Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ The One Who Comforts ❯ Acceptance ( Chapter 6 )

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or any of its characters.

 

Chapter 6-Acceptance

 

Piccolo grunted and twisted his head around when Gohan's knuckles grazed the side of his face. Flipping backwards in the air, he landed on his feet and then fazed behind his student, aiming to kick him in the back. But, as always, Gohan's reflexes were much quicker than they had been when Piccolo had started training him years ago. His student easily blocked the blow and ended up returning it by kicking Piccolo in the gut. Ignoring the sudden burst of pain, Piccolo grimaced slightly before he shot a ki blast at his student, which was promptly deflected.

 

Over the years, the growth in Gohan's potential as a fighter had become astounding. Piccolo had known from the beginning how much latent ability the son of his former rival had locked within him. The fact that he had come so far in such a relatively short period of time, even surpassing his own father, was something that Piccolo was still trying to fully understand. Especially given the fact that Gohan was not a person who enjoyed fighting for the sake of fighting. It was more akin to a pastime for him, not something he would ever consider doing as the staple of his existence, as Piccolo had once thought of his own fighting abilities. However, just as Gohan internally realized that the life of a wandering fighter wasn't for him, Piccolo was slowly starting to have the same sort of feeling growing deep within him as well. There was so much more to life then fighting and killing, something he had begun to discover when he had trained Gohan in the wilderness all those years before. And as he had begun to become even more entrenched in the politics and dynamics that made up Gohan's family, the thought of living the rest of his life in relative solitude up on the Lookout was also slowly losing its appeal.

 

Lost in thought, he didn't realize that Gohan was aiming another blow at him until he felt the boy's foot connect solidly with his head. His ears could hear the resounding crack of muscle against the bone of his skull and within milliseconds, spots of lights started to form against his eyes, dancing around as his surroundings started to blur and then change to complete darkness.

 

He felt himself floating in a void before there was an overwhelming feeling of nothingness. All in all, the sensation was rather pleasant.

 

However, Gohan wasn't having quite the same reaction.

 

He watched in slow motion as his foot smashed into the back of Piccolo's skull. Usually, when he tried this move out, Piccolo was able to evade with minimal damage. But for some reason, he hadn't even tried to avoid the blow, as though he hadn't known it was coming. In fact, Gohan doubted he had even erected a ki shield to minimize the impact. So he had taken the full force of the blow that was strengthened by his Super Saiyan form. As soon as his foot connected, Piccolo's body jerked forward and his eyes rolled up into the back of his head. With a terrifying realization, Gohan shot forward before his friend could plummet hundreds of feet to his death, if he weren't already dead to begin with. Grabbing Piccolo's gi in his fist, he caught the giant warrior before he became green goo splattered on the white snow below them. Pushing back his fearful tears that he had accidentally gone too far and killed his teacher, Gohan landed on the snow and carefully laid his friend out, melting away a patch of snow with his ki.

 

Glancing nervously at his friend, he saw in relief that his chest was still moving up and down, indicating that he was breathing. Letting out a sigh, he wiped away the tears that were forming at the corners of his eyes and then he leaned over and started to gently nudge his friend to try and wake him up out of his stupor.

 

In what seemed like forever to Gohan, Piccolo's eyelids slowly started to flutter open, revealing the charcoal gray irises that made up his eyes. He watched as Piccolo lay there, both of his eyes unfocused as they stared at the blue gray clouds above them that promised more snow. Becoming more agitated, he grabbed hold of Piccolo's shoulder and shook him gently.

 

“Come on Piccolo, snap out of it! Please!”

 

Leaning over, he tilted Piccolo's face, noticing that his teacher was slowly blinking his eyes, the haze that had covered them was starting to lift. Groaning softly in pain, Piccolo moved his arm and slowly pushed Gohan away from his body as he struggled to sit up.

 

“What happened?”

 

Letting out a shaky laugh to hide some of his overwhelming feeling of relief and slight twinge of guilt, Gohan patted Piccolo on the shoulder before discreetly wincing at the size of the dark bruise that was becoming visible on the back of Piccolo's head. There was no doubt that he was probably going to suffer with a tremendous headache, and lying down wouldn't give it much relief since the tenderness of the tissue surrounding his skull would also be painful. Shaking his head slightly, he answered Piccolo's query.

 

“Umm, I kicked you in the back of the head and you blacked out.”

 

“Oh.”

 

Piccolo, as always, was extremely stubborn. Slowly, he tried to stand up but a wave of dizziness and vertigo swept over his body, causing him to promptly fall back down in an undignified heap, further added to by the sudden sensation to wretch into the snow. Gagging, he leaned over with his face almost in the snow bank while Gohan watched helplessly from the sidelines.

 

“Piccolo!”

