Author's Note: Welcome back! Thank you all again so very much for reading and reviewing, it's so much fun to see people enjoying the story! I'm going to break an obvious rule and tell you what this chapter is about so you can decide it if appeals to you or not: almost the whole thing is Gohan retelling the events of DBZ to Videl. Originally, this was going to be a much shorter scene at the end of Chapter II, but once that one came in at 20 pages, I decided to separate it off. Then I just let the characters have a conversation about the topics that came up, whether I'd planned it or not. In fact, a lot of the little asides they make just felt natural for them to say in the moment, so I followed the thread until their discussions reached a conclusion that made sense. And got another 20 pages out of it.
If Gohan telling a story you already know doesn't sound like fun, only the last two scenes will really matter for this chapter and you can skip the rest without missing much (though, the third to last scene is my personal favorite). There are a few moments where I delve deeper into his feelings and motivations and guilt, but you'll be able to infer it later, too. I did really want to explore Gohan's feelings about his past more, though, in a way the anime couldn't really do. And I've always wanted to see Videl react to learning about his life in more detail. I do think there are some really fun little jokes and moments between the two and we get to delve deeper into their psyches, or at least my interpretations of them. There's also some really wholesome, loving moments between them (as always) so it's not just DBZ all over again.
I hope this one isn't too slow or plodding, though the length did get away from me a bit. Are the chapters too long? Should I separate them into shorter, more digestible chunks? I have no intention of the chapters really getting any longer from here, but I don't know if they'll really get shorter if I don't deliberately aim to break them up more. 15-20 pages seems to be my average for the first three, but since my goal was to post once a week, I thought it might be nice to have a bit more material between uploads. Let me know what you think if you feel strongly one way or the other and I'll either change it if that's what most people want or just stick with the current amount if it seems well received!
As a quick aside, I started posting this concurrently on Archive of Our Own as well, so if you prefer that site or interface, I'll be continuing to update it there as well for all the remaining chapters (of which there are probably 20). Next time we're delving into the beginnings of the bigger subplots I have planned! Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoy!
Chapter III – You Can Trust Me with All of It
The silence of the mountain was all-encompassing. Occasionally it was interrupted by the light rustling of leaves and bushes as the wind brushed by them or the soft chirping or crickets and cicadas. Such tranquility would have been a delightful circumstance usually; so often were people caught up in the busy pressures of everyday life that they usually forgot to enjoy the moments of peace and relaxation that this type of silence afforded. But for Gohan, his nerves were now on edge. And for Videl, her mind had all but frozen, any other thought grinding to a screeching halt, focusing solely on the words she'd just heard.
"Uh…Videl?" came Gohan's timid voice. Her mouth hung open and her eyes were unfocused.
"Of course," she whispered at last. Her eyes were drawn to Gohan's at last, the trepidation swimming in his gaze failing to register in her slowly rebooting mind. "Of course!"
Gohan drew back a bit, surprised and wary that she might be upset. Videl didn't feel upset at all, though. In fact, she was becoming more and more excited as she pieced little fragments of the puzzle together. Her sapphire eyes widened and a triumphant smile spread across her face.
"That makes so much sense! Everything makes so much sense now! Oh my god, I can't believe it was that simple all along!" Gohan was a bit dumbfounded at her excitement but didn't interrupt.
"That would mean your dad isn't from this planet right?" she watched Gohan with eager eyes as he nodded very slowly. "Then everything makes sense! Those golden powers, the way you can all use your ki so expertly, how you can all transform into different versions of yourselves, the reason every time the Earth is saved from something it's always you guys!"
"Videl, hang on, I think you might be a little off," he managed at last, trying to break through her intense excitement. She finally caught herself and managed to calm down some, shaking herself from her reverie and really taking in Gohan's face.
He seemed fearful, a step beyond his usual nervousness when talking about himself. She'd gotten a little carried away and felt guilty; she knew this was a tough subject for him but hadn't even thought to reassure him yet.
"I'm sorry if I scared you just then, being quiet like that. It's just…I've been so curious for so long now why you can do what you do and that explains everything! I was just so caught up for a minute trying to piece it all together."
"So…you don't think I'm a liar?"
"Gohan! Of course not!" Videl let a stern expression overtake her face. "I've seen more than enough in the last few days to convince me that aliens are real. I met Piccolo and Dende after all and Majin Buu lives with me now. If you're saying your dad is one too, I don't have any reason to doubt that."
"And…you aren't going to leave…now that you know what I am?" His eyes suddenly downcast, he seemed to almost draw into himself. It wasn't like him to be so scared. Timid, sure, but afraid? That wasn't her Gohan. She could understand though. It was probably what she felt when she was younger and other kids would find out she was Mr. Satan's daughter. She had worried they might think she was strange or just outright cast her aside. Only this situation had to be much more nerve wracking.
"Gohan, look at me," her gentle voice pierced the muted night effortlessly, reaching his ears and drawing his anxious eyes. "I don't care what you are or where your family is from. I love you. I loved you before I knew any of this and knowing this now won't change a thing. I promise."
All the fear and hesitancy on his face seemed to vanish in an instant, replaced by a look of intense relief and joy. "I can't tell you how happy it makes me to hear you say that Videl. It's not that I don't trust you! It's just…nobody outside of our little group has ever known these things, you know?"
Videl just smiled and gave a small nod. "I understand Gohan. I can only imagine how hard it was for you to tell me that. It's one thing to find out that you can fly; you were able to teach me to do it. It's an entirely different thing to ask me to believe that you're not fully human like I am. That you're all aliens. But I promise I don't care and it doesn't change the way I see you or feel about you in the slightest."
Gohan pulled her into a tight hug without any warning. His arms wrapped around the middle of her back as he buried his face in her shoulder, breathing calmly despite his clear need to hold her. Videl was a little surprised by this; he wasn't usually so aggressive. It only took her a moment to realize it wasn't him being assertive, though. He was so overcome with happiness at how easily she'd accepted the real him that he'd drawn her into his embrace almost automatically. Wrapping her slender arms around his much larger frame, she placed her hand against the back of his head, running her fingers through his thick hair and grazing his scalp gently with her nails.
"I've got you. You don't have to be afraid with me Gohan," she whispered to him, relishing the opportunity to reassure him for once. "I accept everything about you. The good, the bad, the normal, and the extraordinary. You can trust me with all of it and I'll never leave you or think badly of you."
"I love you Videl, thank you," his muffled voice managed from the point where her neck and shoulder met. His breath tickled her skin as he spoke and she giggled lightly, her fingers traveling through his hair without pause.
"And I love you, Gohan. If I didn't, I might have a much harder time with all this. Besides…I'm going to be right here by your side for a long, long time, so I feel like I should know everything about you." She felt her cheeks heat up as she said that, but the easy smile never left her face.
She felt Gohan tense up just a little at her words. Had she maybe said too much and made him uncomfortable? But her worries evaporated a moment later when he finally raised his head and met her eyes.
"I…want to be with you for a long time too. And it means so much to me that you're so accepting of all this…of me." His own cheeks flushed adorably and Videl could hardly contain the giddy feeling in her heart as she watched him. He was so adorable she could barely handle it.
They leaned their foreheads together and stayed close for a few moments more. In the quiet, Videl's mind went back to filling in missing pieces of the puzzle that had surrounded Gohan since she'd met him back in April. She was barely aware she was musing out loud.
"So you're all aliens, huh? That makes perfect sense for Piccolo and Dende, but I'm a bit surprised that Yamcha and Krillin and Tenshinhan are too. They all seemed so normal…except for the third eye thing, I guess."
Gohan laughed lightly. "I think I've given you the wrong the idea." Videl only looked back at him, confused. "We're not all aliens. Yamcha and Krillin, they're regular humans. Or, well, humans, at the very least. And Tenshinhan isn't the same kind of alien as my dad and I. Neither are Piccolo and Dende."
