Author's Note: Welcome back! And thank you all again for your support, I'm so glad people are still enjoying this little story! I have a bit to say and prepare you for at the end of the chapter this time so I'll keep this short and sweet!
One thing to mention though before we start is that I used Japan rules for the Christmas Eve celebration that happens this chapter. In Japan, Christmas isn't a religious holiday since Christianity isn't the predominant religion there. Instead, Christmas and, more specifically, Christmas Eve are romantic events/celebrations. Couples go out for dates and spend the evening together and exchange gifts, so I figured that was a great excuse to put Videl and Gohan into another fluffy, seasonal date scenario. Plus, I don't know if Christmas is actually a real thing in the Dragonball Universe, but if it were, I figured it would probably be written/observed this way.
Anyway, with all that out of the way, I hope you enjoy the chapter!
Chapter XVIII – The Greatest Thing That's Ever Happened to Me
A shrill scream cut through the air and Majin Buu waved, sticking his tongue out and grinning widely.
The scream, unsurprisingly, belonged to Erasa, who was now hiding behind an equally stunned Sharpner. Videl had felt herself wince as her best friend freaked out at the sight of the pink giant that had once ended the world and killed them all. They had both asked if they could meet Buu at last, but she knew it would be hard for them.
Gohan, meanwhile, offered them a sheepish smile, standing next to them to give them some measure of comfort. He had promised that if anything went wrong he'd defend them, but he knew there would be no problems with Buu. For the last two weeks since his confinement to the Satan Mansion had ended, he had wandered the city many times without issue. Videl and Gohan had even taken him out for dinner on two separate occasions and, aside from being a bit too excited about food, he had behaved himself rather well.
"You scared of Buu?" he asked, his high-pitched voice dripping with mirth. He was having way too much fun with this. Well, he did know that Sharpner and Erasa were the only two normal humans who would remember him.
"Uh, y-you, um, I…don't…" Erasa stammered from behind her boyfriend. To his credit, Sharpner stayed between she and Buu, but his face betrayed the shock and terror he too felt at the sight of him.
"Easy Buu," Videl cautioned, grinning back at him. "Don't tease them too much; they were two of the victims of your extinction blast, remember?"
"Not really," he admitted. "Buu already got eaten by then. Besides, Buu no do bad things now!"
"Sure, we know that, but how are they supposed to believe you?"
"Hmm," he hummed, considering the thought for several long moments. "Oh! Buu know! You can play with Bee!"
"Uh," Gohan interjected, rubbing the back of his neck. "I don't think playing with your pup is gonna make them feel that much better, Buu."
"No? What Buu can do then?"
"Why don't you try assuring them that you're not a murder machine anymore?" Videl teased, rolling her eyes a bit. Buu brought a gloved hand up to his chin and considered her words for a while.
"Hmm…Buu no kill no more! Buu live here with Videl and Mr. Satan since…uh…for long time now! And Buu no hurt anyone!"
"I…I guess that's a good point," Sharpner finally managed, trying to bring his eyes back to their normal size. Erasa poked her head out from behind him and stared at Buu, who only offered a friendly wave to go along with his tiny smile.
"Does it help if you know he's our resident taste-tester?" Gohan offered, smiling at his friends. "Every time 'Del and I cook, he tests our dishes and tells us if they're good or not."
"He does…? Seriously?" Erasa asked, her eyes narrowing in disbelief. Videl laughed lightly.
"I know; I was surprised myself when he first did it. But Gohan's telling you the truth! And he's always honest with us and helps us improve."
"Videl and Gohan get lots better at cooking lately!" Buu encouraged them, throwing a large thumbs up into the room.
"Aw, thanks Buu!" Videl sang.
"You welcome! Videl and Gohan cook way better than at the beginning. Early food they make was yuck."
"…thanks Buu."
"You welcome!"
"I was being sarcastic!"
"What that mean? That some kind of dessert? Me want to try it!"
Videl felt herself start laughing and saw Gohan join in. They were much more used to Buu's antics and had long since found the amusement in it. What surprised her most was when Erasa began giggling lightly from behind Sharpner. She smiled over to her best friend and nodded at her.
"See? He's not that scary once you get to know him some. I should know; I was the one who was terrified of having him live here at first," Videl explained, extending her hand. "Wanna come say hi, 'Rase?"
The blonde hesitated for many seconds. Buu didn't seem to mind at all; he just watched the situation curiously, glancing around the room at random. Finally, Erasa stepped slowly out from behind Sharpner.
"You okay E?" he asked softly. She took a shaky breath before nodding.
"Yeah…I think so. If Vi and Gohan are this relaxed around him…I guess I can be too. But…I'm still gonna need some time to adjust to this," she conceded.
Erasa slowly crossed the room and took Videl's hand. Her raven-haired best friend wrapped her up in a comforting embrace before turning towards Buu. "Okay Buu, like we practiced, remember? Give Erasa your hand!"
Buu extended one of his giant hands out in front of him and offered a tiny smile. "Nice to meet Buu!"
"…almost," Videl sighed, shaking her head as she grinned to herself. Erasa slowly took his hand and shook it timidly, her eyes wide with wonder and fright.
"Uh…I'm Erasa. It's…um…nice to meet Buu too! I mean! Uh!" Videl fell into a fit of laughter next to her. When Buu released her and started laughing along with Videl, though, Erasa finally felt some of her hesitations leave her.
"Maybe…I'm being a bit too nervous. I mean, you and Gohan are so relaxed. And you're right that he seems…totally different from the last time I saw him…"
"Hey, take your time," Gohan chimed in, nodding at her. "It took us a little while to find some common ground with Buu, too. Don't feel like you have to rush yourself."
"Buu have plenty of time! Buu been around for eons already!"
"E-eons!?" Sharpner cried out, his eyes trying to pop out of his head yet again.
"Buu," Gohan sighed. "You aren't supposed to tell people that so casually…"
"But Gohan and Videl say friends remember Buu! Why Buu keep secrets from them?" He raised a decent point, honestly.
"It's just that most people aren't ready to hear something as incredible as that," Gohan continued, explaining patiently. "We're used to weird and unexpected stuff, but it's a bit harder to swallow for most humans."
"Hmm, Buu understand. Buu won't say strange things to friends anymore!"
"You can call them by name too, you know," Videl encouraged him, gesturing to the two blondes. He tilted his head and made a small noise.
"Buu know Erasa! But Buu no know other friend? Me Buu, who you?" he asked, grinning and offering his hand again, taking a step forward. Sharpner hesitated a lot longer than she expected he would before finally steeling himself and stepping forward, throwing caution to the wind and taking Buu's hand.
"Uh…I'm Sharpner. Nice, uh…to meet you, Buu."
"Sharpner! Buu know now! Erasa and Sharpner! Videl and Gohan's best friends!"
"Uh, yeah, that's right," he affirmed, taking his hand back slowly.
"How long you friends for?"
"E and I have only known Gohan since April, but we met Videl back in elementary school. She and I met a little later though; E has always been her best friend since I've known her."
"Who 'E?'" Buu asked, glancing around curiously.
"He means 'Rase," Videl explained, gesturing to the girl in question. Buu just tilted his head further, almost looking sideways at them.
"Who ''Rase?'" Videl laughed before realizing her mistake.
"Sorry; both of those names refer to Erasa! They're nicknames we use for her."
"Nicknames? Her name not Nick; her name Erasa!"
"Let's move on," Videl sighed. "I'll explain it to you later, promise."
"Buu want know, though. Buu not sure how to call friends."
"Here, let me try," Gohan offered, crossing the room towards Buu. "You know how Videl and I have a bunch of different names for each other right?"
"Yeah, Gohan call Videl lots of different names!"
"Right! Well we have some different names for Erasa too. They're different in that they're not romantic names – they're just names we call our friend. That's what a 'nickname' is. It's just a word for it though, it doesn't actually mean that's her name."