 

Grabbing his teacher, he pulled him back up and grabbed his face. Being around fighters for most of his life, Gohan knew that Piccolo was more injured than he was trying to let on. One of his eyes was dilated, while the other was not, which indicated to Gohan that his teacher was most likely suffering from a severe concussion. He had a feeling that his mother was going to kill him and when Piccolo finally started to feel like himself again, he'd probably be in on it as well.

 

“Come on Piccolo! We should head back to my house.”

 

He tried to push Piccolo up, but all he did was agitate the Namekian further. Piccolo forcefully grunted and pushed his hands away before he collapsed onto his back, breathing shallowly through his mouth as he watched the gray sky above with unfocused eyes.

 

Now Gohan was starting to get desperate. He'd injured Piccolo before in their mock fighting, just as Piccolo had injured him numerous times in the past. But it had never been anything like this and he was suddenly afraid. It was early November and the temperatures had dropped dramatically around Mount Pazou. It was cold and the scent in the air promised that they were soon going to have a snowstorm on their hands as they had everyday for the last few weeks. If he couldn't get Piccolo to move, he could die. And if his head injury were severe enough, that could also cause his untimely demise. Cursing himself for being so stupid to use his full strength and cursing Piccolo for being preoccupied with thoughts that were a distraction during a battle, Gohan once again tried to get Piccolo to stand up.

 

“Come on Piccolo! We can't stay out here. It's only a little ways to my house and then you'll be warm and my mom will make you feel better. Don't you want that? I know you like it when my mom fawns over you. So please, let me pick you up!”

 

Apparently, Piccolo's brain was very muddled because he slowly tried to focus his gaze on Gohan before softly replying to the boy's frantic plea.

 

“Chi-Chi? What happened? What are you doing out here in the cold? You're an idiot.”

 

“Wha…Piccolo! Snap out of it. It's me, Gohan! Not Mom and I already told you what happened.”

 

Gohan wasn't prepared for what happened next. He was about to lightly slap Piccolo in the cheek when Piccolo's hand shot out and grabbed his arm, yanking him down on top of his body in an awkward position.

 

“Mmmm, Chi-Chi, you smell nice. I don't know why, but you do. Even though you're an idiot and a pain in the ass.”

 

Too much information, Gohan's mind registered in a panic as Piccolo's arm started to wrap tightly around his back. He'd had his suspicions for a while that Piccolo's interest in his mom was more than a promise to just make sure she was looking out for herself until the baby came, but Piccolo was terribly clever at hiding his feelings. No matter how hard he had tried to catch his mentor in the act of making a move on his mother, or at least getting him to admit that he liked his mother as more than just as a compulsory obligation, none of his efforts had born any fruit. And the same was true with his mother. However, having a blow to the head was effecting Piccolo's sense of judgement, and his suspicions were finally being confirmed in an altogether uncomfortable way.

 

Pushing against Piccolo's chest, Gohan broke free of the strong grip his teacher possessed and scrambled away, landing on his rear with his hands on the ground supporting his upper body.

 

“I'm Gohan Piccolo! Gohan, not Chi-Chi! And we have to get home.”

 

“G…Gohan? Where am I? What happened?”

 

Rubbing his head in frustration, Gohan stood up and then walked over to where Piccolo was still lying on the ground. Peering into his teacher's face, he crossed his arms and glared at the injured Namekian.

 

“I…already….told….YOU! Snap out of it! We are going home and that's final. I don't care if you want to lay out here in a daze until you turn into a giant green Popsicle, but I don't want to freeze to death and I don't think my mother would appreciate it if either one of us kicked the bucket.”

 

Bending over, he grabbed Piccolo's arm and yanked him upright, ignoring the sudden sounds of distress coming from his friend. Throwing his body over his shoulder, he tried his best not to sense the tremors running through Piccolo's body from the sudden change in position. Readying the two of them, he shifted positions and then blasted into the air, making as much as speed as he could to reach his home as quickly as possible.

 

In less then five minutes, the two of them were on the doorstep of Gohan's house. Kicking the door open with his foot, he walked inside, dragging Piccolo with him.

 

The house was warm and snug feeling. As he rounded into the small living room, he watched as his mother awkwardly got out of her rocking chair, throwing her knitting to the floor as she tried to quickly make her way over to where Gohan was standing with Piccolo slung over his shoulder.

 

“Gohan! Piccolo! What….what happened?”

 

Chi-Chi clumsily maneuvered her body around to where Gohan was still standing, finding her way to where Piccolo's head was almost touching the ground. Bending forward, it wasn't difficult for her to see the massive bruise forming on the back of his head. Wincing slightly, she realized that his mock fight with Gohan must have somehow gotten out of hand, with Gohan being the clear victor. Straightening up, she decided to take control of the situation, since it was obvious to her from Gohan's body language and lack of an answer that he was upset with what had happened.

