Chapter 16: The Mark of Abstinence

Videl didn't know exactly how long she'd been staring into blank space, as she lay on the furry albeit rather hard floor. Of course, she could hardly complain about being trapped against the warmth of the tranquil male, sleeping soundly beside her. The beyond content Saiyan, slept on his back, but had her pulled sideways against him so that she practically lay over half of his body. The thick arm that wrapped around her back, kept her firmly in position, along with the tail wrapped so securely around her raised thigh, sandwiched between his. The composition could have easily made a very romantic painting, as an artist's brush would no doubt glorify the sweeping curves and dramatic shadows of their entangled, naked limbs. But upon waking up however long ago, Videl had eventually tried to re-position herself, only to feel the strengthened pressure of his arm and tail. Only as she managed to peer up at her captor's face, did she find his eyelids still shut, even as a deep and very primal growl rumbled in his chest. She'd sighed, and a tidal wave of various thoughts had washed over her.

Firstly, what the hell was she doing? Here was the man who had tore her away from her home and loved ones, and treated her with the utmost disrespect. Now he she was, lying in his arms with a slight, aching throb between her thighs. Brows knotted, as she tried her best to recall the events that had led up to all this. The days spent training in just his company, and the hours of conversation that had amounted from it. Then… oh boy. Right, so she might've encouraged him just a little with the whole, 'hold me' situation. Her shoulders tensed as she remembered just how well he'd fit the bill, and hadn't even tried to manipulate the situation into something more. Videl swallowed harshly. Fine, so he got bonus points for that. Then there was the whole trial situation, on this alien planet that apparently affected his senses. The deal with Nappa, and then the rain and… she swallowed again. Arriving in the cabin had definitely led to the very recent blur of the most wonderful sensations and pleasures she'd ever felt before. Eyes shifted down to the hand that casually rested over her thigh, and she caught herself sighing. Did this planet effect her as well? She'd figured she was immune to it, until now. Maybe she'd be lucky, and he'd wake up feeling the same confusion? Right, then they could talk about it, and both agree that this was all just a huge misunderstanding. An overreaction to the fact that they were very much alive, and had desperately needed to celebrate that fact. Together. Videl once again felt her cheeks burn with a dusting a pink, and her stomach gave an involuntary flip. If it was a one-off coupling, why then was she reluctant to embrace the fact that he would never hold her like this again?

On the contrary, Gohan's mind was completely free of silly questioning or useless attempts to make excuses that might force more factual regrets. Sleep had found him rather quickly, and his dreams had only been a continuation of the time he'd shared with the oh-so-responsive Earthling. He'd even woken up in the middle of the night, hoping to make his dreams a reality, but his woman was sleeping so soundly against him, that it would a crime to wake her. Tomorrow, he'd smirked to himself, retreating to wash away his stimulated libido and the remnants of her innocence from him, in the cold waters outside. It had been easy to return back to her unmoved side though, where Gohan had found the less arousing images of Planet Vegetasei invade his mind. Various dream scenarios of how he's introduce his mate to the lifestyle and culture there. Then how she'd inevitably swell with child, and he with sheer pride, as they'd play the happy family role. Together. Of course, in his perfect dream world, his home planet wasn't under the threat of total destruction, or ruled by the tyrant King. When the dream became far more of a nightmare, with the shadow of Kari and her half-brother looming over him, he'd growled and shuddered with a strict, forced rousing from his sleep. It was more than just comfort that washed over him in warm relief, as his awakening senses picked up the Earthling still beside him. Gohan could still smell her scent mixed with his own, still lingering on her skin. He could taste her on his tongue, hear her calm breathing, and of course; he was most obviously touching her all over with their skin to skin contact. Above all else, he could feel her presence entirely, and it was heavenly to be waking up to.

