Prelude to happily ever after

A/N: Hello! New story.

Thank you the eyes of the panda for your review. I'm glad the tenses are getting better. And I know what you meant. I thought first of having Gohan oblivious to the slipup, then I decided to make him, for once, aware of what he said. Change a little the obvious.
I hope you will enjoy the rest of the series.

Chapter summary: Videl, what's a high school sweetheart?

Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ! However, I do own any new OC in this story.

Chapter 3: I promise you the world

"The sky is beautiful today."
The young boy hummed in agreement at his girlfriend's statement as they were both looking towards the blue sky above them. Even though it was mid-November, the sky was clear and cloudless; the perfect weather for a day out.

Gohan and Videl had now been dating for almost three years. And things couldn't be more perfect. Gohan had been studying to pursue his life long dream of becoming a scholar, enjoying the peace that was now reigning on Earth. Videl continued to help the police, entering the academy with flying colors thanks to her years of community service. One could say that everything was in place.

The past three years were the best of their lives. Their bond continued to grow stronger and they almost never fought or disagreed. Videl understood Gohan's calmness and helped him become more open to the exterior world; while him understood her fierceness and helped calm her. They completed each other in the most perfect of ways yet, thought in the same way, appreciating the same things.

And they never let a routine dominate them. They always tried new things, or went on new adventures. It being a mountain escapade or a new restaurant, they never got tired of new experiences. And this was what each loved about the other.

None of them was afraid of telling the other his likes or dislikes. And they both sacrificed so the other can be happy. They alternated between crowded and secluded places to match both personalities. And even though Gohan didn't really appreciate it, whenever it was needed, he would go and accompany his girlfriend to events in which her presence was required. And she would accompany him on his crazy adventures whenever he wanted to explore new places.

They were just right they needed to be at this point, and nothing could make them happier.

Videl hummed happily while she scrolled on her phone, checking her social medias feed. She then poked Gohan and showed him a picture "You remember these two? From high school."
Gohan reluctantly nodded "Yeah, I guess. Wasn't the guy the captain of the baseball team? And the girl in the lacrosse one?"
The raven girl nodded "Yup that's them. Can you imagine it's been years since we last saw them? To be honest, I never thought they'd still be together. I used to think they got together just to increase their popularity."
Gohan merely shrugged, not really knowing both of them on a personal level, as he read the caption. He then rose an eyebrow, the expression being very unfamiliar to him, and he poked his girlfriend "Say Videl?" The girl hummed in agreement, her eyes still glued to the phone "What's a high school sweetheart?"
The girl chuckled and looked at him like he grew two heads "What do you mean? You don't know the expression?"
He blushed a little and she chuckled, positioning herself to lay on the grass, her head on his thigh for comfort "High school sweethearts means the couple met in high school and they eventually get married. They're considered to stay together all their lives. Some psychologists believe that they are the happiest couples and have the easiest marriages. But they are rare. It's not always easy to find your perfect match in high school, your character tends to change a lot during college."
Gohan nodded at her as he started to massage her head and play with her hair "So, if we get married, we'll be considered high school sweethearts? That's cute."
She then sat straight and looked at him "If? Why if? You don't imagine yourself with me in the future? I mean, we are still young but I never thought that you'd think of breaking up with me." She then glared at him "What it is Gohan Son? Huh? Am I not good enough for you?"
Gohan turned red, not really knowing how to answer her.

