Author's Note: Welcome back everyone! It's been two weeks since a full chapter update and I'm happy to be back and posting the story again! This chapter took a little while to polish up as there were quite a few things I wasn't happy with in the initial draft, but I'm pleased with how it came out in the end!

As I mentioned last time, things get pretty spicy between our loveable main characters this time around. Nothing terribly explicit, but the scene is quite involved and detailed. So consider that your reminder/warning if you're not into reading stuff like that.

Otherwise, thank you all for the favorites, the follows, the kind reviews, and for reading in general! I appreciate the patience around the holidays and I'm excited to keep posting through to this story's conclusion! I hope you enjoy the new chapter!

Chapter XII – Not as Innocent as You Think

The gentle lapping of waves echoed across the velvet night, the soft crunch of sand beneath feet breaking the calm ebb and flow. Sharpner was walking along the moonlit beach with Erasa at his side, his entire body tense with nerves. The longer they walked, the more anxious he became. He was approaching the point of no return with his good friend, arguably his best friend. Was he actually prepared to confess his feelings to her?

They had known each other for six years now. He had never really thought of her as anything more than a friend until recently. He hadn't been sure if this was a step he should really take. But when he had brought up his feelings and hesitations to Videl earlier that afternoon, she had been extremely supportive. She had assured him that Erasa was a kind and compassionate person – something he already knew, of course – and even if she didn't feel the same way she would never stop being his friend or make him feel bad about it. Videl had also conceded that she had no idea the blonde's thoughts on the matter; they had never discussed it, something he fully believed.

If she didn't like him, then so be it. But he had wrestled with these emotions for several weeks now. Since Videl had started dating Gohan, he and Erasa had started spending much more time together, just the two of them. And, slowly but surely, he had come to develop strong feelings for her. He had dated before, usually girls on the cheer squad or fans of his that came to his boxing tournaments, but he had never really felt much about any of these girls. They were nice enough, sure, but he was just in it for the fun of it, really. The experience of dating different types of people. But with her, things felt different.

"It's such a nice night Sharpie, I'm glad we came out here!" Erasa's sonorous voice rang out across the beach. She wasn't even being loud; it was just so silent around them that her voice carried effortlessly on the ocean breeze.

"Yeah, me too. I know we haven't really struggled to find time together these last few months, but it's nice to relax together here too."

"It really is! Who would've thought we'd need to clear out for those two," she teased, a sly grin spreading across her lips. Sharpner laughed lightly, feeling his heart leap. Of course, that wasn't the real reason they were out here. But Videl had let him use them as an excuse so he wouldn't betray his intentions too early. Not before he was fully prepared.

"Seriously," she continued, her eyes sparkling. "I was so surprised when you said that! I know I shouldn't tease her, but I've gotta get some details from Vi later!"

"Maybe we should just let 'em do their thing, you know?" Sharpner offered, his tone as casual as could be. He really didn't want to make things awkward for Videl and Gohan after they were helping him out so much.

"No way! Vi has been so into Gohan for so long; I have to know!" Sharpner swallowed hard and took a calming breath. It was now or never. He had nothing to lose and really didn't want to give Erasa the wrong idea any longer. She was clearly jumping to some conclusions he hadn't anticipated and wasn't likely to let them go…

"Actually E," he started, earning her curious gaze, "that wasn't the whole reason I wanted you to come out here tonight." His heart thundered in his chest and his hands grew clammy. Bit by bit he was closing in on the moment of truth.

"Wait, what do you mean? Did something happen?"

"Not exactly. Uh…hear me out for a minute, would you?" He was stammering now. Great. He never acted like this around people.

"Sure, what's up?" She stopped walking and turned to face him, her face set in a dazzling smile that nearly took his breath away.

"Um. So…I kinda used Videl and Gohan as an excuse to ask you to come out here with me. They didn't really ask us to clear out." Her face fell in disappointment.

"Aw! I thought there was something exciting going on back at the house!" Sharpner found himself laughing as she pouted. It was…really cute.

"Well, who knows, right? I'm sure she'll tell you someday if something does happen."

"Wait," she interrupted softly. "How come you wanted to come out here alone with me then? Is something wrong?" He felt his stomach flip and knew this was it. There was no going back or chickening out now. He owed it to her to be honest at this point. He owed it to himself, too.

"No, nothing's wrong. But I did want you to come here with me alone," he admitted. Erasa eyed him inquisitively but said nothing, sensing he was about to give her the answer she wanted. Swallowing as best he could with his extremely dry mouth, Sharpner finally took the plunge.

"I…I like you a lot, E," he managed at last. Her face lit up and that giant smile reappeared.

"I like you too! I'm glad we've been getting to hang more lately; it's been so much fun!" That had been way too casual. He hadn't been clear enough, had he?

"Uh, no, not like that," he mumbled. Erasa stopped and watched him closely, her misunderstand rapidly starting to clear up behind her eyes. "I meant…I like you…as more than a friend…"

Suddenly she was blushing, something very unlike her. She never got flustered; usually she was the one teasing others and making them bashful. But at least with a reaction like that, he knew she'd fully understood him.

"Oh…uh…" Words had entirely failed her. Maybe she was upset or put off by his confession. Immediately, he felt himself backpedal as quickly as possible.

"But hey, it's okay if you don't feel the same way. Videl told me she had no idea if you would or not, but it was my decision to tell you. So…if you're upset by that…I'm sorry…"

"No, no, I'm not upset at all," she assured him quickly, shaking her head. "I'm just…a little surprised, that's all. I didn't expect you to say that…"

"Well…it's kinda been on my mind for a while. Uh. We've just been spending a lot of time together and I started to realize…maybe I felt stronger about you than I realized."

"I…we have spent a lot of time together lately, huh?" she admitted, glancing away nervously, her eyes landing on the sand beneath their feet.

"Y-yeah. And…well, I've been thinking a lot about this. Me and you…and I decided that, even if the answer was no, I wanted to tell you. It's been eating me alive to feel this way and pretend I'm not. But…I'm sorry I kinda dropped this on you."

"Don't feel bad! Thanks for telling me. I'm not upset at all."

"Really?"

"Of course not! I just wasn't really ready for it, that's all. It's very sweet of you to say all that. And brave too, honestly."

Sharpner was a bit taken aback. He and Erasa had such an aggressive relationship that it was rare for them to share an honest, open moment like this. But it was nice too. She was taking everything to heart and seriously hearing him out. Even if it amounted to nothing more than that, he was glad he'd told her. At least he wouldn't have to spend years wondering what her answer was.

"You know, it's funny," he began, grinning lightly at her. "We never really have serious conversations like this, do we? Normally we're busting each other's chops." Erasa giggled and flashed that dazzling smile his way once more. God, did she have any idea how beautiful that smile was? How beautiful she was?

"You're right! But…this is kinda nice too, you know? I'm glad we're not such one-dimensional people that we can't have fun and have a real conversation too. And on that note…I owe you an answer to that confession you just gave me…" Sharpner quickly shook his head.

"You don't owe me anything, E. If you want to respond to it, I'd love to hear your answer, whatever it is. But if you'd rather just move on and pretend I never brought it up, I totally get that too."

"You're very sweet, Sharpie. But no, I don't want to pretend you never said anything; that would be really mean and insensitive of me. I want to be totally honest with you."

"…thanks. That really means a lot." Erasa took a slow breath before meeting his wavering gaze.

"I…don't know how I feel, to be entirely honest." Sharpner felt his face fall involuntarily. She hadn't outright rejected him but it sure stung like she had. Erasa, noticing this, shook her head quickly.

