Please Friendzone Me!

Chapter 2

When You Just Can't Look Away

Her eyes were seeing the words on the pages but her brain wasn't translating the meanings. Videl pushed her Chemistry book away and groaned, letting her forehead drop onto her desk.

It was all ruined.

What was she supposed to do now? Gohan had kissed her. And he must be expecting a clear answer from her now.

She closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around her head, hiding her flushed face as images from earlier today flashed in her mind. She felt Gohan's warm hand on her cheek, she saw him lean closer; she remembered the sensation of his breath brushing her lips as he paused and asked for her consent.

And then that kiss… A shiver coursed through her spine just from thinking about it. Videl muffled her cry of frustration into her arms.

It just had to feel absolutely amazing, didn't it? As though her stupid feelings for him weren't bad enough already. She didn't want them, damn it. Why hadn't she been able to stop this from happening?

Why, oh why did she have to fall for that boy?

The third time Gohan had made her heart thump didn't make itself wait.

After hanging out together at the pastry shop, Videl got a lot more comfortable around the newest addition of their class. She enjoyed his company, and Gohan seemed to share the feeling. Their newfound closeness didn't go unnoticed by their peers, which ignited a feeling of jealousy in a number of them. And, the following Monday, things got out of hand.

She had been on her way out when she heard the commotion from a distance, and she found a crowd gathered behind the bleachers of the baseball field. Making out the familiar chant encouraging a fight, Videl rushed in without a second thought. When would the bullies ever learn? Not in her school; not on her watch!

She announced herself loudly, commanding the crowd to let her through. The chant died down instantly and the group of teenagers split in two like the Red Sea opened for Moses.

She was stunned to find Gohan in the middle of it all. When he saw her, his eyes widened and he quickly let go of the much bigger boy's wrist which he had been twisting on his back in a deadlock hold.

When that guy caught sight of her, he snarled, clenching his fists, and then he swiftly turned on himself and used the momentum to throw a kick at Gohan. Videl only had time to gasp.

But Gohan caught the foot aimed at his face like it was nothing; she barely even saw him move. The crowd let out an impressed "Ooohhh!" at the display.

A deep frown blemished his handsome face as he let go.

"I'm serious, you need to stop this. I don't want to hurt you."

"Like you ever could, you little twerp!" The bully then attempted a punch. Gohan gracefully slipped out of the way; the force behind the attack propelled the heavy guy forward and caused him to fall to the ground in a heap.

Gohan sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"What's your name? Maybe we can work this out without using violence."

The jock pushed himself back on his feet and faced Gohan with a dark scowl. "Fuck you! I'mma break you in half!"

Gohan glanced her way while the mountain of a guy rushed at him. She was about to yell at him to watch out, but the boy swatted his attacker's wrist with the back of his hand, deflecting what should've been a devastating punch.

"Can't you see you're outmatched?"

But the guy wasn't hearing him, or maybe he just didn't want to admit the obvious: that some nerdy kid was the better fighter. He charged once again.

"Why are you doing this?" Gohan asked while he blocked a kick with his forearm. "Why are you so angry at me? Did I offend you somehow?" He jumped back to dodge an elbow aimed at his nose. "If I did, I'm really sorry."

The jock let out a war cry, clasping his hands together and raising them over his head to hammer Gohan down. The spiky-haired teen slithered out of the way to get behind the bully before sweeping his ankles with his leg, causing him to fall on his stomach. The counterattack was so mild that the bigger guy was quickly back on his feet.

Gohan groaned as the jock went at him with another punch. He grasped his wrist and twisted it on his back while placing his other hand behind his neck, forcing him to stay put.

"Please, just stop. I don't want to hurt you."

And Videl stood there, stunned. She felt flushed, breathless, and her heart was racing a marathon. It was the combination of the graceful, captivating way Gohan moved and his determination to resolve the issue without resorting to violence, showing kindness even to his bully.

"You little shit!" barked the jock as he struggled against Gohan's iron hold. "You think you're all that, you think you've got me? Just you wait, I'mma fucking destroy you, you motherfucking freak!"

Gohan sighed, but otherwise, he didn't react to the verbal abuse.

Videl's eye twitched. What a nasty piece of scum. How dared he call Gohan a freak of all things? Seriously, Gohan? The sweetest guy ever? What was his problem, for that matter? Where did that animosity come from? Surely he didn't only target Gohan for being a "nerd", did he? No, this felt personal.

Videl clicked her tongue as she observed Gohan's grip on the bigger guy's wrist. He should be pulling on it and twisting it to force the bully into submission, but he simply kept it in place, unfazed as the jock thrashed against his hold.

