Halcyon Days of High School

by Jrhall2

Following Majin Buu's defeat, Gohan and Videl are reunited at last and decide not to waste any more time. After a dual confession that leaves them both terribly embarrassed, the young couple sets out to enjoy their time together, learn more about each other, and forge their path in life. Where will their love lead them in these peaceful times? (M rating for later chapters).

4. I Couldn't Respect You More if I Tried

Author's Note: Welcome back! I'll probably say it every time, but thank you all again so much for reading and reviewing, it makes this even more fun to keep working on than it already was! Today I have for you a chapter that was originally supposed to be half this length and combined with plot points that now don't appear until the next chapter! So hopefully you all enjoy the way I expanded on the plot elements in play here. You'll see some new/familiar faces today and I hope you like the way they're handled.

I was wrong last time - this chapter exceeded my previous average of pages, but not by much. I couldn't find any scene I wanted to edit down further or cut entirely, so this is the longest chapter to date now, I believe. I had a ton of fun preparing this one and I hope it comes across well, especially now that we're starting to follow the consequences of Majin Buu on Gohan's formerly "normal" life.

As a quick disclaimer, there's a scene in this chapter that briefly paints a somewhat graphic picture of violence. Anyone who watched DBZ probably won't think anything of it and it's far from grotesque (at least in my eyes), but I wanted to mention it in case anyone is sensitive to that sort of thing.

Thank you so much for reading and, without further delay, please enjoy the chapter!

---

Chapter IV – I Couldn't Respect You More if I Tried

The hot water poured soothingly over Videl as she stood under the showerhead. This shower of hers was one of her favorite things about Papa becoming rich. She loved how spacious it felt – a large walk-in shower with dark tiling and a rainfall attachment that wrapped her in a cozy cocoon of warmth each day. While she hadn't ever appreciated the notoriety her father's fame had brought her in turn, she did at least enjoy some of the perks of the mansion, this chief among them.

Sighing happily, Videl took stock of herself. She felt indescribably relaxed and calm right now. She had no thoughts of stress or anxiety. It didn't matter how school went tomorrow, or if there were more criminals that tried to attack the city, or if Majin Buu lived with her now. The world was warm and inviting and perfect. Just like this shower was. Those were all words she could use to describe Gohan as well.

She had delighted in telling Papa about her first date and he had worn an enormous smile the whole time. She also caught a tiny hint of melancholy in his eyes. Of course he would be sad; she was growing up at long last. Being eighteen already and in her last year of high school was probably hard enough to accept; she was almost entering the next phase of her life. Next year she would be going off to college somewhere the way she'd always planned. It was probably an impossibly bittersweet feeling that her father held in his heart. And to add on top of that the fact that she was in love and dating a young man she adored entirely probably didn't make it any easier.

Videl reached for her shampoo, accidentally pouring too generous an amount into her hands; it hadn't been very long since she'd cut her hair after all and was so used to the length it was before. She'd had that hairstyle for years. She idly wondered if Gohan would like her hair medium length too. Maybe he'd liked her hair always. What if he really had suggested she cut it just for the sake of her tournament performance? It certainly was the kind of tactless thing he would've said before they started dating.

Videl giggled to herself as she lathered and washed her hair absentmindedly. The light scent of mango that tinged her favorite shampoo encircled her, ticking her nostrils playfully. It was such a nostalgic scent. If the water was her warm cocoon, then this scent was her soft blanket. It was something Mama had used on her hair when she was little and Videl had never wanted to change it; it was extremely special to her, a small connection she still had with her mother.

Her mind circled back, wondering if Papa would be all right once she left for college. It had been just the two of them for nearly ten years. Would he be lonely without her? That was a silly question; of course he would be. She chewed her lip absentmindedly, staring blankly towards the far side of the shower. The ash-grey walls streaked with splashes of charcoal did nothing to distract her.

'At least he has Buu now. I may not like him very much, but Papa does. So, in a way, maybe it's a good thing he's living with us now. That way if Papa is sad that I'm not here every day, he'll still have his friend to lean on. And Bee. That little guy's such a sweetheart.'

Videl felt her heart grow lighter at the thought. Strange that it was Majin Buu that had inspired that lightness. She shook it off, rinsing her hair and relishing again the heat of the shower as it cascaded down her scalp and shoulders, relaxing her muscles and calming her heart once more.

She shouldn't be sad right now anyway. There was almost a full year until she left for college. And besides, she'd just had the perfect first date and she was hopelessly in love and happy.

'Happy, huh? I never would have thought a guy could make me happy like this. I guess Gohan's not just any guy though, is he? I miss him…'

Videl shook her head in disbelief. How could she possibly miss him? They'd just said goodbye an hour ago! Ever considerate of her, he had called during her chat with Papa to tell her he was home safe and sound. The two said their goodnights again and she sent Gohan to bed with the warmest 'I love you' she could manage. Her heart kept practicing the gymnastics routine it had been learning lately as he wished her sweet dreams and promised to see her in the morning.

She couldn't help but let her mind wander again. What would it be like if she never had to say goodbye to Gohan? What if, at the end of each day, they came home together, ate dinner together, studied together, spent time relaxing together, and fell asleep cuddling together? What if she started each day in his arms, content and happy after a peaceful night's sleep with him right by her side? Her lips gave way to a wide smile as she imagined it for herself.

How would he treat her if they lived together? Would he cook for her? He did say he wasn't a great chef. Videl didn't consider herself any good in a kitchen either, though. Maybe they could learn together? Yeah, that would be nice. Lovely, in fact. They could spend hours together in the kitchen, learning to cook all sorts of dishes with and for each other. She giggled at the thought of the two of them burning ingredients or slicing them clumsily and trying to make the best of it. Of using the wrong measurements and ultimately being so disgusted by their concoctions they couldn't stomach eating it. But eventually, they'd figure it out. Together.

Would he cover her with a blanket if he came home and she had fallen asleep on the couch? Maybe he'd place a pillow under her head, wrap her up in a cozy bundle and kiss her forehead before quietly doing some work nearby, watching over her whilst she slept. Videl's stomach flipped at the thought. That definitely sounded like something Gohan would do for her.

Maybe if it was late enough, he'd lift her into his strong arms instead and carry her to bed. She'd rouse just slightly, enough to realize she was safe in his arms, her favorite place to be, and nuzzle closer against him. Perhaps she'd cling to him with her sleepy grip, barely able to squeeze her hand closed around his sleeve. He'd lay her down on their mattress and tuck her in, kissing her softly and whispering that he'd be right back to cuddle her to sleep.

What about situations like right now? When she went to shower, would he sweetly bring her a warm towel? Maybe he'd unmake the bed and set her toothbrush out by the sink for her, complete with her favorite toothpaste? Would he do anything else while she was gone? Would he miss her? Would he join her?

Videl blushed badly, her entire face burning, spreading up to ears and down to her neck. "Stop that," she whispered harshly to herself. He was so innocent and sweet; she couldn't imagine him doing anything that assertive unless she invited him first. But…she certainly hoped that wouldn't be the case forever. She wanted him to want her too…

'M-maybe by then he would do something like that. Turn the water on for us, bring us clean towels, make sure we were all set. T…turn the lights down…wash my hair for me…wash my back, or my…'

"Ah! Stop!" she demanded, shaking her head hard and slinging water from her hair. She shouldn't be doing this. It was way too early for stuff like that anyway! They'd only just started dating. They were still figuring out pet names and kissing; she shouldn't let herself think of him like this…not yet anyway…

Even if it did sound incredible. She could only dream of how his loving hands would feel lathering her hair with shampoo. How satisfying his strong fingers would feel as they glided effervescently through her wet hair. Or what it would feel like if he washed her back, the shivers of delight she'd no doubt feel as those same loving hands massaged her with long, deliberate strokes. If she did the same for him, she would graze his scalp lightly with her nails and make sure she spent a long while getting him to relax and lean into her lazily. Or knead his delicious shoulders, those perfectly defined muscles rippling and pulsing under her fingers.

She could feel herself blushing even worse somehow but entertained the thoughts just a bit longer; they were far too intoxicating to shake off just yet. If she closed her eyes, she could imagine his thick hair weighed down by water, his gentle smile as she massaged his scalp, the way the glistening muscles of his chest and back and arms would take her breath away…

'Maybe he'd…pull me against his body and kiss me. Or maybe he'd take me to bed after we showered…or just press me up against the wall and-"

"That's it!" Videl broke herself from her reverie and clenched her hands into fists before spinning and turning the water temperature down. If she was going to get lost in fantasies like that, then she needed to cool herself off. Literally. Especially if she was going to talk to 'Rase after this. She'd pick up on that subtext a little too easily, Videl feared.

The water, now frigid by comparison, finally banished the daydreams from her mind. There would be time for things like that later. For now, she just had to get her head back on straight and go tell her best friend she was dating the new guy in class. Yeah, that was all she needed to focus on tonight. Not any of that other stuff…no matter how sweet those thoughts were…

---

Videl settled into bed, shaking her head and letting her slightly damp hair fall listlessly against her. She was wrapped in her favorite bathrobe – relishing the warmth more than usual after the icy finale to her shower – and leaning against several pillows. Her bed was large, far larger than she needed, but Papa had insisted she have the biggest, most comfortable bed he could imagine for her. And honestly, she did really enjoy it. Second to the shower, it was her favorite amenity. There were so many pillows and stuffed animals. She could burrow up with any number of them and be comfortable and secluded all through the night. Not that she'd ever admit to anyone she had stuffed animals, except Erasa. And probably Gohan later…definitely Gohan later.

