Misery Loves Company
***
A/N: Hey! I'm back! This chapter is rather short ::cringe::...don't hurt me!
Disclaimer: I don't own Gohan and his sexiness, no matter how much I would love to.
***
Saturday, February 14th
Videl groaned. The pain…oh, the pain….and the horror as well. Five hours of it. Five long, hellish hours that felt more like five days. With no end in sight. No end to her torment.
Videl plunked her head down and staggered in her step. Would her ordeal never end? Not crime-fighting, not Saiyaman, not even Buu had caused such deep and abiding pain. No…nothing in existence could ever have prepared her for such a nightmare tribulation.
She let out a low, moaning wail.
Any horror but this.
"Videl! Cut it out and just carry your shopping bags like a NORMAL PERSON! People are staring!"
"But EraAAasa…" Videl whined. "We've been at this for five hours! I already have towels, soap, gum, Scope, Listerine, twenty bridal catalogs, and brochures from five different tuxedo places! I've visited ten different makeup counters, had my hair professionally treated, washed, conditioned, brightened, and cut! I've even had my colors done!! Can I PLEASE go home??!!"
"We're almost done! There's just one more thing we need to get!"
"That's what you said after we bought the towels!"
Erasa had shown up that morning at seven AM, armed with credit cards, checkbooks, and, most importantly, a blank check from Mr. Satan himself. She had gotten on the phone with him, and, after explaining just how badly his daughter needed it, he had handed it over without a hesitation. When Videl heard about this, she nearly had a stroke but Erasa quickly explained that she hadn't explained to Mr. Satan exactly why his precious little girl needed the money, thus saving Videl from a trip to the emergency room. And from there, Erasa had dragged Videl out of bed and into the biggest shopping district in Satan City: World's Crossings Mall.
And the rest, as they say, is history.
"Well, what is this one last thing, then, Erasa? Is it a box of chocolates? Potpourri? The bleeding kitchen sink?!"
"Don't be so snappish. We're buying you a sexy top for tonight."
Erasa kept on walking in the direction of Aeropostale, unaware that Videl had stopped dead in her tracks, staring right ahead of her, visions of the nightmare situations that could arise playing themselves over and over again in her mind.
"Videl? Videl. You're making people stare." Erasa's voice shook Videl out of the vision of herself wearing a fishnet shirt, and Videl, seeing that Erasa was about ten feet away from her, jogged over to her, a slight blush rising on her cheekbones.
"Erasa. You are not allowed to dress me up like I'm your little Hooker Barbie. We are clear on this, right?"
"Oh, absolutely, Videl," Erasa said, having reached the store and was now pawing through a random clothing rack. "Videl, have you ever considered yourself in a string bikini top?"
***
About an hour later….
Videl and Erasa were still trying to find the elusive 'perfect top' for Videl's date/proposal that evening. The dynamic duo had searched many of the stores in the mall, and were now browsing through Sears' junior section. Fortunately for Erasa, a quick bite to eat at the Cajun Café had mostly revived Videl, who was now in a much more agreeable mood.
"Remember Erasa, all I said was that I don't want to look like Hooker Barbie. I'll still wear some sexy stuff, I'll still show some skin, I just….don't wanna look like a hooker."
"You won't look like Hooker Barbie," Erasa reassured Videl. The two of them were standing almost back to back, browsing through circular racks of clothing, and talking to each other whilst they did it. "Besides, Barbie is blonde."
Videl laughed. "So, that would make you Hooker Barbie."
"Nyep." Erasa had spoken in an almost perfect imitation of Freddie Prinze Jr, causing Videl to laugh some more.
With that, the two women continued browsing through the racks, until serendipity struck.
"AHA!" Two female voices, of course belonging to our dynamic duo rung out at the exact same time. The two whirled around to face the other and said:
"Found it!"
"Eureka!"
Erasa had been holding a white strappy tank top, with a lace handkerchief hem and lace at the top. Videl had been holding a red coffeehouse/peasant top with a plunging scoop neckline. Of course, when one saw what the other was holding, they immediately paused to admire the other shirt. With the end result of indecision.
