I am so sorry about the super late update as well as the fact that it's pretty short. I decided this cut off would let me post it quicker and it should make the next chapter tie together better

I think I'm just kinda incapable of writing romance lol. I quite appreciate DBZ's method of "no romance, they married now" but unfortunately, for plot purposes I cannot do that

On brighter news, my emails have been working again! for those who also had that issue this is the fourth upload since they initially went down

JCINNABAR: It was a fun little scene to write lol
And I'd say Turkey since it is an ideal excuse to use Tony Chachere's Creole seasoning

ArguableReader: Thanks ^.^

"Can I ask why?"

"Why what?"

"Why were you so relieved when the dragon said that a side effect of your wish would prevent pregnancy?" Seventeen asked.

We were on another, kinda, date, thing. It'd been a while and we'd been on a few real dates, but for the most part, he liked to stay around Monster Island since he didn't like being away from it for long. I didn't mind. I kinda preferred the more casual setting.

"Oh, It's nothing really complicated. I just really hate the idea of pregnancy. Like, it's one of the most horrifying concepts to me," I shrugged. That's always been my stance on it. I hardly cared to keep it a secret.

"Oh is that all?" He half laughed. "I would have thought that fighting planet-destroying horrors would place higher than something most adult women do at some point." He was holding my hand as we walked back to his place. A fact I was only slightly hyper-aware of. I'd gotten slightly more normal about things. Slightly.

"Yeah well, I didn't usually have a choice in that."

Seventeen considered that for a moment. "It's still so odd to me that you were just a normal person yet you've managed as well as you have."

I shrugged. Knowing things ahead of time might have helped. And besides that- "I think the whole Sayain thing helped with that. I mean, if transformations mess with our mental state sometimes, why wouldn't that? I still feel like me, but I dunno. I don't think I would have been able to do like, anything like it before."

Was that too much? That felt like oversharing. That was probably too much.

Seventeen didn't seem to mind though. He seemed to consider it just as any other answer.

I flicked a piece of dried mud off my sleeve. While I didn't mind spending time here, some of the wildlife didn't exactly care for cleanliness. Course that was like, the first thing I got desensitized to in this world.

"I'll get you something to change into," Seventeen offered as we got to his place. One upside to his job was that he just got a place to live with it on the island since he needed to stay there so often.

And it was a nice place too. For being so secluded it had just about any commodity one could need or want.

Seventeen offered to toss my muddied clothes in the wash as he glanced out the window.

"Do you want to just spend the night?" He asked, indicating towards the window and thus the setting sun.

I, hadn't realized it'd gotten that late. I hadn't expected- I don't know. I mean, I can use instant transmission now so that isn't really an issue. But like- it's not like I was opposed to the idea either. I just didn't expect- and then, what expectations would there be? I mean-

I was waiting far too long to respond. I should have already done that. It was not that complicated of a question.

"Uh, sure."

Seventeen raised an eyebrow. "Do you? Or are you just agreeing because I asked?"

"I, yeah? I do," I resisted the urge to add an 'I guess' to the end. It already sounded too unsure. There wasn't even a reason for it. Objectively, I did want to.

I think it just caught me off guard is all.

Seventeen held my gaze for a moment longer before shrugging. "Alright then." He said before walking off, I assume to wherever the laundry machine is.

I very quickly noticed another issue. It's not like I never spend the night anywhere else, but there is usually somewhere someone else knows me to be. Here, not so much. If Chichi decided to check in for whatever reason there's nowhere for her to call to check. She doesn't do that much anymore but it still happens on occasion, especially if it's overnight.

After a second of debate, I pulled out my phone and dialed Chico. I could have just texted, but it could take some time for her to notice if she wasn't on her phone already.

"Hey Chico," I greeted when she picked up, "Hey so, if anyone asks I'm staying with you for the night, alright?"

"Yeah sure," she agreed without hesitation. "Why?"

"Ah- no reason," I said, cringing as it didn't even sound convincing to me.

Chico hummed. "Are you with that cute older boy?" She asked, a sly tone in her voice.

Just how many people managed to guess that? I wouldn't have even been able to guess that.

