hiraeth - part six
»»——⍟——««
Y/n watched in silence as Erasa pulled up in her car, rushing up to Y/n even though it was heavily raining. Damn spring weather.
"Y/n! Are you okay!?" Erasa asked as she engulfed her best friend in a hug. Y/n sniffed, nodding. Erasa pulled away, expecting an explanation as to why Y/n was lost in the middle of Satan City, bawling her eyes out.
"I got... Kicked out. My dad was mad and being overprotective because he thought I was being a whore with Gohan... I tried to explain, but he wouldn't listen! I was wondering if you'd let me stay with you, at least for tonight..." Y/n explained. Erasa gasped, feeling heartbroken for the girl.
"Of course! Come on, let's get you to my place." Erasa said, guiding Y/n to her car. Once in, Erasa turned on the heat to help warm Y/n up, taking off down the road. Y/n sighed, leaning back against the seat and sinking down.
It was a while before they arrived at Erasa's home, and Y/n suddenly felt bad. She didn't realize she was making Erasa come so far out for her. Grabbing a jacket sitting in the back of her car, she stepped out, holding it above herself to protect from the rain. As Y/n stepped out, Erasa held it up over her, giving the girl a smile.
As the two walked inside, Y/n looked around in awe. Erasa and her family must have been well off because she lived in a modern looking home. It even seemed to have Capsule Corp. branded things all around, a brand which was not known to be cheap.
"Take a seat, I'll get some tea going." Erasa said, gesturing to the sofas. Y/n nodded, slipping her wet shoes off and making her way into the living area. Y/n had never been in such a nice home, besides that of Bulma Briefs herself.
Y/n stared up at the high up, white ceiling as she got lost in thought. What would she do now? Was a homeless person able to be sponsored for college? How would she get a job and afford her own home? She didn't expect her friends to just let her live with them, she needed to solve this on her own. But she had no idea what to do, or where to start.
Y/n suddenly missed her bedroom very much. That was where she grew up. Her room was filled with things she had acquired over the years, and now suddenly it was all gone. But most of all, she missed her dad. Even if he was a stubborn and strict old man, she loved him. After all, he had been doing his very best to raise her alone.
Y/n wanted to curl up in her covers, and perhaps even fall asleep. But what with her stress, her visions might become violent, and turn into nightmares. Just the thought was enough to scare her from sleeping. She couldn't wake up from visions until they ended, and sometimes they'd loop for who knows how long. Y/n didn't want to risk being stuck in a clear, realistic dream of being chased by a murderer or something.
Erasa suddenly sat down next to Y/n, pulling her out of her thoughts. Erasa handed Y/n a cup of tea, giving the girl a soft smile. Thanking her, Y/n blew on the hot liquid, taking a small sip. Erasa stared out the window, watching the lights of the city speckle through the rain.
"Y/n, you can only stay here for tonight." Erasa spoke, making Y/n pause. One night? Y/n wasn't asking for much, but what could she do in one night? She stayed quiet, letting Erasa continue. "My parents actually don't like me having people over, especially when they're not around. They'll be back tomorrow night, and I don't want you to get in trouble with them. I'll let you stay tonight, but you'll have to talk to somebody else about staying at their place instead."
Y/n nodded, looking into her reflection in her tea. She furrowed her brows, feeling her eyes well. Would she end up in the streets? Drop out of school, lose all her friends, never go to college or get her dream job? Her hands shook at the thought, fear beginning to bubble within her. The tea's surface rippled, breaking up her reflection and hiding the tears in her eyes.
Erasa watched her friend, knowing she was breaking down on the inside. But what could be done? She glanced down at her clothes, noticing she was still wearing the same blue Chinese dress. Remembering where Y/n had gotten it from, an idea popped up in her head.
"Hey, why not talk to Gohan tomorrow? Or Videl? They might be able to let you stay with them for a bit. And you already seem to be familiar with Gohan's family, they might be cool with it." Erasa said. Y/n perked up at the idea, but negatives thoughts flowed in like a waterfall.