"Oh my God…" Erasa said, looking between the two shirts, both very beautiful in their own right. "They….well, baby, it looks like a photo finish."
Videl rubbed her temples, trying to nip her forming headache in the bud. "Tell me this isn't happening."
"All right then, I won't tell you."
Videl punched Erasa lightly on the arm. "Hardy har har."
"Well, Videl, let's check the price tags."
Ah yes, price tags. A purely arbitrary method of choosing; chancy as well. As they say, any port in a storm.
"Both $21.75"
Of course.
At that point in time, Erasa let out a long and deep sigh of despair and frustration. She hung her head deep in dramatic defeat, and thus missed the sudden, very attentive look on Videl's face. Her mouth was set in a deep line and her eyebrows were slanted in V for "virulent", framing her eyes as she searched around her, finally coming to rest on one very, very familiar figure walking one walk probably unfamiliar to Erasa but very, very familiar to Videl. A confident stride, quick and flowing and intentionally, calling attention to the figure walking it, shouting "Look at me! I am gorgeous and talented and I know it." Merely the icing on the cake, however: Even had this man slouched in his step, it would not have stopped this mass female salivation.
He was dressed casually, in a pair of jeans hanging from his hips rather than his waist. The jeans were just loose enough to show a hint of musculature as he walked, and he had been wearing a thin black 'beater, stretched jaw-droppingly tight over a six pack most movie stars would kill to have. And the chest muscles weren't too shabby, either. However, the muscles of the shoulders and arms were only outlined underneath a blue plaid buttonup, that, however, allowed for a set of forearms ending with large, long-fingered hands to show through.
And the face? He could have been a posterboy for Tall, Dark & Handsome, what with those intense dark eyes, shock of black hair, and confident, yet not overly arrogant smirk on his face.
Puberty with Saiyan hormones had been good to Gohan.
Reeeeaally, reeeeaally good.
Erasa looked up to see Videl's attentive yet guarded expression changing into a friendly, amiable smile that simply screamed 'fake-nice' to Erasa. Her forehead creased in bemusement, until a deep, masculine voice behind and above her said, "Good afternoon, ladies."
Erasa whirled around and found herself face-to-face with the scent of Adidas for men and a set of pectorals you could literally park a Suburban Assault Vehicle on. [4] The voice above her laughed softly, probably at her wide eyes, and she slowly craned her neck up to take a good look at this guy.
Dumbly, Erasa said exactly what was on her mind:
"Hello, tall, dark, and handsome, where have you been all my life?"
The man laughed a little and blushed, and then Erasa recognized him.
"Oh my God! GOHAN?! I'm so, so sooooo sorry!! I didn't mean to….ohmygod…." Erasa bowed her head and backed away, blushing madly.
Gohan smiled affectionately at her before speaking to the both of them in a very off-hand manner.
"I was buying a few things for myself," For the first time, Erasa and Videl noticed the small paper hand in his right hand, "When I…noticed you two. So I thought I'd come over, you know, say hi."
Gohan let out a cheerful, sweet smile that could make lesser girls, such as Erasa, nearly fall to the ground in a swoon. Videl was no lesser girl. She stood her ground and stared Gohan dead in the face, working to keep the smile on her face.
This encounter cannot go sour, and recently, my encounters with Gohan have gone very sour indeed. Videl thought determinedly, hoping that Gohan would leave after he said hello, though she did suspect that that would not be the case.
What if he kisses me again? Oh God, he can't kiss me again. Not in front of Erasa. Granted, that didn't seem like something Gohan would do, but after that incident Thursday, Videl was willing to believe anything of Gohan.
Videl was jerked out of her thoughts by Erasa, who had regained her nerve and was beginning to talk to Gohan.
"Hi Gohan! What'cha been buying?"
Gohan winced mentally at her very poor grammar before responding. "Nothing much…soap and shampoo." Gohan turned his gaze away from Erasa, to whom he had been speaking, and looked Videl directly in the eyes.