He gulped at her glaring and smiled gently at her "Videl, you know I love you. More than anything on this planet. Even more than food." They both chuckled at his statement, knowing it was surely a lie, but he continued, his face darkening a little "But, I can't force you to continue your life with me. It isn't fair to you."
She blinked at him, her head tilting to the side "I don't understand what you're saying."
Gohan smiled sheepishly "I can't promise you the life you deserve. You're expected to live a certain life that I can't provide. You're the champ's daughter and I'm a nobody. Our social statuses are fundamentally different. And it's not fair of me to force my simple life on you for the rest of your life. Think about it."
The young woman blinked at him, again, and again. Until she managed to form a sentence "What? Wait, wait. You lost me." She then chuckled "For a moment there, I thought I heard you say that we can be together because of stupid social statuses. And because of how people will react. Heh, I must be tired. I'm starting to think you can say stupid things."
The hybrid blinked at her "Videl? Now you lost me. That's exactly what I said."
The Satan city crime fighter almost barked at him "I know that Gohan! I'm just stating how stupid it is. Since when do we care about this? We've been together for three years now. Can't you see that I don't care. And people will always talk. And they're used to seeing us together. So, get these dumb ideas out of your head. I'm not breaking up with you over something so trivial."
The boy started moving his hands frenetically in the air "Okay, okay. But…" She stopped him with a "No buts." but he continued "Videl, listen to me." She looked the other way and he sighed "Videl?" But when he noticed she was ignoring him, he changed his tone "Videl!" She then looked at him, surprised by his boldness, and he sighed "Vi, listen to me. Videl, I'm more than poor. I can't help you live the same life you lived with your dad. Let me finish." He chuckled at her pouting and he continued "I can't live with myself if the girl I marry will live a lower life with me than she did with her parents. I can't force this on you. I just can't."
She genuinely smiled at him and caressed his face with her hand "Gohan, I don't care about the money. Or the fame. Or anything. I just want to be with you. The time I spend with you is worth all the money in the world."
He sighed "I'm always on the frontlines to protect the Earth in case of danger. I can't make you go through what happened with Buu all over again. Many times. It's not fair of me."
Her smile never left her face as she held his hand and squeezed it "And I would proudly say that my boyfriend, or husband or whatever the label is, is saving the Earth. He's a hero."
He chuckled at her "You can't let me have the last word, can you?"
She laughed at him "Nop, you know me too well. Let's see what's your next argument? You used fame, money and your Earth hero card. Because I feel like you wanna break up with me but don't know how and I'm not enjoying this."
He laughed at her "Okay, okay." He then grinned at her "Unless… I don't want to be with you because I might cause you back pain due to the height difference."
She glared at him "Hey! No funny jokes on my height. We agreed on this."
He laughed at her, holding her hand to hold her closer to him "I'm sorry, it was just too good."
She pull her tongue out at him and he chuckled, pulling her closer "I love you."
She smiled back, caressing his face "I love you too. Let's not think about all of this for now. We're still young, let us enjoy our lives. We have all the time to worry about the future later on."
He nodded at her and kissed her gently "Sure. We'll talk about this another time. But how will we know it's the right time?"
She poked his nose "We'll just have another one of these casual conversations. Stop worrying this much."
He nodded and she kissed him again, squeezing his hand.

It was always this easy with them.

He'd get afraid of the technicalities and she'd make sure to comfort him. He'd always put her happiness before his, and she'd make sure they are balanced. He'd always ask the complicated questions and she'd give him easy answers.

Like always, they'd understand each other. Complete the other. Like perfect adjacent puzzle pieces.

0o0o0

Gohan was fidgeting in place. He couldn't stand still. His conversation with Videl woke something in him. He loved her, he knew that. And she loved him. No matter what. With all his flaws and downgrades.

Why wait two or three more years to ask someone to marry you if you're sure of yourself? She was everything to him and he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, he was sure of it.

His mother had asked him how he knew. How was he this sure? It's a very important question in the end and, as much as she wanted to become a grandmother, she didn't want her eldest to rush into anything. But he didn't answer, he merely shrugged. He intended to keep this one a secret.

They were several occasions on which he knew. After the events of Majin Buu, he knew he wanted to know her better; that he loved her. And after helping the police several times, he knew she was something else. She was getting prettier by the minute, even though she didn't change anything in her physique. And she kept on becoming smarter, even though their conversations weren't always about something intellectual for him to notice it. Each day, he'd get to know something knew about her, about himself, and the way he'd think about her. And with each passing day, his love for her would only grow and he'd only see her as more fascinating. To the point where words couldn't describe his feelings for her.

His heart sunk when one time, after he was caught in a fire while helping the police, he saw her rush to him, tears in her eyes, when he got out of the building unharmed. He knew in this moment how afraid she was for his safety, and how important he was to her. She knew fire couldn't harm her but still, she was afraid that something might've happened to him. It was in this moment when he understood how connected they were. While he'd always be afraid for her safety, she'd be for his in the same way. They blindly trusted each other to the point where being afraid for the other was only because of how much they loved each other, not because their lives were in danger. And as dumb as it seemed, in a way, he knew it made sense.

And then one day, it hit him. People use to say it hits you; you don't understand why this event is different than the others but, it's the one that makes you understand that you are nothing without this person. That your life is useless without them; that you want to spend the rest of your counted days with them. And this what happened to him.