His pacifist approach wasn't getting them anywhere. Videl admired him for refusing to hurt somebody weaker than him – even if that guy definitely deserved nothing less than a good beating – but there was no reasoning with someone like that.

"Gohan." She walked over to them. "You have to be firmer with guys like him. Either force him to give up or knock him out – just holding him still like that won't amount to anything."

Gohan pursed his lips, his jaw clenched tightly. She stopped beside him and put her hand on his forearm, the one he was using to lock the bully's wrist on his back. He looked deep into her eyes.

"If you can't bring yourself to it," she said, her tone softer, "then let me. I'll deal with him."

The bully growled, shooting her a murderous look over his shoulder while he kept struggling against Gohan's hold. Videl clenched her fists and squinted at the guy.

"What? You got something to say?" she spat.

"Videl, don't get him any more riled up," Gohan cautioned. "You're better than that."

"But he–" she started to retort, only to clamp her mouth shut and look away from him. He was right. Even as much as that scum would deserve the taunting and humiliation, rubbing it in that way would just be petty and mean.

But Gohan's comment made the bully thrash around with even more ferocity, his ugly snarl making him look almost like an animal.

"You stupid fuck, I'mma show you how riled up I can get! I'mma kill you! I'mma kill you!"

Gohan sighed and shook his head, his hold not budging even as the guy struggled against him like a madman. Videl scrunched her nose at the bully's pathetic display.

"Gohan, get it over with already," she pressed her friend. "This has gone on long enough."

The crowd gathered around them chimed in, encouraging Gohan to knock down his adversary and even beat him up. The tall, spiky-haired boy furrowed his brow further, clearly disapproving of the cheers he was receiving.

"Or let me handle him," Videl reiterated. She smirked. "I've been itching to punch him in the face. You'd do me a favor."

Gohan's frown didn't relax as he considered her. The guy in his hold spat on the ground.

"What a joke. I used to think you were cool, and you're siding with that freak? You're just a spoiled brat with a hero complex, you fucking cunt!"

The next moment, Gohan's expression hardened and the jock howled in pain. He widened his eyes and quickly let go of the guy, taking a few steps back.

The beefy teen spun around, nursing his blackened wrist while glaring daggers at Gohan.

"You're gonna pay for that," he snarled.

"I'm so sorry… I… I didn't mean to tighten my grip on you. I really didn't."

The distress in her friend's voice baffled Videl. Wasn't he the one who got attacked? Wasn't he just defending himself? And didn't that guy have it coming anyway? Should he really be the one apologizing right now?

"You fucking sicken me," the bully spat. "Can't even own up to your action? You and Videl deserve each other. Bunch of fucking turds."

Gohan clenched his fists; his jaw tightened. "Stop insulting her."

The guy scoffed. "Ain't that sweet, defending your little girlfriend? Think you're gonna get to bang her if you keep up with the nice guy act?"

Gohan's arms were trembling at his sides. The light in his eyes had shifted – it burned with barely contained anger as he glared at the bigger guy.

"It's not an act, you dimwit," Videl retorted. "It may be too difficult for you to fathom with your pea-sized brain, but some people are genuinely nice without any ulterior motives."

The bully scowled darkly at her. "What, so because he hasn't tried anything you think he's not thinking about it? A guy's a guy, and if you think you found the one exception then you're a fucking moron. Which you must be since you're hanging out with the likes of him."

Gohan took a step forward, staring the bigger guy down. An ominous aura seemed to emanate from his being.

"Stop insulting her," he hissed. "Videl is the most beloved girl in the city. She's made life much nicer and safer for all of us. Show some respect."

"Oh yeah? What are you gonna do about it, you fucking nerd?"

Gohan's fists were clenched so tight, his knuckles were turning white.

"I'm really trying to hold myself back here, and you're not making it easy."

The bully sneered. "You think I'm scared of you? You just got lucky. Don't get so full of yourself." He dropped in a stance, pulling his bruised wrist back. "And after I'm done with you, I'll take extra care of your little girlfriend here." His lips twisted in a nasty smirk. "Gonna give it to her real nice and proper."

Videl growled low. What a piece of scum. She wanted nothing more than to punch him in the face, but she moved out of the way instead. From the way he glared at the bully at that last jeer, his fists clenching even tighter, Gohan seemed ready to get serious this time – and this was his fight. If it were her, she wouldn't have appreciated anyone getting in her way. Gohan could handle that waste of space just fine on his own anyway. He didn't need her help.

"You just can't stop, can you?" Gohan gritted out. "Fine. Then I'll make you stop." He didn't drop in a stance, however, he just stood there waiting, his eyes harsh as he stared the bully down. "You asked for this. After I'm done with you, remember that."