"Wait, wait! Don't get me wrong; I'm not saying I don't care about you like that! I'm honestly just not sure how I feel right now. I've never really considered it from any perspective but being your friend. But…" Erasa trailed off, a subtle blush dusting her pale cheeks. "I…kinda want to find out…if you do…"

Sharpner felt his heart all but stop in his chest. She…wanted to see if they could be more than friends? "You…do?"

"Y-yeah. We really have spent a lot of time together lately and I've had such a great time with you. That's why I'm not saying no. The absolute truth is I'm not sure if I feel the same way you do, but…if you're willing to go into things knowing that I'm still figuring it out…then I think I'd like to see where we can go."

"I…uh, I think that's totally fine," he stammered, still in disbelief. "That's what dating is anyway, right? We get to figure it out and see if we're right together. We can't all be as perfect right out of the gate like the two lovebirds back at the house, right?" Erasa laughed and grinned at him.

"Exactly! I think anyone comparing themselves to those two is just asking for an inferiority complex." Sharpner couldn't help but break out into laughter. She was absolutely right.

"Well…thanks for hearing me out, E. I won't ask too much of you, I promise. I'd…really like to take things slow and do this right. Really give us a chance to see where things can go."

"I'd really like that too, Sharpie. Honest."

A comfortable silence fell between them as they turned and gazed out to the dark ocean together. His heart was calmer than it had been for hours now. Perhaps days or weeks. He was still a little stunned too. It would probably be hours more before the full weight of her response hit him. But for now, he was happy to bask in the calm atmosphere with her. When she shivered from next to him though, he figured maybe it wasn't the best idea to stay out much longer.

"You wanna head back? You seem like you're cold."

"So observant," she teased. "Yeah, it's a little cold. But no, I don't think we should go back just yet."

"How come?"

"It's awfully early to head back when we've given Vi and Gohan the place to themselves, isn't it?" Sharpner scoffed and chuckled.

"Oh come on, you don't really think those two are doing anything right now, do you?"

"You might be surprised," Erasa sang, winking giddily at him.

"Seriously? You really think the honors students are doing the deed on our illicit summer getaway?"

"Maybe not exactly that. But they're not as innocent as you think."

"What, Vi told you something?"

"Not really. Let's just say I have good intuition and it's usually right. So we should probably stay out for at least another hour."

"I've got no problem staying out with you. I just don't want you to freeze out here and catch a cold," he admitted, earning a soft smile.

"That's so sweet! Well why don't we head into town and find a place to warm up? Maybe we can grab a bite to eat."

"Sure, that sounds great." The two started to step forward again, changing course away from the sea. Erasa stepped close and wrapped her arms tight around his, squeezing him close and pressing up against him. Sharpner fought hard to keep the blush that burned to life on his face from getting the better of him.

"And until then, I'll just stay warm like this!" her playful voice rang out, the mirth evident in her tone. Sharpner laughed and found himself settling into the position. It felt…extremely nice.

"Yeah. You're totally welcome to."

Videl gasped in delight as Gohan's teeth grazed her neck gently, goosebumps exploding down her arms. They had kissed for a long while as they settled into the mood they hadn't indulged in since his birthday, but finally they'd found it again. Evidently seeing her in a swimsuit had caused him to have the same reaction that she'd had to him – practically drooling over the other like they never had before. He had confessed, with no small amount of embarrassment, that he'd done a little studying on his own since last time. She had to admit…he'd learned some really nice stuff.

She ran her fingers through his hair and gripped harder as his lips descended to her collar bone. He found a particularly sensitive spot and she moaned without really meaning to, her cheeks darkening. She wasn't used to making sounds like that, certainly not out loud, but if anything it seemed to give Gohan encouragement that he was doing well.

"You're much more confident with the things you're doing this time," she quipped, shooting a coy smile his way.

"You taught me a lot the first time we did this," he conceded with a light chuckle.

"It seems like you're more into it, too."

"Yeah, I guess I am."

"Did this afternoon have anything to do with it?" she teased. Unsurprisingly, he blushed rather deeply.

"Uh…maybe…"

"It's okay; you had the same effect on me, you know."

"I did?"

"Do you even have to ask? Couldn't you tell from the way I kept staring at you?" Gohan chuckled.

"I noticed, yeah. It's all right though, I kinda did the same to you…"

"Then why don't you show me how much of an impression I made on you?" Her voice was suddenly breathy and low. Her own confidence surprised her a little but gazing at her handsome boyfriend made all her hesitation vanish. Gohan's eyes half-closed and he smiled at her.

"…I'd love to."

Videl couldn't suppress the tiny squeal that escaped her as his mouth descended on her neck again. Chills ran down her body as his lips caressed her skin in a way she'd never felt before. The satisfaction she felt right now was greater than she'd ever imagined. And this was just him nibbling her neck?

In a fit of delight, she gripped his shoulder tight through his t-shirt, her nails digging lightly into his skin. This seemed to light even more of a fire in him as he moved to her collarbone again and peppered her with hungry kisses and gentle grazes from his teeth.

She felt the desire within her start to build up more and more. She didn't want to just lie here and do nothing, no matter how enjoyable it was. He had been the one spoiling her last time and this time. She wanted to show him just how much she wanted him, too.

Videl traced her fingers up his shoulders and onto his cheeks before slowly pulling his head upwards. Curious, he raised his gaze to her eyes. She was breathing heavily and was more than a little nervous over what she was about to do, But much more than that, she wanted to show him she was just as excited to take things further.

"Lay down."

She rose up onto her knees and pushed Gohan down a little rougher than she'd meant to. He didn't seem to mind. In fact, if the light blush and satisfied surprise in his eyes were any indicators, he actually seemed okay with it. Videl pressed herself atop him, her mouth lowering to his neck as she let her tongue trace over his skin. Gohan took a shuddering breath that told her she was doing something right.

"Wow, you're a quick study," he managed in a breathy tone. She grinned from beneath his firm jawline as she slowly traced her way up from his neck.

"I have a great teacher," she whispered directly into his ear, delighting in the way he shivered as her breath hit him. Hmm, maybe that was a particularly sensitive spot for him?

Videl leaned in a nibbled his ear, biting the soft skin gently. Gohan drew a quick breath, his face twisting in pleasure. Bingo; she'd been right.

She let her tongue flit across the outside of his ear and felt her heart start racing when he wrapped his arm around her tightly. "You're really enjoying this aren't you?" carefully aiming her voice again. He nodded subtly, unwilling to move his head too far for fear her teeth might be left behind.

"Can I…explore a little more?" she whispered again. His face flushed deeply before he nodded the smallest nod. "You can let me know if it's too much," she promised him.

She continued nibbling his ear again but this time her left hand slid slowly down his torso before sneaking under the hem of his t-shirt. His body was warm and inviting and her fingers traced across the intensely defined abs she'd seen earlier that day. She let her hand trail even higher and ran her fingers softly across his strong chest, delighting in the feel.

Gohan didn't seem content to just let her have all the fun and she felt his arm readjust and his hand settle on the small of her back. She felt her heart speed up and whispered in his ear again. "You can explore too…like last time…"

Gohan's hand timidly lowered until it rested squarely on her butt, albeit over her long sleeping shirt. He squeezed lightly and she groaned, pressing her body into his more closely.

"You can go under too."

"Okay, just tell me if you want me to stop."

"I don't. I want you to do more," she assured him.