"Oh, Buu understand now! Erasa is E and 'Rase and not Nick! They all the same person?"
"Exactly!"
"Wow Gohan," Sharpner spoke up. "You really are good at teaching things. Maybe that's the path you oughta consider in college."
"Maybe someday," he agreed with a light chuckle.
"Still, I'm impressed," Erasa agreed. "And not just with you. Buu, do you know the difference between romance and friendship?" The pink giant lit up with a big grin.
"Buu know! Videl teach Buu long time ago! Mr. Satan and Videl are family! Gohan family too! Erasa and Sharpner friends! But Videl and Gohan romantic. They have special connection."
"Wow, look at that," Erasa sang. "He knows the two of you so well! Actually, Sharpner and I are like that too," she explained, gesturing to the boxer as she wrapped herself around his arm.
"Hoh," Buu murmured as he nodded. "Buu didn't know if Videl and Gohan were special or there were others like them too."
"Oh, they're definitely special," Sharpner retorted, winking at them. "But there are tons of people in similar situations as them."
"Buu understand! Buu say thanks!"
"You can just say the word by itself," Videl reminded him, grinning.
"'Word?'"
"Gohan, please save me," she begged, reaching out for him. He laughed and crossed the room to her, wrapping her up in a warm embrace that made her smile instantly.
After Gohan explained the finer workings of how to thank someone, Bee came sprinting into the room as his master's call. Erasa was delighted to meet the little pup and even Sharpner, whom Videl knew wasn't the type to let himself get all cozy with something cute like that, took to the dog extremely well. They sat down on the couch with him, playing with his chew toys and laughing as he sprinted and vaulted across their laps, panting and yipping playfully.
"That went better than I expected, honestly," Gohan admitted softly from next to Videl. She nodded and latched onto his arm.
"I think so too. It helps that we've been teaching Buu how to meet new people."
"Yeah, those lessons really paid off. I think they'll be just fine if we give them enough time."
"Where'd he go anyway?"
"He's in his chair."
Videl glanced over and saw that, indeed, Buu was falling back into his favorite chair, grabbing the remote and pointing it at the television before turning to Sharpner and Erasa. "You want to watch TV with Buu?"
"Uh…sure? We aren't going to lunch for a little while still, right Vi?" Erasa answered, glancing towards her best friend. Videl nodded.
"Yeah, we've got some time. Come on, we can all watch something together! Buu's gotten to where he has some favorite shows these days."
He turned on the television and began flipping through channels and Videl and Gohan found a spot next to their friends on the couch. It was becoming increasingly common for them to spend time with Buu like this. She could never have imagined doing this back in May but these days it felt a lot more natural. Like he really was part of the family.
"Hey Buu, what kind of TV shows do you like?" Erasa called over the noise that now filled the room. He tilted his head before grabbing the remote again and muting it.
"What Erasa say? Buu no hear."
"I said what kind of TV shows do you…like…hey. How do you mute the TV with those gloves on?"
Videl felt the curious itch she'd been burdened by for months spring back to life as she rounded on the newest member of their family. She eyed him hard as she waited for him to answer. Buu just grinned and nodded confidently, lifting the remote again.
"Like this!" He pressed the remote and the volume came back to life.
"That's, uh…not quite what I meant," Erasa admitted. Gohan was busy shaking his head, trying to warn Erasa away from the topic at hand. Videl caught him in the act and gazed up at him, pouting.
"See? It's not just me! It doesn't make any sense to 'Rase either!"
"I know, Love! I can't say I get it myself, but you've been trying for months to get him to spill it."
"This is a common question?" Sharpner interjected. Gohan nodded, defeat apparent in his gaze.
"And every time, Buu won't tell her how he does it. I'm not sure if it's just something he naturally has a knack for or if there's a secret technique to it, but 'Del can never get it out of him."
"Yeah, well that ends today!" she said, intensity in her voice and fire in her gaze as she leaned across Gohan and stared at the pink creature. "Majin Buu!"
"Hoh?"
"Tell me exactly what you do when you mute the TV! What do you physically do to that remote?" Buu tilted his head and thought about it for several long moments before he smiled brightly and held up the remote again.
"Buu take hand and press button!" He did it yet again and the sound vanished once more. Videl cried out in exasperation and Gohan wrapped her up in a warm hug.
"Come on Angel, don't get too riled up."
"Easy for you to say! Look at him!"
Buu was sticking his tongue out at her, laughing and kicking his feet in merriment. She knew he was hiding something about it. It was making her crazy.
"Looks like that mystery may never be solved, huh?" Sharpner conceded, leaning back and putting an arm around Erasa's shoulders.
"Yes it will be! Just gimme some more time! I'll get my answer yet! Just you wait, Buu!"
Buu simply offered another tiny smile before unmuting the television yet again. Sometimes, he was just as insufferable as an actual younger sibling would be…
Vegeta was grumbling as Bulma entered the Gravity Room. It was becoming a familiar place to her; before, she had only been in here to take stock of the equipment that needed repairing or to yell at Vegeta to come back inside for dinner. Lately, though, she had been helping him with his new training regimen, overcoming the Ki Suppressor.
"How're you feeling hon?" she asked, gazing at him. His ego had been severely trashed by this machine across the last several months and today, unfortunately, had been no different.
"Infuriated," he spat, throwing his gloves to the ground and scowling. "I cannot believe that I, the Prince of all Saiyans, have been so consistently brought to my knees by this machine. It's enraging to a level I haven't encountered in some time."
"This is a lot trickier to overcome with raw strength alone since it limits your ability to generate that strength," she tried to console him, but to little effectiveness.
"Regardless of the circumstances, Kakarot's son was able to break through this suppression with his own well of strength. Unless there exists such a vast difference between our powers and potentials, I cannot believe myself to be incapable of it."
"I think the circumstances really are what makes the difference, though," Bulma reminded him, a thoughtful look on her face. "Come on, I know you're the rough and proud Saiyan Prince, but think about it for a minute. If Trunks or I were in danger, real, life-threatening danger, you'd be able to break through the Ki Suppressor for sure. At least, that's what I think."
Vegeta eyed her for several seconds. "Hmph. Obviously it's not worth creating a situation like that for my own training purposes. But that simply means that I still haven't achieved what I want. Gohan was able to break through the effects of this machine and I will break through it as well. That's all there is to it."
"I know, I know," she conceded, grinning at him. "I don't doubt you can do it. Like I said, though, you Saiyans always get stronger when you're angry and your back is to the wall. So don't beat yourself up that you can't do it right away during times of peace. Sometimes it's good not to be in mortal danger all the time, you know?"
"Bah," Vegeta snorted. "For an elite warrior like myself, training and getting stronger is like breathing. It's as natural as the sunrise at dawn or the changing of the seasons."
"But you have other priorities too now, yeah?"
"…I'm well aware," he finally conceded, turning away in a huff.
"So on that note…I have a proposition for you," she began. Vegeta gazed at her, his curiosity getting the better of him. Bulma, for her part, wasn't sure exactly how well her husband would take this next suggestion. Poorly was the likely answer.
"I'm listening. What's on your mind?"
"I want to outfit your gloves with some of my Ki Barriers, the way I did with Gohan and Videl's Saiyaman suits." Vegeta's eyes narrowed.
"Why would you want to do such a thing?"
"Safety," she stated simply. "For all of us. I told you, right? My name specifically was in the digital journal that the boss of that Black Ribbon Army kept. He knows I'm the one who reverse engineered his Ki Suppressor and gave Gohan and Videl the ability to get around it. And he's still out there."
"And you're worried he'll come here and attack you? What good would that do? You've already given Gohan and Videl the technology they need to counteract his."