At first, it was the flick of the tail tip above her thigh, that alerted the thoughtful Videl. Secondly, the shifting of an arm, but only to allow the circling of finger pads in a gloriously slow rhythm, across the slope of her raised hip. She knew then, that the Saiyan was awake, without the third and final feeling of his eyes leaving a scorching mark over the back of her neck. Since he'd granted her enough space to finally move, Videl of course retreated into a sitting position. Twisting at the waist in order to turn her bare back to him, she raised her hands defensively across her chest, and hunched her shoulders slightly. The fire had gone out, and not just in the most literal interpretation.

"Erm…So," she paused to inhale a deep breath, that became a loud, preparative sigh. "I think there's something wrong with me."

Ironically, Gohan just smirked at the announcement, as he beamed with an inner glow of satisfaction. Finally she was feeling as he did. Finally she was letting go.

"When you said that this planet effects you," she turned to look over her shoulder, and witnessed how the raised left corner of his pout, abruptly dropped. "Well… I think. No, I know that it's done something to me, a-as well."

'What the hell?' He inwardly groaned, wanting very much to shake her from the shoulders and then explain to her again, using a very effective repeat performance and reminder of what had really happened. Never had he expected that his quick excuse to hide the truth she more than clearly wasn't ready for yet, to come back and bite him in the ass like this. And bite him it did, rather hard, and he feared once wasn't going to be enough either.

"It has absolutely nothing to do with the planet," he countered in his own very hoarse recently-woken-up voice. Unlike hers, his bore the trail of light agitation. "It's typical you would blame something else, when what you're feeling is only natural. Or in your case, trying not to feel… For once."

Videl frowned at his sudden mood swing, shifting a little more to stop the cranking at her neck, and gift him with her flaring eyes. He could hardly stay angry at her for long, when she was such a vision with her sleep tousled hair.

"Is that so? Then why am I feeling like… ugh! I can't even find the words! It's like I'm just… not myself, right now. Do you understand that?" Of course he didn't, she frowned to herself with another frustrated grunt. He was obviously just gloating about having added her to his bed notch list. As she spoke though, he'd slowly sat up, prowling towards her even in that slightest action. Now he was dangerously close again, and Videl felt her shoulders tense with thoughts about what his being so close, might entail.

"Of course you don't feel like yourself."

"…Huh?" She had to do a double take and blink twice. Had he just said, what she thought he did? Had he actually just, agreed with her? So then, why was his head dipping, to breathe his next words so casually against her neck, at a very sensitive spot, just behind her ear.

"You've been imprinted."

"I've… what?" She breathed a shaky breath, as his voice succeeded in tickling her skin.

"Sooner than you think, you're going to seek the bond."

Enough alien talk, and enough with the oh-so-wonderful kisses at her neck. Videl clearly tensed, and managed to pull back while maintaining her modest positioning and wide, confused glare. Gohan had to smile at her spirited resistance, even when faced with nature itself. He knew females could sometimes be the mystery of the universe, and he'd heard that they dealt with the whole binding ritual with a lot more difficulty compared to males. But this was just uncanny.

"Can you, for once, just talk some sense to me?" Though she tried to remain calm with her retort, the frustration was still clear in her still, slightly shaky voice. It didn't help that she was trying to have serious words with a man who was completely unaffected by his own, nude state. "No more alien… mumbo-jumbo. Please?"

Gohan chose his words wisely, pausing a moment to fold his broad arms, and lower his chin with a light frown. His voice took an even more serious edge; soft, yet flat. Almost matter-of-fact.

"Wasn't it you who said you cannot choose to feel? How the where, when and why is ultimately irrelevant. That it just… Happens."

Videl swallowed during his brief pause, remembering her words quite clearly, and slightly offended by the fact that he was now using them against her in a rhetoric questioning. He even trailed off slightly, staring her down with his clear and smug victory, despite no change in his very stoic expression.