Gohan eased the hem of her shirt upwards and let his hand slide down to her thigh. She felt the electricity of his touch shoot through her and had to stifle a loud gasp as his hand trailed upwards again. His eyes widened, startled as he grazed against her underwear.

"Did…did you not have any pants on…?" Videl giggled lightly and planted a light kiss on his cheek.

"Nope; this is what I always wear to bed! I figured I'd just come over like this tonight. Doesn't seem like you really mind either, do you?" Gohan chuckled lightly.

"Not at all, it just caught me a bit off guard, that's all."

"Oops."

"I know you way too well; you're not sorry at all."

"Guilty as charged. What are you gonna do about it?" she teased, winking playfully at him. She couldn't suppress a gasp as he squeezed her firmly, her face lighting up in delight and surprise.

"I don't really know if that's doing something about it, but you sure seem to like it," he shot back, grinning at her. Videl looked at him, stunned. She didn't know he had such a confident, playful side. Especially in a situation like this. But it was definitely proof that he was becoming more and more comfortable with her physically. And that…was exceedingly attractive.

"Shut up and do it again."

Videl pressed her lips hard against Gohan's and kissed him forcefully, her tongue all but demanding its way between his lips. They kissed intensely as she ran her hands along his chest and abs, his other hand coming up and squeezing her butt too. She moaned into his mouth loudly, not caring to be quiet tonight. They were all alone and while the notion of it usually embarrassed her, she was rapidly finding that she enjoyed all this a lot more than she felt hesitant about it anymore.

In a sudden fit of desire, Videl seized the hem of Gohan's shirt and began to tug it upwards over his body. He didn't protest, even helping her along. Moments later, with his t-shirt discarded, they went back to their intense kissing. She relished the feel of his firm body beneath her, the taut muscles that pressed against her. She wanted more. She wanted to feel every inch of his skin on hers.

The longer they made out, the more the fire between them seemed to grow hotter. She couldn't get close enough to him. She couldn't get enough of him. Somewhere over the next few minutes, they wound up rolling and Videl found herself beneath Gohan again. She had enjoyed being in control of the situation for a while but she was happy to let him take charge, especially when he was so much bolder this time.

Videl felt her heart start to pound as Gohan timidly inched the hem of her own shirt higher. "H-hey Gohan," she began. He paused and looked at her gently, the lust he clearly felt never overpowering his consideration of her. It made her heart soar.

"Yeah, you okay 'Del?"

"I'm fine! Just…I figured I should warn you this time…I'm not wearing anything else under this shirt…" It took Gohan a second to process the comment before his face burnt crimson.

"O-oh! I'm so sorry! I had no idea! I didn't mean to…um, sorry Videl, I-"

"No, no, it's okay!" she reassured him, gripping his hands and squeezing them. "It's not like you knew."

"I…still…"

"Besides," she interrupted, her face flushing badly, "I…want you to do it…"

"Y-you do?"

"Yeah…I just didn't want you to be caught off guard. I don't mind at all. Maybe we shouldn't take anything else off after that but…I was gonna do it if you didn't…"

"And…you're sure…?"

"Of course I'm sure. I want this for us. And even though I'm a little nervous…I trust you."

"Tell me if you're too uncomfortable, okay?"

"I will. Promise."

Gohan began to inch the hem of her t-shirt up again, even slower this time. Videl laughed lightly and helped him along, arching her back and removing the item in one swift motion. It wasn't cold in the room but Videl was suddenly hyper-aware of the fact that she was no longer wearing a shirt, her breasts bare to her Gohan for the first time. She wasn't sure if she should hide, blush, play coy, or something else entirely. But when she willed herself to meet Gohan's onyx gaze, she found him wearing a look between awestruck and petrified.

Videl couldn't stop the giggle that escaped her lips and Gohan blushed more fiercely. "Sorry!" she managed, stifling her laughter. "I'm not laughing at you! It's just…we're both so awkward when it comes to this stuff," she admitted. Gohan managed to chuckle himself.

"We really are. S-sorry I froze up there. Just…you're perfect, Videl. You're so beautiful." Now her blush burned even deeper, just like his.

"O-oh! Um! T-thanks…"

"Y…yeah…"

They drew close again, Videl pulling Gohan closer down atop her. The feeling of his chest against her own made her shiver with need and satisfaction. They kissed with more delicacy this time, both feeling a bit timid now. But slowly they settled back into their rhythm. Videl ran her hands down his back and Gohan let his roam across her stomach and hips and thighs. His touch was enough to make her twist from desire. He seemed hesitant to touch her breasts the way he had on his birthday though. And the longer this went on…the more Videl wanted him to.

"Gohan," she managed breathily.

"Yeah?"

"You can…touch my chest…if you're comfortable. Like last time…"

"Oh!" he yelped. "Uh! Sure…okay…"

"Only if you're okay with that too. I'm not pressuring you Darling," she promised. Gohan took a steadying breath before managing a small smile.

"I know you're not 'Del. Thanks for being patient with me."

"You don't have to thank me for that. I've always got you, no matter what."

"I love you."

"I love you."

"Can I…try?" he whispered, clearly mustering as much confidence as he could.

"Please do," she reassured him, smiling softly.

Gohan's lightly calloused hands settled atop her chest and the feeling of electricity that shot through Videl's body was like nothing she'd ever felt. Her heart started racing and her body felt hot. She wanted him so badly. Slowly, Gohan began to knead and squeeze her the way she'd shown him back in May and her eyes rolled back in her head as she moaned a bit too loudly. She didn't really care this time; it just felt too good to resist.

Her response was clearly giving him a needed confidence boost as he began to move more deliberately. His hands were quite deft at this after all. Videl felt pleasure exploding through her body again and again as he pressed and squeezed all the right places, her back arching involuntarily. She moaned softly under his fingers as he chanced exploring more and more. She thought she was in absolute heaven. But when he slowly drew her nipple between his thumb and index finger, pinching so softly, she actually thought she'd found another plane of spiritual satisfaction completely.

Videl gasped and shuddered, her eyes lighting up. Gohan seemed to hesitate for just a moment but Videl quickly reached up and seized his hair, looking longingly into his eyes and nodding. He kept doing it, his fingers rolling and pinching the sensitive nub with such delicacy that sound failed her. Hell, she almost felt breath fail her. She had never felt anything like this. Something about her touch was setting her ablaze with desire, with longing for him stronger than anything she'd ever felt before. She needed to have more.

"Gohan…oh god Gohan, this feels amazing," she mewled, her eyes rolling back again as he doubled his efforts. Her boyfriend's soft voice was almost lost on her ears.

"Do you need anything different?"

"Ah! I-I want you to…use your mouth…please…"

"O-oh! Okay!"

Videl found him lowering his head down to her chest and her heart nearly burst with anticipation. Time moved so slowly she actually believed it might have stopped, but finally he made it to the much-anticipated destination. Videl felt lightning strike the very core of her body as his lips timidly settled around her other nipple and she felt his tongue graze across it. She squealed and tangled her hands in his hair, gripping hard and writhing beneath his tongue.

"Mm! Gohan…oh please keep doing that!"

Several more minutes passed of the most intense ecstasy Videl had experienced until that point in her life. She had never imagined what someone else's touch might feel like before Gohan. And she had certainly never imagined what his tongue might feel like. She was increasingly aware of an intense need building up between her legs. She really wanted him to touch her there…she wasn't sure if that was too much to ask for yet, though.

