"Mom, can we please go outside? We've been locked up for days." Trunks stated trying not to pout as he stood at the armchair Bulma sat in. Goten frowned beside him, looking between Bulma and his own mother in the chair next to her.
"Hmmm..." Bulma thought for a moment. "If you promise to stay in the front yard then I guess a couple hours would be alright."
"Thank you!" Both boys grinned wildly as they bolted through the doors and halls to their freedom.
"Are you sure they'll be fine?" Chichi asked with a stifled worry.
"She hasn't even dared to peek outside of the building in the four days she's been here, even when Krillin wasn't stitched at her side, and it's far behind the house. They can handle some time out front. Now please! Back to what we were talking about. I only promised an hour break and I need to talk about literally anything else than work or the state of everything." Bulma begged.
"Well alright, so he said that it went well. He really does have an infatuation." Chichi conceded with a casual smile.
"He does?" Bulma beamed. "Any hints who it is?"
"I promised I wouldn't get into it, so I never asked. Especially after Hercule's misunderstanding." Chichi explained.
"I heard about that." Bulma winced. "But you must have some guess. He has to be worried sick about them out there. If we can figure out the who, we can bring them here to safety and to his arms. One less thing to worry about and maybe we can finally get someone more on his friend level instead of being embarrassed by all of his father's friends."
"I already swore off meddling. He's too old for my intervention anyway." Chichi looked away with a near sad sigh.
Bulma smirked as she spotted Gohan just outside the doors talking to someone who worked for her house. "Although he looks awful happy for someone who should be worried to bits."
"He's always hidden himself very well. I may have raised him to be too considerate of others." Chichi replied.
"Except it's still a bit obvious when his mind is somewhere else. A forced smile, or sad eyes, but that right there is a near Goku level of happy." Bulma said.
Chichi looked to the hall and indeed spotted Gohan with a bright grin accepting a folded cloth from the estate employee. She turned to Bulma who already quietly stood from her seat and snuck to the edge of the door. "Bulma, don't you dare."
"You swore of meddling. I have no such promise." Bulma whispered. She peeked around the door just as the employee had gone and Gohan slipped on the folded article, a periwinkle vest. Chichi rolled her eyes and pulled a small book from her pocket, ignoring the scene
"My boy, starting to cheer up finally?" Kami asked as he walked into the hall from a separate room further down. "Must be an important vest."
"It is." Gohan answered as he gently traced the embroidered flowers.
"It's certainly intricate and such a perfect fit to form. Worth every penny I suppose." Kami smiled.
"Actually, it's a gift." Gohan said. "From Piccolo."
"Oh. I should have guessed." Kami chuckled. "It's almost too well made, isn't it?"
"That's what I thought when I saw it. I'm glad they could wash it so well. I was reckless to wear it while I did a bit of exercise outside." Gohan admitted. "I know he could very well make me another if he wished, but it means a lot to me."
"Mmm." Kami agreed with a slow nod. He had begun walking beside Gohan down the hall as they talked.
Bulma stood straight when she was sure they had gone far enough. "That does make me think..."
"About?" Chichi asked as she looked up from her book.
"He's happier whenever Piccolo is near, right?" Bulma asked.
"Do you not cheer up when you see your friends?" Chichi returned with a smirk.
"Fair point but-" Bulma was interrupted by a clock chiming two tones. "Damn. Alright, I should head back, but think about it. He's awful close to him."
"I'm not asking Piccolo if he knows whom Gohan has feelings for." Chichi stated firmly.
Bulma paused on her way out of the room. "That's good. You're good. I might steal that."
"What?" Chichi asked as Bulma left. She looked around hoping an explanation had been hidden somewhere, but finding nothing, she just shook her head with a sigh. "Aren't we too old for this?"
Piccolo sat underneath a large tree with legs crossed and eyes closed. He was frustrated after another long search and needed to calm himself.
"It's getting harder to put that wall up each time." A voice in his head spoke up.