The bigger guy gritted his teeth. "You… You really get on my nerves!"

He let out a war cry and charged like a bull. Gohan sidestepped the punch thrown at him, grabbed the outstretched arm and pulled while moving his back to the guy's front, and then with his knees bending, he threw him over himself. The crowd around them gasped in unison. The bully landed heavily on the ground, but Gohan wasn't done. Getting him on his stomach, he pressed his knee on his shoulder and pulled his arm back, holding it in place against his other knee.

Unlike the previous deadlock hold, this time Gohan twisted the arm, intent to force the crass teen into submission. The guy howled in pain.

"Are we done here?" Gohan said coldly. "Will you leave us alone now?"

"F… Fuck you!" the bully spat, before letting out another cry as Gohan applied more pressure on his shoulder.

"I said… are we done?"

Videl could barely believe this was the same, sweet, adorable boy that she had been getting to know since last week. This was a side to Gohan she honestly didn't believe existed. He did say he had a temper…

The overpowered bully growled. "Fine! Fine! Just lemme go already!"

Gohan finally released his hold on him. He stood tall, looming over the jock who stayed down, not having the strength to get back up.

"I didn't want it to come to this, but you left me no choice."

He turned his back on the whimpering teen. Lowering his head, he closed his eyes and clenched his fists tightly at his sides. His jaw was stiff, and his whole body was shaking. Videl felt a lump rise in her throat at the sight.

She recalled what he confided to her the other day at the pastry shop. How he hated who he became when he lost his temper. How he had worked on himself to keep it under control.

Seeing him struggle to stifle that part of him was… heartbreaking. Videl stepped toward him and took his tight fist in her hand. He flinched at the contact. Opening his eyes, he looked deep into hers. She rubbed the back of his hand, hoping to soothe him even a little, and offered him a small, sympathetic smile.

His frown melted away. He uncurled his fingers, his hand relaxing, and held hers firmly. His coal eyes gleamed in silent gratitude. She gave his much larger hand a squeeze, to let him know that she understood.

Behind him, the bully struggled back to his feet. Videl saw him scowl darkly at the back of Gohan's head. Her traits hardened as what she predicted happened and the hopeless idiot attempted a last cheap shot at her friend. She pushed Gohan out of the way, ducked to dodge the oncoming right hook, and then her fist sprung up in the momentum and hammered into his chin. The force of the uppercut was such that the guy, although more than twice her size, was propelled back several feet and crashed heavily onto the ground, out for the count.

"Wow."

She smirked at Gohan, enjoying his awed expression.

"That felt good. Now let's get out of here before we get in trouble."

He laughed good-naturedly as he ran by her side. Videl grinned back at him.

And, for the third time, Gohan had pushed through her defenses, slowly making his way into her heart.

The next day, they found out that the bully attacked Gohan because he had a crush on Videl and couldn't bear seeing the two of them get all chummy. Standing with him in the school's hallways, Videl apologized to Gohan for being the cause of the whole ordeal, but he waved her off.

"Don't sweat it," he said, his eyes gleaming. "I got to see you throw that monumental punch at the guy. It felt very satisfying."

Videl laughed. "I know, right?"

The fourth and fifth occurrences had overlapped, and they'd struck her the worst of all. That time, her walls had finally crumbled down completely, and without their protection, Videl was left with a swarm of feelings she didn't know what to do with.

It was the moment she realized what Gohan meant to her, that he was so much more than a friend. That she was falling for him – and she fell hard.

The same week of the bully incident, she and Gohan had agreed on a day and a time for him to visit her father's gym for a friendly spar. Videl could barely stand in place as she waited for him to get there; her eyes kept darting to the clock hanging on the wall and she couldn't stop smiling. From the way Gohan easily dealt with that bully the other day, the girl knew she finally found a worthy sparring partner. It felt like ages since anyone had truly posed a challenge to her. Testing herself against Gohan was going to be awesome.

When he finally stepped into the high-end and very exclusive gym, Videl's whole face lit up and she dropped everything to run to him, not noticing some guy on his way to her with a freshly bought water bottle.

"You're late!" she said without any reproach in her tone, still unable to wipe her silly grin off her face.

Gohan chuckled, scratching his hair. He was wearing his usual type of attire, always clean and proper with dress pants, a loose, tucked-in long-sleeved shirt, and dress shoes. Videl noticed the sports bag he carried on his shoulder, so she assumed he had brought comfortable clothes for their spar.

"Yeah, sorry. I got a bit lost on the way, I'm not really used to the city, heh."

"Well, the locker rooms are over there. Unless you're planning to fight me in dress shoes?" she added in a joking tone.