She took a breath and readied herself. Erasa was excitable on a bad day and Videl could only imagine the uncharted levels of zeal she might reach tonight when she learned the big news. It would be okay though. Honestly, Videl was looking forward to sharing her happiness with the two people that had been by her side for years now. Sharpner would find out tomorrow at school though. That wasn't something she wanted to worry about just yet.

She pressed the little video icon next to Erasa's name and waited as the call rang. After a few moments, the familiar face of her best friend popped up before her, a cheery smile directed right at her.

"Vi! Oh my god, I missed you so much! How are you?"

Videl smiled widely. It really had been a long time, especially given all that happened recently. "Hey 'Rase! I'm great! I missed you too, it feels like it's been months doesn't it?"

"It really does! You were gone getting ready for the tournament and then everything with that Majin Buu monster happened! It was terrifying!"

"It really was, yeah. The last few days have been a lot." Videl nodded at her, trying to shut the memories of being killed by a large pink monster from her mind. Though she didn't think she'd ever forget the feeling of being turned to chocolate and eaten…

"But hey, that's not why you wanted to call tonight at all! You said in your text you had something to tell me, right?" Videl closed her eyes, steeling herself. It was so like Erasa to cut right to the chase. No warmup or small talk to let her get her bearings.

"Y-yeah, I did. Um, I wanted to tell you something first before anyone else found out," she admitted, her confidence completely melting under the blonde's curious gaze.

"Oh? Sounds like something big. Is it good news or bad? Please at least tell me that much, otherwise I won't be able to take the suspense while you work up the nerve to say it." She smiled and winked good-naturedly as she teased Videl, but there was just a small amount of truth to it as well. They'd been through this before.

"That's not how it always is 'Rase! I tell you things!"

"Yeah, sure, after about fifteen minutes of pulling teeth to get some answers out of you!"

"I'm not that bad! …am I?"

Erasa laughed lightly. "I'm exaggerating a bit Vi, don't worry so much. But I really am curious what's so important that it couldn't wait till school tomorrow."

"Um…you'll understand. It's good news. Great news, actually. Maybe the best." Her voice had softened considerably as she said those words and that fact was not lost on her friend. She'd known Videl since they were in elementary school after all. It would be criminal if she didn't know how to read her emotions by now, no matter how guarded she was.

"Oh my god, this is big! No, this is huge! Nothing makes you react that way! Who is it?"

"W-what makes you think it's a who and not a what?" Videl reacted defensively, even though it only served to blow what little cover she still had. Erasa would see through that lousy deflection like a freshly cleaned window.

"Okay, so it's a who."

'Well, can't say that was unexpected…'

Erasa continued quickly before Videl found her voice. "So, this concerns a person who is the reason you have the best news to tell me…" she paused as she considered the options in front of her. Videl interjected before she could go too far down the rabbit hole without her.

"'Rase, I'll just tell you."

"Really? You can manage that?"

"Very funny. Like I said, I've told you things before!"

"I know, I'm just teasing you Vi. Come on then, out with it! The suspense is killing me!"

Videl took a steadying breath. It wasn't anything she was embarrassed or ashamed of. She was just dreading Erasa's overwhelming excitement. She hated to be the center of attention when it came to anything outside of fighting, especially things like dating and romance. But…a small part of her really was looking forward to telling her closest friend so she could share in the excitement and joy Videl had felt for days now.

"Uh…well…okay! Here goes! Gohan and I are dating! We have been since Friday! And we had our first date today and I wanted you to hear it from me first instead of finding out at school tomorrow! There!"

Videl could see her own face redden considerably on the miniature feed of her camera. She couldn't help it. Talking about her love life wasn't something she did, not that she'd ever had one to discuss before. But it still made her feel terribly awkward. And one look at the blonde girl almost caused her to throw her phone in embarrassment.

Erasa's eyes were huge, large as saucers and shining, and her smile was extremely wide; Videl couldn't recall a time that she had ever seen her happier. The blonde girl suddenly looked around and seized a nearby pillow, burying her face in it and squealing loudly. Videl didn't know how to react. She just grimaced and allowed her to let her happiness loose. It wasn't every day they talked about this kind of thing, after all.

After almost thirty seconds of Erasa squealing and kicking her feet in excitement, she removed the pillow from her face. Her hair was askew and her cheeks red from the display, but she didn't seem to care. She took a quick breath and was back on the attack. She had to know more.

"Spill the details! What happened? I thought you might be a little more interested in him than you let on," she sang, winking and grinning as Videl blushed even harder.

"'Rase, please don't tease me. I'm so embarrassed right now."

"Why? I think the two of you are perfect together! I've thought that for weeks now!"

Videl watched her closely but didn't detect any dishonesty. She wasn't just trying to reassure or placate her. "Really?" she finally managed, rolling her eyes inwardly at her inability to form thoughts.

"Really! You've always had your eye on him in class, even if it only started because you were, like, suspicious of him or whatever. Besides, he's smart and sweet and respectful and dear lord is he attractive!"

Videl felt her embarrassment skyrocket but also felt another emotion…the tiniest little pang of jealousy. She knew this was just how Erasa was. It didn't mean anything but it still made her a bit upset to hear someone else talk about her Gohan that way. She tried to bite the feeling back and hide it from her face but wasn't fast enough to keep Erasa from noticing.

"Sorry! I'm sorry! I shouldn't talk that way about him when he's not single anymore, I promise I didn't mean anything by it. I know he's spoken for! By my best friend!" She grabbed her pillow and squealed into it again.

Videl finally managed to smile at her enthusiasm. Why was she so skittish right now? Sure, the attention was a lot to take in, but it wasn't negative attention. If she could trust anyone with this who would be unequivocally happy for her, it was Erasa.

"I think 'embarrassed' is the wrong word. I just get really shy and self-conscious when we talk about this stuff," she admittedly softly. Erasa brushed her hair out of her face and smiled much more gently than she had so far.

"I know Vi. You've never been that comfortable letting people into your personal life. So take your time and gather all your thoughts and stuff as we talk. Because you have to tell me about your date today!"

Videl finally managed a genuine laugh. "I'll tell you, I promise. That's why I called after all! And uh…I'm sorry about before. I got all possessive and I'm sorry if I made you feel bad."

Erasa shook her head hurriedly. "No, no, you didn't at all! I'm the one who should be sorry. I know my Vi is the jealous type," she teased again, winking playfully. Videl pouted but couldn't keep the joy out of her eyes. It had been a long time since they'd just had a nice chat like this.

The blonde continued before Videl could speak again, her gaze turning more serious. "Hey, really though. I'd never do anything to hurt you or betray you, you know that. You're my best friend and I'll support you in everything, especially your love life. So if I ever make you feel jealous or sad or angry, please, please, please tell me."

Videl gave her a soft smile. "I know 'Rase, I trust you and I'd never think badly of you. It was the same kind of thing you say at school but I got defensive about it this time. I know you didn't mean anything by it. But I do promise I'll be open with you about everything."

"Thanks. Now! Story time! Tell me about this date!" Videl could only laugh at Erasa's exuberance. She really was impatient when it came to news like this. This time, though, Videl was actually pretty happy to oblige. Even though she was still a bit red, she was excited to share her date with someone who would freak out the way she had.

"Okay, well, first he came over and picked me up in the morning." Before she could say even one more word, Erasa had interrupted.

"Wait, I didn't even think about this! Is your dad okay with everything? He always said he wouldn't let anyone date you unless they were stronger than him!"

"Papa's okay with Gohan! In fact, he likes him a lot!"

"Wow! That's so great! Does that mean Gohan can beat your dad in a fight?" Erasa eyed her slyly, grinning and laughing as Videl rolled her eyes.

"They didn't fight 'Rase."

"But he could go toe to toe with your dad, couldn't he? He is the Great Saiyaman and the Gold Fighter after all!"

Videl's eyes widened. She'd completely forgotten that Erasa and Sharpner had been at the tournament the other day, along with their other classmate Clip. She suddenly felt very nervous. All Gohan had ever wanted was a calm, normal school life. It was basically her fault if that blew up in his face now. She would never tell anyone the things she had learned, but if those three knew his biggest secrets already, would they accidentally expose him to the whole school?

"Um, 'Rase?"

"What is it? You okay?"

"Can I beg you as your best friend not to repeat that to anyone else? I'll try to convince Sharpner and Clip too, but it would destroy any shot at a normal school life Gohan has if it got out. Please Erasa." The blonde girl's eyes widened; Videl so rarely used her full name. The only time she ever did was when she was extremely distressed.

"Relax Vi," she began, settling back into a calm expression. "I already asked Clip and Sharpie to keep it to themselves. After what we saw at the tournament and with Majin Buu, it's clear that there's a lot we don't understand going on in the world. But we all like Gohan and we don't want to ruin his life. And he obviously has a good reason for keeping his abilities a secret, so it wouldn't be right for us to share that with anyone else when he tried so hard to hide it."

