that it wasn't in her nature to give up so easily, and wasn't surprised when he had to jump back to avoid her right knee flying directly at his chin.

She charged again without a pause, and Gohan simply let her tire herself out as all her attempts at striking him failed. His earlier decision to end the fight quickly was apparently forgotten; he was having too much fun infuriating this girl to remember.

"UGH!" she cried out in frustration as, yet again, her fist hit nothing but air.

And yet still, her assault of blows just kept coming, didn't even slow down. Gohan had to admit, he was very impressed by her endurance and fighting skills. Despite her small stature, she was really quite strong: he could feel the force behind her strikes whenever he blocked them.

Unfortunately, as much fun as this fight was, he needed to put an end to it. He had intended to disappoint the audience by knocking her out quickly without much of a show, and yet ended up doing the exact opposite. The crowd was as loud as ever, though most didn't seem happy about his upper hand, booing and shouting obscenities at him, seeing as they had placed their money on his opponent.

"Finish him already, you slut!"

Gohan's head jerked towards the obese man who shouted the insult at his female opponent. His eyes narrowing to slits as he glared darkly at him, who simply flicked his finger at him. He could feel his blood boil, pulsing in his veins, his anger rising quickly. Forget the fight, forget his mission, right now he could only think of slamming that fat, ugly guy to the ground and forcing him to apologize to the beautiful and skilled fighter for insulting her.

"HIYAAH!"

The worst kind of pain shot through him like bolts of electricity, and Gohan crouched over and fell on one knee, gritting his teeth, his vision unclear, as both his hands covered his painfully throbbing crotch. Damn it, it hurt like hell! It was taking him all he had not to crumble down and whimper like a baby.

But he didn't have time to recover: he felt her attacking him again, obviously intent on ending this. Well he sure wasn't going to let that happen; he couldn't possibly lose to a human, however talented she was. Besides, he was supposed to put a stop to these street fights!

He clumsily moved out of the way of her kick, grabbed her outstretched leg, pulled her towards him and gave her neck a light tap. And just like that it was over. She was unconscious.

Shakily, Gohan straightened himself, breathing hard. That girl actually managed to knock the wind out of him! He hadn't expected such a turn of events; then again he shouldn't have let himself be distracted in the middle of a fight. She was good, really good, he had to give her that. Underhanded and sneaky, sure, but very talented indeed.

"Bravo, bravo!" said the organizer, clapping his hands, over the deafening cheers of the crowd, as he walked to the center of the ring. "I have to say I thought Majunior was done for, didn't you?" More cheers and laughter came from the crowd in response. "But he still managed to win after such a low blow! Well then, who's next? Who is up to fighting Majunior next?"

Gohan shook his head sharply, trying to ignore the stinging sensation in his crotch. Okay, this time, no more distractions: he was going according to his plan. This time, he was finally putting an end to these clandestine street fights, at least for tonight.

He glanced at the unconscious young woman as she was being taken away from the makeshift ring, and felt an unexplainable pang in his chest, wondering if he would ever see her again.

ooOoo

That guy… He was no common fighter. Her brows furrowed, and Videl crossed her arms, observing the tall, black-haired guy who, yet again, knocked out his new opponent with a simple chop on the neck. The crowd was booing and some people even threw their empty paper cups or snack bags at him, which he easily dodged, seeming unfazed by their hostility. The organizer tried to calm them down, then turned to the man to whisper something to him through gritted teeth. Understandably, he didn't seem to like losing most of his audience because of the unexciting fights.

"It's not my fault they can't take it," the fighter replied simply, crossing his arms. He looked around him. "Any remaining runner-ups?"

Videl wished she could go against him once again, but after she regained consciousness and watched him effortlessly brush off each and every one of his challengers, she knew it would be pointless. He was so out of her league, it made her furious. But she knew when to back down when she was outmatched.

If anything, the cyborgs taught her that.

She had to wonder why the guy hadn't knocked her out right away like the others who followed, though. Was it because she was a girl? The thought made her furrow her brow further. She hated when men treated her like she was some fragile, helpless woman just because of her gender. She'd long proved she could handle herself in a fight way better than most men she encountered.

Then again, that man, "Majunior", as he called himself… his level was unbelievable. She had seen no flaw in his stance, in the way he moved; he was quick, swift, efficient, and undeniably powerful. It was no wonder he had to hold back when he fought her. As much as she hated to admit it, he was much, much better than her.

She watched him some more as he stood tall, defying the crowd to take him on. Her eyes strayed on his broad shoulders, his toned arms, his strong neck, his boyish traits… Videl shook her head swiftly, discarding her wandering thoughts. Yeah, so he was good looking. Big deal.

"Majunior" smirked, as the people around him backed away, muttering angrily between themselves. The organizer tried to call them back, but to no avail. Fuming, he growled at the blue and orange-clad fighter, flipped him off, and then walked away. As the parking lot emptied little by little, the man seemed quite pleased with himself. Videl gave him one last look, and then turned away, following the crowd out of the parking lot.

The night was cloudy and chilly, and Videl, with just her tank top, felt goosebumps gathering on her bare arms. Not like she would ever show her discomfort. She stood tall and proud, passing through the frustrated audience, and proceeded to walk home.

"Wait!"

She frowned as she turned around, while "Majunior" ran towards her. What did he want with her, now? Wasn't beating her enough? She didn't need any reminder of her failure, and the tall young man reaching her happened to be just that.

"What?" she said curtly.

He stood there, awkwardly, looking at his feet and scratching the hair at the back of his head. "Uh…"

Videl scowled. She didn't have any time to waste, especially on blubbering idiots. No matter how skillful and talented he happened to be.

"Are you… Are you okay?" he finally asked, and right in time, too. She'd just been about to walk away without a lookback.

"How is that any of your business?" She crossed her arms, tapping her foot impatiently.

"Well, uh…" He scratched the back of his head again. What an annoying habit. "You got some nasty hits when you fought that guy, before me…"

Videl gritted her teeth. What. The. Hell. What did this freak want with her? What did it matter to him whether she got a few scratches? She turned away from him, not in the mood to put up with some stuttering fool, and took long and quick strides to get away from him.

"W-Wait! Please!"

Why was he still talking to her? Couldn't he get a hint? She picked up her pace.

"Just leave me alone, already!"

"But I'm just… I'm just worried. Your arms are covered in bruises…"

Videl stopped in her tracks, pursing her lips. She sent him the deadliest glare she could muster. "So. What."

"Well, uh…" He scratched the back of his head, again. That habit of his was really getting on her nerves. "I could drive you home if you want. That way, you could rest a bit…"

"I don't need your help!" she retorted, clenching her fists as her mood worsened. "I don't see you going after the others that got injured, so just leave me be! Can't you go bug somebody else instead? Why won't you just leave me alone, already!"

He seemed to think about it, looking sideways for a moment, before turning his dark eyes back to her, his expression dead serious. "I guess I have a thing for you."

She gaped. What the fuck kind of weirdo was this guy? And he actually looked one hundred percent genuine about it, too! What the hell was wrong with this guy! He didn't even know her!

"Well that's sucks for you because I don't like you!"

With that, she turned away and stomped off, and thankfully that weird guy didn't follow her this time. What a relief. He was really starting to piss her off, and she was not in the mood to put up with some guy's crap tonight.

Gohan watched her walk away with a sinking feeling in his stomach. He scratched his hair. It was the first time he ever felt something like this for a girl, whatever this was, and obviously he was lacking certain skills to go about it. Maybe, with some luck, he'll bump into her again on another street fighting meet and take another shot at it.