An image, voluntary or not, flashed through Videl's mind, of Gohan in the shower, naked of course, with suds running down his back and steam rising from his shoulders.
Videl felt a very tiny tingle go down her back before hardening her gaze at Gohan.
We don't think like that anymore, Gohan.
It might've been Videl's imagination, but she almost thought she saw Gohan's gaze harden in turn before his amicable expression returned.
"So, what are you ladies doing?" Gohan asked. Videl immediately stepped down on Erasa's foot, hard, not even waiting for her to open her mouth. Erasa looked at Videl, hurt.
"Owwwwww! What'cha do that for?"
"Preemptive strike." Videl said, absently noting Gohan's smile at her use of dry wit. She quickly returned a nice, friendly smile to him before she opened her mouth to speak again.
She's smiling. That's good. Gohan thought, warming his smile up an extra degree or two to return the favor, hoping Videl wasn't going to shoot him down again.
"Hi Gohan. We were shopping for clothes for me, and, actually," Videl picked up the two shirts and held them up for Gohan to see, "I wonder: Can you help me pick which top to buy? I only have money for one or the other."
Gohan's smile grew very wide and transformed into an enormously happy grin as he reached out and took the tops from Videl, examining the texture of the fabric as he debated which one to chose.
This white one… Gohan thought, feeling the material slip and slide between his fingertips. It exposes her shoulders and…my…This strap could just slip off those shoulders any old time, now, couldn't it? Gohan's grin grew even wider as he thought about that. For a second, as Gohan examined the neckline of the shirt, the grin faltered into a slight frown. This is actually quiet a modest shirt though, but with this thin material…if it got wet… Gohan diverted his attention away from the white tank and instead focused on the red shirt he held in his other hand.
Gohan's thoughts on the red top were actually very predictable, at least, to those of us who know how the male mind works.
Cleavagecleavagecleavagecleavage….
"What is this shirt for, anyways?" Gohan asked absently, torn between the two of them.
"Oh," Erasa squealed, now back on what had been (for the past day or so) her favorite topic of discussion. "Videl's got a really really big date with Sharpener tonight!"
That was all it took. It was like a switch had been flipped in Gohan's head. His expression darkened; his eyebrows beetled over eyes that were as flint.
Videl arched one eyebrow in interest. Touched a nerve, didn't she?
Gohan changed his facial expression yet again, into a sneer of disdain. He quickly took the tops off of their hangers, and, holding one in each hand, dropped them to the floor, where they pooled in cotton/polyester blend puddles.
Gohan's eyes followed the shirts, as did Erasa's and Videl's. Erasa bore a look of surprise. Videl's expression was unfathomable.
After maybe a half-second, Gohan's head popped back up, his lip twisted in such a way as to suggest there was a particularly foul smell floating in the air.
"The red one." he said, his voice burning and acidic. "Unless you plan to fuck in a hot tub." Gohan turned around and stormed away, his malodorous disposition scattering shoppers before him like Moses parting the seas.
Erasa stared at his retreating back in slack-jawed shock. Videl understood her shock: Erasa really didn't know Gohan very well, on the occasions that the two did converse, Gohan was always on his best, most polite behavior. Videl had been one of the few people who really knew exactly how nasty he could get when he was angry or frustrated.
"Well!" Erasa said, still at a loss for words. "I never thought I would hear Gohan, of all people, use such language!" Erasa put her arms akimbo as Videl bent down to pick up her shirts, carefully putting the white one back on its hanger and then on its' clothing rack. She didn't bother to put the red shirt on its rack or even on its' hanger, she merely started walking to a cash register, knowing that Erasa would follow soon.
True to form, Erasa showed up at the register a few seconds later, silent. Videl glanced at her out of the corner of her eyes; she looked contemplative. Videl mentally shrugged. No biggie. Erasa would be jabbering on and on and on by the time she was back in the car.
As they were walking out of the mall, Erasa, at last spoke. Videl had expected maybe a comment on the wedding. Or something that they had forgotten to buy. A comment on Gohan's behavior or wondering why he was so hostile.