Barely days after their conversation by the river, the one where he got sure she wanted to be with him no matter what, they were walking in the streets, deciding where to eat. Everything was normal and they didn't think much of things. Snow was falling but the weather was beautiful. And being crazy, she managed to convince him to take a walk in the snow. He didn't mind but what if she caught a cold? Yet, he accepted and they went in the direction of the park. She'd always get crazy ideas that would make him wonder how was she still in one piece. But in the end, he'd always be grateful for the wonderful time they'd spend together. And he always enjoyed every second of it.

On their way to a kiosk Videl knew was opened despite the weather, they saw a man trying to sneak in to snatch the bag of an older lady who was with someone who appeared to be her granddaughter. Neither girls were paying attention since the older lady was focused on helping the younger girl to put on her coat. But Videl saw the man and she screamed at him "Hey!".

The guy panicked and fell on the glassy sidewalk and left in a rush, his tail between his legs. Both Gohan and Videl laughed as they made their way to the lady to make sure she was okay. And then, in an instant, Videl's attitude changed. It shifted from 'if I see this perp I'm gonna kick his ass' to 'I'm so relieved you're okay'. It was always like this with her. Her mood swings were normal to him. It was what made her this amazing human being. She'd always care about the others' wellbeing, making sure everyone was safe. Even if her life would be in danger, she'd sleep with a conscience at ease knowing the population of her city was safe.

And when she started playing with the little girl, making sure she was okay, he just smiled. She was so good with kids, it was amazing. It was the same with Goten or Marron; even Trunks. He was so sweet and gentle, you'd forget all your problems. But when the young girl, who was barely above five, smiled at her and told her "Thank you. I want to be kind just like you when I grow up.", something changed in Gohan.

The way he looked at her changed. His whole demeanor. It was a normal sentence she heard every day. People always idolized her and thanked her for her continuous help. But this time, it hit him differently. He felt so proud of her. And he looked at the way she was talking with the little girl and playing with her, he suddenly felt himself looking at her like she was playing with their kids.

In this moment, even though it was a regular day for them, he suddenly saw himself with her for the rest of his life. He saw himself wanting a family with her. To wake up next to her every day and come back home to her. To hear his first "good morning" and last "good night" from her. To have kids that would look just like her so when people would tell him "Your kids are beautiful" or "They are smart" or "They are strong", he'd reply with "I know, they're a 100% their mother.". Because he knew everything she'd do, she'd do it to perfection. It would be no surprise that her kids would be amazing as her, if not more.

They say it hits you and you don't understand why. And it did hit him. And in this moment, he knew.

0o0o0

"I don't remember the last time you were this excited about our dates. What happened?"
Videl chuckled at her boyfriend who had the biggest smile she ever saw plastered on his face. Said boy didn't care for her sarcasm and smiled "Don't be like that. I always enjoy passing time with you. Now come on, I wanna show you something."
They then both flew off in the direction of the mountains.

Gohan had decided to ask Videl to marry him. His decision was final and his parents were over the moon. Even his father, who surely still had no idea was marriage was, was excited for him. He even got Mr. Satan's approval and his conversation with his girlfriend's dad kept on replaying in his head.

"I promise you sir, I love her and I want to make her happy."
The older man responded "Look kid, I love you, a lot. But it's my daughter's life we're talking about. What if she got hurt? You're constantly in battle and I thank you for this. But, you understand my worries here."
Gohan nodded "Yes sir but I promise you. I'd die before someone would touch at least one hair off her head."
The champ smiled at him "Can you promise to keep her this happy? I haven't seen her smile like this since she won the junior tournament."
The Son boy smiled back "Even if it's the last thing I do. This smile will never leave her face."
Hercule then nodded and shook his hand "Break her heart and I'll, um try, to break your face. Not that I can but you know."
Gohan laughed and shook the hand back "I'd rather die."
Hercule nodded at him and hugged him, patting him in the back. He couldn't have found a better fit for his daughter.

Gohan then shook his head when he felt his girlfriend's hand hold his, and she talked in a whisper "Hey, you okay? You zoned out."
The boy nodded at her and squeezed her hand "Yeah, don't worry. I just remembered something. We're almost there."
She smiled at followed him. He then stopped and smiled at her before he playfully rose an eyebrow "You're gonna get blindfolded."
Even though she hated surprises, she laughed him and accepted. He was so excited about this, she didn't have the heart to tell him no. And with that, he held her hand and directed her.