His face flushed. What was happening to him? All these new feelings were so confusing and foreign and just so overwhelming. Although clearly, that Devil girl had no interest in him at all. Did he even have a chance with her? Would he even see her again?

His throat tightened. Man, he sure hoped so. There was just something special about that girl and Gohan wanted to know where this thing with her, these feelings that had already started to develop, could go.

His shoulders slumped as he turned and walked away, his hands in his pockets, looking for a deserted spot where he could take off from.

Better luck next time. Maybe…

ooOoo

Bulma watched the young fighter curiously. Something seemed… off with Gohan today. He'd come this morning to report to her how the clandestine fight meeting had gone last night, and she was happy Gohan had been able to successfully put an early end to it, but even as he spoke to her Gohan's head seemed somewhere else.

"I'm glad it went as planned," she commented. "I heard word that there's going to be another meet tonight, but not at the same place." She handed him a piece of paper. "I wrote down the address for you."

Gohan watched the scribbling on the paper and for some odd reason, his cheeks reddened. He put the address in his pocket.

"Okay," he said, his voice low and his gaze unfocused. Bulma frowned in confusion. Something was definitely off with Gohan today.

"Did something happen?" she asked. "You seem a bit…"

She trailed off, unable to put a word to it, but it was enough to make Gohan flush instantly. Bulma raised an eyebrow. Now that was interesting… as much as it was unexpected.

"It's… nothing," Gohan mumbled, making a point to avoid her gaze as he scratched the nape of his neck.

"It's obviously something. You're completely red."

"Am… Am I?" He moved his hand to his face, perhaps in hopes of hiding his bright blush.

"You know you can tell me anything, don't you, Gohan? And maybe I can help. I am a genius, after all," she added with a amused smile.

He swallowed. "O… Okay, I guess… It's just, um, a little embarrassing…" He sighed, running his hand through his hair. "There was this girl at the street fights…"

Ha. Knew it, Bulma smirked to herself.

"She was one of the fighters actually, and she was the strongest there too."

Figures. Is it a Saiyan thing to be attracted to strong women? I wonder…

"I tried talking to her after the fights, but she was pretty mad that I beat her, I think. It didn't go very well…" Gohan sighed, his shoulders slumping. "I thought maybe I'd see her again tonight at the fights, I guess that's why I was blushing…" And he blushed again, as if to confirm his statement. "I'm not very good at… that, I think. Talking to girls…"

Bulma cracked a smile. "You have to use your strong points to your advantage. For one thing, you're good looking, and you're adorable."

He flushed some more, scratching his hair. "…Thanks? But how do I…" He swallowed nervously and continued, "use that to my advantage?"

Bulma smirked. "Maybe go to those fights topless tonight, I'm sure she won't be unaffected by your physique. You've grown to become a really attractive young man, you know."

"Uhhh… Topless? Would that really make a difference?"

"Most women love muscular men, so, yes, I'm pretty sure it'd make a good difference." Bulma bit on her lip to stop herself from bursting out laughing at the bright blush on Gohan's face. He was just too cute. "And just be yourself, Gohan. You're sweet, kind, a little awkward but that's part of your charm, and you're just plain adorable. If she doesn't fall for the real you then there's no point pursuing her," Bulma finished with a shrug.

"Oh… I, I guess you're right… Thanks, Bulma," he said softly, still massaging his scalp. "This is all so weird to me. I've never really been interested in girls before, and I'm not even sure it's that good an idea to try something with that girl…"

"Why not?"

"Well, you know… Me fighting the cyborgs all the time, risking my life trying to save others… I can't imagine being with someone like me would be a walk in a park for anyone."

"That's ridiculous, Gohan. With how the world is today, you're as much at risk as the next guy. And you can defend yourself against them at least, which isn't our case, so you're actually not in that much danger compared to everyone else if you think about it."

Gohan frowned, not entirely convinced. What Bulma was saying may be making sense, but at the same time he knew he also had a point. He may be strong enough to face the cyborgs, but Gohan was well aware that he was nowhere near their level and that every time he went off to fight them may very well be the last.

Still… He really wanted to see that girl again. He could easily picture her vibrant blue eyes, and Gohan felt a tug in his stomach at the thought of maybe seeing her tonight.

He swallowed, trying to make the lump in his throat go down. He really, really hoped she was going to be there tonight. He wanted to see her again… He had to see her again.

A small smile tugged at his lips at the prospect. It might be a wild shot, but Gohan was fairly sure that she would be fighting tonight. She was a strong and very talented martial artist, and she had seemed pretty unsatisfied by her short run last night – surely she was going to want to fight again, right? Well, he sure hoped so, because he was itching to see her. And maybe he would get to fight her again. He hoped she wouldn't kick his, um, parts again, though, but other than that fighting that Devil girl had been pretty fun.

Well, there was nothing he could do but wait for tonight… Gohan was bubbling with excitement. He really couldn't wait.

ooOoo

Gohan's head didn't seem to be into training today. Hovering in the sky, Trunks frowned as he looked down at the crater his mentor's body had just made. Gohan was so unfocused that the young Super Saiyan was kicking him around with almost no effort at all. This wasn't like him. Gohan was usually sharp and rough when training Trunks, never going easy on him, so even landing a punch on him would usually be quite a feat for Trunks. But today, for some reason, Gohan seemed more interested by the setting sun than their sparring session.

The tall fighter got to his feet and dusted himself off, not much affected by the kick that sent him crashing down. Trunks landed beside him and crossed his arms, a deep frown creasing his young features.

Gohan offered him an apologetic smile. "I know, I know. I think I'm just not into it today. How about we do something else instead?"

Trunks sighed and turned out of his transformation. "All right. I'm getting hungry anyway. How about we go hunt for a snack?"

The thought of food brought a grin to his older friend's face. "Sounds good. Fish or meat?"

"How about both?"

Gohan laughed. Trunks grinned.

Still… He wondered what was on his friend's mind. The way he was surveying the sun probably meant that he had plans for tonight. But what could he be doing? As far as Trunks knew, Gohan's activities were limited to training him and visiting either Chichi or Bulma, not to mention the occasional fight against the cyborgs.

Trunks was curious. Perhaps he should see for himself what Gohan was up to tonight…

ooOoo

Gohan was not disappointed. His hands grew sweaty as he caught sight of the beautiful young woman warming up in a corner. He swallowed, getting more and more nervous. She was so… Gohan was captivated, unable to take his eyes off of her; every move she made so full of grace and precision. He was pretty sure his attraction was inevitable.

Dare he go talk to her? He had decided against following Bulma's advice and didn't come to the fights topless, as Gohan didn't think it would make that much of a difference. He had a feeling that the Devil girl wouldn't be too happy to see him from the way she'd told him off last time… but he really wanted to talk to her. He wanted to know more about her, and possibly learn her name… But most of all, Gohan wanted to see those eyes of hers directed at him.

His heart picked up at the mere memory of her harsh glare.

He took a step towards her, trying to command his racing heart to calm the heck down, but he couldn't even still his trembling hands. He clenched them into fists, sucked in a deep breath, and took the leap.

"Um… Hi," he mumbled anxiously, cursing his voice for sounding so dumb.

She looked up at him – and Gohan felt completely swallowed up by her deep blue eyes. He stared at her stupidly and didn't even hear what she said.

"Um… I'm sorry?" he smiled awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck.

She frowned and crossed her arms. "Are you here to cut the fights short again?"

"Oh, so you figured it out…" Man, he felt so nervous. Was it always going to be like this, even when all he was doing was talking to her?