"Bah, that wouldn't really hinder me," he bantered along, his coal eyes playful.

She smirked. "Shall we just get to it then?"

He laughed good-naturedly and started in the direction she had motioned. "I'll be right back."

Videl let out a sigh as she watched him go, her silly smile still glued to her face. Well, she might as well warm up some more while she waited for Gohan to get changed.

The petite girl moved on to the corner with yoga mats and took her time stretching every articulation in her body in preparation for her upcoming sparring match, focusing on her breathing.

Sliding down onto the mat, Videl did the split and leaned her upper body to the side, following the lead of her outstretched arm; her loose tank top hiked up as she reached out as far up as she could, uncovering a small portion of her toned stomach. Her leggings hugged her legs and hips snuggly, the comfortable fabric stretching and adapting around her curves as she slowly curled her torso from side to side.

Moving on to the next pose, Videl closed her legs, keeping them extended in front of her, and leaned forward. She rolled her spine until her face nestled between her shins and gripped the soles of her supple sneakers. She exhaled deeply as she held the position.

Slowly straightening up to avoid headrush, Videl got to her feet. She then raised her right leg over her head and kept it straight by holding onto her heel. She pulled on it while she grounded herself on her left foot. After counting fifteen seconds, she let go and switched legs.

Lingering glances strayed her way from the people training at the gym – especially the men – as she unwittingly showed off her slender and toned figure. Her focus was on warming up for her spar with Gohan, however, and she had no room for anything else on her mind.

Seeing as she was tuning out everything around her, Videl didn't see Gohan walk out of the locker rooms. She kept up with her stretching routine, moving her supple limbs into pose after pose.

Nearly a full minute later, the girl threw herself backward, her body forming a perfect arch as she leaned onto her hands. And there he was, appearing between her outstretched arms from her upside-down position.

He was just standing there, still by the doorway leading to the locker rooms. His cheeks were flushed, his lips parted, and his eyes had grown slightly wider as they stayed solely on her.

The look on his face made her feel flushed and self-conscious, and as she took in the attire he had changed into, it got even worse: her whole body started burning up. Still holding the Wheel pose, Videl couldn't help letting her gaze trail over Gohan's exposed muscles. He was wearing a traditional fighting dogi. The dark purple clothing was sleeveless with a low V-neck cut, showing off his defined, toned arms, his bulging pecs, and even the first row of his abs. The orange belt highlighted his slender waist, making his broad shoulders look more prominent.

Goodness… She had noticed that he was in good shape, but this…?

The upside-down position was making her dizzy. Videl forced her eyes shut to stop staring at his muscles; she blew a long breath and slowly lowered herself onto her back. And she just lay there on the mat, willing her heartbeat to calm down.

Soon enough, she felt a shadow looming over her and opened her eyes, only to meet Gohan's awkward smile. Her gaze was once again drawn to his muscular frame. He looked even more mouth-watering up close.

He scratched his hair. "So, um, are you warmed up enough? Shall we begin?"

Videl swallowed thickly, still needing a moment to gather herself as she lay on the foam mat. He had caught her off guard. She never pretended not to notice that Gohan was good-looking, but seeing him like this was something else. The level of her attraction to him was skyrocketing, so much so that it was no longer possible to pretend it wasn't there.

Gohan crouched slightly and held his hand out to her, silently offering to help her up. Her eyes trailed down from his shoulder, along the defined muscles of his arm, passing his orange wristband until they reached his large, strong hand. Trying to swallow the lump caught in her throat, she accepted the offered appendage and allowed Gohan to pull her to her feet.

As she stood in front of him, Videl found herself overwhelmed by his towering presence. Her own vertical shortcoming felt almost oppressing as she craned her neck to gaze at the tall, handsome boy; the top of her head barely reached his shoulders.

He didn't let go of her hand, his brow furrowing slightly as his coal eyes seemed to study her with a mix of… confusion? wonder? Did she read his expression correctly? It was hard to form any coherent thought under Gohan's scrutiny.

He still wasn't letting go of her. His touch felt warm and tingly.

Videl felt faint.

She finally tore her gaze off of him and pulled at her hand, but Gohan tightened his fingers around it in response. She looked back at him with raised eyebrows, caught off guard by his instinctual action. She swallowed. Her face was burning hot.

"Ah…?" His eyelids fluttered as his attention was drawn to their joined hands, and then he jerked his away as though the contact scorched his skin.

Gohan took a step back and averted his eyes, coughing into his fist. He kept his hand over his mouth and nose, covering some of the deep blush streaking across his cheeks.