 

“I can tell that your fighting must have went overboard. He's got a nasty bruise on the back of his head and I'm concerned that he's still unconscious. But I'm pretty sure that he'll be fine. Gohan, I want you to take him upstairs and gently put him on my bed. And then I want you to fly to Korin's tower and see if he has any Senzu beans. If he doesn't, go to the Lookout and get Dende. This could be a serious injury.”

 

Gohan nodded his head dumbly and did what he was instructed, taking Piccolo up the stairs. Following behind her son, she watched as he gently deposited the Namek on her bed, ignoring the groaning coming from the prostrate alien.

 

Backing away from the bed slightly, she noticed how stiff Gohan was before he turned around to face her.

 

“Mom, he isn't going to die, is he? I didn't kill him, did I?”

 

Sighing slightly, Chi-Chi walked over to her distraught son and pulled him into a hug, even though her ever expanding mid-section made such a gesture of comfort awkward. Hearing him sniffle against her shoulder, she rubbed his back in a motherly fashion and then pulled him away from her, making sure he was looking her in the eyes.

 

“Piccolo will be just fine. He's not bleeding, his breathing seems fairly regular, and he's got a heartbeat. I just want you to get the Senzu beans or bring Dende along just in case something unforeseen happens. And it will help free up my bed so I don't have to sleep on the couch. Just don't worry about anything. Your father has been injured worse than this and he made it out just fine. Okay?”

 

Gohan nodded slightly before he backed away and walked out the door, giving Piccolo a long glance before he disappeared out the door and walked down the stairs. Chi-Chi relaxed slightly when she heard the outside door open and close, indicating that Gohan had decided to follow her directions and was already on his way towards Korin's tower.

 

Stepping towards the bed she had once shared with Goku, she couldn't help but feel a slight flutter of anticipation, although she didn't know why she would feel that way to begin with. Maybe it was the fact that Piccolo was in her bed, in her most private of sanctuaries and he needed her help. Or maybe…she was just thinking ridiculous and foolish thoughts. Letting out a deep breath, she focused her mind on getting something to help with the pain Piccolo must have been feeling. Taking one last sidelong glance at her guest, she turned around and walked out of the room and across the hall to the small indoor bathroom she had had Goku put in after he had gotten back from Yardrat.

 

Pulling out a small basin, she filled it with cool water and took out a soft wash cloth. She hoped that Piccolo would gain back consciousness soon, because the fact that he was still out cold was disturbing. For all she knew, his skull could be cracked and there could be bleeding going on underneath the bone, causing swelling of his brain. If that were the case, she prayed that Korin had a Senzu bean or that Dende could heal him back to the way he was before he had gotten the head injury. She didn't want to think about what he would be like, should the injury to his head cause permanent damage that was irreversible.

 

Turning back into her bedroom, she stepped across the old wooden floor and then sat at the edge of her bed, placing the basin between herself and Piccolo. Leaning over to the side, she dipped the washcloth in the cool water and rung it out. Murmuring gently to him, she tipped his head to the side so that she could have access to the injury. Placing the cloth on his head, she observed as he winced unconsciously and then let out a low moan. There was no doubt in her mind that it had to hurt. And there was also no doubt in her mind that she needed to bring him back to consciousness. The longer he was out of it, the more worried she was becoming.

 

Taking the basin of water, she moved it over to the nightstand and then scooted in closer to where Piccolo was laying. Placing her hand against his warm cheek, she gently rubbed it against his face, feeling the dryness and smoothness of his skin. Moving her face close to his ear, she whispered loudly enough that she knew it should garner some response from him, with his hearing being as sensitive as it was.

 

“Piccolo, please wake up.”

 

He groaned slightly and his eyes slowly blinked open. There was a dazed and confused look to them and no doubt, he was wondering where he was. Backing away from him slightly, she pushed him down when he tried to struggle and sit up.

 

“Shhh Piccolo, don't move. You've got a nasty bump on your head and Gohan is going to get help.”

 

“Chi-Chi?” he croaked out, his throat working as he tried to dissipate the dryness that had settled there. “I thought you were outside. Or was I with Gohan?”

 

Once again, in his confusion, he tried to sit back up, but Chi-Chi wasn't going to let him and then have him either throw up from dizziness or pass out again from any sudden moves.

 

“Just stay still Piccolo. Trust me when I say you'll feel better if you do.”

 

To her relief, he nodded his head slightly before his eyes slowly started to track to the left, taking in his surroundings. She watched him for a few seconds before she leaned over and took the cloth from the back of his head, dampening it again with the water in the basin before placing it back on his bruise. With that done, she let out a tired yawn and then placed her hands on her lap as she watched him try to stay conscious.

 

“How badly does your head hurt?”

 

He grunted slightly before replying, his words slightly slurred from his sideways position on the bed.

 

“It feels like…Freiza's got his tail around it…squeezing it until it pops.”