"That's different!" His eyes alone asked her how and why, so she quickly continued with struggling words that just slipped off her tongue with little thought to their consequence, or how well they'd form an actual, coherent defence. "I mean, it depends on the situation but… ugh! In this case, I was meant to go to college! I was meant to eventually meet a nice guy and, you know, date for a while. Then maybe I'd realise if I actually wanted to go any further and be completely prepared for the exact moment that I did! I just… I don't know why I let this happen, and believe me, I'm far more….m-more angry ….at myself than ….than any-"

The reason behind her slow, hesitant trailing off, came from the way the Saiyan curled around her. No, this time he really did prowl on all fours, moving very much like a lion as he came to face her from the upper body. Leaving one hand against the floor to support his slouched position, the other raised to the stubborn point of her chin, and any further words were lost against the joining of his lips against hers. Gohan of course remembered how she'd been so adamant to show him this very human gesture, and how he'd enjoyed it, but not quite to the extent that she had. Did, he corrected, as she breathed a wonderfully defeated breath against him, and initially succumbed to the power he had over her. But as his hand lowered to her shoulder, threatening to go further south, Videl quickly came to her senses, and snapped her head back. To her surprise, he stilled for a moment, and then abruptly stood in the glory of his full frontal nudity. She had to swallow back, and severely bite her lower lip under the shadow of his masculinity on full display.

"Where are you going?" She found herself timidly asking, as he turned, grabbing his discarded clothing from the floor and keeping it in his tight grasp.

"To find food," he rather coldly snapped back in a matter-of-fact voice. "You're hungry. I'm hungry." And not just for food. "It makes sense."

The 'door' was shifted aside, and his still naked form disappeared without even bothering to close it. A cold draft crept inside the otherwise quite warm room, and Videl shivered. It was a good thing there was a river outside. She really needed a cold shower right about now.

The Saiyan was perhaps gone for an hour, and in that time Videl had managed to bathe with slight squeals in the freezing and strong currents of the river, and then ironically dress back into her slightly dirty clothes. The surrounding woodland smelt incredibly fresh, reminding her of freshly cut grass, a vague wet-dog smell, and the aftermath smell left by mild, spring showers. Yet the trees glistened as they reached up with their narrow fingers to the veil of clear clouds, as though they were crafted from strong shards of never-melting ice. When Videl had been taken from her home, it had all felt like a horrible nightmare cast in the constant, stark and sterile abyss of everything white. But now, how could a planet that was so beautiful, be anything but a wonderful dream?

When Gohan returned, he found the Earthling loading various wet twigs over the fireplace, probably hoping they'd dry out and make decent firewood. She didn't turn to face him, even when she clearly stiffened to the sound of his bare feet padding over the flooring. He simply sat behind her, laying a large leaf down that acted as a plate for various triangular and other polygon shapes.

"I will find meat later," he announced calmly, and began to lightly tap one of the white polygons on the floor. Videl turned then, as the object cracked like a coconut would, and revealed a purple, juicy centre. Taking the offered half, she sniffed it at, while he just dug in without hesitation. It was bitter, like grapefruit, and seemed mostly made of water.

"When will the others come to find us?" Despite all the fresh air and natural light, plus the bonus of real food, Videl had thoroughly convinced herself that there was something very strange and more importantly, very dangerous about the planet itself. She never thought she'd be longing to be back on the Saiyan spaceship, as much as she did right now.

"When they believe us worthy." It was hardly the best response, even though Gohan understood it completely and therefore expected her to.

"What's that supposed to mean? How do they even know where we are? Shouldn't we be.. I don't know. Building smoke signals and -"

"They know."

"You know, it would help if you weren't being so cryptic." She rolled her eyes, taking more delicate bites from the fruit. "Mmm… maybe then, I wouldn't have to ask you so many damn questions." So he paused to scoop the last of the fruit from the hard shell, and then finally added to his response by oddly patting at the top of his arm.

"Tracking bugs." Videl breathed a sigh of relief, only to then start patting at her own arms, looking for any sign of markings. "Don't worry, they're only tracking the official competitors. But that doesn't change the fact that we both could be here for a while."

"But, didn't you win? Or are you saying there could be more Saiyans out there?" Gohan had to lightly smile at her naivety, and even though he still hadn't cast his eyes to her. He didn't need to; he knew she was frowning and probably pursing her lips together now and then.

