Hey all. Once I started writing, the ideas just kept flowing! This is what happens when you get into college and want a break from you studies, especially chemistry :P. So anyway, the usual. I own nothing and blah blah blah. Though I wish I did, because I would totally have given these two more screen time and focused on the father-son relationship more. Please review this and my other stories! I LOVE feedback.

It all started shortly after the Namek crisis and all the Nemakians had found a new home. Piccolo was oft found by himself at his waterfall meditating or sparring with himself. The first time Gohan had come to visit him had been a surprise, although not unpleasant. The two had sparred for a while before the boy left with the promise of returning within a week. Piccolo had thought little of it.

But the boy did return. Again they sparred until dark, when Gohan proclaimed he had to go home. They floated for a moment in silence before Gohan made a quick dive for Piccolo's waist, squeezed him tight, and flew off, shouting something about returning again soon before he could manage to swipe him off.

When Gohan returned for the third time, Piccolo was surprised when the boy assumed a lotus position a couple feet from his side and said nothing, but shook it off, enjoying the quiet for once coming from his little student.

After a few minutes, Gohan opened an eye and glanced at Piccolo before floating just a couple inches closer to him. He stopped and closed his eyes again, waiting a few more moments before settling a few more inches closer. And closer. And closer, until his knee was touching his sensei's. Piccolo made a grunt of irritation and shifted a little away, only to have Gohan rest against him again.

"Quit it, brat," Piccolo warned, again floating away, not even bothering to open his eyes.

Gohan gave the threat little heed before he upped and plopped himself into Piccolo's lap. With a growl, Piccolo picked him up by the back of his gi and thrust him out in front of him. The boy smiled at him, clearly undeterred by Piccolo's aggression. As soon as he was released, he bounded into his mentor's lap again, settling himself firmly against Piccolo's chest.

"Kid, I swear to Kami I'm going to—" he stopped short when he saw Gohan gazing up at him with the look. The damned look he gave whenever he wanted something: eyes big, lower lip slightly trembling, hands clasped in front of him. And it got at Piccolo every time.

"Please?" he whimpered. "I miss Daddy."

Piccolo's eyes widened in a moment of realization. Well of course. The kid had only seen his father for a day or so before heading to Namek and then only for a few fleeting moments once there. And now he had just received the news that his father didn't want to come back just yet. So in all, Gohan had only seen his father for about three days since he was five. And that, Piccolo realized, had to be rough on the kid.

And so, he grunted and closed his eyes, practically feeling the smile on Gohan's face before the boy sighed.

"Piccolo? When do you think Daddy is coming back?" he asked, voice trembling a little.

"I don't know kid. I just don't know," Piccolo replied.

Gohan, Goku, and Piccolo rested in the woods after an intense day of training for the androids' arrival. Goku announced that he was going fishing and walked out of their little camp site, headed toward the lake. Piccolo assumed the lotus position.

Gohan looked after his father's retreating back until he was sure he wasn't going to suddenly turn back before he floated up next to Piccolo. By now he knew that if he was to able to pull of this stunt, absolutely no one was allowed to be around.

Slowly he began to inch his way closer to Piccolo until their knees were touching. Piccolo no longer shifted away from him, having gotten used to this over the course of Goku being gone. And here it comes, he thought to himself just as Gohan settled himself into his lap.

"What's on your mind this time, kid?" he asked, though he had a feeling he knew the answer.

"Do you think we'll be able to defeat them, sir? The androids, I mean?"

Yes, that was what he thought was wrong. "Don't worry about it now, kid. Just focus on your training."

"That's easy for you to say. You and Dad are so strong and I'm not. What if I can't do it? What if I d—"

"Gohan," Piccolo snapped. Do you really think I'd just let you die? "You're not going to die. The whole reason we're training is to help you become strong enough, understand? Never think you're just going to die."

"Okay, sir. Sorry," Gohan whispered.

"Shake it off, kid," Piccolo said, ruffling the boy's unruly hair. "Now get off. Your father is coming back."

It was only three days after the defeat of Cell by Gohan's hands. Piccolo meditated by his waterfall when he felt the incredibly strong ki of his student headed towards him. Funny, how not even a week ago Gohan had been in his lap, a newly-fledged super saiyan, citing his worries and doubts about his ability to help with the battle of Cell. Funny, because just a few days later he had ascended to become the most powerful being on the Earth.

Gohan stopped next to the Namek, who barely acknowledged his presence. By now far used to it, Gohan assumed his position next to him, and slowly began to inch closer and closer. Their knees touched for a brief instance and then Gohan was in Piccolo's lap.

What could possibly be bothering him? Piccolo mused. The planet is safe thanks to him and—

"Mom's pregnant."

Piccolo started and Gohan smiled as he felt his sensei's body jerk for a moment. But the smile faded quickly as he remembered where he was going with this news.

"He's not going to have a dad. Piccolo? Is that my fault?" Gohan asked, looking up at his friend in earnest.

Piccolo looked down at him and grunted. "Of course not, kid. Why would it be?"

"Because if I had killed Cell when Dad told me to, he'd still be alive and… and…" he broke off as tears began to burn his eyes and a sob was ready to break forth from his throat.

"Kid, for all we know, doing that was the best move. Don't question it. Without you, your sibling would never even had a chance to be born," he finished softly, ruffling Gohan's hair. Gohan smiled up at him through his tears.

"Okay, Piccolo."

The boy was now an adult, almost as tall as his mentor. Throughout his school years he had always made sure to stop by the lookout after classes to visit Piccolo, talking about studies, his new superhero identity, and some girl named Videl who he seemed nearly infatuated with.

But now, after the Buu crisis, the boy was barely up there, absorbed in his love life with Videl. Sure, he'd still come up every now and then with the boys to visit and they'd talk, or have a friendly spar, which seemed pointless in Piccolo's eyes. After his inner powers had been awakened, Gohan had become the most powerful unfused being on the earth since the Cell Games, once again surpassing his father, his mentor, and Vegeta. The kid was now nearly triple Piccolo's own strength, and though he went easy on him, Piccolo always lost. Such a change from when they had first begun their friendship.

Piccolo was meditating on the edge of the lookout when he felt his student's ki rising up to meet him. He rose to greet him, but Gohan merely landed and then floated into a lotus position, his eyes closed. Piccolo settled himself again beside him and it began again. Gohan began to inch his way next to him and his knee rested against Piccolo's…

"Don't you dare, Go—OOF!" The breath rushed out of him as Gohan pounced into his lap. He grunted, attempting to breathe. "Aren't you a little too old for this?" he ground out, pushing Gohan off him. "Not to mention big?"

Gohan gave him a big smile. "Not a chance."

"You haven't done that since you were a boy," Piccolo stated, for lack of anything better to say.

"Yeah, I know. Weird, huh?"

"What's bothering you now?"

"Nothing."

"You never just hopped into my lap for nothing, kid."

"Well, it's not really that anything's bothering me. It's just… Piccolo, I'm going to ask Videl to marry me."

Piccolo looked taken aback for a moment, but quickly recovered. "Well, congratulations, or whatever you're supposed to say when someone is going to do that."

"Thanks. See, the thing is, I wanted to know if you'd be my best man? You know, since you're only my best friend and my second father…"

"I don't even know what a 'best man' is."

"I can explain that."

"Do I have to wear a suit?"

"No, I suppose not…"

"Fine. I'll do it, you brat."