A/N I sat on this chapter for an extra week because I wasn't sure if I liked it, but I've made very little changes to it. So I'm guessing it's as best as it's going to get. It's a little short, and mostly for character building so I can't be too mad at it anyways. We are introduced to Korin and Yajirobe, and if you don't ship them then have you even watched DBZ Abridged? Like of course I was going to ship them in this fic pls Anyways, a more detailed Author's Note can be found on AO3.

Happy Reading! :)

And to the reviewer Charlie: To answer your question, yes I would buy the PS2 Classic Mini for BT2&3 without any shame. I have Sparking: Zero for the PS5 and it's amazing! Wonderful homage to the Budokai Tenkaichi series. Thank you for asking :)

The evening was spent by Gohan eating dinner while Dende and Cargo kept him company while he ate. When night came, Dende and Cargo invited Gohan to their room in the attic to sleep. Gohan and Dende stuck with the same sleeping arrangement as they had in Mount Paozu.

The next morning, Gohan woke up in an empty room. He slept peacefully last night. Dende's bed was much bigger than his grandfather's bed in the hut. Despite having more room in the bed they still slept close, Gohan still held him in the night. Waking up and not seeing Dende left him with a strange, sad feeling. He briefly thought if Dende felt the same way waking up in Mount Paozu.

Gohan pulled the covers off and got ready for the day. Conveniently enough, there was a bathroom in their shared room in the attic, and he slipped inside.

After getting ready for the day, Gohan made his way out of the attic and hesitantly made his way to the kitchen, hoping he was going the right way. When he found the swing door, he knew he had made it and pushed it open, finding one of the siblings quickly hopping off the counter he was sitting on.

He looked back and smiled. "Oh, it's just you Gohan. I thought you were someone else. Good morning."

"Good morning Dende."

"I'm not Dende."

"Oh," he spoke in embarrassment. "I'm sorry, it's a little hard telling you two apart."

Cargo chucked. "It's okay, you'll be able to tell us apart soon enough. For starters, I'm not afraid of the dark." He hopped back onto the counter to finish his snack. "Are you hungry? Mr. Popo made you breakfast." He said and pointed to the counter full of various breakfast foods.

"Did I wake up late for breakfast?"

Cargo shook his head as he dipped a slice of cantaloupe into a bowl of tomato soup. "I know most families eat together for meals but we don't eat enough to do that. Dende and I are very picky with our appetites, father and Uncle Piccolo only drink water, and Mr. Popo will make a full meal for himself. He said he knows you eat a lot, so he made sure to make enough to satisfy you." He said and took a bite of his snack.

Gohan nodded in understanding as he began making his plate for breakfast. It was very nice of Mr. Popo to consider his appetite. "Have you seen Dende? I don't know where he is."

"He's in the back garden talking with Mr. Popo."

…

Mr. Popo poured Dende another cup of tea as he spoke. "I'm glad you're fine physically, but I can feel you aching spiritually, and it's affecting you mentally. What has affected you most in your experience?"

Dende tapped his finger against his teacup anxiously. He was dreading this conversation, but knew he needed it more than anything. He felt better avoiding those feelings in Mount Paozu and focusing his energy into relaxing and feeling better overall. However, he knew that he wouldn't recover in the way that he should by avoiding conversation and keeping to himself. Mr. Popo was the only one he felt he could be spiritually vulnerable to.

"What's affected me most in this experience was losing my Book of Kami. I don't think I'll ever get over the devastation…I remember begging for my own book because Cargo wouldn't stop drawing in the one that we shared; and when I finally had my own copy, it was the best gift I could have ever received. I took great care of it. I consulted it in every emotion. I wrote my thoughts and interpretations in the margins. I bookmarked my favorite scriptures. I highlighted the verses important to me. My eleven-year-old penmanship. My fourteen-year-old thoughts. My eighteen-year-old expressions…It's all gone. My memories, my growth, my life…bested by lamp oil and matches. I feel like I don't know who I am anymore. I feel like I never knew who I was. I feel like I have to start all over, without knowing where to start." Dende wept quietly as he spoke, his tea untouched and forgotten about.