"That's a good point," she admitted. "But come on, when was the last time anyone who threatened one of us needed a good reason? Maybe now that his plans have been ruined all he has left is the thought of revenge. And since he can't touch Gohan and Videl, maybe he'll try to get revenge on me since I'm the one who made them untouchable."
"Then I'll obliterate him where he stands. You have nothing to worry about at all."
"And if he uses the Ki Suppressor on you and Trunks?" Vegeta hesitated, his eyes narrowing as he considered the situation.
"I thought you said he doesn't have access to that technology anymore."
"He probably doesn't. But if he finds the right place and tools, he could rebuild it. We've dealt with more resourceful enemies in the past. Tell me, if he showed up here tomorrow and pointed that machine at you and Trunks and froze you both in place so he could get his revenge on me, what would you do?"
"Break through it, of course."
"You know," she interjected, grinning at him. "I know you love me, even if you won't admit it out loud." He scoffed and turned away, but she caught his cheeks darkening several shades of red before she lost sight of them. "But you're not exactly the most outspoken about things like that. It might be harder for you to break through the Suppressor than for Gohan for that reason alone."
"You think the boy would have an easier time than I would breaking through this?" His eyes were narrow and she knew she was on the verge of wounding his pride even further. It was something he needed to hear, though.
"Is it that big a surprise to you? Look who we're talking about. Gohan's emotions have given him unbelievable strength time and time again over the years. Even when he was four years old, he managed to tap into that power. It was that power that overwhelmed and killed Cell. And you told me yourself that Gohan was the strongest warrior on this planet now that he's achieved his new level."
Vegeta ground his teeth and avoided eye contact. "It galls me to admit a half-Saiyan might have abilities that far exceed my own. It goes beyond him surpassing me yet again. Sometimes I sense a depth to his power that goes further than anything else I've ever felt. When he taps into it, the results are astounding. Even that ancient Kaiōshin said something similar, apparently. Kakarot told me he was in awe of the well of power within him. That it seemingly has no limit."
"Then you shouldn't compare yourself to someone like that. Gohan's always been something of a special case."
"That's exactly why I compare myself to him," Vegeta corrected her, though his voice wasn't harsh. Passionate, perhaps. "If I can stand as an equal to someone who is naturally more talented and gifted than myself, that allows me to ascend to heights I would never have attained alone. The same is true of Kakarot. His brilliance lies not in his mind…what buffoon would make the mistake of thinking that. No, his brilliance has always been in his ability to fight. He becomes a different person in those moments. And it is against that talent and caliber of warrior that I must pit myself against if I am to grow in the ways I wish."
Bulma gave him a sympathetic smile. "Vegeta, I know you're always pushing yourself to new heights. You've always succeeded before and I know you'll keep succeeding and getting stronger now, too. But," she trailed off and made deliberate eye contact with him, "just this once…let someone help you. Let me give you the tools to protect your family if the need ever arises. Why take everything on your shoulders alone when we're a team?"
Vegeta's gaze seemed to land at the exact midpoint between admiration and aggravation. He had to know she was right. But he was prideful to a fault and it would take everything she had to persuade him to give in to her wishes.
Or so she thought.
Vegeta turned and lifted his gloves from the ground, staring at them before sighing heavily and thrusting them into Bulma's hands. "V…Vegeta?"
"You may do with them as you wish."
"…really?"
"Don't sound so surprised!" he sputtered, turning away and folding his arms. "It's not as if I want my family to be in danger!" Bulma smiled before tucking the gloves neatly into her bag.
"I know you don't. And besides, we'll keep training with the Ki Suppressor in the meantime until you can overcome it naturally, too!"
"Of course we will. I have no intention of abandoning this new training until I can reliably break its hold over me."
"Thank you, Vegeta," Bulma said suddenly, smiling at him with a warm gaze. She knew it took a lot for him to accept her help. He really had changed a lot after Buu. He was much more selfless than he'd ever been before.
"Hmph. No cretin is going to darken my doorstep and threaten my family. For the sake of his continued existence, whoever this person is had better never consider the idea of taking revenge on anyone here, certainly not you."
Bulma felt her cheeks flush a bit. She wasn't used to Vegeta being so protective. It felt…nice. "I'm never worried when you're here," she promised him.
"Then it's a good thing I have no intention of leaving."
"I know. I'll get these gloves outfitted tonight and give them back tomorrow, okay? Then we have a backup plan just in case." Her husband nodded, offering a half-smirk.
"I have to admit, your expertise with technology is quite useful sometimes. To think something that can render me immobile can be defeated with three or four small chips." Bulma felt herself swell with pride and grinned at him.
"If I didn't know any better, I'd say that was a compliment!"
"You might be even smarter than I already realized." Bulma stared dumbfounded at him for several seconds before collecting herself again.
"Was that…a joke?" she managed. He never joked.
"I'll leave that to your analysis." Another one?
"I may need to lie down. Two impossible events have just occurred one right after another today!" Vegeta grinned at her, perhaps the most good-natured smile she'd seen on him…well, ever.
"Just don't lose track of time for too long. I'll need your help to be ready to defend my family…just in case."
With the coming of December came the lovely winter weather that Videl so strongly preferred. Gohan was developing quite a fondness for it himself; she was in such a delightfully good mood every day that he couldn't have asked for anything more. The new year was fast approaching and that meant lots of changes for he, Videl, and their best friends.
When Age 775 soon began, the four of them would be focused on their college entrance exams, which would happen at the end of January. In fact, they had already begun studying for them. Even though Sharpner wasn't planning to attend college right away, he spent the afternoons studying with them to keep his knowledge up. And just two short months after those exams, they would graduate from Orange Star High School and continue on into the next chapter of their lives.
Gohan and Videl had spent several months researching schools together like they'd promised and had settled on North City University. It was very highly rated in terms of its criminology and sports psychology programs and would give the two of them everything they wanted from their individual majors. Everybody who spoke about the sports psychology programs, especially, had great things to say about the faculty there and Gohan had a very good feeling that he would be able to pursue the studies he wanted to on his own terms.
Of course, there was still the issue of telling his mother this. His dad wouldn't really care where he went, but he'd support him. His mom though…she had her heart set on him attending a prestigious, world-class university, a place where only the elite of the elite would be accepted and flourish. Part of him wondered if he was even smart enough to get into a place like that; for how easily most academic pursuits came to him, he'd never truly considered himself a real genius. That was just a word people threw around to compliment him. But it didn't really matter anyway. This was the path he wanted to take for his future and he'd just have to sit her down and talk things out with her…soon. But…not quite yet…
For now, though, with a light blanket of snow falling over Satan City, Gohan enjoyed the last month of the year with Videl. They took Buu out to dinner several times, something that became even easier once Mr. Satan had a press conference where he introduced Buu as his pupil who had come from far away to learn from him. They studied at the diner with Erasa and Sharpner several times a week. And they kept their training sessions going every chance they could, usually Sundays, but sometimes they'd sneak an extra one on Saturday night. And so, December passed peacefully and enjoyably. And, at last, Christmas Eve arrived.
Christmas Eve, though a much more significant holiday in certain parts of the world, was primarily an event observed by couples here, a romantic day where one exchanged gifts with their significant other and went out together to enjoy the evening. It was also a spectacle Gohan had never taken part in due to his previous lack of any reason to. This year, however, he was quite excited to spend the evening with Videl. It fell perfectly on a Saturday so they wouldn't have to worry about school resuming the next day and they'd have plenty of time alone. In fact, when Erasa had brought up the idea of Christmas Eve earlier that week, Gohan and Sharpner had very quietly agreed that they wouldn't group up on the day in question. Both wanted a chance to have some time alone with their girlfriend instead of treating it like just another hangout.
