Chapter Thirteen
Her Deepest Desires
That afternoon, on her way home, Videl got a call from the police about a current crime, so she swerved and piloted her jet copter in the opposite direction. It was a runaway car fleeing the police on route 81 to the mountains. It reminded Videl of the first appearance of the Great Saiyaman, and she couldn't help smiling at the recollection, how easily she had tricked Gohan, and how he hadn't even noticed, happily flying off to go back to class.
She was still torn about what to do, but Videl had to admit that her friends were right. There was no harm in becoming friends with Gohan as long as things never evolved between them. And she did owe him. She was already taking away his chance at true love, and she had even broken his heart. The least she could do was make it up to him in some kind of way. Gohan deserved at least that.
The Great Saiyaman was already on the scene; Gohan had probably seen it from the sky on his way home, Videl figured. The situation was already under control. The criminals didn't even get to leave the city; the superhero was handing the unconscious bad guys to the police. Videl landed her jet copter nonetheless and climbed out.
"Well, I better get going," Saiyaman said quickly when he saw her coming.
Videl's heart sank. That bad, huh?
"What, no lame poses? No corny speech?" she said in a teasing tone, smirking at him with her arms crossed.
Gohan paused and looked at her, but it was hard to tell what kind of expression he was making because of the ridiculous orange helmet taking up most of his face.
She walked closer to him and said in a lower voice, only for him to hear. "Can we talk?"
He didn't say anything for a time, observing her while she could only speculate what he was thinking about.
"Okay. Follow me."
With that, he took off to the sky, and Videl followed him with her eyes, raising her head and turning around to see where he was going. He seemed to land on the roof of a building nearby, so Videl ran back in her jet copter and started the engine, piloting the aircraft to where she had seen Gohan disappear.
Her heart was beating furiously. She couldn't help feeling excited at the prospect of becoming friends with Gohan ━ of hanging out with him on a regular basis. Videl was scared of his reaction, too, since she did break his heart, but she decided to be positive and hope for the best. Gohan wasn't the resentful type, that much she knew. Surely it was going to be okay, right?
Gohan was in his normal clothes when she saw him standing on the rooftop, waiting for her. She landed her jet copter and got off, joining him outside.
"Hey," she greeted him with an awkward smile.
He frowned slightly, digging his hands in his pockets. "Hey…"
His obvious confusion was understandable. She did make him reiterate his promise to stay away from her, so his reaction was to be expected.
"I made up with Sharpner. Apparently he and Erasa have you to thank for getting together?" she said with a sideways smile.
Gohan scratched the back of his head. "I guess… I'm glad you guys aren't fighting anymore. I felt bad, because it was kinda my fault."
"Not really. It was really my fault," Videl disagreed. "But we made up and that's what matters."
"I guess that's true."
"Look, Gohan…" She lowered her head, joining her hand together behind her back. "I'm sorry about… everything, really. The truth is… what happens in my visions, it only happens if we get together…"
Gohan gulped. So he was right. Videl did foresee them as a couple, not just as friends. That meant they had been supposed to fall in love and get into a romantic relationship. That meant Videl probably knew all along that he liked her, or that he potentially would, at the very least.
"And they made a really good point…" she went on, her voice slow and hesitant.
She still wouldn't look at him, her head lowered, but he could still see her face take up a lovely pink color. He couldn't help the smile that curved his lips. She was so cute.
"They said that since in my visions, I change because we're together, that nothing is stopping us from being friends… as long as we stay just friends."
His eyebrows shot up on his forehead and he blinked. Now, that, he wasn't expecting. His heart jolted in hopefulness.
"Are you saying…?"
She finally looked up at him and a sheepish smile formed on her lovely lips. "I mean, if you still want to…"
"I do," he replied right off the beat, a grin digging into his cheeks. "I want to be your friend, Videl."
"Even after the way I treated you…?" she asked in uncertainty, guilt in her eyes.
"You have your reasons. And it was my fault for pushing it when you made it clear as to why I had to stay away from you." He took a step toward her. "But if it only happens if we're a couple… if we can still be friends, I'll take it. I'll take whatever I can."
"Are you sure?" She bit her lip in that adorable way. His heart fluttered pleasantly. "I mean… we'll never be more than friends. Are you sure you're okay with that? Given… how you feel about me?"
