Welcome to Boxer & Rice

It had been only three weeks since Gohan asked Piccolo to start training him again, but he was already regretting it. Not because of his teacher’s brutal methods, he was used to that by now, but because of all the close time spent together was bringing old feelings back to the surface. Feelings that he thought he had long ago suppressed to the point of them being nonexistent. He had a family now; hell, they were the reason he was here trying to get stronger. These feelings only got in the way of his happiness—just when Gohan thought he had obtained the normal, peaceful life he had always longed for, there was another stumbling block in his road.

“More squid?” So in his quest to overcome the latest hurdle in his life, Gohan had sought out the man who had become a strange confidant to him.

The Prince didn’t stop eating to reply. He merely nodded his head at the spot on the table he wanted Gohan to set the food. The young family man smiled, and refilled the dishes the Saiyan had emptied. He wanted Vegeta to be in a particularly good mood today before he broached the subject, so he had made sure to cook the royal’s favorites.

As he waited for the older man to finish, Gohan wondered if it was really okay to discuss this issue with Vegeta. He knew the seasoned warrior could keep a secret; that wasn’t what he was nervous about. He was more concerned that the conversation might hit too close to home for the pure blood and drive him away after Gohan had spent so long trying to befriend him. But as Vegeta cleaned off the last plate before him and sat back with arms folded and eyes closed, Gohan knew it was time.

“Vegeta, you know I’ve been training with Mr. Piccolo again.” Gohan started out with an establishing fact, something safe.

“Hn. All the times I offered to train you and yet you picked the Namekian.”

Trying not to chuckle at the bitterness in the Prince’s voice, Gohan continued, “He was my first teacher. Besides, I’d only get in your way with my level right now.”

Vegeta opened his eyes and looked at the young man with a deadpan expression. “There’s a fine line between stroking my ego and pandering to me, Gohan.”

Pressing his glasses higher up on his nose, Gohan couldn’t quite contain the laughter anymore. But the serious expression on the Prince’s face made him choke it back down and recompose himself.

“Of course. Well I’ve been spending more time with him and I’ve been thinking about things I thought I had forgotten about. I think you know what I mean.” Gohan left it at that, hoping the Prince both picked up on his meaning and also didn’t become offended.

Vegeta cast his eyes downward and stared at the table in silence. Just as Gohan was about to speak up and tell him to forget he said anything, the Saiyan broke the heavy atmosphere.

“You have a family. A child. Those are responsibilities you can’t run from no matter what flight of fancy you’re entertaining.” Vegeta locked eyes with him, an unreadable expression on his face.

Gohan looked at the stoic Saiyan with a small smile, not sure which of them Vegeta was addressing. “But people can adapt. Families can change and still work together. In time people can grow to understand difficult decisions.” The young man winced, realizing that he might as well be talking to himself too.

Vegeta eyed him with a snort and leaned back in his chair. “Next you’ll be telling me that it’s not selfish to hurt five people just so two can be happy. Remember that your little group of friends is close, even if they don’t see each other often. It’s more than just your family that will question it. Everyone connected to you will as well. If they don’t approve, you’ll both be outcasts from the only people who can even try to understand you.”

Gohan nodded in understanding. It was honestly something he hadn’t thought the Saiyan would take into consideration since he was always so aloof. “You must care about him a lot to think of it that way,” he mumbled, lost in thought. A quick jerk of Vegeta’s head caught his eye and he covered his mouth with both hands as his face turned red. “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean anything, Vegeta!”

The enraged royal, clenched his arms closer to his chest and ground his teeth together. “Watch your words more carefully if you want this conversation to continue,” he warned as Gohan noticed the veins throb in his forehead.

Gohan nodded and uttered another quick apology to the Prince. “But does this mean that I’ve really loved him this whole time and I just convinced myself that I didn’t? Or is it just an infatuation based on old feelings, which will fade with time?” He pursed his lips together as he tried to decipher the complex emotions within himself.

“I don’t know,” Vegeta sighed. “I know your eyes follow him when you are in the same room. That’s all I can tell you.”

Wondering how Vegeta could possibly know that since his eyes seemed to be constantly glued to a different Son, Gohan just accepted the information quietly. He fidgeted in his chair, uncomfortable in the silence even though he knew Vegeta would be the last person to judge him for feeling this way. He folded and unfolded his hands in his lap, not sure what else to say, but not really wanting to be alone with his thoughts anymore.

“I know we are not the same, but one time I made a decision without worrying about the consequences because there was something I wanted for myself. It was the biggest mistake of my life.” Vegeta’s quiet voice broke the silence.

“Yeah, I can relate to that.” Gohan smiled wryly at his companion, blinking the water out of his eyes.

Vegeta watched him with a frown for a moment before nodding and standing. “In some ways I guess we are more alike than we seem. But I advise you to tread carefully here, Gohan. People expect me to be a disappointment,” he chuckled as his lips twisted into a smirk. “From you they expect the world.” He gave the young man a knowing look and walked to the door of the small house. “You know the more time you spend with him the worse it will get. Proximity may be something you crave, but it will also be your worst enemy.”

“Thank you, Vegeta,” Gohan replied, standing from his own seat to give a small bow of farewell to the Saiyan.

Vegeta gave him one last look, but seemed to change his mind about saying anything and instead exited and closed the door softly behind him.

Once he was out of sight, Gohan collapsed back in his chair with a deep sigh. He felt better to have at least gotten it off his chest, but unfortunately the royal Saiyan hadn’t given him the answers he needed. Well, Vegeta had given him an answer: don’t do anything dumb. But it wasn’t exactly what he had hoped to hear. Gohan knew they shared the same pain of longing for someone they couldn’t have and he had wishfully thought Vegeta could give him some way of blocking out the feelings. Gohan wondered if instead he should have asked how to act like it didn’t bother him; how did Vegeta keep that uncaring mask on all the time, only dropping it in extreme situations? Rubbing his forehead with a frown, he stood and started clearing the dishes from their meeting. It certainly wouldn’t do for Videl to come back to an untidy home.

About an hour later, his wife and daughter returned and he greeted them with the same cheery grin as always.