That was how Gohan found himself flying giddily to the Satan Mansion on Christmas Eve, a wide grin stuck to his face. He had dropped Videl off at home after school so she could get ready for the evening and he had flown back to the mountain to do the same…and to pick up her present. It was the first present he'd ever gotten for her and he was a bit nervous about it, but excited too. It was nice to have a chance to get her something before her birthday in March, too. He'd just missed it before they'd started dating, after all.
Touching down gently at the bottom of the familiar steps, he checked his pocket and made sure Videl's gift was still safely in its capsule before ringing the bell. He waited patiently, relishing the crisp winter air that enveloped him. It was refreshing in a way that he hadn't felt in a while. It also would be the perfect excuse to cuddle close with Videl all night…
It was Videl herself who answered the door, having been expecting him, of course. Gohan tried to keep his mouth from falling open as he gazed upon her but didn't quite manage to. She was wearing a beautiful sapphire sweater with thin black stripes; it complimented her eyes perfectly. Her hair – having grown down to her chin now – was curled just slightly in the front, not to the point that it was even really curly, but just enough that it had a jubilant little bounce as it framed her gorgeous face. Finally, he noticed the tasteful blue boots she wore below her black pants…pants that were extremely flattering on her, Gohan thought to himself, trying his best not to blush too badly as his eyes took in the sight of her a bit more hungrily than he wanted to admit.
"Hey, handsome," she sang, reaching out and taking his hands in hers. They were soft and warm and he felt an involuntary shiver skitter down his spine as she chased the cold away from his fingers.
"H-hey yourself," he managed, trying to bring himself back to reality. She grinned up at him though, not letting him off the hook that easily.
"You can't tell me you're that amazed by this outfit, right? It's just an old sweater and some pants," she chided in a tone just dripping with mirth. Gohan offered her a sheepish smile.
"You look amazing in anything 'Del! But especially this. I dunno what it is about it but you look so festive…and breathtaking." It was Videl's turn to blush, a lovely shade of pink blooming to life on her cheeks.
"Thank you, Darling. You look pretty breathtaking yourself," she assured him. Gohan felt his own cheeks heat up.
"T-thanks."
Erasa had been the one to help him pick out an outfit for the date tonight. She had insisted that Gohan let her take charge of the process and, after taking his sizes, promised she'd come up with something perfect for him. Though she had really wanted to take him with her, they were all just so busy lately that they couldn't quite line up their schedules this time. Nevertheless, a few days later, Erasa had presented Gohan with the outfit he wore now, one he had to admit he quite liked.
She hadn't gone overboard with it, just a simple emerald-green sweater with some dark grey pants and matching gloves. She had wanted to go with a burgundy color but knew Videl didn't have anything red so they'd contrast a little too heavily, something Gohan wouldn't have thought about or probably even realized if left to his own devices. Still, it was nice to hear his girlfriend compliment the outfit he was wearing. It made his heart flutter giddily in his chest.
"Should we do presents now or save them for later?" Videl asked, her bright smile glistening under the porch light.
"Let's do them at the end! It's my first time giving a present to you and I want it to be special."
"Anything from you will always be special to me, Love. But I'm okay with that, let's do it at the end of the night! Ready to head out then?"
"Sure am!" She turned back into the house and called across the expanse.
"Papa! Buu! I'm leaving with Gohan! We'll be back later tonight!"
"Okay Sweetpea, be careful and have fun!" came Mr. Satan's gruff but merry voice. There was an unusual quality of whimsy to it, though. Videl giggled as she closed the door behind her.
"He's had a few glasses of wine tonight. Not the way he used to, don't worry!" she assured Gohan as his face betrayed his concern. "Just enough to relax some. He's in a goofy mood now," she explained, still seemingly delighted by it all. A thought occurred to Gohan quite suddenly.
"Did he give any to Buu…? Can Buu even drink? Would it matter or affect him?"
"Hmm…I dunno! Guess we can find out when we get back! We both know there's no way Buu's gonna let Papa eat or drink anything without him trying it too. He'll probably just spit it out though, huh?" she laughed, pulling some gloves from her bag and slipping them on her hands before gripping Gohan's arm tightly.
"Yeah, he doesn't really have a problem doing that, does he?"
"Nope! At least he doesn't spit our food out."
"Anymore…"
Laughing together, the young couple set out down the long drive of the Satan Mansion. They could have flown to where they were going, but neither even thought about it. No, for now, a long walk in the winter evening was exactly what Gohan wanted. Videl nestled close to him and snuggled in warmly. Even after dating for more than seven months now, it still took his breath away when she did things like that.
It also reminded him that he was the luckiest guy in the world.
It only took about half an hour for them to arrive at the heart of the Satan City Christmas Eve celebrations, Orange Park. Every year, the city set up an enormous celebration, complete with carnival games, hot chocolate, and ice skating on the huge frozen lake. They did set up padded walls on the outside edges though so those less comfortable with it wouldn't be completely hung out to dry.
Videl hadn't been to this celebration in a long time. She used to go with her parents, but in recent years (since she'd become old enough to feel left out of the romance of the day) she had opted to dodge it altogether. Tonight, however, was different. And she was in such a great mood she just wanted to try everything.
"Gohan! Where should we start?" His dark eyes scanned the park.
"How about the shooting gallery? I can win you a prize!" She felt a tiny smirk cross her face.
"You'd have to beat me to win me that prize, Darling. Think you can take me on?" Gohan chuckled before meeting her gaze.
"I wasn't suggesting it to get competitive, but if you're already that fired up…"
"Of course I am! Let's do it!"
The two made their way to the stand and the curator explained how the carnival circuit worked. As it turned out, there weren't individual prizes at each stand, but rather they collected tickets from each booth before exchanging them at the end for a prize. So, settling in at the counter, their game began quickly. They were meant to shoot small cans off of a bunch of different shelves with cork guns and whoever knocked the most down won. She took to it enthusiastically and, to her surprise, so did Gohan. Several shots and two minutes later, the bell rang and the curator announced the scores. Gohan had won.
"Rematch!" she cried out, checking first to make sure nobody was waiting to play. When she was convinced it was still just the two of them, she gave into her desire to win completely.
"You sure? We can try some other stuff too!"
"Not till I win one! Ready?"
They went again and Videl felt herself really get in the zone this time. Her eyes locked onto the targets milliseconds before her finger pulled the trigger, the cork her makeshift rifle fired soaring straight to its destination. Another round later and the curator made his announcement: Videl had won this time.
"All right!"
"Nice job, Doll!" Gohan encouraged her with a wide grin. "Wanna move to a different game now?"
"Hmm…technically we're tied right now…" He laughed good-naturedly before spinning on his chair and facing her.
"Tell you what; we can keep score for all the games tonight and decide a big winner at the end! How about it?" Her eyes flashed and she grinned sharply.
"You're on! That sounds great!"
Taking their time with the entire circuit, she and Gohan had tons of fun with the rest of the games. There was a reindeer racing game where you had to aim water guns at a target to advance the tiny figures down the plastic tracks, a fishing game where you tried to catch differently colored fake fish in a net in one swing (this one had become particularly competitive), and one where you spun around blindfolded before trying to place a star sticker at the top of a cutout of a tree. That last one in particular has Videl marveling at Gohan's sense of balance and direction.
When they had finished all the games as many times as they wanted to, the final score was Videl's six to Gohan's five, making her the victor of the night. She had a sneaking little suspicion that Gohan might've thrown the last game to make sure she won…but she wasn't entirely sure. Besides, even if he had, it was incredibly sweet. If anyone else had done that, she'd have forced them into a tiebreaker, but it never felt condescending or mean-spirited when he did it.
After looking around the prize desk, they settled on a winter-themed snow globe that housed a picture of your choosing. Commenting on the fact that they didn't really have enough pictures together, the young couple decided they'd take one soon and give it a home within their prize for the night. And at last, their competitive circuit was complete, Videl feeling satisfied and quite amused with their antics so far.
