Author's Note: Welcome back everyone! I'm posting this one early again because I'm worried I'll forget with the new Pokemon games that just came out LOL so here's a midnight release, just like before! I'll stick with the Friday afternoon postings going forward probably, but this week can be a nice little exception. Thank you all again for reading and reviewing, I'm really glad everyone seems to be enjoying the story so much! So without further ado, please enjoy the new chapter! And Happy Scarlet/Violet Day!
Chapter XI – I'm Really Glad We Got to Know You
"Thanks again for coming Gohan," Bulma told him, waving him inside the lab.
"Of course, I'm always happy to help if I can," he assured her.
The week had passed quietly for the most part; the Black Gloves hadn't resurfaced since the incident in the factory and the Saiya Squad hadn't been called to any crime scenes lately. Everything had been so petty it didn't need their attention, Chief Kaneki had assured them. So of course, Gohan had taken to spending as much time with Videl as possible.
They had been studying for finals intermittently with Erasa and Sharpner just like they had done back in June for midterms. None of them were very focused on their upcoming exams, though; they were all excited for those exams to be over and done with so they could get to their beach trip at long last. It was only a few weeks away now and with the end of the trimester so close, it felt more real by the moment.
Today was the day Videl had made plans to go shopping with Erasa so it had worked out perfectly that Bulma had called Gohan and asked him to stop by Capsule Corp. when he could. He had plenty of time until their usual training session that afternoon, so he had headed over to West City following breakfast. Bulma had wanted to show him the progress she'd made on the devices he'd delivered to her and get his opinion on some possible countermeasures.
She lifted the paralyzer that had been used on him from a shelf and placed it on the table, a giant grin on her face. "Remember when I said some of the internal components of this thing were fried after you transformed?"
"Yeah…sorry about that," he mumbled, grimacing. Bulma laughed before shaking her head and turning her back to him again.
"Don't be! The problem's already been solved!" She lifted another box onto the table, complete with transmitter. "I reverse engineered the one the Black Gloves made and created an identical one of my own! I know exactly how this thing works now!"
"Wow Bulma, that's amazing!"
"Told ya you could leave it to me!"
"I knew I could! So how does this thing work anyway?" Gohan had racked his brain for weeks to see if he could understand why he had been rendered immobile by the technology, but he hadn't found an answer that satisfied him.
"Well, it's a bit complicated but bear with me; you're a smart guy, you'll follow. So, imagine that ki has a certain frequency it resonates at. Not a musical frequency, like a tone, but like a wave: sine, cosine, tangent, that kind of thing; an amplitude."
"Okay, that makes sense."
"Good. So obviously you know about inverse waves in mathematics, so imagine that applied to ki amplitudes. In theory, what would happen if I broadcast the exact inverse of your ki signature against its natural frequency?" Gohan considered her for a moment before a lightbulb went off.
"They'd cancel out, nullify each other entirely."
"Exactly."
"So the reason I couldn't move was because they cancelled out my ki?"
"Almost. If the machine had matched your ki levels, you just wouldn't be able to use your energy. But the output of the machine was pretty enormous; that's why they needed to use my custom transmitter. What if the machine was broadcasting inverse waves at a much higher amount than you were producing naturally with your own ki?"
"…then I'd be frozen. It wouldn't just nullify my energy; it would bind me in place since the force its exerting on me is greater. And if we're thinking of ki – the energy within my body – as a wave, then its inverse would overpower me entirely."
"See, I knew you'd get it. Sure you don't want to follow in my footsteps and inherit Capsule Corp. someday?" Bulma sang, shooting him a wink. Gohan chuckled before grinning back.
"I dunno, honestly. But I wouldn't want you to just hand me your legacy; I want to build something of my own."
"That's so like you Gohan. I respect it!"
"Thanks!"
"But anyway, yeah, that's why this thing paralyzed you. It emits a wave that counteracts the natural signal of your body's energy."
"So why didn't it freeze Videl then?"
"Ah, now that's the interesting part!" Bulma's eyes were alight with the familiar gleam of a challenge well met. "In theory, it could work on Videl too."
"But it didn't because…we have different signals?"
"Bingo!"
"Are all humans different? Or is the difference between Videl and I simply the fact that I'm a Saiyan?"
"Human ki signatures are all pretty much the same, just the way you Saiyans are basically indistinguishable from this perspective. So the difference is that you're a Saiyan, for sure. But interestingly enough, from what little I've tested, most humans are so out of touch with their ki that this kind of technology wouldn't work on them. Only someone like Videl or Krillin, people who have trained themselves enough that their ki is more powerful than normal, would be affected by a device like this."
"How interesting. So the fact that the machine was able to paralyze me and not Videl means it was calibrated to match my ki output as a Saiyan, not hers as a human?"
"Right again!"
"So that's what the boss of the Black Gloves was able to learn from your files on Saiyans then? The ones he had Reed steal from you."
"I think so. I've never focused much on ki research and what little I've done has never concerned power amplitudes, which means he used my limited information and was somehow able to extrapolate it and apply it in a way I'd never even considered before. Whoever this guy is, he's an absolute genius when it comes to understanding and manipulating ki, especially from a technological standpoint."
"That's concerning," Gohan murmured, his brow furrowing as he tried to consider who could have that kind of information. So few people on Earth knew about Saiyans in the first place. It should be a short list to consider, yet he was still coming up blank, just as he had every other time he'd theorized about their suspect.
"It is. I've done the same thing: tried to figure out who it could possibly be. I've got nothing…"
"You'd think it would have to be someone me, my dad, or Vegeta have met, right?"
"That makes the most sense. But then again, we've seen some crazy things over the years. There might be someone that we have no idea exists who learned what Saiyans are through some other means than just fighting you."
"I guess that's a good point…so unfortunately we're no closer to figuring out who our target is then?"
"I'm afraid not."
"Well, it's not like we assumed figuring out the technology would tell us who we were dealing with right away," Gohan conceded, smiling lightly. "Besides, thanks to you, we have Reed working for us now and it's only a matter of time until they slip up and reveal their base to us!"
"That's the spirit! Besides, I haven't even told you the best part!"
"Oh? There's more?"
"I wouldn't have called you here just to explain ki amplitude to you," she promised, turning towards her computer.
She woke the display and Gohan saw several simulations and files open on it. The biggest one, front and center, however, was a pair of inverse waves, frozen on the screen. He figured it was a visual representation of the concept they had just discussed.
"Yep, that's right," Bulma said, noting the look of understanding that flashed across his eyes. "This is effectively what was happening last month. Watch this," she said, pressing a button. The simulation began to play and, within moments, the waves cancelled each other out into a flat line.
"So that's what would happen if the device had just neutralized my ki."
"Right. And this is what really happened to you." She pressed another button and the inverse amplitude began to grow, replacing the flat line with only itself.
"And that's why I couldn't move."
"Exactly. But don't you suppose there's a way to counteract even this?"
"Well sure, you'd just apply a separate wave with a greater inverse amplitude to the one the device is outputting."
"…you're taking the fun out of this, you know."
"Sorry!" Gohan rubbed the back of his head sheepishly before Bulma laughed and shook her head.
"Nah, don't be; I'm just giving you a hard time. Correct once again! Which means, once I figure out the right signal to transmit and how to appropriately house such a broadcast method, I should be able to whip up a device for you and Videl to wear that will counteract the signal this thing gives off!" Gohan felt a wide grin spread across his lips.
"That's amazing Bulma! You can do that?"
"Sure! I'll need a little time for it, though. Right now, this is all just a working theory. I'll admit, it's a good theory! But it'll take some effort to make that kind of technology portable so it's actually something useful for the two of you."
"Still, that'd be amazing if we didn't have to worry about their devices anymore. It would help us out so much the next time they pop up."
"Well don't you worry; I'll have it done before the end of the summer I hope!" Gohan smiled widely again.
"You're amazing Bulma, thank you so much!"
"But to do that, I'll need to borrow your watch for a few minutes. I need to take a scan of it so I have the exact schematics I'm working with."
"Of course, here you go." Gohan removed his watch and placed it on the table. Bulma grabbed it and attached it to yet another complex-looking machine before pressing a key on it. A whirring sound echoed around the room and she turned back, raising a familiar glove into her hand.