 

Supposing that must mean it hurt like hell, Chi-Chi sighed. She had thought about giving him some ibuprofen to help with the pain and the swelling, but she wasn't sure if human medicines would work on Namekian physiology. So instead, she had to opt to keep him comfortable and to keep him awake until Gohan returned. Unconsciously, she started to stroke his cheek softly, humming a soft tune she had used to sing when Gohan was a baby. It didn't have any words, but she could vaguely recall her own mother singing it to her as a child, before she had died when Chi-Chi was still very young.

 

“You smell nice.”

 

Stilling her hand, she glanced over to where Piccolo's unfocused eyes were trying to stay on her face.

 

“I…I smell nice?”

 

“And you're…confusing.”

 

Leaning away from him, she slid her hand back to her side before shifting her position slightly so she could look at him easier.

 

“What do you mean that I'm confusing?”

 

She watched as he visibly struggled to find the words he wanted to say to her. His head injury was making it more difficult for him to focus on specific words to convey what it was he was trying to get across.

 

“I…don't under…understand. I don't like you, or maybe I didn't? I didn't like you…but now I do. You are…you are making me feel things I'm not familiar with. I thi…think that you're pleasing to…to look at. You're pretty. Pretty Chi-Chi that Goku left behind. You…you're stubborn…proud and pr…pretty. It's not normal…normal for me to…to think that. I'm a Namek. Y…you're human. Humans are ignorant….and so am I.”

 

Slowly, Chi-Chi tried to make sense of Piccolo's mumbled and jumbled words. He thought she was pretty? He liked her? Part of her wanted to push off his uncomfortable statements as the product of his head injury, but she knew that she wasn't being honest with herself or with Piccolo. But then again, how much of his strange confession would he remember once he was healed by the Senzu bean or by Dende? Maybe it would be better to just ignore his ramblings and continue on as they had been since he'd become such an important part of her family. It wasn't that she found his pseudo confession unflattering. The truth was, it made butterflies swirl in her stomach, especially since he thought she was…she was pretty. How long had it been since someone had told her she was attractive? And considering the fact that her stomach was a swollen beach ball, being told she was attractive, even from a loopy Piccolo, was complimentary. Deciding to try to get him to relax, she once again started to stroke his cheek.

 

“Shhh, it's going to be fine. Don't think about things that make you…nervous. It will only make things worse. Just relax and think of something pleasant until Gohan gets back.”

 

His eyelids drooped until they were half closed. She was afraid that he was going to pass out again when his deep voice rumbled forward softly.

 

“You're pleasant t…to think about. I…I think `bout you…a lot. Even when I try not to. Wh…why do I think about you? I sh…shouldn't feel or think anything about you. It's not…”

 

Bending in closer to his face, Chi-Chi tried to peer into his clouded eyes.

 

“Don't think then Piccolo. I mean, about me.”

 

His eyes snapped open all the way and his head jerked back slightly, away from her face.

 

“You…you don't understand. I…I can't stop. I want…want what isn't mine to have. You're making me forget wha…what I am. And I kn…know that it can't be.”

 

Backing away from him, Chi-Chi wondered not for the first time if her rather one-sided love for Piccolo wasn't really one-sided. If he was feeling this much anguish inside of him, which he had kept bottled up, maybe she hadn't been misinterpreting some of the signs he had been giving off for the last couple of months. Maybe it was pointing to…to something more then just an obligation, then just an ordinary friendship.

 

Setting aside her own sense of excitement and guilt over the fact that maybe Piccolo reciprocated some of her own feelings, she carefully thought of what to say to help ease his apparent discomfort and anxiety.

 

“Look Piccolo, I don't know much about Namekians. I really don't. And I could see why you'd be scared of things, of feelings that you don't understand. I've been feeling the same way. But right now, I just want you to focus on what it is you mediate on until Gohan gets back and really try to get rid of any thoughts that make you nervous or uncomfortable. And I'll…I'll be right here next to you until he gets back, so you don't have to be alone, okay?”

 

Apparently, her words seemed to work because the muscles in his body visibly relaxed as he nodded his head and then closed his eyes. Afraid that he was in the process of passing out again, Chi-Chi lightly tapped his cheek and whispered his name.

 

“Piccolo?”

 

Immediately, his eyelids opened and he looked at her before closing them again. Satisfied that he was not falling back into an unhealthy unconsciousness, she decided to re-dampen the cloth on the back of his head. Within a few seconds, she was re-applying the cloth to the back of his head, which earned her a slight whine of pain from her patient. She couldn't help but smile slightly to think that Piccolo could make such noises, when most of the time, he was so sedate that it didn't seem anything could faze him, unless it was something he was completely unfamiliar with.

 

Pulling her hand away from the back of his head, she once again felt compelled to stroke his cheek, feeling the sharp angular bones that gave his face its particular shape. A shape she had come to find quite pleasing, considering that he looked nothing at all like Goku or any human she had ever known.