She didn't want to be a burden to Gohan and his family. When she stayed the night before, Gohan ended up sleeping on the floor. And she had sleeping problems, it might have even been possible it was her fault Goku couldn't sleep.
Y/n wasn't sure how things would go with Videl. She'd never stayed over at her house, never met her father despite him being quite possibly the most famous man on Earth. She just wasn't sure if that was the right thing to do either.
"It wouldn't hurt to at least ask, Y/n. You should try." Erasa said. Y/n frowned, Erasa was wrong. It would hurt, because each rejection would mean a night in the streets, alone, in the spring weather rain.
But Y/n swallowed down that negativity, nodding. She didn't want to make Erasa feel bad for her anymore than she already did. Erasa smiled, standing up and saying something about getting her some blankets and sleeping stuff. Y/n mindlessly nodded, looking down into her tea once again.
She stared into a pair of deep, onyx eyes, ones completely different from her own, shape and everything. Y/n's mind had gone completely blank, feeling overloaded by everything. It took her some time to process that it wasn't her own reflection, blinking and trying to focus her eyes.
But in the reflection on the light brown surface, her eyes were now e/c. Y/n wondered for a second if it was another one of her visions, or as she was starting to feel, hallucinations. Was she going crazy? She felt like it under all the stress and pressure.
Erasa handed Y/n a blanket and pillow, Y/n thanking her and setting them aside. For the rest of the night, Erasa put on cheesy movies to insult, hoping to cheer Y/n up. Eventually she did get a few giggles out of the girl, but that was the most she got.
Erasa bid Y/n goodnight after finishing the last movie, shutting off the television. Y/n got comfortable on the couch, staring out the glass walls. The lights of the distant city sparkled brightly, helping Y/n to just relax and not think about her problems. Letting out a yawn, Y/n wondered if tomorrow would be any better than today.
»»——⍟——««
Erasa patted Y/n's back, trying to keep the girl calm as they walked into class together. Gohan and Videl stared in them in confusion, it wasn't like the two to be late. And yet they were, arriving just before the tardy bell rang.
"Is everything alright? You look a little... Sick." Gohan pointed out. Y/n was covered in sweat, heaving.
She was correct to assume her stress would give her nightmares. It was an odd dream, unlike anything she'd ever had. It felt like her whole body was burning, and she was quite sure she may have even had red patches of skin, like she had been slightly burnt. It was the most realistic, and violent dream she'd ever had, and she wasn't sure why she had it. It felt so vivid, like she was truly there, being burnt alive.
"She couldn't sleep well at all." Erasa said, sitting down. Y/n sat down next to her, hissing as she felt like she had sat on a burnt spot. "She woke up with rashes all over! We don't know how. And it's possible she might be sick too, she was in the rain last night."
Erasa placed her hand over Y/n's forehead, just to check and see if she was running high temperatures. Erasa's eyes widened, surprised by how hot the girl was. "It's like she was cooked alive even though I kept the house cool. I tried to get her to stay home, but she insisted on coming."
"I need to talk to Gohan and Videl." Y/n said, her voice raspy. Erasa was quite certain Y/n needed to see a doctor, but Y/n wanted to go straight to class. Her top priority was finding a place to stay, and studying. She wouldn't put that off over a nightmare with physical effects.
"Wh-What is it?" Gohan stuttered, nervous. He wasn't sure if it would be anything good, or something he could help with. Erasa moved to let Y/n sit beside Gohan, the girl scooting towards him.
"I... May or may not have been kicked out of my home for staying with you..." Y/n said. Gohan gasped, covering his mouth in shock. Y/n had been... kicked out of her house because of him? Gohan suddenly felt a wave of guilt wash over him, realizing what he had done. It was him who offered to study at his house, him who lost track of time and couldn't get her time before it began to rain. And she'd lost her home as a result. Gohan felt sick as the blood drained from his face, paling him.
"Wh-What!? You can't be serious, you got kicked out of your own home for spending the night with a boy!?" Videl exclaimed, outraged. Y/n gasped, reaching to cover her mouth. The class looked back at them, brows raised as they whispered in confusion and amusement.