"Oh, I'll also start digging more into these gloves once I figure out how to counteract the paralysis. It probably won't let me disable them but understanding the tech might give us an edge somehow."
"That sounds great. You're the best Bulma."
"Ah please, tell me something I haven't heard before!" She let out a jovial laugh, all while puffing herself up proudly. After a few moments of chortling, she finally continued.
"So! Speaking of summer, I was chatting with you mom the other day and she said you're taking a trip in August! How fun! This is the first real trip you've taken by yourself huh?" Gohan laughed lightly and smiled.
"Yeah! My friend at school, Erasa, invited me, Videl, and our other friend Sharpner with her family to go out to their beach house."
"That sounds amazing! The only beach house I've ever been to is Kame House. And Roshi's always there to ruin things," she scoffed, earning a laugh from the young Saiyan.
"I'm looking forward to it a lot; we all are! We're having a hard time focusing on studying for finals."
"Yeah, I would too if I had something like that coming up! Is it just her parents or does she have siblings too?"
"Huh…I don't really know, honestly. She's never mentioned siblings around me, so I'd bet it's just her mom and dad."
"Gotcha. Think they'll be with you four the whole time? Parents are such a drag on trips like that," she laughed, though the way she spoke told Gohan she had a bit of experience in that field too.
"I doubt it. It seems like her parents are usually pretty busy, so I bet they'll be working some while we're there. But I figure they wouldn't really want to hang out with us anyway," he reasoned, chuckling in turn.
"Well hey, far be it from me to make assumptions, but…" she trailed off, turning to a drawer nearby and rummaging through it for several seconds. Gohan was curious what she could possibly be doing, but he soon got his answer. Part of him wished he hadn't. Most of him, really.
Bulma tossed something small through the air like a frisbee at him, following it with a small capsule. Instinctively, he caught both objects before even realizing it. Glancing down at his hand, he ignored the capsule and studied the other object. It was a square, foil wrapper. He wasn't sure if it was candy or not. Why was she keeping candy in her lab drawer? Maybe she got hungry and needed a snack sometimes? Did sugar boost her productivity?
"Uh…what is this Bulma?" he asked, curiosity settling obviously on his face. The woman rolled her eyes and scoffed.
"I knew you were sheltered but come on; didn't your father teach you anything? …that was a stupid question, forget I said that."
"I'm…very confused…" She let out a heavy sigh and seemed to steel herself.
"Since apparently I'm the only person in your life that realizes you're an actual adult, I'll explain it. But I'll do it a little delicately for your sake," she promised. Gohan just nodded, watching her curiously.
"That's a condom, my oh-so-innocent nephew."
"…what's that?" Bulma sighed and shook her head.
"It's for if you and Videl…you know…get physical with each other," she explained, raising her eyebrows and staring at him, clearly hoping he'd get the message.
"Physical?" he repeated, still confused. As he thought about it for several seconds, however, his mind finally went back to the discussion he'd had with Videl all those weeks ago. This was something for when they 'went all the way together?' He hadn't even known something like this existed. But…realizing now what Bulma was implying, he felt his face burn scarlet almost immediately.
"Ah, glad you get it now! You know, that was harder to get you to understand than the whole ki amplitude thing," Bulma joked, laughing at his embarrassment. Gohan was quite flustered now and immediately felt himself shake his head.
"W-we're not gonna do something like that on the trip! Erasa's family will be there! And our friends! A-and we've already talked about it and decided we're not ready for that just yet!" He stumbled and stammered his way through his words at last and Bulma just eyed him with amusement.
"Okay, okay, don't forget to breathe. I'm not saying you have to use them; I'm giving them to you just in case. Like I said, I'm not assuming anything about you two."
"Wait…'them?'"
"Yeah! That capsule is a case of them. Let's just say, I learned pretty quickly with Vegeta that those things aren't normally 'Saiyan proof.' So I made my own design and I can guarantee they'll work exactly as intended! This particular invention has been through enough field tests, after all." Gohan blinked several times before turning his gaze away from Bulma's.
"I could have lived my whole life and died happily without ever hearing those words." Bulma laughed loudly at his deadpanning and shot him a grin.
"Sorry to have cursed you with them, then. But, lucky for you, you won't ever have to worry about the same problems I did! Keep the capsule on you," she advised. Gohan sputtered again.
"L-like I said Bulma! Videl and I…aren't really ready for that yet…"
"That's fine; don't use them till you are. But the last thing you want when the mood is right and you are ready is to be unprepared. Trust me, there's no bigger mood killer than that."
"R…right," Gohan conceded, blushing furiously. A devilish grin betrayed Bulma's intentions before she spoke again.
"Want me to explain how they work?"
"Nope!" Gohan cried out, waving his hands and shaking his head hurriedly. Bulma broke immediately and began laughing, loudly and without any deference. His face got even hotter somehow and he thought he might actually faint from heat stroke.
"I'm just messing with you," she promised, gasping for breath between her persistent chuckling. "A quick search online will tell you everything you need to know anyway."
"G-great…Bulma I'm gonna go home now…"
"Okay, sorry I teased you so much," she managed, still giggling intermittently, grabbing his watch from the machine again and handing it back to him. "I'll walk you out. And I won't tell anyone else about the little gift I gave you."
Gohan swore he felt steam pouring out of his ears.
"Wow, I don't remember the last time I even wore a swimsuit," Videl mused aloud as she followed Erasa through the store. Her best friend had insisted they get an early start, just in case it took them a while to find something they each liked, so the store was fairly empty still.
"I don't think I've ever seen you in a swimsuit, other than those ugly school ones we used to wear for swim class in middle school. That doesn't count though."
"Thanks for bringing me with you 'Rase; I don't think I'd really know what to look for otherwise."
"No problem! Besides, if I let you go shopping on your own, I know you'd pick something I wouldn't approve of." Videl gave her a suspicious look.
"Just what are you trying to put me in?"
"Something that'll make Gohan's jaw hit the floor when he sees you in it," she winked, causing Videl to flush.
"You can help but I have to approve everything," she insisted. Erasa just grinned and nodded.
"Sure, sure. You should just leave the selections to yours truly, though; I promise you're gonna look so good!" Videl felt herself becoming more nervous that she was being set up.
Erasa led her through the store for a few minutes, eyeing the selections, before stopping in front of a display. There were several styles of bikinis before them, some with bright, vibrant colors and some that were much more muted and subtle.
"Ooh, some of these are really nice, wanna try a few?" she asked Videl, smiling easily. The raven-haired girl shifted uncomfortably.
"…'Rase, do I have to wear something like that…? A one-piece swimsuit is totally fine…"
"Absolutely not!" Erasa objected, rounding on Videl and planting a finger against her shoulder. "I'm not gonna let you go to the beach for the first time with your boyfriend and wear something that makes you look like an old grandma!"
"I wouldn't look like a grandma!" she protested. "I look better in things like that anyway; I don't think I look very good if I'm showing too much…you know…?"
"You don't know what you'd look like in a swimsuit, remember? Besides, you're selling yourself way too short. You're gorgeous, Vi! And you're a world-class martial artist; there's no way you're not hot as hell under than baggy t-shirt," she insisted, winking playfully.
Videl felt her cheeks catch fire. She hated when Erasa tried to boost her confidence. It was a very sweet gesture; she just hated how insecure and embarrassed it made her feel. "C-come on 'Rase…" she pleaded. The blonde simply shook her head.
"Non-negotiable. We're not going on the trip at all if you don't let this happen!" Her eyes widened in shock.
"Y-you wouldn't really cancel it would you? Everyone's so excited about it!"
"Then it looks like you'd better give in on this one." Another wink and Videl knew she was beaten. Sighing heavily, she felt her shoulders deflate.
"…okay, fine. You can pick whatever you want me try on."
"Yay!"
"But! Nothing too over the top, okay? I get uncomfortable wearing stuff that's too showy…" Videl's command had trailed off in embarrassment, but her eyes played host to an intense look that Erasa knew not to challenge.
"Deal!"