“How was your father?” he smiled as he took Pan from her arms. Giving his daughter a quick kiss he hoisted her into the air for a second before bringing her back down into a tight cuddle. The small giggles she let out at the movement warmed his heart, but also brought a tinge of guilt with them. After the fight with Frieza had ended he had rushed home to check that Videl and Pan were still alive. He had been so terrified of living in a world without them that he had asked Piccolo to train him again so there would be no repeating of the devastating event. He hadn’t been able to protect the Earth and Piccolo had to sacrifice his life once again to save him.

He clutched Pan tighter to his chest while thinking about it. Was that the reason? Had that unselfish sacrifice been the catalyst that brought forth the flood of emotions that he had thought were snuffed out by his time with Videl? A small hand on his arm brought him out of his reverie.

“Did everything go alright with Vegeta, Gohan? You seem distant.” His wife looked at him with worry. She must have answered him without him realizing it.

“Oh! Y-yeah! I was just thinking about how cute Pan is! Vegeta was the same as always,” he laughed a little too loudly. But Videl just smiled softly and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

“I think it so nice of you to take the time to talk to him, Gohan. He always looks so lonely even when he’s with everyone.” She looked up at him with love and admiration in her bright eyes.

“Yeah, he’s had a difficult path in life,” Gohan said with a wry smile. He didn’t feel like elaborating any more on Vegeta’s problems and any relevance they may have to his own. Instead, he covered Videl’s lips with a short, soft kiss. “Pan looks ready for a nap, I’ll go put her down.” He smiled at the small baby bundled in his arms. “Grandpa must have worn you out today!”

Videl smiled at the pair and nodded before flitting away to put away her jacket and bags. Gohan carried Pan into her small nursery and laid her in the crib. Swaddling her and cooing comfortingly, he watched her small eyes slowly close as she drifted off to sleep. He leaned down on the railing of the crib with a loving smile as he watched her. She was so small and precious to him—the pang of guilt came back. If he left Videl, what would become of Pan? How could he even think about breaking their family apart over something so petty when he was so familiar with the pain of not having his father around?

Sighing wearily, he concluded that Vegeta was right. He had something beautiful already. Something he could count on being there for him each day. It would be extremely foolish to throw it away for something that might be all in his head. His eyebrows drew together in thought, wondering what Piccolo could possibly think about their situation.

His teacher certainly loved him, of that there was no doubt. Whenever Gohan was in danger, Piccolo was always there jumping in to protect him. He had given his life twice for Gohan and never asked for thanks. But that didn’t necessarily mean Piccolo saw him in a romantic light. If anything, he probably saw Gohan as more of an adopted child than anything else. The thought made Gohan’s heart clench even though it was the most reasonable answer. He could hear Videl’s footsteps approaching, so he recomposed himself and went to meet her at the door. Announcing in a happy whisper that Pan was asleep, they adjourned to the living room to talk about their day and other inconsequential things.

XXXXX

Pushing the rubble off his body, Gohan sat up in the crater that used to be a small rock formation. Piccolo floated above him with arms crossed and a smug grin on his face.

“You’re getting better, Gohan, but you still have a long way to go,” he lectured.

Gohan laughed and reached to readjust his glasses, only to find they had been thrown off his face at some point. He sighed inwardly at having lost another pair, but got up and dusted himself off with a smile.

“Thank you, Piccolo,” he laughed, glad that his mentor acknowledged his progress so far.

Piccolo landed lightly in front of him and looked him over with a small chuckle. “Your wife is going to be upset with me again. She’ll think I’m too rough with you.”

Gohan laughed and tried not to focus on the other possible meanings for Piccolo’s words. “She’ll understand. She's glad that I’m training again; she likes to joke that I’d already be blind from having my nose in books all day if I wasn’t part Saiyan.” He grinned when Piccolo laughed along.

Something about his teacher’s laughter put a knot in Gohan’s stomach. He wasn’t supposed to feel this way about the Namekian; these feelings were supposed to be specifically reserved for his wife. Besides, it wasn’t like Piccolo actually returned his feelings, so it was a waste of time to even think of him in that way. He would leave his wife and child for what? Someone who he was sure didn’t fully grasp the concept of romantic love?

“What’s wrong, Gohan?” Piccolo’s deep voice made him flinch, scared that his teacher had somehow read his mind.

“Nothing, Piccolo! I was just thinking about another conference I need to get ready for soon,” he lied with a sheepish smile.

Piccolo’s eyes narrowed at him and a frown formed on his soft-looking lips. “Don’t try to pretend you’re fine when something is obviously bothering you. There’s been something eating at you these past few weeks. I’ve let it slide so far, but you can’t train at your best if your mind is unfocused.”

Letting his gaze fall to his green sneakers, Gohan laughed softly. He was never able to lie to his teacher, but if he ever could, now would be the perfect time. The problem wasn’t that he was unfocused—he was just focusing on the graceful movements of the Namekian for reasons other than battle.

“It’s nothing, I promise. It will pass.” ‘ I hope ,’ he mentally added.

Piccolo’s brown shoes came into his field of vision and he looked up to see the object of his focus looming over him so incredibly close and with a look of disbelief on his face. He was speaking, but Gohan only had enough attention to focus on the way his lips moved as calming noises poured forth, the heat from his body, and the smell of sweat and dirt mingling with the natural scent of Piccolo. The sensations were too much and Gohan’s emotions were too confused to think about what he was doing. Gohan’s brain had nothing to do with the way he was now standing on his toes and pressing his lips against the man who haunted his dreams.

“Please, please, just this once, please, Piccolo,” he heard himself whispering against lips that were too tender to resist. Piccolo’s mouth opened and without thinking twice, Gohan seized the opportunity to deepen their kiss. Moaning at the first taste of his teacher, he pressed their mouths together harder. But too soon there were hands grabbing his wrists and restraining him as the Namekian pulled away from him with a shocked expression.

His mind finally catching up with what he had just done, Gohan’s eyes went wide and he tried to form an apology but only managed to stammer incoherently. Piccolo released him completely and stepped backwards from him.

“Gohan, is this what has been bothering you?” he inquired in the tone of voice he reserved for times when he was too confused to be angry.

