Title: Off the Beaten Path
Author: Nububu
Rating: PG – Due to the large number of authors participating in this event, rating is subject to change at any time.
Disclaimer: None of the authors taking part in this Round Robin claim to own Dragonball/Z/GT.

Summary: Round Robin. Gohan and Videl get lost in the woods, and Videl doesn't know about Gohan's powers! What's a demi-Saiyan to do? (donated by texaspeach).

– – –

"W- what did y-you find, Videl?" Gohan asked helplessly, with fears of the worst things happening and the worst secrets revealed. He was thinking several things all at once, his mind racing through his panicked alien head, and all the while Videl was staring angrily at him.

"So, it was true after all, huh?" she said, talking to both herself and him.

"What was?" Gohan asked as Videl was building up the tension.

The silence went on for a bit, ripping Gohan apart. She looked quite mad. She wasn't smirking like when she'd almost revealed his secret identity as the Great Saiyaman. Gohan gulped.

"I really wouldn't have thought so if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, you know," she told him. "I mean, I thought she was just kidding."

"Huh?" Gohan asked, confused.

"Teddy bear underwear...Are you really into that?" she asked, holding up a pair of white underpants with a cute teddy pasted on the back.

"Uh," Gohan mumbled, speechless. Was that all? "Videl, that's just a pair of underwear my mother bought by mistake...I only wear them when there's nothing else in the drawer," he explained. "I left them to dry in the cave...Uh, are they dry yet, Videl?"

"I can't believe Angela was actually speaking the truth," she said. "She actually peeked into the boys' locker room?" Videl asked.

"Sure...," Gohan said, not really caring for the topic.

Videl then realized something utterly disgusting; "Wait, what the heck are you wearing?"

"What do you mean?" Gohan asked, looking down at his person.

"Ugh, you're not wearing anything under those pants? Gohan, that's so GROSS!" Videl complained. "Here! Take your stupid underpants!"

Actually, that wasn't true; Piccolo had brought Gohan fresh underwear from his mother, which had also made the Namekian quite pissed off, but at least it felt good. But since it would be a bad idea to tell Videl all of that, he instead took the teddy bear underwear from her hands with a small, insecure smile. "Thanks, I guess..." He said.

– – –

Gohan and Videl continued their walk in the woods the next morning. The sun was shining through the canopy above, leaving beautiful shadows upon the ground and the two friends' faces. Gohan could feel the class' collective chi nearby. They were a little far away, but as long as nothing unusual interrupted their journey, they might just make it back in a day. Give or take.

While Gohan was leading the way, Videl's mind was leading her towards the truth. (Or just something close enough.) She was reconsidering the whole thing about the Cell games and Gohan's family and friends over and over again. And again. And again. She would have to use her most utterly ridiculous imagination and fantasies only to make sense of it and connect everything. Or, at least, it felt utterly ridiculous.

She needed proof. But where would she get enough proof for Gohan to prove her proof? (Or...whatever.)

And that's when her imagination finally became REALLY ridiculous. She was thinking about flirting it out of him...

NO! She strictly thought to herself. Out of the question. It would never work! 'Get a grip, Videl. Maybe the truth is important, but your social life and reputation just won't allow anything like that! Neither will your pride! Or your father!'

Then again, it probably wouldn't take that long. Such a simple country-boy would surely break in no time. 'Then again, no way I'm doing that!'

After some internal debate, Videl decided only to use that as a very last resort.
But what else could she do? Well, she could use the terrain to her advantage...what if she pretended to fall?

Videl then decided not to think further about her first idea and went for it. She intentionally tripped over a rock and fell to the ground. She forced out a girly scream of pain.

"Videl?" Gohan called, turning around to see her on the ground. "Videl, are you okay?" He asked, running towards her person.

Probably not the best idea, but at least she saw her chance. "No," she told him. "It hurts." She pitched her voice bright and high. And weak. It surprised her how gullible Gohan really was...

"Where does it hurt?" he asked.

"My leg...," she elaborated. "I can't walk."

"Don't worry, Videl," Gohan replied in a soothing tone. "Here, if you don't mind..." He said, grabbing her around the waist. Normally, she would mind big time, but it was part of her not-so-ingenious plan to let him manhandle her a bit.

Gohan then continued walking down the road, carrying Videl in his arms.

Now, Videl was free to search his pockets for anything he would want to hide from her. Perhaps she was capable of finding something good within the depths of his person...

– – –

Beta'd by Ms. Videl Son (aka, megaminoeien on DA)