The following week, Bulma called May up and invited her and Chi-chi to go on a little (yeah right!) shopping spree. May drove over to Capsule Corp around noon, and met up with the girls who greeted her in a friendly fashion. She had never really had girlfriends to just hang out with and was plenty happy about the situation.
Meanwhile, Piccolo had gone on a little sparring excursion with Goku, Vegeta, Gohan, Trunks, and Goten. At the moment, he was sitting on a rock beneath the fighting forms of Vegeta and Goku, and watched Trunks and Goten play some kind of game on the ground. Gohan was sitting nearby on the grass, watching his father battle.
Gohan looked over at Piccolo and noticed that the Namek was not really paying any attention to the fighting and he wasn't even meditating, which was very unusual. He smirked slightly, a side effect of hanging around Vegeta too much, and decided to see what he could do to help out his mentor in the relationship department.
"Hey Piccolo," he said, causing the Namek to look over at him, "How do you feel about May?" He decided to get right to the point and was rewarded by Piccolo's eyes widening slightly. He would have sputtered but that just wasn't Piccolo.
"Why?" he asked, not really wanting or having an answer to give.
"Because you seemed to really like her at the party last week, and she likes you. So, when are you going to ask her out?"
Piccolo was getting a little uncomfortable, but didn't show it a bit as he suggested, "Why don't you go spar or something?" he gestured to the two children wrestling around on the ground.
"Why don't you answer my question? Are you afraid?"
Piccolo did sputter then and became slightly angry, "I am not afraid of any question."
"Then answer it."
"I . . . can't," he practically whispered, so low that Gohan almost didn't hear.
"Why not?"
"Because I don't know how I feel about her," Piccolo said, hoping that none of the others decided to come over and overhear what was being said. He made sure to keep his senses on all of their energy signatures so that he knew where they were at all times.
"Well, it's kinda obvious that she really likes you."
"Really? How come?"
"At the party last week, after you knocked out Yamcha, she was smiling at you."
"She was?"
"Yeah, and I bet if you asked, she'd like you to take her out somewhere on a date."
"A date?" Piccolo asked, nervousness seeping into his voice. "Where would I take her?"
"Oh, I don't know. Somewhere nice, I guess, but you don't exactly blend in so it can't be too public. Wouldn't want to start a riot," Gohan chuckled at that, but Piccolo wasn't really listening anymore.
He also didn't notice when Goku and Vegeta landed when he asked Gohan, "Are you sure she smiled?"
Vegeta thought that this was a great chance to tease the Namek and so he asked, "Hey, Namek, where's your mate today?" He knew that Bulma had asked her and Kakarrot's mate to go shopping.
Piccolo looked up sharply at Vegeta, cursing himself for his lack of focus, and snarled, "She's not my mate."
Vegeta smirked, "Awe, is the poor Namek afraid to make a move."
Piccolo growled, "Shut up Vegeta!"
Vegeta's smirk widened and he was a little surprised that Bulma had been right. She had told him that she thought Piccolo and May would make a great couple and that she believed they already liked each other, they just needed a push in the right direction.
"Hey Piccolo," Goku began, "I think you and May would make a great couple."
Piccolo was now embarrassed beyond belief that everyone seemed to want to give him advice about love. He groaned and lowered his head into his hands, not wanting anyone to see the possible blush that might be staining his cheeks.
"He's shy about asking her out," Gohan told the two men.
Piccolo's head turned and he glared at Gohan who just ignored him.
"Why? He should just go up to her and tell her. She already likes him," Goku said, surprising everyone that he had picked up on her feelings.
"That weak female does seem to have some sort of feelings for you," Vegeta ground out, trying to seem as though he didn't care in the slightest.
"Why would she care anything for me?" Piccolo asked in an offhanded way.
"I don't know. She's probably just crazy and has a thing for green aliens," Vegeta said.
"No, Piccolo, you're not that bad a guy. I like you," Goku said, smiling in his usual way.
"Dad's right," Gohan said, "You're a nice guy now and she probably sees the good in you the same way I do."