A sensation of calmness and relaxation washed over Videl so quickly it made her a bit lightheaded; she hadn't realized how tense she'd become over the course of the last few moments. Breathing a deep sigh of relief, she offered what she hoped was a warm smile as she refocused her eyes.

"Thank you 'Rase, you're the best. I'll thank the guys tomorrow too."

"It's nothing! He's been our friend for a while now and I'd like to keep it that way! Sharpner would too, though he'll never admit it."

"Seriously, thank you so much."

"It's really no big deal Vi! I do have questions I'd love to ask him sometime if he's okay answering them, but that can wait till another day. For now," she sang, narrowing her eyes and staring hard at Videl, "it's time to hear more about this date!"

The raven-haired girl could only laugh as the last of the tension diffused entirely. They had gotten a little off topic. "Okay, I'll keep going. After he picked me up, we flew out to his home on Mt. Paozu." That was as far as she managed before Erasa interrupted again.

"Wait, when you say fly, do you mean in your jet? Or did you…you know, take off into the sky like the two of you did at the tournament?" Videl grimaced at the question. She'd forgotten they did that in front of everyone, too. Nobody had known she could fly prior to the tournament.

"Um…we flew through the sky, yeah…"

"How!? How can you do that now? You couldn't do that before you left to get ready for the tournament could you?"

"N-no, I couldn't."

Erasa's eyes narrowed again and a smug grin stole her face. "Gohan taught you, didn't he?" Videl could do nothing to suppress the redness in her cheeks.

"Uh, yeah, he…he did. Just before the tournament."

"Ooh, so you had a little one-on-one time with him then?"

Her face was burning scarlet now. "N-no! Nothing like that! It wasn't that way at all! He taught his little brother at the same time, remember the kid that fought in the junior finals?"

"Nah, I wasn't there for that part," she mentioned casually, waving off Videl's deflection. "So there weren't any secret longing glances at him, or maybe a stolen kiss thirty feet off the ground?" She batted her eyes deliberately, grinning like a devil all the while.

"Come on 'Rase…"

"You know…your hair wasn't this short either before you left. Did you cut it for the tournament…or did you cut it because Gohan said he liked short hair?"

"'Rase! I will hang up this phone and not tell you a thing about my date today!" Videl was pouting to cover up the fact that if her face got any redder she just might pass out from heatstroke. Erasa giggled again, delighted with herself, before finally sighing and calming down.

"Okay, okay, sorry Vi. You're just too much fun to tease! I'm really sorry, I won't push you too far again…tonight," she added under her breath.

"I heard that!" Erasa just stuck out her tongue and winked. Videl huffed and continued quickly.

"I'm just gonna keep talking so you don't have time to tease me anymore. You better listen if you want the details because I'm not repeating myself!"

"Oh come on, I was just messing with you! Don't be mad!" Videl kept up her exaggerated pout for a few seconds more before finally letting it fall away. She was still in much too good a mood from her date earlier to keep up the charade of being upset with Erasa. Besides, it was the first time they'd really be able to go all out on relationship talk.

"Oh all right, I forgive you," she conceded, laughing lightly. Erasa grinned widely before snuggling with her pillow and waiting with bated breath for the story to continue.

"So, after we got there, he took me on a beautiful walk around the mountain. It's so gorgeous and untouched by humans, nothing at all like I've ever seen. He showed me all the spots he explored growing up."

"That sounds nice!"

"It was! And then…we had a picnic by the most beautiful lake I've ever seen in my whole life." Videl was rapidly forgetting she was recounting her date to Erasa. She was just sort of reliving it out loud, her eyes growing starry as she remembered the details of the day.

"Oh my god, that is so romantic! Did he kiss you by the lake?" Another terrible blush sprung to life on her cheeks.

"N-no. He didn't kiss me then…"

"Then!?" Erasa squeaked. "Then when did he kiss you?"

Videl averted her eyes. "Just before we said goodnight…"

Erasa kicked her feet excitedly again, using her favorite pillow to muffle her squealing once more. Videl smiled sheepishly, still avoiding eye contact.

"Oh Vi! I'm so happy for you! Your first date and your first kiss!"

"Uh…that wasn't my first kiss, actually…"

"What!? Well when was it?"

"The…the other day…when we started officially dating."

"He kissed you that early?"

"No! Gohan is so sweet and respectful of me, he'd never have been so forward the day we started dating." Erasa considered her words for a moment before prying deeper.

"So…what happened?"

"I kissed him…"

Erasa opened and closed her mouth like a fish for a few moments. Shaking her head vigorously, she finally found words to respond with. "You…you kissed him first?"

"Is that so hard to believe?" she asked, a little confused.

"Well…not really, it's just…you've never cared about dating at all. I'm just surprised you made the first move. I figured he'd been pursuing you since before the tournament and you finally caved."

"That makes me sound so cold," Videl grumbled, pouting again.

"I know you're not cold Vi! It's just, you know, I've watched you reject every guy that's ever so much as looked at you since middle school. I'm happy you're dating Gohan, really!"

"For what it's worth, it was kind of a mutual thing, us getting together" she explained, still red-faced but relaxing more the longer she spoke openly with her best friend. There was a reason they'd stayed close all these years.

"Go on!" Erasa was excited again and Videl couldn't help but laugh a little, albeit awkwardly.

"After everything that happened with the tournament and Majin Buu, when we were finally reunited…it all just came pouring out of my mouth. I confessed that I love him right to his face and then I kissed him," she admitted, delighting in Erasa's shocked look. "And he did the same a little later. After he told me he felt the same way, he asked if he could kiss me, so it's not like he didn't do it at all. He just didn't try it first. I bet he only asked because I'd already kissed him."

Erasa eyed her suspiciously. "How many times have you kissed him?" This time Videl couldn't keep her face from flushing scarlet again.

"That's not important…"

"Vi…"

"A couple times…okay, fine, a lot…"

Erasa squealed again and smiled the biggest smile Videl had ever seen her wear. "I'm so happy! Oh, that's so sweet! Ugh, my heart! Tell me more! Tell me more!"

"Okay, okay," Videl managed between bouts of laughter. Her embarrassment really did start to diminish when she just focused on chatting with Erasa. "He made my favorite salad for lunch because he remembered that random conversation the four of us had in class back in April," she started.

"I don't even remember having a conversation like that. He's a keeper!"

"I know he is. Then we sat by the lake for a long time and-"

"Just sat by the lake?" Erasa's suspicious gaze tore down her defenses easily.

"…okay, we cuddled by the lake." Another squeal accented Videl's story.

"I cannot wait to see the two of you together, I'm gonna die from how cute you are!"

Videl smiled gently. "Well it won't be a secret for long. I'm not hiding anything at school." Erasa nodded eagerly.

"Please don't! I have to see this!"

"Just don't embarrass us too much, okay?"

"No promises! But I'll try!" Videl knew that was as good as she was going to get. Erasa spoke hurriedly before they could get off topic again.

"So, what else happened? There's more, right?"

Videl couldn't help but grin widely at her friend's excitement; it really was contagious. And the longer she spoke about her date that day, the more relaxed she felt. Her shoulders weren't so tense anymore and though she blushed every few sentences, she found she could keep talking more openly as time went on. If this was the 'girl talk' Erasa had claimed she was missing out on for the last several years, she might be able to get used to it. It was nice, something she'd never really experienced before.

And it was probably something that was going to keep the two of them up way too late tonight.

---

Videl found herself in a familiar place, the meticulously prepared ring of the Tenkaichi Budōkai. The stands were packed, the sky was clear, the day was perfect for fighting. And for winning. It was just another tournament, nothing special about it. She would come out on top, simple as that.

The air around her stilled as she stepped into the arena. A familiar tension wound up inside her as she lowered herself into a fighting stance. She bounced nimbly from foot to foot, making sure her body was feeling light. Her entire fighting style was based around using the opponent's strength against them, so she'd need to be ready to evade and turn the tables at a moment's notice.

She was ready. Excited, even. The crowd was absolutely silent as she prepared to face her challenger. But her excitement shattered as the sky darkened and her opponent descended into the ring from above.

A hulking man landed opposite her, muscles bulging grotesquely under his black bodysuit. His veins throbbed against his bald head as if they might burst from his scalp. A demented grin twisted his face, the wicked look shining through to his black eyes, eyes that dilated at the sight of his next victim. The 'M' on his forehead lifted as his unsettling smile widened.

Within moments, the entire crowd was chanting in unison. "Spo-po-vich! Spo-po-vich! Spo-po-vich!"

Why? Why were they cheering for him? She was the World Champion's daughter! Why would the entire crowd be against her? Maybe they knew she didn't stand a chance. Maybe they remembered the way he'd beaten her so badly the first time…

"You again?" was all he spat in her direction, waving at the crowd with arms the size of tree trunks. She felt her eyes narrow and a hot wave of shame pool in her stomach, ripping through her entire body moments later as she remembered her failure against him.

"I'll never give up! I'm not going to lose to you this time!"