"Way to go, Videl..." Y/n grumbled, plopping back down in her seat, which she regretted as she felt a rash on her leg, burning her. "Yeah, I did. And Erasa's parents don't like people over. I was wondering if either of you could let me stay at your place for a day or two. I don't mean to be a burden, and I won't stay long..."
"You're not a burden, Y/n. We're your friends, it's okay to ask for help." Gohan said. He went to go pat her shoulder, but remembered her rashes and his super out of control strength. Instead, he placed his hand over hers, giving her the warmest smile he could. It immediately warmed Y/n's heart, but she still wasn't sure.
"So, I could stay at one of your places? Maybe Videl's, she'll have more room." Y/n suggested. Videl hummed, shaking her head.
"My dad and I are actually about to go on a business trip. We'll be gone for a while." Videl said. Gohan looked back at her in surprise, furrowing his brows.
"What? You'll be leaving? You'll be here for the end of the school year, right?" Gohan asked. Videl shrugged.
"I'm not sure yet. I'll try to fly back in time for the graduation, but I don't make any promises." Videl said. Gohan hummed in thought, looking back over to Y/n. He gave her hand a light squeeze, grinning.
"I guess you're stuck with me then, huh? I'm sure my family won't mind. You got along with them pretty well." Gohan said. Y/n sighed a breath of relief. It was nice to have one thing taken care of, at least for a couple days.
For now then, she could focus on her studies. And applying burn cream every once in a while. She really didn't understand where the burns came from, or if it was normal for dreams to hurt you.
After class, Y/n felt like a pile of jelly. Her butt cramped from sitting in a wooden seat all day, and her rashes burned after she had ran out of ointment. Gohan huffed, he figured he would have to take the slower version of flying so he wouldn't have to handle Y/n or hurt her burns.
Calling out Nimbus, Y/n got slightly excited, remembering her first time flying. Hopping on the cloud, Gohan grabbed Y/n with the utmost care, trying his best not to touch any burns. The two took off, even Y/n being able to tell the Nimbus flew significantly slower than Gohan.
At the thought of flying, Y/n recalled Goku's offer from the morning. She grinned, betting that he could teach her how to fly and do magic like the others. Gohan noticed her large grin, raising an eyebrow.
"What's up with you? You seem happy, I thought you were hurt." Gohan said. Y/n huffed, crossing her arms, careful not to scrape her skin.
"I can be happy and in pain at the same time." She glared, though it wasn't directed at him. "I was thinking about how I could learn to fly."
"You want to fly?" Gohan asked in excitement, hoping she was thinking of him teaching her.
"Yeah, I'm going to ask Goku if that can be part of my training. And the magic stuff as well." Y/n said. Gohan frowned, furrowing his brows.
"You know... Dad isn't the best energy user. He's more of a hands-on kind of fighter. I mean, he's got the best energy sensing abilities, and he probably has the most energy out of all of us... B-But he's not the absolute best at using it. I'd say that'd be me or Vegeta." Gohan said. And he wasn't actually too sure on how true that was, but he wanted Y/n to believe he was the best when it came to "magic".
"Who's Vegeta?" Y//n asked. Gohan groaned in annoyance, he didn't mean to draw attention to Vegeta, he wanted Y/n to notice himself. But he breathed in, answering her.
"Bulma's husband. I think he was at the party for a second, you might have met him. He's a full blooded Saiyan, like dad. I think they're the only ones left alive. We've never met any others if there is." Gohan said. Y/n hummed, leaning back against him.
"So... You're like, half alien? That's kind of weird to wrap my mind around." Y/n said. Gohan frowned, unsure if he wanted to continue the conversation.
"Yeah, but... I don't think I'm that different... Saiyans and humans are nearly the same, just one being stronger, and more like animals, I guess... But it's weird, right? I'm not normal..." Gohan muttered, looking down to the palm of his hand. He was surprised as Y/n grabbed it, intertwining her fingers with his.
