"That too hard?"

Yamcha laughed though he did rub his palm a little. Kid had an awesome throw. Not that it surprised him. After all, he WAS, as of right now, the strongest fighter on the planet. It was nice to have a partner where he could really put his all against.

"Naw, you're good, Kid. I like a nice challenge." Winding up his arm, Yamcha sent a fast ball back at the boy who caught it one handed, though with a smile. "See? You got a knack for it!"

Gohan threw the ball back and asked "What made you stop by, Yamcha? We don't see you a whole lot but you and Krillin have been hanging around a lot."

"Gettin' sick of me?" Came the teasing question.

Shaking his head, Gohan caught the next throw. "No. I like it when you come over. You and Krillin or the others. But I know it's kinda outta the way for you so I was just wondering..."

"Hey, maybe I like to hang out with you, Kiddo. Your dad might as well be my brother, you know." He caught the next throw back. "And I'm glad cause you're good company."

Blushing a bit, Gohan said, "Thanks."

A few moments passed with just the ball whistling through the air and the sound of impact on leather. Yamcha waited for an opening.

"How you doing with all this, Kid? Your parents tol' me that you're working on some stuff."

Nodding, Gohan replied. "I am. Dad found me a therapist that was there when King Piccolo attacked. So she understands. And Mom is seeing this other lady." Ball left glove.

Ball hit glove. "Sounds good to me!" Yamcha tossed the ball up and down a bit. "Is it helping?"

Gohan nodded again. "I think so. But the beginning is always hardest she says. So Mom's had some outbursts and...I have too." He bit his lip. "That's why I didn't go with them for the appointment today. I don't wanna see the ultrasound. Not yet." He paused "One thing I've been learnin' is to know my limits and I don't think I'm ready for that yet."

Instead of shame or contempt, the human smiled. "Well, you're workin' at it. Are you better than before?"

"...Yeah."

"So. Celebrate that!" Yamcha caught the ball again on its return then sat on the ground, pulled out a capsule, unveiling a rather extensive lunch of fried chicken and more sides than was medically advised. "Your parents won't mind if I feed ya, will they?"

Gohan grinned. Even if the answer was yes, he had to admit the smell of fried chicken would have been enough to convert him. So, instead, he flopped down with a drooling smirk. "They won't care." He added, "They're bringing home dinner but lunch comes first!" This looked a lot better than the simple leftovers he was going to heat up!

"Good." Yamcha passed a plate to the boy and the two of them began to fill and empty their plates. There was a nice serenity to it. It had been a while since Gohan had gotten the chance to...well, play like this.

"Hey, Yamcha?"

"Mmm?"

"Did you and my dad do this kind of stuff? Like ...I dunno just hang out like this?"

Swallowing, the man smiled, "Sure! Not as much once he started trainin' and doing his around the world trip stuff but your ol' man is always up for a meal and a fun time,"

With a warmth to his eyes, Gohan nodded. "Yeah, he is."

Considering a moment, Yamcha asked, "Got any friends your age you can pal around with?"

Shaking his head, Gohan said with a bite into a chicken leg. "Not really. I mean, there's kids in the villages nearby but we aren't friends. Not like you and Dad and Krillin are." He swallowed and began to peruse the available drinks, "That's one reason they want me to go to regular school now. I mean, it was cause Dad and I talked 'bout me being able to play and train and stuff too but both Dad and Mom want me to make friends."

Yamcha nodded. "Sounds like a solid plan to be."

Gohan nodded, eyes downcast. "I...it is. I mean, _I_ want friends like Daddy has. But it's scary and..." he bit his lip. "And school would start in April." He trembled a bit, though not noticeably. "And everyone else will have gotten so used to the school. All but me."

"Most of 'em, yeah." Yamcha wasn't gonna lie. There might be a handful of kids new but overall, not a lot of kids switched schools mid way or almost done unless they had to.

Gohan frowned. "Mom'll have the baby in either December or January. So I guess me going to school would help—they'd just have HIM to worry about." He looked up, cheeks red. "And that makes me mad. That's stupid, huh?"

Yamcha smiled, a warm, gentle smile. "No. Not stupid. Normal. I know you've been dealing with a lot, Gohan but I promise you that being jealous of the baby—least a little bit—is normal." He added "And being kinda mad that your parents would be with your brother and not you is normal."

The boy nodded. "Maybe that's what this is now. I...I'm working on how I feel about myself, on letting Mom and Daddy know how I feel and I do think it's getting better. But I dunno if I can handle school, friends, the new baby and all this emotional stuff." He rubbed his temples. "Way too much stuff. I guess that's done if this too. Just...so...much...and it feels like it's all at once. Maybe I should be able to handle it but I'm not that good at it yet." He silenced himself with a chicken leg. Much as he wanted to say he had mastered what the therapist had been teaching him, he hadn't. Not by a long shot. It would take time. And the baby and school and friends and...all of it.

It felt like drowning.

Yamcha considered. "It's a lot of stuff to deal with, that for sure. You're gonna be...what, sixth grade?"

"Yes. Near as age constraints go." Gohan laughed a bit. "Time Chamber kinda messes things up but yeah. Last year of primary."

Taking a bite of corn, the older man thought. "Here's a thought you might ask of your folks. You're a pretty advanced Kiddo." Yamcha wasn't sure how well his suggestion would take but given everything that had happened, it only seemed right to try! "Not much slows you down."

Gohan let his lips upturn a little. It still felt good to get that praise.

"Why not see if you can just keep your skills sharp this year by doing stuff at home, like you've been doing. Then next year, once all this craziness has settled, you can go into Junior High. That way everyone in your year'll be new and nervous. Equal footin'." He added "And it'll give you all some time to get used to this new baby and routine and stuff. Think your mom would go for that?"

Gohan had been thinking some on that himself if he was to be honest. He was afraid she'd just see it as him trying to slip out of their deal but now that she was working on her own things and their whole family was talking...actually communicating...maybe she could see the logic in it.

Being able to help with the baby...well, maybe that would make him feel more...well, okay about it. He'd gotten to the point that he didn't automatically think of the baby being better than him—though he had to correct those thoughts sometimes still, especially at night—but it seemed so intangible still. So real but not real.

Maybe...maybe when his parents got home they could talk about that? About this? About all these emotions he had and wasn't real sure what to do with?

A sinking fear still settled in his gut. He knew his mom was doing better but he still had an odd hesitation. An unjust one perhaps and he tried to talk it down. It'd be easier if it wasn't just him asking and...

"Yamcha? Will you stay and help me ask?"

There. He'd said it. Asked for help because damn it, his nerves and inner thoughts were suddenly all jittery—

A hand fell on his shoulder. Looking up, he saw some definite uncertainty in Yamcha's face. He knew that he and Mom hadn't always gotten along. But the man just nodded.

"Sure, Kid. Sure."