"Doesn't take a genius to see what you were up to last night. Though what I don't understand is why."

His expression changed to one of surprise, having obviously not expected that kind of question. As if the answer was a given.

"What do you mean, why?" he frowned, and showed around them with his hand. "Because these fights are appalling. Because that kind of brutal violence is unnecessary and barbaric. And because I think there's more than enough violence in the world as is."

He didn't need to clarify what, or rather who he meant by that. A decade had passed since the deadly twins started wreaking havoc in the world, decimating the entire human population little by little, city after town after village. But, while she understood his point, Gohan obviously didn't understand hers.

"Why do you think we do that kind of thing?" she asked him. "Why do you think I do it?"

His brow furrowed further, but this time confusion reflected in his eyes. "I honestly don't know. Money?"

She smirked. "Well, the dough is certainly a plus. But there's more to it than just that."

As the girl paused, Gohan looked at her intently. She knew she had his complete and undivided attention.

"I, for one, have always loved fighting. I enjoy it, and I need it to vent. It makes me feel in control. It makes me feel strong – and precisely because of the cyborgs, I need to feel strong, and to vent, and to feel in control." She looked deep into his eyes. They were more serious than she'd ever seen them yet. "Do you get it, now?"

His lips pursed into a thin line. "I do, yes. But I still don't like it."

"Then don't get involved. It might look barbaric to you, but for us – for me – it's our way to feel human."

Gohan sighed, his features relaxing, and scratched the back of his head. "I guess that's fair…" Then he cracked a smile, looking at her sideways. "That's too bad. I was kinda looking forward to fighting you again. I had fun last night. Well, except at the end," he added with a chuckle.

She bit down on her lip to stop the grin threatening to break out, and Gohan felt his face burn up. She was so beautiful when her features relaxed.

"What's your name?" he asked eagerly, thinking, hoping that maybe he did have his chances with her after all.

She smirked at him. "The Devil."

"I mean, your real name."

"I know what you meant."

"Then why…?" Gohan trailed off, and frowned. If she didn't want to tell him her name, she had every right not to.

She chuckled. "It's Videl."

He beamed. "I'm Gohan. Nice pun, Miss Devil."

Videl turned away, trying to hide the twitch of her lips. "Well, I should get going. Got some asses to kick."

Gohan grinned, his eyes sparkling. "Looking forward to watching you, Videl."

The way he said her name gave her an unfamiliar, pleasant feeling in her stomach, but Videl quickly brushed it off and walked away.

ooOoo

Gohan wondered what he was going to say to Bulma. He knew how much she disliked the idea of these street fights, but after what Videl had told him he didn't have the heart to take away something that seemed so important to these people.

Speaking of the devil – pun intended – she was doing great out there in the fighting area. Watching her beat up a bunch of giant, muscle bound men had something so fascinating to it, and Gohan couldn't help the feeling of attraction that kept growing and growing the more he watched her.

She knocked down her fourth adversary of the night, a smirk of satisfaction forming on her lips, and then Gohan's heart picked up as she looked up and their eyes met.

He was rooted on the spot. There was something about her eyes… They pulled him in, sucking in all of his attention, making him unable to look away.

Without really meaning to, Gohan's feet started to move, heading straight at her.

"Is that our next contestant?" the organizer asked excitedly. It wasn't the same one as last night, which explained why he wasn't put off from Gohan's apparition.

The tall fighter tore his gaze away from Videl's enchanting blue eyes to turn to the man in charge of the fights. Then he shrugged.

"Sure."

After all, he had been looking forward to fighting her again. Gohan fell into a stance and smiled at Videl, whose face had turned serious as she got into her own fighting stance.

"So it's a rematch, huh," she said, smirking. "Show me what you got."

As Videl rushed him and attacked with a series of quick and powerful hits he easily dodged, Gohan wondered if he should let her win after he'd had his fun. He knew she could lose all of her winnings if he won against her, and she probably needed the money.

Then again, as he gazed at her determined expression, Gohan had a feeling she wouldn't appreciate a fake win.

He moved around her in a graceful dodge and pushed his arm ahead, creating a gust of wind strong enough to propel her forward without even making any contact with her.

Videl's eyes widened at the unexpected force of the technique but she reacted quickly and caught herself on her hands before making a flip and landing on her feet.

Gohan smiled in appreciation. "You're really good."

But he's better, Videl admitted, gritting her teeth as she attacked him with everything she had, yet unable to land the slightest hit. Much, much better. She sped up the pace of her blows with a cry, but Gohan blocked her arm and locked it behind her back before she realized he'd even moved. Damn it, how could he be so much stronger than her?

But little did she know, as Gohan stood behind her, the sudden closeness threw him off. Her scent reached his nostrils and the young man found himself letting his eyes slide shut as he took a whiff of her hair.

Without realizing it, it had made him loosen his grip on Videl's wrist and the girl was able to shake him off after some effort. Breathing out, she got in her stance again and narrowed her eyes at him. Gohan blinked and then, for some reason, his face flared up completely.

"Are you even taking this seriously?" she asked him angrily, upset by the enormous gap between them.

"I, uh…" He scratched his hair, not quite sure why Videl looked so mad at him, and still a bit dazed from her scent… He hadn't expected her to have that much of an effect on him. "I mean, if I fought seriously, this would be over too quickly… And I like fighting with you."

"What, so this is just a game to you?"

"I… guess?" Was it wrong? Gohan didn't get it. Wasn't this whole thing a game? Why was she so upset?

"You really don't get it, huh?" she spat.

Gohan swallowed nervously. He really didn't.

Videl grunted and rushed him again. He frowned as he blocked and dodged her attacks, noticing that she was tiring out. Maybe he should put an end to it already… Gohan was still pondering whether he should forfeit or win the match, and because he was a little distracted by his wandering thoughts, Videl managed to land a hit, her fist making contact with his gut, the blow strong enough to wind him a little.

Gohan coughed as he took a step back. Man, she sure was strong. But looking back at Videl, he thought she should feel satisfied or at least a little proud of herself for that hit, but she looked even more furious than before.

"So I'm not even worth your focus? You're not even paying attention to our fight! Why are you even fighting here? Are you still trying to put an end to these fights? I thought you understood at least that!"

"Wha…? I'm… I'm really not–"

"Ugh! You're so annoying!"

And with that, Videl all but stormed off, apparently too upset to finish the fight. Gohan winced. Damn it, he completely screwed things up. And there he thought he might have a chance… But now all progress he might have made was all but gone. Videl was super pissed and she hated his guts now, and she had every reason to after the careless way he'd fought with her. He should've known she would be offended by his lack of focus, he should've taken her more seriously, he should've at least respected her passion for the art.

Ugh, he was such an idiot! It was all ruined now.

"And it's a win for… wait, what's your stage name? I guess I forgot to ask!" the announcer laughed at himself, causing the crowd to break out in laughter.

"It's Majunior," Gohan muttered half-heartedly. He shouldn't have fought her at all. What should he do now? Was there anything he could do at this point? Gohan clenched his fists, angry at his foolishness. He was such an idiot. How could he have been so stupid? Why didn't he realize just how important fighting was to Videl? Especially after what she'd said to him earlier… Damn it, it was so obvious! He should've known better!

"Well, looks like the Devil forfeited, making Majunior the winner!" the organizer exclaimed. "Though it looks like he struck out with her – let's give the guy some credit, he's got balls for trying to win over a woman whose stage name is the Devil! Got burnt a little buddy, huh?"