Videl was now left with more questions than answers. "Wait so…there are at least three different species of aliens on this planet right now? Probably more, now that I think about it, considering Buu and Cell and all the monsters that have threatened us."
Gohan leaned back a bit and stretched, checking his watch. "It's only 7:00pm right now, we've got a while until I told your dad I'd have you home. Maybe it'd be easier on you if I started from the beginning?" he offered, watching as her eyes lit up with curiosity and interest.
"Yes please! I'd love to hear the whole story! I'm clearly missing quite a few details still," she admitted, settling back down onto the blanket and gazing at him expectantly. Gohan chuckled lightly before leaning on his elbow, turning to face her directly.
"Well, I should start with what exactly I am then. I'm sure you've heard the word 'Saiyan' being thrown around by some of the gang. I'd be surprised if you hadn't heard it on the Lookout at all."
Videl considered him for a moment. "You know, I did hear that a few times. Your dad was talking about a 'super Saiyan' or something like that…and something about three of them? But the boys could turn their hair golden too, so doesn't that mean there are four of you 'super Saiyans?' Maybe five, right? If Trunks can do that too, then isn't Vegeta a 'super Saiyan?'"
Gohan couldn't help himself and laughed, gazing at her with adoration. She was a little thrown off by his response. Was she that wrong about things? As her eyes narrowed at him, he shook his head, reaching out for her hand to reassure her.
"I'm sorry," he managed as he caught his breath. "It's just, I take all of this stuff for granted and it's really fun to hear you try to reason it out. You're also really cute when you start playing detective like that," he teased, winking at her.
Videl felt a deep blush well in her cheeks but couldn't keep a tiny smile off of her lips. "When did you become so smooth?" She meant it to come out playfully aggressive but only managed soft and bashful.
"What, this? This is just me being my normal, awkward self. Somehow it hasn't chased you away yet."
"Nothing you could do will ever chase me away. I like your normal, awkward self. In case you haven't noticed, I'm not much better."
"Could've fooled me."
"Flirt."
"Flatterer."
The young couple burst out laughing, Videl rolling onto her side and curling up against Gohan. His arm wrapped around her and held her close. She relished the feeling of his warm body against her, the way his muscles rose and fell as he laughed along with her, his strong hand on her back, holding her steady. They laughed together, delighted, feeling relaxed and relishing the connection they'd never felt to another before. Finally, Videl caught her breath and rolled back to gaze up at him.
"So!" she began, beaming at her boyfriend as she looked into his shining eyes. "You were going to explain what exactly 'Saiyan' means, if I'm not mistaken…which I think I clearly am."
Gohan nodded and finally continued, much to her delight. "Well, the Saiyans are actually a warrior race, an alien species that isn't native to this planet. But to explain the number thing first, we started attributing numbers to our levels of transformation to make it easier to understand. So when my dad was talking about three the other day, he was referring to his new transformation, Super Saiyan 3, that form with the really long hair he fought Buu with."
"Oh! So there actually are five of you then?"
"Yeah, we're the last Saiyans around."
Videl's face fell. "The last? Did something happen?"
"Long before I was born, their home planet, Planet Vegeta, was destroyed and almost all of the Saiyans were wiped out."
A look of shock eclipsed her face. "W-what? That's terrible!"
"Well…that depends on who you ask, really," Gohan admitted awkwardly. Reading the look of abject confusion on Videl's face, he opted to continue without waiting for a response.
"See, the Saiyans were a race whose purpose was to destroy. They were natural killers. They would travel to other planets and transform, destroying everything and everyone they could. That's what the Saiyans were. So in a way, it's not the worst thing in the world that there aren't that many of us left. Don't tell Vegeta I said that, he'll kill me."
Videl seemed to be trying to understand things again. "Wait, so there was an entire planet of people who could transform the way you do? How could anyone be strong enough to wipe them out? They'd have to be stronger than Majin Buu by a huge margin!" Her eyes widened in disbelief as she considered something more horrible than the creature they'd battled last week.
"Not quite," he began, earning her rapt attention again. "The Saiyans couldn't originally transform into Super Saiyans at all. That's a relatively new transformation that my dad achieved first, then Vegeta, then me. Obviously, the boys can do it now too, but it wasn't always so easily attainable."
"Then what did the original Saiyans transform into?"
"…Ōzaru…"
"Hmm…like 'Big Monkey?'"
"Great Ape, yeah."
Videl hesitated. "So…you mean to tell me that Saiyans can…turn into apes?"
"Not anymore," he reassured her, watching as she sighed in relief. "Saiyans are born with a tail. It's that tail that lets them transform into a giant ape during the full moon. Some can control it, but it takes a lot of practice. My dad never could and neither could I, but Vegeta had it mastered."
"Wait!" Videl suddenly cried out, shattering the calm atmosphere around them. "You had a tail!? But you don't have one now! Right!?"
"No I don't have a tail, none of us do," he reassured her, his steady voice breaking through the shock of what she'd just learned. She took a calming breath and tried to clear her head, shaking it.
"Sorry, that one caught me really off guard is all. It's hard enough to understand the golden hair thing; I think I'd feel like I was crazy if you had a secret tail this whole time. Or if I watched you turn into a giant ape."
"Well you won't ever have to worry about that, I haven't done it since I was four."
Videl opened her mouth and closed it, at a loss for words. After several attempts of this, she finally gave up and just looked at Gohan, hoping he'd continue speaking. He gave her a sheepish grin and did at last.
"Saiyans are born with a tail but if it's removed they can't transform anymore. Piccolo removed mine when I was a little kid."
Videl finally found her voice. "Wow Gohan…that's almost unbelievable."
"I know. Honestly, I forget it used to happen. Dad's tail was removed before I was born by the former Guardian of Earth and Vegeta's was cut off…well, by us."
"Right, your dad did say Vegeta tried to kill him once. Was that when it happened?"
"Exactly right."
"And wait a minute, now that I think about it, you said the Saiyan home world was called 'Planet Vegeta.' Is Bulma's husband the Vegeta who the planet was named after?"
"Actually, he's named after his father, who was the King. So Vegeta is the last Prince of the Saiyans. I'm glad you heard it from me; eventually he'll say that in front of you."
"Wow, no wonder he's so proud then."
"It's a curse more than anything," Gohan laughed, earning a smile from Videl. She was finally starting to come to terms with what he'd told her the more they talked. It was all so normal for him. As long as she focused on that, she found it a bit easier to accept things.
"So…okay, your dad. How did he end up here? And why didn't he destroy everything? He was a Saiyan, so shouldn't he have turned into a Great Ape and destroyed the Earth?"
Gohan locked eyes with her and smiled gently. She knew she was being a bit pushy with all her questions, but she just had to know the answers at this point. He reached out and took her hand, running his thumb along her fingers one by one.
"Maybe I should just start from the beginning of his story too."
And so he did. He told her about how Goku had wound up on Earth, how he'd lost his memory, and the journeys he'd been on with Bulma and Krillin. She learned about the Turtle Hermit Master Roshi and his ability to manipulate ki that had ultimately shaped Goku into the warrior he was today. He told her all about Goku's battle with the Red Ribbon Army and his legendary clashes with Tenshinhan and Demon King Piccolo, even explaining how their Piccolo was the offspring and reincarnation of the Demon King and hadn't always been their ally.
It was only after he reached the part about his father being killed to save him from his evil uncle that Videl interjected again. "Wait, so Goku died more than once?"
"Oh yeah, he's an old pro at it by now," Gohan offered lazily. Videl was shocked by how natural an occurrence this all was to their group. Sure, Chi-Chi and Bulma had reacted badly on the Lookout the other day, but they were human like she was. Even knowing their family could come back probably didn't dull that pain. But the others hadn't been as fazed. They'd been affected, sure, but not to the point of a full on break down like she and the other "normal" humans had been. But perhaps when you grew up around the mystical and impossible, nothing really felt that impossible anymore.