“Piccolo, I’m sorry! Please don’t get angry with me, I didn’t mean it! I think I’ve had enough for today, I’ll see you tomorrow!” Gohan’s words tumbled out of his mouth so quickly he wasn’t sure if they made any sense, but he was not in the state of mind to deal with this fallout just yet. Wanting to put space between them until he could sort things out, Gohan took off at top speed not even knowing where he was headed as long as it was away from Piccolo.

Once out of the immediate area he landed and suppressed his power, not wanting to be followed by the Namekian. He ran on foot for a while before collapsing undercover of a steep overhanging cliff. Sitting with his head in his hands, he replayed the kiss over and over in his head. ‘ Why did I do that? Is that the best self-control I really have? Vegeta warned me about this and I still messed it up! How am I going to face Piccolo again? ’ his mind raced, thoughts and memories blurring together, but the thought of having to see his mentor again and pretend like the kiss meant nothing to him held his attention.

It had meant the world to him and now he would have to spend the rest of his life pretending like it didn’t. Then if he was able to convince Piccolo it meant nothing—which he wondered if even possible in his current state—he’d still have to spend time with his teacher. Even if they no longer sparred together, it would be impossible to avoid him forever as he was still a member of their inner circle. And if anyone noticed that Gohan and Piccolo were suddenly acting strangely around each other, they would start asking questions. Would Piccolo know not to answer? Would he let it slip that Gohan had kissed him because he thought it was a trivial occurrence that no one would care about? Then that would lead to Gohan having to explain himself and the possibility of Piccolo contradicting him.

But the kiss. He wailed softly, remembering the way those soft green lips had molded to his own, the way Piccolo’s cool skin had heated under his touch, and the teasing nutty taste in that warm mouth. It was his first kiss with the man he had a crush on for so long, the person who always came to his defense even at the cost of his own life. And it had left him utterly miserable.

Fumbling with the tie on his tracksuit, Gohan pushed down his pants and pulled out his limp member. Desperate to feel anything right now other than the crushing rejection, he jerked himself roughly to hardness. Biting down on his lip, he focused past the pain of the way he was handling himself and just tried to come as quick as he could, needing the burst of pleasure and mental stillness from an orgasm before his mind snapped from thinking about the kiss.

He grunted loudly as his precum finally started giving him a little lubrication from his quick motions. He was so close and he needed it more than ever right now, just a little more and he’d be there.

“Gohan.”

Expelling a deep gasp, Gohan pulled up his pants and shoved his erection inside. He knew Piccolo had probably seen everything anyway, but he had the decency to at least cover himself.

“P-Piccolo, what are you doing here?” he asked shakily, not able to meet his teacher’s eyes.

“I’m here to talk to you. I didn’t realize I would be interrupting something.” The Namekian attempted to defuse the tension in the air.

Gohan’s face turned a bright red at the fact that Piccolo had to force himself to make a masturbation joke on his behalf. Running a hand through his short hair, he didn’t know what to think, let alone say right now. As he stared down at the ground between his legs, he was ashamed to notice a small wet spot forming on his pants. Subtly trying to adjust himself as he stood up, Gohan gathered the courage to look Piccolo in the eye.

“I apologize, Piccolo. I acted rashly and I should have better control of my feelings and actions. I won’t let it happen again, please forgive me.” He bowed deeply and was a little nervous about standing back up, but he managed to slowly straighten and shyly meet Piccolo’s eyes. The sight of his mentor staring at him blankly wasn’t very reassuring.

“Gohan, is this what has been bothering you lately? Something about me?” Piccolo asked slowly, as if unsure of the words.

Sucking his lip in, Gohan debated on whether or not this situation could get any worse. As he realized he had already been caught stroking himself after giving the Namekian a surprise kiss, telling his real feelings couldn’t do much more damage than he already had.

“Piccolo, I…I think I’ve been in love with you since I was a little kid. I never told you before because I thought you’d just see me as a child. Then I met Videl and she was nice and gave me so much attention that I thought I could forget about you and move on with my life.” Gohan gave a defeated laugh as he felt his cheeks heat up.

“It worked too. I love her. I love Pan. But now, I keep thinking about you. I keep remembering all those thoughts I had years ago. I’m sorry to burden you with this. I had to get it off my chest and I won’t talk about it anymore, I promise,” he finished his confession quickly. He felt his eyes watering and squeezed his hands into fists at how pathetic he had sounded. ‘ Please say something. Anything!’

His lifelong teacher just kept staring at him, different emotions flashing in his eyes as if the gears in his brain were straining to make sense of all the conflicting things Gohan had said and done in the past five minutes. Finally he adopted a stern expression.

“Gohan, what is it that you want from me? Let me help you,” he spoke softly even with his serious expression.

The words broke him. He wanted desperately for Piccolo to help him and there were so many things he wanted to ask of him, but Gohan couldn’t bring himself to speak. Instead he pleaded silently, not even sure what he was asking for—to never speak of his transgressions again, to confess some hidden feelings, or to just take him away with a passionate kiss. But he didn’t think any of those things could happen. Then he realized he was just looking to Piccolo for answers again, for the Namekian to make the decision for him. Holding his head down in shame, Gohan had to turn away from his teacher’s questioning eyes.

Long arms wrapped around him and Gohan felt himself being pressed against the much larger body of Piccolo. He knew Piccolo didn’t like being affectionate like this, but he selfishly leaned into the contact anyway. With his eyes closed he could pretend Piccolo was holding him because they were in love and not just because he was acting like a child right now.

“Gohan, do you want...do you need me to touch you?” Piccolo asked hesitantly as one of his hands traveled to the crotch of Gohan’s tracksuit. “Is that what you want?”

The pressure against his flagging cock was enough to make Gohan groan, the fact that he had so often imagined Piccolo touching him this way was all the stimulus he needed to grow stiff again. Fuck, he wanted it. But it was wrong and he shouldn’t want it; shouldn’t want to cheat on his wife. However, his groan had seemed to give Piccolo enough encouragement to keep touching him and Gohan found he didn’t have the strength to tell him to stop. ‘ Please, just this once is enough, please. ’

“Is that better?” Piccolo asked, his words hesitant and questioning.

“Please, Piccolo,” Gohan whispered, pushing the front of his pants down far enough for his rigid flesh to be fully exposed. He could sense his teacher’s hesitation, but swallowed the guilt he felt as Piccolo’s hand glided along his skin. Biting back a ragged moan, he reached behind him to grab ahold of the stiff purple fabric of Piccolo’s gi. His hips thrust forward on their own, even as he tried to control himself, grinding into his crush’s soft touch.