The man slapped Gohan's back and laughed, unknowingly making the half-Saiyan's blood boil. Gohan tightened his fists and clenched his jaw, stopping himself from shrugging off the man roughly.

"Well, let's move this along – who's up to fight Majunior?" the man asked the crowd. "I don't know about you but the way he effortlessly played around with the Devil seemed a bit surreal. Could it be y'all too scared to challenge him?"

There seemed to be a moment of hesitation with the audience, but, soon enough, a man walked up to the fighting area and volunteered. He was tall and pretty thin compared to the usual runner-ups, and called himself Firestorm.

At this point, Gohan figured he should've just left, but he was so pissed at himself, the young warrior thought he might as well vent a little on those fighters – while holding back as much as possible, of course.

ooOoo

Videl narrowed her eyes at the orange clad fighter as he knocked down yet another challenger. Sure, he wasn't cutting the fights short like last night, but she couldn't be sure that he wasn't trying to put an end to the street fights again.

It was so irritating. How could he be so much stronger than everybody else? What kind of training regiment did one have to go through to reach such impossible levels?

Another fighter challenged him, and Gohan fell into his stance. It was simple – yet perfect. He offered no opening, he had no weaknesses. When his opponent got in his own stance, Videl could easily see the stark contrast between their skills. While the other fighter's stance was a pretty good one, it was obvious to Videl that he was nowhere near good enough to measure up to Gohan.

Who was this guy anyway?

It was getting on her nerves how much he was obviously holding back – he was even letting his opponent hit him a few times! It was clear that Gohan could've dodged those hits – she was a much better fighter than this guy and she'd barely been able to land just one punch.

One of the opponent's kicks tore Gohan's top. The orange-clad man grunted and just ripped the rest of the torn clothes – and Videl couldn't help but stare at his perfectly chiseled torso, carved with tense muscles, and from the distance, she could even make out the numerous scars etched on his skin. She felt flushed.

Videl shook her head sharply, refusing to let herself be attracted to that guy. With that resolution in mind, she turned away and left the parking lot, hoping she wouldn't have to deal with that guy again. Life was hard enough as it was – she didn't need some guy to show her up and piss her off on top of everything else.

ooOoo

He saw her leave, and Gohan just got even more furious at himself. How could he be so stupid? How could he screw up so bad?

In his anger, he didn't control his strength well enough, and punched the guy he was facing a little too hard. He winced at the sickening crack coming from his opponent's rib cage, having broken a few of his ribs no doubt.

Gohan felt a lump rising in his throat. What was he even doing, fighting with humans when he felt so angry at himself? He really was an idiot. He straightened up and just left, refusing the prize money that the organizer offered him as he walked away.

"Give it to the guy whose ribs I just broke, he's going to need it for medical care."

"O… kay…?"

Gohan hoped it would be a small consolation, and that the guy would heal quickly. He knew all too well how much broken ribs hurt.

ooOoo

Trunks wasn't sure he got it, but apparently Gohan had a thing for that Devil girl…? Was it really why he'd been checking the sun for the time and couldn't focus on training? Was it all really for a girl? It sounded so unlike Gohan. For as long as Trunks knew him, Gohan had never shown any interest in any girl, ever. What was so special about that one?

He'd watched her from afar for a while before she up and left the parking lot. He figured that she was pretty. She was quite good at fighting, too, from what he'd seen, and had a strong persona. Did Gohan really like that girl? It just sounded so weird to him.

Unfortunately for his friend, that girl didn't seem to like him at all. Gohan had looked pretty upset after she left their fight, too… Man, he just couldn't believe Gohan liked a girl. Could it really be it?

Trunks couldn't resist the temptation. He had to meet that girl, and maybe then he'd understand better what made Gohan like her in the first place.

He followed her out of the parking lot and quickly jogged after her.

"Hey! Devil girl!"

Outside, the city was sleeping. The girl turned around and looked at Trunks quizzically, obviously wondering what he wanted from her.

"Should you be out at this hour, kid?" she asked. "How old are you?"

Trunks crossed his arms and pouted. It may be late, but it wasn't like he needed to get up particularly early in the morning, so who cared? Besides, Saiyans didn't need as much sleep as humans, although that girl had no idea who he was, obviously.

"I'm old enough. I liked your fights out there, you're pretty good."

Videl frowned. She didn't feel like she'd been that great tonight to be honest. "But not good enough to beat that guy."

"Yeah, he's really strong, huh," Trunks chuckled nervously. "But you did pretty good against him. I was impressed."

She cracked a smile and ruffled his hair. "Thanks, kid. That means a lot."

Trunks didn't know why but his cheeks felt warm all of a sudden. Her smile made her look so different, like she was someone else entirely. He had to admit, she sure was pretty…

So Gohan liked that girl, huh… Trunks was starting to understand a little.

"He seemed to like you, that guy. I think I can see why."

But what was meant to be a compliment only reminded Videl of the absurdly strong guy who apparently "had a thing for her." Urg, just what she needed.

"Don't remind me, that guy's a creep," she groaned.

Trunks frowned. "He seems like a good guy to me."

"Well, I hope I don't have to deal with him again. I already have enough on my plate as is. Ugh, I really don't need this to worry about too."

The boy pursed his lips. He didn't like the way she just brushed off Gohan's feelings like that, without even knowing him first, without at least giving him a chance.

"You're mean," he told her. "You don't even know Gohan."

Videl narrowed her eyes at the boy. What the hell – did that guy actually send a little kid to talk him up? What a loser. He was even worse than she'd thought!

"So you actually know him, huh. Did he send you?"

Trunks widened his eyes, realizing his slip-up. "O-Of course not! Gohan doesn't even know I followed him! He'd kill me if he knew. I just – I was curious because he acted weird today and then when I saw that he liked you I really wanted to meet you."

Well, she supposed she'd jumped to conclusions a little too quickly. Still, she wanted nothing to do with that guy, let alone his little friend.

"Well, you've met me, so now if you'll excuse me."

She turned around and walked away. Trunks slumped his shoulders, knowing that he'd just made things worse for Gohan. His only comfort was that his mentor had no idea, and Trunks fully intended on keeping it that way.

Poor Gohan, though. The girl he liked didn't even want to hear from him… Trunks felt bad for his friend, and he felt even worse that his little intervention hadn't helped one bit. Ah, well, there was nothing he could do about it now…

ooOoo

He'd lied to Bulma and said he'd put an end to the fights like last time, because he needed her to give him the address of the next meet.

Gohan felt a lump rising in his throat and tried to swallow it. It was yet another parking lot. The crowd was as wild as ever, the smells were terrible. Videl was already out there fighting. Just the thought of seeing her again was making him nervous.

He was getting a good grasp of her ki signature, and Gohan supposed that he could tell Bulma the truth next time and explain to her what these street fights meant to these people, since he would be able to find Videl by her ki signal from now on.

He pushed his way through the audience, and arrived at the front just as Videl knocked down another mountain of a man. He was so huge the ground shook a little when his weight impacted with the ground.

She was out of breath; the organizer announced that this was her tenth win of the night. She beckoned him over and told him something, and the man nodded.

"Well, it seems the Devil is done for the night! Let's give her an uproar for the show she's given us! I don't know about you, but seeing her beat down those huge guys, it was kinda fascinating, don't you think?"

The crowd laughed and cheered, clapping loudly for the female fighter. Gohan felt a smile tug at his lips as a look of pride and satisfaction took over Videl. He almost felt like turning around and leaving this place so that seeing him wouldn't spoil her mood.

But he had to try again. He liked that girl way too much to give up just yet.