"Anyway, after that Piccolo took me into the jungle for a year and trained me."
"You say some of the most insane things with the straightest face, you know that?"
"Hey, what can I say? I've had a pretty insane life, all things considered!"
Videl laughed lightly at his comment before collecting her thoughts again. "So I'm guessing it was during that time that Piccolo removed your tail?"
"Yeah, it was. Piccolo was a brutal teacher. The first thing he did was throw me at a mountain so I'd learn I had some pretty strong hidden powers." Videl looked horrified, but Gohan didn't seem to notice. He had a wistful smile on his face and seemed to feel almost nostalgic when he talked about his time with Piccolo so she didn't interrupt.
"He explained how my power was awakened by anger, or at least by high-stress situations. After that, we trained for half a year. Then he abandoned me in the forest for the second half of the year and I had to survive on my own." Despite the fact that Gohan still looked so serene when he talked about his training, Videl could hold her tongue no longer, her fiery anger erupting as it so often used to.
"That's not brutal Gohan, that's psychotic! What the hell was he thinking? Throwing a poor kid who wasn't even five years old into the wilderness to survive! If anything had happened to you, I'd be livid!"
Gohan chuckled and took her hand. "If anything had happened to me, we wouldn't have met."
All the wind in her sails seemed to disappear and she turned her gaze downward, blushing. "S-so what! I just don't like hearing that you had a bad childhood…even if I can't do anything about it now…" She pouted lightly, earning a warm smile as Gohan gave her hand a comforting squeeze.
"That's very sweet of you 'Del, thank you. I don't feel like I had a bad childhood though, I don't want you to misunderstand." Videl couldn't keep the shock off her face.
"How can you not think that way? Just that year alone would've traumatized most people…I know I couldn't have handled something like that."
Gohan pulled her closer to him, holding her tight. "It was just the way things were for a while. My dad was dead and two bigger threats were coming to the planet to destroy it if we didn't stop them. There was no guarantee we'd be able to bring Dad back in time or that he'd be strong enough alone to protect us all. So I was one of the few people who could help. At the time I didn't really enjoy it, but I think it was incredibly important for who I am now."
Videl eyed him incredulously but didn't detect even a hint of dishonesty on his face or in his words. He really did look back on his training with Piccolo fondly. "Well," she began slowly, "if you're not upset thinking back on it, then I guess I shouldn't be so worked up about it either. Especially if what Piccolo did helped you and made you into the man you are today."
"It really did. And thanks for accepting some of this craziness for me Videl, I know it's hard to hear about some of the stuff I went through. It may not get any easier from here…you sure you still wanna know?"
Videl clung a bit tighter to him and nodded firmly, steeling herself for more. "Well, after that year, the Saiyans did arrive, Vegeta and his old partner Nappa." She spoke up again before she realized it.
"Wait. I knew you all fought Vegeta and cut his tail off, but you're saying he was here to destroy the planet? To kill everyone?" Her eyes were horrified as she tried to make sense of what she was hearing. Gohan simply nodded, but there was less humor on his face this time. The nostalgic memories were over, it seemed.
"That's right. You would've barely been six at the time, but do you remember what happened to East City? How it disappeared?"
"Yeah, I remember. It was on the news that night and I asked Papa and Mama how something like that could've happened. Papa said it must have been some kind of freak natural disaster, but Mama was never entirely convinced…though she agreed with him for my sake."
Gohan gave her a somber smile. "Your mom had good instincts. Vegeta and Nappa annihilated East City right after they landed."
Videl's eyes grew wide as saucers. One of the biggest mysteries of her childhood had such a morbid truth behind it. And it was a truth Gohan had not only witnessed but lived when he was a year younger than her. She loved that he was hers now and that everything they'd experienced had brought them together, but she decided she didn't envy the childhood he'd had, no matter how fanciful some of it seemed.
Gohan waited until he was sure she wasn't going to respond to continue. "That's when we stood against the Saiyans without my dad. Me, Krillin, Piccolo, Yamcha, Tenshinhan, and Chiaotzu. Eventually my dad made it back and we won, but only he, Krillin, and I survived. Everyone else was dead."
"Wow…so everyone's been wished by the Dragon then, huh?" Gohan nodded. There seemed to be something a little haunted behind his eyes. What was it? Should she pry? Push for more while they were on the topic?
"Gohan," she began gently. He snapped back to reality and looked at her, offering a smile. It didn't reach his eyes, though. "What is it? What happened back then that's still hurting you?"
Gohan looked down dejectedly but managed to hold onto the smile. "You really can read me like an open book. It was that obvious huh?"
"I love your smile. I can tell when you're faking it."
"You're too good for me, I surrender. I'll tell you." She braced herself for something big as Gohan took a steady breath and closed his eyes. "Piccolo…threw himself in front of one of Nappa's attacks to save my life. I couldn't dodge in time and he sacrificed himself…for me."
His voice shook a bit as he told her the painful memory. Videl immediately rose up and took him in her arms, cradling him close and rubbing his back gently. He nestled into her embrace before continuing.
"Honestly, I think that was the biggest turning point for Piccolo. He was harsh and withdrawn when I first met him. But he had a soft spot in his heart for me even though I was the son of his sworn enemy. He was tough on me but only because he didn't want me to die. He abandoned me in the woods but he watched over me without my knowing it every step of the way just in case something happened. And when he sacrificed himself for me…I think that was the day the Second Demon King ceased to exist.
"After he came back to life, he was always much more openly supportive of me. He's always been an important mentor but I'd go so far as to call him family. He even became more agreeable and friendly with the others, even my dad. I'd have called them friends by the time we returned from Namek.
"But sometimes, even now…I'm still consumed with guilt that he died because of me that day. My first teacher and first friend…I let him die because I froze up and couldn't even move…"
Videl held him tighter, rubbing his back softly and gazing down at him. "Gohan, it's okay now. He's perfectly fine up on the Lookout where he still watches out for you and takes care of you." Gohan nodded from his preferred spot against her neck.
"I know. I have nightmares once in a rare while about that day, but I know it's pointless now. He's been fine and alive since I was six and the only time he's died since then was when we all died the other day."
"That's right. And it wasn't your fault in the first place," she insisted. "You were five Gohan, you shouldn't have been in a place like that, fighting hardened killers who could transform into giant apes. It doesn't matter if you're half-Saiyan or not, that was no place for a child to be. But…I think Piccolo knew that too. I'd bet that's part of why he did what he did."
Gohan nodded again, nuzzling against her in a way that almost made him seem smaller than he really was. "I think you're right. But it was the start of a trend in my life I've never been proud of…"
"What's that…?"
"When it comes down to it, I always fail when it counts. I can never save the people I love…"
Videl sat up immediately and seized his face in her hands, turning it up so he could see hers. Gohan's surprised eyes met her gaze, stern and upset.
"Don't say that. Don't tell me you never save the people you love, that's not true." There was no anger in her voice, but no hesitancy either.
"Videl…there's more to the story than just tha-"
"I don't care. You're so selfless and wonderful and you'd do anything for the people you love. You saved me, remember? After my fight at the tournament, you brought me that bean that healed me and put me completely back to normal. That wasn't you failing."
"But all I did was pick up the pieces Videl. I could've stopped what happened to you at any point and I didn't…"
"Gohan, I'd have been mad at you if you did. That was my fight to lose. I decided to keep going, it's not like you forced me into it." She let go of his face as he moved to sit up straight across from her, meeting her eyes uneasily. He spoke softly, a tormented whisper of the usual ease he found his voice with her.
"That was the angriest I've been since Cell. The only thing that kept me from going after him right then and there was that you needed help first. I don't know that I could've controlled that anger otherwise…"
"But you did save me. You took care of me and made sure I was okay. You promised you'd avenge me…what ever happened to that Spopovich guy anyway? You and Kibito followed the others and found them after I left, didn't you?"