With that, the blonde set out to find the perfect swimsuit for her hesitant best friend. She slowly prowled the aisles and displays like a predator on the hunt, her sharp eyes scanning everything with speed and precision. Videl had always marveled at how much better than her 'Rase was at typical girl things. Sometimes it made her feel like she was an oddball. Scratch that; she knew she was an oddball, at least compared to other young women her age. But lately, she was fine embracing that side of herself too. In fact, she had found a lot of confidence in who she was since starting to date Gohan. Just maybe not enough to wear the things Erasa wanted her to…
After several minutes circling the store, Erasa finally ushered Videl off to the changing rooms in the back. She had grabbed upwards of ten different swimsuits and, as she rifled through them, Videl noticed several that were a bit too extreme for her.
"Um…'Rase? Aren't some of those a little too revealing for me?" she cautioned. Erasa just laughed and pressed several hangers into her hands.
"Don't worry; those ones aren't for you. I'm trying those on!"
"I'm a little envious, honestly; I can't imagine having the confidence to wear things like that in front of people," she admitted, flushing a bit. Erasa just laughed lightly.
"Maybe not, but I promise confidence is the only thing you're lacking." Videl felt a tiny smile tug at her lips. She may not always agree with the things Erasa said about her, but it did make her feel pretty good about herself to hear them.
"Okay!" Her best friend interrupted her thoughts effortlessly. "Here's how this'll work! Let's each pick one to try on, then we'll come back out here and model for each other and we can both give opinions on them! Sound good?"
"Can't I just…I dunno, try them on myself and tell you what I think of them?" The blonde grinned and shook her head.
"No can do! I don't trust you to be objective when it comes to yourself. So I'll be the judge today!"
"…okay, fine…"
"Tell you what; I'll come out first and make sure the coast is clear if you're feeling that self-conscious. That way you only have to come out when it's just me. Sound good?"
"Yeah…thanks 'Rase," she conceded, offering a small smile at last.
Entering the cubicle, Videl hung the five swimsuits she'd been given on the hook. She eyed them nervously; she really did want to give Gohan a little treat during their trip. She'd talked such a big game flirting with him the week before, she couldn't just let herself chicken out now.
'Yeah…you know what, if I think of it as rising to a challenge, maybe that'll make it easier!'
Very quickly, Videl found that she was dead wrong. The first swimsuit she tried on was pink with white polka dots on it. She immediately hated how exposed it made her feel. She wasn't entirely unfamiliar with wearing only a sports bra during particularly intense workouts or training sessions, but the biggest difference here was that this swimsuit seemed perfectly designed to accentuate her chest…which she wasn't a big fan of.
Even if she could forgive that, the bottoms were another story. She felt so awkward to have her legs entirely uncovered that she thought about just letting Erasa cancel the whole trip after all. She could have fun with Gohan at home. They had plenty of training to do…
'No…that's selfish…I can't do that to the others. Gohan seemed so excited about the trip too…'
She turned and glanced over her shoulder and was pleased at least that it covered most of her butt; she had been more than a little nervous it wouldn't. Videl had to admit, though, Erasa had done a good job of choosing swimsuits that weren't all that revealing…as far as bikinis went, at least. She still felt awkward and uncomfortable, but at least it wasn't as bad as it could have been.
A light knock sounded against her door. "Coast is clear, Vi! Come on out! I wanna see!"
Bracing herself, Videl opened the door hesitantly and crept into the hallway. Erasa was wearing a strapless green swimsuit and Videl was tremendously glad she hadn't insisted she be the one to try it on, even just for fun. She looked great, but still…
"What do you think?" the blonde sang, twirling for her. Videl smiled, albeit a bit sheepishly.
"You look great! It's just…it doesn't really leave much to the imagination, you know?"
"I was thinking that too. I don't have quite the same reservations you do, but this one does feel like it's a bit too much."
"W-what about me?" Videl asked, spinning half-heartedly. Erasa smiled gently at her.
"It's looks really good, honestly! I don't really think pink is your color, but the design is nice!"
"Thanks!" she said, finally feeling a tiny bit more relaxed. Erasa grinned at her.
"Look at you! You're having fun!" Videl thought about protesting but allowed a relaxed smile to steal her lips.
"I guess I am! Thanks for being patient; I know I'm not good with this kind of thing," she admitted.
"You're doing just fine, Vi. But I was serious earlier: I want Gohan's mouth to fall open when he sees you," she winked, earning a blush from her best friend. "So get back in there and tell me what you think of the others!"
She returned to her dressing room and picked through the remaining four swimsuits. Time and again, Erasa summoned her back into the hallway where they judged how the other looked and whether they thought it would be a good choice until, finally, Videl came to the last one.
This was much more her color: a deep blue top with black bottoms. It matched her eyes and her hair this way. 'I hate to admit it…but nice choice, 'Rase.' She fastened the top around herself, the straps tying behind her neck in a halter fashion. It felt decent. She still didn't love how much of her all these bikinis left exposed, but this one was as passable as the others.
She finished dressing and waited for Erasa, eyeing herself in the mirror in the meantime. She actually…liked this one? Of the five that she'd tried, this was her favorite, both in style and in color. At last, the familiar, insistent knock rattled the door to her small cubicle and she opened it, less timidly this time. Erasa's eyes lit up.
"Oh. My. God. Vi, you look so good! What do you think of it!?" she asked excitedly, moving closer and staring hard. Videl felt herself wilt under her best friend's attention and her cheeks turned pink again.
"I…I really like this one, actually," she admitted at last. Erasa smiled widely at her.
"Good! That's the right one for you! Put all those others back, get this one! Please!"
"O-okay. I…I'll get this one," she conceded, though a tiny grin stole her lips. For as much as 'Rase liked to tease her, she made her feel good about herself in a way nobody else really could.
"Well now that we've got yours figured out, how about helping with mine? Which was your favorite?"
They talked through Erasa's selections for a few minutes longer and eventually Videl recommended the purple one she had tried on third. Erasa agreed with her after some consideration and her choice was made.
Returning to her dressing room, Videl studied herself once more. She still felt pretty exposed in something like this, but if Erasa really thought it looked that good on her, maybe she could accept it. Besides, Gohan had never really seen her in something like this before…and she did really want to leave a strong impression on him…
[Hehe, that's so like you Darling. Maybe you'll get a little something next Sunday then…]
She remembered the text she'd sent last Sunday night and a wave of embarrassment washed over her, causing her face to burn scarlet. She really had gotten a little carried away with her flirting. She knew Gohan wouldn't mind if she backed out of it, but…she would mind. Videl wasn't the type of person to make promises, insinuated or not, and then go back on them. Besides…maybe she could stand to be a bit more direct about her physical interest in Gohan.
They kissed and cuddled with little hesitation now, but they had still only given in to their physical attraction to one another that singular time, the night of Gohan's birthday. And even then, they'd both been extremely hesitant and awkward about it. Not that she minded; they were both pretty reserved people in that sense. But as the months had passed by, she found herself more and more attracted to him and couldn't pretend she didn't want a little more with him, hence why she had flirted so unabashedly with him over text that night.
It wasn't a crime to send her boyfriend a photo once in a while. It didn't have to be anything too suggestive, but…this was a perfect opportunity. Opting to save some of the surprise, Videl grabbed her t-shirt and threw it on over top of the swimsuit she was still wearing and grabbed her phone. Careful to avoid getting her beet-red face in the shot, she snapped a few pictures in varying poses. He would be able to see her legs like he hadn't really before, but everything else would be a surprise for August. Besides, knowing Gohan, this alone would be more than enough to make him blush for the next 24 hours.
She pondered exactly what she wanted to say for several seconds and eventually settled on a sweet, simple message. [Wish you had been here! Here's a tiny preview like I promised. Miss you Darling]
Pleased with her message, she quickly sent it and one of the pictures to Gohan before she chickened out and deleted all of it. Her face burning terribly, Videl set her phone down – nearly dropping it she was so jumpy – and changed back into her street clothes in a hurry. She didn't want 'Rase getting suspicious of what she might be doing in here.
As luck would have it though, she emerged from the changing room at the same time as her best friend and the two wandered back into the store, returning the items they'd decided against and getting in line to make their purchases. It was in that line that Videl felt her phone vibrate and she nervously glanced at it.