From the distance, Gohan watched her get her winnings, pack her stuff, and go up the stairs to leave the parking lot. Feeling his nervousness growing, he went after her.

She was leaning against the wall and counting her prize money when he walked out of the staircase. Videl looked up when she heard his steps, and immediately scowled when she saw him.

"Just what I needed. What do you want?" she asked coldly.

He felt his heart pick up as he gazed into her eyes. Gohan swallowed. "I'm sorry about last night. You were right, I didn't take you seriously, and it was disrespectful towards you. I'm really sorry."

She huffed and crossed her arms. "So what now? Am I supposed to fall in your arms? What do you want from me?"

He scratched his hair, embarrassed by the blunt question. "Um… Well… I guess I'd like to get to know you a little, maybe?"

She straightened up and glared at him harshly. "Well that's too bad, 'cause I sure as hell don't."

With that, she started walking away, but Gohan felt the irrepressible urge to hold her back. He grabbed her wrist before he could realize what he was doing.

She shrugged him off swiftly. "Honestly, this is getting a little creepy. Can't you take a hint? When a girl says no, it means no."

Gohan flushed and looked down in shame. "I'm sorry. I'm just… I'm so confused. I've never been much interested in girls before and then I meet you and I can't stop thinking about you, about your eyes, and your voice, and your scent, and your grace when you fight, and I just…" He blushed even more, raising his hand to cover his flaming face. "Geez, what am I even saying…?"

At this moment, Videl had to admit, Gohan looked adorable. He was still a weirdo though, and really, she didn't have time to deal with guys right now.

"Okay, listen," she started, her voice softer. She put her hand on his shoulder. "I get it, I'm your first crush, and it's new and confusing – but, look, I'm not interested, okay? So just leave me be. You'll get over it soon enough."

Gohan swallowed, but the lump in his throat stubbornly stayed stuck in there. "Are you really… not interested? I mean, you don't even know me. You might grow to like me a little…?"

"It's not against you, I'm just not interested to be with anyone, period."

He sighed, and ran his hand through his hair. Videl felt a tingle in her stomach. Damn, she had to admit, the guy was pretty hot… It was a bit of a shame, she supposed, but Gohan was too dangerous. She had a feeling that she'd better run before he caught her.

"I guess that's fair." He gave her a wistful smile. "I don't think I'm going to get over you anytime soon, though."

Videl swallowed. Yep. Dangerous. She'd better get away fast. She didn't need to trouble herself with unwanted feelings.

That smile of his really wasn't helping…

Droplets of water started falling from the heavy clouds, and Videl shivered involuntarily, repressing a wince as the hard rain hit the bruises on her uncovered body parts – not that she would ever let it show. She should have brought a jacket – her tank top was nowhere near enough to protect her from the icing rain. Tired and cold, the young woman offered Gohan a sign of her hand and turned around, intent on getting home and getting a well-deserved night of sleep.

But a firm tug at her wrist brought her to a sheltered part of the street, under the canopy of some store, and away from the biting rain.

She frowned at him, freeing her wrist from his hold in a swift movement. "What do you want from me now?"

Wordlessly, his traits taut in a serious frown, he started rolling down his orange overshirt before taking off his dark blue undershirt. As he pulled it over his head, Videl couldn't help but stare. His toned abs, his bulging pectorals, his muscular arms, his perfect V-shaped torso…

She snapped out of it just as he finished taking off his shirt, and scowled at him. It was bad enough that this guy was starting to get on her nerves, he just had to be built like a fucking Greek God, didn't he. Just her luck.

"Take my shirt, it'll protect your bruises from the rain," he said softly, handing the blue garment out to her.

"No thanks," she said rolling her eyes. "Sorry to disappoint, but I'm not some helpless damsel in distress who can't fend for herself. I didn't ask for your help and I don't need it, so if you'd be so kind as to leave me alone, I'd appreciate it. Geez, I swear…"

Still frowning, Gohan simply put his shirt over her head, arranging it until the hem reached her thighs, though her arms were still inside of it. Now he was really starting to piss her off.

"Are you serious? The fuck is your problem?" she groaned, and started removing the offending clothe – but he wouldn't let her, taking hold of both of her hands to keep them from lifting the hem of his shirt.

"Just take my shirt," he pleaded. "It'll keep you warmer, too. Please."

"I don't want it!" Videl struggled against his hold, her temper rising. Ugh! How could he be so strong, anyway! Why wouldn't he budge?

His frown deepened. "Why won't you accept my help? I'm not asking for anything in return."

She snorted. "Pff! Yeah, right! Because you're such a nice guy and you certainly won't try to get in my pants later, huh?"

His sudden embarrassment and the bright blush streaking across his face wasn't the reaction she had expected. He took a step back.

"Wh-what? No! No! I'd never… I'm not that kind of guy! I'd never do anything to you that you wouldn't want to! Never! You don't like me anyway, it's not like I even have a chance! And I'd never do anything anyway! I wasn't raised to treat women like that!"

He looked indignant, sputtering his adamant protest through his beet-red face. Was his blush actually going down his throat…? Heh, he looked kinda cute when he was put on the spot. Not that she cared. So what if he was attractive, she was still itching to punch him in the face right now.

"A gentleman? Please," she scoffed, rolling her eyes.

Using his trouble to her advantage, Videl proceeded to take off his shirt again. But he was quick to react and stopped her before she even started lifting it. She growled at him. It didn't seem to faze him much.

"Just keep it. Please," he pleaded again.

"Just leave me alone. Please," she retorted, mocking his tone.

He cracked a smile, which only infuriated her more. Narrowing her eyes to slits, she then attempted to knee him between his legs, but he easily evaded the deadly blow this time.

"One time was bad enough, thank you very much," he said in a playful tone, his dark eyes twinkling his amusement.

Videl felt a smile twitching the corner of her lips, but she fought it down and forced a frown. Great. Now he was making her laugh. She really needed to get away from him as quickly as possible, or, God forbid, she might start to like him.

She moved away from him, and slid her arms into the sleeves. "Fine. I'm keeping your damn shirt! Geez."

He smiled, and finally put back his orange overshirt on. Not that it made that much of a difference. His muscular chest, shoulders and arms were still bare, and completely in view.

"Well then." Videl turned away to step out from under the canopy and back in the rain, never to see that guy again. But once again, he grabbed her wrist to hold her back. She frowned at him. "What now?"

"It might be just a shower. Let's wait it out."

While Videl just wanted to go home, she was tired of arguing with this guy, and for once didn't put up a fight. Wordlessly, she leaned against the wall and slid down onto the hard, humid concrete ground. The tall guy sat down beside her and kept quiet. Good. Maybe she would finally be able to rest a little now.

Silence fell upon them, only disturbed by the torrential rains hitting the canopy above their heads. At this hour of the night and given the downpour, the streets were naturally deserted; not even a car passed by. Videl glanced at the strange man by her side, who was thoughtfully staring at the rain. He probably wasn't that bad, but he sure was weird. He said he liked her even though he didn't even know her, made her wear his damn shirt, and wouldn't even let her leave until the rain stopped. He was unbelievably strong and a very skilled fighter. He seemed like the shy type, yet he also proved to be pretty bold at times. He was attractive. He was built like a god, in the perfect combination of defined muscles and slenderness. He looked her age. He was annoying as hell.

She sighed. He seemed genuine enough, though.

"You really, actually like me, huh?"

His face flared up instantly and his eyes widened. Without uttering a word, Gohan nodded his head.

"But you don't even know me. Is it just my looks?"