“H-harder,” he heard himself whisper, blushing at his own outburst.

But Piccolo obliged him whether he meant to say that aloud or not. The hand stroking him moved fluidly and firmly as his teacher pulled their bodies closer together. Gohan could feel Piccolo’s breath on the back of his neck and he imagined this happening with no barriers of clothing between them—just the juxtaposition of rough and smooth skin against his own heated body.

The images in his head combined with the way Piccolo stroked him relentlessly pushed Gohan towards completion and he came with a long, soft groan. His body slumped in his teacher’s hold and he closed his eyes to allow his daydream to continue a few more brief seconds.

Then Piccolo was moving, trying to awkwardly shake Gohan’s shame off his hand and stand his pupil up straight. The small actions were like a tidal wave crashing on Gohan’s body and the happy bliss he had tried to hold onto was washed away with its passing. He quickly pulled his track pants up and coughed to buy a moment to think of something to say. Unable to face his mentor just yet, he stood staring at the small globs congealing in the dirt as his flushed cheeks showed no sign of going back to their normal hue.

“Will you be able to concentrate on your training now?” Piccolo’s gruff question cut him to the core.

“Yes, Piccolo.” He answered softly, scared to let any emotion slip.

“Good. I’ll see you the same time tomorrow then.”

That was it. Nothing else was said as Piccolo stepped away from him and took flight to wherever he chose to meditate that day.

Collapsing to his knees, Gohan didn’t bother trying to hold back anymore. The tears flowed fast and freely down his cheeks to hit the dry ground that was already stained with his weakness. It hadn’t been an act born of a wish for intimacy, or even some kind of love, it was the solution to what Piccolo viewed as a problem in Gohan’s training. Had his teacher really thought that jerking him off one time would magically cure him of his feelings and anxiety?

Snorting derisively, Gohan realized that he probably did. He was an outsider in this world after all and didn’t understand human emotions and urges. Everything that had just happened was meaningless in the grand scheme of things. Gohan stood up and wiped the back of his sleeve over his face. He needed to talk to someone about this before he was able to face his wife again and thankfully he knew just the right person.

XXXXX

Black eyes judged him harshly before the Prince crossed his arms with a dramatic roll of his eyes. “Out with it, boy. I know you’ve done something stupid even though I told you not to.”

Gohan chuckled, relieved in an odd way by Vegeta’s straightforward manner. “Do you mind if I get a drink?”

The older man raised an eyebrow at the question, but led him into the kitchen and motioned for him to sit while rummaging through the cabinets. Returning to the table, he set a glass with an amber liquid before Gohan and took a seat across from him with his own tumbler.

Ignoring the expectant stare from Vegeta, Gohan hesitantly brought the glass to his lips and took a long drink of the mystery spirit. It burned his throat and he let out a small cough as he swallowed the hard liquor. Torn between not wanting to talk just yet and not wanting to take another drink of whatever Vegeta had given him, he pushed the glass away and let out a long sigh.

“I told Piccolo I loved him.” Gohan looked Vegeta straight in the eyes as he confessed.

The Prince picked up his glass and took a slow swig before setting it back down. “As dumb as that was, I know that’s not all you did. You came here to talk, so hurry it up.”

“I…I kissed him.” His gaze wavered under Vegeta’s intense stare and silence. Suddenly the room felt incredibly hot and his throat unbearably dry. Grabbing the glass, he downed the rest of his drink in a single gulp.

Face twisted from the burn of the alcohol, he blurted out the last of his confession in one fell swoop. “I ran off and Piccolo caught me touching myself and then I let him touch me until I finished and then he left and told me to concentrate on my training!”

Vegeta picked up his drink and took another long sip. When the tumbler pulled away from his lips it left an amused smirk in its place.

“I knew it had to be something ridiculous, but this really tops the list of the dumb shit you could have done,” Vegeta laughed.

Gohan stared down at the empty glass in his hands and grimaced. “I know it was dumb. But I wanted to pretend it meant something. I wanted my feelings to be validated, even if it was just for a moment.”

Pushing his drink to the side, Vegeta leaned forward and spoke deliberately. “And now that playtime is over, what will you do?”

Gohan let out a shaky breath and ran a hand through his hair. “I’m not sure. I told Piccolo I wouldn’t bring it up again—and I won’t—but I don’t know how to go back and face him after that. And what will I tell Videl? I’ve hurt her over something so stupid!” Both his hands sunk into his hair as his head fell forward. The full consequence of everything he had done was finally crashing down and his shoulders drooped under the weight. He had no idea what he would say to his wife; he had spent the entire flight to Capsule Corporation thinking of what possible explanation he could give. None of the outcomes in his experimental scenarios were very pleasant.

“Tell her the truth. All of it, otherwise it will eat you alive. You’re not built to hold secrets—it will come out sooner or later.” Vegeta leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest.

Wishing he now had more drink to distract him from having to speak, Gohan let a silence fall over them. He knew Vegeta was right after all: nobody in his family was good at keeping secrets. After how easily Videl had deduced that he was the Great Saiyaman when she barely knew him, there would be no getting around her questions or pointed stares now that she knew each of his quirks by heart.

“May I have another drink?” he asked with more resignation than he liked.

Silently standing up, Vegeta retrieved the bottle of whiskey and slid it in front of Gohan’s face before settling back into his chair. Gohan poured some in his glass and gulped it down as if the alcohol could burn away the fear he was feeling. ‘ Well they do call it liquid courage, right? ’ He played with the empty glass a little more before deciding he should go and face his wife. Standing slowly, he thanked Vegeta for his time and headed towards the door.

“Gohan.”

Vegeta’s voice was quiet and there was a hollowness in it that made Gohan pause at how strange it had sounded. He turned back to see Vegeta frowning at the small amount of liquid left in his glass.

“Was it worth it?” Vegeta asked, not bothering to meet Gohan’s eyes.

The ghost of a smile passed over Gohan’s lips as he remembered how Piccolo’s hand had felt as it handled him.

