Build a House
A DBZ Oneshot Fanfic
A/N: Originally posted on the dbzhell tumblr on January 18, 2016 as part of a request prompt. I still don't know what the inside of the Son household is like. Takes some liberties as far as what Yardrat is like, and also sticks closer to Super's version of the Res F arc rather than the movie's (not that it particularly matters, but still). Title of the fic is taken from a song of the same name by Alyssa Jorgensen (which is such a pretty song and reminds me so much of GoChi right before/during the Cell Games). If you want to listen, head on over to youtube: watch?v=OX2BOMMRwCs
Prompt: House (Goku & Chi-Chi)
Goku kicked open the front door, being mindful of his strength, and ducked inside. Chi-Chi giggled loudly as she clung to him, arms wrapped around his neck and her head resting on his shoulder. He carried her in, as she had asked ("It's what married couples are suppose to do!"), and couldn't stop the laughter that bubbled up within him. He might not have had a complete understanding of what he'd gotten himself into, but even so an odd sort of joy filled his chest. Maybe her happiness was contagious? He always found it easier to laugh if someone else was already doing it…
"You can put me down now," his new wife (what an odd term) murmured into his neck between giggles, her breath brushing against his skin sending shivers down his spine. He nodded and did just that, gently lowering her to the ground and removing his arm from under her knees. The other arm remained wrapped around her shoulders, keeping her steady as she fought against the rather poofy dress to stand steady. She sent a grateful smile his way before walking out of his grasp and looking around the main room. "Oh, Papa did a good job! This house is just lovely, if a bit bare."
Goku tore his gaze away from Chi-Chi and looked around the room – while it wasn't the largest house he had ever seen, it was certainly bigger than any he had ever lived in. The living room itself, fully equipped with a couch, a table, a few lamps, and a television, was far more spacious than the hut he stayed in with his grandfather (he made a mental note to visit that in the morning, since it was so close by. He missed that little house), and probably contained as much room as the bottom floor of Kame House.
"We'll personalize it soon enough!" Chi-Chi chirped as she dashed around the room. "We'll get pictures and other decorative things to mark our lives together. Oh!" She rushed towards a blank wall and held her arms out parallel to it. "This would be perfect to hang up pictures of the kids!" Her head then snapped towards the kitchen and she was off again, chattering away excitedly.
It was like when he had agreed to marry her at the tournament all over again.
Goku stayed behind in the living room and simply took in the area, unsure how he should react to everything. He had to admit he was excited to live with someone again – some of the best moments of his life were when he shared a living space with someone. Back with Grandpa, traveling with Bulma and Oolong, training under Master Roshi at Kame House with Krillin and Launch… He had been told by his friends that having a wife would be different than all those experiences, which judging by what little of married life he'd seen so far, he wasn't sure how he'd handle it. It was all unknown territory and that didn't sit too well with him. But Chi-Chi was nice, he enjoyed her company, so it couldn't be all bad, right?
When Chi-Chi suddenly was in front of him, face twisted in concern and asking him if he was okay, he was startled but smiled nonetheless. "Yeah, I'm alright," he answered before turning his attention back to the room around him. "So, we're going to live here?"
"Yes. This is our house!"
He blinked a few times before turning back to her, bemused. "I've never really owned a house before."
Chi-Chi smiled and shrugged. "Well, neither have I. But I'm sure we can figure it out."
"So, why are we adding another room?" Goku called out curiously as he hammered away on the roof. They had added many expansions to the small domed home since moving in, but he had been under the impression that they had finished by that point.
Chi-Chi sat in the grass not too far away, watching him work with critical eyes. "I told you! We need a room for the baby." He paused in his work to look over to her, eyes landing specifically on her round stomach.
Baby.
He still had trouble wrapping his head around the concept.
Even so, his heart leapt whenever he thought about it, or felt the baby's ki, or even when he simply touched his wife's ever-growing belly. He had never considered being a father before Chi-Chi excitedly told him she was pregnant months beforehand. Sure, she had always talked about kids, but he had figured they would wait a couple years. Even so, it was exciting all the same, if somewhat daunting.
He hopped off the roof and walked towards his wife, sitting down next to her to take a break. One hand instinctively fell onto her midsection and he smiled brightly when he felt movement beneath his palm. "Why can't the baby stay in our room?" he asked, genuinely curious. They had shared a room after all, and he had always shared one with Grandpa when he was younger.
Chi-Chi placed a hand on top of his and leaned against his body, head moving to rest on his chest. "Well, they probably will early on. But as they get older it'd be best if they have their own space. Besides," she laughed a bit, "it'd probably get crowded in there after a while."
That was fair. Their room might've been big enough for two people, but three would probably have been a bit much. He rested his chin on the top of her head and wrapped his other arm around her shoulders, content to sit a little while longer. The extension to the house was almost done, anyway.