This time, Gohan shook his head no. "It's… everything you are. Everything you give off… I can't help feeling attracted to you."

She swallowed. Oh man, this was getting dangerous. Alarms were going off in her head. Why did she start this conversation anyway?

She turned to the heavy rain. It was still hitting the canopy hard, the droplets hammering down their shelter loudly. It didn't look like it was going to stop anytime soon…

"Just a shower, huh?" she muttered, to change the subject.

"Well, I said 'it might be'."

"Just… shut up, will you?"

He cracked a smile, but did as he was told, moving his gaze to the rain. Videl leaned her head back onto the cool, hard wall, and let her eyes slide shut. She was glad for the silence.

Her mind wandered to both of the times she'd fought him, the past couple nights. It was really hard to believe just how strong Gohan was. She couldn't help but wonder how he'd become so skilled, and who could've taught him. It just seemed so over the top. How could he be so powerful? How could anyone?

"Who are you, exactly?" she blurted out. Gohan turned to look at her and raised his eyebrow at her strange question. "How are you so strong?"

He smiled. "I've got some… genetic advantage, I guess you could say. I come from a long line of warriors."

Videl sat up straighter and shook her head. "But even so – it doesn't make sense. You're way too strong to be normal."

A glint of sadness flashed through his eyes. "Well, I'm not, not really. Normal, that is."

Videl frowned in thoughts, wondering what he meant, and Gohan turned to gaze at the rain again, a wistful smile curving his lips.

"Can I tell you a secret," Gohan said, his voice soft. Videl eyed him skeptically, an eyebrow raised. "I never enjoyed fighting. So, I guess I can't understand why anyone would get a kick out of these street fights."

This took her by surprise. He had to be kidding… He couldn't be serious, could he? How could someone be so good at something they didn't even like? Why would Gohan even learn how to fight in the first place? And, most of all, how could someone who didn't enjoy fighting get to his impossibly high level? His skills and strength were almost inhuman… And yet, he was actually telling her that he didn't even like it? It just couldn't be true. It couldn't.

Gohan chuckled. "I know. Shocking, right?" He grinned. "I've actually never told anyone. They probably would've made the same face as you, now, if I'd ever told them that."

Videl straightened herself and frowned. "Why do you fight?"

His smile toned down, and his eyes shone with a peculiar light. It was resignation, Videl realized. And she suddenly had a feeling she knew what his answer would be.

"Because I don't have a choice."

"Who taught you how to fight? How did you learn to fight like that?"

So many questions were rushing to her, Videl felt like she'd never be able to ask them all. Gohan frowned slightly and seemed to ponder whether he should answer her. Videl was aware that he didn't owe her anything, so if he didn't want to tell her, who was she to force him? They just met, after all. Although… he did say he "had a thing for her."

She moved slightly, getting on her knee to face him better, and got a little closer to him. Gohan blushed when she touched his arm. Videl looked him in the eye.

"Tell me. I want to know."

His lips parted, his breathing deepened, his chest heaving in and out a little faster. Then, his eyes broke contact with hers, and looked down, his blush getting darker as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Well… If you really want to know…"

Videl smirked to herself. Men were so easy.

"When I was a kid," he started, "I was thrown in some kind of jungle to fend for myself for six months. Then, since I survived, my mentor started training me… which really consisted of beating me up until I knew how to defend myself."

The young woman raised her eyebrows. What an… odd way to train someone. "Who was it? Your mentor?"

Lifting his gaze to look at her again, Gohan smiled, with a hint of irony. "He was my father's worst enemy at the time."

Her lips parted slightly. "Wha…?"

Gohan chuckled. "He decided to train me because he saw my potential, and became our ally because we had a mutual enemy, back then." His eye softened. "He ended up becoming my best friend."

Videl kept quiet, processing everything Gohan told her, and more questions came rushing to her. But before she could utter one, the young man beat her to it with one of his own.

"What about you? How did you get into fighting?"

"Bah, it's a boring story," she shrugged. "My dad was a wrestling champion, I looked up to him and wanted to learn how to fight, too. Turns out I'm not too bad, so I kept training, became stronger over the years, blah blah blah."

"But you're really strong. You almost knocked the wind off of me last night."

She eyed him with a frown. They both knew she only managed to land a hit on him by sheer luck. Was he trying to flatter her? Yet… His expression was as honest and genuine as ever… Gohan looked like he was actually impressed by her skills. But with how strong he was compared to her… Why would he?

"Only because you got distracted," she reminded him. "Besides, you were holding back."

He chuckled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Sorry."

"For what? For being stronger than me? Why would you apologize for that?" She quirked an eyebrow at him, and he gave an awkward smile in response.

Of course, Videl couldn't know of Gohan's natural advantage… He was confident that if she had Saiyan blood, too, she could've easily matched him, and maybe even surpass him. But he couldn't tell her that, could he? He let out a deep sigh.

"Still, you're really strong," he affirmed. "Stronger than all the other guys back there."

"But weaker than you," she countered, an ironic smirk on her lips.

"You'll keep getting stronger."

"Yeah, yeah."

"I mean it. You're really talented. You have a lot of potential."

"Then leave me in a jungle for six months to fend for myself."

Gohan burst out laughing. Gosh, she was so sassy and funny – he loved it. He was truly having fun with her, more than he'd had in a very long time. He grinned, and as his laughter died down, he saw that for the first time since they met, Videl was smiling, albeit mildly.

The young man found himself staring. His lips parted slightly, his cheeks flushed, his heartbeats sped up, his hands grew sweaty. He swallowed. His throat felt so tight and dry.

She was so beautiful.

He wanted to see her smile more. He wanted to be the one who made her smile.

Feeling a bit flustered as her bright blue eyes held his gaze, Gohan turned to look at the rain again.

"Man, it's still raining, huh," he said distractedly.

"Is it? I didn't notice."

He chuckled and glanced her way. She was leaning back against the wall, and her expression seemed more relaxed, more peaceful. Her brow wasn't furrowed anymore, and her mild smile was still curving up her lips, ever so slightly.

Gohan felt a lump rise in his throat again. He'd never thought one could actually feel so attracted to another; he'd honestly thought that kind of thing was just a myth, something to make novels and movies more interesting. And yet here he was, feeling all kinds of foreign things for a gorgeous young woman whom he just met, just like in those novels and movies and TV shows. Was his heart ever going to beat steadily again?

"What?" she asked in amusement. Crap, had he been staring at her for too long? He quickly looked away.

"Nothing."

His face was heating up again. Before tonight, Gohan had never thought so much blood could gather on his face, to the point of overflowing. Then again, before tonight, he'd never had a reason to feel so flustered and nervous.

He fidgeted with his belt, his blush growing darker; he could feel Videl's insistent stare on him. She was enjoying it, he just knew it. She was loving it, making him squirm and blush like some teenage school boy.

And then, a small capsule slipped from the gap between his belt and his orange pants, and they both watched as it softly hit the pavement and rolled in Videl's direction. She picked it up, read the number on the tiny label, and then looked at him in disbelief.

"Is that… a car capsule?"

Her voice was slow and calm, but Gohan could feel the storm coming – and not from the downpour. "I… I did offer to drive you home the other night…" he said weakly, a bit fearful of the deadly aura emanating off of Videl.

"You… You idiot!" she hissed. "Why did you make me wait here like a fool when you have a fucking car!"

He held up his hands in a defensive reflex. "I'm sorry! I forgot about it! I can still drive you home," he offered.

She got up, scowling. "Ugh, forget it. I've had it with you. I'm going home, I don't care anymore."