She had a point, but it was still better than nothing. He took another step toward her, and then another. He was now standing so close to her that Videl had to crane her neck to look at him. It was so cute, how tiny she was compared to him.
"Yes, I'm okay with it," Gohan confirmed. "I get it, and I won't try anything with you, I promise."
She was smiling at him, and Gohan sighed softly, dreamily, feeling himself swoon. Gosh, she was so pretty…
"Alright then." She took a step back to hold out her hand to him. "Friends?"
He took it eagerly. And felt a spark. His breath hitched, but Gohan pretended like nothing happened. He knew Videl had felt it too, but she was following his example and acting like it didn't happen.
They let go. Gohan's heart was doing somersaults. He was so happy. Videl had finally agreed to be his friend. And, yes, he would always long for more, but it was still better than nothing. At least, now, Videl could be in his life.
"Let's do something together," he suggested. "To celebrate our newfound friendship."
"Sure, why not," Videl agreed, letting out an amused chuckle. "How about we go have a snack?"
He grinned. "You read my mind."
Gohan was so happy that he completely forgot about his plans to go train with Piccolo after school. Well, at least those weren't official plans, so he wasn't standing his mentor up.
Paige scowled. She had checked on Videl in her crystal ball as soon as she got home and locked herself in her room, and to her dismay, she and Gohan were hanging out and laughing together in a coffee house.
Did Gohan even have plans after school or had he just been trying to blow her off? Well, it didn't matter, because sooner or later their feelings would get so deep that the mere thought that they could never be together would be pure torture. While she didn't actually want Gohan to suffer, it was a necessary evil because Videl's agony was her top priority.
Besides, she would be happy to be there for him when he was going to need a shoulder to lean on because of his heartbreak. Paige smirked at the thought.
They were playing basketball in PE. Videl had the ball and was skillfully bouncing it on the floor, the thud echoing off the gym's walls. She casually weaved through the opposition, aiming to get to the other side of the court.
She smirked as Gohan came up in front of her, accepting the challenge to get past the much taller teen.
"No cheating," she said to him in a low voice, implying that he couldn't use his special skills during the game.
"I know," he said, a playful grin on his face. "I've lowered my strength to below your level ━ but you still won't get past me."
She chuckled. "Cheeky, aren't we?"
The ball still bouncing in her hand, Videl gracefully whirled on her feet to maneuver around Gohan and get past him, her back to him to keep the ball out of his reach, before she proceeded to speed away toward the basket.
But Gohan was quick to react and he spun on his feet while reaching out with his arm, blocking her path and forcing her to halt in her tracks. He shot her a smirk and before she could do anything to stop him, he swiftly yanked the ball from her and rushed off to the other side of the basketball field.
Videl cursed under her breath and ran after him, but he was too fast, and gracefully evaded her teammates who tried to get in his way. Gohan easily went past them; he bumped into one of them and Videl raised her eyebrows as it seemed as though their classmate didn't even feel it.
Gohan then passed the ball to Sharpner, even though he could've made the shot himself. His team captain caught the orange ball and scored a three-pointer. The boys grinned at each other and high-fived in mutual congratulations.
The game continued, and Gohan beat her at every turn, his natural talent for athletics giving him an edge even without using his special abilities. Not only that, but he now seemed to have complete control of his strength. Not once did any of the kids playing against him wince when they made contact with him.
Sharpner's team easily won, and two other teams were formed to face off on the basketball court, since only ten students at a time could be in a game.
Videl sat next to Gohan on the bleachers and handed him a water bottle. He gave her a warm smile that made her heart flutter in a pleasant way.
"Thanks. No hard feelings?"
Damn it, he was just too cute.
Videl rolled her eyes at him playfully. "Nah. Nobody stands a chance against you, I've made my peace with that."
He chuckled. He opened his bottle and took a sip. He hadn't even broken a sweat during the basketball match, unlike the rest of them who were understandably drenched in sweat after twenty-five minutes of running up and down the court. Videl, herself, took long gulps of water from her own bottle, feeling parched after the tiring workout.
She set the half-empty bottle next to her and turned to her friend once again. He had that cute half-smile on his face, unknowingly making the girl swoon. Her cheeks heated up as she smiled back at him.
