Gohan and Goten easily made it home before dark had fully set in to their mother's approval who was of course waiting by the door.
"Oh good you're home safe." Chichi smiled and held her arms out to hug her youngest. Goten didn't hold back from the invitation and charged into the hug.
"Mom we have a request." Goten chirped.
"A request?" Chichi asked.
"Can Piccolo come to Gohan's dinner party? I think it'd be more fun for Gohan." Goten happily proposed.
"Where did this come from?" Chichi looked over her son.
"We ran into him and Goten already asked him before coming to you." Gohan explained, apologetic in his voice.
"Of course you did." Chichi sighed.
"I understand if you say no. Everything has already been planned and paid for so-" Gohan started.
"He can attend Gohan." Chichi smiled kindly.
"Wait really?" Gohan asked.
"Yes. Daddy has been trying to promote a more inclusive banking and the more associates you and him have that are alien or alien ally the better that should play out. I also know that despite his antisocial tendencies he'll testify for your character to anyone willing to talk to him. It should sound better coming from him than if your father and I kept at it as if bragging over a prize bull." Chichi explained.
Gohan almost beamed. "Thank you."
"Just make sure he knows there is a dress code." Chichi teased.
"I will." Gohan chuckled.
Later in the night Gohan sunk into his bed sheets, the long day of thinking suddenly feeling full of activity with the last few hours. He sat up fighting the luring call of fluffy pillows and comforters.
"Piccolo."
"Three times in one day huh?" Piccolo's voice teased.
Gohan laughed a bit embarrassed. "Well one was unintended and this time is just to let you know mother's answer. Sorry I took so much of your day off."
"It's fine kid. I honestly have nothing better to do." Piccolo replied. "How much did she yell about me?"
"None. She actually agreed to invite you quite easily, although I think there may have been a lot to owe to more political reasons to have you present than simply having a friend there." Gohan explained. "She did want me to stress the dress code though."
"Sounds like her." Piccolo said.
Gohan took a filling breath. "I think I can finally look at this event with some excitement."
Piccolo was silent a moment. "Gohan, this bank stuff… You don't really want it do you? You're just smiling through it."
Gohan stilled, surprised by the statement. "Well…"
"You can't just live your life appeasing everyone else." Piccolo said.
"I know that." Gohan replied softly. "And it's not that I don't want it I just… At first I welcomed the idea of working at the bank and with family but since we moved here it's felt like an endless parade. Hide your tail, look rich, answer every question about your intelligence or personal opinions."
"Do bank people usually need to be preened like some nobility?" Piccolo asked.
"No but my situation is different from most since my grandfather is the Ox King, technically making me a prince of sorts." Gohan reluctantly answered.
Silence passed before Piccolo finally mumbled. "Oh my god."
"Yeah so everyone's treating me different because of that despite our lack of actual land or power. I don't know if they want me to act like one or waiting to see if I show any entitlement." Gohan spoke only to receive more silence. "Piccolo I swear to the gods-"
"I'm fine, I'm listening." Piccolo interrupted.
"Did you not know?" Gohan asked.
"I did not." Piccolo replied. "I didn't even know your family was more or less well off until these last months. You were just Goku's kid to me for the most part."
Gohan took a deep breath. "So…?"
"What?" Piccolo asked.
"Will you treat me different too or-?" Gohan started.
"No, Gohan." Piccolo's voice was a soft whisper. "I'm only going to treat you the way you have me, or whichever way you prefer."
Gohan had a small smile. "I like how you've been to me more or less. Thank you."
"If there's one thing I know it's that a given title shouldn't dictate how someone is treated." Piccolo said.
Gohan felt a weight bore into his heart by Piccolo's tone. Their connection began to feel stiff and cold, so far from the sensation of earlier that day. He wanted to see Piccolo's expression. "You do?"
"Whenever the parade becomes too much… you can always come find me. I'll let you drag me out and do something other than flaunt you in front of the rich." Piccolo ignored the question.
"I'd like that very much." Gohan forced a chuckle.
"Goodnight kid." Piccolo said.
"Goodnight."
Gohan sighed allowed their connection to close though he did wish to talk more. Slowly he sunk into his bed trying to brush off the feeling that Piccolo might still be having a hard time letting go of the guilt and allowing himself to be friends with Gohan.
He knew after all these years it would be impossible to just drop such deep set feelings but he hoped dearly that Piccolo would be free of them. He felt Piccolo deserved at least that.
Gohan stumbled into sleep more than drift softly to it.
A few days later Gohan closed another finished notebook only to jolt at a sudden 'ping' on his window. He looked closer and saw nothing. About to turn away and start a different lesson he heard a second.
'ping'
He opened the window and looked down to see Erasa and Sharpner, the later of which had his arm drawn back with another small pebble ready to fly.
"Hey Gohan!" Erasa shouted happily.