"Yeah, we found them."
"And?"
"Babidi blew him to smithereens from the inside with his magic. I'd guess he was mad that Spopovich led us back to the ship."
Videl's face blanched at the news. "Wow…I hated him, but that's a terrible way to go." Gohan's eyes darkened. It wasn't a look she was used to seeing on his face.
"Not terrible enough," he whispered. His face was set and hardened, his dark eyes almost going hollow. She watched as he chewed his lip in frustration, as if he were seeing that day play out before his eyes again.
"Gohan, it's okay. I'm okay, I'm right here," she reassured him, trying to bring him back. Slowly his eyes refocused and he shook his head, looking apologetically at her.
"I'm so sorry you had to see me like that Videl."
"Don't be. I wanted my own revenge on him. Not really because of what he did to me, though…it was because of what I watched he and his partner do to you after that. When they drained your energy, I thought you were dying…and I couldn't do anything about it. Goku held me back and even though I understand why now...it still hurts to remember. I think I can relate to some of what you're feeling."
A silence fell between them as Videl took his hands and held them in hers, trying her best to reassure him. He clearly had a lot of regret when it came to his abilities and his loved ones.
"I don't like who I become when my anger takes over," he admitted suddenly, eyes downcast again. "I become…so dark. Like I'm not me anymore. I've always hated that about myself." Videl squeezed his hands and drew his guilt-ridden gaze, meeting it unflinchingly.
"Then hold onto me when you get angry. If I'm next to you, hold my hand. If I'm far away, hold me in your mind or your memories. Let me be your anchor, okay?"
Gohan finally gave her a small but genuine smile, the first she'd seen in a little while. "Thank you 'Del, I will. I think that might make a real difference for me…as long as it's never you being hurt again."
"I have my knight in shining armor to protect me now, I'm not afraid of anything!" she sang out with confidence, winking at him. He laughed a little and the tension clearly present in his shoulders released some. She knew that comment would only make him worry though and lowered her voice again, staring seriously into his eyes.
"But I promise I'll always be careful. I have way too much to lose now. I'll always come home safe at the end of the day so I can be with you again."
"I trust you, I know you'll be safe. And I'll always protect you from now on. I won't ever fail you again."
"You never failed me to begin with."
After they calmed down and reassured each other for a few more minutes, Videl finally asked if Gohan would continue his story. He explained how his dad had let Vegeta go after their fight, which suddenly gave her a much greater understanding as to why he would offer a being like Majin Buu a second chance after everything he'd done. Then she heard about his adventure into the stars, his journey to Planet Namek.
As she'd learned from the picture, he, Krillin, and Bulma had been the trio to journey to Namek, hoping to gather their Dragon Balls and revive their friends who had been killed by Nappa and Vegeta. She had to actively work to accept some of his story: an enormous Namekian elder that had unlocked some of Gohan's mysterious latent powers, an elite squadron of choreographed knockoff Super Sentai aliens that had almost killed them all (including one that had broken Gohan's neck which nearly sent her into hysterics), and, of course, the galactic tyrant himself, Frieza.
Gohan had explained that Frieza was the one who had wiped out the Saiyans decades before, enslaving the remainder as his personal warriors. It was because he feared them and soon his fears proved to be true. The legendary Super Saiyan appeared to destroy him in the form of Goku.
Videl interjected again; this was the point she had wanted some clarification on for a while now. "So Goku was the first Super Saiyan?"
"Yeah, he was the first of us that ever did it. He channeled his anger at Frieza for killing Vegeta and Krillin and it transformed him in a way the Saiyans had never achieved before, at least not in our time. And it was enough to beat Frieza in the end."
"But didn't that legend say there would only be one?"
Gohan considered her for a moment. "Well…it never specifically said one, it just seemed to refer to the existence of one who could rival Frieza. But maybe it did mean there was only one and Vegeta just decided to turn everything on its head and become one too. Because he was the next one."
"Vegeta was? Wasn't he…still evil though?"
"Sort of, funnily enough that was right around when he started helping us more earnestly."
"And you could be a Super Saiyan by the time of the Cell Games right?"
"Yeah, that's right. There's more to that story too, but we'll get there soon. So first, I'll answer your burning question from earlier."
Videl's eyes darted to his, staring intently. "Right. Who is that other Trunks?"
Gohan laughed again and continued his tale. After they all returned from Namek and a year had passed, Frieza resurfaced and was heading towards Earth with his own father. All the warriors got together but didn't think they'd stand a chance. Before they had to fight, though, a strange young man who could also become a Super Saiyan appeared before then, annihilating Frieza and his father with almost no effort at all.
"So that was Trunks, I take it?" Gohan nodded and she waited for more. He took another deep breath and looked a little sheepishly at her.
"I'm about to drop a bomb on you Videl…but please know I'm not lying to you about any of it."
"Gohan, I swear I trust you. I know you're not lying to me."
"Well…we met with Trunks and a few hours later my dad finally got back. Then, um, we found out that Trunks…was from the future."
Videl's eyes went blank and her analytical mind that had been trying to piece together the information she'd been learning all night stopped working entirely. This didn't go unnoticed by Gohan.
"Videl…?"
She nodded slowly, still dumbstruck, her mouth slightly agape and her eyes unfocused. "The…the future, huh?"
"Y-yeah. He was Bulma and Vegeta's son from the future."
"Uh huh, I thought that might be what you said next."
"Are you okay…?" His voice was hesitant but also concerned, as if he were afraid he'd finally overwhelmed her. Honestly, he might've managed it at last.
"Yup. Yup. I'm…fine. I'm just realizing…there's no point in trying to predict what happens next in this story is there?" Her mouth never managed to close fully as she looked questioningly into his eyes. Gohan rubbed the back of his neck and grimaced a bit.
"N-no, probably not. But that's maybe the most shocking thing I have left to tell you. Everything else will be more of what you've already heard at this point."
"Oh. Okay. The future. Of course he was from the future. Of course that's why he has the same name as Bulma's son. He wasn't extended family at all…he was just regular family. Regular, time traveling family."
"Hey, are you sure you're okay?" He was clearly growing a little worried now. Videl finally shook herself from her daze and raised her eyebrows.
"Yeah, I'm okay. That one really got to me." She paused for a moment while her mind caught up to reality again. She looked straight at Gohan and spoke animatedly.
"You remember earlier when I said spending a year in the forest with Piccolo was enough to make your story insane? I take it back! That's not even close to the same level of insanity as this is!" She finally allowed herself to giggle lightly, delighting that Gohan relaxed so quickly when she did.
"Yeah…I told you that one was a bomb."
"It really was. There's something so much harder to believe about that one than the other things I've seen and heard. Maybe it's because of all the movies that use time travel as a plot device and we're all taught from such an early age it's not something humans can achieve. Honestly, magic wish-granting dragons and intergalactic tyrants and men who transform into giant apes are way more unbelievable! But I wasn't told from the time I was five that those things couldn't exist."
"Well, for what it's worth, it doesn't exist now either. Bulma only figured out how to create a time machine in the future to send Trunks back to prevent the apocalyptic timeline they lived in."
Videl's eyes fogged over a bit with sorrow. "That does sound like a time travel movie. What happened in his future that made things so bad? Will it happen here too? Will you have to fight against overwhelming odds again?"
Gohan shook his head. "No, it won't happen in this timeline. We've already prevented it. As for what caused it, it's what we spent the next three years training for: the Androids."
"Androids? Like Krillin's wife, Eighteen? Human-machine hybrids?"
"Exactly like that, yeah. And…exactly like Eighteen."
Videl just shook her head, looking at Gohan with a bemused smirk on her face. "She was evil once, wasn't she? And she got a second chance like Vegeta." Gohan chuckled and nodded.
"You know, when we talk about it all at once, there are quite a few members of our little group that used to try to kill another one of us…usually my dad." He couldn't suppress the genuine laugh that escaped him. Videl felt herself starting to laugh too. The ridiculousness of some of the situations he'd been through was truly remarkable.