"I noticed but if you'd just stay on your side-" Piccolo replied.
"You're the one who moved the wall and I'm certainly not getting any closer to that other guy." The voice interrupted.
"I did not move it!" Piccolo denied.
"Yes, you did. When you made room for Gohan, you moved it." The voice said.
"That was a metaphorical wall." Piccolo said.
"Maybe for Gohan it was, but you barely had enough room for yourself on this side since it would have been risky to send us to your subconscious. It was either make room here for you to process these emotions you're having or keep him locked out and you emotionally starved." The voice explained.
Piccolo rolled his shoulders and smothered his face with one hand.
"But that isn't really the problem. It's gotten weaker for a while now." The voice continued.
"It's held up this long-" Piccolo started.
"I don't care if you've been doing it your whole life. It requires a base level of focus, and you haven't been able to give it that since Gohan suffocated." The voice argued.
"Enough!" Piccolo yelled aloud and turned his head in reflex from the haunting image of Gohan near death in his head.
"I'm sorry. I-" The voice was soft, almost distant. "I didn't mean for that."
"Oh Piccolo, it is you over here." Popo said as he stepped out from behind a tree. "I was a little worried. You're usually not so animated when you're thinking to yourself."
Piccolo smoothed his expression to his usual stone face as he stood up. "Good. You're safe. Where did you hide so well?"
"I was just on the other side of the town over there when I felt your energy earlier." Popo explained as he pointed out beyond the edge of the woods.
"Was it empty?" Piccolo asked.
"Yes." Popo said. "Many more towns are just as the others. If we can't get Goku up soon, I worry there won't be much left of civilization."
"Mmm." Piccolo grunted. "The old man asked me to come find you. We all relocated to the Brief estate."
"Thank you for your help." Popo smiled as he recovered his carpet from the tree and hopped on.
Piccolo took to the sky with Popo just behind. Many thoughts were still on his mind, but they could be handled later. The world needed his attention more than his own head did.
They made the flight in silence. As they landed, Piccolo could spot Kami waiting by the door.
"Mr. Popo, good to see you safe my friend." Kami smiled.
"You too sir." Popo responded as he joined Kami's side and walked into the building with him.
Piccolo caught sight of Bulma walking back from the path aside the house, he supposed from working on Goku or the formula. "Where's Vegeta?"
"Probably inside or training somewhere. Refuses to rest properly." Bulma half huffed as she put her hands on her hips. "Why?"
"Gohan told me his idea to check Gero's lab for any leftovers or notes. Vegeta's likely in the best condition of everyone so he and I can go check it out." Piccolo explained.
"Oh, perfect. The sooner we can figure things out the better it'll be for Goku. Are you heading back out again soon?" Bulma asked.
"Yes. Like you said, sooner the better." Piccolo rose a brow.
"Right, right. It's just about Gohan, Chichi brought up that he has a special someone out there and I'm sure he tells you everything-" Bulma said.
"Enough." Piccolo tensed as he stepped past her into the house.
"Wait, if you know who it is maybe you could-" Bulma tried to continue as she followed Piccolo.
"I'm not talking about this. If he hasn't told you, I'm not going to betray him by saying anything." Piccolo almost grit his teeth. Even though I'm the one who doesn't want others to know.
"I respect that, but he already has enough to worry about with his father and such. If we could bring them here where they're safe, he'll have less on his plate." Bulma hurriedly explained, finally getting Piccolo to stop and listen. "We all want the best for him, same as you."
Piccolo considered his choice of responses. "He already hears from them regularly and I keep him updated on their location and safety. So there isn't any need for extra assurances."
"Goodness, you've thought this out." Bulma smirked as she crossed her arms. "Alright, I won't press further. I'll go find Vegeta. Gohan's in his room reading if you want to talk to him before leaving again."
"Thank you." Piccolo tried not to appear like he was rushing to Gohan's room, but he couldn't help making each swift step as efficient as possible. The door was ajar when he reached it. He could see Gohan inside, sitting on the bed with a small cluster of books in front of him, his back to the door.