"H-hello, what are you guys doing here?" Gohan waved to them surprised by their visit.
"We haven't seen you in a while and were starting to get worried. Videl mentioned something about your memories and the coffee house owner." Sharpner explained.
"Why didn't you come to the front door?" Gohan laughed, still amused by the idea of his friends coming to his window.
"This was more fun." Sharpner shrugged. "Come get drinks with us."
"Sure. Wait just a moment." Gohan closed the window. He was successful in his escape; though it wasn't very hard with Chichi in the throes of a sewing conquest. "So where are we having these drinks?"
"The coffee house of course." Erasa answered.
After a quick wave to Piccolo when the trio entered the shop, they found a booth. Sharpner wasted no time in laying out his question. "Tell us what you've been hiding."
"I know I haven't been including you guys but I don't feel like I've been trying to hide anything." Gohan chuckled apologetically.
"I would have if it happened to me." Sharpner commented.
"At first sure, I may have kept more to myself when I wasn't aware what was happening." Gohan admitted. "But I don't think facing an old trauma should be some big secret. It's just a part of my life not some huge scandal."
"Trauma...? Videl only mentioned you spending time with Piccolo because you discovered you had a past with him. She didn't say anything about trauma." Erasa explained, her eyes studying Gohan.
"She didn't catch you guys up on everything?" Gohan asked.
"No." Sharpner replied. "It was a rather short summary with about five words and when we asked for clarification she said you should be the one to tell us. Which is of course fair since it is about you."
"I thought she was just concerned about Piccolo, but I guess it was more serious." Erasa said.
"Why would she be concerned about Piccolo?" Gohan asked.
"Well since you laid eyes on him your attention has been tunneled. Like he's the last light on earth." Erasa answered.
Gohan blushed. "I wouldn't say it like that but he has been at the center of everything I've had to handle lately with my memories. You see, we knew each other when I was a kid but I had no memory of it for a long time. Years of my life left blank until seeing him more or less unlocked them. I've been processing all that lost time since."
Everyone paused as Piccolo set their drinks on the table. He set one mug particularly in front of Gohan. Gohan's senses easily picked up the sweet notes. Chocolate.
"Thank you." Gohan smiled as he seemed to lose himself a bit in the aroma already slipping the first creamy sip down his throat.
"You're welcome kid." Piccolo grinned, the pure joy on Gohan's face already improving his day, and left the table.
"Maybe you're not the only one with tunnel vision." Erasa said as she watched Piccolo with wide eyes. "He's always been so stern about serving only coffee."
"I've never seen him smile before." Sharpner added in awe at the scene.
"I'm sure it's the last time I'll get a cup." Gohan shrugged off the statement. "He said it's only for a single client. There might have just been some left over and he didn't want to waste it."
Sharpner put a hand to his forehead, covering his eyes as he took a heavy breath. "How… did you miss that?"
"Gohan, he meant you." Erasa explained trying hard not to giggle. "You're the special client."
"What? No I-" Gohan started.
Piccolo swiftly stepped past the table, not pausing or looking to them as he confirmed. "She's right."
"See?" Erasa smirked.
"Has he always been able to hear us?" Sharpner peered over his shoulder, glancing at Piccolo now confronting a customer two tables away. He thought back to when he and Erasa made the possible connection that there was more in Gohan's curiosity in Piccolo than just wanting to know his name or why he was 'familiar'.
The moment stilled when a sudden yelling caught their attention. "I know you have it in stock! Just sell it to the rest of us!"
"I told you, it's not on the menu." Piccolo stood tall before an upset man with pig ears.
"You served it to that other guy." The man argued pointing to Gohan and his cup of hot chocolate.
"He's important to my benefactors. They supplied me with the product just for him." Piccolo explained.
"That's a load of crap! I bet you're just pandering to the humans!" The man screamed. "I'm an earthling just like them, and I demand to be given the same privileges!"
Piccolo's expression changed from his usual calm yet stern into looming anger. His tone lowered as he spoke. "I don't favor one race over the other. If you can't respect how this shop is run then you will not be welcome here."
"I can see this place is becoming just another human exclusive shop. I'll take my money somewhere else." the man muttered as he stomped past Gohan and out of the shop.
Gohan felt something rot inside him as he looked at his cup with guilt. He glanced at Piccolo cleaning the now abandoned table. As Piccolo made his way to the back room, Gohan spoke up. "I appreciate you finding a drink I enjoy, and it truly is the best hot chocolate I've ever dreamed of by the way; but if it causes you trouble, I'll just have coffee like everyone else when I'm here."
"Gohan," Piccolo turned to him. "I'm excluding everyone fairly by only giving you hot chocolate. He isn't the first to try to argue his way into getting something I don't offer. Everyone else understands this is a coffee house and they're here for coffee. If he was upset over one cup of cocoa, he has bigger issues than not getting the drink."