After they settled in again, Gohan continued his impossible story. Videl learned of the reason Trunks came back in time: to give Goku heart medication and change the past. Then she hears about Vegeta's transformation to Super Saiyan and how he took up Goku's mantel while he was sick with that heart virus. After that, Trunks returned and revealed that the Androids they were fighting weren't the same ones, leading to the activation of Androids 16, 17, and 18.
Then the story took a turn. Gohan, Bulma, and Trunks discovered an exact replica of Trunks's time machine in the forest, covered in moss. Something had burned its way out and they found an enormous cicada carcass nearby.
"Cell," she whispered immediately. Gohan looked at her in surprise.
"Yeah, how did you know?"
"Your voice. And the fact that every detail you're giving me is disgusting. Cell was an ugly overgrown cockroach and that sounds exactly like what he would've come from." Gohan was focused on something else though.
"You can tell I'm talking about Cell by my voice?"
"Yeah. It's really subtle, honestly. But it gets a bit…darker. There's anger in your voice that isn't there usually. Not righteous anger either like when we talked about the tournament earlier…it's like…unresolved, brooding anger. Like something that's haunted you for a long time."
Gohan stared at her in wonder. "'Del, I'm amazed you can tell that much from just my voice alone. You're absolutely right; I have a lot of strong feelings about what happened with Cell, even still."
She only smiled gently at him. "I guess I know you well enough to read your tone pretty accurately then."
"You sure do. It feels really nice, actually."
"I'm glad. It makes me happy…to be here for you and understand you," she admitted, her cheeks glowing pink just a bit. Gohan reached out and took her hand in his.
"You're amazingly supportive of me. Especially since I'm telling you the most ridiculous story right now and you're pretty much rolling with all the punches."
"Well I'm not tapping out just yet; keep swinging!" Gohan let out another genuine laugh and resumed his story once more.
He told her everything from Cell's appearance in Ginger Town (something she remembered seeing on the news as well) up until the start of the Cell Games. What captured her attention though was an innocuous little comment he made about getting ready for it: "I trained for a year with my dad to learn how to become a Super Saiyan."
"Gohan," she started when he hit a pause.
"Yeah?"
"How on Earth did you train with your dad for a year between Cell becoming Perfect and the start of the Games? You said it was one month later, didn't you?"
Gohan smiled at her. "I was going to save this bit for another time, but you're actually already aware of the reason: we trained in the Room of Spirit and Time."
Videl's eyes lit up with recognition. "Oh! The room the boys fought Majin Buu in, right?"
"Yeah, that's the one. You can only access it from the Lookout but it's perfect for training."
"Why is that? Piccolo said something similar the other day when he was preparing Goten and Trunks."
"Well, time works differently in that room. One Earth day out here is the equivalent of an entire year in the Room." Videl didn't even bat an eye at that information; she just nodded and accepted it as fact. What was the point in thinking too hard about that one?
"So you really did train for a year, but it only took one day?"
"That's right."
"Hey, wait a minute…aren't we actually the same age then?"
"Yeah, I guess we are!" Videl could only laugh at his easy-going attitude about it. There were so few things that seemed to faze him…but the things that did really did.
"So it's not your seventeenth birthday at all in a few weeks! It's your eighteenth!"
"You're right. I just wasn't sure how to tell you until the Room of Spirit and Time came up. But now you know. Even though our birthdays are almost a year apart, we're actually pretty much the same age."
"Wow…I can't honestly say I saw that one coming! Any other huge secrets I don't know, 'Mr. Saiyaman?'" she smirked as she narrowed her eyes at him. Gohan just laughed, albeit a bit awkwardly, and shook his head.
"Nothing like that, no. Congratulations, you know all my biggest secrets now!" Videl's expression melted back into serenity. It was something she'd wanted for a while now.
"But not your whole story just yet, right?" She still hadn't heard about what seemed to be the biggest fight of his life…Cell.
"No, not yet," he conceded, checking his watch again. It was a little after 8:00pm now and Videl insisted they were fine on time. He took a long, slow breath and started the last chapter of his tale.
Cell: the most difficult battle of his life. The day had arrived and Goku had fought Cell first. 'Actually…Papa fought Cell first. I'm so glad he didn't die that day.'
She remembered seeing Goku's battle on television seven years ago, fighting with the same techniques her dad had called tricks. She knew far better now and remembering that battle with her new understanding was an incredibly eye-opening moment. It wasn't just because she was amazed by the strength and skill on display; she was more amazed at the general cowardice of humans. To have the truth displayed right before your eyes and hide from it because you didn't understand it. That was exactly what humanity had done following Cell, leaving themselves completely susceptible to the likes of Majin Buu…
After Goku had conceded to Cell, he had sent Gohan out to fight. Videl remembered that moment too. She distinctly recalled the way her mouth fell open when a boy her age had stepped up to fight the monster. When Gohan explained how his dad had thrown Cell a Senzu Bean, she accidentally recreated the very face she made that day.
"You're kidding me…"
"That's what I thought too," Gohan laughed lightly.
"Why would he do that?"
"Saiyans are a prideful bunch, even my father, though not nearly as much as Vegeta is. To a Saiyan, winning with help may as well be cheating. So my dad did what he would've wanted done if the roles were reversed: he healed the opponent so it would be a fair, even fight."
"Is that what you wanted too?"
"Absolutely not!" Videl laughed a little at his exaggerated tone. "I wanted that monster dead and gone; I didn't care if it was a fair fight."
"Looks like your Saiyan blood didn't overpower your logic and reasoning huh? Although, a small part of me can understand that mindset of a truly one-on-one contest…just maybe not when the fate of the world is hanging in the balance."
"That's when Saiyans love to play the pride card most. My dad did it against Frieza, Vegeta did it with Cell, and I…well, we'll get there." Videl eyed him carefully, feeling he was just starting to touch on the reason the Cell Games were such a sore spot.
He continued telling her how Cell had tried to bring out his hidden powers, first by fighting him directly (with Android 16 ending up a casualty from a failed attempt to kill Cell), then by creating small copies of himself to attack the others. Videl vividly remembered that moment too. Those little Hell spawns had run through her nightmares for weeks after that.
She shook the memory from her mind. He had to have been the one that destroyed them. They were the last thing the audience had seen that day. After that, an enormous flash of gold had exploded from Gohan and the cameras had died completely. That had to be what he was leading up to.
"What happened next is actually the first time your dad ever helped us save everyone," Gohan explained, smiling gently at the memory.
"That's right, you said something like that the other night. What did he do for you?"
"Remember Android 16? Well, Cell didn't completely destroy him, just blew his body apart. Your dad carried his head close and threw him to me. He wanted to talk to me."
Videl wore an amused and slightly uncomfortable look on her face. She could only imagine her father carrying the disembodied head of a synthetic man across the ruined battlefield and then lobbing him to a child stronger than he would ever be. It would be exclusively funny if the thought of carrying a sentient head didn't make her skin crawl a little...
"I'm impressed my dad had that kind of bravery, especially knowing now how impossibly outclassed he was. I know he liked to grandstand a lot back then, but even he had to know what he was really up against."
"That's why I told him he was plenty brave and strong. It takes guts for someone to approach the kinds of creatures we battle regularly. And it's not an exaggeration to say he really did save us that day."
"What did 16 say to you?"
"He told me it wasn't wrong to fight to protect the things I loved, that there were some opponents that just couldn't be reasoned with. That it was okay to kill a monster to defend the world we both loved."
"Gohan…"
"He was a lot like me actually, 16. He had strength but hated to fight. He only fought when he was forced to protect the people he cared about. He battled Cell to defend 17 and 18. He tried to self-destruct and annihilate Cell to protect this planet he fell in love with. And that monster…killed him right in front of me…he crushed him under his foot like he was nothing but dirt…"
"Oh Gohan." Videl grabbed his arm and squeezed his hand. It was shaking. The memories from that day seven years ago were still clearly as fresh now as the day they'd happened.