 

What did she really want from Piccolo? She had accepted that she loved him, yet it wasn't in the same way that she had loved Goku. Instead, it was more mature, more relevant to her situation. He was steadfast, he was honest, and he had shown her over and over again in the last few months that both she and Gohan meant something to him deep down inside. That he was willing to give up some of his solitude to check up on her, to make sure that both she and Gohan were both well provided for and well cared for spoke volumes to her. So what did she want? And what did Piccolo want? And what would Gohan say if he knew what his mother felt for his mentor and teacher? It all seemed to be such a complicated mess, but in reality, it wasn't. It just meant that decisions needed to be made and feelings had to be explored, not only by her, but by Piccolo and Gohan as well.

 

He had told her not to worry about things that were in the future, things that couldn't be controlled. If what his injured mind had made him speak were his actual feelings, it would be up to her to help him understand what it was he was going through and to also not be afraid of what it could mean. But first, he would have to admit outright what it was he had said when he wasn't fully aware of his situation. Would he…would he actually push aside his reserve and consciously expose the inner workings of his mind to her? Perhaps…but she wasn't going to push him to do so. And perhaps, once he recovered, as she had thought earlier, he wouldn't even remember.

 

Shaking her head slightly, she stopped stroking his cheek and then tapped him again to make sure he was still conscious. Rewarded with a quick opening of his eyelids, she relaxed and then brought her legs up and underneath her on the bed as she watched Piccolo. Minutes passed, and then an hour. During the time she waited for Gohan to return, she kept her vigil over Piccolo's condition. They didn't speak to one another, but there was a comfortable silence between the two of them as they sat next to one another on her bed. She was about to get up to stretch when she heard the door bang open downstairs.

 

Moving around so that she was facing the door to her bedroom, she didn't have long to wait before Gohan bounded into her room followed quickly by Dende.

 

“Mom! I'm sorry it took me a while. Korin's still growing some Senzu beans and he doesn't have any ready. I guess Krillin asked for a bunch and took the last of them a couple of weeks ago. And Dende couldn't keep up with me.”

 

She glanced over at the small Namekian boy and smiled sweetly at him, trying to help ease his embarrassment for not getting here as quickly as Gohan had wanted.

 

“That's quite alright. I've kept Piccolo comfortable and he's somewhat conscious.”

 

Turning back around, she leaned over Piccolo's frame and tapped him on the shoulder, whispering in his ear.

 

“Piccolo, Dende's here to heal you. Don't try to sit up. He'll be over in a second.”

 

Piccolo's eyes opened slightly and he nodded his head. Pushing herself off the bed, she watched as the small Namekian boy crawled up onto the covers and went over to where Piccolo's injured head was lying against the pillow that Goku had used when he was still alive. Slowly, Dende rose his hands over his friend's head as a glow erupted from them. In a few minutes, the glow dissipated and Dende scrambled back off from the bed, turning around and quickly making his way over to where Gohan was standing nervously and she was waiting to find out his prognosis.

 

“Gohan, it's fine. Piccolo's going to be okay. You gave him a fractured skull and a bad concussion, but there shouldn't be any lasting effects from it. He just probably won't remember what happened between getting the injury and ending up here.”

 

“Really Dende? He's going to be fine?”

 

The little Namek shook his head and then smiled shyly at his friend. But Chi-Chi wasn't quite satisfied with his answer.

 

“Then why is he still lying on my bed if he's fine?”

 

Turning around, Dende pursed his lips before answering her inquiry.

 

“Well, I'm not really sure. I think his injury took a lot out of him mentally. We Nameks are really sensitive to injuries like that because of our telepathic nature. I just think he's tired out. From the injury and from some of the mental strain it feels like he's been going through lately. When his mind feels like it's under control, he'll come to.”

 

“Piccolo's been going through mental strain lately?” Gohan asked, his curiosity peaked by such a strange answer coming from his friend.

 

Dende shook his head in a positive motion.

 

“Yes. I'm not really sure why, but he's been preoccupied lately and I can sense that his meditation, which keeps him centered, hasn't been as concentrated as it usually is. So that would throw him off and cause a great deal of stress as well as a lack of focus. I guess that would make sense why his fighting style has been off to you lately Gohan and why this accident happened. So my advice is to just let him have his rest. He'll come around and then I'll…I'll try to figure out what's been bothering him when he comes back to the Lookout.”

 

Taking a slightly nervous look at Piccolo, Dende turned his eyes back to Chi-Chi and Gohan, noticing the slightly guilty look on Chi-Chi's face. Shrugging it off as unnecessary human concern, he walked over to where Gohan was and took his hands, squeezing them in a familiar and loving way.

 

“I've got to be going Gohan. Come by and visit me up at the Lookout sometime. It gets kind of lonely up there with just Mr. Popo around, since Piccolo's been scarce lately.”

 

Whispering conspiratorially, he winked slightly at Gohan's pleased face.