But instead…
"Why didn't you scream at him?"
"Wha-?" Videl said, caught off guard.
"Why didn't you yell at him?" Erasa repeated, her face showing puzzlement. "If anyone else ever said something like that to you, you would either scream at them until you lost your voice or knock them out cold. Usually both. Why didn't you do that? Heck, you even took his ill-given advice. What is up with you?"
Videl stopped dead in her tracks, paralyzed with shock. Of all the questions Erasa could've asked, Videl had never expected that one.
Videl searched her mind for an answer, for a reason, and she began to panic when she couldn't find one. One of her own, at least.
"I…ah…I knew he was just trying to get a rise out of me, and…ah…I didn't want him to win," Videl said, hoping she sounded at least somewhat believable. "And I was going to pick that shirt anyways. It would go really well with that one necklace you got for me on my birthday last year."
"Oh. Okay." Erasa said, nodding and dropping the conversation into a rather uncomfortable silence, leaving Erasa and Videl wrapped up in their thoughts.
I really hate when you lie to me, Videl
I don't love Gohan anymore. Repeat after me, Videl...I don't love Gohan any more, I don't love Gohan anymore...
***
A/N: Hee hee hee...I love that chapter! Bwah! I also LOVE that Adidas scent, too! EEE! Loveitloveitloveit!...eeeee... Anyhum, you may get some answers on what got between Videl and Gohan in...the chapter after the next one, but then again, maybe you won't! I wanna make this story last a long time, see...At least seven chapters, mebbe more...and hopefully not as short as this one...e hehehehe....see ya.
FIC OF THE DAY
Nothing But The Truth by Kioko: Not as much a love fic as a comedy one...Gohan and Videl have to endure video cameras, The Cell Games Revised Edition, oddball fusions, and villians brought back from the dead! How are they ever going to survive?
LAST WORD
"They're all so nice....then you give them a jersey and a ball..." --me, while watching a particularly vicious boy's game of basketball during gym class.
***
A/N: Hey! I'm back! This chapter is rather short ::cringe::...don't hurt me!
Disclaimer: I don't own Gohan and his sexiness, no matter how much I would love to.
***
Saturday, February 14th
Videl groaned. The pain…oh, the pain….and the horror as well. Five hours of it. Five long, hellish hours that felt more like five days. With no end in sight. No end to her torment.
Videl plunked her head down and staggered in her step. Would her ordeal never end? Not crime-fighting, not Saiyaman, not even Buu had caused such deep and abiding pain. No…nothing in existence could ever have prepared her for such a nightmare tribulation.
She let out a low, moaning wail.
Any horror but this.
"Videl! Cut it out and just carry your shopping bags like a NORMAL PERSON! People are staring!"
"But EraAAasa…" Videl whined. "We've been at this for five hours! I already have towels, soap, gum, Scope, Listerine, twenty bridal catalogs, and brochures from five different tuxedo places! I've visited ten different makeup counters, had my hair professionally treated, washed, conditioned, brightened, and cut! I've even had my colors done!! Can I PLEASE go home??!!"
"We're almost done! There's just one more thing we need to get!"
"That's what you said after we bought the towels!"
Erasa had shown up that morning at seven AM, armed with credit cards, checkbooks, and, most importantly, a blank check from Mr. Satan himself. She had gotten on the phone with him, and, after explaining just how badly his daughter needed it, he had handed it over without a hesitation. When Videl heard about this, she nearly had a stroke but Erasa quickly explained that she hadn't explained to Mr. Satan exactly why his precious little girl needed the money, thus saving Videl from a trip to the emergency room. And from there, Erasa had dragged Videl out of bed and into the biggest shopping district in Satan City: World's Crossings Mall.
And the rest, as they say, is history.
"Well, what is this one last thing, then, Erasa? Is it a box of chocolates? Potpourri? The bleeding kitchen sink?!"
"Don't be so snappish. We're buying you a sexy top for tonight."