"The trial isn't just about winning in combat alone. When the Great Battle was fought here, our wounded King was also stranded. He had nothing but the planet to both nurture and spurn him." He paused under her observant stare, to bite into a much harder, triangular 'fruit.' It reminded Videl of a very hard and crispy apple in aqua blue colouring.

"This shack could very well be a product of his making." Again he paused, to take another bite, and let what he found to be very important words, settle for a moment. "If there are any others, they are most likely waiting for us to make the first move."

Silence fell between them, as Gohan had nothing more to add, and Videl had plenty more to think about.

"What about the, imprinting and, seeking the bond? Is that all…p-part of the trial?" If it was, he didn't own up to it, but the human took the silence as a confirmation. "So why am I involved? Why am I even here when I'm just a human?"

"You're not just anything," he countered, and Videl realised he'd just rather highly complimented her. Or highly insulted her, it was hard to tell by his tone. "Think of the bond as…. a different trial. But you're right, a human shouldn't be here. Both trials are beyond what a human should be able to experience. It is purely a Saiyan feeling."

"…But?"

"But," his eyes at last lifted, eyeing her steadily with a brief flicker of inner thought. "You are not the first Earthling to prove that theory wrong."

"I knew it!" Videl, always the great detective, suddenly sat up very straight, even to hammer her fist against the floor. "It all makes perfect sense now. The way Kari and the others kept talking about abominations and… and the way that other, huge bald Saiyan was trying to insult you. At first I thought they were just dumb words, but then it became clearer. Your whole fascination with humans, breaking your people's laws just to study something that has already been studied!"

It suddenly occurred to Gohan just how much the Earthling had been secretly piecing together the little puzzle. How the strange little creature had been studying him so carefully, and taking note of his every word. Not just his; for she'd observed everything that had been said around her, and remembered it all so clearly. And now as she reached her very clever conclusion, she even leaned forwards a little. Pupils dilated strongly in her bright, cerulean eyes, as she inhaled a deep, preparative breath.

"You're not all Saiyan. Are you Gohan."

"No."

It surprised Videl how quickly he flat-out confirmed her rhetorical statement. Honestly she'd expected something a lot more dramatic, or even just an initial refusal which she could battle against with more theories and facts.

"But you should know," he continued in his slightly darker, yet even tone. She smirked quite smugly, even closing her eyes and lifting her chin.

"Of course I should. I do have my smart moments you know. In fact! I was even planning on studying criminology or, something like that. Those CSI shows are really -"

"I don't doubt that you're smart," he cut in with a light smirk. "You certainly are quick. But are you sure you even know exactly how you worked this out?" Her jaw dropped. Was he seriously questioning her own ability of knowing all this? It was like accusing her of cheating, somehow, which was impossible…

"Well either you're as demented as Kari, or you have a solid reasoning behind all of this." Stubborn arms folded over her chest, and she made a very light 'humph' sound. "I was willing to believe you weren't that cruel, but maybe I was wrong."

"Anyone can be cruel Videl." Seemingly interested and amused at the same time by their conversation, the Saiyan slid into a very casually relaxed position, by laying down on his side with his elbow propped. "Isn't it just a matter of opinion? What's cruel to me might be entertaining to you."

"Psh," she scrunched her nose, and lifted her shoulders with an unimpressed breath at his psychoanalysis. "More like the other way around. So tell me, what are you really?"

"I am a Saiyan warrior. Son of the great Kakarot, descended of Bardock."

There was the drama she was expecting, only he hardly spoke with a very theatrical flair to his tone. In fact, it was rather lazy, and somewhat matter-of-fact but in a very bored manner. Videl slumped her shoulders, and at last he lightly smiled, which was the start of Gohan's more dedicated co-operation.

"It was my mother who bore the honour of being the first Earthling to challenge our bonding theories. You're looking at the result of that." And there was the cue for her jaw to drop. Of course, Videl had toyed with the fact that he might be part human, of some sort. But hearing it directly from him was different to just assuming to herself. Yet he still claimed to be only Saiyan, regardless of these contradicting facts.

