Gohan stayed, unmoving, in his bed with Videl cuddled up next to him for an hour. His heavy breathing was evident that he wasn't comfortable with this new sleeping arrangement. It wasn't the same as sleeping with his kid brother, whom would've tossed and turned all night long, kicking Gohan in the ribs every few hours. Videl slept peacefully, and she looked kind of cute when she wasn't yelling or glaring at someone.
Gohan shut his eyes.
"Go to sleep!" He told himself, but there was just no way he could forget about Videl, whose soft cheek was pressed against his bare chest. It didn't help that her leg was still stretched across his boxers, which sometimes rubbed up against him when she stirred a little in her sleep.
Gohan opened his eyes, allowing his curious gaze to roam over Videl's body, which still had a feminine shape despite the long T shirt and spandex shorts she wore.
His gaze lingered a little longer on her spandex shorts. He decided he liked the round curve the shorts gave her bottom. He had half a mind to reach out and cup her. . .
"No! I need to sleep somewhere else tonight!" Gohan shook his head, knowing with regret that it was the right thing to do. He carefully lifted Videl's head off his chest as he got up. The mansion had a lot of bedrooms, but it seemed impolite to choose one without Videl's permission. Taking the pillow with him, Gohan decided to sleep out in the hallway for the night.
He didn't expect to see a crowd of young female maids giggling and pointing at his boxers when he woke up that morning, but that's exactly what happened.
.+.+.+.+.
"Good morning," Gohan greeted, turning away from the stove with a metal whisk and large bowl in his hands. He didn't actually know how to cook, but one of the older maids took pity on him, and was showing him how to mix pancake batter. Somehow, he'd splashed most of it on his face and apron.
Videl paused in the doorway. Her eyes were red and partially shut, and her hair looked super messy. Gohan wondered if he had dreamt of her feminine shape the night before. There was nothing feminine about her in that moment.
"You really like girly things, don't you?" Videl said in a raspy voice. Maybe it was the affects of drinking too much last night, but Videl didn't seem to be her usual feisty self. She rubbed her eyes and yawned as she stiffly walked to the fridge. The maid teaching Gohan how to cook hurried to get Videl a glass from the top cupboard.
"I don't think cooking is girly. Everyone has to cook to eat," Gohan responded. Now that she mentioned it, his apron did look like it was made for a woman. It was pink with frilly straps and was cut into the curvy silhouette of a woman. Still, he didn't want his clothes to get messy, so he kept the apron on." I was surprised you came to my room last night."
Videl grunted. She thirstily drank a full glass of lemonade, handed the empty glass to the old maid, and left the kitchen. She wasn't going to discuss her behavior last night.
"Miss Videl gets into her father's liquor when she's having a hard time," The old maid explained. She looked over her shoulder to make sure Videl had left the room. Gohan could sense that Videl was heading upstairs, most likely to her bedroom to get ready for school." She sometimes crawls into bed with me when she's drunk, or she goes to another servant's bed." The old maid patted Gohan's hand." I feel so sorry for you. Miss Videl put you in the servant's bedroom instead of the guest room for a reason, she must not think of you as more than a tool she can use. Once Mr. Satan accepts you as his son-in-law, you'll be of no use to her anymore."
The old maid started to crack open eggs and threw strips of bacon onto the stove. She ordered Gohan to butter the toast, since it was the easiest thing she could assign to him, but It was hard to focus on the toast.
How long would it take for Mr. Satan to like Gohan? He needed Videl to help him get through high school. His mom and the mail order bride agency has taken his bride price money. Surely his mom had wired most of the money to his new high school, which would only cover part of his tuition.
He needed to stay married to Videl for at least four years. He needed her money.
And now, it seemed like he needed to make sure Mr. Satan hated him for four years, too.
"Ah, you burnt the toast!" The old maid cried out, shoving Gohan out of the way." Why did you change the setting? Just put the bread in and take the bread out. That's all you had to do!"
"Oh," Gohan blinked." I'm sorry. Do you need fish? I can cook great fish over an open fire. My Dad and I used to –"
"No, no, no. Miss Videl hates fish. Just stand in that corner and try not to move."