When Gohan finally paused to catch his breath, Videl met his gaze. She could feel the heat in her cheeks, the way her chest heaved as she drew deep breaths, the way her forehead was dotted with tiny beads of sweat.

"You okay?" he asked her softly. She nodded hurriedly.

"Y-yeah. I'm just…I really need…" she trailed off and hesitated. He must've been able to tell she was holding back for his sake.

"You can tell me 'Del. You can ask me anything, I promise." His warm voice calmed her nervous heart, even now. Taking a steadying breath, she looked straight into his eyes.

"I…if it's okay with you…can you…take me all the way to the end…? Not like all the way physically but…just…"

"It's okay, I understand," he assured her, blushing terribly. "Um…yeah…I'd be happy to…"

Videl was far too embarrassed to say anything more, instead taking his hand and guiding it slowly down her body. She pressed it between her legs and felt her mind go blank to everything except the overwhelming pleasure she felt surge through her. She shuddered and whimpered quietly. Normally she'd be quite embarrassed about that particular sound, but tonight was very different from her 'normal' evenings.

'Just…just keep rubbing…like that," she gasped, pressing herself into his hand. Her underwear was still in place, of course, but she felt each jolt of satisfaction as if his skin were directly against her. Maybe they'd try that next time. For tonight, this was probably far enough.

"Like this?" he asked, the heel of his palm pressing into a particularly satisfying spot. Videl couldn't even manage to form words. Instead, she bit her lip and nodded, her eyes screwing shut.

Gohan had already taken her so close to the edge before and she could barely hold herself back. Part of her wanted to jump him right there, rip all their clothes off, and screw his brains out. But the closer to climax he pushed her, the less Videl remembered how to actually work her body and simply gave into the delightful feeling.

"Gohan, please don't stop," she begged, her breath coming in ragged pants. She was so much closer to finishing that she'd ever been without the satisfaction of it. She knew if he just touched her directly she'd explode…but she didn't want to pressure him that hard. He was already going further than she had expected tonight. This was enough.

"I won't," he whispered into her ear, sending shivers of delight down her slender frame. She wrapped her arms around his neck and held on tight, becoming overwhelmed by the incredible need she felt.

His steady hand rocked back and forth, pressing and grazing over so many sensitive spots. She almost felt dizzy from how desperate she was, but just a few seconds later Gohan managed to push her over the edge at long last.

Videl felt her body begin to shake and tremble as her much needed orgasm finally arrived. She held on tight to him and cried out, gasping and squealing in delight. Gohan let his hand slow and almost stop but she pushed herself against him again, managing to force out a quick "don't stop." He did as she asked and the intense satisfaction continued on for several seconds more. When finally she started to come back down to Earth, she reached out and gently squeezed his wrist. He eased his movements to a stop and smiled down at her warmly.

"How do you feel?" he asked softly, his eyes sparkling. Videl was still trying to catch her breath, panting as she met his gorgeous gaze.

"Amazing," she managed, blushing a bit as she fully came back to reality. "T-thank you Darling," she whispered.

"I'm glad I did it right."

"You really did," she promised, her eyes wandering down his body. She had felt a telling stiffness pressing against her leg for the last few minutes and, sure enough, could tell he was still quite excited himself. "But you know," she continued, rising up onto her elbow and kissing him on the cheek, "this is the second time you've done a lot for me and I haven't really done anything but kiss you."

"It's okay 'Del, I don't mind," he assured her. She shook her head.

"I mind. Would it be okay…if I returned the favor?" she asked breathily, placing her hand on his upper thigh deliberately. His breath caught in his chest and he froze for a moment. It only lasted a short time, however, before he met her gaze again.

"If…if you're up for it…y-yeah, that'd be okay…"

"Good," she whispered, nibbling his ear again and pushing him back down towards the mattress. "I'll stay above your clothes like you did with me, okay? We can go further than this next time…"

"Yeah…that sounds good…"

Videl let her hand wander lower until she brushed against his groin, her eyes widening a bit as she felt his obvious stiffness. She couldn't see him, of course, but he was definitely well-endowed; she could tell that much just from a quick rub. She couldn't resist the urge to tease him a bit.

"I got you pretty worked up, didn't I?" He chuckled a bit.

"Yeah, I guess you did. Seeing you feel that good was pretty incredible."

"Then just relax and let me do the rest of the work." Her voice was coy and she delighted in the blush that overtook his cheeks.

"P-please do."

"But…let me know if anything doesn't feel good or if you want something else, okay?"

"I will."

Videl let her hand grip him loosely through his pants, her heart racing as Gohan gasped in surprise. She hadn't had much of a chance to make him feel good like he had with her. She really wanted to make him feel good.

She started stroking, slowly and steadily, locking eyes with her boyfriend. He let out a low groan as she continued, planting a gentle kiss on his lips. He returned it but the pleasure quickly seemed to overwhelm him. His eyes fluttered shut and he laid his head back, his breathing coming in short, shuddering gasps.

"Mm, wow Videl," he managed.

"It feels like you really need this," she whispered, leaning close to his ear and nibbling again. He shivered and she felt his large hand cradle the back of her head. "Don't worry Love; I'll take care of you."

She shifted her grip and let her hand rest around the tip of his member, rubbing and squeezing gently. Gohan gasped and held her tighter, clearly experiencing the same need she'd felt a few minutes earlier. She kept moving at a deliberate pace, never too slow but not so fast he didn't get to enjoy the same buildup.

"You must be getting close; I can feel it." Videl spoke breathily as she felt him twitch and throb beneath her touch. She should be far more embarrassed to be saying things like this out loud. She should be blushing and stammering terribly. And yet, she wasn't. Maybe it was because he'd already brought her to her own climax, but she felt too caught up in the moment to care about any shame she'd normally feel.

Gohan couldn't find the words to string together; he just nodded, nestling against her as his body trembled with desire. "Mm, almost there Darling. Should I get a towel first?" She was half-teasing but half-serious as well. She didn't want to make a mess of his bed or sweatpants. He shook his head quickly though.

"It's okay, we can clean up later," he managed between short breaths. Videl giggled lightly.

"Then I won't stop until you finish too."

"It's…not gonna be long," he gasped.

"Good. Just let me take care of my Gohan."

She doubled her efforts, finding the motion that gave her the best reaction and sticking to it. He was throbbing under her touch, his whole body writing and pressing against her closer. Her heart was racing and pounding in her chest in anticipation.

"Ah, Videl, I'm…"

"Let go Sweetheart, let go for me."

That was the last straw for her handsome boyfriend. She felt him erupt beneath her touch, the look of pure need on his face rapidly morphing to one of deep satisfaction and pleasure. He groaned and twisted under her touch but she kept going, just the way she had asked him to. In a fit of desire, Gohan pulled her close and kissed her hard as she kept stroking him until he was completely satisfied.

At last, after she felt his body calm again, she slowed and stopped her movements, cuddling into him and resting her head on his chest. "How was that Darling?"

"Incredible," he managed breathlessly. "I've never felt anything like that before."

"I'm so glad."

"Thank you."

"You don't have to thank me Gohan; I wanted to make you feel good too."

"Well you certainly did," he assured her. She giggled lightly.

It only took a few moments before she felt herself shiver, the cool air in the room enveloping her mostly naked body still. Without the heat of their passion to warm them, though, it was much more obvious this time. Gohan felt her tremble against him and kissed her forehead before raising up onto his elbows.

"We should get dressed and cleaned up, huh?"

"Yeah, that's not a bad idea," she conceded.

"Let's get going then; the sooner we do, the sooner we can cuddle in bed next to each other."