"I didn't realize how late it's getting," Gohan mused suddenly. "Should we start heading back soon? We still have gifts to exchange!"
"True, but not just yet! I wanna go ice skating with you!" she sang, leading him towards the center of the park.
"Ice…skating?"
"You know, I forget sometimes how very not normal your life has been until recently."
"You and me both."
"See the lake?" she asked, pointing towards it. He nodded and waited for her to continue. "You strap these boots with one blade each on your feet and you glide along the ice, the way everyone out there is doing right now!"
"Wow, I get it now! That seems tougher than it looks, honestly," he admitted, rubbing the back of his head. Videl just giggled.
"Oh, don't worry! With how quickly you pick things up, I'm sure you'll be an expert in no time!"
To her surprise, however, his ability to adapt quickly, the sense of balance she'd witnessed in their whirlwind tour of the game booths, and even his half-alien physiology and superpowers didn't really help him much with his first time ice skating. Once they had the skates secured on their feet, she led him to the entrance, sliding out onto the ice and turning gracefully to watch him get his bearings. She hadn't been skating in a long time, but she used to do it a lot with Mama when she was young.
"S-so how do I do this?" he asked her, gripping the wall as his feet slipped and slid beneath him. She coasted to the wall where he was and took his hand.
"You just wanna make sure you're balancing your weight on the blades, like this. Make sure you're nice and centered. It's like when we do training together and you have me focus on my center. Try it."
After a few seconds, Gohan managed to get his feet to stop sliding and was able to rise to his full height again, albeit hesitantly. "Like…this?"
"Yeah! That's exactly it!" she sang, excited that she was able to teach him for once.
"This feels…awfully unnatural," he admitted, grimacing. She giggled and nodded.
"You're right; it was really strange for me at first too. But it's fun once you get the hang of it!" She made sure the coast was clear before pushing off the wall and gliding around in a large circle before landing at his side once more, relishing the joy on his face. His smile was addicting and she just wanted to see more of it.
"That was amazing!" he praised her, his eyes wide.
"Thanks! You can do it too, I'm sure of it! Wanna try?"
"Uh…I dunno, that seems pretty hard…"
"Don't worry, we'll take it nice and slow. Hold my hand; I'll make sure you don't fall," she promised him. For good measure, she even removed her glove before extending it to him, his fingers settling against hers moments later.
"Okay, I'll try it," he agreed at last, smiling sheepishly at her.
She began to explain the idea behind moving forward on his skates and he nodded every few seconds, taking in every bit of knowledge she could impart upon him. When they set out, though, he wobbled and nearly fell, grabbing onto the wall to keep himself steady. She didn't want to tease him or make him feel bad, but it was adorable to watch him struggle with something physical knowing how impossibly gifted he was when it came to most things of that nature.
"It's okay, Love, take your time. You'll get it!"
"Why don't you go around once? I'll watch you and see if I can figure out more from seeing you do it too," he suggested, smiling at her.
"You sure? I don't want to abandon you here…"
"You're not abandoning me! I'm learning by watching you do it, that's all! Besides, you look so amazing when you're out there gliding around like that; I really want to see more," he admitted. She felt her cheeks get hot and a goofy smile spread across her lips.
"W-well…if you're sure," she finally agreed.
"I'm sure," he promised.
"Don't take your eyes off me, okay? I'll do my best to show you what to do!"
"Don't worry; I could never take my eyes off you even if I wanted to."
Blushing even harder than before, Videl pushed off the wall and began to glide around the lake. Right foot, the left. Shift her weight. Balance. Repeat. It was feeling more natural again, the way it used to when she would skate with Mama. Papa never came out onto the ice; he wasn't very good at skating and didn't want to fall and embarrass himself in front of anyone. But Mama had always been a naturally gifted skater and had taken it upon herself to teach Videl how to be comfortable on the ice. Perhaps that was part of the reason flying had come fairly naturally to her back in April; she already had a lot of experience moving in ways that weren't exactly standard.
Completing her full lap of the lake, she slowed to a halt and slid into place beside Gohan again, catching her breath and grinning up at him. His eyes were twinkling and his smile was enormous. "That was amazing! You looked so incredible out there!"
"Thank you, Love," she managed, averting her eyes and blushing badly. For how long they'd been dating, he could still reduce her to a bashful mess of stuttering and stammering so effortlessly. She really did love that about him. His sincere, unapologetic love and support was always so amazing to hear and feel.
"I kinda get the idea of what you were doing," he began slowly, his eyes narrowing as he considered how to do it himself. "Can I hold your hand again though, just in case?" She giggled and came back to reality, reaching out and threading her fingers between his.
"Of course. We'll take it slow and steady!"
They set off again and, unsurprisingly, Gohan did better the second time. He was still feeling a bit unbalanced and awkward on the blades, she could tell, but his sense of momentum and how to control his weight and balance was better already. As expected, of course.
"Not bad Sweetheart," she called to him, grinning at him.
"Thanks!"
They slowly made their way forward, Gohan growing slightly more confident as they went along. Before long, he sped up just a bit more and Videl felt a smile steal her lips. It wasn't often that she got to watch him learn something and she was relishing every second of it.
Their fingers interlocked, they began to glide steadily down the ice, feeling the crisp winter air rushing by them. "I get it now, this is fun!" Gohan called to her.
"I'm glad you're enjoying yourself! You're a natural!"
A second later, though, Gohan stumbled and lost his balance, falling forward and pulling her with him. He was probably too surprised to react but Videl pulled hard until he was against her and spun, but she was unable to fix their balance. It was okay though; as they fell, she very subtly used her ki to break their fall. They landed gently on their sides and slide forward a few yards before coming to a stop in a heap of limbs and skates. Gohan looked sheepish and guilty but Videl found herself dissolving into a fit of laughter.
"S-sorry 'Del…" he managed softly. She shook her head, wiping tears of mirth from the corners of her eyes.
"Don't be! You did great! Everybody falls their first time anyway; I did!"
"But I pulled you down too."
"And now we have this cute little memory to look back on. Besides, it was nice to be the one to break your fall for once! I've lost track of how many times you've done that for me since May." Gohan smiled at last.
"Thanks for rescuing me this time, Angel," he told her, taking her hand in his and kissing it gently. She gazed deeply into his eyes for a moment before the sound of whooshing skates flew past them and she remembered where they were.
"We should probably get up, huh?"
"Yeah…how do I do that exactly?" Videl giggled again.
"Just follow my lead, I'll show you!"
The rest of the time at the park was wonderful in a way Gohan had only been able to imagine before. The feeling of gliding on the ice holding hands with his Videl was something indescribable. There was something unique about this activity, even compared to flying with her and all the other fanciful things they had already done.
After they finished their time on the lake, the young couple found a secluded place to take off from and flew back to the Satan Mansion. Both of them were cold now and didn't want to take the thirty minutes to walk back home as the temperature kept dropping. Besides, the cold weather wasn't going anywhere; they'd be able to enjoy it for many weeks more.
Touching down on the porch again, Videl eagerly pulled him inside, smiling widely. "Come on, I'm so excited to exchange our presents!"
"Shouldn't we say hi to your dad first?" he asked, gesturing towards the back of the house.
"Papa, we're home!" she shouted loudly, Gohan barely even reacting. These days, that had become quite normal to experience. When there was no answer, though, she looked curiously towards the hallway. Before she could move a step, Buu peered around the corner with Mr. Satan draped over his shoulder, Bee sitting in his free hand.
"Uh…what happened Buu?" she asked, watching in bewilderment. Buu tiled his head towards the man in question.
"Mr. Satan drink too much. He says he no drink often these days but it was special occasion and Buu should drink too. But drinks Mr. Satan give Buu were awful. Buu spit them out. So Mr. Satan drink them all himself. Then he go sleep! So Buu take him to bed." Bee barked happily from the other side and wagged his tail, Videl and Gohan stepping forward and scratched him behind his ears, earning several nuzzles and licks from the little guy.