“Ah, well, it was great at the time, but not so much now.” Gohan let out a short wheeze that was meant to have been a laugh.

“Hmph.” Vegeta downed the last sip of his drink and set the glass back on the table with a thud. “Remember that next time you think about not taking my advice,” he admonished before giving the younger man an intense glare.

“I will, Vegeta.” Gohan managed to smile at the Prince for a second before continuing out the door and blasting off towards his house.

XXXXX

Gohan ate his dinner quietly. He hadn’t worked up the right words to say just yet and was trying to buy time by pushing his food around his plate without much interest in actually eating it. He knew that Videl had been watching him out of the corner of her eye, but he wasn’t ready to face her anger or worse, her tears quite yet. Of course his dread of the upcoming conversation couldn’t keep it from actually occurring.

“Gohan, is something the matter? You’ve been awfully quiet since you got home. Did your training not go well?” Videl inquired, genuine concern in her voice.

Pushing all the doubt from his mind, Gohan set down his silverware and looked his wife in the eye. His lips quavered for a second before he made his decision.

“Videl, I have something to tell you. I’m ashamed of what I’ve done and all I ask is that you hear me out. If you can’t forgive me afterwards, then I’ll respect your decision."

His loving, trusting wife lowered her fork and folded her hands in her lap.

"Gohan, what could you have done that I wouldn't be able to forgive you for?" she asked with a brave front and a smile.

"I was training with Piccolo today, as you know," he hesitated, wiping the moisture off his forehead. Videl was waiting patiently for him to continue and that somehow made it even worse. Gohan took a quick sip of his water to avoid her questioning gaze.

"Ah, I um, h-have fe-feelings for him," he confessed quietly.

Videl's eyes widened and her lips opened in shock before recovering into a tight smile seconds later.

"I know that, Gohan, he is like a father to you and I think of him as a part of the family too."

Even after dropping a bomb like that on her, she was still offering him an out of the conversation. He couldn't meet her eyes as he wondered if he had ever truly deserved being with such a kind soul. He wanted to smile and thank her for understanding and continue in their lives as though this odd conversation had never happened, but he just couldn't. There were some things that were absolutely unforgivable and to do that to her would be one of them.

"No, Videl." He was firmer now, more resolute. "Not as a father." His wife opened her mouth to speak, but he held up a hand to silence her. "Please let me finish. I have...romantic feelings toward him and today I acted on them. I have sullied our marriage and I understand if you can't forgive me." He paused there, nervously glancing at her now pale face, waiting for her to ask any questions.

She opened and closed her mouth a few times and wiped her eyes before finally being able to speak.

"Gohan, I don't understand. What do you mean you 'acted on them'? Please tell me this is joke, Gohan!"

He wrung his shirt between his fingers; he had anticipated this question, but had also wanted to spare her the details of what he had done.

"I... He... Um," his face flushed from a mixture of embarrassment and anxiety. "I kissed him."

Videl seemed to relax and Gohan felt guilty about having to continue.

"And I, ah, let him touch me. I didn't ask him to, but I didn't stop him either. I'm sorry, Videl. It won't happen again, I can promise that, but I can't take it back."

Videl sat, trembling and trying not to cry, quietly in her chair. She didn't meet his eyes, but Gohan hardly blamed her.

"I knew you had strong feelings for him, but I didn't think it was like this, Gohan. I don't understand how this happened!" Her voice and tears finally broke, so she angrily wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand.

Gohan wanted to jump out of his chair and comfort her, but stayed rooted to his seat.

"Videl, I'm really sorry," he whispered, barely audible.

Jerking up her head, Videl rose from her seat and fled from the room. He heard her flight end with the slamming of their bedroom door. With a defeated sigh, Gohan stood and cleared the table. He had been afraid of her reacting this way and was unsure of what else to do but wait until she felt like talking to him again.

After washing all the dishes and cleaning everything else he could find, Gohan sat down on the couch and tried to get comfortable.

A gentle shake was all it took to rouse him; he jerked up and tried to focus on the puffy face of his wife. He readjusted his thick glasses and reached to hold her hand, but stopped himself short.

"Videl?" He tried to gauge her mood, but the darkness of the living room obscured her face.

She sighed heavily and took his offered hand. "Gohan, do you still love me?"

"Yes! Of course I do! I love you so much!”

“Did I not do enough? Do I not please you anymore?” She asked with a small hiccup.

“No, it’s not that at all! I don’t want to lose you and that’s why I told you about it! I wouldn’t be able to treat you like my wife while keeping that secret. I know it’s selfish of me to want two people, it's just that I have feelings for Piccolo too and I don't know how to fix it!" He grabbed her close and could feel her tears soaking his shoulder already.

Videl pulled away and smiled faintly at him. "It's not something that needs to be fixed, Gohan. You love who you love. If you can love both of us and not forget about me and Pan, then I'm okay with it. He's already so good with Pan and I won't make you have to choose one of us."

Staring at her in surprise, Gohan had to blink a few times to make sure he wasn't dreaming. Still a little doubtful, he then pinched himself just to double check.

"Videl... I don't know what to say, I don't...." He gave up on trying to speak and just squeezed her tightly to his chest so that she could feel how fast his heart was racing with love for her. They both sat crying like that for awhile before Gohan could speak again.

"You're the most amazing person who ever lived," he whispered in her ear.

"What about Piccolo?" Videl croaked out with a half laugh.

"You never abandoned me in a desert and you beat me up a lot less," Gohan answered with his own shaky laugh.

"I don't mind getting a little rough if that's what you like, Gohan," she wiggled her eyebrows at him.

Before she could say anymore, his wife was underneath him on the couch and Gohan was using his mouth in a different way to express the depth of his emotions for her. As she moaned and pleaded for him, he was so grateful to have found such an understanding and strong woman for his wife.

XXXXX

The next day as Gohan reported for training, he was a melting pot of emotions: elation, trepidation, love, and a little bit of lust. His mentor was waiting for him with arms crossed and eyes closed, not betraying any emotion as usual.

Landing a few feet away, Gohan did a few light stretches, deciding to try his luck at wooing the Namekian after their workout. Last night after their emotions had cooled, Gohan and Videl had discussed what their possible options were moving forward. Now he was anxious to put that plan into action.