He looked at the building and smiled. Their house.
A drop of water smacked against his head, causing Goku to pause in his push-ups, sit up, and look towards the source. Another droplet fell and hit his forehead, which wrinkled as he frowned at the ceiling. That wasn't supposed to happen.
"Chi!" he called out, voice loud enough to ring over the sound of Gohan's music as he did homework and the clatter of kitchenware as his wife prepared supper. "Looks like we have another leak!" Darn, seems tomorrow would be spent fixing it up instead of training.
Chi-Chi's head poked through the doorway, an almost empty silence filling the house at the pause of her cooking. "What was that, dear?" she asked sweetly as the rest of her followed in to stand in the living room.
Goku pointed up towards the ceiling. "Leak," he stated simply, and he had to hold back his laugh as he watched her face slowly shift from one that was kind and smiley to one of great annoyance.
"Really?" she groaned as she marched over to where he sat, placing one hand on top of his head to look up at the roof. "We just fixed up the last one." She blinked as a drop fell onto her head and then sighed heavily. "Well, I guess I can try to get it fixed tomorrow… Although it isn't suppose to rain for a while, so it could probably wait until you get back home…."
He tilted his head, effectively removing it from Chi-Chi's grasp. "What? I thought for sure you'd make me do it firs' thing."
She shook her head and began to walk back towards the kitchen. "Normally, I would. But you have that reunion thing tomorrow, remember?"
Oh, that's right! Master Roshi and Krillin were hosting a party over at Kame House. His eyes wondered over to Gohan, who had paused in his studies to watch his parents talk. Goku smiled brightly, excitement coursing through his veins at the prospect of introducing his son to all of his friends – in all honesty, the feeling he felt beating in his chest wasn't too dissimilar to that he felt whenever he wanted to show off a new attack. To show off the boy he and Chi-Chi had helped bring into the world...
Gohan was an amazing kid, his amazing kid, her amazing kid, their amazing son. The pride he felt for the four-year-old was unlike anything he had ever felt before.
Another drop hit his head and he quickly moved from that spot. He'd fix that leak in their ceiling as soon as he got back from the reunion.
The howling wind shook against the faulty wooden walls of the hut, and Goku awoke with a gasp at the sound. When the winds continued to blow and rattle the hut, he groaned loudly and rolled over onto his belly. While he had often slept in similar conditions in the past, he never particularly enjoyed them – especially now when he had been spoiled with nearly four years of a sturdy house and comfortable bed to sleep in.
It was nights like that one that made him regret rejecting the wish to take him back to Earth. He missed his home, missed his friends, his wife, his son… Heck, at that point he was even to starting to miss Vegeta, of all people. Just, something familiar.
Seeing and experiencing new things was exciting. But after everything that had happened on Namek, he was certain he was done exploring for a while.
He couldn't leave Yardrat just yet though, not before he learned how to do instant transmission.
He couldn't go home yet, not when his control over that state, that…super saiyan, was shaky at best. He couldn't risk their safety.
The wind blew harder, and rain began to drip through the ceiling and walls. Goku shivered, quiet grumbles of irritation rumbling in his chest as he pulled his blanket over his head.
As he fought for sleep, desperate for some form of rest, he randomly remembered how he never got around to fixing the leak in their ceiling.
Each time he came home after being away for a long time, it somehow managed to look the same. Returning after dying and then spending a couple years in space? It looked exactly the same, if only a little cleaner without him around constantly making a mess of things. Returning after spending a year in the time chamber? Well, of course it would look the same, hardly a day had passed for that house.
Returning after being dead for seven years?
The outside looked the same, only the area around the home was clearer – trees being cut down for firewood over the years was beginning to show. He had almost half-expected the inside to look exactly the same as well, but given how big Gohan was and the fact that Goten even existed, he really should've known better.
It didn't look too different though – furniture had been moved around a bit, and his belongings were strangely absent, but overall it was fairly similar to how he remembered it being back before he left for the Cell Games.
Slowly, Goku walked through the living room, dark eyes examining the walls that surrounded him. Laughter from his sons echoed behind him, the boys walking into the house and instantly rushing to the kitchen. The heavenly aroma of Chi-Chi's cooking drifted from that room, tantalizing his senses and causing his stomach to practically howl, but he ignored his hunger for a moment to just take it all in.
He hadn't step foot in that house for seven years, after all.
Goku walked over to the wall that was decorated with various pictures of the small family, recognizing many that had been there before his death. He was unsurprised to see several new ones were added in, covering the years he had missed.
Gohan slowly growing older, Goten's birth, the boys just playfully milling about random parts of the property. It was almost as if an abridged version of their lives played out before his eyes, and his heart twisted at the sight.
