The Horse with No Name
Chapter One
Return to Sender
Gohan's bedtime routine has always been the same for as long as he can remember. First he would bathe. He's never been keen on morning showers as it could chance waking up Goten, and Sleeping Goten is a much easier Goten to deal with than Awake Goten. Next he'd have a cup of hot water, sipping at it slowly as he reads a book for thirty or so minutes. The book of choice is usually non-fiction because he's got to keep up to date on those studies, and who doesn't love The Biography of Tom Lehrer? After sliding the book under his bed, now donning a free library-given bookmark within, he'd turn off his bedside lamp and finally set his alarm clock for 06:00AM sharp; all before closing his eyes for the night.
It's all very samey-same, really.
His girlfriend often tells Gohan that he lives the life of an old man, but he tends to like stability, and the routine helps him study better.
His morning routine is no more exciting, with the occasional mix up of whether he'd have a full breakfast courtesy of his mother, or if he'd just grab a handful of fruit (depressing start-up to the day) before dashing off to school.
Tonight's routine offers little in the way of difference. Only, it does happen to be a particularly cold night, being mid-December. With frost tickling the frame of the window and the sharp wind beating at the glass, he nestles further into his covers and enjoys the contrasting warmth to its fullest. His eyes strain to see much through the window, trying to focus past the darkness and into the forest beyond. He can't see much, but he enjoys hearing the rustling trees shiver in the night.
With a beat of satisfaction, he turns back to his book and closes it with finality.
Gohan releases a sigh, and a cloud of breath along with it. He's finished his book, and his cup of hot water, and he now has fourteen minutes before it strikes ten.
Filled with a sudden sense of loss of what to do, he twiddles the bookmark between his fingers, dark eyebrows furrowed, as he thinks of a way to sink the time.
He could text Videl goodnight.
Butterflies flutter about his stomach.
They've been dating for nearly four months, but they don't really message each other like a majority of their classmates do. It's actually Videl who bought him the phone in the first place.
"Stop acting like a grandpa and learn how to use it."
She's charming; that girl, he mulls with a shy sort of smile.
He'd love to be a bit better with technology, but of course, he's practically two left thumbs, and can barely work out how to turn the flipping thing on. Beyond very rarely calling her or occasionally accepting calls, he doesn't often touch it. Even his Saiyaman watch can prove to be a bit of a challenge to use sometimes.
Well, he thinks, bravely, as he eyes his rectangular device, he can try giving texting a go tonight.
Er, how does it go again?
Gohan paws the screen in hopes of Videl's name jumping out at him. He eventually finds it in the folder named 'contacts', and is slightly proud of himself when he's allowed to type out his message.
[Hello, I thought I would wish you a goodnight. Yours sincerely, Gohan]
There! Easy.
He glances at the clock: 21:52.
Oh-oh. Maybe it's a bit late to be messaging a girl, even if it is Videl. He doesn't want to give a bad impression. Messaging a girl this late⦠Anxiety bubbles in his stomach as he sets his alarm and turns off his bedside lamp. In the darkness, he swallows the lump of nerves.
A fine torrent of steam emits from his nostrils, just before it evaporates into the black.
Wow, it really is cold tonight.
He turns on his side, and the image of a joyous Videl makes him smile. The lack of reply probably just means that she's asleep.
Yeah, of course.
Oh well, he'll speak to her tomorrow at school anyway. His eyes find the darkness the window offers once more, focusing on the dancing silhouettes in the background. A sharp gale of wind rocks the house, lulling Gohan to succumb to his demanding drowsiness.
It's only moments later that the phone chimes in his hand, and the screen lights the room in a blue hue. But the message remains in the inbox. Not a single movement is made.
Every night Gohan is gone to the world by 10:00 o'clock sharp, and every morning he'd wake up at 06:00 when the ringing of his alarm would stir him. Except tomorrow it won't be Gohan turning off his alarm, but his father.
In fact, Gohan won't be waking up at all.