"Piccolo, do you mind if we keep it short today? I have something, um, important to do afterwards," he inquired cheerily, trying to mask his nerves.

"Hmph, I hope you aren't trying to slack off because of yesterday," Piccolo replied in his gruff voice.

Gohan raised his eyebrows at the statement. Curious as to how Piccolo connected the two, he pressed his mentor further.

"Ah, I don't know what you mean, Piccolo."

"If you want to keep getting sexual favors from me then you're going to have to earn them!" Piccolo's eyes shot open and he smirked at his student.

Suddenly the world was very hot and small for Gohan and he had to force himself to breathe.

"W-What do you mean? I don't...! Um! " Flustered beyond belief, Gohan felt his cheeks burning and his groin start to ache from the heated gaze.

"I know that you want more, Gohan. And I'm willing to help you," Piccolo answered rather matter of factly.

Suddenly a light switched on in Gohan's head and he rushed forward to grab his teacher's hand.

"No! That's not what I want, Piccolo! I want to have a real relationship with you, not just random sex! I love you and I want us to be together!"

Taking a step backwards, Piccolo seemed stunned by the words. His whole body went rigid except for his mouth which gaped open as he tried to make sense of what he had just heard.

"Gohan, you have a family. I won't allow you to abandon them!" the Namekian ripped his hand out of Gohan's hold. "I care about you deeply, but this is all I can offer you. I know it's not honorable, but after finally knowing that you care about me too, I can't help it. You were the first person who truly trusted me and, even though you may never understand how much that meant to me, all the evil my heart once held has been replaced with love for you.”

Tears of happiness welled up in the corner of Gohan's eyes and years of repressed feelings broke through his defenses all at once as he sprang to embrace his love.

"You don't have to worry about that, Piccolo! You don't have to worry!" He wanted to explain himself and put Piccolo's fears to rest, but Gohan couldn't stop hiccuping through his tears to speak properly. He pressed his cheek to Piccolo's warm chest and sobbed in joy that it wasn't as one-sided as he had thought. His fingers clutched at the smooth fabric as he tried to control the flood of emotions, but having had to wait this long, he thought he deserved the release.

Before long a heavy hand was on his back, soothing and comforting him, even though the owner probably wasn't sure why. The gesture alone was enough to bring a smile to Gohan's face and he finally looked up at the man he had loved for most of his life.

"Piccolo, I told Videl everything already!" His teacher's stance stiffened considerably and concern flashed behind a guarded stare. Gohan's smile shone brighter, ready to surprise Piccolo with the unbelievable news.

"No, it's good! I told her everything and she said it was okay! So if you don't mind, we want you to move in with us!" Gohan barely finished the end of his sentence before tugging Piccolo's face down to his level and pressing his lips against the slightly open mouth of his mentor.

This time Piccolo eagerly matched his movements and it spurred Gohan's tongue into a frenzy. Eagerly tasting the slightly sweet flavor of the Namekian, Gohan moaned in delight that the kiss was being returned to him with full force. As he felt sharp fangs nick his lip, Gohan's grip on Piccolo's neck tightened and he had to force himself to break away.

"Are you willing to try, Piccolo? Please? I know it's selfish of me to want you both, but I truly love you and Videl so much!" He pressed his lips together, frightened that Piccolo might be uninterested in sharing.

"Do I have to...do it with your wife too?" Piccolo blushed a deep purple as he spoke.

Having not really considering that part before, Gohan shifted against his teacher so his erection wouldn't be so noticeable.

"Uh, ah, not unless you both wanted to do that." Gohan blushed a pale pink over how much the idea suddenly turned him on.

"So that's a yes then." Piccolo sighed and smiled in amusement.

"No! It's really up to you two! I wouldn't ask you to do that if it made you uncomfortable!" Gohan tried to convince him with a flailing of his hands.

With a dark chuckle, Piccolo ran his palm over the front of Gohan's pants and smirked knowingly.

"I'm sure you'd never ask for it, but I can feel that you definitely want it to happen," Piccolo gave the tent a small tug.

Yelping slightly, Gohan cursed that he couldn't keep a secret better. "That doesn't mean you have to do it though!"

Piccolo grinned smugly and relented in his teasing. "We'll see. I won't promise you anything just yet."

Gohan felt his dick twitch at the thought and he thanked every god he knew that he had managed to fall in love with two open minded people. But with the way he felt his tip leaking, he knew he wouldn't fare well in the day's training and shifted on his feet.

"Um, Piccolo? Would you mind if we, ah, skipped the fighting today and went back home?" Gohan shyly bit his lip in need.

"I'll allow it this time only because I've been waiting so long for this," Piccolo answered, his breathing suddenly a little heavier than normal.

"Yeah, thanks," Gohan had to restrain himself from ripping off their clothes right there. Hearing Piccolo say he had been waiting for it was one of the most arousing things Gohan had ever heard; he grabbed Piccolo's hand to drag him through the sky as he blasted off towards his home.

When they finally burst through the front door of their new home together, both of their hands were all over each other. Gohan looked up to see Videl's shocked expression and for a moment he was afraid she had changed her mind about the arrangement now that she saw them together. But instead of getting upset, she gave him a knowing grin and nodded her head.

Even as his heart swelled with love for her, his dick swelled at the thought of his wife approving of what he was about to do with his other love. He gave her an elated smile and was about to keep heading for the bedroom when he felt Piccolo leave his side.

“Thank you for inviting me into your home and family.” Piccolo bowed to Videl and gave one of his rare, sincere smiles.

First shooting a surprised look at Gohan, Videl was quick to match the bow with a small chirp of happiness. “Thank you, Piccolo, for accepting.”

The Namekian straightened himself and smirked down at the small figure. “I’m going to go have sex with Gohan. I think he would enjoy it if you joined us.”

A bright crimson flooded Videl’s face and she covered up her embarrassment with her hands. “Ahm, I don’t know if I’m ready for that! Y-You two go o-on ahead without m-me!” she answered while quickly turning and busying herself with the dishes in the sink.

Gohan let out a long breath, secretly hoping that Videl had agreed; but he certainly didn’t want to push her when the whole situation was so new and fragile. She could join in whenever she felt comfortable, however long that took. So instead of letting this affect his mood, he just tugged the chuckling Namekian down the hallway to enjoy the person who was ready for this to happen.