"You've gotten a lot better at controlling your strength," she noted, causing Gohan to flash her a proud grin.
"You noticed? It's thanks to you, you know. To tell you the truth, I've been slacking off on training since…" He shot a glance around them then leaned closer to her, his low voice brushing her ear. Videl felt a pleasant shiver run along her spine as his breath tickled her skin. "Since Cell."
She swallowed thickly, her cheeks burning up even when Gohan pulled back.
"But after our talk last week, I reached out to my mentor and I've been training with him every day since," Gohan finished.
Videl's eyes went sideways in thought. His mentor… "Do you mean Piccolo?"
Gohan raised his eyebrows. And then a gentle smile curved his lips. "Yeah. You've seen him, then?"
"Of course. He's always around, and he even helps out with our…" Videl trailed off, her eyes widening at what she almost blurted out.
"Our…?" Gohan repeated, his head tilted to the side, a glint of curiosity in his eyes.
Our kids, Videl replied for herself, because there was no way she was ever telling Gohan about that detail of the life they had been supposed to have together. He only knew that they should have been in a relationship. Gohan had no idea how far in the future she had foreseen, or that they had been supposed to get married at some point and start a family together.
"Can't you tell me?" he asked, puckering his lips in an adorable pout. "Since it's not going to happen anyway, what's the harm in telling me?"
Videl shook her head. "Believe me, it's better if you don't know. It'll just make you feel worse."
"But I'm curious. I want to know. I'll deal with the consequences if I have to, but don't I have a right to know, at the very least?"
He was making a very good case… Damn it. Didn't he realize just how embarrassing the mere thought of having kids with him was? Thankfully, her dreams had never been past the PG rating, but Videl did know where babies came from, and she did not want to think about how she and Gohan ended up with three children in her visions.
"It's just… so embarrassing," she uttered, avoiding his gaze. Her hand rose and covered the lower part of her face to try and hide her bright blush.
Gohan sighed. "I can imagine… But, still, I would really like to know. Please?"
Videl made the mistake of looking back at him. And her face burned up even more. His coal eyes were drawing her in, and the girl felt herself drown in the pool of his pleading gaze. Her lips parting, short breaths slipped through, in and out, her chest heaving. Her hands were clammy, and Videl wiped them on her sweatpants in a nervous motion.
"Please, Videl?" he asked her once more.
She felt her resolves crumble down. Damn him. Why did he have so much effect on her? Why couldn't she resist his charms? Why did he have to be so damn adorable and handsome?
"Fine…" she grumbled, tearing her gaze away from his enchanting eyes, crossing her arms and puckering her lips in a pout. "In the future I saw… We got married and started a family. And Piccolo would often babysit for us."
Torn between blushing at the notion of becoming Videl's husband and the father of her children, and the mental image of Piccolo taking care of their kids, Gohan ended up grinning through the redness of his cheeks.
"He does? Really?"
"Yeah, and he's kind of a worrywart, too. It's adorable, really, especially given how big and intimidating he looks." Videl smiled despite herself at the recollection. "And the kids love him, too. He also takes part in training them."
"How many kids do we have?" Gohan couldn't help asking.
She bit her lip. "Three… A girl first, and then we have two more when she's ten."
Gohan felt short of breath. He swallowed thickly. "What's their names?"
Videl glanced at him hesitantly. "Pan is the firstborn, then it's a boy, Mark, and two years later we have another girl, Mika."
He raised his gaze to the arched ceiling of the gym, dreaming of the kids he would never have. "What do they look like?"
Videl sighed, resigning herself to answer all of Gohan's questions. He did deserve to know, at the very least, since she had taken away that future from him. A future he might be longing for even though he knew she would never let it come true.
"Pan is pretty much my spitting image, but she has your eyes."
Gohan looked back at her at that, and his expression softened. "She must have been beautiful."
Videl averted her eyes, her face burning more than ever at the indirect compliment. She focused on her answer, hoping Gohan wasn't going to make her any more flustered.
"Mark takes after you, mostly, but he has curly hair, blue eyes, and tan skin, like my dad. Mika looks like your mom, she has blue eyes too, and fair skin like me. Her hair is brown like my mom's was."