When Baba had approached him about the idea of returning home for a day, he hadn't realized just how long of a gap seven years actually was. When he heard Gohan's voice for the first time he had been understandably startled by how deep it had gotten, and yet nothing could've prepared him for when he finally saw his eldest son again.
Gohan was taller than him now.
When did that happen?
And Goten… He didn't even know Chi-Chi had been pregnant! Likely she didn't know either, or she would've told him. He frowned as his eyes landed on a picture of his youngest son as an infant. He had missed so many important moments of that boy's life, moments that he held fond memories of for Gohan. His first words, his first steps, watching him become more and more independent…
"Goku?" He jumped at his wife's voice and the feel of her hand on his back. A quick glance to his right revealed her to be standing next to him, dark eyes – kami, her eyes had changed, she had changed too, and he had missed it – alight with concern. "Is everything alright?"
He nodded and smiled, although he couldn't quite make it feel right. "Yeah, just…looking at the new pictures."
She smiled, her expression holding something akin to sympathy that made his gut lurch. "I have some food made in the kitchen, you know. All your old favorites. I prepared it for when we thought you'd only be here for a day." Her hand rubbed small circles into his back, soothing him. "Goten's really excited to get to know you more."
The smile on Goku's face shifted, becoming more natural. Things might be different, but at least it all was still there. He turned around and grabbed Chi-Chi's hand, the two of them walking to the kitchen where their boys' boisterous voices could be heard.
The house was quiet as he touched ground, a dozing Goten cradled against his chest. His hold on his son tightened, relief to just be able to hold him again coursing through his veins. Goku had thought he wouldn't have to experience watching his world explode and everyone die ever again. If he hadn't been so arrogant with Frieza, he likely wouldn't have.
At least they didn't remember. That much he was grateful for. Goten was so young and already had the memory of death ingrained into his brain. He didn't want his boy to suffer through that again.
He opened the door with ease, finding all the lights turned off, everything completely silent. Chi-Chi's ki radiated from their bedroom, steady and healthy and very much alive. Goku sighed in relief as he set about preparing Goten for bed. The boy grumbled tiredly when forced from his slumber, but gave no resistance to the nightly rituals they usually preformed.
"Dad?" Goten mumbled as Goku ushered him to bed, followed quickly by a large yawn. "Are you gonna tell me what happened?"
"Of course!" Goku reassured as the boy climbed into bed, pulling the covers up to tuck him in. "I'll tell you it all tomorrow at the banquet."
"Yaaaaaay." Once again, the word gave way for a yawn, and Goku found himself smiling fondly at his son. He reached up and ruffled the boy's hair, only to get a loud snore as his response.
"Goodnight, son."
The walk back to his bedroom seemed to take forever. He did his best to be as quiet as possible, not wishing to wake Chi-Chi up with his intrusion. Although once he had entered the room and began to undress, his gi still torn to shreds and covered with holes (perhaps he could get Piccolo to fix that tomorrow? He quite liked the new look), he realized that his wife probably had no idea of the battle or even the fact that he was finally home. A quick glance towards the bed revealed as such – she was lying down at an angle, her head on his pillow while her feet were stretched out towards her side of the bed. She always slept like that whenever he was gone and she thought he wouldn't be back for a long while.
He quietly walked over and kneeled down by his side of the bed, one hand reaching over to gently shake her shoulder. "Chi," he whispered, voice low, "Chi, wake up."
Her eyes fluttered open, and the moment they landed on him she sat up. "Goku! You're home?" The smile that stretched across his face at the sound of her voice almost hurt his cheeks. He nodded, hand moving to cup the side of her face, with her instantly leaning into his touch. "When? Why?" Her eyes wondered down to the new scar on his side and she reached out to gently touch it. "What happened?"
"It's a long story," he muttered before reluctantly moving from her grasp to stand up. "Just got back from a pretty big battle, actually, and I'm kind of tired, so could I –?"
"Wait until the morning?" Chi-Chi finished, voice deadpan. He gave her a guilty look and she shook her head as she moved over to her side of the bed. "Alright, but I want a full explanation as soon as you wake up! Guess I'll now be making breakfast for two."
Goku sighed as he climbed into bed, relieved to feel the familiar mattress beneath him. The ones kept on Lord Beerus's planet were far from comfortable, although he slept easily enough on those. "Three," he mumbled as he shuffled under the covers. "Goten's here."
"I thought he was staying the night at Capsule Corp.?"
He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, chin resting on the top of her head. "Changed his mind." Her arms wrapped around him and he felt her huff against his skin.
"I guess this has to do with the big battle as well?" He hummed his response, eyes already drooping close as exhaustion from the battle crept up on him. "I'm glad you're home."
Goku smiled and pulled her just a bit closer. Around him the walls quietly creaked as the wind blew by, the same and as comforting as it had been when they first moved in all those years ago. "Me too."