But the fight was a blur. Videl could barely understand what was happening. The deafening crowd distracted her as they cheered unilaterally for her defeat. Try as she might, she couldn't win the upper hand. He batted her across the ring several times before seizing her in that familiar, nauseating grip. The cinder blocks that were his fists collided with her body again and again, agony ripping through her small frame. Nobody seemed to care. The crowd sided with him completely as he tortured her in the middle of the ring again. Even the announcer cheered for him over the microphone.

He slammed her hard to the ground and she felt the familiar weight of a semi-truck as he stamped her head into the arena's floor again. She tried to scream, tried to beg and plead, but no sound escaped her lips. This wasn't a fight she wanted to win anymore. She just wanted it to stop. She couldn't understand how he hadn't caved her skull in yet. If he did, at least the misery would end. She'd died once before; it wasn't so bad.

"Get off of her!"

A loud, strong voice erupted through the arena, drowning out the crowd and silencing every voice at once. A moment later, Videl blessedly felt that crushing weight leave her head. She struggled to open her eyes between bouts of blinding pain but still managed to catch a glimpse of Spopovich crashing to the floor, clutching his jaw.

A figure leaned over and lifted her into his arms, holding her close. Her vision was blurry but she didn't need her eyes to know who had saved her. He placed a familiar green bean on her tongue.

"Eat this, 'Del. It'll heal you." She nodded, knowing he was telling her the truth. Her Gohan would never lie to her.

She chewed and swallowed, and her body was mended in moments. The agony that had taken up residence in her joints, her bones, her skin, her very soul, all evaporated instantaneously. She sat up and her eyes fell upon Son Gohan, her very own superhero, clad in his black and green Saiyaman suit. He rose to his full height, placing his body in front of her like a shield. His handsome face was set in anger, hair flashing gold.

Spopovich managed to stagger to his feet again and stared down Gohan. "I don't care about her, she's just a plaything! I only need your energy!" He pulled a large basin-like object from nowhere, pointing the long needle at her savior.

"Not this time," Gohan intoned, darkness lacing his voice. His anger exploded and, seconds later, his transformation was complete. Deep golden hair and turquoise eyes were surrounded by an aura surging with rage.

Without so much as another word, Gohan aimed his hand at Spopovich and launched a vicious attack at him, the strength of the ki blast he fired enough to blow Videl's hair back from her face. There was a loud scream and then utter silence. The audience looked on in terror as blackened bits rained from the sky and spattered to the ground. Gohan had annihilated him where he stood.

"You'll never hurt my Videl like that ever again."

"Gohan," she cried out, leaping to her feet and running to him. He caught her and held her tight. Everything was okay now. Here, in his arms, she was safe.

The crowd suddenly began to mutter and gasp. Turning her head, Videl discovered something horrifying. The charred black bits had softened and turned pink, starting to crawl like worms back towards the center of the ring.

Gohan pushed her behind him quickly. "Stay back Videl, I'll protect you this time, no matter what!"

Slowly but surely, the pink worms rolled into a giant blob before starting to take form. A massive, bloated body. White pants with yellow boots and gloves. A black vest and purple cape. Videl looked on in terror as Majin Buu fully materialized before her eyes.

"It's okay, I'm stronger than him now," Gohan reassured her. But Buu spoke loudly from across the ring, his sickening voice sending horrified shivers down Videl's spine.

"You no stronger than Buu! You so weak, Buu won't even eat you! Buu just kill you!"

The monster rocketed forward and delivered a blistering punch to Gohan's stomach before seizing him by the neck. Videl shrieked and tried to close the distance between them, but no matter how quickly she ran, the arena seemed to stretch on and on, keeping her away. Gohan struggled against Buu's grip, trying to pull his arm away, but he couldn't manage it.

"Gohan! Gohan! Please no!"

Her words didn't reach him. With an evil grin, Buu opened his eyes and glowered triumphantly at the young Saiyan. He drew back his fist as if in slow motion and let fly an impossibly powerful punch, one that obliterated Gohan's head in a cloud of red.

Videl screamed like she'd never screamed before, shrill and desperate and broken. She was faintly aware that she was sobbing amidst her anguished wailings. Buu had killed Gohan. He had killed her Gohan just like she had been terrified he would. The monster that everyone had forgiven had killed the man she loved with all her heart.

The crowd began to chant again, drowning out her miserable noises. "Ma-jin Buu! Ma-jin Buu! Ma-jin Buu!" The beast raised his hands in victory, dropping Gohan's body to the ground.

Videl's throat was raw, her voice a ghost of what it was before, but she couldn't stop her sobs and shrieks. She sprinted with all her might, trying to reach Gohan, to do anything for him, but the ring continued to stretch out before her no matter how fast she ran. She tripped and fell hard on the floor, pounding it with her fist.

It wasn't fair! Why? Why had they all forgiven that monster? Why did they all support him when he had just killed Gohan?

It wasn't fair…it wasn't fair…it wasn't fair…

---

Videl woke suddenly as a terrified scream escaped her throat and pierced the night, shooting upwards into a sitting position. She was trembling badly, tears streaming down her face. Her body was covered in sweat, her usual sleeping shirt sticking to her uncomfortably. Running her hand through her hair, she found that it, too, was considerably dampened. Even her breathing was fast and ragged, as if she'd really been sprinting to get to Gohan. Her eyes darted around in the dark. Where was he?

She needed him. She needed him to hold her. She needed to know he was alive. Hurriedly finding the clock, she was dismayed to see it was only 5:00am. It was so early. She couldn't call his house at this time of morning; the sun hadn't even started to rise yet and she was sure his family was still asleep.

Glancing around timidly, her eyes made out the form of her favorite stuffed bear, Kuma-kun. He was from a childish little show on television by the same name. Of course, she didn't watch it now, but she had loved it when she was little and Mama had brought her the giant stuffed animal after school one day. Videl had cherished it ever since. And right now, with her emotions seconds from overwhelming her, she just needed something to hold.

Seizing the bear, Videl squeezed it tight and wept into it, hugging it like she'd hugged Gohan on the Lookout the day they'd reunited. 'He's okay. You know he's okay. He has to be okay.'

She shuddered and let herself cry with abandon, trying to force the feelings out of her mind and body. She knew he was okay. He really was stronger than Majin Buu now. And Papa trusted Buu, too. He wouldn't betray that trust…right?

Moments passed, then minutes, and finally, Videl felt herself calming slightly. Drawing back from Kuma-kun as she sniffed and wiped her eyes, she assessed the damage. His shoulder was soaked but with a little time he would dry out again. He'd be just fine. Videl took a deep, steadying breath and tried to center herself. She'd be just fine too…

Jumping out of bed, she went to turn on the shower. She was dripping with sweat and there was absolutely no chance she'd fall back to sleep at this point. She might as well get an early start on the day. Hopefully the hours would pass quickly and she could be in Gohan's arms again, just to make sure he really was okay…

---

Gohan landed gently before the Satan Mansion as he had so many times in the last few days. The enormous grin on his face hadn't faltered all morning; he was so excited to see Videl again, to share a normal day with her. Sure, they were just going back to school, but being next to the girl he loved made it seem so much more appealing than it had been even before.

He reached the top of the porch and pressed the doorbell, fighting the urge to fidget with his clothing. It had been weeks since he'd just enjoyed a calm day of school and the white long-sleeve, black vest, and orange pants felt a little foreign to him again.

When finally the door opened, it was Videl that smiled at him. She was wearing her usual school outfit as well, her long white t-shirt and black cycling shorts also feeling different to him. He had never seen her wear this outfit with short hair, after all. But he has to admit, she did look extremely cute...

She quickly stepped across the threshold and hugged him around the waist, nestling against him. Gohan sighed contentedly at her affection and drew her in tight, kissing the top of her head lightly.

"Good morning 'Del," he whispered, trying to preserve the calm air.

"Good morning," she returned, so quiet he almost missed it. She held him a little tighter and it made him feel like the luckiest guy on Earth.

"Did you sleep okay last night?" This time there was no answer. That was odd; Videl wasn't usually this quiet.

He felt her squeeze much more noticeably as she shook her head the tiniest bit. Her hold on him felt the same as it had back on the Lookout the other day, like she was scared he'd disappear again.

"What's wrong 'Del, are you okay?" he asked as gently as he could. She had started lightly trembling in his arms now. What had happened to her since last night?

Videl remained silent but held him tighter still. He kissed the top of her head again and rubbed her back as she started crying, feeling a light damp spot forming where her eyes met his shirt. It wasn't the full on sobbing she'd been overcome by the other day, but she was obviously upset. Gohan didn't know what was wrong exactly, but it was rare to see her like this.

"Did something happen? Did Buu hurt someone?" he asked, suddenly worried. He focused his ki to search for the others that should be in the house, but Videl quickly shook her head against his chest: 'no.'

"Good," he sighed, the tension releasing from his body. "That's good. Just stay right here with me, I've got you."

He held her for several minutes. She wasn't saying anything at all; whatever had happened was badly affecting her. He had felt this way before. Going to bed fine but waking up tremendously upset. It hasn't happened in years for him, but what if she was having them now…? The nightmares…

"Hey 'Del? Can I ask you something?"

She nodded against him.

"Did you have a bad dream last night? About all the stuff we've been through lately?"

Another nod, smaller this time.