Gohan looked down, leaning on his hands, his head digging between his shoulders as a deep, heavy sigh slipped through his lips. "I would've liked to meet them…"
"I'm sure you'll have a family of your own at some point. You're going to be a great dad someday."
His face scrunched up, and Videl felt her heart sink. She could almost hear him think, But not with you.
"Was I a bad husband?"
Videl flushed at the question. She sighed in aggravation. Why was he asking her all these embarrassing questions? Didn't he see how awkward it was making her feel?
"No, not at all."
"Then what went wrong?"
"I told you. Our relationship changes me."
He looked at her. "Is it really that bad?"
"Yes…"
Gohan heaved a deep sigh. "I guess it can't be helped." He offered her a wistful smile. "Thanks for answering all my questions. I know it wasn't easy for you." He rubbed the back of his neck. "And you were right… It does make me feel worse. But I'm glad I asked, too, because even if they'll never exist, at least they can live in my imagination now."
Her heart clenched painfully at his words. Videl couldn't help but recall just how much she would have loved their children, and it made her want to cry that she was preventing them from ever getting born.
"Yeah…"
Gohan cracked a playful smile then, amusement dancing in his coal eyes. "So Piccolo's pretty much our nanny, huh?"
Videl burst out laughing. "Yep. He pretends like it annoys him, but we all know he loves it. And he loves the kids."
"Well, he's like a second dad to me, so that's not surprising. He was always good to me when I was a kid ━ well, excluding the times he was training me, because he's a ruthless teacher. But anyway, he's great with Goten and Trunks too. The boys love him."
"I would love to meet Trunks someday," Videl said. "From what I've seen of him, he's a really cool kid."
"Yeah, he sure is," Gohan agreed with a broad grin. "He always gets in trouble though, and he drags Goten down with him. My mom often complains that he's a bad influence on my brother." He laughed slightly at that.
Videl giggled. "I'm not surprised."
"I haven't told you about the Trunks that came from the future to help us fight the androids and eventually Cell, have I? Our Trunks didn't turn out quite the same as him, either."
She blinked at the boy. "Wait, you're telling me that time travel is actually possible?"
Gohan grinned. He checked the time on his watch. "We still have about fifteen minutes before the end of PE, so I think we got the time to get into it. It's a great story, so listen closely."
Videl grinned back at him. "I'm all ears."
They were in her bedroom, sitting on her bed while numerous books lay open all over the bedding. Gohan was helping her with her schoolwork ━ one of the perks of being friends with a genius.
Videl felt the familiar warm tickle on her cheeks when he leaned closer to explain to her the current exercise. But his lecture fell on deaf ears ━ Videl closed her eyes as his scent reached her nostrils. They were sitting so close, their arms were touching. His presence was intoxicating.
"See? It's easy," Gohan concluded, looking up at her as he finished his explanation.
Their eyes met. For what felt like an eternity, time seemed to stand still. Videl swallowed thickly. She couldn't help glancing at his lips, so inviting, so tempting… Gohan's eyes darkened, glazing over… as though he knew what she was thinking about. Or maybe he simply desired the same thing.
He was leaning toward her. Her first instinct was to back away, and she ended up lying on her back, while Gohan was towering over her, his chest heaving, his face so close his breathing was tickling her skin… her lips.
"Go… Gohan?"
His hand moved on her hip, while the other cupped her cheek. Videl felt her whole being burn at the simple contact.
What was happening? What was going on? What was he doing? Why was he leaning in with his eyes closed?
Oh, no, she couldn't stop it. Her eyes slipped shut in turn, without her consent. And then his mouth crashed onto hers, swallowing her moan while his tongue tried to gain access. Her lips parted in a breathless moan. Her arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him closer. He pushed his pelvis into her, making her feel how much he wanted her. Videl's common sense was thrown out of the window, and she only listened to her primal urges as she encircled his waist with her legs, pulling him even closer, feeling his whole body pressed up against hers in the most delectable way.
"I'm so crazy about you, Videl," he breathed between two kisses.
He moved his lips down her chin, along her throat, and then into the crook of her neck. Videl craned her head to give him better access, biting down a moan as her lust for him became unbearable.
"Mmm… Videl… You smell so good…"
Gosh, she wanted him so much. Her head was spinning. This felt too good to be true.