They then carefully landed and he smiled at her "You're gonna take off the blindfold when I tell you to."
She nodded and he let go of her hand before he turned her around and he waited for a few moments. He then told her to remove the tissue covering her eyes and she gaped.

She was standing on a frozen river, with a frozen waterfall in front of her. She could see the almost ten meters long waterfall as if it was frozen in time, with the numerous icicles hanging from it. And since the sun was out, she could see droplets of water fall after they melted. And with the sun rays, she saw them reflect on the ice, making it shine.

She blinked, mesmerized by the beauty of the place, and she chuckled "Wow! Gohan, this place is amazing." She then turned to him "How did you even…"
And then gasped when she saw Gohan down on one knee, a ring in his hand. Automatically, her hands covered her mouth, the words escaping her "I-I don't… I don't understand. What is going on?"
He chuckled at her "What does it look like I'm doing?"
She chuckled at his sarcasm and he smiled at her.

Then, Gohan cleared his throat, his nervousness dissipating, and he looked at her blue eyes, trying his best not to get lost in them "Videl, I don't know for sure what tomorrow will entail. I can't promise you that everything will always be alright. But I know that with you by my side, everything will be fine. I love everything about you; your heart, your brain, your beautiful eyes. You're the best person I know, my best friend, my reason to smile. Your voice has the ability to make all my problems go away. You always believed in me when no one did. I give you all my trust, my fidelity and love. You're the best part of my day and you made me a better person. I can't imagine my life without you. I promise to protect you, to love you, to cherish you and stay by your side, no matter what. And I promise to do everything in my power to make you the happiest person on Earth. And most of all, I promise to give you the world. I can't imagine myself loving someone at least half how much I love you. You're the best thing that happened to me and I know in my heart, there's only you. So, Videl…"
She had tears in her eyes and didn't let him finish "Yes."
He chuckled at her "You didn't even let me finish."
She tried to stop the tears from rolling down her cheeks "I don't care. Yes, of course."
He laughed and shook his head "No, I want to say it. I want you to hear those words. Videl Satan, would you make me the happiest guy on Earth? Will you marry me?"
She screamed "Yes!" at him and crouched to his level to kiss him "I love you so much."
He beamed at her "I love you too." and passed the ring around her finger "Now, you're forever stuck with me."
She laughed at him "I don't care. I'm stuck with the best person on the planet."

He smiled and they both got up, looking at the waterfall. Gohan stood behind Videl, embracing her from behind, and he whispered gently in her ears "I love you so much." And he kissed her cheek.
She smiled, her head set on his shoulder "I love you too." She then turned to face him "How did you find this place?"
He beamed at her "This is where we came on our first date. I'd never forget it."
She blinked and then looked around her, and it instantly hit her "Oh Dende! I didn't recognize it because of the snow. It's even more beautiful now."
He smiled at and kissed her forehead.

She then looked at the ring and smiled "Gohan, you really didn't have to. It must've cost you a fortune."
He shook his head, his eyes shining "I actually found the rock. I went diving with my dad near an island. They are thousands of gems there. I kept looking for one until this one caught my attention. It's the same blue as your eyes. I figured it's more personal than a thousand diamonds."
Her eyes sparkled as she looked at the blue gem on the ring, which kept on shining in the sun "I don't deserve you."
He chuckled and talked in a whisper "Yeah you do. You deserve the world. And I promise to give it to you. Everyday, for as long as I'll live."
He then kissed her gently, pulling her by the waist so her can feel her closer to his heart.

She kissed him back, her hands setting behind his neck, as tears rolled on her cheeks. She was the luckiest person on Earth, what did she do to deserve someone like him?

She then looked at him, her eyes sparkling with malice "When did you decided you wanted to marry me? Just last month I felt like you wanted to break up over stupid stuff."
He chuckled at her "Some secrets are better left unsaid."
She rose a playful eyebrow "We'll see about that. You're not very good at keeping secrets from me. By the way, my dad?"
He nodded eagerly "Taken care off."
She then smiled at him "Well then, there's nothing left for me to do than this."

And she kissed him again, holding his face between her hands. Right now, they were shutting the world around them down. All that mattered was her, her amazing fiancé, and the beautiful place that was now theirs. In this moment, the world didn't exist anymore. It was only them.

And for the coming years, it will always be them, together, for hopefully a very, very long time.