She threw his capsule at him, and Gohan caught it absentmindedly, watching with a stinging pang as Videl left their dry shelter for the pouring rain. His body reacted before his brain could, and Gohan found himself going after her.

"Wait, Videl! Please!"

She didn't stop, taking long and quick strides, away from him. The rain was blurring his vision. But he couldn't let it end like this. He couldn't let her slip away, when he was just starting to get to know her. When he was only beginning to realize just how special she was to him.

He grabbed her wrist. She turned around swiftly and released herself from his hold in a quick movement.

"What?"

He opened his mouth to say something – anything, so long as it held her back – but his breath was caught in his throat. The rain was pouring down on them harder than ever, drenching them both to the bone. But Gohan barely took any notice. He couldn't believe this was the end of it. He didn't want it to be the end. He's never met anyone like Videl, so beautiful and feisty, and witty, and strong, and talented, and determined… And boy, he'd never had as much fun with anybody as he had with Videl. He wanted to know more of her. He wanted to see her again.

And yet, it looked as if this could very well be the last he'd ever see of Videl…

The pang in his chest ached more than ever. Gohan kept staring at Videl, unable to think of anything to say to her and hold her back. Panic and desperation took over him, as the idea of never seeing her again crushed him with its unbearable weight.

And then, unable to resist, unable to think of the consequences, unable to think of anything, Gohan grabbed her face between his palms and bent down to plant his lips on hers.

Videl tensed up. Unexpected sensations flowed through her whole being in the most wonderful ways as their lips sealed. And she forgot she meant to push him away. She responded to his kiss, and he suddenly wrapped her in his strong arms and crushed her against him. His rock-hard body felt delicious. His lips were making her feel all tingly, and her brain was all fuzzy and foggy. The world seemed to disappear around them. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer, pushing her tongue into his mouth, tasting him more.

God, it got even better.

She felt completely breathless. He pulled back for just a couple seconds, just long enough to allow them to gasp for some much-needed air, and then seized her mouth again, avidly, hungrily, desperately, while his arms tightened around her. Her lungs were screaming for air, but still she wouldn't stop. It felt too good. She didn't want it to end too soon.

But his lips then detached from her swollen ones and moved down her chin, making their way to the crook of her neck. Videl craned her head, giving him an easier access as Gohan worked on her skin. Her chest heaved deeply, her eyes were tightly shut, and Videl grabbed a fistful of his soaked hair to make sure Gohan didn't stop what he was doing to her. She let out a moan. Her knees were going weak. Her fingers loosened in his hair, and Gohan took the opportunity to kiss her lips again, his tongue finding hers easily.

The pleasure was almost too much. Yet she only craved for more. She'd never felt anything like this from just kissing a guy – it just felt too good, too strong, too mind-bogglingly delicious.

His large hand grabbed her thigh and she wrapped her leg around his midsection. The way her body arched against his rock hard muscles… Ahh…

She cupped his face, ignoring her lungs' plea for air as she kept kissing him. But before long Gohan let go of her lips, panting hard, and pressed his forehead against hers.

The rain was still pouring down on them, but neither of them cared. Gohan let go of her thigh and cupped her cheek instead, planting soft kisses on her lips.

She smiled. The fog in her head seemed to slowly dissipate. Thinking was possible again. The world reappeared from around them. But, as it did, it suddenly hit her – what the fuck am I doing?

She pushed him away abruptly, and as he blinked at her in confusion and surprise, she clenched her fist and punched him square in the jaw with everything she had. He stumbled back a bit and touched his jaw with a slight wince.

He sighed. "I guess I had it coming…"

"No shit!" She was fuming. "I can't believe you! Kissing me out of the blue like that… And you even said you wouldn't try anything with me! To think I believed you! But you're just like all of them! Ugh!"

His eyes widened, his face flared up, and he waved his hands in panic. "No no no no no! I'm not! I never – I don't even know what came over me! I just… and you were… I mean…"

She crossed her arms, squinting at him through the thick drops of rain. "You're not making any sense. Speak more clearly."

"I kept thinking that I was never going to see you again," he blurted out, talking quickly. "I was looking at you and I just – you're just so beautiful and I… I couldn't resist. I'm so sorry. I'm really, really sorry. Really."

Her eyes narrowing to slits, Videl scowled at him. And then, she turned on her heels with a huff, deciding that she had wasted enough time with this psycho, and walked away.

"But you kissed me back!" he called after her.

She froze. Her face flushed. She heard him stepping toward her.

"You didn't resist at all. You didn't even try." He was moving closer, and Videl was still turning her back to him – lest he saw her blush.

"I was just – caught in the moment," she countered, but it was just a weak excuse and she knew it. She suspected that Gohan knew it, too. Still, she wasn't going to ever admit it, no matter how amazing kissing him had felt. "Don't start getting your hopes up."

"You kissed me back," he said softly, now right behind her. A shiver ran down her spine as she felt his body heat radiating from her back.

"I didn't know what I was doing."

His breath tickled her ear as he teased her, "And you enjoyed it."

"I did not!" she protested furiously and turned around sharply. "It didn't feel good at all!"

He raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Oh, really? Is that why you put your tongue in my mouth?"

She gaped at his bluntness. Wasn't he supposed to be the shy type? She wanted to prove him wrong, she wanted to yell at him, she wanted to punch that annoying grin off his face! God! He was so annoying! So what if his kisses felt too good to be true? It didn't mean anything! It couldn't.

His touch on her forehead, his rough fingers gently brushing away her wet, sticky bangs, gave her a shiver. And suddenly, no matter what she did Videl just couldn't look away. She was glued to the spot, only seeing his dark, gentle eyes.

"I enjoyed it," he murmured. "A lot. I've never felt anything like that before."

"Well sorry to bust your bubble, but I hardly felt a tingle," she said, gaining some confidence back, and taking his hand off of her. He only grinned.

"You're lying. And you're not even good at it," he chuckled.

"I am not!" she fussed.

He raised an eyebrow. "Aren't you?"

"Shut up!"

He kissed her again. It happened too fast for her to react – she only felt his lips on hers, and all the wonderful sensations that they brought back. She couldn't even bring herself to resist. Damn him. Damn their unbelievable chemistry. Why did it have to feel so incredible?

"See," he panted, his lips inches from her, his palms cupping her face. "You were lying."

She looked at him. Then detached herself from him. She took a step back. Turned away from him. Clenched her fists.

"Stop kissing me," she muttered.

This couldn't be happening. It was just chemistry, nothing more. Impossibly good chemistry. That was all. It had to be all there was to it. It had to.

The rain was finally relenting, little by little. It shouldn't be lasting much longer. She was so cold… Videl rubbed her arms.

But then, sudden warmth enveloped her. Gohan was holding her against him, letting his body heat wash over her. Videl forced herself not to lean back against him, not to enjoy it. Why wasn't she pushing him away?

The rain finally stopped.

"What are you doing, now?" Her voice was feeble. She didn't even have the will to protest more than that.

"You're cold," he whispered. Unknown to her, Gohan was rising his ki ever so slightly to keep her warm.

"Why do you care so much?" Crap, she was leaning into him now… Why was it so hard to resist that guy? How could he affect her so much?

"I care about you." His arms tightened around her waist. Damn it. It just had to feel this good to be in his arms, did it…

"You don't even know me."

"But I want to," he whispered hoarsely, burying his face in the crook of her neck. "I want to see you again."

"I don't," she retorted, without much conviction.

He chuckled, his breath tickling her skin, giving her a shiver. "You're lying again," he said to her ear.