His hand slipped under her shirt, slowly trailing up her stomach before cupping her breast. She gasped at the sensation of his warm hand on her bare skin. Why wasn't she wearing a bra? When did he take it off? Or had she been wearing one at all? She couldn't remember ━ Videl couldn't think of anything while Gohan had his hands on her body.
He raised his head to kiss her lips once more, pinching her nipple while pushing his tongue inside her mouth. Videl whimpered. Gohan responded by grinding his growing erection into her crotch. And he kept rubbing himself against her, thrusting his pelvis to create an intoxicating friction.
Videl couldn't take it anymore. It was too much. It felt too good. She was going absolutely insane.
"Go…han…" she panted against his lips. He slipped his other hand under her shirt and cupped her other breast, his fingers digging into the plush mounds, kneading them, teasing her nipples. She moaned into his mouth.
The pleasure was building up. More and more. She could feel something coming. She was so close. Videl tightened her legs around him and rocked her body against Gohan, yearning for more of that delicious friction. He responded by thrusting his hips harder while pinching her nipples, and then it happened━ and her cry of ecstasy was muffled against his incredible lips. Her whole body trembled in pleasure.
A moment later, Gohan stilled himself and groaned into her mouth, grabbing on her breasts roughly as he convulsed on top of her.
"Oh, Videl!"
He panted against her cheek, collapsing on top of her. His weight felt so amazing. Her head was spinning. Videl tightened her arms around his shoulders. He started kissing her neck, and one of his hands slid down her stomach, trailing on her skin until they reached the hem of her shorts.
Gohan didn't pause and slid his hand under the garment, cupping her crotch. She moaned his name, her breathing deepening once more ━ and then he slipped two fingers inside of her while his thumb rubbed her clitoris.
"Does it feel good, Videl?" he murmured hoarsely in her ear, his hot breath sending shivers through her whole body. His fingers picked up the pace, his hand thrusting faster and harder under her panties.
"Oh, god, yes!" she panted in reply, her arms around his back, clutching the fabric of his shirt. "Don't stop!"
He lifted her top and lowered his head, wrapping his hot, wet mouth around her erect nipple. She felt his tongue flick the sensitive bud. She felt his fingers working inside her slippery walls. She felt his other hand kneading her breast. Now he was sucking on her nipple.
Goodness, Gohan was driving her insane. The pleasure was too much. It was all too much. At this rate… Oh, god, she was going to come again…
Videl screamed his name in ecstasy.
And then her eyes snapped open. She was met by the darkness of the ceiling. She was indeed in her bedroom, but it was night, and she was alone. She was panting, her skin covered in sweat.
Her face flushed harder ━ her vivid dream had left her all hot and bothered.
What the hell…?
She didn't know what to think. She was mortified either way. What the hell was that dream about? It had felt so real… And it was the first time she ever had such a dream. Was it another vision? A warning that this was what would happen if she stayed friends with Gohan?
Or was it simply her subconscious showing her what she truly desired? Videl couldn't be sure, but she was leaning more toward the second option. Somehow, this dream didn't feel like the others. Besides, they had never depicted such a near future, it was always at least five years into the future, when she and Gohan were already married.
No, this was just her own desires playing themselves out in her sleep. Videl let out an aggravated sigh as her hand raised to her eyes. How was she supposed to even look at Gohan after fantasizing about him in such a way…? She couldn't believe how far her imagination had gone.
Things had been going so well, too. It had been two weeks since she and Gohan officially became friends, and they often hung out after school and over the weekend. Gohan would patrol the city for crime and they would eventually cross paths. It didn't even involve fighting crime most of the time. They just happened to stumble on each other, much like on the weekend following Gohan's first week of school. It really felt like fate was trying to bring them together, intent on getting in her way whether she agreed or not.
But they were friends now, so it didn't matter. And, during the weekend, Gohan would usually bring his little brother along, allowing the Great Saiyaboy to make an appearance. The brothers were always fun to hang out with, and Goten was just so adorable and huggable. Videl smirked at one particular recollection; she had hugged Goten, unable to hold back anymore, and Goten had laughed gleefully as he hugged her back.
But one glance at Gohan's envious pout made Videl look away and bit her lip, holding back a fit of laughter. He was just so cute, watching them hug, no doubt wishing he could be in his little brother's place.