"Thanks for taking care of Papa, Buu," Videl told him, smiling up towards him. Buu puffed himself up with pride and nodded.
"Buu always look out for Mr. Satan! Where you get back from?"
"We were at the Satan City Christmas Eve celebration," Gohan explained. Buu tiled his head and made a face as if he didn't understand. Videl laughed lightly.
"We went to the park and had fun for the same reason Papa wanted to drink tonight; it's a holiday!"
"Ooh! Buu understand! After Buu put Mr. Satan to bed, take Bee and celebrate with fetch and TV!"
"That sounds like a great night," Gohan agreed as Videl giggled again. Buu had pretty much settled into the family completely. There was hardly anything strange these days about talking to him so casually like this.
"Okay, Buu take Mr. Satan up now, he heavier than he looks." Videl started laughing at the comment and fell against Gohan's side, clinging to him as Buu grinned triumphantly. He knew how to joke now too? Not bad.
"Have fun Buu, we'll see you again before bed," Videl promised. With that, the pink giant disappeared up the stairs, all baggage accounted for.
"Seems like just yesterday I was terrified of having him here," Videl mused once he was out of sight.
"And now look at you – laughing at his jokes, thanking for looking out for your dad. You've all come a long way together."
"It's true! Now come on! Let's get upstairs and I can give you your present!"
"Lead the way!"
A few minutes later, Gohan found himself seated yet again on Videl's enormous bed. The situation was almost identical to his birthday as he sat and waited for Videl to grab his gift. The big difference was that he had his own present for her too…and that made him quite nervous. He hoped it would be something she liked. It wasn't all the often that he gave gifts to anyone so he really wanted to get it right.
"Okay Darling, who's going first?" she sang, excitement in her eyes. Gohan felt his stomach flip nervously and gestured towards her.
"You go ahead! I'm…still working up to giving you your first gift from me," he admitted softly. She smiled and let her sparkling eyes meet his.
"Sweetheart, you don't have to worry. Anything you chose will be perfect, I know it. But okay, I'll start! I'm excited!"
She pulled a thin, rectangular box wrapped in metallic green paper from behind her back and offered it to him, sitting beside him on the bed and watching him eagerly. He very slowly undid the wrapping paper as always and slid the box from its confines. It was plain, a simple white color. He carefully removed the top and his eyes fell on a deep blue scarf.
"Wow Videl, it's so nice! I don't actually own a scarf I don't think, not one that I'd wear out at the very least," he told her, lifting it from the box and relishing the feeling of the extremely soft material.
"Really? I'm so glad you like it! I picked the comfiest, coziest one I could find! And I picked blue because that way we can match a little," she explained, her eyes sparkling and her smile growing by the word. Gohan placed it gently next to the box and took her hands.
"You're so sweet, thank you Doll. I'll wear it on my way home tonight!"
"You have to let me know what you think of it! I hope it's a nice for you as it was to me!"
"I know it will be!"
She leaned up and kissed him sweetly, a quick little kiss, but nevertheless it took his breath away and warmed him from the inside out. She really was so good to him.
"My turn for a present?" she asked, her smile widening even further. Gohan took a steadying breath as his nerves returned but nodded, fishing through his pockets for several seconds before finding the capsule he had carefully prepared earlier that evening.
"Okay…it's a bit of an odd shape, but I hope you'll like it," he said, clicking the capsule and tossing it in front of them on the carpeted floor. A large…something appeared in the middle of the room, about the size of a very small coffee table. It was wrapped messily in blue paper with snowflake patterns all over, a large white bow at the highest point. Videl's eyes widened as she took in the sight.
"Wow! What is it? I'm so curious!" Gohan was feeling more confident in his choice based solely on her reaction to the wrapping and size and felt his nerves start to dissipate once more.
"You'll have to open it to find out!"
"Can I?"
"Go for it!"
Videl leapt from the bed and began to pull at the wrapping paper eagerly, her eyes alight with curiosity and excitement. Gohan watched with a wide smile on his face as she pulled enough loose to find something white and fuzzy beneath the surface. Even more confused now, she set about unwrapping the strangely shaped object with more purpose, finally getting enough loose to see a stuffed white tiger, his face happy and playful.
"Gohan! This is so cute! You got this for me?" Her voice was filled with joy.
"Of course I did! I remembered you telling me tigers were cute and when I looked at your stuffed animal collection last time, I figured Kuma-kun could use a friend more his size. That and he'll make a great snuggling companion." Videl gave the large tiger a big hug and nuzzled it.
"You're right, he's so soft and fluffy! But," she said, pausing to lock eyes with him, "there's no way he could be a better snuggling partner than you, Love." Gohan felt his cheeks heat up but he grinned at her all the same.
"He can be a snuggling partner when I'm not here then," he conceded, earning a small laugh from Videl.
"This is so sweet, thank you so much!"
"You really like it? It's not too…I dunno, strange?" She shook her head and smiled so brightly she could light the darkest night all by herself.
"Not at all! I love this! It's so thoughtful! And adorable!" Gohan felt the last of his hesitation vanish at long last.
"I'm so glad you like it! I went back and forth on it for a long time, honestly. It was Bulma who went with me to pick it out," he explained. She grinned at the idea.
"I'll bet she was thrilled to come along, huh? She's very sweet to us, too."
"She really is. She's basically always been like my aunt, even when I was little."
"Well it's nice to know you're in good hands when I'm not around."
Videl spent the next few minutes rearranging her stuffed animal collection, finding a home for her new addition next to Kuma-kun, making a cozy little nook between them for her other, smaller friends to rest in.
"There! It's perfect!" she sang, falling onto the bed next to Gohan again.
"What are you gonna call him?" he asked, wrapping his arms around her and holding her close. She pondered the question for several moments before nodding firmly.
"Tora!"
"That's a nice name!"
"Thanks! It just sorta came to me. But he looks like a Tora so that's his name!"
"Welcome to the family, Tora!"
A comfortable silence fell between them for a few moments as Videl nestled into Gohan's chest, hugging him tight and close. She spoke softly after a short time.
"Thank you for making tonight so wonderful, Gohan. I had such a great time with you."
"I did too, Videl. I've never done anything for Christmas Eve and it was so perfect to spend it with you."
"I just love you so much. You're the greatest boyfriend I could ever even dream of and the greatest thing that's ever happened to me." Her throat constricted just a bit as she spoke and Gohan felt his whole body grow warm and fuzzy at her words. He held her tighter and kissed the top of her head.
"I love you more than I can put into words, Angel. I can't wait to spend each and every day with you. If they're even half as perfect as tonight was then I'm the luckiest guy in the whole world."
It wasn't long before they laid down and cuddled closely, fitting perfectly together like pieces of a puzzle made for one another. Gohan couldn't help but marvel at how wonderful everything felt right now. Outside the windows, the stars twinkled and shone brightly as snowflakes danced across their light on their way to the ground. On the bed, Tora and Kuma-kun watched over them as well as the herd of stuffed animals resting safely between them. And in his arms, his sweet, wonderful Videl nestled against him, her dazzling smile taking his breath away and reminding him time and time again how amazing everything was.
And this was still only the beginning of their time together.
New Year's Eve came quicker than Gohan had expected. It was a full week after Christmas but the time had raced by. Perhaps it really was just because he was looking forward to spending the evening at the King's party with Videl, but whatever the reason, time had delivered him to the night in question expeditiously.
The party was, apparently, quite the affair. The King invited his hand-picked guests from all over the world to his palace in Central City, a list of VIPs that Gohan was sure he'd feel out of place around. Videl had reminded him that he'd once saved the world and everyone in it, insisting that he was actually the most important person at that party. Though he did appreciate it, there were few people who actually knew that. And it wouldn't stop him from feeling awkward around the politically important people that no doubt made up the guest list.