"I won't ask about it. I used to have them too, I know it's really hard to talk about."

Videl finally looked up. Her cerulean eyes were glassy and slightly swollen, like she'd been crying all morning. "You…you've had nightmares like that too?"

Gohan nodded. "Yeah, just after Cell. I kept reliving my dad's last moments over and over in my dreams. Sometimes they were worse than what really happened. I don't even know if 'nightmare' is a strong enough word. 'Night terror' might be more accurate."

Videl reached up to wipe the water from her eyelashes, but Gohan beat her to it, the back of his index finger delicately brushing against her cheek, grazing her lashes softly.

"I'm sorry. I thought I'd gotten over it in the last few hours. But when you held me like that, it all came back to me at once…it was the worst thing I've ever seen Gohan…"

"It's okay 'Del. None of it was real, I'm right here and you're safe."

"I'm…I'll be okay…"

"I'll never ask you to repeat what you see in those nightmares. But please know that if you ever want to talk about it, I'm always here for you. I'll do anything I can to help you through it."

"I know Gohan. Thank you. Thank you so much. I'm really sorry about all this…"

"Don't be. You're not alone, not ever again. I swear." He tried his best to reassure her. It seemed to be working slightly.

Videl sniffed and gazed longingly up at him. "Hold me just a little longer please? We still have a bit till we have to leave for school. And we could just fly if we were really running late."

"I'd hold you forever if I could. Come on, let's sit down," he offered. Guiding her gently, Gohan sat with her on the steps, wrapping his arms around her as she held him close, resting her head against his chest.

"How long have you been up today?" he asked softly.

"Since 5:00am," she managed, a tinge of frustration in her voice.

"I'm so sorry. I wouldn't wish those nightmares on anyone, especially not you…"

"I relived my fight with Spopovich," she said suddenly. A deep hatred welled in Gohan's heart at the name and he held her tighter on instinct, wishing he could go back in time and protect her. He wanted to do so much worse to that monster than Babidi had done to him. But he was gone and Videl was okay. That was enough now. Videl's reluctant voice brought him back to reality.

"But that wasn't the worst part. You came and saved me. You blew him up," she whispered.

'At least the me in her dreams got it right. I should have done something at the tournament…'

"But then he reformed as Majin Buu and he…he…" Videl's words were lost as fresh tears cascaded from her eyes. Gohan turned his body and pulled her against his chest. "He killed you Gohan…I saw it happen with my own eyes. I couldn't stop it; I couldn't get to you. All I could do was watch you die…"

He held her close, nuzzling her. It was just like when Dad had died. He relived that awful moment time and time again, almost every night. Poor Videl was seeing her worst fears come true in her mind.

"Hey, I'm right here. It's okay, I'm right here for you."

"I know. Thank you, Gohan."

"It'll be okay, I promise. You won't have these nightmares forever. And I'll be here for you every step of the way. Videl, if you ever wake up and you're this upset, you can always fly out to the mountain. Or call me and I'll fly out here to you. I don't care what time it is; even if it's 5:00am, if you call, I'll answer. And if you need me, I'll be here."

Videl sniffed and wiped her eyes on her sleeve. "Really?"

"Really You never even have to ask."

"I love you," she managed before leaning into him again. There was less desperation in her grip this time though.

"And I love you Videl," he whispered to her, placing a comforting hand against the back of her head and stroking her hair. She was strong; she'd be okay. But dealing with the trauma of Cell had been difficult for him and he was used to the kinds of situations she was reliving. He just hoped Videl would be able to work through it at her own pace. He'd support her all the way.

---

By the time Gohan and Videl arrived at school, she was mostly back to her normal self. He had been worried she'd be too rattled from her nightmare to bounce back before class, but to his delight, some relaxed conversation and hand holding on the walk to Orange Star High School had seemed to help her recenter. The last several minutes, they'd been smiling and laughing together just like they had the day before.

"Hey, are my eyes red?" Videl asked suddenly from his side. He studied her beautiful face, paying special attention to the sapphires that gazed upon him.

"A little bit, yeah. They're not as puffy anymore though, it looks like your eyes are just dry or irritated."

Videl nodded. "If anyone asks I'll just say I didn't sleep much last night. I guess that's the truth," she admitted, laughing derisively. Gohan chuckled, thrilled she was in better spirits again.

As they approached the main entrance, Videl stepped closer to him and clung to his arm, leaning her head on his shoulder. He couldn't fight down the blush that captured his face. She'd held his arm like this before, but never in front of others really, and certainly not their classmates.

"Uh, Videl, do you really want to walk in this way…?" She laughed lightly at how bashful he sounded.

"I told you we were gonna make a statement today! Unless you don't want to…are you embarrassed of me Gohan…?" She looked down and her voice shrunk. Immediately, he panicked.

"No, not at all! I'm so proud to call you my girlfriend! I was just…wondering if you'd get too much negative attention for being with the weird new kid, that's all."

Videl turned her head up at him wearing a playful grin, a familiar twinkle in her eyes. "I know you're not embarrassed, I was just teasing you," she sang. Gohan tried to feign a look of indignation but couldn't help but break into laughter when he saw her triumphant grin.

"Okay, okay, I'm no match for you, you win! But really, you're okay being the subject of every rumor in school for a while?"

Videl smiled morphed, serene and relaxed now. "I don't care if I am. I'm not going to pretend I don't love you for seven hours a day. Besides, I told 'Rase last night and if you think she won't spread it all over the school by the end of the day, you're dead wrong." Another genuine laugh escaped Gohan's lips.

"That's a good point. Well then, I guess we'd better get to class huh? We've got some heads to turn!"

The couple entered the main hallway of their familiar high school, fingers interlinked as Videl held Gohan's arm and leaned deliberately into him. This was a place they hadn't spent time together since before the tournament, but it still felt comfortable and inviting. And even better now that they were sharing it like this.

As they walked through the school, hushed whispers followed them. A few guys hit their friends to get them to turn around. A couple girls pointed and huddled together in excitement. Gohan felt awkward. He didn't really like being the center of attention like this, but it made Videl happy and that was more than enough for him. And besides, it made him happy too that she wanted to be so obvious about dating him, especially at school. Very happy, he had to admit.

"Shall we?" she asked as they stopped in front of their classroom door. Gohan fought down a blush before nodding a bit. Videl laughed lightly next to him.

"Relax Darling, I could cut the tension in the air around you with a knife," she teased. When she had called him 'Darling' yesterday, he'd felt delightfully embarrassed and his face had reddened immediately. Today, though, it was a really comforting thing to hear. She was even willing to call him a sweet nickname in public? That was enough to finally get him to relax a little.

"You're right, I'm just a little nervous, sorry 'Del. I'm good now!" She leaned up and kissed him quickly on the cheek before opening the door, the two walking in together.

The idle chatter in the lecture-hall-styled classroom became muted immediately as everyone glanced towards the door to see who had come in. Several students nudged their friends, whispering furtively as their eyes fell on the aloof and unapproachable Videl happily holding hands and leaning against the arm of the awkward yet amiable transfer student, Son Gohan.

"I was right! You're so adorable together!" came a familiar voice from deeper into the room. Gohan's eyes darted upwards and fell on Erasa, her usual strapless green top tucked into stylish purple jeans. She was all but jumping up and down in her seat from excitement as she stared at them with wide eyes.

"Good morning Erasa," he offered, happy to see one of his few school friends again after so many weeks.

"Good morning handso- Gohan! Good morning, Gohan!" she managed, laughing a bit awkwardly. If he didn't know any better, he'd swear he felt a strange aura of warning emanating from Videl just then. It was probably nothing. He still barely understood women as it was and he wasn't just about to attempt analyzing what had just happened.

They reached their seats and noticed that Erasa had moved an extra chair over so she would be next to Sharpner, leaving the two on the end empty. Gohan couldn't help but smile.

"Thanks," he offered quietly. She just grinned and shook her head.

"No need to thank me! Seeing the two of you be so adorable together is thanks enough!"

Gohan moved to sit down at his usual spot on the end but felt Videl's small hands pushing him towards Erasa. "Why don't you sit next to 'Rase today?"

"Huh? Uh, sure, but why?"

"I chatted with her for hours last night, you haven't seen her in weeks, have you?"

"I guess that's true. Okay," he conceded, still a bit confused. He was friends with Sharpner and Erasa but not the way Videl was. Maybe she was trying to give him a chance to be closer with them. Whatever the reason, he sat down next to the blonde and unpacked his things for the day. It wasn't until he felt Videl's warm hand gently take his under the long desk they sat at that he understood her motivation.

She was left-handed after all, or at least she wrote with her left, so she had pushed him to the inside so they could hold hands all day and still take notes. Gohan couldn't help but smile, glancing at her warmly.

"I figured this way we get the best of both worlds," she whispered, a shy smile on her lips. He squeezed her hand gently and ran his thumb along her own.

"This is perfect."

"Yo, the conquering heroes return at last huh?"

A confident voice rang out across the room, earning Gohan's attention. Sharpner had just arrived, his usual baseball cap sitting atop his long bleach-blond hair, purple tank-top clinging to his muscles. Gohan waved at him and was surprised that he got a response. Well, it was mostly just a flick of his wrist, but that was more than he used to get.