Of course, it was from Gohan. She did her best to will her body to remain calm. She still didn't want to betray her nervousness to Erasa and wind up being questioned by her. Glancing at the message, she almost giggled to herself. Sure, Gohan texted like he'd never spoken to anyone their age in his life, but she had definitely gotten a response if his enthusiastic wording was any indication.
[That looks so great on you! I can't wait to see the whole thing! I miss you too 'Del, I hope you're having a great time with Erasa! Enjoy lunch!]
That had gone…well. Or at least better than she'd expected. She probably wouldn't make a habit of sending photos like that to her boyfriend, at least not yet. But she did feel pretty good about the response he'd given her. Maybe she'd have to bring it up later at their training session, just to make sure he'd actually had the reaction she wanted.
Feeling rather pleased with herself, Videl started chatting with Erasa about where they should go for lunch after sending Gohan a quick [I love you!] and putting her phone away. She'd have all afternoon with him again very soon. For now, she wanted to enjoy hanging out with her best friend for a few hours. It had been a long while since they'd spent time like this together outside of school and she was quite looking forward to it.
The rest of July passed in a hurricane of study sessions, training sessions, and test sessions, but finally, August arrived. Despite his anticipation for their vacation, Gohan had, unsurprisingly, done well on all his finals, as had Videl. Though Erasa and Sharpner hadn't had quite the same level of success, both had done even better than on their midterms and were pleased. Now, they could all enjoy their beach trip without feeling any pressure because of school. And with summer break finally upon them, he was very excited to focus solely on it.
Sundays were usually his training day with Videl, but since they were leaving early that Sunday morning, obviously they were foregoing this week's session. Besides, Videl had been doing quite well the last several weeks anyway. She had made tremendous progress on deflecting ki blasts, though Gohan was still a little hesitant to throw stronger attacks at her. The ones he had managed to fire, though, she had done a pretty good job of deflecting into the air above her. She still had some practicing to do in order to rely on the technique during a real fight, but he was extremely proud of her and how far she had come. After they were back, Videl had insisted they train a little every day until school started back up, something he had instantly agreed with. Any excuse he had to spend more time with Videl was something he was more than happy to accept.
When he picked her up at the Satan Mansion, Videl was quite excited too. For the first time in a while, she wasn't wearing her school uniform or her training clothes. Today, she had opted for that pretty blue dress he liked so much from their first date. It had been months since he'd seen her in it. As he took in her appearance once more, he was fully aware that her hair had grown noticeably since May. It still wasn't very long, of course, but the fullness was coming back some and most of the natural spikes that had resulted from her pixie cut had grown heavy enough to fall back to her head.
"Good morning Darling," she sang, floating up and placing a soft kiss on his lips. Even now, after months of her doing exactly that, his heart still flipped in his chest. A warm smile stealing his face, he wrapped her up in a hug and held her close.
"Good morning to you too! I see we're both in great moods today!"
"Of course! How could we not be?"
"Don't tempt fate by saying something like that; trouble seems to follow us everywhere!" he teased, grinning at her.
"Oh come on, we deserve something like this after everything with the Black Gloves these past few months."
"Yeah, you're right about that. And you've been training so hard lately too; it'll be nice to just relax together and unwind."
"Yeah it will! 'Rase told me we're meeting in front of the school in twenty minutes; ready to head out?"
"Let's do it!"
And so, the young couple took to the skies, holding hands and twirling happily around each other as they discussed all the things they wanted to do at the beach together – go swimming, build sand castles, play volleyball, hold hands and walk as the sun set. Gohan's heart was lighter than it might have ever been. The prospect of spending three perfect, romantic days with Videl (…and their friends! Of course!) was proving to be maybe the most excited he'd ever been for an event.
A few short minutes later, they landed gently outside the school where Sharpner was already waiting, in sunglasses and a loose tank top. "Yo! Sup lovebirds?"
"Hey Sharpner, how are you?" Gohan called out, waving to the boxer. He grinned and gave a quick thumbs up.
"I'm good, excited for the trip! E said she'd be here in ten minutes. She can't fly like you two, after all," he joked, looking over his sunglasses and winking.
"Aw she should've told us; I would've carried her like a princess and flown her here." Videl made a show out of looking crestfallen, causing the guys to laugh. She broke a moment later, leaning into Gohan as her own infectious laughter graced his ears.
A few minutes later, Erasa finally arrived, in very high spirits if her ear-to-ear smile was any indication. Videl, in an uncharacteristic display of outward affection, pulled her into a hug as she greeted her. Her best friend was clearly a bit surprised as well but returned it, laughing warmly.
"It's pretty rare for you to give hugs, Vi!"
"What can I say? I'm really excited for our trip and it's all thanks to you!"
"Well I'm glad you're looking forward to it! You're sure you don't mind flying the airbus? Sorry I sprung it on you so last minute."
"Nah, it's no problem at all. I've been flying those things for years now. Unless you want me to pick you up and fly you there? Gohan can carry Sharpner," she teased, winking at them. Gohan just gave an eager thumbs up and the captain of the boxing team rolled his eyes.
"As much fun as that'd be, why don't we just stick to the airbus? Besides, Gohan should be carrying you, not me."
"Where's the fun in that?" Videl was having a great time and Gohan was thrilled to see her smile and joke like this. She was a lot more relaxed and open than the first time he'd ever seen her with her friends, too. It was really nice.
"Though," she continued, getting back to business, "I guess there aren't enough of us who can fly to bring your parents anyway, so airbus it is."
"Oh you won't have to worry about that anyway," Erasa waved her off, tossing a capsule far ahead of them. A large vehicle popped into view, one that would easily fit all of them, unlike Videl's own jet copter. The raven-haired girl nodded her understanding, as if a lightbulb had gone off in her head.
"Oh of course, they'll probably just meet us there, right? They usually work on Sundays too."
"Nah, you won't have to worry about it because they're not coming."
Gohan felt his eyebrows raise slightly. He knew Mr. Satan had been comforted by the fact that it wouldn't just be four young adults causing trouble on their own for the weekend. Videl, unsurprisingly, seemed pretty shocked by that revelation.
"Wait…did they have to cancel last minute? We can reschedule if they need to; we're taking over their beach house after all."
"Vi, do you even remember my parents? They were never coming to begin with. And they don't care about the beach house; all I said was I was inviting some friends to it and they just waved me off and said sure before the left for work again."
"But…you told us they were coming back in July."
"Of course I did! I figured you two honors students would never sneak away for a long weekend with us if you knew! Plus, I know both your parents can be a little strict so I didn't to ask you to lie!" She offered a wink and a smile, but only got a scowl from Videl in return.
"So you tricked us into lying instead. 'Rase, why wouldn't you just be honest about it? Now the three of us are totally caught off guard!"
"Speak for yourself," came Sharpner's voice, laced with mirth. She rounded on him, eyes wide.
"You knew too?"
"Course I did; E told me before she sent you that text a month ago."
"So you both hid this from us?" She was more bewildered than upset, but Gohan could see the telltale signs of annoyance building up in her.
"Yep," Sharpner continued. "We both wanted to have a nice trip during our last summer at Orange Star and couldn't risk you two bailing on it cause it was 'unsupervised' or whatever. Besides, what kind of 18-year-old wants parents tagging along on a trip like this anyway? It'd be such a drag." Gohan stifled a laugh as he remembered Bulma's words from a few weeks back.
"Come on Vi, it's no big deal! It's not like we're gonna get drunk or do drugs or anything! We're just gonna have a fun weekend at the beach, just the four of us!"
"…I don't know…I feel bad lying to Papa…"
"He has let you do much more dangerous things than this," Gohan reasoned aloud. Her eyes widened and she looked at him, surprised that he was defending them.
"You too? You're okay with lying to your parents like this?" Gohan gave her a soft smile.
"Of everything I've been through in my life, I think this is probably the least dangerous thing of all. Yeah, Mom would probably be a little uptight about it, but it's not like things are really that different now than they were a week ago. I want to go on this trip with all of you! And it'll be more fun if it's just us four; I've never really had a friend group do something together like this!"