"It's not the things around us that define us, it's how we use it to define ourselves. A wealthy man could be a good man should he choose to share his wealth, but is he evil if chooses to keep it for himself? What if he's sharing his wealth for the wrong reasons? Your Book of Kami does not define you. It's a part of you, yes, but it does not define you. What's important is taking what you've learned from it, and using it to make yourself a better person."

Dende frowned, looking down at his cooling tea. "But I was using it to better myself, so what did I do to deserve it?" He whispered. "Was living virtuously not enough? Was balancing my emotions not enough? I don't know what I did to deserve this experience. I didn't gain anything from it, I only lost from it. I couldn't even save the person that put me through it. I lived my life in salvation and it was almost put to an end in suffering." He gripped his teacup tightly as his eyes pressed more tears out. "What did I do to deserve it?"

"There is no salvation without strife. Life always has a balance, and it is a balance of two extremes. Salvation and strife. Sunshine and rain. Happiness and pain. Just as there are Gods of Creation, there are Gods of Destruction. You cannot have one without the other, no matter how you conduct your everyday life…Kami physically shed his body of evil before becoming the guardian of earth. When his evil half perished, so did he. It was a part of him. It was him. Life will always choose to balance itself before it lives unbalanced."

In all of his years of holding himself to high morals, of living 'right,' he was still met with grief and wickedness. Perhaps it was inevitable. Even Angela herself said that he was chosen to be sacrificed. Dende wondered if any more strife would befall him any time soon. What he endured was enough in his lifetime. If he had to endure any more, he prayed that it wouldn't be any worse than what has already happened.

Popo offered Dende his handkerchief to dry his eyes. "Is there anything else you'd like to share? Did the experience help you learn anything about yourself?"

Dende smiled slightly at the sight of Mr. Popo's handkerchief. Dark blue with silver lettering. It was his favorite, but too sacred to carry along with him to University. Dende began drying his eyes with the handkerchief, and spoke as he did. "Well, I healed the same person that tried to immolate me, prior to the incident happening. Upon healing her, she called me an 'Angel from Heaven.' It was startling to hear such praise, and I didn't think I deserved it. But I also thought that my gift of healing couldn't be anything less than evangelical." He returned Popo's handkerchief.

Popo nodded in understanding as he tucked the returned handkerchief away. "So do you believe to be an Angel yourself? Or perhaps something more?"

"Something more."

"What have you learned, Dende?"

"That I…" He trailed off. Dende was so confident in believing that the Book of Kami was real and that he was the Prophet, but sharing the information with his family and loved ones seemed overwhelming. Dende knew that Mr. Popo and his family would believe his findings without question, but he knew that things would not be the same after telling them. He didn't want to be held to an even higher standard than what he was already held to. He didn't want anyone to think differently of him. He didn't want anything to change.

He didn't think he was ready for the commitment.

Dende shook his head. "I'm sorry, it's nothing. It's not noteworthy at this time. We can return to the conversation later."

Popo nodded as he began clearing the table. "As you wish. When you're ready to open the conversation back up, I'll be waiting." He said and grabbed the tea tray to head back inside. "I don't want you overwhelmed with our conversation today. Not to mention the steady tension between you and Piccolo. Have a visit with Korin soon to help rid some of your anxiety."

Dende smiled at the suggestion. "I will."

Gohan walked with Dende and Cargo to Korin's home. He lived far from the temple, but close enough to walk. Korin was a long time member of Dragon's Temple and family friend. Often Dende and Cargo would come to visit to have time away from the temple, have private conversations without listening ears, or to just rendezvous.

Once making it to the small, humble home, Dende turned to his friend. "Gohan, do you see something familiar?"

Gohan looked at the house before smiling. "A Nimbus bike." He pointed out, seeing it parked on the side. Gohan hadn't brought his Nimbus home for break, but seeing another made him miss it.