Videl had to admit…that sounded like the most perfect thing she could imagine.

After sending a quick text to Sharpner and Erasa letting them know that they were heading to bed (a subtle way to invite them back home without admitting anything), Gohan and Videl climbed into bed and pulled the covers up around them. They had snuggled in Videl's bed before, but they had never shared one for the night before. Gohan found himself a little nervous about it, but after the lithe form of his gorgeous girlfriend pressed up against him, he found his worries fading away quickly.

With his arm wrapped snugly around her, he was well aware of how warm and welcoming she was, something he'd never experienced before as he'd fallen asleep. He'd slept in the same room most of his life, save for that year training in the Room of Spirit and Time with his father. This was a strange new sensation but he welcomed it. He felt so calm and relaxed when he was with her. So…happy.

"I feel so warm," Videl told him happily. She was facing away from him but he could hear her voice as clearly as if she'd still been speaking into his ear.

"Me too. This is so wonderful."

"I've had dreams about this, you know."

"I remember you telling me that on my birthday, yeah. Was it like this?"

"This is so much better than I could've imagined." Gohan smiled and pulled her tighter against him, earning a sweet giggle from her.

"I could get used to this."

"Mm, me too."

"Hey 'Del?"

"Yeah?"

"How was everything earlier? Were you okay? Were you comfortable?" He had wanted to check in with her about everything and make sure she hadn't felt pressured or overwhelmed by anything. He felt her begin to move and soon Videl's enchanting visage was facing him, her sapphire eyes looking directly into his own.

"You are so sweet. Everything was perfect Gohan. I didn't feel uncomfortable once. A little timid and embarrassed here and there, but never uncomfortable." Gohan felt a relaxed smile steal his lips.

"Good, I'm glad. I never want you to feel pressured with me, about anything."

"I never do, I promise. What about you? Everything was okay for you too? I didn't do anything that made you uncomfortable, did I?" He shook his head, his smile staying right where it was.

"Not at all. You were perfect and so patient with me. I did want to ask you something though."

"What is it?" A gentle smile of her own had stolen her face at his words.

"The way you were talking to me when you were…you know…is that something you want me to try doing for you too?" Videl blushed some but managed not to avoid his gaze.

"Oh…no, you don't have to if you're not into it."

"That's not it," he assured her. "I just didn't know if that was something you'd enjoy too."

"…I think I'd like it, yeah," she admitted after considering him for a long moment.

"Okay, I can try it next time, then."

"That sounds really nice. Did you like it though? I don't want you to say you did just for my sake." It was Gohan's turn to blush as he admitted the truth to her.

"Um…yeah, I…really liked it, actually." Videl lit up.

"Really? Oh good, I'm glad! I was worried maybe I'd overdone it."

"Not at all. You were…really something back there."

"Something good I hope?" she teased, narrowing her eyes and grinning.

"Something incredible," he promised, earning an adorable blush from her again.

"You were pretty amazing yourself. I'm not used to you having so much confidence with things like that. It was…really wonderful."

"I thought it would be a nice surprise for my Angel."

Videl stopped completely, her mouth slightly open as her mind turned over the word again and again. At last, that pink blush turned a deep crimson and she buried her face against his chest. "W-where did that come from?" Gohan stifled a chuckle as he felt her feet kick adorably under the covers.

"I was talking to Erasa earlier about different pet names and she said I should try some new ones too."

"Did she come up with that one?"

"No, that one was all mine. She just said you'd like it."

"I…yeah, I really do," she admitted, beaming brightly as she lifted her face back up towards his.

"Besides, you called me 'Sweetheart' earlier and I wanted to surprise you with one you hadn't heard, too!"

"Oh yeah, I did, didn't I? Did you like it?"

"I did! I don't mind if you use all kinds of different pet names for me, honestly. They all make me feel so warm and happy." Videl giggled again, placing her hand on his cheek.

"You can do the same with me. I figured I'd say that just in case you hadn't noticed me kicking my feet when you called me that."

"Oh, I noticed," he teased, grinning at her.

"Uh huh, I figured." She leaned in and kissed him sweetly and Gohan pulled her in closer. Their lips caressed each other's lightly, a very different kind of kiss from the desperate passion they'd been consumed by earlier. But it was no less intense or enjoyable.

When they pulled back, Videl was smiling warmly at him. "I can't even begin to tell you how much I love you." Gohan felt his heart absolutely soar.

"I love you so much Videl. I don't even know if I understand how much."

"You're just the perfect boyfriend."

"Well now it sounds like I'm copying you if I say you're the perfect girlfriend." Videl giggled.

"You can copy me if you want to."

"I think I have to! No other word than 'perfect' can describe my Videl." She made an adorable squeaking sound and nestled even closer to him.

"You're too much, you big goof!"

"Anything that keeps that smile on your face."

The two stayed close and kept chatting for a while longer before a large yawn overtook Videl. She stretched lightly and nuzzled against Gohan's chest. "I'm sleepy Darling."

"Me too. We should get some rest huh?"

"Mhm, that's a good idea."

Videl rolled over again and scooted her back up against him, closing the distance between them entirely and nestling into the crook of his legs. Gohan wrapped her up in his arms and nuzzled her, kissing the back of her head, delighting in the usual scent of mango that greeted his nostrils.

"I love you so much," she managed in a sleepy mumble. "Thanks for letting me stay tonight."

"I love you too Angel," he whispered, relishing the satisfied little noise she made. "Sweet dreams."

"Sweet dreams for my Sweetheart," she managed, causing Gohan to blush. Maybe he was lucky that she couldn't see him directly. She was probably too tired to tease him anymore tonight though.

Videl let her small, warm hand rest against his own, his heart skipping. And with one last kiss against the back of her head, Gohan settled in for the night. It only took a minute for Videl to fall asleep, her breathing light and slow. He found himself reflecting on the last several months with her. They'd only really been dating for three now but he couldn't even begin to imagine his life without her anymore. It felt like they had been together forever, like she was the missing piece of a puzzle he'd always been trying to find. And absolutely no part of him ever wanted to let her go. In fact, he wanted to make sure they were by each other's sides for the rest of their lives.

With that wonderful thought in his head, Gohan finally drifted off to sleep, a content smile on his lips, losing himself in the warmth and comfort of his partner.

The next morning set upon them quickly and the group of four found themselves chatting over breakfast about the day ahead. Videl and Gohan learned that Erasa and Sharpner were dating now, something they were both thrilled to hear and extremely supportive of. Videl actually thought it was quite cute seeing them together; they were hesitant in an adorable way, though not nearly as bad as she and Gohan had been. They held hands pretty comfortably already but occasionally she would catch them blushing. She made a note to tease Erasa later.

Soon, they decided they would head out to the beach and grab one of the volleyball nets to play some games together. Ever competitive, Videl and Sharpner had made sport of trash talking and light betting (like who bought lunch that afternoon). Gohan and Erasa, of course, were just happy to come along and have fun.

Once they had found their spot to set up camp for the late morning, Videl seized the volleyball and waved everyone out to the court. She was feeling particularly happy today – in no small part due to the perfect night before she'd experienced – and was really looking forward to having some fun with her boyfriend and best friends. But that didn't mean she wouldn't try to win.

"All right, let's get going! Me and Gohan against you two! Couples for the first teams!"

"You're on!" Sharpner challenged, grinning confidently.

"Why aren't you two in your swimsuits?" Erasa questioned, eyeing she and Gohan curiously. She was entirely unconcerned with the rivalry sparking between she and Sharpner, it seemed. Then again, it did happen a lot.