Piccolo quietly entered and after closing the door, noticed the key in the lock. After a small thought he locked it and approached Gohan. He quickly slipped his arms under Gohan's and over his chest, pulling him close as he sat behind him.
"Ahh! Piccolo?! You're back!" Gohan burnt pink with a soft laugh at the surprise affection. "Why didn't you say anything sooner?"
Piccolo pressed his face into Gohan's neck, taking a deep breath as if to marinate in his energy. He set the key in Gohan's hand.
"The key? Does it have any meaning right now? Do you want to talk again?" Gohan asked softly.
"I don't want you to have to make a choice. You deserve companionship as much as anyone else… but you do have to make a decision." The voice in Piccolo's head said.
"I just want to be alone with you." Piccolo answered, ignoring the voice for a moment. "I'm leaving again to search Gero's work."
"When do you leave?" Gohan sighed.
"Depends on how long it takes for Bulma to find Vegeta." Piccolo said. "Speaking of which, she and your mother have apparently been talking about you and your 'crush'."
"Oh gods. So, they went to you?" Gohan couldn't help a small laugh.
"Bulma did. She assumed since you trust me so much, you had told me who it was and said I should go find them and bring them here so you wouldn't have to be worried for them." Piccolo's brow twitched. It was an honest enough request but that didn't mean he couldn't sense her scheming under it all.
"What did you say?" Gohan asked.
"I said that I already make sure you know they're safe and that you talk to them often." Piccolo explained.
"Well you aren't lying." Gohan smirked as he sunk further into Piccolo's arms.
"Did anyone bother you while I was gone?" Piccolo asked.
"Not really no. Why?" Gohan tried to turn his head and catch a glimpse of Piccolo.
Piccolo took another slow breath. "Did what Yamcha say bother you?"
"Only because it was uncalled for and upset you." Gohan answered. "Does it bother you?"
"Yes." Piccolo almost whispered.
Gohan frowned. He didn't know what to say. Piccolo didn't really put weight to other people's opinions about him so he couldn't just tell him to brush it off. It had to have struck something Piccolo already considered if it bothered him.
"It reminded me why people court openly." Piccolo continued. "There are perspectives that only those outside of the relationship see and they can be crucial to how appropriate the two are for each other."
"Appropriate?" Gohan was frustrated by the insinuation. He pulled himself from Piccolo's arms and turned to face him.
"Such as if one 'raised' the other even if only for a year." Piccolo said.
"I don't intend to attack your ability to care for me, but I don't believe you did much 'raising' in either of the times I spent with you. You were more like an older kid with a harder perspective on how to live and gave tough advice. You didn't even really do so much for me in that first year. At least not by other people's standards and certainly not a 'parental figure'." Gohan explained.
Piccolo sighed, seeming to relax just a little. "And if there are other factors? Things we don't see because we're too obsessed with each other?"
"If you're really concerned about an issue, do you want others to know? Do you want someone to watch us for any sign or-" Gohan asked.
"I don't want there to be an issue I just-" Piccolo started.
"I know. I don't think that at all." Gohan said. He grabbed Piccolo's hand and squeezed it with all his intention. "You've already put yourself in positions too vulnerable for me to believe that. I just want you to be sure. If you have a new concern, or need something to be done, I will do it. I will listen to everyone talk. I will contest every judgment and endure it with you. I know it's far outside your comfort, so I need to hear that you will feel better or at least more stable about it all. Even if it's just a carefully selected few, someone you trust. We don't need an audience unless you feel so."
Piccolo felt a small grin when he realized Gohan had slipped the key into his hand. "Thank you for listening."
"Of course." Gohan smiled as he hugged Piccolo. "You can think about it while you're away again and it's fine if you decide not to let anyone know. I only favor the side you choose."
Piccolo fully relaxed into the hold. One thing at a time.