"Morning Sharpie," Erasa sang as he approached the desk. His eyes took in the seating arrangements with a bit of confusion.

"Morning E. What's with the seat changes?"

"Oh? You don't know?" Her eyes glimmered with excitement.

"Know? Know what?"

"Gohan and I are dating," Videl told him directly. Gohan sighed lightly. She never was one for subtlety. Sharpner would likely have the worst reaction out of anyone but hopefully they'd be able to move past it with a little time.

"Yeah, yeah, good joke," he snarked, rolling his eyes exaggeratedly and grinning.

"No really, it's not a joke," she insisted, scooting closer to Gohan and leaning against his arm. He still didn't seem willing to accept it, laughing lightly.

"Isn't that taking things a little far Videl? Come on now."

"She isn't joking Sharpie! Really!" Erasa insisted giddily. The boxer's eyes narrowed at her.

"You too, E? Look, I know I probably deserve a practical joke from you two once in a while, but now you're dragging the new guy into it? You're gonna make Gohan uncomfortable. Right?" Sharpner locked eyes with him, hoping that maybe he'd be able to set the girls straight.

Gohan, however, just rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand. "Uh, it's the truth Sharpner. Videl and I really are dating now." His face flushed as he spoke. That reaction was finally enough for reality to set in.

Sharpner's eyes grew huge, his mouth falling open in disbelief. He looked back and forth between the two of them but couldn't find anything to make him doubt them further. There was no smug grin, no hint of laughter, no deception at all. Finally, he managed to pull himself together.

"Wow, no…no kidding, huh? Well hey, congrats! Who'd have thought the transfer student would win the most unassailable heart in school." Videl stiffened at the comment, definitely unhappy to be described that way. She chose not to say anything about it though and Sharpner went to his seat on the opposite side of Erasa.

Gohan turned his attention to Videl but could pretty easily overhear the conversation that happened next to him. Even though Erasa was whispering quietly, his trained ears picked up each syllable with perfect clarity.

"You okay Sharpie? I know you kinda had a half-thing for Vi."

There was a long pause before Sharpner answered, his voice relaxed and casual. "Yeah, don't worry. Like you said, I was only half-serious anyway. Besides…she seems happy. I know when I'm beat."

Just then, their homeroom teacher entered, immediately calling for their attention and setting up for the lesson. It looked like things were finally going back to normal, whatever that really was. Gohan was pretty convinced though that if his new normal involved holding Videl's hand under the desk while they took notes on dry, standard school material, he would be perfectly happy to wake up each and every morning and spend it here with her.

---

After a long, uneventful morning, lunch time finally arrived. Videl smiled to herself; even the most boring subjects had been bearable today. Gohan's warm hand had held hers softly for hours now, only separating once in a rare while. She had felt butterflies in her stomach as he would stroke her fingers with his thumb or squeeze her hand with that gentle reassurance he always gave.

Soon their classmates began to disappear through the door, eager to get out of the room and enjoy some time to themselves. Gohan slowly pulled his hand back so he could collect his things, letting his fingers trail lightly across her palm as he went. Smiling serenely, she leaned close to Gohan's ear.

"Hey, could you take 'Rase and grab our usual spot for lunch? You know, the benches out by the baseball field?"

"Yeah, I remember having lunch with you guys there a time or two. I don't mind at all. What about you?" He kept his voice equally quiet, following her lead.

"I want to clear the air with Sharpner. I was pretty mean to him at the tournament and I feel bad about it. Maybe it's you rubbing off on me, but I want to be better to the people in my life that I care about." Gohan smiled at her.

"You're amazing 'Del. Of course, take all the time you need. We'll be waiting for both of you out by the field."

Videl smiled and pecked him on the cheek. "Love you Darling." Gohan blushed an attractive shade of red that reminded her of the flowers she'd seen on Mt. Paozu.

"Love you too," he whispered back, returning the gesture for the first time that day. His soft lips brushed across her cheek and she felt the same heat rise in her face. Her fingers moved unconsciously to the spot he had kissed and a giddy little smile stole her pink lips. Gohan squeezed her shoulder before rising to his feet.

"Hey Erasa, wanna come with me and grab a spot for lunch?" The blonde girl perked up immediately.

"Sure! I have some questions I'd love to ask you!"

"Easy 'Rase, try not to eat him alive before I get there," Videl laughed.

"No guarantees, you better hurry!" Her best friend winked at her before falling into step alongside Gohan. As they reached the door, she turned her attention to the only other person left in the room.

"Hey Sharpner, you got a minute before we head out too?"

"Sure Videl, what's going on?" he asked casually, moving his feet from their usual spot up on his desk back to the floor and facing her.

"I…I owe you an apology…"

"Wait, what? Am I about to hear something I never thought I'd hear in my life from the Videl?" She narrowed her eyes at him, folding her arms indignantly.

"I can just not say it instead." Sharpner's sly grin gave way to an apologetic smile.

"No, wait. I shouldn't be screwing around with you when you're trying to be real with me. Sorry about that, old habits. You know how it is." Videl laughed lightly, her expression softening.

"A bit too well, yeah."

"But what do you possibly have to apologize for?" he asked, clearly a bit confused.

"The other day at the tournament. I was a real jerk to you. I know we have a pretty aggressive friendship, but I was just being mean. I'm sorry."

She watched Sharpner closely for signs that he might make fun of her again, but there weren't any. If she didn't know any better, she'd say he was surprised to hear anything even remotely like an apology from her. Was she really that cold after all? Or maybe he was just surprised to hear her be so genuine when their friendship really was built off of busting the other's chops. He finally responded once he caught his bearings again.

"Hey, it's no big deal, seriously. I was being a jerk myself. And following you around like a creep. I'm sorry too."

"Why don't we both agree to just let bygones be bygones and go back to normal then?" she suggested, grinning lightly. He returned the gesture, grabbing his cap and tossing it on his head.

"Sounds great to me. If we didn't, I'd have no one to toss insults around with. E takes everything as flirting, it's way less fun to try to get under her skin. And Gohan's too innocent." Videl laughed, glad things were feeling normal with her friend again. They'd known each other a long time, after all. She didn't want their relationship to implode over one bad day. But there was something she had to make sure of first.

"Hey, speaking of flirting, can I ask…how much of that at the tournament was serious? I know you flirt with almost everyone for fun, me included, but…the flowers, the suit…it was all a little much, even for you." She wasn't interested in him romantically at all, but she hoped she hadn't completely shattered his heart without realizing it.

Sharpner chuckled, considered her for a moment. "You came straight out and apologized to me, so I'll be real with you too. I was probably like 40% serious. I just figured, why not, you know? Maybe if I gave it a real shot the Sharpner magic would charm you this time. But obviously your heart isn't mine to charm anymore, is it?"

"No, it's not," she agreed gently.

"If you're worried you broke my heart of something, don't be. My pride was a lot more hurt than my emotions that day anyway. I just hated to admit I'd lost at something, anything really. But I gotta say, if I had to lose to someone, I'm glad it's someone you look so happy with Videl."

Her eyes widened. "You could tell from the little you looked at us today?"

He laughed pretty loudly this time. "You don't even remember what you were like before the tournament, do you? You're so much softer with everyone and way happier now. I've never seen you smile this much in all the years I've known you!"

There was a time she would have resented his observations, but she couldn't bring herself to even feign a negative emotion this time. Her thoughts were interrupted as Sharpner spoke again.

"Hey, since we're being honest, I'd like to ask you just one question, if you're willing to answer me for old times' sake."

"Ask away."

"You really care about him, don't you? Gohan, I mean."

Videl felt her cheeks heat up as a tiny smile bloomed to life on her face. "Yeah, I do. I love him more than I can put into words."

Sharpner gave her an unusually soft smile and nodded. "Then you'll always have my full support and I'll never get in the way. I'm really happy for you Videl, both of you. Honestly, congratulations."

Videl was a little stunned; she wasn't used to him being to open with her. "T-thanks Sharpner. So…you're okay then? With me? And with Gohan?"

"Yeah, we're all good. No hard or hurt feelings. Actually, I might try to steal Gohan for a few minutes after lunch if you don't mind. I wanted to clear the air with him too. I've been kind of an ass to him since he transferred in."

"You haven't been that bad. But I'll let him know to hang around after we're done eating and I'll take care of 'Rase. After all, he did the same for me just now."

Sharpner seized his bag and started to approach her. "So that's what that was. I was a bit surprised they went off together and left you behind."

"I didn't think you'd want to do this in front of them. I didn't really either," she admitted, falling into step beside him and heading for the door. "And hey. Thanks for agreeing to keep Gohan's secrets," she added, a calmness in her voice. She knew for sure she could really trust him with that.

"Don't mention it, I'm not out to screw up his life any more than I already have."

"Still, it means a lot to us both. Thank you." A comfortable silence fell between them for a moment before Sharpner snorted suddenly.

"What is it?" she asked without thinking. If it were any other time she might've been aware of what she was walking into.

"Oh nothing. I was just remembering what a lovesick schoolgirl you looked like when I asked you if you cared about Gohan." He shot her a devilish grin, leaping out of the way as she took a quick swing at him.

"You're lucky I wasn't ready for that one," she warned, eyes narrow but a smile on her face.