Consider 'Rase's words, Videl realized she was right. While the blondes were in their same swimsuits as yesterday, she was still in her tank top and shorts and Gohan was wearing his t-shirt. He was the one to answer first, though.

"I am! I'm just wearing my shirt too in case I have to dive for the ball. It'll keep me from scraping up my shoulders."

"Ooh, that makes sense. So you're gonna take this as seriously as they are?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. Gohan laughed.

"I'm gonna try at least!"

"Fair enough! What about you Vi?"

"I have mine on under this," she assured her, "but I don't really wanna play such an active game in just that. This makes me feel more comfortable."

"I get that," she conceded, smiling warmly at her. At least she wasn't trying to force the issue.

"Don't worry, we can go swimming right after we're done here! I won't hold you up!"

"Yay!"

"Well," Sharpner interrupted, grinning, "now that that's all cleared up, let's get to it!"

The four took to the court, she and Gohan versus the new couple of Sharpner and Erasa. The game started slowly, each of them warming up. Gohan was an excellent partner and set her up perfectly for every attempt at a spike she took. To their credit, Sharpner and Erasa weren't bad either. Sharpner made most of the most aggressive plays, being the more athletically inclined, but Erasa did her best and was pretty good at setting him up to return the ball, though she struggled to serve when it was her turn. This went on for a little while before the score sat at 6-4, in hers and Gohan's favor.

"Wanna give up now Sharpner?" she taunted, a Cheshire grin spreading across her lips. Gohan chuckled from next to her.

"Not a chance! It's not over till it's over!"

"Oh it'll be over in a minute or two, don't you worry!"

The next volley was their most intense so far. As Sharpner sent a wicked spike towards them, Videl dove and knocked the ball back into the air. Gohan set it up high for her and, seconds after recovering, she leapt high into the air and launched the ball as hard as she could. Sharpner wouldn't be able to get there in time and Erasa was their only chance.

She took a shot at knocking the ball back into the air, but it glanced off of her hands and flew over her head, landing out of bounds, signaling the end of the game. Videl cheered and jumped into Gohan's arms, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing his cheek.

"We did it!"

"Yeah! You were amazing!"

"Thanks!"

Videl glanced over to the other side of the net and saw Sharpner with his arm around Erasa. The two of them looked relaxed and even somewhat amused. "You done celebrating over there?" Sharpner called, winking towards them.

Gohan set Videl down and waved to them. "Sorry! You guys did great!"

"Thanks!"

"Girls against guys next!" Videl called out. Erasa looked at her a little surprised.

"Really?"

"Of course! I want to team with my best friend!" Erasa smiled widely and waved to Sharpner, running across the sand and clinging to her arm.

"How sweet! You're so good to me Vi!"

And so the next game began. Videl quickly became aware that neither of the guys were holding back just because they were playing their girlfriends. Sharpner was just too competitive to hold back against her, especially after all the taunting she had done earlier, and Gohan probably thought she'd be annoyed if he didn't try his best against her. Of course, he was right, but she hoped she hadn't forced him into taking things too seriously for her sake.

The game went fairly well, the girls at a bit of a disadvantage. Videl tried her best but Erasa just wasn't as athletic as they were. That was fine; she wasn't in a sport and she didn't practice martial arts, so it made perfect sense. But it did make it much harder to hold her own than when she was with Gohan.

But as time marched on, the sun rose higher into the sky and the heat became quite oppressive. And, as if she needed another distraction, Gohan decided it was too warm to keep his shirt on while he was playing so intensely. Videl swallowed hard and tried not to stare too much. His muscles were already glistening with sweat and she felt her mouth go dry. How on Earth was he so insanely attractive?

As the ball crashed to the sand just in front of her with little reaction, she realized she had to snap out of it if the game wasn't going to be a total wash. Shaking her head quickly, she tried to focus again on the match at hand. Things progressed relatively smoothly after that, Videl and Erasa managing to claw their way back to a 6-5 deficit, much closer than they had been before.

As things went along, she noticed that a small crowd of about ten had gathered around to watch. It was a little embarrassing honestly. They weren't that great or anything; they were just having fun. It was a little fun too, though. They had accrued a set of supporters each, several random people cheering for the guys and the girls respectively. What started to bug Videl, however, was the number of other girls that were staring lecherously at her Gohan.

She gritted her teeth as one sang her support for the boys in a voice dripping with sickening sugary sweetness. She stared hard as the girl let her eyes linger for far too long on him. Videl clicked her tongue and scoffed. "That's as close to him as you'll ever get," she spat under her breath.

"You say something Vi?" came Erasa's curious voice.

"N-nope! Nothing at all! Let's do this!"

The next volley began and Videl focused as best she could on the game at hand. Her mind was far too distracted, though, and the back and forth ended fairly quickly, another blistering spike from Sharpner crashing to the ground despite Videl's best dive, ending the match at long last. Erasa came over and helped Videl up from the ground, brushing sand from the back of her tank top.

"Great try Vi, you really carried us!"

"You did great too, 'Rase! Sorry we didn't get 'em, but we will next time!"

Videl glanced across the court and saw Gohan awkwardly speaking to the girl that had been staring at him, albeit it from a distance. In fact, quite a few of their fans had their eyes glued to her boyfriend. Scowling, Videl started to walk over when a lightbulb went off in her head. Putting on her most dazzling smile, she waved and called across the sand. "Gohan, can you come here?"

He nodded and waved to the group of girls that had gathered by the edge of the court, crossing the sand and ducking under the net. "What's up 'Del?"

"Congratulations! You were amazing!" she sang, jumping up into his arms and planting an exaggerated kiss on his cheek. Gohan laughed joyfully and wrapped his strong arms around her, holding her close and spinning her slightly.

"Thanks! You were incredible too!"

From over his shoulder, Videl saw scowls cross all of the girls faces and she hid the satisfied grin that stole her lips. "Heh."

"Sorry, did you say something?" he asked her.

"Nope! Nothing at all," she sang, smiling widely. Gohan planted a quick kiss on her forehead before letting her back down. She was more than content with how well her scheme had gone, but the final prize for her efforts was seeing all those girls that had only wanted to get closer to him slink away, clearly annoyed if their body language was anything to go by. Videl was quite pleased with herself.

'…when did I become the jealous type?'

They eventually decided to play one last game before lunch. Gohan had suggested they try the last pairing, wanting to get a win for Erasa at least once. She had lost both games and he wasn't against trying a little more than he normally would have to win. It took a little convincing – Videl and Sharpner had been determined to play against each other once more to settle their tie – but eventually the stage was set. Most of their audience hadn't left yet and so the third game began with a tiny crowd cheering for each side once more.

Gohan used a bit more of his natural abilities than necessary to make sure he could get to the ball and not be overrun so easily by the Videl and Sharpner. They were a solid team and he knew he had a leg up on Erasa as far as getting to the ball first. With this slight increase in power, though, he found it quite simple to head off their attempts. At one point, he locked eyes with Videl and could tell she knew. He grimaced for a moment but she just gave him a light smile and nodded so subtly he almost missed it.

After a few rounds, the score stood 2-2, dead even. Erasa was getting into it now, feeling like she actually had a chance to win. It made him smile. She was doing well too! Since he had started going for it a bit more, she had upped her own game. She was setting him up nicely and he was determined to make sure she won like everyone else already had.

