Work Text:
嫉妬 60分 'Jealousy' 60 minutes
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The low roar of water cascading is filling the basin with it’s noise. Overhead, the sun glares down in all of it’s mid-summer glory.
Piccolo casts his hand above his eyes and shades them from the blinding light.
He is floating in the air; just above the cold spray of the crashing waterfall in front of him. He often comes here to meditate. As it is- after all these years- this plateau may even hold a rather fond spot in his heart.
Nature is in full force here. The plants are vibrant and glowing as they bake under the hot sun and nourish themselves from the relentless downpour of mountain water.
He’s looking down at the gently swaying flowers that have found their homes within the cracks just out of reach of the waterfall’s torrent. They glisten and are stark in their delicateness and beauty.
It is peaceful; the ever-changing stillness.
And though Piccolo returns to his meditate posture after a moment of surveying his surroundings- he is jolted out of his trance as he feels his student’s Ki overhead.
His ears perk up and he tilts his head back to see a large shadow pass in front of the sunlight. It blots out the sun for a moment before descending nearer.
The young man is riding the dragon companion he has shared a friendship with since his childhood.
The difference now in that they have both grown considerably. Gohan; into a fine young scholar attending college- and the once relatively small creature known as Icarus is now absolutely, monumentally gargantuan.
It blots out the sun and nearly his entire view of the waterfall as it breaks to a halt in front of Piccolo. Mighty gusts of air send his cape flapping in their wake. He squints his eyes.
From atop of Icarus- as Gohan had so affectionately named it- sits the young man himself. He waves with a large smile lighting up his face.
“Hi- Mister Piccolo!”
Piccolo’s mouth twitches up in a reserved smile. His eyes shift from his former student to the dragon. It’s green eyes peer down at him inquisitively; they are still so big and full of innocence.
Of course- it takes his eye contact as a signal to lunge towards him and nearly knock him from his balanced position with it’s affectionate and curious snout. He is a bit taken aback at the sudden display but lets his hands rest themselves on top of the purple scaled nose to give it a modest pet.
Icarus snorts happily in his arms and gives the side of his face a big, wet lick. Piccolo grumbles out a sound of indiscernible meaning to himself.
Gohan bursts into laughter from his vantage on top of Icarus.
The great beast flaps it’s enormous wings and lowers itself down to the grassy plain below. Piccolo has a mind to continue his meditation- but finds he now cannot find the willpower to focus.
It doesn’t take long before Gohan and Icarus are splashing noisily as they play tag about the shallows of the river that is fed by the waterfall.
They are completely disturbing the delicate balance of peace and noise that Piccolo so enjoys while he meditates. However- though it certainly is an inconvenience- it does not bring him to anger as it may have done in the past. Perhaps... he even enjoys the sight of his friend and his wild companion.
The two romp about like this for some time until they finally manage to wind themselves. Gohan collapses on the river bank. His legs are in the water and curious fish are soon within nibbling distance. His has a face of zen-like peace and his eyes are closed.
Piccolo observes the young man gently stroking with both his hands atop the dragon’s head; now of which sits atop his lap and has it’s eyes likewise closed in silent comfort.
He watches the way his hands smooth back and forth in a rhythmic pass over the purple scales.
Piccolo’s eye twitches and his position in the air dips slightly.
The sun shines in Gohan’s dark hair- reflecting it all sorts of colors.
He is hovering down to the ground before conscious thought comes to his mind.
Gohan perks up a bit and opens his eyes with a relaxed smile. Icarus is snoring deeply and his tail flicks back and forth in his sleep.
Piccolo crosses his arms and furrows his brow.
Gohan raises his head and blinks a couple times.
“Piccolo?”
The frown that Piccolo gives back to him just spurs the young man into action. Ever so gently as to not wake his sleeping companion- does Gohan scoot out from under Icarus. He delivers the massive maw of the creature to the soft bank of sand below and takes his time padding through the grass over to Piccolo.
Gohan is standing right before him. His expression is painfully… emotive.
Piccolo’s voice is more gruff than he expects and comes out stilted,
“Hmph.”
His friend just beams up at him, hands coming up to fidget in front of his chest.
“I’m guessing you’re wanting a hello. I’m sorry- I didn’t want to bother your meditation.”
Piccolo tilts his head up slightly, “Well…”
Before he knows it- the young man is closing the distance between them and pulling himself into Piccolo’s chest with his hands in the white fabric of his cloak.
He looks up with a boldness in his eyes. It’s a bit unexpected to be so close.
“Gohan-”
Then- his friend is reaching up- and with both his hands does he pet Piccolo’s head.