"Hah! It wasn't luck at all Videl! You've gotten slow!"

"Oh, that's it, you're gonna wish I'd gotten slower. I'll even give you a five second head start before I run you down."

Sharpner laughed and kept walking but quickly realized Videl wasn't at his side anymore. Turning, he saw that she had a hand raised in the air, folding fingers down one by one. "Uh, what are you doing?"

"Counting to five. Better start running Sharpie," she shot at him, a wicked grin on her face. Sharpner's eyes widened when he realized there was only a small chance she was kidding. He fumbled his way out the door before breaking into a run. Seconds later, he heard her loud voice behind him, already in the hallway.

"Get back here! I'll show you who's slow!"

---

"Help man, your girlfriend's trying to kill me!" came a loud voice from nearby. Gohan turned to the left to see Sharpner running for his life as Videl chased him. He knew she wasn't trying that hard though; she would have caught him by now if she was. It was nice to see that they were still good friends and whatever conversation they'd had was a success.

The two skidded to a stop by the benches, Videl putting on a burst of speed right at the end to get there slightly ahead of him. "Tell me I'm slow again!" she laughed loudly, grinning triumphantly with her hands on her hips.

Sharpner was catching his breath still. "Okay…fine…you're not slow…happy now?"

"Thrilled!"

"Do I even wanna know what happened?" Erasa asked, throwing an eyebrow up.

"I was just proving a point." Videl lightly waved off her question, falling onto the bench between she and Gohan. To his surprise, Sharpner chose to sit by him instead of on the other end of the bench. That was a little odd.

Once everyone had their lunches in hand and had started eating, Erasa cleared her throat with an air of purpose. "Okay, so I was gonna ask Gohan some questions before you two got here, but he said I should wait till we were all together. It wasn't easy, you can thank me later." Erasa winked and offered a winning smile that only made Videl and Sharpner rolled their eyes. Gohan stifled a laugh as she glanced around to make sure they were truly alone.

"So, Gohan…tell us what happened at the tournament," she began. He had been expecting her to ask about it and had readied himself for the interrogation, but it hadn't made much of a difference. They already knew about his powers; there was no point in hiding it from them anymore. He wouldn't tell Erasa and Sharpner everything he'd told Videl, though.

"Um, which part? So much happened it, uh, all kind of blurred together," he managed. Videl scooted closer, pressing her side up against him and smiling upwards. She knew he was feeling a little hesitant and he appreciated her quiet support; it really made a world of difference.

"Well, the obvious thing is," she started, glancing around again, "you're the Great Saiyaman, right?" Her voice fell to a whisper as she asked. Gohan grimaced but decided to come out and just admit it. They'd already seen it with their own eyes.

"Yeah, I am."

"That's so wild man," came Sharpner's voice from next to him. Gohan turned his head and saw a relaxed grin on his face. Was it his imagination of was Sharpner being friendlier than usual?

"So you can, like, fly and do all those amazing things the news reports said you can do?" Erasa continued, her eyes shimmering with curiosity.

"Y-yeah, that's right," he admitted.

"And they really aren't tricks like Vi's dad says?"

Videl was the one to speak this time, something Gohan was grateful for; he didn't really want to call Mr. Satan a liar. "They're not tricks. Papa had his reasons for saying things like that seven years ago, even though I don't agree with them now. But it's all real. I've seen it firsthand."

"That's right, you two flew away after that big red guy when everyone left the ring," Sharpner mused aloud. Videl nodded.

"We did. Gohan taught me how to fly before the tournament." Erasa eyed Gohan hard following that, causing him to shift in place. But when she spoke suddenly, the tension vanished all at once.

"Can you teach me how to fly too?" she asked, eyes widening hopefully as she clasped her hands together. "Please?"

"Uh, well, it might be a little difficult for you Erasa. You see…um…"

"Come on E, that's not fair. If he spent time teaching you how to fly, that'd be less time he and Videl would have together after they just started dating. It's probably real hard to learn too," Sharpner's voice broke through his awkward silence effortlessly, but there was a quality to it that Gohan wasn't used to. It wasn't teasing or aggressive or even dismissive. No, instead he sounded very genuine, almost supportive. Gohan chanced a glance at him and saw a calm smile across his thin lips.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Erasa conceded. That calm smile of Sharpner's immediately twisted into a sly grin.

"Besides, you can barely run a lap during P.E. Videl learned to fly because she's a master of martial arts. What hope would you have anyway?" Erasa scowled, eyes widening indignantly as Sharpner laughed. She grabbed a cherry tomato out of her lunch and threw it at him, pinging it off his forehead.

"Ow! What'd you do that for?"

"I need to work on my physical ability if I'm ever gonna fly right? I figured I'd start with aim and strength!"

"If I was really trying, you wouldn't be able to hit me at all," he goaded.

"Wanna bet on it?"

"Anyway," came Videl's loud voice, interrupting the pair before they got any more heated, "Sharpner's right, it's really hard to learn how to fly."

Erasa took the hint and relaxed a bit, her full attention turning back to Gohan. "Okay, fine, I'll ask about flying some other day. But...you're really the Gold Fighter too? We saw you turn your hair golden in the ring before those giant bald men jumped you," she whispered again.

He chewed the inside of his lip nervously. He didn't really want to tell Sharpner or Erasa what a Saiyan was if he could avoid it. Saiyaman was one thing, but admitting he was an alien to his classmates? That was an easy way to mess up his life in just a few quick seconds. Choosing his words carefully, he finally responded. "It's, um, a genetic thing. I'm not the only person who can do it, but all of us have the same ancestors and that's why it's possible for us to do that."

"That's so crazy," Erasa managed, her gaze distant but filled with wonder. "Hey, I have blonde hair, do you think I might be a Gold Fighter too?"

"Nope," came Sharpner's deadpan reply. Gohan continued quickly before Erasa could fire back.

"It's not that anyone who's blonde has that ability, it's that we become blonde in certain…situations. It's complicated." He trailed off and Videl leaned in closer, taking his hand in hers and squeezing in reassurance.

"Oh that's right, wasn't there that group of people who could make their hair blonde at the Cell Games?" Erasa pondered aloud. Gohan stiffened noticeably and Videl came to his rescue at once.

"Yeah, but why don't we put a pin in that for now?" she suggested casually, giving her best friend a pointed look. To her credit, Erasa once again took the hint and gave up on that line of questioning.

"Okay. Then what happened with those huge bald men? Why did they attack you?"

"They stole energy from me, that golden power you saw. They wanted to use it to revive Majin Buu," he intoned quietly. Tension washed over the air around them at the mention of the pink monster that had terrorized the Earth for days and killed them all.

"That thing was a nightmare," Sharpner admitted from his left. Gohan knew the feeling. Buu had been one of the most hellish experiences of his life. And not just his from the looks of it. Erasa's nervous eyes and Sharpner's suddenly-less-than-cool attitude gave their fear away. Erasa took it upon herself to try to diffuse the discomfort.

"He was, but Videl's dad managed to save the day again! ...or did he?" She turned and eyed her best friend suspiciously. It was Videl's turn to shift uncomfortably next to Gohan, wilting under her stare.

"Couldn't it have been those golden guys again? Remember? We saw that man in orange confront Majin Buu in the sky. He could turn his hair gold and then grow it really long. He was leading Buu away from the city and fighting with him when nobody else could. Is it possible?"

Gohan jumped to Videl's defense this time. "Oh that? That was my dad actually," he admitted, earning Erasa's shocked gaze again. "He was just helping Mr. Satan out and-"

"It's okay Gohan," came Videl's soft voice. He stopped speaking and looked down at her in surprise. She was smiling instead of panicking. "Thank you," she reassured him before sitting up straighter and eyeing her friends.

"If Gohan can trust the two of you with the fact that he's the Great Saiyaman and the Gold Fighter, then I can trust you with a secret too. But please promise me you'll never repeat it to anyone, okay?"

"Of course," Erasa assured her.

"Promise," came Sharpner's answer a second later.

Taking a deep breath, Videl glanced between them again, speaking very softly. "Papa can't do the things Gohan and his friends are capable of. He isn't strong like they are and never has been. He was there during the final battle…but Papa didn't kill Majin Buu. Gohan's dad did. He was the one who saved us all the other day."

Erasa and Sharpner's eyes had widened considerably at that information, but they weren't wholly stunned it seemed. Perhaps somewhere in their hearts they could believe that a regular guy wouldn't have been able to topple the otherworldly monster he claimed to have saved the Earth from, even if he was the World Champion. Gohan didn't want them to misunderstand Videl's father, though. He was a bit arrogant, sure, but he was a decent man where it counted.

"That's not entirely true," Gohan added, kindness lacing his soft voice. Videl looked up at him in surprise. "Yeah, my dad ultimately was the one who destroyed Buu, but Mr. Satan was important to getting him the power he needed. If he hadn't been there, nobody on Earth would have given up their energy to support him. It was a team effort," he explained to Sharpner and Erasa. Turning his face downwards, he locked eyes with Videl. "Your dad was just as much a part of that team as mine," he reassured her. Evidently he'd said the right thing; she was positively beaming.