Erasa kept on walking in the direction of Aeropostale, unaware that Videl had stopped dead in her tracks, staring right ahead of her, visions of the nightmare situations that could arise playing themselves over and over again in her mind.
"Videl? Videl. You're making people stare." Erasa's voice shook Videl out of the vision of herself wearing a fishnet shirt, and Videl, seeing that Erasa was about ten feet away from her, jogged over to her, a slight blush rising on her cheekbones.
"Erasa. You are not allowed to dress me up like I'm your little Hooker Barbie. We are clear on this, right?"
"Oh, absolutely, Videl," Erasa said, having reached the store and was now pawing through a random clothing rack. "Videl, have you ever considered yourself in a string bikini top?"
***
About an hour later….
Videl and Erasa were still trying to find the elusive 'perfect top' for Videl's date/proposal that evening. The dynamic duo had searched many of the stores in the mall, and were now browsing through Sears' junior section. Fortunately for Erasa, a quick bite to eat at the Cajun Café had mostly revived Videl, who was now in a much more agreeable mood.
"Remember Erasa, all I said was that I don't want to look like Hooker Barbie. I'll still wear some sexy stuff, I'll still show some skin, I just….don't wanna look like a hooker."
"You won't look like Hooker Barbie," Erasa reassured Videl. The two of them were standing almost back to back, browsing through circular racks of clothing, and talking to each other whilst they did it. "Besides, Barbie is blonde."
Videl laughed. "So, that would make you Hooker Barbie."
"Nyep." Erasa had spoken in an almost perfect imitation of Freddie Prinze Jr, causing Videl to laugh some more.
With that, the two women continued browsing through the racks, until serendipity struck.
"AHA!" Two female voices, of course belonging to our dynamic duo rung out at the exact same time. The two whirled around to face the other and said:
"Found it!"
"Eureka!"
Erasa had been holding a white strappy tank top, with a lace handkerchief hem and lace at the top. Videl had been holding a red coffeehouse/peasant top with a plunging scoop neckline. Of course, when one saw what the other was holding, they immediately paused to admire the other shirt. With the end result of indecision.
"Oh my God…" Erasa said, looking between the two shirts, both very beautiful in their own right. "They….well, baby, it looks like a photo finish."
Videl rubbed her temples, trying to nip her forming headache in the bud. "Tell me this isn't happening."
"All right then, I won't tell you."
Videl punched Erasa lightly on the arm. "Hardy har har."
"Well, Videl, let's check the price tags."
Ah yes, price tags. A purely arbitrary method of choosing; chancy as well. As they say, any port in a storm.
"Both $21.75"
Of course.
At that point in time, Erasa let out a long and deep sigh of despair and frustration. She hung her head deep in dramatic defeat, and thus missed the sudden, very attentive look on Videl's face. Her mouth was set in a deep line and her eyebrows were slanted in V for "virulent", framing her eyes as she searched around her, finally coming to rest on one very, very familiar figure walking one walk probably unfamiliar to Erasa but very, very familiar to Videl. A confident stride, quick and flowing and intentionally, calling attention to the figure walking it, shouting "Look at me! I am gorgeous and talented and I know it." Merely the icing on the cake, however: Even had this man slouched in his step, it would not have stopped this mass female salivation.
He was dressed casually, in a pair of jeans hanging from his hips rather than his waist. The jeans were just loose enough to show a hint of musculature as he walked, and he had been wearing a thin black 'beater, stretched jaw-droppingly tight over a six pack most movie stars would kill to have. And the chest muscles weren't too shabby, either. However, the muscles of the shoulders and arms were only outlined underneath a blue plaid buttonup, that, however, allowed for a set of forearms ending with large, long-fingered hands to show through.
And the face? He could have been a posterboy for Tall, Dark & Handsome, what with those intense dark eyes, shock of black hair, and confident, yet not overly arrogant smirk on his face.
Puberty with Saiyan hormones had been good to Gohan.
Reeeeaally, reeeeaally good.