"I didn't know him all that well," Gohan managed at last, staring down at the blanket underneath them. "That was one of the only times I interacted with him. But hearing how selfless he'd been, listening to the sincerity in his voice when he talked about the things he cared for…watching Cell take another innocent life that never hurt anyone…it was all just too much. I snapped."
Videl tucked herself under his arm so she could hug him close, taking his hand again and holding tight. "Like you did at the tournament the other day, right?" she asked in a small voice.
"Yes. It was the first time that happened. The Cell Juniors, 16's death, and that arrogant smile of his…it all pushed me to a point I'd never reached. My anger exploded and overflowed. I was the first one of us that went beyond Super Saiyan."
"That's what blew the camera out then. There was an intense explosion from where you were standing. All this golden light burst out of you and then…nothing. Nobody saw anything after that."
"I'm glad no one saw it. I made the biggest mistake of my life that day."
Videl bit her lip and nuzzled him. Listening to him like this was awful. He had so much hurt and pain in his past. No matter how curious she was or how much she wanted to know his story...she didn't want to push him any further. This was a terrible memory for him, likely his worst. She didn't care anymore if she learned the whole truth of the Cell Games. She just wanted her Gohan to be okay.
"Why don't we stop? You've told me enough for tonight," she whispered gently, stroking his hand. Gohan shook his head, trying to clear his mind a bit.
"Hey, it's okay Videl, please don't feel guilty," he tried to reassure her, turning to look at her. It didn't assuage the feeling of selfishness that had embedded itself right in her heart, though.
"I was the one who brought it up though…I'm sorry, I didn't know you had so many painful memories. I shouldn't have been so pushy about it. I've been asking you questions all night, forcing you to keep telling me more. I'm really sorry Gohan..."
He just offered her a small smile. "It's not your fault at all. I love your curiosity and the way you get so focused on something when you're genuinely interested in it," he promised, squeezing her hand. He was doing his best to ease the bile of guilt she felt in the back of her throat and she really appreciated him for it.
"And you didn't force me into telling you, I promise. I was always going to tell you this story, but this was probably always how I was going to react too. You have nothing to feel bad about. Please don't blame yourself."
Videl chewed her lip and watched him, unable to quell the storm of guilt inside her. She decided she wouldn't ask another question of him. Whatever he wanted to tell her, she'd listen to, but she wouldn't ask for more from him again. His voice broke through her thoughts easily.
"If it's too much for you though, I don't mind stopping. But I trust you with the whole story," he reassured her.
"It's not. The story alone doesn't really affect me, it's what it does to you that stings. I hate seeing you so hurt and upset…"
"Well…if I keep going…the worst is still to come. Something I've never shared with anyone, not even my family…"
Videl steeled herself and pulled him closer against her. "Then please know you can share it if you're comfortable. You don't have to deal with these things alone anymore. But only if you're ready to tell me right now. And if you're not, I understand."
"Thank you Videl. I'd like to tell you though. I've never had anyone I felt like I could trust with this before…but now I do. I have you and I know I can trust you with everything. I'm just sorry if I react pretty badly to it."
"It's okay if you do, I'm right here for you."
"I know."
A silence fell between them. Gohan seemed to be collecting his thoughts as he glanced up at the stars and took a steadying breath. Videl never let her grip on him loosen. He'd know she was right by his side now, no matter what had happened in the past.
"After Cell killed 16, I managed to tap into the hidden power my dad had seen in me in the Room of Spirit and Time. I became an Ascended Super Saiyan, or what we now call Super Saiyan 2. At that point, I was stronger than anything we'd ever seen. I defeated the Cell Juniors like they were nothing. Those little gremlins that had delighted in torturing my friends and family…they were like wet paper to me."
"That sounds incredible," Videl offered softly. "That kind of power was what you wanted to protect everyone."
"Yeah…only…"
"It's okay, take your time."
"Only…I didn't use it to protect them. I used it to toy with Cell, to make him suffer."
Videl only held him tighter. He was quiet for several moments and she decided to give him a chance to collect his thoughts while she spoke.
"I can understand wanting to give Cell a taste of his own medicine. He was a monster who delighted in the misery of others. I'd have wanted to pay him back for that too. A darker part of me wanted to do the same to Spopovich the other day, even though I wasn't strong enough. And to Buu for hurting you. I don't think what you did was wrong."
Gohan shook his head, squeezing her hand. "I could have destroyed Cell right then and there. I was much stronger than he was; I could tell my power dwarfed his. But I took my time with him. Shattered his confidence. Wounded his ego. Broke his body again and again. Forced him to spit up 18 and robbed him of the Perfection he'd sought his whole life. Then I tormented him more, even though my dad and Piccolo were yelling to me that I needed to finish him off before he did something drastic. They were right…"
"Gohan…"
"Cell activated a self-destruct sequence," he whispered at last, his voice haunted and shaking. Videl didn't know exactly what to do so she just held him close, rubbing his side and squeezing his hand. He managed to lean in closer and ran his thumb along the back of her hand.
"His final gambit was to destroy the planet and kill everyone, including himself. I backed him into a corner and he had no choice but to play his trump card. I failed. He was going to win."
"Obviously he didn't though."
"No, he didn't...my father took him away from Earth before he exploded." Videl's mouth fell open and she watched Gohan. She could only imagine what that must have felt like.
"Remember how he teleported into the living room earlier? He used that same technique and took Cell away to a different planet where he exploded. Dad sacrificed himself to save us all. He sacrificed himself…to make up for my stupid mistake. To pick up the pieces because I wasn't in control enough to realize what was happening and finish Cell off for good…before it was too late…"
Videl chanced a look at Gohan and fought down a gasp. He was nearly crying, his eyes brimming with tears. It was by some miracle he'd managed to keep his body still enough that she hadn't noticed before. Her heart ached as she watched him. Would any words she could think of possibly be enough to soothe this pain, even somewhat?
"I can't even begin to imagine how hard that was for you to see. But your dad is back home now. He's alive and well. I know that doesn't completely erase what happened, but everything is okay now. And maybe with a little more time, this guilt might start to fade away too."
Gohan turned towards her, not bothering to hide his glassy eyes from her. "Videl…I cost everyone so much. Goten grew up never knowing his father. Mom had to go through the grief of losing her husband while raising a newborn all by herself. All of our friends were heartbroken to see him go. And I…I caused it. I killed my own father because of how careless and selfish I was…"
Gohan could barely hold back his emotions anymore. The tears he'd fought so valiantly against escaped the waning grip he had on himself, spilling down his cheeks. His eyes closed, his body beginning to tremble under the weight of his guilt and melancholy.
Videl moved without thinking. She rose up onto her knees and wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders, pulling him close to her, guiding his head to rest against her chest. She cradled him close, running her fingers through his hair. With her other hand she rubbed his back in slow, small circles. And finally, Gohan could stay his grief no longer.
His arms wrapped around her and clung to her tightly. He shook and shuddered beneath her touch as he let out the incredible anguish and guilt he'd carried with him all alone for seven years. She had never thought he would break down in her arms like this, but she would hold him and comfort him as long as he needed. No matter what.
"Let it out Gohan, it's okay. You've taken on so much by yourself for so long. I'm right here and I'll never tell a soul. You can let go."
He clung to her as if she were his anchor, grounding him, steadying him. His hold on her was desperate, pleading with her to stay with him. His tears came with a vigor she hadn't thought she'd ever see from him, but she couldn't blame him for what he felt at all. If her father had died right in front of her, saving her life no less, she'd be eaten alive by the guilt.
Videl leaned her cheek against the top of his head and nuzzled him, just the way he had done for her on the Lookout. She spoke into his ear with the most delicate tone she was capable of, her voice but a whisper on the wind.