~~~~~
Meanwhile, in the Orange City Mall, Bulma, Chi-chi, and May were seated in the food court having a snack while they rested from their already hours of shopping. Bulma had several capsules full of bags, while Chi-chi and May carried about two bags each.
"Hey May, what's the deal with you and Piccolo?" Bulma asked, wanting to test her matchmaking skills.
"What do you mean? We're friends," she said, blushing a little under Bulma and Chi-chi's scrutiny.
"I think he likes you as more than a friend," Chi-chi remarked, earning another blush from May (she does that a lot).
"I don't know . . ."
"Of course he does. Why else would he have stood up for you against Yamcha like that?" Bulma explained.
"You think so?"
"Yeah," Chi-chi began, "He's not the type of guy to just go around defending people's honor for no reason."
"He definitely has feelings for you," Bulma said, "How do you feel about him?"
"I'm not sure," May blushed and whispered, "I think . . . I love him."
"Wow," Chi-chi was a little stunned at the declaration, but decided that it might be for the best, "When are you going to tell him how you feel?"
May's face turned a beet red and she stuttered, "I-I d-d-don't think I-I could j-just tell him."
"Why not? I'm sure he'd say he feels the same way," Bulma wondered.
"Well, I kinda have an idea about how to tell him without actually having to face him."
"Really? How?" Bulma asked curiously.
"You see," she said, leaning closer so no one could overhear. Bulma and Chi-chi both leaned closer as well, both drowning in curiosity. "In my next book, I wrote about . . ."
~~~~~
"Come on Piccolo, she's just a woman. You don't have to be scared of her," Gohan said, trying to make his former sensei confess.
"I am not afraid of some weak human female," Piccolo practically hollered, not wanting to show any weakness in front of these Saiyan's.
"Yeah, right," Vegeta scoffed, "Then you can just go over there, and take her as your mate."
"Vegeta," Goku scolded, "Piccolo doesn't have to do that. He just has to tell her how he feels."
"That is not as easy as it sounds dad," Gohan said, a slightly apprehensive look on his face, "Just coming out and saying how you feel is a bit frightening."
"And how would you know that brat?" Vegeta asked, an amused smirk gracing his lips as Gohan blushed and lowered his head.
"No reason."
"Come on Gohan," Goku began, "Who's the girl?"
Gohan mumbled something that no one caught so Piccolo asked, "What was that Gohan?"
"I like Videl," he whispered, blushing further and trying to hide his face.
Piccolo and Vegeta both smirked, while Goku looked a little confused and asked, "But I thought she was always chasing you around trying to find out who you are?"
"She is, but she's strong and tough and . . ." he trailed off and blushed even further when he realized how much of a lovesick fool he sounded like.
~~~~~
The girls arrived back at Capsule Corp right around dinner time and Bulma invited Chi-chi and May to stay for a few more hours and eat. They accepted and by the time dinner was ready, the guys had returned.
Everyone took a seat at the dining room table, even Piccolo, though he only received a glass of water. They had some friendly conversation, mainly among the women about what they had purchased that day, and after the meal, they went out to the living room.
Piccolo got up and headed for the front door when Bulma asked, "Hey Piccolo, leaving so soon?"
Piccolo turned back and answered, "Dende needs something and I said I'd stop by today. I want to get there before it gets dark."
"Oh, well, why don't you take May home; it will save her a few hours drive and she'll get to meet Dende."
May gave Bulma a completely shocked look and tried to signal her without Piccolo noticing, but she stopped when he turned to her and asked, "I will take you home if you would like."
"I'd like that. I've wanted to meet Dende," she said, and proceeded to say goodbye to everyone as she stepped outside with Piccolo.
Piccolo picked May up and flew on towards the lookout.
"What was that all about woman?" Vegeta asked when Bulma reentered the house.
"Don't they just make such a cute couple," she squealed along with Chi-chi as the two left the room to talk about girl stuff.
Vegeta shook his head and motioned Kakarrot to follow him to the while Trunks, Goten, and Gohan went somewhere to play a game.