Videl closed her eyes. Damn him. Her throat tightened. She sighed.

"… Maybe."

She could feel his smile against her skin, and Videl felt her stomach burn as Gohan left butterfly kisses along her neckline. She bit down her lips, forcing down a moan.

"My offer still stands, you know," he said softly, still kissing her neck, nibbling the skin slightly. "Let me take you home."

Videl was trembling a little, and decided that replying to him was too risky – lest she started moaning! Why was she letting him do as he pleased?

Why was she even considering taking him up on his offer?

"Is that really how you want it to end? Right here and now?" he murmured, his tone hopeful. "Do you really want to just walk away and get on with your life, never to see me again? Is that really what you want?"

"And then what?" she said faintly. "Get attached to you and then die? Or watch you die? You know it's going to happen sooner than later. Nobody is safe in this destroyed world, not as long as those damn cyborgs are loose and keep on killing. It's all pointless."

Gohan winced, her words stinging him more than he would've liked. He kept silent for a moment, thoughtfully pondering on his options.

Ah, screw it. He had nothing to lose at this point.

"They won't be for long. I'll kill them eventually. I'm getting there."

Cat was out of the bag now… There was no turning back.

Videl turned around in his arms to face him, looking at him warily. "What are you talking about? You can't be… You… Wait…"

She was staring at his gi. His trademark colors. He smiled. What a clever girl.

And then, still holding her firmly against him, Gohan started levitating. She held her breath, and as his feet left the solid ground and he flew higher and higher, he watched Videl's reaction intently. Her features seemed divided. One second she was frowning, and then her eyes widened, and then she looked down, to the ground below them, before looking at him again, frowning in thoughts, and so on and so forth. Gohan smiled at her, partly in amusement, partly in apprehension of what he was about to show her.

But he'd made up his mind.

The transformation was quick, instantaneous. Golden locks swayed in the wind. Teal irises watched the young woman anxiously. And Videl's eyes widened more than before. She gaped at him. Speechless.

His throat tightened. But he had to do this. He had to go all the way. There was no turning back anymore.

"Like I said, I'm getting there. I get stronger with each confrontation, each time I recover from fighting them. I know I can do it, I know I will defeat them. And I'll protect you. No matter what, I'll keep you safe, and I won't let them kill me, either. I won't let it happen."

She breathed deeply. "You…"

Her voice trailed off. She swallowed hard, and it got him worried. He wondered if it was such a good idea to tell her and show her his Super Saiyan transformation, and wondered if she was going to scream or struggle or both, and call him a freak and say she never wanted anything to do with him again. The last thought hurt the most; he may have only met Videl, but that didn't mean he cared about her any less. He let the transformation fade away, turning back to his normal form. She swallowed again.

"You…" she started again. She sounded breathless. "You only just met me… Why are you telling me all this?"

He cracked a smile. "I guess I kinda have a thing for you."

Slowly, she reached up and touched his now black hair in wonder. She smiled slightly. Brushed his cheek with the back of her fingers. "I should've known… Super strong guys don't just run about."

Gohan felt his face heat up from her touch… Who knew she could be so sweet and gentle? Looking into her eyes, he felt like melting.

"You know, you saved my life once," she said softly. He raised his eyebrows. "I was able to escape from one of their attacks while you faced them and kept them busy."

She leaned into his chest, and Gohan held her tighter, burying his face in the crook of her neck. "I'm so glad…"

His voice was hoarse from worry and relief. To think she'd been so close to… To think he might have never met her… He didn't even want to think about the possibility.

They stayed there a while, embracing in the middle of the sky, holding onto each other. Videl wasn't fighting it anymore. She liked it. It felt so nice, being held like this, having his strong arms around her, feeling his crazy heartbeats thump against her ear… His scent mixed with the smell of rain; it soothed her. She was getting sleepy.

"Take me home," she whispered after a while. "I'm so exhausted…"

"Sure," he said happily. She could even hear his grin. Videl chuckled.

ooOoo

Flying in his arms was truly a unique experience. It wasn't like anything else. The wind whipping at her face, the blurry, fast moving scenery from below… and his warmth, his arms… It was a wonder that the simple act of being held in this man's arms could feel so wonderful.

Much too soon, Gohan landed a few steps from her capsule house, even though she suspected that he hadn't flown very fast just so he could prolong the time they had together. Videl hadn't minded, and even regretted having to let go. Her feet touched the ground again, but Gohan still kept her against him, visibly unwilling to let her go.

His rough hand cupped her cheek, contrasting with the gentleness of his touch. His onyx eyes stared at her intently. "I want to see you again."

She smirked. "Well, you know where I live now."

He grinned and blushed, his thumb stroking her cheek tenderly. His voice lowered, as if he hesitated. "Can I… Can I kiss you? Before I go…"

A playful smile curved her lips widely, her blue eyes twinkling with amusement, and Gohan felt his heart ache and his throat tighten. Gosh, she had such beautiful smile…

"Since when do you ask before you kiss?" she teased, and Gohan felt his face heat up instantly, seeming to only realize now just how bold and blunt he'd been with this girl he just met.

It had been out of his control, though. He'd never felt anything like this for someone before. His feelings, although brand new, were already so strong and overwhelming. He really couldn't have helped it.

His eyes fluttered shut when her lips touched his, slowly, gently. Gohan felt like melting. He cupped her face with both of his hands, deepened the kiss, lost himself in those wonderful sensations. Ahh… He never wanted to stop… Kissing Videl felt too good. It was like a drug.

He pressed his forehead to hers, breathing heavily. Damn it. He didn't want to go. He just wanted to stay with her… Always.

But she pulled back from him, and Gohan felt a pang as he thought that it was time to say goodbye.

"You're staying here, right?" he suddenly asked, his throat tightening at the thought of her packing up her capsule house and leaving without a word… "You're not gonna leave this place without telling me, right?"

She smirked. "Well, I do like it here… But," she paused, "you never know."

"But you'd let me know, right? If you were to leave, you'd tell me, right?"

"Mm… Maybe."

He chuckled slightly. "You're really not nice, you know that?"

"Never said I was," she grinned.

He touched her cheek again, taking a moment to gaze upon her. "You're beautiful when you smile."

She blushed and rolled her eyes. "Right. Anyway, I'll get going. See ya, Gohan."

And Gohan just stood there, a little dazed still and hardly believing everything that happened tonight. Videl turned around just as she was about to open the door, rolled her eyes, and made a shooing motion with her arm, "Go home!"

"I'll come back soon!" he called back, starting to levitate again. "I'll definitely come back for you!"

"You're a crazy guy, Gohan!"

He grinned, and inevitably he thought, Can't deny it. I think I'm already crazy about you.

"Then I'm perfect for you!" he said back. And Videl burst out laughing.

His heart clenched, his face flushed. God, she was so stunning and gorgeous, he had to painfully retrain himself not to rush at her and kiss her, again and again, and do other unspeakable things to her.

"Goodnight, Gohan," she said, stifling more chuckles.

"Goodnight!"

Videl finally got inside, but even as the door closed behind her Gohan just hovered there, unwilling to leave already. His heart was still racing like crazy, and his lips were still tingling from their kisses… God, he wished he could have kissed her more.

He wished he could have kissed her all night.

In the end, Gohan let out a sigh and finally took off, leaving the capsule house behind. But the gorgeous young woman was still all he could think about, her presence was still all he could feel, and, licking his lips, he could almost still taste her.

Boy, he really had it bad, huh. Feeling his grin widen at the prospect of seeing Videl again, Gohan wondered if coming to see her tomorrow would be too soon.