She almost went to hug him too to comfort him, but Videl had known better. Any physical contact with Gohan always provoked a spark, even the simplest touch, so a hug was definitely out of the question. Videl didn't trust herself to attempt such a risky move. She might end up kissing him or something, and that could never happen.
Her throat tightened as flashes of her dream rushed back to her. Videl licked her lips despite herself, longing for it to come true. But it couldn't ever happen. Gohan could never be more than a friend. That was the deal.
She had been right, though. Her feelings for him just kept growing the more they spent time together, and after only two weeks, Videl admitted to herself that her feelings ran much deeper than she should have allowed.
She was in love with Gohan. But she could never be with him.
Her heart ached at the torturous thought.
It was no wonder that she was dreaming about making out with Gohan and letting him do whatever he wanted to her body. It was all she truly desired. She wished for a way to make her dream come true without the consequences that would inevitably follow. She longed for his touch, for his arms, for his warmth, for his skin… She was completely crazy about him. Head over heels.
Videl turned to the side and hugged herself. Well, there was nothing she could do about it anyway. It was fated to happen, and fate wasn't one to back down without a fight. And she was beaten. While she was still avoiding her worst fears from coming true, she hadn't been able to stop herself from falling hopelessly in love with Son Gohan.
And how could she? He was the perfect guy. Handsome, smart, kind, pure-hearted, funny, fun to hang out with, and he came with an adorable little brother too. Really, she never stood a chance.
Videl sighed to herself. Oh, well. There was nothing she could do about it now. It was only just her heart. It would heal in time. She only had to hold out until the end of high school.
Her throat tightened. Three whole years. Could she handle it? Videl frowned with determination. She would have to. It was too late to back down now. She would just have to bottle down her true feelings and deepest desires. She'd been doing it for three weeks already. What were another three years?
She was sitting on a bench, taking a break from a run in the city, when a familiar voice called her name.
Videl wasn't even surprised. Gohan and Goten were waving at her as they came up to her. Once again, they were meeting by chance. Fate was such a stubborn bitch.
She looked away, however, still flustered about her dream from last night. Goten didn't notice her embarrassment, rushing to her and throwing his little arms around her neck to give her a hug. Videl smiled fondly at the adorable boy and hugged him back. A part of her regretted that he wasn't going to become her little brother. But that would mean marrying Gohan, which was simply not an option.
"Hey, Goten," she said softly, her heart glowing as the child pulled away and beamed at her, staying on her lap. He was just so cute.
"We keep running on each other every weekend!" he pointed out happily. "I'm so glad I get to see you again!"
She ruffled his wild, spiky hair. "Yeah, I'm glad I get to see your cute little face again, too."
Goten blushed and grinned, and hugged her again. Videl couldn't help herself and glanced at Gohan, who was standing aside with his arms crossed, his lips puckered in the cutest pout. Videl grinned at him.
He was so jealous. It was hilarious.
He finally settled with sitting next to her on the bench, a little too close for comfort. Their arms were almost touching, and Videl could feel his body heat radiate onto her bare skin.
"Have you been running again?" he asked, to get the conversation going. His eyes strayed on her attire. She was wearing a white tank top over her sports bra and loose, tiny shorts, showing off her legs. Thankfully, Goten sitting on her lap prevented the older boy from staring at her bare thighs.
"Yeah," she replied.
His gaze did stop on her cleavage for longer than he should have, but Gohan flushed and eventually looked away.
He cleared his throat into his fist. Videl couldn't help smirking at that. She wondered how deep Gohan's feelings ran, if he had fallen in love with her too, as fated.
A part of her wished to spare him the heartache, but a bigger part was glad that her feelings were mutual, even if it meant they had to suffer together because they had to be apart.
Gohan opened his arms to his brother with a kind smile, obviously feeling left out, and Goten was happy to switch places, hugging his big brother.
"Hey, no fair, you get him all week," Videl complained. "What about me?"
"But Gohan's at school with you all week! I don't see him as much as I would want to," Goten said, his arms tightening possessively around Gohan's neck.
"Fine, fine. But I get a turn too later, don't I?"
"Of course! You give great hugs, too!" Goten said happily. Gohan frowned at that, and Videl had to bite her lip to stop herself from bursting out in laughter. He was so obviously wishing he could be on the receiving end of her hugs, too. It was so friggin' cute.