Additionally, the King gave private guest rooms to everyone in attendance, throwing an incomparable feast the next day to celebrate the start of the new year. Videl had explained that they had been given a suite with several bedrooms attached as a show of thanks to the savior of the world. That made things easier; now they could all be close together for the festivities.
After telling his family the plan and not to expect him home until the next day, Gohan set off for the Satan Mansion, dressed warmly against the brisk winter weather, his new scarf wrapped warmly around his neck. His perfectly fitted tuxedo, meanwhile, was neatly stored inside a capsule to avoid it wrinkling or otherwise being rendered unpresentable before the party. The Satan family tailor had taken to the task of fitting Videl's boyfriend with extreme fervor. She had chosen blue for his theme, perhaps unsurprisingly given Videl's natural affinity with the color. He had no idea what Videl's chosen outfit looked like, however, and neither she nor the tailor would give him a hint. So he was exceedingly curious to see what kind of dress she would be wearing that evening.
Touching down at the Satan Mansion again, he found Mr. Satan, Buu, and Videl herself waiting for him. "Hey Darling," she called, running to him and giving him a tight hug. She was in such a good mood and Gohan smiled immediately.
"Hey Angel, you excited for tonight?"
"Yeah! I'm so glad you're coming too!"
His eyes immediately went to her hair. Though none of them were dressed for the party just yet, her hair was already done in a half-up, half-down wavy style with some adorable loose strands falling and framing her glowing face. His anticipation for what she might look like in her dress was at an all-time high now.
"Your hair looks so beautiful," he told her softly so they weren't overheard. She lit up and smiled a huge smile at him.
"Thank you! I'm so excited for you to see the whole outfit," she told him, blushing just slightly as she did.
They finally turned and approached the others, Mr. Satan giving Gohan a wide smile. "Hey Gohan! Good to see you again. I'm glad you can come tonight! I've been trying to get my Sweetpea to come to the King's party with me again for years now but she never budged until I told her she could bring you this time." He laughed raucously and Buu applauded lightly.
"I'm glad to be coming with you, thanks for including me" he assured him, before glancing between them all. "Hey, not that it's that strange, but why is Buu hanging around out here too?" Videl's eyes widened just slightly before she grinned.
"Oh, didn't I tell you? Buu is Papa's guest for tonight." Gohan's eyes nearly popped out of his head.
"Uh…is that…a good idea?" he managed softly. Mr. Satan just laughed again.
"It'll be just fine! I've already made the announcement that Buu's my student from far away. This'll give him a chance to be seen by all the important people in the world! And once they've all seen him, most people won't even bat an eye if Buu shows up in the city just to wander around. 'Sides, I'd feel bad leaving him here all by himself on New Year's Eve."
"I guess that makes sense," Gohan conceded, noting that Videl was particularly amused by his reactions.
"Buu excited for food! Wish Bee could come too, though."
"I'm sorry Buu, but we can't bring pets into the palace. It's a bit of a…sensitive topic for the King." Buu tilted his head and gazed at his friend.
"Why?"
"Because…well you'll see for yourself soon enough."
"Where is Bee, anyway?" Gohan asked. Buu smiled and gestured towards the city.
"Gill take Bee for the night! Bee celebrate New Year with Gill and family! We both have fun that way!"
"Oh, what a great idea! I'm sure his kids will love to have Bee there for the night!"
"That's what we were thinking too when he offered," Videl agreed, smiling at the memory.
"Well, now that everything's settled, how about we head out?" Mr. Satan proposed, plucking a capsule from his pocket. "I know everyone here except me can fly, but I hope you don't mind if we take the jet tonight. The wind will mess up my hair if Buu carries me," he muttered and Videl laughed, leaning into Gohan's side.
And so it was that the four took to the plane and set off for Central City. It would only take about an hour to fly there. It was much slower than Gohan could have made the trip himself, but he did have the added bonus this time of watching as Buu sat next to Mr. Satan in the front and tried to touch every button he wasn't supposed to, just like the last time he'd been in one of these things.
"Mr. Satan, what this button do?"
"Don't touch that! It's the controls for the right wing's flaps. If you press it, you'll cause us to lose our balance and start shaking around."
"Ooh…sound fun!" Buu's giant finger made for the button but Mr. Satan blocked him with speed and precision that betrayed just how many times he'd had to do exactly this.
"We can try it some other time, deal?" Buu sighed and pouted.
"Okay…"
Videl and Gohan were sitting in the back, relaxing into the comfortable leather that comprised the seats. He hadn't been in a jet like this since the day of the Tenkaichi Budōkai and it was actually rather relaxing to not have to exert any effort to get someplace. It helped that Videl was cuddling close to him, of course. He made a note that maybe they should try flying a vehicle a bit more often than they did.
"Have you ever met the King before, Gohan?" Mr. Satan asked from the pilot's seat.
"No, I haven't. My dad has though, once or twice. He's told me a few stories about the palace but I've never seen it with my own eyes."
"You're in for a treat then," the older man promised. "I won't set your expectations too high, though. We'll be there pretty soon so you'll see for yourself!"
The rest of the time passed rather uneventfully as Videl held Gohan's hand and snuggled close, careful to keep her hair from squishing against him. He couldn't blame her; he was doing the exact same thing. He really wanted to see the whole outfit and style she'd chosen for the party and didn't want to be responsible for spoiling the effort she'd spent on her hairstyle for the evening.
"Should be just past this mountain range," Mr. Satan called out a few minutes later. Leaning forward, Gohan and Videl watched out the window. As they cleared the range, Buu's eyes widened and he let out a small noise of wonder.
The palace was titanic. Perhaps that wasn't even enough to do it justice. Gohan had seen many large buildings in his travels across the world, but this one in particular dwarfed anything he'd even conceived of before. It was at least the size of a city block and the grounds were even larger. The white columns that made up the exterior were pristine and reflected the setting sun brightly, the grass a vibrant green that was very carefully maintained. Several other jets were slowly descending to the large drive that sat before the main entrance to the grounds. It was very obviously the manor of the most important person on Earth.
"Wow," was all he could manage.
"Buu think so too! This place huge!"
"Told you it'd be a sight to see!" Mr. Satan chortled, grinning merrily.
"Hoh!" Buu leaned forward to get a better look but accidentally pressed his hand on one of the buttons. Immediately, the jet pitched to the right before Mr. Satan corrected it quickly, pushing Buu away from the console.
"Buu, you gotta be careful," he insisted. The pink giant just grinned.
"Okay! …at least Buu know what button do now."
Gohan and Videl couldn't help but laugh.
Once they exited the jet, several attendants were at their sides, insisting that they show them the way to their private suite. Feeling extremely out of place, Gohan just stayed to the middle of the group and followed, glad that Videl kept a warm hold on his hand the entire way. Mr. Satan greeted a few people here and there, but it wasn't long before they arrived at their suite.
The room itself was dazzling, with couches, a balcony, a fireplace, a television, and several other amenities that made Gohan feel even further out of place. The décor spoke of the incomparable wealth spent to furnish every room and clearly no expense had been spared between the exquisite tapestries, the plush carpeting, and the silken curtains. There were two hallways off of each end of the main room, each leading to a pair of bedrooms and bathrooms. They hadn't been kidding when they said everyone would have their own private room.
With the party due to start in about thirty minutes now, everyone split up to get changed and ready for the night. Gohan, arriving at his room, popped two capsules, one containing his bag for the evening and the other containing the neatly pressed and prepared tuxedo. He still wasn't crazy about how confined these things made him feel, but he had to admit that this one fit him very well, courtesy of the enthusiastic tailor of course. It almost made wearing it enjoyable. Almost.