Her heart was still pounding. Videl swallowed thickly as she observed him; she wasn't sure she wanted to understand his reaction.

She looked away and bit her lip. Was her face ever going to cool down? "L… Let's get started, then."

That had been the fourth occurrence. And the worst was yet to come…

Gohan turned out to be even more remarkable a fighter than she imagined – and she had very high expectations to begin with. He was phenomenal. His skills, his speed, his strength, his agility, his stamina… It was way above anything she had ever encountered.

Videl even found herself doubting that her own father, the world savior and undefeated champion, could ever be on par with Gohan.

The thought should have been ludicrous. Mr. Satan had killed Cell, a monster that single-handedly wiped out the entire royal army. How could a sixteen-year-old rival and even surpass that kind of power? Even if he had inherited Son Goku's incredible fighting talent, even if he was definitely stronger than her, he couldn't possibly be on the same level as her father.

And yet… she just couldn't imagine anyone overpowering her current sparring partner, not even the Champ himself. Gohan was too excellent; he was a category of his own. His display of skills was so impressive that everyone at the gym had dropped what they were doing to watch their spar.

Videl grunted as her fist hit nothing but air yet again. Gohan had merely sidestepped to dodge the punch, before dropping back into his stance; the stance seemed basic and simplistic at first glance, but so far Videl kept failing to break through his defense. He moved the bare minimum, never executed any useless motion, never wasted his energy. And Videl couldn't help wondering if he could read her mind or if she was that predictable: Gohan was able to anticipate each of her attacks with incredible ease. He gave the impression that he was always a few steps ahead of her, as though he knew what she was going to do even before she did.

She kept attacking him, growing more and more frustrated that she wasn't coming close to landing a single hit. Gohan stayed on the defensive for the most part, delivering a blow here and there so as not to make the spar completely one-sided. While he looked like he wasn't putting any strength into his counterattacks, every time Gohan actually struck her, it felt as though someone had filled a bag with bricks and smashed it onto her.

His brow would always crease with worry whenever he fought back, and each hit felt just a little weaker than the last. It was maddening – Gohan was so obviously holding back, and he was even adjusting his strength to match hers. Just how strong was that guy? To think he wasn't even passionate about martial arts!

It was so unfair. Being a fighter meant everything to her, and yet, this unenthusiastic prodigy outclassed her at every turn.

She staggered a few steps back and coughed, holding her sore stomach with a wince as she struggled to fill her lungs with air. That last blow really did a number on her.

"Should we take a break?" Gohan offered, his whole face taut with concern.

She growled, glaring at him darkly. So what if she was outmatched? It had never been in her nature to give up, and she wasn't about to start now.

She spat her excess of saliva to the side and dropped into her fighting stance once more. "I'm fine."

Gohan's furrowed traits tightened, but he didn't voice his objection and fell into his stance as well.

He continued to weave in and out of everything she tried to throw at him, while his counters became even scarcer.

"You're not even fighting back!" she snapped as she skidded on her feet and looked back at him after another failed kick. "I'm just a joke to you, aren't I?"

His eyes widened. "Wha…? No! Of course not! How can you say that? You're one of the best fighters I've encountered!"

Her expression darkened. It was hard to believe his compliment when she compared herself to him. Was he just trying to make her feel better?

Gohan heaved a sigh, standing straight, and ran a hand through his spiky hair. "Look, let's just call it for today, okay? You're letting your emotions get to you and it's affecting your fighting. The spar is losing its purpose."

She growled lowly, her jaw clenched while her eyes narrowed to slits. "We call it when I say we call it. Now fight me."

"At least try to calm down."

His suggestion got on her nerves and she tried to punch him in the face even though his stance was unprepared. But Gohan dodged her attack all the same.

Just how much was this guy holding back?

Her scowl tightened, glaring murder at her adversary. "Do you know anyone who actually calmed down after being told to?"

Gohan winced. "Right. Yeah, sorry, that was a useless thing to say." He took a step forward. "Then, maybe take a few deep breaths? Your fighting's all over the place; you won't amount to anything in this state. I know you can do better, Videl."

She clicked her tongue, but the girl straightened up and followed his advice nonetheless. She wasn't blind; she knew Gohan was right, that her growing frustration was clouding her judgment. She hated to admit it, but she did need to calm down.

But first, she ought to catch her breath. Gohan, on the other hand, was still as fresh as when they started sparring. Her eyes narrowed. Just what kind of stamina did that guy have?

She shook her head. She was getting worked up again. The seemingly endless gap between her and Gohan didn't matter. Who cared if she couldn't ever hope to beat him in her current level? Videl set herself a new goal instead: she wasn't going to quit until she managed to land at least one hit on the boy.