Cargo knocked on the door before pushing it open. "Korin? Yajirobe?" He called before they all stepped inside.

A man with scruffy hair looked over at the door from the couch he was sitting on. "Hey kids. Korin, the boys are here." He called before turning his attention back to the television set.

A moment later shuffling could be heard coming from a bedroom and a small white cat appeared before them. "Dende, good to see your return from University. Cargo, always a pleasure to see you. Who is your friend?"

"Korin, this is Gohan. He's a friend from University."

"Nice to meet you." Gohan said with a bow.

Korin nodded as he looked over Gohan. "You as well…You look familiar, do I know you from somewhere?" He asked.

Gohan shook his head. "Not that I can recall. I believe this is our first time meeting."

"Huh, must have been someone else." He said with a shrug before walking to sit with Yajirobe on the couch. "Make yourselves comfortable. Don't let your friend feel like a stranger. I have snacks in the fridge. Yajirobe has been lazy about grocery shopping, but there are coupons for you to clip if you want."

Dende led Gohan over to the dining room table to sit. "Korin has plenty of board games and card games to play. He's got books to read, and music that we listen to in the guest room."

"That's not a guest room, it's my room." Yajirobe interjected.

Cargo looked over in confusion as he grabbed the stack of coupons and scissors to bring to the table. "I thought you slept with Korin."

"Just because I sleep with Korin doesn't mean I don't have a room here."

Dende began reading over the coupon pages. "Well you're hardly in it." He muttered.

Cargo sat with Gohan and Dende to begin clipping coupons. "After coupons, do you want to play Blackjack?"

"Not if you're going to cry."

Cargo grimaced. "I'm not going to cry if you don't cheat."

Dende smirked. "I never cheat, you just never win."

"Well everytime you play dealer I lose. How is that not cheating?"

"Fine, Gohan can deal."

…

After clipping coupons, Dende and Cargo grabbed a deck of cards to begin playing Blackjack. Gohan was willing to deal the cards, but he wasn't good at shuffling. Dende taught him an easy shuffling method, and he got it slowly, but surely. Soon, they were playing rounds of Blackjack, which Dende was winning relentlessly. The more Dende won the more agitated Cargo became.

After the 10th round, Cargo held his hand at 19, and Dende was playing at 17.

Cargo smiled triumphantly. "Looks like I win with 19."

"I didn't say I was holding. Hit again." Dende informed Gohan.

Gohan seemed hesitant. "Are you sure? Seventeen is pretty close, Dende."

Dende stared at the deck for a moment before nodding. "I'm sure. Hit again please."

Without looking at the card, Gohan pulled from the deck and placed Dende's card face up on the table. He blinked in bewilderment. "It's a 4 of hearts. That's 21. Dende wins again."

Dende snickered as he returned his cards to the dealer. "If we were playing for Zeni you'd be broke by now."

Cargo threw his cards down in anger. "I can't believe this. Who wins that much in a game of luck?"

Dende smiled smugly. "Don't be such a sore loser Cargo."

"I'm not a sore loser! You're an abysmal winner!" He yelled.

Dende shrugged nonchalantly. "Go cry about it to Korin."

"Korin! Dende's being mean!" Cargo spoke with a quivering voice.

"I'm not being mean, he's being bratty." Dende retorted.

"Dende stop being mean to Cargo, Cargo stop being bratty." Korin said as he continued to watch television with Yajirobe.

Cargo shook his head as he wiped his tear filled eyes. "I don't get it. When I played with Yajirobe I won."

"Didn't you remember the advice I gave you?" Yajirobe asked.

"Always trust a fart?"

"What? No—"

"Money upfront first?"

"Cargo—"

"Any hole is a goal?"

"Would you stop guessing?! I told you, if the game doesn't go your way, flip the table and make an escape."

"Oh right," he said in realization. He turned to Dende and smirked.