"Aw Gohan! That's so sweet!" Erasa sang, glancing slyly at Videl.
"I get that…and I do want to go still…I just don't like lying to Papa…"
"Besides, we have to have one rebellious phase in our lives, don't we?" His good-natured laugh finally managed to pull a tiny smile from Videl.
"I guess…"
"And I'd really love to share this weekend with you," he told her gently, watching as her cheeks flushed pink and her eyes dove for the concrete beneath her feet.
"…okay, fine. I'm on board."
"Aww how adorable! Nice job Gohan! You're the only one who could've melted her enough to get her to agree!"
"Hey!"
"She's got a point Videl," Sharpner said, laughing at her indignation. "Now can we get going? Or do you two wanna make us both more nauseous from how cute you are first?"
Gohan rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly but felt a sheepish grin steal his face. "Yeah, we can head out," he agreed.
"Fine, but Gohan sits up front with me," Videl argued, pouting just slightly. Erasa's eyes flashed.
"He gets you all the time! I call shotgun!"
"Only if you get there first!" Gohan challenged, taking off quickly. Erasa shouted after him and began to chase, but he was already next to the airbus, his hand resting on the door handle. To his delight, he saw Videl laughing merrily, still several yards away with Sharpner. He wasn't sure if she was laughing at Erasa stomping and yelling at him for cheating or his antics in challenging her to a race to begin with, but he was just glad she was smiling and laughing again. This was too good an opportunity to let her spend it guilty and annoyed. Her glowing smile never faded, even as she crossed the distance to him. It looked like their trip was going to be just fine after all.
The sun pounded down on the beach with oppressive force as Gohan set up the large umbrella they'd brought. Erasa's beach house – if you could even call it a house; it was more like a miniature mansion – was equipped with everything they could have ever wanted for a fun day on the sand. Gohan and Sharpner had loaded their arms up with plenty of items, from buckets for sandcastles, a volleyball, some collapsed beach chairs, several towels, deflated beach balls, and the aforementioned umbrella. The girls had gone to change while they had offered to bring everything out and find a spot.
"That should do it!" Gohan called out, glancing over his shoulder. There were several people out on the beach, though not too many that he had to shout very loudly; Sharpner, who was placing his pile of items on the sand nearby, heard him easily.
"Yeah, that looks great! We can toss a couple beach chairs underneath and it'll be perfect." He rose to his feet, grabbing one of the collapsible chairs and starting to unfold it.
Sometimes Gohan forgot that, even though he was just a normal human, Sharpner was in pretty good shape. Gohan himself had carried a frankly absurd about of things out to the beach in one trip, but the blond had done nearly the same. He idly wondered if Sharpner would have the capacity for ki training too. Though, he didn't specialize in martial arts the way Videl did, so it would definitely be a much steeper hill for him to climb. Maybe it wasn't impossible, though.
"Thanks for getting us a spot boys!" The familiar voice of Erasa called out to them and Gohan glanced back towards the path they had come down minutes before.
His eyes immediately went to Videl and he was only slightly disappointed to see her in a loose tank top and shorts. He couldn't complain much; she was still as beautiful and breathtaking as ever. Though he hadn't been able to stop thinking about what she'd look like in her swimsuit since she had sent that picture a few weeks back. It had been a shot only of her legs but he had struggled to get the image out of his mind for days after that. He had never seen her wear something that left so little to his imagination…and that imagination had started working overtime since then.
Erasa, on the other hand, was already in her own swimsuit, a purple bikini that was quite flattering. Gohan found he couldn't really dwell on her, though, or anyone else for that matter; he was wholly distracted by the sight of his Videl, even if she were fully clothed. The way her hair danced on the ocean breeze, the adorable sunglasses that covered her cerulean eyes, the way she waved energetically to him. He waved back and smiled. She had only been gone for fifteen minutes and he'd caught himself thinking it was far too long to be separated from her.
"Looking good E," came Sharpner's voice from next to him. He gave her a wink from over the top of his sunglasses. Gohan half wondered if she would be upset by this, but true to form, she smiled and winked back.
"Aw, look at you! Are you trying to make me feel good about myself? Thanks Sharpie!" She ran the last several feet over and threw an arm around his neck, laughing in delight and squeezing his arm playfully. Gohan watched the display in amusement, glad she hadn't decided to try that on him. But he also thought he noticed Sharpner blushing pretty badly as he half-heartedly fought to escape her grip.
"Look at those two; already goofing around so much," Videl chided softly from beside him, the joy in her voice unmistakable. He reached out and wrapped his arm around her shoulder, pulling her in close and delighting in the feeling of her smaller arm winding around his waist.
"They're certainly the life of the party, huh?"
"And they always have been."
"You look great too 'Del," he told her softly. She rolled her eyes and grinned up at him.
"I'm still just wearing street clothes."
"So? You always look great."
"Are you trying to butter me up?"
"Is it working?"
"Only a little!"
"Then I guess I'd better work harder!"
The young couple broke into laughter together. Their first trip together was already off to such a great start. For someone who had never experienced what it was like to have been a normal kid, Gohan found it was quite nice to feel like a normal teenager for once. Even if it had taken until he was almost in college to experience it.
"Hey lovebirds, we're gonna head into the water, you coming?" Sharpner had succeeded in freeing himself from Erasa and had tossed his tank top aside, stretching and tying his hair back. Gohan opened his mouth to respond but Videl beat him to it.
"You two go ahead; I still need to put some sunscreen on."
"Cool, see you out there!" Their friends hurried off towards the water, Erasa grabbing a beach ball from the pile and bringing it with them. It seemed like not a second of fun would go unappreciated, especially for those two.
"Would you mind helping me?" Videl asked from his side. Gohan smiled and nodded.
"Of course!"
They stepped under the umbrella and dug through their bags until they found the sunscreen. Gohan wondered if Videl might be uncomfortable undressing down to her bathing suit if he was still wearing his own shirt and decided to remove the loose button down he'd worn out. Instead, she stopped mid-turn and stared at him, her mouth slightly agape and her cheeks turning pink.
"You okay 'Del?"
"Huh!? Uh! Yeah! I'm fine!" She was clearly flustered. It was the idea of actually wearing her swimsuit in front of him, huh?
"Hey, don't worry. If you need a little bit to feel comfortable getting ready, I'll wait with you; I don't mind at all." Videl smiled sheepishly and shook her head.
"Uh, t-that's really sweet but…um, that's not what's going on. It's just…I forget sometimes how…well-built you are…"
Gohan felt his own face flush in turn. He'd been surrounded by people whose muscles were larger than their brains his entire life; he didn't think anything of it anymore. But to hear his girlfriend say something like that, to see her get so bashful and shy about seeing him without his shirt, it made him feel both incredibly good and incredibly embarrassed.
"Uh…thanks 'Del. Yeah, I…I guess you've never really seen me like this…huh?" She was trying desperately to maintain eye contact with him, though her face had stopped getting redder at least.
"No," she admitted, "but…you look…damn…" That was all she managed to get out before words failed her again.
"That's…uh…really flattering. Thanks…"
"Y-yeah! No…no problem!"
They stood in silence for several moments, Gohan choosing not to acknowledge the fact that, despite her best efforts, Videl's eyes were constantly darting to his chest and abs like she was seeing an oasis after being stranded in the desert for days. It wasn't like it made him feel bad; honestly it was quite nice that she clearly thought so highly of his physical appearance. He just really wasn't used to attention like this.
"Uh…did you want me to help you put some sunscreen on?" he reminded her at last. Videl's entire face reddened again and she quickly glanced down at the sand.
"Right! Sure! Uh…yeah, that'd be great…"
Turning away from him, she began to raise her shirt over her head. Gohan's immediate response was to avert his eyes, glancing at a particular spot in the sand several meters away. Had sand always been that color? It was somewhere between white and tan. How interesting.
"G-Gohan," Videl managed.
"Uh huh!?" He tried not to sound panicked, but it didn't really work.
"Um…you can turn back now if you want to…I don't mind…"
Gohan took a slow breath to calm his racing heart and turned slowly towards Videl. His mind ground to an instant halt and every coherent thought left him as his eyes fell upon his breathtaking girlfriend. Breathtaking was truly the only word he could use as he couldn't remember quite how to take in air at the moment.