 

“And when Piccolo is around, he isn't nearly as much fun as you are.”

 

Gohan nodded his head in acceptance of the offer and then followed Dende out the bedroom door, leaving Piccolo and Chi-Chi alone once more.

 

Walking over to the bed, she saw immediately that the terrible swelling and bruising was gone and that Piccolo was in a deep state of normal relaxation. She'd never actually seen him sleep before, but he looked…pleasant. She tried to ease away the uneasiness that she was the one responsible for Piccolo's mental stress, but she wondered deep down inside if that was the reason Dende said he'd been off lately. Letting out a deep sigh, she leaned over the bed and gently brushed a kiss against his forehead. Straightening up, she walked over to the single chair that took up residence in her bedroom and pulled an afghan that she had made from it, covering Piccolo before she shuffled out of the room, turning off the lights and gently closing the door behind her.

 

&&&

 

He didn't know how long he had been in Chi-Chi's room before he finally found himself swimming to consciousness. It must have been hours, since the sky was dark and there was very little light seeping through the window. Still, he couldn't seem to motivate himself to move from the comfort of the bed he was laying on, even if his frame was somewhat too large to fit properly, his feet dangling slightly off the end.

 

Glancing up at the ceiling, he put his hands behind his head as he tried to put together what had happened so that he had ended up here. By the sounds of it, the house was already tucked away for the night, with only the creaks and groans of the old boards keeping him company as he thought.

 

Letting out a sigh, he crinkled his brow as his introspection went backwards. It was all very muddled and confusing. He could remember Gohan kicking him, but he couldn't remember how he gotten here. But he did remember having Chi-Chi sit next to him on the bed and he could vaguely recall…

 

Cursing under his breath, he realized that he must have spilled forth some of his own confusion about what he was feeling of late. Hopefully…

 

No, not hopefully. He was driving himself crazy, and his lack of concentration had ended up with him having a possibly fatal injury simply because he couldn't keep his thoughts focused on where they needed to be.

 

He was…he was a Namekian. He was, as far as he knew, supposed to be unable to find others…attractive, or want to have a certain sort of relationship with them that only happened between two individuals that wanted to settle down and have a family. But that sense of something he had for Chi-Chi, that he had kept trying to deny, was only getting stronger and with that came the realization that he found her…he found her attractive.

 

But nothing could ever come of that attraction. He couldn't be with her in the sense that Goku had been with her, even if that was something he desired, which he wasn't really sure about. It wasn't possible for him to be like that. So why was he feeling this way, to the point where he was having a hard time on focusing on other thoughts besides how he resented what Goku had had and given up and what he could never hope to gain.

 

There was no future for him and…Chi-Chi. The fact that he even wanted one was more than a bit disturbing. However, he could sense that part of the pull within him came from the fact that Namekians were social beings who had strong family bonds between one another and their communities. For most of his early life, he had been alone. It wasn't until he had met Gohan that his longing for some sort of connection with someone besides himself had become apparent. And now he wanted that connection to become more concrete by actually becoming part of the family he had watched over for years. Goku had abandoned something that was good and worthwhile for the sake of testing his own boundaries in strength and skill, yet in doing so, he had left a void that had needed to be filled for both Gohan and Chi-Chi. Somehow, unwittingly, he'd started to take up where Goku had left off and now he wanted what Goku had had. And he felt wretched for being so vindictive as to want to take from his friend and former rival what he had selfishly left behind in pursuit of his own goals.

 

God, it was so fucked up. It was like no other agony he had ever felt before and finally becoming aware of his own twisted feelings was making him feel worse, if that was possible. Besides, what would Chi-Chi say if she knew? He wasn't human. He could never be what Goku had been to her. Not in a physical sense in any case. So was it selfish and cruel for him to want to clearly know what she thought about him? And was it cowardly of him to not want to admit his own thoughts because he thought his offering of self might repulse her?

 

Sitting up in the bed, he felt the blanket Chi-Chi must have placed on him slide down his body. He wasn't going to be able to relax if his thoughts kept twisting around in his head like some sort of cruel snake. The only thing that would help would be to finally accept how things had shifted between himself and Chi-Chi, and in doing so, he would have to tell her what he wanted and find out what she thought in return. He could understand for the first time why humans had always seemed to become fixated on attraction and relationships between males and females, or even relationships between two of the same sex. They were confusing and they were…terrifying. He grinned weakly to himself, finding such a pathetic weakness within himself ridiculous. However, it was there and he couldn't deny it, even if he wished to.

 

Standing up, he decided he had spent long enough at the Son household. He had realized as soon as he had woken up that he was in Chi-Chi's bedroom, which meant she had to be sleeping somewhere else. Making his way to the door, he opened it slowly and let his eyes adjust to the dimness before he sought out her ki. It was rather easy to find and identify, especially since there was another small ki signature residing within her. Crossing the hallway, he opened the door to Gohan's bedroom, finding Chi-Chi sleeping uncomfortably on the narrow mattress.

