Disclaimer: DB is obviously a property of Akira Toriyama/Toei animation.

A/N: this piece is set directly after Buu saga.

Memories

By your-biohazardous-friend

Gohan's earliest memories of his father were floor-related. On those polished wooden panels Goku did countless push-ups, pull-ups, warm-ups… you name it that man did it. When he was younger, Gohan would often climb onto his father's back as he was exercising. More often than not, the monotone movements of his father's body lulled the toddler to sleep better than any bedtime story or lullaby.

Those memories also smelled of soft soap – china was too fragile to handle for a fighter like Goku while his cooking was edible but tasteless. So sooner than later, Gohan's mother entrusted her husband with cleaning all the floors in their small house. Goku never complained, never shy from the task…

There it was again: the soapy smell, sloshing, squeaking, shuffling. Was he so gone that he had auditory and sensory hallucinations? Gohan lied in his bed – it was weekend so he could easily sleep in and continue dreaming about jumping over his father's back to get to the kitchen or onto the table where his mother was sitting.

Then he heard his mother's laughter from the floor below. Chi-Chi rarely laughed after Goku'd died… then the realization struck.

He jumped out of the bed, feet tapped as he run barefooted across the corridor. He skipped few stairs and almost slipped on the wet surface.

"woah! Watch out!" Goku exclaimed cheerfully "I just cleaned that!"

Gohan looked the scene before him with widened eyes. It was just as he had remembered it: his father was on his knees, the navy-blue supporters were missing from his wrists, wringing a wet rag into bucket. All the chairs were put on the table among which sat his mother, sipping her morning coffee and supervising her spouse's progress.

"something's wrong?" Chi-Chi's voice was soft, concerned.

"If you're hungry, just jump across - the floor in the kitchen is already dry" Goku retorted.

"I can fly, dad"

Goku looked at him confused.

"ah, yeah" the man covered his embarrassment with a grin "I've forgotten about that for a second"

"yeah, it's kind of easy to do that, isn't it?" Gohan braced himself and with one swift jump leaped across the room. "Once you're home"