He tried hard not to stare too much but he really couldn't help but admire her figure in a way he never had before. He had never seen so much of Videl's pale skin on display. With each observation, he felt himself grow just a bit more awestruck by her. It started with his eyes quickly taking in her long, slightly muscular legs, something he'd only ever seen in that picture she'd sent a few weeks before. Though even more dazzling in person, he had been prepared for that sight.
But when his gaze made its way up to her toned stomach, her abs lightly defined from years of training, he felt his mind turn to mush. He was vaguely aware that his mouth had fallen open and he was about ten seconds from drooling like an absolute ignoramus, but he couldn't bring himself out of the trance she had over him yet. She was so impossibly attractive it had entirely stunned him.
He'd seen her slender arms many times, but today was different. It felt like he'd never truly seen them before and appreciated her lithe build more than he ever consciously had. And he had to admit, compared to everything he'd ever seen her wear, he had never really imagined what she might look like if she were to show off her chest more…something that made his face burn crimson when he noticed. The blue top of her swimsuit was incredibly flattering and it took everything in him not to stare slack-jawed.
"Geez, I guess 'Rase was right," Videl began, blushing furiously but sporting a tiny smile. "She told me she wanted your jaw to hit the ground when you saw me…that's why she picked this one…glad it worked…"
Her words finally snapped Gohan back to reality. He blinked several times and averted his gaze, sputtering and stammering as much of an apology as he could manage. "I-I'm sorry Videl! I didn't mean to stare, really! It probably made you feel so awkward, I'm so sorry!"
She stepped close and pulled him into a hug, leaning her head back and gazing upwards at him. He couldn't suppress a small yelp of surprise as her chest pressed against him, something he was acutely aware of given her current attire.
"Don't apologize Gohan, it's okay. It…was flattering," she admitted, her cheeks as red as roses. Gohan cleared his throat and finally managed to meet her eyes.
"Uh…you, uh…look incredible," he stammered. She smiled, though her cheeks never returned to their natural color.
"T-thank you. I'm…it makes me feel really good about all this that think so. I…only wore this for you, after all."
"Y-you did?"
"Of course. I'd probably never wear something like this if I came here by myself or just with 'Rase and Sharpner. But this time, I…wanted to," she admitted, finally needing to avert her eyes.
Gohan felt his heart soar out of his body and do several flips high into the sky as his stomach twisted into knots of nerves and butterflies. She really was something else. "W-well…I'm glad you did. You're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen."
Videl's ears and neck turned red now and she buried her face against his chest, making a small, high-pitched sound of acknowledgement. He held her close, trying to calm his own reeling mind. About that time, his heart, done with its foray into the upper atmosphere, decided to rejoin his body.
"Yo, hurry up! We're just gonna play a game without you if you don't get out here!" Sharpner's loud voice rang across the beach and snapped the couple from their embarrassed daze.
Videl pulled back a little and took a slow, steadying breath. "We shouldn't leave them hanging for too long, huh?"
"No, I guess not."
"Would you put some sunscreen on my back first?"
"Of course I will."
Videl shivered with delight as she felt Gohan's strong hands rub sunscreen down her back. They had both recovered somewhat from the initial shock of seeing the other in their bathing suit, but her mind was still stuck on the mental image of him. She couldn't blame him for staring at her a little bit…she'd stared so intensely earlier she was amazed she hadn't started salivating over him.
As she closed her eyes and lost herself to the feeling of his skin tracing up and down her back, she recalled, with almost photographic perfection, the powerful, sculpted lines of a six-pack she'd never seen with her own eyes before today, the chiseled definition of his chest, the way his broad shoulders squared to the world around him. God it was enough to make her want to glue her lips to his and kiss him like they had back on his birthday.
The way his fingers dodged around the strings of her top made her breath catch in her chest. She wasn't worried he might accidentally untie them; he was far too careful and considerate for her to ever worry about that. No, she was wondering what it would be like if they went back inside, alone, and he delicately untied those strings because he wanted to…
Blushing furiously, she banished the thought from her mind. Certainly, that wasn't something she should be thinking about here in public. She was broken from her daze and shivered again as he took his hands back, squeezing her shoulders once for good measure. "You're all done 'Del," he told her softly.
She turned and smiled warmly at him, trying to hide the coloring of her cheeks. He would probably think it was just from the sunscreen anyway. "Thanks Darling. And…thanks for making me feel good about myself. Aside from you, only 'Rase has ever managed that."
"You have every reason to feel good about yourself. Now…what do you say we head out into the water and have some fun with our friends?"
"That sounds perfect!"
Gohan helped her to her feet and Videl proceeded slowly to the shoreline with him, stealing occasional glances at the way his strong calves moved as he glided forward effortlessly. Shaking her head quickly, she banished the thoughts from her mind and tried to focus on the day before them.
The water proved to be fairly cold but with the heat of the day she actually found it refreshing. Diving under the surface, she approached Erasa and Sharpner, delighted to find Gohan keeping perfect pace next to her. He probably could have outswum her effortlessly, but it always warmed her heart that he chose to stay so close.
"Bout time! What, ya lose a contact?" Sharpner chided, grinning at them. Erasa smacked him gently on the shoulder before rolling her eyes, floating over to Videl. She waited for Gohan to start talking to the other boy before leaning close to her best friend and whispering.
"So? What'd he think?" Her eyes were alight with curiosity. Videl giggled just a bit before nodding.
"You were right…this was the right one to pick."
"I knew it!" She managed to keep her voice a whisper, but only barely. "I told you he'd love it!"
"I'm sorry I ever doubted you."
"As you should be."
"I'll make it up to you next time."
"And? How do you feel? Not too embarrassed I hope?"
"I…feel really good actually." Erasa just gave a gentle smile.
"You have no idea how happy that makes me!"
From there, the four just had fun swimming around, bouncing the beach ball back and forth lazily. There was no real game attached to it, though at some point they made it a challenge to see how many time they could strike the ball back into the air without it touching the water. Their first attempt got them 18 volleys. That had lit a competitive fire in Videl and Sharpner and they had insisted they break 30. She could tell Gohan was holding back most of the time but that only made it even more fun. He could easily had juggled the ball 100 times or more, knowing how amazing he was.
After about an hour of their aimless activities, the four returned to the beach, drying off lightly and collapsing onto beach chairs and blankets they'd tossed down. The sun was still high in the sky and the afternoon was young. A loud grumbling from Gohan's stomach interrupted their relaxation and he blushed a bit, earning an involuntary giggle from her.
"I'm pretty hungry too. Do we have any ideas for lunch?"
After the group discussed it, they opted to pick something up from the small shopping district nearby. To her surprise, it was Sharpner who spoke next.
"How about Videl and I go grab our food and you two watch our stuff," he suggested. There was just enough intent to his tone that Videl was curious why he really wanted her to go along but decided to just accept it for now.
"Sure, that's fine with me!" Gohan agreed, giving her a thumbs up. "You know I'll eat just about anything; I trust you to choose for me 'Del!"
"I'll bring back something delicious," she promised, leaning over and kissing him on the cheek. Erasa made a request of Sharpner as well, being familiar with the restaurants and food stands in the area.
Videl threw her tank top and shorts back on, feeling that she was dry enough to do so. She was more okay now with being in a swimsuit on the beach but she certainly didn't feel like parading around through town wearing so little. Sharpner fell into step beside her once she was ready and the two set off. Once they were out of earshot of the others, Videl shot him a knowing look.
"So, what's going on?"
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"Come on, I've known you for almost six years now. I know there was a reason you suggested we go together. Spill it, what's up?"
Sharpner sighed heavily. "You always could see right through me. Okay, fine. I need some advice."
"Advice? From me?"
"Trust me, you're the best person I can ask about this."
"Hmm…okay then, I'll do what I can."
"…you're also the only person I can ask about this," he amended, giving her a sly grin. Videl felt her eyes narrow.
"Thanks for the vote of confidence."
"Sorry, just couldn't let that one go. I'd really appreciate your help, though."