"What is it, Gohan?" she couldn't help teasing him. "Do you want me to hug you too?"
He frowned. "Don't tease me, Videl."
Her grin widened. "Sorry, sorry. It was too tempting."
"But yeah, I do," he muttered, looking away, but not before she saw his face flush completely. "I do want one of your hugs."
"Oh, you should hug Gohan, Videl!" Goten said in agreement, innocently thinking he was helping. He even jumped from Gohan's arms and stood in front of them. "There, now you got the room."
"It's okay, Goten," Gohan said, smiling half-heartedly at his little brother, waving his hand in negation. "Don't worry about it. Videl is just teasing me."
Goten tilted his head, holding his chin in thought. "But why can't you hug her? It feels really nice, too! Videl is all soft and warm, I really like hugging her!"
Gohan swallowed loudly, while the girl looked to the other side, her hand rising to her face to hide her blush. Why did Goten have to go and say that? It was just making things more awkward between her and Gohan.
And then her eyes widened when Gohan replied, "I guess there wouldn't be any harm in one hug, right?"
She felt him moving closer to her. Now their arms were actually touching. Her heart was hammering hard against her ribcage. It was about to explode. He wasn't serious, was he? He didn't actually intend to hug her, did he? Didn't he realize how risky such a move would be? Surely Gohan was going to scooch away on the bench, realizing what a dumb idea that was, right?
But then he murmured to her, "Friends gave each other hugs all the time, don't they?"
Well, he wasn't wrong, but Gohan had to know that this particular fact didn't apply to them.
Apparently, he didn't, because the next thing she knew, he put a hand on her shoulder and made her turn to face him. Videl gulped as they locked gazes then. His face was completely red, but he looked dead serious. The shade of black of his eyes seemed darker than usual, somehow, cloaked with such intensity that Videl was unable to protest when Gohan wrapped his strong arms around her, pulling her all against his strong body, resting his chin on the top of her head.
"It's just a hug," he said, his voice unsteady as he uttered words he most definitely didn't believe himself.
Videl knew she should pull away immediately. And yet… She couldn't help it. She melted. Her arms moved around him as she snuggled up to him, breathing in his intoxicating scent.
"See? I told you!" Goten said, sounding satisfied that they listened to him. "Videl gives great hugs, huh?"
"The best," Gohan agreed, his voice low and hoarse, his arms tightening around her. His head lowered, and he ended up nuzzling her tied hair in the crook of her neck. He breathed in deeply, and Videl felt a shiver run along her spine, her whole body trembling. Goodness, she felt like she was about to faint. It felt so damn good.
"Gohan gives nice hugs too, huh, Videl?" Goten proceeded to ask her then.
But she was too far gone to respond with more than a "Hmm…" of agreement. Gohan felt so strong and warm. She had completely melted into him. His hands on her body were lighting it on fire.
Her dream came back to her. Videl bit her lip. She needed to pull away. She had to end this. She couldn't let it go on. It was just too risky.
But it felt so damn amazing…
Yes, exactly. That was why she had to pull away, her reason tried to remind her, but Videl shushed it impatiently, enjoying the embrace too much.
It was just a hug. Friends hugged each other. It was just a friendly hug. Nothing romantic about that.
Gohan eventually started to pull away. It took all of her self-control not to hang onto him to stop him, but Videl forced herself back to reality.
They pulled apart and Gohan moved away from her on the bench, making enough room for another person to sit between them. Goten took the hint and jumped on the free spot. Videl was stubbornly staring at some random spot on the ground, barely hearing what Goten was saying.
"See, hugs are really nice, huh?"
"Yeah…" Gohan agreed, his voice still low and hoarse. He cleared his throat.
Goten grinned. He started chattering away with his brother, who listened to him with a gentle smile on his lips, nodding his head every now and then.
"Are you okay, Videl? You haven't said anything in a while," Goten said after some time.
"I'm okay, yeah," she replied, finally turning to the little boy, who beamed at her in response. She saw Gohan in her peripheral vision and before she could stop herself, Videl locked eyes with him.
And all air left her lungs.
Videl swallowed thickly. The look in his eyes said so much. His love for her was so evident, so transparent. He smiled at her, wistful, longing for something they could never have.