Their two friends were still struggling slightly to understand the news, however. "So…the gold warriors really came back to fight Buu?" Erasa pondered. Sharpner was the next to muse out loud.

"Hey…is it possible that they were the ones who saved us from Cell too?"

Gohan tensed but Videl squeezed his hand again. She glanced at him, eyes swimming with uncertainty. 'Should I tell them?'

He considered her for a moment. She would never offer the information if he was uncomfortable with them knowing; he trusted her completely and unconditionally. The question was…would they be able to accept it? They had seemed okay with his secret identities being revealed to them. And they were the first real friends he'd ever had his own age, outside of Videl of course. What was one more secret at this point? Maybe it would make them all closer.

Gohan nodded to her, gripping her hand as his nerves got the better of him. There was no going back now.

"It wasn't just the golden warriors who did it," Videl began at last. "Gohan killed Cell."

Now Sharpner and Erasa's jaws dropped. They glanced back and forth between he and Videl but when neither of them broke or laughed, they started to believe it.

"What?" was all Sharpner could manage after several moments.

"You absolutely can't tell anyone," Gohan begged them. They nodded quickly.

"Don't worry, we won't. We're not going to blab about Saiyaman or the Gold Fighter and we won't repeat this either," Erasa promised.

"Is it really true?" Sharpner asked, not out of suspicion, but absolute shock. His eyes were wide and he hadn't managed to close his mouth yet.

Gohan nodded but nudged Videl so she would continue talking. She giggled and took point again. "It's true. Gohan and Papa have both told me so. Papa helped them with Cell too actually, but again, he didn't beat that monster with his strength. Gohan saved all of our lives seven years ago."

"Then you were the little boy at the Cell Games?" Sharpner managed at last. Gohan just nodded, averting his gaze.

"Wow…you're amazing Gohan!" Erasa cried suddenly. His eyes snapped to her as she smiled.

"Seriously! You're the man!" Sharpner matched her enthusiasm easily, clapping him on the shoulder. Gohan smiled sheepishly.

"You…you guys believe me?" he managed at last, his anxious grip on Videl loosening. Sharpner took point this time.

"Of course we do. After all the insane stuff we've seen the last few days, why should we doubt this either? Plus, Videl's backing you up. It's about her own dad; if she trusts and believes all this, why shouldn't we?"

"T-thanks Sharpner. And you too Erasa."

"And don't worry. Your secrets are safe with us," Erasa promised again, winking.

Just then, the bell signaling the end of lunch rang out across the campus. The group started to pack up their lunch things and Gohan felt Videl lean in close again.

"Sharpner wants to talk to you, it's nothing bad. I'm gonna take 'Rase and go, I'll see you in class," she whispered, pecking him on the cheek again and rising to her feet. "Come on 'Rase, help me out with something!"

"Oh, sure! See you in class boys!" her merry voice rang out as they set off.

"Nobody knows how to get Erasa to do what they want quite like Videl," Sharpner chuckled as they left. Gohan laughed along with him.

"It's seriously impressive." A silence fell between them for a moment before Sharpner cleared his throat.

"Uh…hey Gohan. I wanted to chat for a minute," the blond began awkwardly. Gohan just nodded, smiling good-naturedly and turning towards him.

"Sure, we've got a few minutes till we have to head back in."

"Uh. Listen, I'm not very good at being really open and real about stuff, but I owe it to you. So…I'm sorry I've kinda been on your case since you transferred here." Gohan was stunned. He never really harbored any ill feelings towards Sharpner, but he did recognize he liked to poke fun at him. The boxer continued before he could speak.

"Actually, I've been an ass to you sometimes. I kept making fun of you for being a nerd because I got all jealous that a lot of girls had crushes on you. And at the tournament, I was real rude to you, even though I didn't know it was you yet."

"Hey, it's okay. Things happen, I don't have any bad feelings towards you," Gohan reassured him. Sharpner just shook his head.

"You're too damn nice, you know that? Most people would probably hate my guts, or at least not want to be around me anymore."

Gohan smiled easily. "My father believes in giving people second chances. He's given them to people who truly didn't deserve them, but over and over again they've surprised us all. I guess one of the biggest things I learned from him that everyone deserves a second chance. Besides, you're one of Videl's best friends and I'd never want to do anything that would jeopardize her friendship with you."

Sharpner just eyed Gohan in amazement. "You're a real good dude Gohan. I'm sorry again I was such a jerk. Honestly…I respect the hell out of you, man."

"You do?" Gohan was surprised to hear that from him. Sharpner laughed loudly.

"Hah! I gotta work on being more sincere I guess, Videl was pretty surprised when I tried to be a bit more real with her back in the classroom, too. But yeah, I really do. After I saw what you were capable of at the tournament and heard the things you've done for all of us just now, I'm amazed and impressed. And honestly, being homeschooled in the mountains till now, transferring into a high school in the city during your last year where you don't know anyone, hiding the things you were hiding but still trying to help everyone with a secret identity? I couldn't respect you more if I tried."

Gohan couldn't keep the sheepish smile off his face. "Thanks a lot, Sharpner. I really appreciate that, seriously."

"Don't mention it. Hey, I don't think I ever said it out loud earlier, but I won't repeat a thing you told us today to anyone. I'm not gonna sell you out, I've got your back from now on. So, what do you say? Can we let everything that happened before be water under the bridge and start fresh?" He extended his arm, offering a handshake. Gohan took it and shook firmly.

"Absolutely. I never resented you in the first place, but it'll be nice to have a real guy friend here," he chuckled.

"You'll be one of my first real ones, too. All right, we better get back to class huh? If we don't, we're gonna be late." Gohan glanced at his watch and nodded.

"Yeah, we'd better get going." The two set off back towards the school building. Gohan was surprised by Sharpner's apology and admission, but happy about it too. He hadn't lost his friends at all once they'd learned about his powers. His mom and Bulma and basically everyone else had all but assured him the other students would think he was a freak if they found out about his abilities. And yet, here were three amazing people, Videl, Sharpner, and Erasa, that accepted him for who and what he was. People that were glad to know him, regardless of his powers. Maybe there was still a great year to look forward to at Orange Star High School after all.

---

After school that day, Gohan made it a point to stop by Clip's desk with Videl and quietly thank him for agreeing to keep his secrets too. Their classmate had assured them that he didn't want to ruin Gohan's life or blow his cover and that he wouldn't be saying a word to anyone. Still, Gohan had wanted to show some gratitude, so he told Clip to come to him if he ever needed help with anything. All the loose ends were finally tied up.

Gohan found himself walking hand in hand with Videl while Erasa and Sharpner strolled just in front of them. They had left the school and were just wandering aimlessly for the moment, chatting and relaxing together. It was fun being in a group with them for real this time. It had always felt like he couldn't really be himself with them before, but now there were far fewer secrets to guard. It felt like he'd finally made real friends.

"Hey, you guys wanna stop for some food or something?" Erasa called back to them. Gohan smiled and looked over to Videl, who was wearing a similarly content look.

"Yeah, let's do it! What sounds good to you?" she asked. But before they could walk much further, Videl's watch beeped urgently. Wasn't that the signal she got when the police needed her help?

Lifting her wrist to her mouth, Videl pressed a button. "This is Videl, go ahead Chief."

"Videl, thank goodness! We need your help! There are a group of men holding up a bank! They have hostages inside, be prepared!"

"Which bank?"

As the Chief rattled off the location, Gohan glanced at Erasa and Sharpner. They were smiling a bit to hide their disappointment. "So much for food," Sharpner whispered to her.

"Got it, be right there!" Videl finished, shutting off the call. "I'm so sorry guys, I have to go. Can we meet up later for food though?" she asked. Sharpner and Erasa looked stunned. Videl eyed them for a moment, but they just kept staring. "What?"

"Well, it's just…you never want to hang out after you go help the police. What's different this time?" Erasa eyed her cautiously.

"Well, usually I'm exhausted afterwards since I have to do it all on my own. But that's not true anymore, is it?" she asked, turning and smiling up at Gohan. He laughed lightly and grinned back.

"Of course not, I'm always here to support you. A superhero must keep up appearances after all," he chortled, letting his voice shift into his Saiyaman tone. Glancing around to make sure nobody else was close by, Gohan darted into a nearby alleyway and pressed the red button on his watch, the familiar Great Saiyaman outfit materializing around him. Stepping back out to the sidewalk, he noticed Erasa and Sharpner with wide eyes. His girlfriend simply grinned at him.

"Ready partner?"

"Lead the way!"

Waving goodbye to their friends, Videl and Gohan jumped from the ground, flying up into the sky. Before they were too far away though, Videl turned her head and shouted back to them: "we'll call you when everything's taken care of! It shouldn't be long!" Erasa and Sharpner waved and called their understanding.

Gohan reached out and slipped his hand into hers, earning an adorable pink blush and a bright smile from her. He followed her lead as she steered him towards the bank in question.

"This'll be our first time fighting crime as a team, won't it?" Videl mused.

"It sure will be! Let me know if I'm in your way."

"You won't be," she assured him. The bank was already coming into view on the horizon. "Let's do this Darling!"

It was Gohan's turn to blush and he dropped the superhero voice entirely. "I'm right beside you, 'Del!"

---

9/30/2022