As they entered the room, Gohan immediately turned and tugged Piccolo down into another kiss as the Namekian led him backwards towards the bed. As his legs hit the mattress and he toppled over with Piccolo on top of him, Gohan paused and looked up at his teacher nervously.

“Um, Piccolo, do you…aha, do you even know what sex is? I mean, I know you told Videl that, but…” he shyly ran a palm between the Namekian’s legs and blushed at the confirmation that there were no obvious genitals there.

Letting out a loud bark of a laugh, Piccolo smirked at Gohan and mirrored the movements the halfling had just performed on him, drawing a small hiss from pink lips. “I’ve never had sex personally, but I guess you could say I inherited the knowledge.” Piccolo’s eyes flicked up to meet Gohan’s gaze with a knowing look. “And just because I don’t have the same body type as you doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy it.”

Gohan’s breath hitched in his throat and his eyelids drooped as he processed this new information. Suddenly things weren’t moving quickly enough for him and he tugged at the sash around his partner’s waist, prodding Piccolo to get undressed. His partner complied with a laugh, and with a flash all of their clothes were gone. Blinking in confusion, Gohan wondered what had just happened until he realized that Piccolo had used his clothing beam to make their clothing disappear.

“That certainly comes in handy,” Gohan chuckled. Excitement and anxiousness pooled in his stomach as he took in the sight of his master’s nude body. His emerald skin, punctuated with patches of pink, was taught over bulging muscles and the sight made Gohan absent mindedly lick his lips. Reaching up to run his hands over the smooth skin, he sighed blissfully when Piccolo’s hands began their exploration of his body.

It was nothing like the previous day where Piccolo had roughly jerked him. This time there was a loving manner to each of the touches; they were slow and gentle—making it hard for Gohan to concentrate on what his own hands were doing. Sharp nails raked across his skin, making his body shiver as they traced their way down his chest to his stomach where Piccolo flattened his palm against Gohan’s skin and slid it even further downwards.

Time seemed to stop as Gohan held his breath and waited for Piccolo to finally touch his aching dick again. His hands latched onto his mentor’s back, silently pleading for the Namekian to stroke him like before, needing the touch to assure himself that all of this was really happening. After teasing touches on his thighs, Gohan moaned loudly when he finally felt a strong hand wrap itself around his cock.

“Y-Yes, Piccolo!” he breathed into the neck of his partner.

Piccolo laughed a little at his enthusiastic outburst and sat up in a straddle across Gohan’s hips without stopping the slow movements of his hand. “Tell me what you want, Gohan. I’m hoping it’s more than just another hand job.” The Namekian grinned down at him and put a little extra pressure on the head of his dick.

A whine escaped Gohan’s lips as he felt his cock getting slick as Piccolo smeared his precum along his shaft. “I, I want to do anything I can do with you!” Gohan blurted out, still a little unsure of what it was.

“Do you want to fuck me, Gohan?” Piccolo asked, shifting so that Gohan’s dick was rubbing the cleft in his ass. “I don’t mind. Or I can suck on you until you come. Both of those will get me off too,” he added with an inviting smirk.

Gohan’s hips spasmed at the mental image both of those suggestions brought to mind. “Um, those both sound good…” he mumbled softly.

Piccolo raised an eye at the unenthusiastic reply. “What did you have in mind?”

Squirming a bit in embarrassment at having to reveal his deepest fantasy, Gohan coughed a little before speaking. “I’d really like it if you, um, took me….”

The hand on his dick stilled and Gohan looked up at Piccolo shyly, running his hands over strong thighs in encouragement. “That is if it’s okay with you?” Gohan smiled shakily, hoping that he wouldn’t have to miss out on two of his fantasies in one day. “I’m okay with whatever you want to do!”

Piccolo looked down at Gohan with an expression that bordered on sadness. “I can regrow limbs that I had before, but I can’t magically make a body part appear, Gohan.”

The softness in his voice made Gohan’s heart clench a little for not fully explaining himself. To know that it bothered Piccolo so much not to be able to please Gohan in the manner he asked for took his breath away. But he shook the regret from his mind and gave his new lover a bashful smile.

“I know that, but, um, I’ve asked Videl to do it before…so…we have something to help with that….” Gohan chuckled and guided Piccolo out of his lap before leaning over to grab something out of the nightstand drawer. When he turned back to his partner he had a long pink object connected to black straps in his hand. He held it out to Piccolo, who regarded it with a rather quizzical expression, before scooting closer to his teacher.

“Um, you wear this and it’s like you have a –” Gohan’s sentence dissolved into a nervous titter as he displayed it more clearly by holding it by the straps.

“A fake dick?” Piccolo asked with an amused expression. He reached out and took it from Gohan, holding it to his crotch. “I wasn’t expecting this, but I’m willing to try it out for you. How does it look?” he asked with a wink.

It took a lot of strength for Gohan to hold back the moan that was building in his chest from the sight of his longtime crush holding the dick and the thought of how it would be used on him. “Great,” he whispered, his mouth suddenly dry. “Let me help you put it on,” he managed to squeak out as he closed the distance between them and started to loosen the straps to fit Piccolo. His hands trembled in anticipation as each strap was put in place until it was finally fully secured. Giving it a little tug to make sure it was a snug fit, Gohan wanted to impale himself on it as soon as possible.

Going back to the drawer, Gohan pulled out a bottle of lube and was about to open it before Piccolo stopped him.

“I have a better idea,” Piccolo murmured, pulling the bottle from Gohan’s hand and tossing it aside.

Gohan opened his mouth to protest, but Piccolo put a finger over his lips to silence him. He obediently let his teacher lay him back on the bed, his cock twitching as his legs were spread wide enough to expose all of him. Unable to tear his eyes away, he watched as the Namekian knelt and tried to get into a position that was comfortable with the strap on.

Piccolo wound up on his knees with his upper body resting on the bed as he wrapped his arms under Gohan’s legs and held him in position. A small smirk flashed across Piccolo’s face as the only warning before he lapped at the tight ring of muscle with a soft moan. His tongue felt rougher than Videl’s, but it just served to stimulate Gohan’s sensitive opening further.