 

Making a decision, he walked over to where she was sleeping on her side with her back turned to him. Bending down next to her, he gently put his arms underneath her shoulders and her rump, carefully picking her up and pulling her close to his body. She stirred weakly against him, her long hair hanging down from her head as he started to leave the room and walk back over to where she normally slept.

 

Slowly, he deposited her in the bed and then took the blanket that she must have put on him carefully around her body, tucking it in snugly around her like a cocoon. He was about to turn around and leave when he noticed that her eyes were open and she was watching him. Feeling suddenly nervous for no apparent reason, he schooled his face into a blank expression.

 

“How long have you been awake?” he asked nonchalantly.

 

He studied her face as she yawned and sat up stiffly in her bed.

 

“When you put me in this bed, I think. You didn't have to.”

 

He just nodded his head dumbly and then turned around to leave but Chi-Chi's voice stopped him before he had gotten as far as a step away from his starting position.

 

“Piccolo…Piccolo, why don't you stay? It's late and it's…well, it's silly for you to leave.”

 

He stood rooted to his spot. What was she asking him? To spend the night? He wasn't…he wasn't prepared for that, but there was no use denying the fact that her offer pleased him in some strange sort of fashion. That she wanted him to stay in her home.

 

“I don't sleep like a human does, so it isn't nece…”

 

He was cut off before he could finish his sentence.

 

“I know that Piccolo. Dende said something to that effect. But it's dark and it's cold outside, and I think it would be much better if you just put aside your pride and spent the night. It's the least we could do, especially after Gohan nearly…well, could have killed you.”

 

He relaxed slightly before turning back around to face her in the darkness.

 

“It wasn't his fault. I was distracted, so the blame is entirely on me should something more serious have happened. I hope that he hasn't internalized the accident as something he did on purpose.”

 

Thankfully, Chi-Chi shook her head no, which left him feeling relief that Gohan wasn't unnecessarily suffering over something that had been completely accidental.

 

“Still Piccolo, just…please just spend the night. I want to make sure that you're all right. I was afraid…afraid that it could have ended up so much worse, although I tried my best not to let Gohan know. He was pretty shook up.”

 

Once again, Piccolo found himself nodding dumbly, a blush starting to creep across his cheeks. She had been afraid for him? It was rather…it felt nice to have someone besides Gohan concerned with his well being. Turning around, he started to head towards her door once more when her voice stopped him yet again.

 

“Where…where are you going Piccolo?”

 

“Downstairs. I'll bring Gohan back up to his bed and sit on the couch.”

 

He was about to step out the door, his decision made in the back of his head when Chi-Chi said something he wasn't expecting nor was he prepared to hear coming from her.

 

“I…Gohan's fine on the couch. It's a pullout, so he's already bunked down for the night. I meant, you could…could sleep next to me, if you wanted. It's…no, I'm lonely. And…I want to talk to you about something that has been on my chest for a while now.”

 

He could feel his eyes widen in shock and confusion. She wanted him to lie next to her? Did she even know what she was implying? From his own limited understanding of human relationships, sharing a bed with someone was akin to admitting there was a relationship to begin with. And what did he have with her? Did he even have the right to do such a thing to begin with? He was about to say something when he saw Chi-Chi's arm move as she turned on the light next to her bed.

 

“Look Piccolo, I can see that you don't really understand what it is I'm asking of you. I'm sorry for that, but…can't you see how I feel about you? I…I care about you more deeply than just that of a friend. I want you in my life and I understand if the relationship we share is completely different then the one that I had with Goku. I don't want what I had with Goku. I want stability, I want someone who is there for Gohan and me, and the new baby without taking off and leaving us all in the dust. I want someone like…like you.”

 

He swallowed uncomfortably, the light exposing his discomfort and exposure to what he had been trying to make sense of for the past few months, ever since his obligation had become so much more than what it had started out as.

 

“Just please Piccolo, tell me what you think. I'm not…I'm not asking or requiring you to give more than you can. What you have done for me, what you have done for Gohan is beyond what I ever expected. And I understand if my feelings for you are one-sided. I just…I just can't keep wondering about what it is you really think…of me.”

 

Raising his hand, he rubbed his forehead awkwardly and then made a decision. He had never been in this sort of predicament before, nor had he ever expected something like this to happen. However, somehow it had, and listening to Chi-Chi's confession gave him hope that she wouldn't be disgusted by what he had to say to her. Straightening up his posture, he walked around to the other side of the bed and sat down, visibly pleasing and surprising Chi-Chi in the process.

 

He didn't know where to begin. So he just sort of let it spill out, not stopping until it was all out in the open.

