Dreams
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Disclaimer: Dragon Ball Z and it's characters are not mine.
Notes: Yes! Finally! I was having so much trouble with this one chapter. Dream sequences are so hard, what with the symbolism and all, and I didn't want to force it. Good news is – it should be smooth sailing from here.
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That night, Videl dreamed.
She dreamed she was at the Sons' house. She was seated at the table, Gohan sitting across from her. It was a perfectly ordinary day. The sun was shining cheerfully through the window, Chi-Chi was puttering about making tea and biscuits humming a happy little tune under her breath.
And they all had tails.
No one seemed to think this was unusual. Chi-Chi was even using hers to open the cupboard and take the tea-cups out whilst her hands were busy filling the pot.
As in the way of dreams, Videl decided to relax and go along with it.
However that didn't stop her jumping as something warm and furry wrapped about her ankle beneath the table. She looked up to see Gohan smirking at her. He winked.
"Gohan!" She hissed, shooting a look at Chi-Chi.
Her mother in law didn't seem to have noticed, scooping biscuits from the tray onto a plate.
"What?" Gohan's smirk grew wider, sharp not-quite-human teeth gleaming. "It's not like she's going to know."
His tail slid higher, and Videl fought to keep her cheeks from turning red.
"Here you go!" Chi-Chi set a cup of tea down in front of Videl. She moved about the table, setting out the plate of biscuits and setting another cup of tea in front of Gohan.
"Thank you, Chi-Chi."
Videl didn't dare try to drink the tea with Gohan's tail tickling her in such inappropriate places. Instead, she picked a biscuit from the plate and took a small, lady-like nibble.
"You need more than that," Chi-Chi said fussily. "You need to keep your strength up, you know."
She had seated herself at the end of the table, and was now knitting something bright and red. Her needles clicked steadily as the length of bright red grew. Her furry brown tail coiled elegantly about her own cup and lifted it to her lips so she could sip as she knitted.
"I'm fine thank you," Videl said. She nearly choked on the biscuit as Gohan's tail slid higher up her leg. He grinned at her slyly. She hesitated between seducing her husband or throwing the chair at his head.
Unfortunately, Chi-Chi's presence kept Videl from doing either. The woman remained seated, placidly knitting, apparently blissfully oblivious to what was going on under her nose.
"Are you going to drink that?" Gohan asked, gaze dropping to Videl's tea-cup. His tone was innocent and caring; his eyes said something else altogether.
Videl smiled sweetly.
"In a moment."
The red scarf was now long enough to reach Chi-Chi's lap. Her needles clicked as steadily as the tick of a clock.
"You wouldn't want to let it go cold," Gohan continued.
"No," Videl agreed mildly. "I wouldn't."
Underneath the table, his tail began to rub up and down her thigh; a sensuous motion like a cat begging to be stroked. The biscuit crumbled between Videl's clenching fingers. She had to catch her breath.
To distract herself, she glanced at Chi-Chi and the long scarf that now reached her ankles, pooling on the floor in bright red folds.
"Isn't it a little long?" Videl asked.
Chi-Chi blinked as if just noticing.
"Why so it is!" She smiled brightly. "Nevermind, I know how to fix it."
Smile never fading, she stood and stabbed the knitting needles into Videl's eye.
xxxXxxx
Videl awoke with a gasp.
She sat up, hands flying to her right eye. No warm stickiness coming away on her palm that would mean blood. No shooting pain through her eyesocket. Her eyelid was warm beneath her fingertips, the eye swivelling smoothly underneath.
It had just been a dream then. She let out a shaky breath of relief.
The room was dark. She could make out the familiar shapes of furniture in the gloom. She reached out with her senses, checking the darkness like a child making absolutely sure that there were no monsters under the bed. The only presence near was Gohan slumbering soundly beside her, his ki muted in sleep.
The dream had been the most disturbing she'd ever had – worse than the ones she'd had about Cell as a little girl, watching her father go off to fight. As she reluctantly remembered the details – the knitting needles and Chi-Chi's smiling face – a sick feeling churned in her stomach.
She threw back the covers and ran for the ensuite. She dropped to her knees in front of the toilet and vomited into the white basin.
When it was over, she knelt on the cold tiles, their chill cooling her over-heated flesh. A thousand differend emotions churned within her. Lingering nausea. The backwash of fear and adrenaline…
…and something else altogether…
xxxXxxx
"Videl?"
Gohan switched the bathroom light on.
"Videl, are you okay?"
His wife was crouched over the toilet. Her face was turned away from him, her hair sweeping forward in an impenetrable veil.
Gohan gazed worriedly at her. He'd known something was going on with Videl recently. Whenever he'd tried to talk to her about it, she'd bitten his head off. He felt helpless – an alien feeling for him. He didn't know what was bothering her, and he couldn't help her with it.
Finally Videl turned to face him. Her face was pale, but there was a gleam in her blue eyes that he'd never seen before. A burning light that illuminated her pale features.
"Yes, Gohan," she said. "I'm better than okay."
She wiped her mouth and laughed at his uncomprehending expression.
"Morning sickness!"