Hips bucking up at the teasing sensation, Gohan whimpered for more. He hadn’t thought Piccolo would be so comfortable with performing this act on him, but he was beyond ecstatic that it was happening without him having to ask for it. Everything that had seemed such a mess yesterday had turned out so beautifully that he almost wanted to cry. Even though he managed to keep his tears on the inside, he couldn’t hold in the soft whimpering as Piccolo massaged him further.

Gentle hands pushed his legs open wider and the rough tongue played along the rim of his entrance, making sparks of pleasure run through his body. Already panting heavily, Gohan’s gaze was fixed on the way Piccolo’s antennae swayed as he moved between the Saiyan’s legs. He knew it was an odd thing to focus on, but he felt like he would melt away under Piccolo’s ministrations if he broke his concentration for a second. Hands fisting in the blankets, his breath came heavier as his teacher’s long tongue flicked in and out of him. The green antennae were swaying faster now, bobbing slightly as Piccolo groaned and managed to press even further inside him.

Biting his lip didn’t help as the whimpers and mewls poured from Gohan’s mouth faster than he could stop them. He could feel his mentor’s appendage wriggling inside him, searching for which speeds and movements would wring the loudest moans from him.

“P-Piccolo!” he heard himself crying out, hips twisting of their own accord under the pleasurable onslaught. A muffled groan answered him and Piccolo’s tongue danced inside, going so fast and deep that Gohan’s head spun from the stimulus overload. His chest was heaving and he began to wonder if he would even last till the penetration—clutching at the last remaining straws of his willpower to hold out despite how much his cock twitched for release.

Suddenly his teacher’s long nails were embedding themselves in his thighs and the Namekian’s tongue stilled inside him as Piccolo let out a long groan. Gohan felt a sudden rush of wetness against his entrance and he looked to see Piccolo heaving for breath and mouth covered in drool as he panted heavily. The smirking, green face looking back at him was flushed a deep magenta from his nose to the tips of his long ears. Gohan knew he must be in a similar state, but it was almost as if his teacher had—

“Piccolo?” he asked in a raspy voice.

“Yeah, Gohan?” His voice was more slurred than normal as he rose and wiped a hand across his chin.

“Did you just…?”

Piccolo laughed and placed the head of his strap on at Gohan’s soaked entrance, “I only did what you’re about to do.” With that he plunged forward, leaving his student gasping for air as he was filled with an object that was so familiar to him, but suddenly felt brand new.

“Ffff—“ Gohan cursed, his back arching off the mattress and ripping the sheets. He had dreamed of this for so long, and now that it was finally happening, he knew he wouldn’t last much longer. He screamed as Piccolo started moving harder than Videl ever had, stroking him faster than he could gulp down more air into his lungs.

Piccolo leaned over him, holding onto his hips as he kept plunging in his student’s body. If Gohan had been able to hold in his tears before, the power escaped him now as he felt his eyes water up. A small gasp from across the room caught his attention and he turned to the doorway to see Videl standing there, watching with a flush on her face. Gohan reached out to her, beckoning her to enter, and she glanced between the two of them, staring at the way Piccolo plundered her husband’s body.

Hesitantly she crossed the distance between them and sat on the bed beside him, holding his hand but transfixed on his and Piccolo’s connection. He could see her chest moving slightly more than normal as she watched the pair of them. He stroked his hand over her palm as he tried to keep his moans down.

She turned her head to him and he could see the signs of tears in her eyes, but she smiled down at him and moved over him to press their lips together softly. “Gohan, you’re so beautiful,” she whispered against his mouth. One of her hands trailed down his chest to his cock, her fingers swirling over the tip before beginning to pump him exactly how she knew drove him crazy.

Panting against her parted lips, Gohan was overwhelmed by both of his lovers giving him pleasure at once. He couldn’t recognize the muffled sounds coming out of his mouth anymore and as Piccolo continued to brush the spot that made him see stars and he felt his wife’s small hand stroke him, his whole body tensed as he sprayed over Videl’s fingers and his abs.

His head spun and he whined softly as Piccolo withdrew from him and Videl let go of his still dripping dick. Then there were two mouths kissing him, not fighting one another for dominance, but shyly sharing his lips as he struggled to reciprocate. His eyes cracked open and he could see Piccolo and Videl hovering over him, both looking at him with a tenderness that was almost too much after what had just happened. Gohan wrapped his arms around them and pulled them down to his sides, basking in the warmth of being snuggled between them. His eyes drooped, but he didn’t want to fall asleep. He just wanted to concentrate on everything he was feeling in this perfect moment.

But life had other plans. Before long a faint cry could be heard from another room and Videl chuckled softly.

“I’ll get her,” Piccolo was the first to offer and he rose from the tangle of limbs.

“Uhn uh, I’ll get her,” Videl laughed. “Why don’t you get dressed first and then come see her?” She rose from the bed with a smile and sped off to check on her baby.

Piccolo let out a rumbling laugh and unhooked the straps from around his waist and legs, throwing the pink device on the foot of the bed and sitting on the side of the mattress with a smile of his own.

“Come on, Gohan, get cleaned up so we can see Pan,” he murmured as he stroked Gohan’s arm softly.

The Saiyan smiled up at him and nodded, sitting up and stretching his aching muscles with only a slight grimace. He padded over to the master bath and quickly cleaned himself the best he could as Piccolo leaned against the doorway, watching in appreciation. Gohan grinned at him in the mirror and couldn’t hide the blush that all the attention brought to his face.

“Piccolo,” he half whispered, sure that the Namekian could still hear him perfectly, “thank you. For trying and everything.”

Pushing himself off the doorframe, Piccolo walked behind Gohan and wrapped his arms around the younger man. “Gohan, I love you. I always have after I got to know you. I’ll do anything for you and you never have to thank me.”

Tears welled in Gohan’s eyes as his heart overflowed with love and happiness; he opened his mouth to reply, but heard another of Pan’s cries break through the silence. With a chirp he turned and kissed Piccolo briefly before pulling away with watery eyes, but a beaming smile.

“Come on, let’s go see what our daughter is crying about,” Gohan urged him.

Piccolo nodded and held out a hand over Gohan and then himself, returning them both to a fully dressed state. Gohan held his hand as they walked out together, each step cementing the foundation of their new family.