 

“I don't know what I said to you when I was out of it. I can vaguely recall…well, it was all muddled and confusing and I'm sure you couldn't make much sense of it. Look, I appreciate knowing what it is you think and feel for me. But what is it that I feel for you? That's what you want to know, correct?”

 

He watched as she shook her head, and he swallowed down the lump that was forming in his throat. He was…unused to this terror of exposing the inner workings of his mind, but if he didn't finally expose the truth, he would never be able to find the center to himself and his never-ending thoughts would continue to plague him.

 

“I…I'm a Namekian. Finally going to my home planet, I discovered something I had been missing my entire life, even when I was Piccolo Daimou. He had craved power and control, but maybe what he had really been searching for was a connection with another being. Namekians have close knit communities that are analogous to human families, even though there is only one sex known to the Namekian species and there is no need to waste energy on the sorts of relationships that humans and other aliens species that have two distinct sexes seek. What I'm trying to say is that I wanted to have what my brethren on Namek-sei have. I wanted to have a connection, a relationship with someone else to help ease the reality of being alone. Meeting Gohan helped me to realize many things, specifically that I could care for someone other than myself to the point where I would willingly sacrifice my life for them. But that longing for a sense of community remained, though I didn't realize that until recently.”

 

Taking in a deep breath, he tried to sort his thoughts into a pattern that would be coherent to Chi-Chi.

 

“At first, after Goku died, I didn't fault him for deciding to stay in Otherworld, and I thought your behavior after his death was repulsive and wasteful. I started on this journey with my only thought being that I needed to watch out for Gohan, yet…yet things have changed.”

 

“I don't agree any longer with Goku's decision. He threw away something valuable that I don't think he even realized he had. And part of me wishes that I could have what he has given up. Do you want to know what that is, Chi-Chi?”

 

He watched as she nodded her head yes, her hands clutching the blanket tightly as she waited for his response. Firming his own resolve, he told her what he had discovered about himself and his relationship with her.

 

“It's…it's you.”

 

The moment the words slipped quietly past his lips, he watched in uneasiness as Chi-Chi promptly burst into tears, suddenly horrified at what his admission must have made her think. He was about to get up, when her hand snatched his arm and he suddenly found her trying to wrap her arms around his middle.

 

“Woman, get a hold of yourself,” he grunted out sourly, his fear being replaced by relief that she wasn't disgusted with his admission.

 

“S…sorry. It's just that…I'm happy. I mean, I should feel guilty that I like you and everything, but I can't help but feel happy.”

 

He sighed and waited patiently as she finished crying into the fabric of his gi. Gently pushing her away, he nudged her face with his hand so that she was looking at him before he continued where he had left off.

 

“I'm still trying to sort things out. How it is that I…well, I find you attractive. Perhaps it's because of this like I have for you. I'm not sure. But you have to understand that I am not like Goku and that what you and he shared, that will never be possible between you and I.”

 

He didn't know if she really understood, but she shook her head in an upward motion indicating that she thought she did.

 

“I understand that Piccolo. Besides, I already told you that I don't want what I had with Goku. You and he are two completely different people with distinct personalities. I loved Goku, but I…I love you as well. It's just in a different, more mature way.”

 

He swallowed slightly at her admission of love. Nodding his head in acceptance of her statement, he started to feel his body and mind relax for the first time in months. Finally sorting out what it was he felt and admitting it to her had been a good thing.

 

“So, why don't you just come up here on the bed next to me and lie down? You can have the afghan if you want and I'll get under the covers.”

 

She was serious about sharing a bed with him for the night? He grumbled something unintelligible, but ended up doing as she asked because…because he wanted to please her for some stupid reason.

 

As soon as he lay back down on the bed, he felt the blanket he had wrapped around her get thrust across his body. Then, the bed shifted slightly as Chi-Chi pulled the covers out from underneath her and then clumsily slipped underneath them. As soon as she was underneath the blankets, she turned out the light, bathing the room in darkness. Once again, he found himself staring at the ceiling lost in thought, slightly uncomfortable and unused to the idea of being this close to a person. Yet, Chi-Chi didn't seem to have his same reservations.

 

His muscles twitched slightly when he felt her press up against his side, her arms wrapping around one of his own.

 

“Thanks Piccolo. I've missed this. I hope you sleep well.”

 

After a few minutes, he felt the grip on his arm relax as her soft snores started to fill the room, indicating that she was asleep. He realized that he could leave at any time and she wouldn't be the wiser, but he had agreed to this. No matter how strange it felt, he didn't want to renege on his word. Sighing deeply, he allowed himself to relax, to feel the warmth of the body next to his own. All in all, he was finally starting to possibly understand what it was Chi-Chi had missed, and maybe what it was he had been missing out on in all his time alone.

 

Okay, sorry for the extreme length of this chapter. It probably should have been split into two. What does this development between Chi-Chi and Piccolo mean? Will Gohan understand? Find out in the next chapter! And please review if you would like!