"I'm here, Darling. I'll never, ever leave you. You'll never be alone again, not with this or with anything else."
Gohan managed to nod a little from below. She continued running her fingers through his hair and rubbing his back as she had been, trying her best to console him. They stayed like that for several more minutes before it finally started working for him. The shaking that had wracked his body was starting to still and his tears were slowing at last.
He sniffed, his grip on her relaxing a bit. She turned and kissed the top of his head once, twice, three times. "Shh, shh, it's okay. You're okay. Everything's okay now, I promise."
Videl held him for just a bit longer before he finally started to pull slowly back from her embrace. She released her grip on him but let her fingers trail down his arm as he moved back, stopping at his hand. She laced her fingers between his and met his damp gaze, a smile on her lips.
"Do you feel a little better?" she asked him so gently. He managed a small laugh.
"I do, actually. I'm so sorry I went to pieces like that."
"Don't be. You were there for me the other day. I'll always be here for you too, no matter what." She reached out and brushed the last of the tears from his cheeks, placing her palm against his face and gazing into his dark eyes.
"I messed up your jacket, I'm sorry," he offered as he noticed the rather large stain that his tears had left on it. She just smiled at him.
"It's just a jacket, it'll wash. Are you okay?"
"I think so. I've been keeping that to myself all this time. I could never bring it up with anyone because I was afraid somewhere in my mind that they all hated me for causing Dad's death."
"Thank you for trusting me enough to let me in. I know that can't have been easy."
"I trust you with everything 'Del, thank you for being here for me."
"I don't think anyone hates you for what happened though, Gohan. I don't even think anyone blames you." He didn't seem fully convinced. "Seriously. I've seen them all with you. If they secretly hated you, there's no way they could hide it that well. And you didn't see their reactions when Goku told us you were dead the other day. Nobody was okay. If they blamed you or hated you, I wouldn't have seen all those people nearly go to pieces when they found out."
Gohan gazed thoughtfully into her eyes. "That helps more than you might think. I tried to believe that, logically, it was the truth. But deep down, in the darkest little corner of my heart, I could never forgive myself. So I guess I couldn't believe that they could forgive me either."
"Forgiveness implies that they thought you did something wrong. I bet if you asked each and every one of them if they'd ever once blamed you for what happened, they'd tell you no. Obviously I don't know them like you do, but they know you. And anyone who knows you that well would know you would never hurt them or your father on purpose."
There was a long pause as Gohan considered her words. Slowly, very slowly, a lopsided smile spread across his face.
"Thank you. You're so good to me," he managed at last.
"I always will be."
Gohan's watch beeped quietly from his wrist, interrupting their serene moment. He glanced at it, his face betraying his disappointment that their date would soon be over.
"8:30. We should probably leave if I'm gonna have you home on time."
"Hang on," she said suddenly, reaching for her phone and typing a message.
[Papa, is 9:30 okay to be home? Gohan's telling me about his past and I don't want to abandon him in the middle of this part. It's really personal so I don't want to say what exactly it is, but I'd feel terrible if I left right now.]
"There. I sent a message to Papa. I don't want to leave just yet, not while you're telling me things this personal and important. I want to be here for you."
"I can always finish it another time, it's okay," he reassured her. She shook her head, that stubborn fire returning to her.
"I'd feel awful if I left."
Her phone pinged next to her and she glanced at the message. Sure enough, it was from Papa. She smiled a little.
[Of course Sweetpea, I meant it earlier when I said don't worry so much about the time. I trust you and I know Gohan will bring you home safely. See you soon! Buu says hi!]
"Papa doesn't mind 9:30 at all, it's completely fine if we keep going a while longer." Gohan watched her with a mixture of amazement and serenity in his gaze.
"What did I do to deserve someone as wonderful as you?" Videl smiled widely at him.
"You saved the world. And you saved my life."
Gohan finished his story by telling her about Cell's return to Earth following the self-destruct gambit. She had smiled when he told her about how he saved Vegeta; he protected someone who had once been his mortal enemy. He'd always had such a kind and good soul, even when he was just eleven. At last they came to the end: Gohan destroyed Cell with some help from Vegeta, Goku opted to stay in the Other World to hopefully spare Earth from further danger, and the Dragon had undone all the damage Cell had caused.
"And you pretty much know the rest from there," he assured her, sighing as the tale concluded at long last. "Goten grew up with Mom and I, I kept studying but neglected my training, and eventually enrolled in high school and met you. You're all caught up!"
"That was a pretty wild story Gohan. It feels like years ago we were talking about Saiyans turning into giant apes." She giggled and felt her heart flutter as he gave her that easy smile she loved so much.
"It feels like a lifetime ago that it really happened."
"Thank you so much for trusting me with everything. I can tell it wasn't easy for you to relive what happened, but it makes me so happy that you let me in. I always want to be here for you and share your life with you."
"I'm glad I finally told you. I've wanted to tell you for a little bit now. I was afraid I'd overwhelm you but, after Buu, you'd pretty much seen everything I tried to keep hidden. Not that you couldn't always see through me anyway," he laughed, earning a smile from her.
A comfortable silence fell between them as Videl cuddled up close to him again. It had really been quite the first date. No other couple would ever be able to top it. A romantic picnic in a beautiful forest, a lively dinner with a wonderful family, and the story to end all stories.
"Hey Videl," Gohan began softly, trying to preserve the calmness that had settled around them again.
"Hmm?"
"I think I'm going to start training seriously with my dad again."
Videl's eyes widened and she looked up at him. "Wow, really? I thought you were pretty much over the whole martial arts thing these days."
Gohan chuckled. "I was. If you hadn't forced me into the tournament, I wouldn't have competed." Videl managed a half-hearted laugh and grimaced.
"Sorry about that…"
"Don't be! It brought us closer together, after all."
"I guess you're right," she conceded, cuddling up against him once more.
"I've just been thinking these past few days. I was the strongest warrior on Earth when Cell died. But I pretty much gave up on fighting after that. I never really enjoyed it and felt like my strength was more a curse than a gift. But lately, I feel differently.
"If I had kept up my training since Cell, I could have killed Majin Buu before he had the chance to hurt anyone I cared about. But I had gotten too weak in the last seven years and he beat me, almost killed me."
"Hey, it's okay Gohan. It wasn't your fault, you couldn't have known what would happen." He smiled softly at her words.
"You're right. And I don't blame myself for Buu existing. But I don't always want to be on the defensive when it comes to protecting the people I love. Right now, I'm thinking that these powers of mine really are a gift. I can use them to defend my family, my friends. I can protect the woman I love." Videl felt herself blush at his words but never once interrupted.
"After the Elder Kaioshin awakened my powers again, I felt stronger than ever. I'm not going to lose that this time. There are plenty of things I want outside of training and fighting too and I'll make sure I keep everything balanced, but I'll keep my strength up and keep honing this new form I've achieved so I can protect the people I love and care about. Just like 16 tried to do all those years ago. Just like my dad always has. The way even Vegeta has managed to learn. It's the least I can do for the people who mean the world to me."
"I think that's beautiful, Gohan. I really do. I can't wait to see how strong you become!"
"And don't worry, I didn't forget that I promised to train you more too," he promised, her smile growing wide in a heartbeat.
"You sure did! I'll keep working on controlling ki more easily before we start so it's not such a struggle!"
"You'll be amazing, I'm sure of it!" The young couple smiled at each other and nestled into the other's embrace. Videl sighed and lost herself to the comfort of his strong arms.
"Gohan?"
"Yeah?"
"I really love you."
"I really love you too."
"Thank you for the most amazing first date a girl could ask for."
"Thank you for accepting me."
Videl leaned up towards him and placed a kiss gently on his lips. There was no awkward tension this time as Gohan kissed her back with a bit more confidence. She smiled inwardly. They were already getting more comfortable being a couple. Their kiss deepened and her hands tangled in his hair yet again, holding him close. Videl felt herself becoming lost in a world where it was just she and Gohan. And not for one second did she want to go back.