It was Videl's turn to serve and while they waited for her to get in position, Gohan's sensitive ears picked up a conversation happening nearby. It wasn't all that quiet…but it was something that made him grit his teeth and scowl slightly. Two guys were chatting nearby, making no effort to disguise what their conversation was about.

"That dude is trying so hard and they're barely keeping up," one said, sighing a bit.

"You can't blame him though, that girl's the worst one out there." His friend evidently.

"Yeah, well she might suck at volleyball but damn is she nice to look at."

"Thank god she's wearing that bikini or I'd be bored by now."

Gohan thought about saying something. He considered the ramifications of it, whether it was his place or not. She was dating Sharpner, sure, but that didn't make her any less his friend. And hearing these two jerks talk so crudely and callously about her was enough to deeply aggravate him. Maybe they'd stop, though. Maybe they'd gotten it out of their systems…

It soon became apparent that wasn't the case. After a few more volleys, the score standing at 5-4 in Videl and Sharpner's favor, Gohan again caught a bit of their conversation between rounds.

"Oh for god's sake man, can we just leave? What's the point of standing around here any longer? They're gonna lose."

"Dude, you really wanna leave when we could keep watching that blonde bounce around over there? What's wrong with you?"

"We're at a beach; we can see that anywhere."

"Yeah but look at her! She's hot as hell!"

Gohan ground his teeth and rose to his full height, fully intending to scare the guys off before Erasa overheard them and felt uncomfortable. As fate would have it though, she actually spoke up the next moment, her sing-songy voice flaunting its usual timbre. At least she hadn't heard the conversations about her, if her tone was anything to go by.

"I feel like I'm getting sunburnt, I'm gonna go toss my shirt back on," she called out, heading towards their umbrella. He, Videl, and Sharpner relaxed for the few seconds it took her.

"Sorry about that; let's keep going!"

Gohan was fully aware of the disappointed conversation that took place while they played out the next volley.

"Dammit, she put her shirt on…"

"Can we leave now? There's no reason to stick around any longer, is there?"

"Let's not get too hasty! They're doing okay, they might still win! Besides, her ass is incredible too; at least we still get that view."

"You're really a 'glass half full' kinda guy, aren't you?"

The ball struck the sand and made the score 5-5, but Gohan had had just about enough. He seized the ball and took in a deep breath. He was a second away from yelling at the two when he felt a gentle hand on his arm. Turning in surprise, he saw Erasa looking sheepishly at him, shaking her head.

"You don't have to confront them Gohan, it's okay." Gohan's mouth fell open in surprise.

"Y-you heard all that?"

"Of course I did; they're not exactly being quiet. It's okay, I'm used to this kind of thing."

"It's not okay," he argued, trying to keep his voice down. She gave him a genuine smile.

"It's very sweet of you to look out for me and I really appreciate it! But it's not worth giving people like that the time of day. Let's just get back to our game and have some fun! They'll leave anyway after we finish." Gohan frowned and gazed at her intently.

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"…okay. Here, it's your serve, right?"

"Yeah!"

Erasa took the ball and headed back towards the other side of the court, leaving Gohan feeling quite conflicted. It wouldn't take much to scare off guys like them. All he'd have to do was raise his voice and tower over them for a moment before they'd tuck their tails and run like the cowards they likely were. But if Erasa didn't want him to draw attention to the situation, then maybe he really shouldn't…

Sighing heavily and choosing to listen to his friend, he fell back into position, ready to play out the last few rounds. One side was likely to win pretty soon anyway. Videl made deliberate eye contact with him and raised an eyebrow, questioning what had just happened. Gohan mouthed the word 'later' to her and she nodded, satisfied for now.

Erasa tossed the ball into the air and smacked it hard, sending it sailing forward. Unfortunately, it hit the net and flopped to the ground on their side, a fault. It wasn't the first time it had happened and Gohan saw the way for her to fix it quite easily. Approaching quickly, he gave her a few pointers, explaining the way he approached serving himself. She nodded and said she'd give it another try.

As Gohan returned to his side of the court, he, of course, heard the rude pair behind him talking again.

"Dude, this is pointless. He's even trying to teach her how to serve during the game. This can't be fun for you to watch."

"Speak for yourself. I haven't been watching the game for a long time, now."

The first speaker sighed heavily. "You and your eye candy. She hasn't been fun to watch since her shirt went back on."

"Like I said: speak for yourself."

Gohan really thought about disregarding Erasa's request. He wanted to send those two scurrying away. Actually, he wanted to terrify them first and make them regret objectifying his friend like this. Then he wanted to send them scurrying away. But after a glance at Erasa, she hadn't reacted at all, so he bit his tongue for her sake.

Videl wore a concerned look on her face and he realized the frustration was showing through his usually calm mask. He shook his head hard, trying to clear the thoughts from his mind before giving her a half-hearted smile, returning his focus to the game. He'd explain everything to her later.

Erasa went up for a serve again but this time missed completely. She sighed heavily before picking up the ball and going to throw it back over the net, but Videl waved her arms. "Go for it again; let's not count any faults on serves! Just keep going and we'll play it!"

"Thanks Vi!"

Erasa did just that and hit the net again, signs of frustration beginning to appear on her face. "Gohan," she called.

"Yeah?"

"Show me how to do this right again?"

He hurried across the sand and explained his concept to her again, this time using himself as a model of the technique for her. She nodded and watched as he repeated the motion a few times. The voices of the two friends drifted back to him, easily audible with his sensitive ears.

"For god's sake, he's teaching her again. She must really be stupid to not understand how to serve after all these games."

"Seriously. At least she's nice to look at; brains definitely aren't her strong suit."

"You looked enough yet?"

"Nah, we may as well stay till the end now."

"Whatever."

Gohan balled his hand into a fist and tried to steady his anger. If he didn't, he'd probably haul off and punch them both. Not that they didn't deserve it. He turned back to Erasa, intent on showing her how to serve properly so they could wrap the game up sooner than later, but stopped suddenly. Erasa's eyes were filled with tears and she was trying not to cry too obviously, turning her face towards the ball in her hands.

"…'Rase? You okay?" he whispered. She sniffed hard but didn't look up.

"Y-yeah…don't worry. I'm fine…"

His heart thundered in his ears. The deference he'd given to her request was about to evaporate completely and he didn't really care at this point if it did. He'd gladly take a scolding from her later if it meant getting rid of these jerks that had actually reduced her to tears. The comments on her looks hadn't gotten to her. It must have been the comments on her intelligence…

"Look, look, she's so awful they can't even play the game anymore." the one who had been actively staring at Erasa chortled.

"I can't tell if he's a bad teacher or she's just too much of an idiot to understand."

"Shut the hell up!"

A few people around them murmured and Videl perked up immediately as Gohan's angry voice echoed across the sand. She and Sharpner began to head towards the net quickly as Gohan rounded on the two guys who had been running their mouths the whole time.

One had short sandy hair and the other had longer black hair. Both looked about his age, maybe slightly older, and wore looks of surprise on their faces. There was no one else he could have been yelling at, after all.

He felt Erasa's hand on his forearm again. "Really Gohan, it's okay," she managed, though her voice broke as fresh tears filled her eyes.

"It's not okay and I won't let them talk about my friend like this anymore."

About that time, Videl and Sharpner arrived, hurrying to the two. They were immediately concerned and asked the two what was happening. Erasa didn't want to answer but Gohan was done with the whole situation. He pulled them in close and explained quickly about the two guys.

Videl's face went red with fury and she wheeled around on them, fire shooting from her eyes. They noticed and stepped back quickly but Sharpner placed a hand on her shoulder. "Let me deal with 'em."