"Then you're some kind of… alien… cross-breed? Is that even possible?"

"Obviously," he even very lightly chuckled at what should've been her slightly insultive enquiries. "Or I wouldn't be here. Or you, for that matter." She entirely misunderstood him of course, and part of him had predicted that much already.

"So why am I here? Isn't this whole thing meant to be your great moment? What was it you said again?" Trailing off to remember his words as exactly as she could, she was soon mimicking his deeper voice as she answered her own question. "The greatest honour and pride a Saiyan can ever gain!"

Videl heard his tail pat at the floor, and she had to admit, her impression really was quite amusing. So she dipped her head a little and managed a warm smile of her own, one that filled the Saiyan with great content to witness. It was rare after all, to see her this relaxed and so willing to dedicate her time and space to him. As opposed to, 'oh well, since you're here, I might as well talk to you.' They were far beyond that stage now. Yet her smile soon faded under his dutiful gaze, and weariness came with the sagging of both her shoulders, and her voice.

"I was never the project, was I." Cerulean eyes lifted, finding the rather confused gaze of burnt sepia, as Gohan slowly rose from his slouched position. "I'm just the tool that makes the real project tick." He didn't like where this was going…

"You." Nostrils flared, but the 'Human' continued as she pieced together more of the puzzle. His silence told her everything, and encouraged her to just keep on going.

"Isn't that right, Gohan? So that's why you… that's why we did, what we did? Because, it was all just part of your trying to find out more about who you really are. About your human side. I'm right, aren't I."

"You're really that sure of yourself?" He retorted in slight amusement, and Videl simply nodded slowly. It was fascinating how she could still persist on degrading herself without his help, and he had to lightly chuckle at how eloquently she managed it. Pure, human denial. Typical Earthling, so lacking in self-pride.

"But if you're a tool," he reached forwards to tuck various strands of unruly hair behind the curve of her ear. "Then so am I."

"I'm not sure you -"

"We're connected," his hand reached down to grasp the back of her neck; fingers knotting through the growth of short, thick hair at her nape. "As connected as the two moons of my planet, or…" he trailed off, pausing to pick up the two discarded shells of the strange 'coconut,' and aligning the split halves perfectly against each other. Videl batted her lashes a moment, before it all started to sink in. The conversation had suddenly shifted, from just him, to the subject of 'us.'

"Just… what exactly is this bonding?"

Gohan smiled, lowering the fruit shell, to sit cross-legged opposite her in a fluid sweep. He'd only donned the pants of his bodysuit, leaving him appearing very primitively before her. Especially as he seemed quite pleased about her question, and all the more happy to pass down his cultural knowledge onto her.

"When a male and female are drawn to each other, the imprint is first formed. Had there been more competition, I would've left my mark by now." Videl swallowed back, as the demi-Saiyan reached forwards to trace his fingertips at the side of her neck. "Here, ooooor…" and then trailing off again with his enticing vocal drawl, he rested his other hand surprisingly at her inner thigh. A smirk lifted one corner of his pout, "maybe here."

To his surprise, she swatted both hands away, squirming back with the raising of her knees, as she was certain he could've just used words alone rather than the addition of touch. Still smirking though, he reached behind him with his hands, and leaned against straight arms. The rejection had hardly phased him, since he was still glowing from the night they'd shared.

"Though if the female truly wishes to reject the imprint, she tries a lot harder, and always succeeds." It was clear that Gohan was referring to the female opposite him, and so Videl narrowed her eyes with the folding of her arms. "The imprint is a joining, after all. It has to be felt on both sides, or it means nothing."

"What if she didn't even know what this imprinting thing was? What if she was tricked into the whole thing?"

"This one knew," he countered casually, tail tapping in a slow, sporadic beat against the floor. He liked this game; it was fun to watch her squirm, still maintaining some of her innocence somehow. "Besides, it's natural. Some part of you knows, even if the other half doesn't."