Erasa looked up to see Videl's attentive yet guarded expression changing into a friendly, amiable smile that simply screamed 'fake-nice' to Erasa. Her forehead creased in bemusement, until a deep, masculine voice behind and above her said, "Good afternoon, ladies."
Erasa whirled around and found herself face-to-face with the scent of Adidas for men and a set of pectorals you could literally park a Suburban Assault Vehicle on. [4] The voice above her laughed softly, probably at her wide eyes, and she slowly craned her neck up to take a good look at this guy.
Dumbly, Erasa said exactly what was on her mind:
"Hello, tall, dark, and handsome, where have you been all my life?"
The man laughed a little and blushed, and then Erasa recognized him.
"Oh my God! GOHAN?! I'm so, so sooooo sorry!! I didn't mean to….ohmygod…." Erasa bowed her head and backed away, blushing madly.
Gohan smiled affectionately at her before speaking to the both of them in a very off-hand manner.
"I was buying a few things for myself," For the first time, Erasa and Videl noticed the small paper hand in his right hand, "When I…noticed you two. So I thought I'd come over, you know, say hi."
Gohan let out a cheerful, sweet smile that could make lesser girls, such as Erasa, nearly fall to the ground in a swoon. Videl was no lesser girl. She stood her ground and stared Gohan dead in the face, working to keep the smile on her face.
This encounter cannot go sour, and recently, my encounters with Gohan have gone very sour indeed. Videl thought determinedly, hoping that Gohan would leave after he said hello, though she did suspect that that would not be the case.
What if he kisses me again? Oh God, he can't kiss me again. Not in front of Erasa. Granted, that didn't seem like something Gohan would do, but after that incident Thursday, Videl was willing to believe anything of Gohan.
Videl was jerked out of her thoughts by Erasa, who had regained her nerve and was beginning to talk to Gohan.
"Hi Gohan! What'cha been buying?"
Gohan winced mentally at her very poor grammar before responding. "Nothing much…soap and shampoo." Gohan turned his gaze away from Erasa, to whom he had been speaking, and looked Videl directly in the eyes.
An image, voluntary or not, flashed through Videl's mind, of Gohan in the shower, naked of course, with suds running down his back and steam rising from his shoulders.
Videl felt a very tiny tingle go down her back before hardening her gaze at Gohan.
We don't think like that anymore, Gohan.
It might've been Videl's imagination, but she almost thought she saw Gohan's gaze harden in turn before his amicable expression returned.
"So, what are you ladies doing?" Gohan asked. Videl immediately stepped down on Erasa's foot, hard, not even waiting for her to open her mouth. Erasa looked at Videl, hurt.
"Owwwwww! What'cha do that for?"
"Preemptive strike." Videl said, absently noting Gohan's smile at her use of dry wit. She quickly returned a nice, friendly smile to him before she opened her mouth to speak again.
She's smiling. That's good. Gohan thought, warming his smile up an extra degree or two to return the favor, hoping Videl wasn't going to shoot him down again.
"Hi Gohan. We were shopping for clothes for me, and, actually," Videl picked up the two shirts and held them up for Gohan to see, "I wonder: Can you help me pick which top to buy? I only have money for one or the other."
Gohan's smile grew very wide and transformed into an enormously happy grin as he reached out and took the tops from Videl, examining the texture of the fabric as he debated which one to chose.
This white one… Gohan thought, feeling the material slip and slide between his fingertips. It exposes her shoulders and…my…This strap could just slip off those shoulders any old time, now, couldn't it? Gohan's grin grew even wider as he thought about that. For a second, as Gohan examined the neckline of the shirt, the grin faltered into a slight frown. This is actually quiet a modest shirt though, but with this thin material…if it got wet… Gohan diverted his attention away from the white tank and instead focused on the red shirt he held in his other hand.
Gohan's thoughts on the red top were actually very predictable, at least, to those of us who know how the male mind works.
Cleavagecleavagecleavagecleavage….
"What is this shirt for, anyways?" Gohan asked absently, torn between the two of them.