Her breathing was easing up; she closed her eyes as she focused on inhaling and exhaling. Her sparring partner stayed silent, patiently waiting for her to release her tension.

When she opened her eyes, she was met with Gohan's soft smile.

"Better?"

She smirked and dropped into her stance. "You're gonna find out soon enough."

He fell back into his own stance, still on the defensive. Videl gauged him, but as usual she found zero opening. No matter. She was going to get him, one way or another.

She charged him again, her movements more precise and less hectic. Gohan cracked a smile as he easily dodged her flurry of attacks.

"See? You're doing much better already."

She didn't say anything in response, still annoyed at her inability to land anything at her sparring partner. But, this time, she wasn't going to let her emotions get the better of her. She needed to keep a clear mind if she intended to reach her goal.

Not even her increased focus could close the gap between them, however. Gohan was simply too fast for her, no matter how hard she pushed herself, and she was starting to run low on energy. Her breathing was short and ragged, her lungs were burning, and she felt hot and sticky all over. Meanwhile, her challenger had yet to even break a sweat. Seriously, what was he made of?

Evading yet another punch, Gohan spun on his foot and swerved to move behind her. Out of the corner of her eyes, Videl picked up the thrust of his palm toward her back, obviously intended to propel her forward. In her attempt to block the hit, Videl went to rotate her body so she could push his arm to the side.

But the exhaustion was getting the better of her; she was still leaning her weight on her left foot when she tried to move it around. As a result, it dragged along the ring mat and didn't turn with the rest of her body. She cried out, feeling a sharp pain in her ankle as it twisted and made her lose her balance.

She barely started to fall when two strong arms swooped in and swiftly caught her. Gohan held her firmly against him, worry lines blemishing his handsome face. With her back slightly arched, the angle pulled her pigtails down behind her; her hands landed against his torso, some of her fingers grazing his exposed, muscular chest.

"Are you okay?"

Videl swallowed, clutching the fabric of his dogi. His face was too close – his coal eyes were drawing her in. His arms around her weren't helping, either.

"I…" She sucked in a sharp breath then hastily looked away, her cheeks reddening in shame. "I think I twisted my ankle…"

His frown deepened. Without another word, he slipped one of his arms beneath her knees and picked her up.

"Good thing I brought a first-aid kit, just in case. Let's get off the ring first."

Gohan walked to the ropes surrounding the ring mat and leaped over them, without so much as a grunt. When he landed, only the smallest tap echoed. His muscles didn't tense or shift as he carried her toward a bench, and Videl couldn't help staring at him. Was she that light to him? Should she be worried and try to eat more?

With a few quiet excuses, he forged his path through the crowd. Anywhere she turned, Videl caught someone's gaze; the people at the gym were all just standing there, staring at them as though they were zoo animals. Yes, Gohan had absolutely dominated their sparring match. And yes, she had hurt herself like some amateur. Couldn't they get a move on?

Trying to find something else to focus on, she raised her eyes – and was met with Gohan's smile. Videl shoved her head down, digging it between her shoulders, and closed her eyes. Yeah, that did it alright. That just sucked the last of her energy. She was so done with everything right now.

Gohan set her down on the bench, making sure not to put any weight on her left ankle. "I'll be right back."

Once he left, Videl slumped her shoulders and heaved a sigh. She looked down at the dark bruise on her ankle. Great, just great. Now she wouldn't even be able to train properly until it healed. How could she make such a basic mistake?

Gohan quickly came back with his sports bag. Upon reaching her, he put it on the floor beside him, lowered himself with one knee down, and carefully grabbed her calf to place her foot onto his lap. Videl felt herself blush as he slowly slipped her sneaker off, her sock following suit. His eyebrows scrunched up as he considered the swollen bruise on her ankle, shifting her foot almost imperceptibly to determine the extent of her injury.

She hissed slightly. Gohan looked up from her foot and his frown deepened.

"It doesn't seem too bad, but you should see a doctor later to make sure it's just a sprain. For now, I'll apply first-aid on your ankle, okay?"

Videl pinched her lips together and nodded. Gohan fished a red pouch out of his sports bag at his side, zipped it open, and took out a tube. He smeared the cool gel on the dark bruise on her ankle, applying such light pressure it didn't even hurt. Once he was done with the gel, he put the tube back in his first-aid kit and grabbed a roll of bandage next.

His serious, focused expression didn't ease off as he expertly wrapped the white compress around her sprain. Videl couldn't help cracking a small smile as she gazed at him. He looked cute when he worried about her. Truth be told, she didn't dislike letting him care for her like this. She didn't want to admit it, but Videl was kinda enjoying the attention. Gohan was just so sweet in the way he cared so much. It was hard to stay annoyed at him when his intentions were always so pure.