"Sounds pretty important, whatever it is," she accepted, letting her face relax again. "I'm all ears; tell me what's up!"
Gohan stretched and leaned back onto the beach chair, closing his eyes and taking in the sounds of the waves lapping against the shore, the feeling of the brisk sea breeze dancing through the air. It was a feeling that always reminded him of Kame House; he didn't have the best memories of that place, honestly. He'd been kidnapped there once and his father had almost died of a heart disease there a few years later. But today, the sights and sounds of the beach were feelings he associated with having a truly wonderful time with his friends, friends he hadn't ever been sure he'd have or get to keep. Yet here they were, treating him like one of them, even knowing what they knew about him.
"Hey Gohan," came Erasa's voice from nearby. She had settled into her own chair, lounging lazily in the sun, her oversized round sunglasses obscuring her eyes.
"Yeah, what's up Erasa?"
"Is ''Del' the only pet name you have for Vi?"
"Uh…pet name?" Erasa laughed.
"Oh come on; a pet name! You know! A name you use for her that only her boyfriend gets to use."
"Oh!" Gohan suddenly understood her wording. He had never really heard that term before. "I guess so? I called her 'Love' once or twice and she seemed to like that, but mostly I call her 'Del, yeah. How come?"
Erasa leaned up onto her elbow and turned to face him, looking over the tops of her sunglasses. "You should try some others too! She'll never admit it, but Vi would love stuff like that!"
"She…would?"
"Of course! Shy girls like her always get flustered and melt when their boyfriend uses all sorts of different pet names for them!" Gohan considered her for a long moment.
"She did get pretty happy when I called her 'Love.' But what kind of pet names are there? Do I have to make them all up? I'm not very good at that part honestly."
Erasa sighed and giggled. "How have you two managed to get this far without me? No, you don't have to make them all up, though you can! Pet names are like…I dunno, it's weird to explain. There are some that everyone just uses and you kinda figure out the best ones to use for your partner, you know?"
"So what are those ones that everyone knows?"
"Haven't you ever heard your parents use any of them? Sweetie, honey, baby, things like that?"
"Oh yeah! I've heard the first two! Why would I call Videl 'baby' though? She's not a baby…"
Erasa burst out laughing, a fit of mirth that lasted several seconds this time. "Oh my god, you're so cute and innocent." Gohan felt his cheeks flush a bit and the blonde girl shook her head quickly. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to embarrass you! It's just that I've never met anyone as…pure as you! Let me explain!"
"Go ahead," he offered, still quite confused.
"You aren't calling her 'baby' like a screaming, crying newborn. It's like a weird term of affection. I'll admit it's not my favorite to use, but some people really like it. Like, 'you're my baby.' It's like…'you're someone really special to me that I want to take care of and hold' and stuff like that."
"I dunno, if someone called me 'baby' I'd probably expect them to shove a pacifier in my mouth afterwards. Or steal my lunch money or something." Erasa dissolved into a fit of giggles again and Gohan laughed alongside her, amused at the image.
"I'm really glad we got to know you, Gohan! You're so much fun to hang out with! And you make Vi so happy!" His cheeks flushed just a bit but he managed a sheepish smile.
"Thanks Erasa, I'm really glad I got to know you all too!"
"I'm so happy you are! Okay! Back to pet names!"
"Right."
"So you don't like 'baby;' that's fine! Vi probably wouldn't like it either, knowing her. But you could use things like sweetie, sweetheart, honey, dear – though those last two make you sound like an old married couple. You can keep using 'Love' if you want to, especially if she liked it. It's really up to you! There are so many to choose from!"
"Hmm…that's a lot of options. How do I know what the right choice is?"
"Well I'll tell you what it's not, and that's 'babe.' Don't ever call her that." Gohan raised an eyebrow and looked at her curiously.
"How come? It sounds too much like 'baby' so I'm not a big fan of that one anyway, but it seems like there's a story there."
"There is! Back during our first year in high school, Sharpie had a pretty big crush on Vi and he started calling her 'babe' all the time. She almost killed him a few times." Gohan noted that there was no levity in Erasa's tone as she mentioned that…the thought made him shiver a bit. "But after a while, she just stopped responding to it. It must've gotten old eventually because he stopped using it entirely during our second year."
"Wow, I never knew he tried so hard to get her attention."
"Yeah, well, that's ancient history now! And besides, I've heard Vi talk about you; you don't ever have a thing to be jealous of or worry about!" she assured him, winking. Gohan smiled easily and nodded.
"I trust her completely, don't worry." Erasa gave him a warm smile before snapping back to their previous topic.
"Okay, so pop quiz! This'll help you come up with a nice new pet name for her to start with! What do you think of when you think of Videl?"
"What do I think of?"
"Anything at all! What comes to mind when I say 'Videl' to you?"
"An angel," he answered without hesitation. He expected Erasa to smirk or giggle or tease him again but instead she was quiet. He chanced a look at her and saw her hands covering an enormous smile, her eyes huge and shining over her sunglasses.
"That is the cutest thing I've ever heard! Oh my god!" she squealed, practically rolling back and forth in her chair. Gohan felt his face flush again but figured it was a good sign.
"Gohan!" she managed at last. "Call her 'angel,' please! She will literally melt in your freaking arms! I promise you!"
"You…you really think she'll like it that much?"
"If she doesn't, I'll buy you lunch for a month."
"A month!? If she didn't actually like it, that'd be way too much! I could never accept that!"
"Just take the bet; I'm not gonna lose anyway," she winked again and Gohan had to admit she seemed incredibly confident.
"…how about just one lunch? And if she does like it, I'll buy you lunch instead."
"…okay, fine, deal!" She extended her hand and Gohan shook it. She had a strangely competitive fire in her eyes. Apparently, her intensity was awakened by love and romance talk instead of beach ball volleying.
"But," she continued, grinning over at him, "that means you have to tell me what she thinks of it! You don't have to give all the details, though; I just wanna know if my little Vi is as susceptible to cute nicknames and pet names as I think she is."
"She'll probably tell you herself, won't she?" Erasa scoffed lightly.
"Nah, not unless I drag it out of her. She doesn't like talking about herself or her love life very much, even to Sharpie and me. It's fine; it's just how she's always been. Though I gotta admit, lately she's been a lot more open with us. Softer, too. It's because of you, you know."
"Really?"
"Really. I know you didn't know Vi very well before the tournament, but she was always a little distant since middle school."
'Right. That's when her dad started drinking and locking himself away from her…'
"But once she met you and the two of you started dating, she became really happy again. Like really happy. Happier than I've ever seen her in my life. And I've known her since second grade!"
"She makes me really happy too," Gohan assured her. "She's the best thing that's ever happened to me." Erasa looked over at him, glowing with approval and happiness.
"I'm sure she's already told you the same, but you're the best thing that's happened to her too. I hope you know that."
"…I believe her when she says that, yeah."
"And for what it's worth, it makes me really happy to see the two of you together. Sharpie, too. We may tease you both here and there, but we absolutely love the two of you together; seriously!"
"Thanks Erasa, that means a lot."
"I should be the one thanking you!"
"For what?"
"For making my Vi happy!"
"I want to make her happy as long as she'll let me." Erasa couldn't suppress another squeal of delight.
"And it's things like that that make me know the two of you are gonna be together for a long time!"
Gohan settled back into his chair and a comfortable silence fell between them. He really did want to be with Videl for a long time. Forever, honestly. He saw a beautiful future with her. They had only been dating for a few months now, but it really felt like the love of his life had fallen right into his arms. He could see them living together, caring for one another, someday marrying each other. They would go to family events and holidays together, surrounded by their odd, loving parents and siblings (and Buu). Maybe they would even start their own family together someday.
But right now, those were all dreams and thoughts for the future. For the moment, Gohan was perfectly content to live in the here and now with his perfect partner, his soulmate. His Videl. And wherever their love took them, that was just fine with him.
Videl had just finished dressing again after her shower, putting on her usual oversized sleeping shirt. Erasa's family beach house was very impressive. It wasn't as large as the frankly ridiculous mansion she lived in with Papa, but it was sizeable and well kept. Unlike the large, empty hallways of her home though, this house was warm and inviting everywhere she looked. Whether it was the off-white carpet, the scarlet accents, or the cozy décor in each room, she felt very calm and welcome here.