"Oh," Erasa squealed, now back on what had been (for the past day or so) her favorite topic of discussion. "Videl's got a really really big date with Sharpener tonight!"
That was all it took. It was like a switch had been flipped in Gohan's head. His expression darkened; his eyebrows beetled over eyes that were as flint.
Videl arched one eyebrow in interest. Touched a nerve, didn't she?
Gohan changed his facial expression yet again, into a sneer of disdain. He quickly took the tops off of their hangers, and, holding one in each hand, dropped them to the floor, where they pooled in cotton/polyester blend puddles.
Gohan's eyes followed the shirts, as did Erasa's and Videl's. Erasa bore a look of surprise. Videl's expression was unfathomable.
After maybe a half-second, Gohan's head popped back up, his lip twisted in such a way as to suggest there was a particularly foul smell floating in the air.
"The red one." he said, his voice burning and acidic. "Unless you plan to fuck in a hot tub." Gohan turned around and stormed away, his malodorous disposition scattering shoppers before him like Moses parting the seas.
Erasa stared at his retreating back in slack-jawed shock. Videl understood her shock: Erasa really didn't know Gohan very well, on the occasions that the two did converse, Gohan was always on his best, most polite behavior. Videl had been one of the few people who really knew exactly how nasty he could get when he was angry or frustrated.
"Well!" Erasa said, still at a loss for words. "I never thought I would hear Gohan, of all people, use such language!" Erasa put her arms akimbo as Videl bent down to pick up her shirts, carefully putting the white one back on its hanger and then on its' clothing rack. She didn't bother to put the red shirt on its rack or even on its' hanger, she merely started walking to a cash register, knowing that Erasa would follow soon.
True to form, Erasa showed up at the register a few seconds later, silent. Videl glanced at her out of the corner of her eyes; she looked contemplative. Videl mentally shrugged. No biggie. Erasa would be jabbering on and on and on by the time she was back in the car.
As they were walking out of the mall, Erasa, at last spoke. Videl had expected maybe a comment on the wedding. Or something that they had forgotten to buy. A comment on Gohan's behavior or wondering why he was so hostile.
But instead…
"Why didn't you scream at him?"
"Wha-?" Videl said, caught off guard.
"Why didn't you yell at him?" Erasa repeated, her face showing puzzlement. "If anyone else ever said something like that to you, you would either scream at them until you lost your voice or knock them out cold. Usually both. Why didn't you do that? Heck, you even took his ill-given advice. What is up with you?"
Videl stopped dead in her tracks, paralyzed with shock. Of all the questions Erasa could've asked, Videl had never expected that one.
Videl searched her mind for an answer, for a reason, and she began to panic when she couldn't find one. One of her own, at least.
"I…ah…I knew he was just trying to get a rise out of me, and…ah…I didn't want him to win," Videl said, hoping she sounded at least somewhat believable. "And I was going to pick that shirt anyways. It would go really well with that one necklace you got for me on my birthday last year."
"Oh. Okay." Erasa said, nodding and dropping the conversation into a rather uncomfortable silence, leaving Erasa and Videl wrapped up in their thoughts.
I really hate when you lie to me, Videl
I don't love Gohan anymore. Repeat after me, Videl...I don't love Gohan any more, I don't love Gohan anymore...
***
A/N: Hee hee hee...I love that chapter! Bwah! I also LOVE that Adidas scent, too! EEE! Loveitloveitloveit!...eeeee... Anyhum, you may get some answers on what got between Videl and Gohan in...the chapter after the next one, but then again, maybe you won't! I wanna make this story last a long time, see...At least seven chapters, mebbe more...and hopefully not as short as this one...e hehehehe....see ya.
FIC OF THE DAY
Nothing But The Truth by Kioko: Not as much a love fic as a comedy one...Gohan and Videl have to endure video cameras, The Cell Games Revised Edition, oddball fusions, and villians brought back from the dead! How are they ever going to survive?
LAST WORD
"They're all so nice....then you give them a jersey and a ball..." --me, while watching a particularly vicious boy's game of basketball during gym class.