She let her eyes wander over him while Gohan focused on his task. His large, warm hands on her foot and ankle, the slender muscles of his arms, the exposed part of his torso, his broad shoulders, and then she reached his adorably serious face.

She took the time to detail his features from up close. Thick, black eyebrows that made him look more masculine and contrasted with his medium skin tone. A straight and elegant nose that went nicely with his cheekbones; these highlighted the faint hollow lines on both sides of his face. A defined, square jaw, fine-shaped lips, long eyelashes that cast a shadow over his cheeks… His every trait, his whole face seemed painted with perfect strokes, completing the harmonious composition.

"I'm sure you know about the RICE method to treat sprains," Gohan started without looking up.

"Uh…" Videl needed a moment for the fog in her head to dissipate. "Yeah. It, um… It stands for rest, ice, compression, and elevation."

He nodded. "In small doses, it's not bad. But I recommend the METH method, rather. RICE is good to relieve the pain and as first-aid care, but not so much for long-term treatment."

"METH…?"

He glanced up at her and gave a half-smile. "Movement, elevation, traction, and heat. Rest is good when you're injured, but too much of it and it reduces blood flow by remaining immobile. The same goes for ice – it relieves the pain and the swelling, but the cold shunts the blood away from the area it's applied." Gohan refocused on finishing up rolling the white compress around her ankle as he went on. "Compression should also be used in moderation. Applying outside pressure to the tissues restricts blood flow into the area. I'm bandaging your ankle to help with the swelling and the pain as first-aid care, but you shouldn't keep a bandage on at all times. Be sure to let your joints breathe every now and again. As for elevation, it's good to control blood flow with gravity, but if you combine it with all the other components of RICE, it'll further reduce your blood flow."

Videl blinked. That… made a lot of sense. She had always abided by the RICE regimen, following what her doctors normally recommended. She never suspected that it could do more harm than good.

"The keyword is moderation." The boy looked up from his now complete handiwork. "For the RICE method, that is. METH is much more efficient to help you heal quickly."

Something about the way Gohan expressed himself… He was remarkably articulate and methodical. Every word he pronounced felt measured and well-thought, his explanation was coherent and easy to grasp, and you could tell he knew what he was talking about, that he had made the necessary research and come to his own conclusions. Seeing as he was a martial artist, it was likely that Gohan had experienced first-hand the downsides of the RICE method and looked for something more satisfactory.

"Movement means what it says," he went on. Even though he was done bandaging her ankle, he stayed crouched in front of her and kept her foot in his gentle hold on his lap. "Get some range of motion back in the injured area. Some flexion and extension exercises would be best. Don't put too much weight on your foot, but don't avoid weight-bearing altogether. Just listen to your body, be mindful of the pain, and don't overdo it. Encourage your muscles to remember how they're supposed to move."

She nodded silently, captivated by his keen, coal eyes. His smooth tenor pitch made his directives all the more pleasant to listen to.

"Elevation isn't an all-the-time need, and you don't have to stay immobile for several hours a day like the RICE method would recommend, but it's good to elevate your leg when you're resting. You could put your foot on a chair instead of letting it rest on the ground when you're sitting at your desk, for example, especially when you're in class. Left to its own devices, your ankle will swell, and that's not good for the blood flow."

He paused, likely to pace his explanation so it didn't feel like an info dump. Videl nodded at him to keep going. He cracked a smile, the light in his eyes softening.

"Traction is to encourage healing. It's a method used by physical therapists and basically means to pull gently on the joint. I can teach you how to do it properly so you don't injure yourself further. If you don't know what you're doing, it could do more harm than good. And, lastly, there's heat. It's best to wait for the swelling to go down before getting to that part of the treatment. Heat encourages blood flow rather than stifling it, and the warmth will feel good too. But, moderation is key. You shouldn't apply heat to your ankle for more than thirty minutes at a time, and it doesn't need to be very hot. Just enough to do its job."

Videl nodded again. She felt a smile curve her lips as she observed the well-educated boy.

"You sure did your research, huh?"

He chuckled slightly. "I did. I wasn't satisfied with the RICE method and how it restricts blood flow."

The corners of her lips dug further into her cheeks and her eyes gleamed with amusement. "Funny that you'd be wary of something named after you."

He blinked. "Named after…?"

Gohan paused and then turned his head away, covering his mouth with his hand to stifle a snorting sound. His shoulders shook as he tried to contain his mirth. The endearing sight made her chest glow. Her traits softened.