"Don't you dare—"

Without warning, Cargo slapped the cards out of Gohan's hands making them fly everywhere around the table. Dende got up to run after his brother but Cargo was faster, and was soon in the guest room with the door locked.

Dende sighed. For them to be only a year apart Cargo could be rather childish. He made his way back over to the table to help Gohan pick up the scattered deck of cards. "Sorry about that." He apologized to his friend.

Gohan smiled. "Sorry about what? Goten would have done the same thing. One year apart or eleven years apart, younger brothers are all annoying."

Dende chuckled. "I guess you're right."

Gohan and Dende continued cleaning up the cards, and they reached for one of the last few cards. Their hands touched and their eyes met.

Dende began pulling his hand away. "Sorry—"

Gohan held onto his hand to keep him from pulling away. "Stop apologizing." He whispered and used his hand to pull him close into a warm kiss.

Dende was more than caught off guard. He fell on top of his friend, but their kiss hadn't broken.

Gohan rolled them over, now being on top of Dende. Gohan pulled away from his lips, and began ravishing his neck with kisses, whispering his name in between them.

"Dende."

He blinked at the sudden firm use of his name, and soon he was back to his hand hovering over what was now the last card on the ground. Did he just daydream?

Gohan smiled at his friend, glad he was back responsive. "You kinda spaced out for a minute. Are you okay?"

Dende nodded quickly as he picked up the last card. "I'm fine, just spaced out like you said. Sorry."

Gohan shook his head. "Stop apologizing." He said and took his hand in his, pulling him slightly.

Dende quickly pulled his hand out of his, falling backwards from the force.

Gohan was surprised at the reaction. "I just wanted to help you up." He spoke before rising back to his own height. "Are you sure you're okay Dende?"

"I said I'm fine. I can help myself up." Dende said, already beginning to pull himself off the floor. He sat down at the table again looking up at Gohan. "Have you talked to Videl lately?"

Gohan sat at the table with Dende. For him to say he was fine, he seemed almost agitated from spacing out. Bringing up Videl was also strange, maybe he was thinking about her. "Um, not since the beginning of break. I haven't called her back."

"Why? Don't you miss her?"

"Of course I miss her, I've just been distracted."

"Distracted? By me? We were just in West City on Friday. The least you could have done was visit her—"

"Would you stop asking me about Videl?" Gohan snapped. He hadn't known why he was so frustrated talking about his own girlfriend, but the look on Dende's face wasn't helping either.

He sighed, trying to calm himself down. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap like that. I just…I'm not concerned about Videl right now, I'm concerned about you. I've been concerned since the night I saved you. I wanted to give you my undivided attention for the break, and I've been enjoying my time with you during break. Of course I miss Videl, but she's just not on my mind right now. I'll see her when we return to campus, and pick up where we left off. But for now, you're all I care about."

Dende couldn't begin to guess the reason for his sudden daydream. It wasn't the first one he's had, but it was the first time he's had one suddenly. Usually they were during class, or before he went to sleep. Maybe it was more than a daydream he experienced, maybe it was an urge.

The day ended and night fell into a beautiful swatch of stars in the sky. The three returned back to Dragon's Temple after spending the day with Korin and Yajirobe. While Gohan ate dinner in the kitchen, Dende and Cargo sat in their room, against the wall opposite of their window, speaking privately. Dende told his younger brother of the incident with Angela, his time in Mount Paozu with the Son family, and today of his sudden daydream.

"I see the appeal with Gohan. I thought you were exaggerating whenever you called him cute, but after seeing for myself, he is pretty dreamy."

Dende rolled his eyes. "Don't push your luck. If I can't have him I'll make sure you can't either."

Cargo shrugged as he crossed his legs. "Pity. I guess we'll both just have to daydream about him."

Dende pulled his knees up to his chin. "But that's what I'm saying, I've never daydreamed about him in front of him. It was weird. Almost like I couldn't stop myself from wanting him to kiss me. I was so startled from it I started projecting my feelings like he made me daydream about him. I started asking about Videl and asked why he hadn't visited her the last time we were in West City. I felt horrible."