"I think you're great, Gohan. You're my best friend. And that means more to me than whether or not you're human." Y/n said. She grinned, looking up at him to meet his eyes. He stared into her eyes in surprise, the sunlight making them sparkle. "Besides, you guys have magic, and that's like, the coolest thing ever. I can't wait to learn it."
Gohan chuckled, feeling a light blush form on his cheeks. He was Y/n's best friend. Just hearing the words alone was enough to make him forget that he was jealous for not getting to train Y/n.
Wait... Jealous? Gohan's blush deepened as he avoided eye contact, pretending that he didn't just realize why he had been so upset with his father lately. "It's not like that."
After some time, Gohan and Y/n finally arrived at his home. Hopping off the Nimbus, Y/n smiled at the boy as he offered his hand, helping her down. Y/n looked around their yard, spotting a familiar man training.
"Hey, dad!" Gohan greeted with a grin. Goku turned his attention to the voice, returning the smile.
"Hey, son. How was your day?" Goku asked, pausing his exercise as he approached the two. He was quick to notice the girl at his side too. "And Y/n? Are you spending another night?"
"We were going to see about that." Y/n chuckled nervously, still unsure about the whole plan. She really didn't want to be a burden on them.
"Yeah. We're gonna go in, see ya dad." Gohan said, taking Y/n by the wrist and pulling her inside. Just like the day before, Goten excitedly greeted his brother, having waited for him all day. Y/n half wondered if Goten did that everyday, and if it ever got lonely.
It didn't take much convincing Chi-Chi to let Y/n stay, much to Gohan's surprise, as he could get an idea of what his mother was up to. He was almost certain that Chi-Chi saw Y/n as his future wife. After all, Y/n had much similar dreams to him, and was quite well mannered.
Y/n had thanked Chi-Chi at least a million times, especially when Chi-Chi returned her school clothes fresh and clean. Y/n had gotten the impression that Chi-Chi was a wonderful woman, right up until Goku had mentioned Y/n's training.
"You can't train her, she's just a girl!" Chi-Chi berated, pointing an angry finger at the Saiyan. Goku winced at Chi-Chi's volume, flinching.
"Why not? She's going to be really strong! Plus, it sounds like fun!" Goku tried to reason with the angry woman. Chi-Chi simply growled, clenching her fists.
"It's unladylike! There is no way I am going to allow you to train a little girl! She's too young for that!" Chi-Chi shouted. Y/n interjected nervously, putting a pause on Chi-Chi's rant.
"Ma'am, I'm actually an adult, I'm 18 going on 19." Y/n said. Chi-Chi glared at the girl, unsure if she wanted to argue with someone who she wanted as a step-daughter. She huffed, crossing her arms.
"I don't approve of it. You're supposed to be a gentle and kind woman, not a fighting crazed freak like Goku!" She said. She stomped her foot, as if putting it down, refusing to change her mind.
"It won't be any fighting, ma'am, I promise, I'm not interested. Goku just wanted to teach me a little bit of self defense." Y/n said, trying to calm Chi-Chi. It seemed to have worked, the woman sighing as she approached Gohan, who was quietly watching the whole argument. He was quite surprised to see how quickly Y/n had calmed his mother, giving Chi-Chi a pat on the back.
"Alright! Thanks, Chi-Chi! Come on, Y/n!" Goku grabbed Y/n's wrist excitedly, practically yanking her away as he rushed outside. She wondered for a second if she would regret agreeing to this, but the thought disappeared as Goku ascended to the sky, reminding her why she agreed to it.
»»——⍟——««
// word count - 3075 //
So, I have a question if anyone is willing to honestly answer. Am I a:
Great writer
Good writer
Okay writer
or bad writer?
This question is entirely for improvement, as I'm currently working on the final version of a novel. The writing style is different from how I write on Wattpad, but similar enough to warrant this question.
Thank you for reading and possibly answering, and I hope you enjoyed the story. This is the last chapter for this year haha, see ya in 2023.