"He's right. That guy has a twisted sense of entitlement." Sharpner said.
"So just let him treat you." Erasa added with a wink.
"Well… ok, but if you're allowed to spoil me, let me return the favor." Gohan smiled.
"You want to spoil me?" Piccolo asked with a brow raised.
"Yes. Let's go out and do something on your next day off." Gohan suggested. He took a drink of his cocoa with a daring look to Piccolo.
"Whatever you like kid." Piccolo smirked and agreed before returning to his main station at the counter.
"You two are quite close aren't you?" Erasa asked.
"Yes. I'd say he's my closest friend… and I'm probably his." Gohan answered a bit sheepish.
"Certainly seems like you are." Sharpner commented. "I'm not sure he's got friends otherwise. Nothing against him of course, just doesn't seem to care for company."
"He really doesn't." Gohan chuckled. "When I was younger he lived alone outside of society."
"How did a muffin like you and a loner like him become friends though?" Erasa leaned over the table to ensure she didn't miss a detail.
"Well we uh… kind of met through my dad." Gohan tried to skim over the possible end of the world scenario that convinced Piccolo to train Gohan. "I lived on a mountain by a very nice forest and we spent a lot of time there. Over time he warmed up to me I guess."
"Childhood sweetheart stories are so cute." Erasa cooed.
"Sweetheart?" Gohan almost choked on another sip of cocoa.
"So lifelong friends and then something split you two apart for many years? I can understand why you're so focused on him then." Sharpner nodded.
Gohan thought a moment. "Do I really only talk about Piccolo?"
"Practically." Sharpner replied.
"At first it was a bit strange but now we understand that it all stems from a larger, core story in your life." Erasa added. "We'll support you and Piccolo through everything."
Gohan blinked at her. "Support us through what?"
"She's talking about your relationship." Sharpner clarified.
"I know you haven't said it outright and if you aren't ready to admit it, that's fine. I understand more than enough but you should know your affection for him is very obvious." Erasa declared.
"My affection?" Gohan gulped. He rapidly looked between Sharpner and Erasa.
"Thinking about each other day and night. Those lovely moments where the heart pauses or beats out of rhythm. Being able to make the other smile in a way no one else can." Erasa gushed her hand fanning her now blushing face. "I think you have the deepest relationship I've ever been lucky enough to witness."
"I'm sorry but you have to be confused." Gohan burnt red. Images now forced to his mind of strong arms around him. Catching the embarrassed but willing blush on Piccolo's cheeks. "Piccolo and I aren't like that."
"But you're blushing so hard right now." Erasa teasingly debated.
"Because this came out of nowhere and the thought of…. Him and I is just…. Too much!" Gohan scrunched into himself. He fought the embarrassment of the statement to control his volume and not attract attention of everyone around them, least of all Piccolo. He glanced to see him still behind the counter far enough away and wiping a couple glasses. He watched Piccolo until he set the glasses down and went into the back room.
"You treat each other different than everyone else. You were even flirting a bit just a moment ago." Erasa said.
"That was- I don't even know how to flirt." Gohan argued desperately. He took a heavy gulp of cocoa to steady his fast pace heart. The unique spices and warmth still his anxiousness for a small moment before he recalled that it was custom for him from Piccolo. "Please don't tell him you think we're… attracted to each other."
"Actually he might be more honest about it." Erasa said in genuine realization.
"No. He might yell at you and ban you from the shop." Gohan corrected though he knew Piccolo was just as likely to ki blast the shop to dust and fly off to the mountains. "He barely tolerates friendships. I don't think he's interested in romance."
"Have you ever asked him that?" Erasa questioned.
"No. I've been just trying to keep him in my life first I-" Gohan gulped. He stood and set some coins on the table. "I need to go. Here's my share, thanks for inviting me out."
He left quickly before Piccolo could come back out of the back room and see his face.
"You probably shouldn't have been so blunt about it." Sharpner felt a little bad for Gohan, having watched him get basically interrogated.
"You really think I was?" Erasa asked.
"We weren't even sure if he really did or did not have those feelings for Piccolo. It's one thing to subtly drop small suggestive lines here and there until he gives in or corrects us over and over, but then you suddenly charged at him like a cat who finally spotted the mouse." Sharpner sipped his coffee.
"I may have gotten impatient." Erasa shrugged.
It was then they noticed Piccolo looming over the table. "If you leave now and never say anything again I won't ban you."
"Oh damn." Erasa whispered, stilled in her fear that Piccolo had heard them.
"Yes sir." Sharpner sighed and stood. He handed the coins Gohan left and a few more to cover him and Erasa to Piccolo. Grabbing Erasa's hand he gently lead her out of the store with a small smile.
"You're right. I should have waited." Erasa said earning a laugh from Sharpner as they walked down the road.
AN: I need to get this train rolling at least for my own sanity O.O thank you for read