She drew a robe around her and wandered out into the hallway again, proceeding towards Gohan's room. She had promised to find him after she finished showering. She had felt a lot of overwhelming feelings that day – none of them bad – but she could always fall back on a relaxing night with Gohan to make her feel centered and comfortable again. Besides, she had some surprises for him that would make the evening entertaining, as well as give them some time to themselves.
Reaching his bedroom, Videl knocked on the door several times. Seconds later, her handsome boyfriend opened the door, his face alight with joy and his dark eyes twinkling.
"Hey 'Del!"
"Hey yourself! I missed you," she told him, wrapping her arms around him and drawing him into a tight hug. Gohan, if he was surprised at all, didn't show it and hugged her back, keeping her close against his body and rubbing her back lightly.
"I missed you too. Wanna come in?"
"Yeah!"
He stepped to the side and Videl entered his room. It was very similar to hers – the same scarlet curtains complimented the bright carpet, the cozy but not overly cluttered decorations and furniture. It was a relatively small room when compared to hers at home, but there was a nice little sitting area, a large, comfortable bed, and a beautiful view of the shoreline from the balcony.
"How was your shower? Mine was so much nicer than the one I use at home!" He had always said he was barely big enough to fit in his own shower. The few times she had suggested his family use some of the money her dad had given them to upgrade a bit, he had gently turned her down, though. As she expected, they were a family of modest means and perfectly happy to stick with what they had. She even suspected Gohan somewhat enjoyed that tiny shower of his, somewhere deep down.
"Mine was great too! 'Rase's family really has a nice place here."
"They sure do. I could honestly get used to something like this!" The chuckle that he let out resonated around the room, jovial and satisfied.
"You could always stay over with me sometime," she suggested nonchalantly, trying not to blush as she did.
"I…I'd like that…" he admitted softly, his humor immediately replaced by sheepishness.
"Hey Gohan?" she continued, her voice even quieter than before.
"Yeah?"
"Can I stay with you tonight?" She felt her face heat up and her ears burn but she refused to look away from him. Gohan's cheeks were several shades of red darker than usual as well but he nodded.
"Uh…yes please. I'd really like that."
They gazed at each other for several long moments before Videl couldn't take it any longer. Images of him on the beach, his perfectly toned and sculpted body glistening under the sun, raced through her mind. The feeling of his hands on her back like she'd never felt before. The runaway thought of him undressing her that had eclipsed her mind. She felt an undeniable desire build up in the core of her being, very similar to the way her ki felt when she drew it out. Only this wasn't some unfamiliar energy source. She just wanted him. A lot.
Videl crossed the room suddenly, earning a confused look from Gohan until she leapt into the air and hooked her arms around his neck, pressing her lips hungrily against his. He was taken by surprise somewhat but quickly recovered, holding her close and returning the gesture. She forced her tongue through the barrier of his lips and kissed him harder. He seemed more nervous tonight though and gently pulled back after a few moments.
"What's wrong? I'm sorry, did I come on too strong?" Videl immediately backpedaled, worried she had overstepped. Gohan shook his head, still recovering.
"No, not at all! It's just…Sharpner and Erasa are pretty close by, right? We…probably shouldn't tonight…"
"Oh! If that's the problem, then you won't have to worry for a while! They're not here." His eyes widened in surprise and Videl grinned at him. "You can't sense them here, right?"
He slowly reached out with his energy and confirmed what she already knew; their two friends weren't in the house at all. "Where did they go then?" he asked, curious now.
Videl strolled over to the bed and sat down on the side of it, patting the mattress next to her. "Come sit! I'll tell you what happened while Sharpner and I were grabbing lunch earlier."
He did exactly that and Videl turned, looking straight at him. "Sharpner likes 'Rase."
"What!?"
"That's what I said!"
"So the advice he wanted to get from you…"
"Was about her, yeah! He wanted some advice on how to approach her!"
"Wow! So I wasn't just seeing things earlier; he was blushing really hard when she hugged him before I helped you with your sunscreen." Videl hadn't noticed that, but it made sense.
"Yeah, he asked for me specifically to come with him and grab food so he could get an idea of whether or not she liked him, what he should do about it, all that kind of stuff."
"Does she like him?"
"I dunno, honestly. We've never talked about Sharpner like that, she and I. But you know how friendly she is; I can't tell if she's just being herself with him or if she's trying to send him signals." Gohan pondered this information for a minute.
"It really is hard to tell, huh? I know she's been less touchy with me since we started dating – which I figure is because she doesn't want to hurt or upset you – but it's hard to tell if she's just being the same way she used to be but with Sharpner…"
"Yeah, I couldn't give him a lot of insight on that one."
"So wait, why aren't they here then?"
"Because he's going to take her for a moonlit walk on the beach and tell her he likes her," she revealed, grinning slyly.
"Really!?"
"Really! He's got guts; I'll give him that!"
"But what if she says no? Won't that make their friendship pretty awkward?" Videl shook her head, smiling lightly.
"I don't think so. We've all known each other for a long time now. I really think they'll be just fine, even if she turns him down."
"Good, I wouldn't want anything to mess up their friendship. He must really feel strongly about her to go so far though, huh?"
"I think he does. I've honestly never seen Sharpner like that. He was blushing and stammering a bit and…honestly, he kinda acted like we do when we're flustered!" She laughed and fell into Gohan, feeling his arm wrap around her shoulder.
"I wish I could've seen that too!"
"You still might!"
"So how'd he convince Erasa to go with him? Wouldn't she get suspicious if he invited just her out when we're both here too?"
"Oh…uh…" Videl trailed off and tensed up. She had forgotten her offer to him earlier.
"What's up?" he asked, seemingly quite curious now.
"Well…I sorta told him that…he could use you and I as an excuse…"
"An excuse? How so?"
"Like…they should leave so we could…have some time alone together…"
"O-oh!" Gohan grew tense as well and she knew she had embarrassed him. At least he wasn't alone in that feeling.
"Sorry. I know that's kinda…not fair. But she'll know that wasn't the real reason soon enough anyway, so I don't think it'll be a big deal come tomorrow."
"That's okay, I'm not worried," he conceded, recovering more quickly and gracefully than in the past. "If it gives them a chance together, I'm all for it."
"You're so sweet and selfless Gohan."
"Hey, I could say the same for you!"
A comfortable silence fell between them as Videl nestled her head against Gohan. She could heart his steady heartbeat, feel his chest rise and fall against her. She had gotten so distracted telling him about their friends that she had almost ignored the reason she had kissed him so forcefully to begin with.
"Hey Gohan…?"
"Yeah 'Del?"
"Do…do you want to…take advantage of the fact that they're not here…?" She managed to meet his eyes and saw an adorable blush spring to life on his cheeks.
"Uh…like back in May?"
"Yeah…"
"I do…"
"Me too."
"How long will they be gone?" he whispered, his eyes half closed as he gazed at her longingly.
"At least another hour. Maybe more."
"That's good."
Videl got up and turned the lights off, the bright moonlight from outside spilling across the carpet and illuminating the room pleasantly. It took a minute for their eyes to adjust to the more muted light, but once they did, the young couple laid down together, Videl pressing herself closely against Gohan's chest.
"Um…Gohan?"
"Yeah?"
"I have a request, if you're okay with it."
"You can ask for anything, always."
"D-do you…can we…um…go just a bit further tonight…?" Her voice was barely above a whisper.
"Um, I…uh…yeah. I'd…like that."
And without wasting another moment, Videl scooted upwards and pressed her lips against Gohan's.
11/18/2022
Post-Chapter Note: Hey again! I hope you all enjoyed the chapter! Next week is Thanksgiving in the US but I have every intention of still posting a chapter as usual. It might end up being later on Friday depending on the holiday and how things go, but next one will be lots of fun I think! Everyone bring a glass of milk for next week though; it's gonna get spicy again, much more so than last time.
Anyway, I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend and a Happy Thanksgiving if you're celebrating next week! Take care and thank you again for reading! See you next time!