"But you didn't mark me anywhere."

"I didn't have to. But… if you like -"

"No," she quickly breathed her rejection, even getting ready to shuffle away from him if he even dared to try it. Gohan breathed a husky chuckle which only irked the Earthling further. "So you're saying this imprint thing, it's like some kind of, mutual promise? Like… an engagement ring?" He didn't know what this 'ring' was, but he smiled at the word 'promise.'

"The mark is just the physical evidence of a shared connection and completion. It proves to others that the male and female are intended, yes. When both halves have accepted the imprint, they will mate, and form the bond." Words that sounded so ordinary to her, were spoken with the highest respect from his lips.

"So like marriage?" Again he merely stared blankly at her correction, and Videl added a quiet sigh. "You Saiyans really don't waste any time. Do you have short life-spans or something?"

"Nappa was, I believe, touching sixty." Maybe not then. "He might have lived much longer, had he trained a little, harder."

"Wow," she had to re-catch her stiffled breath, upon realising that she'd been beating on the equivalent to an old age pensioner. "For such an old man, he didn't act like it. I thought he was at least thirty!"

"You can never be too sure when someone stronger will remind you of your inferiority. So we respond to nature's calling, when we feel it is right."

"Still," Videl drew her knees up to her chest, a little overwhelmed by how quickly this was all happening. One night with the Saiyan, and now he was deciding that they'd suddenly been promised to one another? Her human brain found it hard to adjust to the idea alone. It was beyond the whole, 'madly in love' and 'crazy for you' notions of teenage, first love. Something she had never felt, so surely this should've all been a little easier for her to fall madly head over heels? It concerned her that she was struggling, which only made her feel like this wasn't really meant to be.

"I think it would be best if we cooled it," the way he tilted his head lightly to the side confirmed her fears of him not quite getting it. "As in, no more touching and, definitely no more repeats of last night." Then the harder tap of his more agitated tail against the floor, convincing her to swallow her original speech about chastity, and replace it with another. "Just so I can, figure out, what's… going on. Okay?"

No, it wasn't okay, and Gohan's agitated tail persisted on telling her so. His slow breathing gradually became a series of deeper breaths, while he analysed her stoically with the subtle twitching of his brows. What more was there to understand? It was as simple as walking or breathing for him, so why did she persist in fighting against it? Females… the bane of the universe. Looking to the side, his brain worked miracles against her bated, silent breath. Maybe some space wasn't such a bad thing? She'd ran to embrace him after the wurm incident, even though they'd hardly been parted. The spaceship had been so compact and she'd been restricted to his room. Quite frankly, they'd been like two peas in a pod. Abruptly rising to his feet so gracefully as realisation sunk in, Videl had to duck away from the sudden sweep of Gohan's tail, as he turned, lost in his deep thoughts.

"Erm… G-Gohan?"

He didn't even hear her voice, as he stood there a moment, back turned and arms folded. Yes, they'd been thrust together quite quickly, and though they'd slowly prospered under the time shared, it had all been rather sudden. Emotions boiling and frustrations mounting, and he had the benefit of knowing how the imprinting could just, sneak up on you. She, on the other hand, needed to realise that she was far more in touch with her dormant, Saiyan instincts, than either of them expected.

"Look, it's just that, I think this is all… really creepy. Actually… Maybe it's just me? I mean… you're… and I'm… ugh…"

Videl just couldn't make a coherent sentence out of her jumbled words, and it didn't help that the apparently offended Saiyan, was just ignorantly walking away from her. To think, she'd thought she was being careful with her wording, actually trying for once not to insult him with her witty comebacks. Ungrateful monkey.

"Are you even listening to me?"

The wooden plank was pushed aside, but at last, bathed in the glow of ironically angelic white; Gohan turned over his shoulder to address the still-seated woman.

"We're going to be mates, Videl. But if this is what it takes for you to come to your senses, then so be it."

And then, he was gone. Just as simple as that. But if only dealing with the invisible mark he'd left behind, could be so easy…

To be continued…