There was no doubt about it. Gohan felt the same way. He had fallen in love with her, too. Fate had beaten them both.
His hand moved, going behind Goten, and touched hers. Videl's breath hitched, and she looked away, her face growing even hotter.
But Gohan held her hand and didn't let go, making sparks go off at the simple touch. Videl bit her lip, trying to calm her racing heart.
And then she pulled her hand away, breaking the contact. Sending a message.
Gohan's face fell at the rejection, but he didn't say anything. He soon turned his attention on his brother and acted like normal. Like he didn't just silently ask her if they could be together after all only to be shot down.
Paige was seething, watching the exchange in her trusted crystal ball. The fact that Gohan and Videl suffered from their unfulfilled mutual love did little to comfort her about what she just witnessed.
What the hell? What was that long, romantic embrace about? And then Gohan had tried holding Videl's hand, obviously yearning to be with her even though they could only be friends and he knew that.
But Videl had pulled away, because of course she would. But Paige was still livid. What did Gohan even see in that girl? Why couldn't she steal his attention away from Videl?
She had pretty much given up on seducing him. Gohan's feelings were so painfully obvious ━ he was head over heels in love with Videl, and no other girl ever managed to catch his attention.
It wasn't fair. Why did Videl get the love of someone as amazing and perfect as Gohan? Why wouldn't he even look her way? She had been nothing but nice to him, yet he kept following Videl around like a lost puppy, always perking up when she entered the room.
It was so annoying. Paige cursed the other girl, wishing she could be in even more pain. Maybe she could use her psychic powers to help some crook so he could beat her up or something. It would at least bring her some satisfaction to see Videl get pummeled. Well, crime never slept in Satan City, so surely she wouldn't have to wait long.
And as soon as the thought left her head, Videl's watch went off in the crystal ball. As though her wish had been answered. Or maybe her psychic powers had influenced chance without even meaning to. Paige smirked as she looked on. Videl was just finishing speaking with the police captain and stood.
"Want me to bring you there?" Gohan offered.
"I think I better take my jet copter. You guys are welcome to come with me," she added, strangely enough. "I could drop you off on some roof so you could transform."
Paige frowned. Transform? What was Videl talking about?
"It would be less conspicuous than flying there yourself," she argued. "There's room in my jet copter, in any case."
Gohan shrugged. "Sure. I guess it's fast enough. It's another hostage situation so the robbers are on standby anyway."
"Oh! I'm so excited! I get to be Saiyaboy again!"
Both Gohan and Videl shushed the little boy, whose apology was muffled by his hands over his mouth.
Paige was processing what she just heard.
That little boy… was Saiyaboy? But that meant Gohan was…
And, soon enough, she had the confirmation. Paige could only watch in shock as Gohan and the boy named Goten both pressed a button on their watches, before a flash of light almost blinded her. The next moment, the Great Saiyaman and the Great Saiyaboy were standing where the brothers had been a second ago.
"No way…" she breathed in shock, her eyes wide.
Gohan was a superhero… Paige gulped. It was just her luck, messing with someone who could break her like a twig if he wanted to. Of course, Gohan would never harm her… right? He did use force to stop criminals, though… Well, Gohan had no reason to target her, right?
"I mean, I only prevented him from being happy with the love of his life. No biggie, right?"
Her voice quivered as she spoke the thought aloud. Paige swallowed thickly, feeling more and more nervous. She watched how easily Gohan stopped the criminals, and she forgot that she meant to give some luck to the bad guys so they could beat Videl up. Well, with how Gohan felt about Videl, it might be best not to mess with her too much, Paige reasoned wisely.
Was that why he had been able to fight her power of persuasion? Was the "super" side of him the reason why she had had so much trouble bending him to her will?
Yeah, she definitely should stop messing with Videl's life… Gohan was completely crazy about her, and if he somehow ever found out what she had done to the girl he loved… Paige couldn't imagine it ending well for her.
In fact, she better just stop snooping into their lives altogether, Paige decided, turning off the magical crystal orb.
Yeah. She had her revenge anyway. Videl would never get her happy life with Gohan… who would hopefully never find out she was behind his and Videl's emotional torture.
Paige cursed under her breath. It was just her luck.
January 15, 2021