Cargo pinched the bridge of his nose. "So you had a daydream about him kissing you, and in response you asked him about his girlfriend? How weird can you get Dende?"

"I've already gotten in between their relationship before even knowing they were in a relationship. I don't want to do it again."

"But I mean, with the way he treats you, it feels like it's more than a friend. I know you well enough to know when you have a crush on someone, but maybe Gohan isn't as settled on Videl as you'd think."

"Well Videl's pregnant so I'd like to think that he probably is." Dende spoke resentfully.

Cargo's eyes widened at the information. "What?"

Dende sighed. "I found out when I tried to heal her. I don't think either of them know yet, so don't bring it up."

He shook his head. "Your drama at University is better than those soap operas Yajirobe watches. Either way, his girlfriend being pregnant is a pretty solid reason to not pursue him. And pregnant or not he's with someone, there's no reason for him to be so close to you regardless of him wanting to help you recover from nearly dying."

"I get that but…I like it." He admitted.

"Excuse me?"

Dende gazed out the window as he spoke. "I know it sounds bad but…I love sleeping with him. I love the attention he gives me. I love the care he shows me. I've never craved someone the way I crave him. I'd rather be led on by him than break ties with him… I love him, and he would never know."

Cargo smiled softly. Talking on the phone wouldn't do this talk justice. He missed Dende less with how often he called, but sitting on their floor with his older brother seeing him fall in love for the first time was unforgettable. He put a hand on Dende's lap. "Love's a powerful thing. I'm glad you found it in someone."

Dende chuckled as he rested his head against his brother's shoulder. Cargo was the only one that could make him this comfortable. The only person he could tell anything, and be his most authentic self with. Of course he and his roommate Chiaotzu were close, he knew what he was thinking. But Cargo was his first roommate, and always said what he was thinking. "I thought you'd want to judge me. I probably need it."

"Come on Dende," He said, putting an arm around his brother's shoulder, "you know that's not my style. But as your brother, I don't want you heartbroken over someone that you can't have. Just remember yourself in all of this, and how important you are."

Dende rubbed at his eyes. He missed times like this with his brother. Sitting in their room, stargazing through their little window, swapping secrets with each other. He loved the adventure of being on his own for University, but hated leaving his brother. "Could you not make it so hard for me to go back to University?"

Cargo laughed at that. "I guess you figured out my plan, sorry."

"There's not a day I don't miss you when I'm on campus, but Chiaotzu makes it easier."

"Your roommate?"

"He reminds me of you all the time. I think you'd really like him."

…

When Gohan finished his dinner, he cleaned out the dishes and set them on the counter to dry. After that he made his way out of the kitchen, running into Piccolo in passing. "Excuse me." He apologized.

Piccolo wordlessly glanced at him before continuing his way down the hallway.

"Um, Mr. Piccolo?"

Piccolo stopped and looked back at him.

"I know we may have gotten off on the wrong foot, but I was hoping we could maybe work a little differently? I want to be able to protect Dende better, and I think you're really strong. Would you please train me while I'm here?"

"Did Dende put you up to this?"

Gohan shook his head. "No, I'm asking out of my own volition. I want to be strong in the way that you're strong. Please train me."

Honestly anyone willing to block one of his hits for Dende had potential, great potential. He was curious to see just how strong Son Gohan was. "Your training starts first thing in the morning. Down in the valley, don't be late."

Gohan couldn't hide his excitement. "Yes sir. I'll see you in the morning." He said and hurried off to get his sleep for the night.

A/N What I like about this chapter is the relationship between Dende and Cargo. I love writing for siblings, and it just shows how much I miss mine (shes not ded we just don't talk anymore lol) And I've always loved the father/son relationship Gohan and Piccolo have had, so of course they'd build a relationship through training. The next chapter is currently in the works, so hopefully it should be posted by next Sunday, no promises tho lol Reviews are always appreciated. Until next chapter ppl!