Title: What Counts
Disclaimer: No returns, no refunds, no store credit.
Rating: PG ( K+ )
Spoilers: Well...I suppose it's good to know the basics about the Saiyaman and Buu sagas, but what do I know?

Summary: OneShot. Maybe it wasn't the thought that counted, but the gratitude. Post-Buu, GhVi.

Another contest entry for SweetestIrony. Theme -- The Perfect Gift.

I'm a little late for Christmas, so...Happy New Years!

— — —

"Wow, Gohan-kun, that is a toughie," Bulma admitted, looking up from the gadget she'd been tinkering with to face the teenaged demi-Saiyan. Shifting her goggles so that they sat atop her green head, she asked, "What do you get for a girl that already has everything?"

"I have no idea," Gohan said, a slight whine to his voice. "I don't have a lot of money to spend, either. Mom says we need to save as much as we can for college."

Bulma tilted her head at him. "I thought you got a full scholarship from Orange Star University?"

"I did, Mom wants to save for Goten."

"Figures," the middle-aged heiress said, laughing as she reached into the pocket of her overalls to withdraw her pack of cigarettes. As she fished one out of the package, she commented, "ChiChi-chan always was a planner."

"Back to the gift," Gohan prompted, leaning back on his stool while Bulma lit the cancer stick clamped between her teeth. "Can you think of anything Videl-san might want for Christmas? If anyone would know, it would be you, Bulma-san."

As the green-haired woman chuckled, smoke poured out of her nostrils. "I appreciate the sentiment, Gohan-kun, but buttering me up isn't going to solve your problem. I really have no idea what to tell you since Videl-chan is...erm...different from most of the girls I've known."

Gohan had been afraid of that. Though he was usually the first one to compliment Videl for being individualistic, it occurred to him at times like this that there were drawbacks to such a unique character. "So you don't have any advice?"

Flicking a bit of ash from the tip of her carcinogen stick, Bulma responded, "Not really, no. I don't know what you're so worried about, though. Haven't you ever heard that it's the thought that counts?"

Sure, Gohan had heard that old adage plenty of times before, but he always felt it was really meant for little kids who made junk for their moms in art class for Christmas, not desperate would be boyfriends wanting to make a good impression on their could be girlfriends. "I guess..."

"You could always get her a Thighmaster," Bulma suggested, a wide, sarcastic grin spreading across her face.

Gohan shook his head at that idea. "She's already got one."

Raising an eyebrow at him, the aging heiress asked, "How would you know?"

As the memory of interrupting one of Videl's home workout sessions floated across the surface of his mind, Gohan blushed fiercely. Feeling a trickle beginning inside his nose, the teen superhero pushed the images out of his consciousness and forced himself back to the topic at hand. "Nevermind," he said, coughing the squeak out of his voice before continuing. "Any other ideas?"

"'Fraid not," Bulma replied, obviously trying not to smile as she stubbed out her cigarette against her work desk. Lowering her goggles over her eyes again, she took up her tools and returned to the gizmo she'd been repairing when Gohan had arrived. "Can't help you this time, kid."

As the sparks began flying out of the dismantled device, Gohan was suddenly struck with a brilliant plan. "Maybe you can help me, Bulma-san."

Pausing in her task long enough to look over her shoulder at her guest, Bulma replied, "Oh? How?"

"I'd like to borrow something."

—

"Gohan-kun, I'm going to trip!" Videl complained, tugging at the fingers that were obscuring her vision.

"I won't let you fall," Gohan promised, refusing to lower his hands as he slowly directed her toward her gift. This was one surprise he, apparently, didn't want spoiled.

"C'mon," she begged, tentatively allowing her friend to guide her over the flat, grassy terrain beneath her feet. "Really, Gohan-kun, I hate surprises. Can't you just tell me what it is?"

"Nope," he replied, turning her a bit to the right. "You'll just have to wait and see."

After about a dozen more steps, give or take, Gohan finally announced that they'd reached their destination and pulled his hands away from her eyes. They were...

...in the middle of nowhere.

"Where are we, Gohan-kun?" Videl asked, swivelling her head in all directions for hints about his intentions. Nothing but grassland and baby blue sky as far as the eye could see.

"A few miles to the west of my house," he answered simply, a grin splitting his cheeks wide open. "But that's not the surprise. Look down."

Dropping her gaze to space between her warm fuzzy boots, Videl spied her Christmas gift on the ground. "Dragonballs?" she queried, slightly astonished by the pulsing stones at her feet.

"I couldn't think of what to get you, so I decided to give you whatever you wanted," Gohan explained, clearly excited about his idea. "You can have two wishes and they can be almost anything you want. We've even wished people back from the dead with these before."

Videl kept her eyes fixated on the glowing orbs, not quite sure where to begin. "What...where did you get these?"

"Bulma-san has a device that can pinpoint the exact location of each ball," Gohan explained matter-of-factly. "It's called the dragonradar. Once you have it, it's really easy to track them down. So, what are you going to wish for?"

The balls' pulsing seemed to increase in pace, growing impatient with all the talking. "I can have anything I want?" she reiterated as one thought came into her head. She could feel her cheeks pink at what she was considering, but was hoping that Gohan would chalk it up to the chill winter air for the time being.

"Yeah, that's the beauty of it!" the male teen replied, moving so that he was standing right in front of her. Judging by the expression on his face, his excitement was increasing by the moment. "It's like the ultimate gift card, kinda."

"I know what I want," Videl finally decided, steadying herself for what was about to happen.

"Great! What?"

"This...," she said, stepping over the dragonballs so that she was toe-to-toe with Gohan. Stretching herself as tall as her vertically-challenged body would let her, she pressed her cold, chapped lips to his and left them for one...two...three full seconds.

When she pulled back, Gohan was no longer smiling. Instead, his mouth had gone slack and his eyes were wide with undisguised surprise. All the color had drained from his previously glowing face, making his pallor rather sickly. "Wh...why...?"

Feeling the heat in her cheeks intensify, Videl replied, "You said I could have anything I wanted, right? Well...that was it."

"That...that was...?" The color was back in Gohan's face in full force, making him seem almost sunburned now.

"My wish, yeah," Videl affirmed, dying to dig herself a hole and disappear into it.

"Gosh...," the demi-Saiyan teen began, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly as he stared down at his feet. He was smiling again, though, even if it was a little wobbly. "I kinda wish I'd known that earlier...I'd have...y'know..." he trailed off, blushing madly.

"What?"

Gohan laughed a little, his voice noticeably hoarse. "I wouldn't have bothered looking for the dragonballs, let's put it that way."

An impish smile grew on Videl's face at Gohan's shy, subtle admission. Emboldened again, she queried, "I get two wishes...right?"

Gohan's smile came back full force at Videl's question. "Right!"

—

Maybe it wasn't the thought that counted, but the gratitude.

—

Author's Notes: When I told texaspeach that my entry would be short 'n sweet, I really meant it, huh? XD

Eh...either way, I think I like this story. It's a cute idea, no? And, if you think about it, dragonballs really are the ultimate gift card XD

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

. ( . Ms Videl Son . ) .

– Who's your daddy? GohanVidel.