Reluctantly, she nodded and pulled Erasa into a tight hug as Sharpner crossed the sand towards the guys. Erasa looked like she might try to stop him, but finally gave up, knowing he was far too stubborn to be talked out of it now. He and Videl had that in common, after all. He didn't speak loudly, but Gohan could pick up every word Sharpner said.

"Yo, you guys got a problem?" he demanded immediately, stopping three steps from them. The sandy-haired guy spoke first.

"Nah, no problem man."

"No? Well I heard you made my girlfriend over there cry. Something about calling her stupid for not being able to serve the volleyball well?"

"We might've said something about her not being able to serve, but I don't think we called her stupid," he said, feigning ignorance in the most unbelievable way.

"Gonna have to believe my friend over you on this one. She wouldn't be crying otherwise either." The dark-haired guy finally spoke up.

"This is pointless. What are you gonna do?"

"Nothing. You're gonna leave though. You've objectified her and insulted her enough. Get the hell outta here." Gohan watched as the young man took a step forward.

"Whoa there, friend. Who the hell do you think you are, telling us what to do?"

"Just a guy defending his girl. Leave. Now."

"I don't think so. We're not hurting anyone; just admiring the goods. We're at the beach after all, yeah?"

Gohan grit his teeth again and saw Sharpner tense up. His low voice was almost inaudible even to Gohan's ears.

"Oh, is that right?" He took several steps forward, his face now inches from the dark-haired young man.

"We got a problem here?" he spat. Sharpner laughed derisively and shook his head.

"Not at all. Just 'admiring the goods,' like you said. This is just me getting a closer look at you, right? Isn't that basically what you were doing to her? No harassment here then."

"You better back the hell off man. I'm warning you."

"You're warning me? Who the hell do you think you are, telling me what to do?" he echoed, causing Gohan to grin.

That seemed to be the last straw. The dark-haired guy stepped back and took a swing at Sharpner, his fist colliding with his upper cheek. Videl and Erasa gasped and Gohan prepared to step in to help, but he very quickly realized he didn't need to.

Sometimes he forgot that Sharpner was the captain and star of the boxing team. The blond delivered a powerful jab to his opponent's stomach followed by a vicious uppercut. The young man actually left the ground and crashed hard to the sand, clutching his stomach as he writhed on the sand. Sharpner stared daggers at the guy with sandy hair, who said and did nothing, just as Gohan would have suspected.

"Leave. Now. I won't warn you again." The one on the ground finally managed to compose himself enough to sit up. He wiped sand from his mouth, glaring up at Sharpner.

"You think you're just gonna get away with that? You assaulted me, jackass."

"No, what I did was defend myself. You threw the first punch." His eyes widened in anger and surprise. Videl yelled from Gohan's side.

"And we have a whole beach full of people that can back him up on that!" Murmurs of affirmation from the remining crowd sounded. After several long moments, the guy finally stood again, spitting sand from his mouth to the ground.

"Whatever. Let's go."

As they turned and trudged away, Sharpner yelled after them. "And you better never come around her again, you hear me?" Of course, there was no answer as they disappeared down the beach.

With the situation finally settled, Sharpner returned to them, Videl stepping back so he could be the one comforting Erasa. She told the crowd they probably wouldn't be finishing the game and everyone started to dissipate until it was just the four of them again, heading back to their umbrella.

Videl slipped her hand into Gohan's as they walked and stepped closer. "So that's what you were so angry about during the game, huh?"

"Yeah," he admitted. "She told me not to make a big deal of it, but once they made her cry I just couldn't ignore it anymore."

"I'd have done the same thing. I'm glad she had you looking out for her."

After they had sat and relaxed for a bit, Erasa sipping a water gently, she finally spoke. "Sharpie…you didn't have to do that…"

"Of course I did. I'm not gonna stand around and let those losers make you cry."

"Thanks…sorry I went to pieces like that."

"You have nothing to apologize for," Videl assured her. "And be glad Sharpner got to them first. At least he had enough sense to provoke a punch out of them. I'd have just put my foot down their goddamn throats." Gohan was a bit surprised to hear Videl swear like that; she didn't usually. He couldn't blame her at all though. Erasa was her best friend in the world and she had been rightly infuriated.

"You guys are all just too sweet," she giggled, some semblance of her usually bubbly personality returning. "Thanks for defending me, everyone."

"Thank Gohan most of all; if he hadn't said anything we wouldn't really have known what happened." He clapped Gohan on the shoulder and nodded at him, flashing a smile.

"I didn't mean to cry like that," she explained. "I usually don't care when people say things about me. They could talk about my body all they want and I can just ignore. But…when they called me stupid…it just hurt more than I expected."

"You're not stupid at all," Gohan assured her. She smiled again.

"Thanks. And thank you for defending me too. I have such wonderful friends."

"Course you do!" Sharpner began, grinning at her. "Besides, everyone's better at different things. So you're not super athletic; so what? That doesn't mean you're not smart. You're good at tons of things we could never hope to be!"

Erasa finally managed her usual smile, that wide, gleaming grin that she wore so often. "You're the best Sharpie. Thank you," she sang before standing and kissing him on the cheek. His face flushed terribly and Gohan glanced at Videl. She was biting her lip and doing her best to resist teasing them. He could actually feel the herculean effort it took her to hold back.

"W-well anyway," Sharpner called out once he had recovered somewhat, "we can't let that ruin our day! We've got a lot of daylight left and tons of stuff to do! What do you say we get some lunch?"

"Sounds great to me!" Erasa agreed. "Oh, but you should ice your cheek; it's gonna swell up if you don't."

Sharpner scoffed but let her press a cold water bottle against him. "It was a pathetic punch anyway."

"Don't worry," Gohan interjected. "I have something back at the house that'll patch you right up!"

"You do?" Erasa asked, incredulous.

"He does!" Videl interjected, grinning. "It's the same thing he gave to me back at the tournament in May."

"Wait, what is this thing?" Sharpner asked, his own curiosity piqued now.

"I'll explain everything later; it's a bit of a long story," Gohan offered. That seemed to be enough of an answer for now and everyone started packing up their things again.

"Hey, who's paying? We never did settle our bet," Videl reminded Sharpner from the other side of the umbrella.

"Guess we'll just split it up like usual. You can always lose to me next time," Sharpner winked at her, grinning.

"I'll be happy to disappoint!" she challenged, her eyes flashing competitively again. Erasa giggled at their rivalry. Her spirits were much higher again.

As they grabbed their things and headed towards the town center, Gohan was reminded of the fact that he actually owed Erasa lunch; Videl had loved being called 'Angel.' Chuckling lightly to himself, he decided to save that one for later. He didn't want to embarrass Videl after the morning they'd all had. She was a bit too perceptive and keyed into his amusement quickly, though.

"What's up Darling?"

"Oh, nothing! Just remembering a little bet of my own."

"A bet? You? What was it?" she asked, that accusatory grin stealing her soft lips.

"Don't worry; I'll tell you tonight."

"Tonight?" He leaned in close and whispered quietly enough that only she could hear.

"When we're falling asleep together again."

Videl's cheeks turned pink and she wrapped herself around his arm, grinning giddily and swaying just a bit. Gohan was thrilled by how happy that had made her. A quick glance ahead told him that Erasa was doing much better too as she and Sharpner talked animatedly and laughed together. It looked like their vacation was back on track. And they had plenty of time left to make more wonderful memories together.

12/02/2022