.+.+.+.+.
It was hard for Gohan to enjoy breakfast. One plate of food wasn't nearly enough to sate his appetite. The old maid, Dusty, had slapped the back of his hand when he tried cracking open more eggs." Aiya! Cooking more than two plates of food would be a waste."
In one miserable bite breakfast was over.
Gohan walked Videl to the front gate of the mansion. He peeked back once, sensing that Mr. Satan was dodging from rose bush to rose bush as he followed them. Surprisingly, Videl could sense him too.
Videl rolled her eyes." Oh, great. Now he cares about me. He didn't care about me last night when he was with his bimbo."
"Maybe she's a nice person. You should give her a chance," Gohan suggested, laughing nervously once Videl narrowed her eyes in on him. He decided to change the topic. He didn't like speaking badly about people." Hey, so what should I do while you're gone?" He hoped he could take the day to visit his mom and Goten, and maybe even retrieve some of his old stuff.
Mr. Satan sprang out from behind the nearest rose bush, seizing the opportunity he'd been waiting for.
"Don't worry about him, Videl. I'll spend the day with him!" Mr. Satan said. He threw his right arm over Gohan's shoulders and pulled him close to his body as if they were close friends. Only Gohan could feel his tight, rigid muscles and suspected that becoming friends was the last thing Mr. Satan wanted.
Videl looked skeptical. " You would rather spend the day with my wimpy husband instead of your new wife?"
"Well, I can't really find her at the moment," Mr. Satan mumbled, mentioning the possibility of sending a search party into the mansion under his breath." But that's beside the point. He's your husband now. He and I should learn to get along. Maybe I can take him under my wing and toughen him up a bit."
His mother had often said that it was impossible for anyone to hate him, but had he really won over Mr. Satan so easily? Did it mean his marriage to Videl would end before his first day of school? Gohan could do nothing but give Videl a blank look. His fate was in her hands.
"I guess you're spending the day with my Dad," Videl decided. She took Gohan's hands in hers and stepped closer, standing on the tips of her shoes to shorten their height gap. For a heart pounding second, Gohan feared she was going to kiss him. "Cook my favorite meal for me, okay? I've never had a boy cook for me before."
Her voice sounded so genuinely sweet that Gohan wouldn't have been able to say no if he wanted to.
"Okay." He nodded. He watched Videl get into her chopper and fly off in the direction of Orange Star High School. It was only then that he realized he didn't know what her favorite food was. Luckily for him, he was spending the day with her Dad. And who knew Videl better than her Dad?
.+.+.+.+.
"AH, HA, HA, HA, HA!" Mr. Satan laughed as they flew over the ocean. He laughed more like a super villain instead of a regular man enjoying a joke, but Gohan decided he'd heard worse and didn't question it. They both stared ahead through the giant window while an old servant piloted the craft.
Eventually, the never-ending sight of the blue water and fluffy white clouds became boring.
"How much longer until we get to the island?"
Gohan would've preferred to ride on Nimbus or fly there. Sitting and waiting was just too boring.
"Soon my boy," Mr. Satan purred, stroking his mustache." We'll be there soon."
It seemed weird that they had to fly to a desolate island just to gather the ingredients for Videl's favorite meal, but Mr. Satan insisted these ingredients couldn't be found at the nearest market. What these ingredients were, exactly, Mr. Satan wouldn't say.
"You'll know when you see it," He insisted, opening the door once they landed on the island. He gestured for Gohan to step out of the aircraft first.
Gohan walked a short distance from the air craft. He looked around him. It appeared to be a regular island. It had trees, grass, dirt, rocks, and a few flowers. Nothing really stuck out to him. Were there wild mushrooms or ripe berries that he needed to search for?
Just as he turned to call back to Mr. Satan, the air craft rose from the island and it's engine roared as it blasted away.
Gohan was alone.
Will Gohan learn to cook? Will I stop burning my customers bacon? Will Mr. Satan's wife turn up?
Find out next chapter, maybe.
:)