I was spared from having to answer by a voice in the background. However, the interruption was even more unfortunate.

"What older boy?" The background voice asked. That…sounded like Pigero.

The voice repeated himself and yep, that was definitely Pigero.

"Ah, gotta go Chico bye-" I hung up the phone just as Pigero was becoming more clear and questioning on the line.

…

Yep. That's gonna be an issue now isn't it?

…Fun.

I mean, nothing I can do about it now I guess.

I turned back to see Seventeen looking halfway amused as he leaned against a wall.

The other half was contemplative, however.

"So how long do you want to wait before telling people?" He asked.

"Uh, I don't know. I mean, do you wanna tell people?" I asked.

He shrugged. "I'm running by your schedule. But I do think it'd be good to decide on when. The only reaction I'm actually concerned with is my sister's."

I glanced at my phone. Pigero's probably gonna want some elaboration within the week. And it'd probably be weird if he were the first person to outright tell.

"I guess, probably soon."

"I'll see how long it'll take me to find someone to cover for me for a day." He considered it before rephrasing, "Half a day. That should be doable, might take a few days though."

"Alright," I agreed. It's not like I was in a hurry.

"You want to find a movie?" He asked, offering a hand, which I promptly accepted.

…

Seventeen

Seventeen noted as Gohan seemed to finally relax enough to actually fall asleep. It had taken a while as she seemed quite preoccupied with not causing any sort of disturbance, which was rather counterproductive.

He was quite aware going into this that she almost certainly had not had anything resembling a date or partner in the twenty years she'd lived in this life. Although considering how she reacted to some things he wondered how much experience she'd had at all. It was hard to say how much was due to it having been so long, and how much was pure inexperience.

It didn't really matter in the long run. Nor did he really care. It was an interesting challenge at the very least.

She was very, hesitant. Hesitant in trying anything new, and most certainly in initiating anything. She very clearly enjoyed physical affection, but would very rarely initiate it. He wasn't quite sure if that was out of not knowing how, or not wanting to seem clingy or what, but he did hope that was one thing that would fade. It likely would as she did seem to be getting more comfortable as time passed.

He also hoped the hesitancy would pass with it. That was even more likely. But as is, it made it difficult to tell at times if he was moving too quickly or not. She did push back if she was uncomfortable with something so that was reassuring in that manner at least.

And besides that, the hesitance mostly lied with the physical stuff anyway. And compliments. She did not seem to know how to take compliments. But other than that, she remained the same person as she was before. Which was good, it would have defeated the purpose otherwise. It'd be no fun if that had changed.

One of the main reasons he'd even asked her out was because it was interesting to interact with her. From her strange origin and the mundane, yet strangely complex prior world, to the simple quips and sarcasm she often had.

And, it was difficult to find someone he could relate to in the dating scene, for quite obvious reasons. Sure, you didn't always have to relate to have fun. But he's had his fun. And he's gotten bored of it. He hadn't expected to find someone where, while in completely different circumstances, there were still matters they could relate in.

He would also be lying if he said dating the strongest person he knew of did not have its appeals.

The tail also seemed like it would be fun. Hell, it already was. The thing seemed to wrap itself around his leg once of its own accord. It was amusing how flustered she got over it.

Ah well. Things would probably work out. Or maybe they wouldn't. Finding out was the point of dating after all.

…

I laid out on my own bed after getting home the next day. About an hour later, Chico called.

"So, how'd it go," she asked, the same sly twinge in her voice as last night.

"How did what go?" I asked

"Oh come on, staying over at a guy's place? The implications are pretty obvious."

"Nothing happened." I rolled my eyes.

"You expect me to believe you spent the whole night there and nothing happened?"

"Literally yes."

"Boo. Boring. When something does happen you gotta tell me."

"Absolutely not."

"You're no fun," I could practically hear her pout over the phone. "Anyway, Pigero wants to talk to you."

"Yeah," I sighed, "I figured."

"He's off this weekend if you want to come over."

"I guess," I shrugged even though she couldn't see it.

"Oh me asking was just a formality you don't actually have a choice."

"Yeah. Obviously."