They touched down in front of the Satan Mansion at 9:20pm, a few minutes earlier than promised. They had made good time tonight. With how much Videl had been flying lately, her stamina had improved noticeably, and they'd had a tailwind on the way home. She approached the door and unlocked it, gesturing to the entryway.
"Do you wanna come in for a minute?" Secretly she hoped she wouldn't have to say goodbye to Gohan just yet. They'd spent the entire day together and she was still so reluctant to be apart from him.
"Sure, I'll at least say hi to your dad before we say goodnight."
They entered the foyer and the heavy door fell shut behind them. She listened for the sound of the television; watching TV was the only thing Buu had wanted to do since he settled in two days ago. To her surprise, though, she heard nothing.
"Seems like they're not down here," Gohan offered. Videl wondered where they could be before a delightful thought occurred to her. Slowly, a devilish grin began to spread across her pink lips.
"Want to see something fun?"
"Uh…sure," he managed hesitantly, clearly aware she was scheming. Videl drew in a huge breath before yelling loudly.
"Papa! I'm home! Where are you!?"
Gohan's eyes had grown wide with surprise as she shouted. "'Del! What if the staff are sleeping?" he managed in a panic. She was unable to hold back her mirth and laughed at the nervous expression on his face…his extraordinarily handsome face…
"Relax Gohan, don't worry. None of the staff stays overnight unless we really need them too. It would be too mean to ask them to leave their families to stay here with us. And I know Papa isn't asleep at 9:30, especially if he was waiting for me."
From high above them, thundering footsteps could be heard approaching. Videl laughed triumphantly, gesturing towards the noise. "Every time I yell like that, he comes running. When we first moved into this place, it was too hard to find him if I didn't already know where he was, so eventually I just gave up and started yelling from the foyer. It's almost like I've conditioned him."
Gohan was amused clearly but tried to hide his grin so he didn't give himself away to her dad. Finally, the man in question appeared on the third story balcony, looking down over the railing.
"Hi Sweetpea! Sorry, Buu turned one of his pillows into chocolate earlier so I'm trying to find him a new one somewhere. How was your date today?" he asked happily. He was clearly making an effort to support her love life. It was quite the change from the way he had always been before, but a welcome one.
"It was fantastic Papa! I'll tell you all about it before bed, okay?" She couldn't help the genuine smile that eclipsed her face as her father lit up. He really was so happy for her. She could tell.
"That sounds perfect Pumpkin. Gohan, thanks for treating my little girl like the angel she is," he called, still beaming.
"Of course, Sir. She's an angel to me too." Videl couldn't fight down the blush that took over her cheeks. She hadn't expected Gohan to say something like that in front of him. But her dad kept smiling, clearly overjoyed that Gohan cared so much about her.
"Where Mr. Satan go? Buu lose toothbrush! Can Buu have more?"
Mr. Satan let out a light sigh before laughing. "Sorry you two, I better go help Buu again. Gohan, be safe heading home tonight. Sweetpea, I'll be on this floor waiting for you once you're done saying goodbye. I can't wait to hear all about your day!"
With that, her dad turned and hurried back down the hallway, calling frantically for Buu to wait before a huge crashing sound rattled the foundation of the house.
"He's a lot to live with, huh?" Gohan managed, staring perplexedly towards the noise.
"Yeah. He is. But Papa's happy to have him around, so I can forgive it. As long as he mostly stays away from me."
"He still bothers you, huh?"
"A little. I'm getting more okay with him being around, but I'm glad he's not a morning person…or, um, creature. It's nice to have breakfast with Papa and not have to deal with Buu."
"I'd love to have breakfast with you and your dad sometime too, if that's okay." Videl lit up and nodded quickly.
"I'd really like that! So would Papa, he really likes you. We can plan a day for it!"
"That sounds perfect to me." Gohan smiled down at her and Videl felt butterflies race around in her stomach. His eyes were so captivating and gorgeous. But they'd have plenty more time to share together and tomorrow was their first day back at school in quite a while.
"We should get you home, huh? We have a big day tomorrow and you still have to fly back."
Gohan gave in with a little persuasion and Videl turned and opened the door again, walking back out onto the porch with him, hand in hand.
"Hey 'Del, can I ask you a quick question?" he said suddenly as the door fell shut behind them.
"Of course, ask me anything."
"Did you call me 'Darling' earlier when you were holding me?" Videl felt her cheeks catch fire, her blush fierce and her eyes instinctively avoiding his from embarrassment. She let a goofy little smile tug at her lips though, unable to suppress it entirely.
"I, uh, yeah, I did," she managed at last. Gohan wrapped his arms around her and held her close.
"I really liked it, it made me feel really loved." She managed to turn her face upwards and meet his gaze.
"You are loved."
"You…uh…you can call me that as much as you like, too." His own face had started heating up but he forced his eyes to remain on hers. Videl couldn't help the enormous smile that stole her lips.
"I'll try it out here and there until it's a bit more natural," she promised him. "But for now, it's getting a little late, don't you think? I don't want you to be tired for our first day back tomorrow! After all, everyone's going to be grilling us all day when they see us walk into class holding hands."
Gohan blushed more deeply but a lopsided little grin appeared on his face too. "You're right, we really will cause quite a stir if we do that."
"When." She winked at him and he started laughing that sonorous laugh that seemed to reverberate all the way to her heart.
"Right, sorry!" Videl could only giggle as she nestled into his embrace again.
"Come pick me up tomorrow morning? We can meet here thirty minutes before school starts and walk together."
"I'd love to. I'll be here right on time."
"Good, I'll miss you way too much by then."
To her surprise and delight, Gohan leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. It was the first time he had kissed her without verbally asking. And aside from that one time on the Lookout, she had been the one to kiss first him each time since. He always responded, but never initiated. She didn't blame him, of course; this was new to both of them and he was being extremely respectful of her and her wishes. But to feel him kiss her like this because he wanted to?
Her heart soared and her stomach somersaulted as she gave in to the sweet sensations of his gentle lips against hers, his strong hands supporting her back. She'd been to literal Heaven, but his embrace somehow felt even more perfect.
Finally, they broke apart, breathing deeply. Videl stepped back slowly, running her hands from his shoulders all the way down his arms before settling in his hands.
"Call me when you get home okay? I'll still be up. I just want to know that you're safe." She knew it was silly; he was a warrior capable of going toe to toe with the strongest beings in the universe. Still…she couldn't help but worry.
If Gohan thought it was ridiculous, he certainly gave no indication. "I will 'Del, I promise. For now though, you go enjoy chatting with your dad."
"I'm sure he'll be just thrilled when he hears about all the amazing places you showed me today."
"Thanks for sharing them with me. It was a perfect first date for me too." His smile was wide and his eyes shimmered. That was the smile she loved, the one that made her heart race and her knees weak.
"We'll share so many more. I can't wait."
They gazed at each other a bit longer before slowly, reluctantly, Videl let go of his hands and stepped back. Gohan started to float gently into the air, still gazing at her, love shining in his dark eyes.
"Be careful going home…Darling…" she called softly to him. His face immediately gave way to an adorable blush.
"I will. I'll see you tomorrow morning."
"I can't wait! Goodnight Gohan!"
"Goodnight Videl!"
She watched as the man of her dreams flew off into the night. What a day it had been; her first date had been absolutely perfect. And tomorrow they'd be able to enjoy their normal school life, hand in hand this time. But something occurred to her as she finally lost sight of Gohan and turned to enter the Satan Mansion.
"'Rase will kill me if I don't tell her about our first date before everyone else knows we're together…"
Quickly, she grabbed her phone and started typing to her best friend. She was a night person, she'd probably be up for a while yet. A smile stole her lips as she opened the door again.
'Looks like I have a lot of storytelling of my own to do tonight!'
9/23/2022