He shook his head and grinned at her. "Gosh, you're awful…"

"Hey, I'm not the one named after a meal."

"I was named after my great-grandfather, actually," he corrected, raising his forefinger in a mock-lecturing way. "I'm surprised you haven't heard of him since you seem pretty knowledgeable in all-things martial arts. Though I suppose his era of triumph is quite outdated."

Tilting her head to the side, Videl searched in her memory if the name Son Gohan rang any bell, but she got nothing. She made a mental note to look further into it later.

"Would you like me to show you the traction exercises?" the boy asked, taking her foot in both his hands once again.

Her skin tingled at his touch. Videl felt her face heat up. She nodded, and Gohan went on to explain and show her how to properly pull and release on her joint. She had a silly smile on her lips as she listened to him. Her mind wandered now and then as she let her eyes trail over his traits.

Earlier, the girl had been unable to deny that she was very attracted to her friend; now, however, it was becoming harder and harder not to dig deeper. She couldn't overlook the way her attention seemed to be constantly drawn to him, or how much she liked the way his mind worked, or the fact that he was able to stir up all kinds of emotions out of her with just one look, one smile, one touch, or even just the sound of his voice.

She didn't want it to be true, but it was staring at her right in the face. It was impossible not to see what was happening.

This thing she was feeling… It wasn't only physical attraction.

Videl felt herself get lost in his onyx eyes once again, tuning out everything he was saying. Her breathing deepened. It was really happening, wasn't it? How could it be possible? She didn't even know the guy two weeks ago!

"Videl, are you listening? This is important."

She shook her head sharply and forced herself to focus on his words.

"Sorry. I, uh… I'm a bit distracted."

He gave an effortlessly charming smile. "Well, the important thing to remember is that the amount of traction should be as little as possible to get relief. You mustn't pull longer than a few seconds, and then you release slowly. Like this. See?"

He accompanied his instructions with action. His touch was gentle and mindful, his large, soft hands moving her foot slowly to pull lightly on her joint.

"Does it hurt?" he asked, returning his gaze onto her. "It's supposed to help relieve the pain, so if it causes more discomfort than it provides relief, you should definitely stop."

"I'm okay," Videl replied in a breath.

"Good."

He set her foot down, careful not to put any unnecessary pressure on her ankle, before raising himself to get to his feet.

Craning her neck as she looked deep into his coal eyes, Videl felt something stir inside of her. His towering presence seemed to swallow her whole.

He held out his hand to help her up, and Videl felt like she was on autopilot as she accepted it. Her skin tingled once again at the contact, and she felt light as a feather as Gohan pulled her to her good foot.

"Remember, Videl: METH. Movement, elevation, traction, and heat. If you follow the treatment regimen as I explained, your ankle should be good as new in no time. You should still consult with a doctor and get some x-rays done. I may have studied the subject extensively, but I don't have x-ray vision so it might be more serious than I surmised."

As he spoke, her eyes were drawn to his mouth. Her chest throbbed, her throat tightened, and she found herself unable to look away. Her emotions swirled around in a jumbled mess inside of her. She couldn't make any sense of what she was feeling.

And Gohan just kept smiling, too innocent and pure to have a clue.

Videl swallowed hard. This was bad. She must be going crazy. She and Gohan weren't like that – she shouldn't be seeing him like that. He was just a friend, and nothing more.

She shouldn't feel this urge to close the gap between them and kiss him.

Damn it. Damn it. This couldn't be happening. She never asked for this. She'd only wished for a friend, for a real connection with someone decent, a platonic connection with a person who saw her for who she was and not for who her father happened to be. Why did her feelings have to go that way? She had no trouble staying good friends with Sharpner, so why would it be any different with Gohan?

Videl finally tore her gaze from his tantalizing mouth, her face ablaze. She pursed her lips.

This was all Gohan's fault. He was too pure, too cute, too caring, too charming – and he was hot as hell to boot. Little by little, that boy kept tearing down her walls, and this time they all crumbled down; nothing was left. She was completely vulnerable. Defenseless.

Videl couldn't believe this was happening. She liked him. She liked Gohan. She really, really liked him.

His smile was making her chest ache. She cursed him in her head.

I learned SO MUCH about how to treat sprains with that last part lmao! xDD Found all the info about METH and the other side of the coin of RICE in this article titled Why You Shouldn't Do RICE for Sprains on VeryWellHealth(.com). Without it, Gohan would've gone with the RICE method to advise Videl and that would've been a mistake, so thank you, VeryWellHealth for that valuable lesson!

By the way, in case you didn't get Videl's pun, "Gohan" means rice or meal in Japanese. :)

Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Don't forget to review please! ^^

November 17, 2021