The young half-Saiyan set about changing into the proper attire. The pants and jacket were a sharp black, with the vest a vivid sapphire blue. He attached all the proper pieces the way he'd been taught after the fitting – cufflinks, bowtie, the works. He looked at himself in the mirror but couldn't be sure if it was done exactly right. He looked decent to his own eyes but he definitely needed a good once over.
Exiting the room at last, he returned to the main area and found Mr. Satan and Buu waiting. Mr. Satan was also dressed smartly in a tuxedo of his own, quite the far cry from the usual attire Gohan was used to seeing the man in. He pulled it off well, though. Much more naturally than Gohan felt he himself did. Buu was still wearing the same thing he always did, though he couldn't be sure if it was because he wasn't changing or was just taking his time.
"Hey Gohan, you all put together?" the man called out, waving.
"Uh, I think so? I've never worn one of these before but I think I got all the pieces in the right place," he admitted, glancing down at himself once more. Mr. Satan chuckled before approaching.
"Looks great for a first time! Lemme straighten you up just a bit," he offered, to which Gohan gratefully accepted. He fixed the bowtie and several other little parts before brushing his hands together and grinning widely, dusting off Gohan's shoulders in a show of triumph. "Now that's perfect! You look almost as well put-together as I do!" He laughed raucously and Gohan felt some of his nerves ease. Even if he were in an unfamiliar place and scenario, he was at least with people he knew extremely well. That helped quite a bit, honestly.
"Are you gonna help Buu get changed at all? Come to think of it, what would he even wear to something like this?" Gohan mused aloud. Mr. Satan chuckled again.
"Nah, he's just going like that. I don't think he has other outfits anyway…though," he paused and leaned in closer, "I tried to trick him into wearing a top hat and monocle tonight. I almost pulled it off but Videl wouldn't let me go through with it."
Gohan couldn't suppress the bout of laughter that overwhelmed him at the idea of Majin Buu 'dressed for success' by Mr. Satan. The man in question joined in with Gohan's laughter and, after several seconds more, they finally collected themselves. He glanced at his wristwatch before clearing his throat and turning towards the door.
"Okay Gohan, Buu and I are gonna head down to the party now. You and Videl can follow when she's ready!"
"You can just come with us if you like, I'm sure she'll be ready any second now," Gohan offered. The man smiled and shook his head.
"Nah, it's okay. I figure it'd be nice for the two of you to come into the party yourselves without my big shadow in the way. Besides, Videl insisted you be the first to see her dress for tonight," he revealed, clapping Gohan on the shoulder and giving him a thumbs up.
"O-oh," Gohan managed, blushing a bit. The tiny smile that crossed his lips betrayed how bashful he felt, but Mr. Satan graciously chose not to comment on it, instead turning towards the door and waving Buu after him with the promise of food.
"Sweetpea, Buu and I are headed down! I'll see you soon, okay?" he called out across the suite.
"Okay Papa, we'll be right behind you!" she returned from down the hallway. With that, the two strolled out of the room, Buu waving to Gohan before asking where the buffet was. The door fell shut before Gohan could make out the answer he received.
It seemed as if Videl had actually been waiting for her dad and Buu to leave as, less than a minute later, a nearby door opened. Gohan felt his heart flip in anticipation and he turned towards the hallway, eager to see his date for the King's party.
Videl stepped from the hallway and Gohan found himself at a total loss for words. Her hair was done up in the same elegant style as it had been earlier, but everything else was different. She now wore a long, blue dress that flowed almost all the way to the floor. The color matched his vest exactly, the material holding close to her figure but not too tightly that she was restricted or exposed. It was sleeveless, the shoulder straps opening out before wrapping around to her back, leaving just enough of her upper chest visible that Gohan had to swallow several times.
Her pale arms were covered by long, black gloves that stopped halfway between her shoulders and elbows, yet again a perfect match for his own jacket and pants. From her ears were draped two teardrop earrings and, perhaps most dazzling of all to Gohan, a smile that could light the world adorned her gorgeous face.
"So…what do you think?" she managed a bit timidly, her cheeks turning pink. Taking a steadying breath, Gohan finally found his voice.
"You…wow. You look incredible Videl." Her pink blush blazed crimson at his words but she crossed the room and gazed into his eyes all the same.
"Thank you! I…I'm really glad you like it. I've been pretty nervous to show you for a few weeks now."
"How come? You know I always think you're beautiful." She smiled warmly up at him.
"I know. I just wanted the moment to be perfect. I asked Papa and Buu to leave before I was ready so I could show you my dress all alone." Gohan chuckled lightly.
"Yeah, your dad mentioned that before they went down. Um…thanks for that. I don't know exactly what his reaction would have been to me staring at you with my mouth open like I did." Videl just giggled.
"He knows you're crazy about me; I doubt he'd have said anything about it. But I wanted you to see me first like this. I haven't worn something like this…well, ever, honestly. And I only really wanted to get all dressed up for you anyway. So it worked out!"
"It really did," he agreed, reaching out and placing his hands on her shoulders. "You honestly look so breathtaking. I've never seen anyone more beautiful than you are, Angel." Her cheeks burned a deep red, the blush even creeping to her ears and neck.
"H-hey, no fair. You're gonna make me look like a tomato by the time we get to the party if you keep saying sweet things like that," she whispered, her eyes twinkling and shimmering like he'd never seen before.
"Sorry, I'll tell you more about how stunning you look later," he promised. She narrowed her eyes at him and grinned.
"Fine, fine, I'll give you one last one. But one more of those and I start telling you how devilishly suave you look in that tuxedo." It was his turn to blush rather fiercely and Videl puffed herself up triumphantly.
"I definitely asked for that one," he conceded, earning a demure giggle from her.
"I'm not just saying it to tease you though," she promised, meeting his eyes directly yet again.
"T-thanks," he managed, averting his eyes. After a long moment, the two finally shook themselves gently back to reality.
"Shall we head down to the party now, handsome?" she asked, waiting for him to turn. After he blushed a bit, he did just that, offering her his arm and teasing her just a bit in return.
"Yeah, let's get going, gorgeous." Videl's cheeks blazed yet again as she hooked her arm through his, stepping very close to him as they started walking.
"You know," she mused suddenly, as he opened the door leading out to the hallway, "if we'd said things like this back when we started dating, I think one of us might've passed out from all the blood rushing to our faces!" Gohan chuckled and gazed down at her, those shining eyes stealing his breath like always.
"I think we could definitely still manage it tonight," he admitted, only half-joking. Videl giggled again and nestled close to him, the two of them exiting the suite together and heading towards the King's party at last, eager to make the most of their first formal event together. It had been weeks in the making, but Gohan was excited to see just where the night would lead them.
As it turned out, it would be a night both of them would remember for a very long time for more reasons than one.
1/13/2023
Post-Chapter Note: Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed the chapter! I had a ton of fun writing Buu this time around, specifically his interactions with the main cast. He's a character I've never really explored much but the idea of him becoming more and more comfortable messing around with everyone and basically becoming a younger sibling type character is just too delightful not to lean into some. I hope you're enjoying him being a bit more in the spotlight now that he isn't just relegated to the Satan Mansion couch!
Now, to prepare you for next week. Remember all the way back in Chapter 6 when I said, and I quote, "things get a little spicy this time around. Not full-on ghost pepper spicy. More like Chipotle green sauce spicy?" Well, things are gonna get full-on ghost pepper spicy next time. To reiterate what I said back then, I'll never write anything vulgar or crass, especially not where these two are concerned, but consider this both fair warning if you're not into that kind of writing and preparation for what's to come. It won't be the only thing that happens next chapter - obviously we still have the King's party to attend! But it won't be an insignificant or small part of the next chapter either. That said, I hope I can present things in a way that everyone can enjoy without it coming off poorly!
Anyway, until next time, thank you all again so much for reading and I'll see you again next week! Have a wonderful weekend!