AN: This one-shot was inspired by Fiddler On The Roof's "Do You Love Me?"
Disclaimer: I don't own Dragonball
Chi-Chi enjoyed the solitude. Magazine in hand, tea in a cup, and silence around the room. She truly felt at peace. She thought back to when Goku had died the first time and Gohan had been kidnapped, that had been a time when the solitude was suffocating to the point of being unbearable. But after one catastrophic event after another, Chi-Chi grew to appreciate the moments where she was alone and her family was safe. Goten had a sleepover at Capsule Corp, Gohan was hanging out with his city friends, and Goku…Well, Goku could be anywhere, but no matter where he was Chi-Chi definitely knew he was indeed training or sparring. Leaving Chi-Chi to enjoy her own company. She released a soft smile.
"Hiya Chi-Chi."
Chi-Chi muscles involuntarily flexed for a moment, it took her a millisecond to recognize that voice. It was only noon, what was he doing back here so early.
"Goku," she ground out through clenched teeth.
"Yeah, Chi?" Goku answered, taking the empty seat adjacent from his wife. Completely oblivious to the amount of self-control his wife was practicing. Chi-Chi released a deep breath before continuing.
"Goku, have we not discussed why it is inappropriate to just pop up on people like that?"
"Yeah, but you weren't doing nothin'. So what's the big deal?" Goku cocked his head to the side confused.
"That's not the point!" Chi-Chi added sharply.
She took another deep breath, no need to beat a dead horse. Goku was determined to use that Instant teleport or whatever it's called, no matter how many times she lectured him against it. Wanting to get back to her relaxation, she decided to get the root of why Goku was back so early so she could send him off on his way again.
"Never mind that. What is it Goku, are you hungry? There are surprisingly plenty leftovers in the fridge." Chi-Chi offered.
"I mean I could eat, but I don't think I'm hungry," Goku answered, thoughtfully. This caused Chi-Chi to raise a suspecting eyebrow.
"Yeah, I'm not here for food. I actually got a question for Chi."
"A question for me?" Chi-Chi blinked twice. Just what was so compelling, that Goku needed to ask her at this very moment.
"Do you love me, Chi-Chi?"
Chi-Chi blinked three times and just stared. Had he really asked her that question? After all this time together, after enduring all the absences. The very long absences. He dared asked her such a scandalous question. She was offended.
"Do I what?!" Chi-Chi pressed.
"Do you love me?" Goku inched closer towards Chi-Chi's face. His eyes were thoughtful. He wanted clarity when she answered, so he needed to be as close to her face as possible so he wouldn't miss a thing.
"Goku what's all this about? Why are you asking this all of sudden? You sure you aren't hungry?" Chi-Chi frowned.
"Chi-Chi…Please just answer the question." Goku whined. He didn't understand why Chi-Chi was making such a big deal out of this. And if he was telling the truth, the fact she didn't immediately say yes coiled his stomach into knots.
Chi-Chi stood up from her table to dispose of her teacup. What foolishness had come over her husband to demand such a question. Did she love him?
"Yes, Chi-Chi. Do you love me?" Goku repeated. Turning to face her while she was at the kitchen sink. Chi-Chi turned abruptly to face Goku, just now being made aware of the fact she had spoken her thoughts aloud.
"Goku you're ridiculous," Chi-Chi stated as she crossed her arms over her chest. Goku furrowed his eyebrows, she wouldn't answer a simple question, but he was the ridiculous one. That's Chi-Chi for you, he thought.
"I knooow," Goku drawled out with an eye roll. He stared back at Chi-Chi, obviously still waiting for a proper answer.
"I just don't get you Son Goku. For years I've cleaned your house, cooked meals too big for armies for you and the boys, gave birth to your two sons, let you take those same sons into whatever kind of danger, waited years for you, trained our youngest son in your honor. All of this I've done for you and you ask me do I love you?" Chi-Chi exasperated. All she had done, she had no business to feel like she was only trial here. It should be she who should be asking him whether he loved her.
Goku heart warmed a little at the mention of all the things she had done for him. But it also made him a little sad because no matter how much he tended to the farm, fought to protect her, or sacrificed his life for her, it all never felt enough to him as payback for all that Chi-Chi has given him. He'll never be able to top her and in an ironic kind of way that made her, his wife, his greatest adversary.
"Chi-Chi, I remember being really confused about this marriage and love thing back when we were younger. I really didn't know what I was doing." Goku confessed sheepishly, doing his typical under-the-nose rub. Chi-Chi saw this and decided to relax on the defense a little bit and actually engaged in conversation with her silly husband.
"I think we both were a bit naive," Chi-Chi admitted. Chi-Chi may have known what marriage was, unlike Goku, but her idea at a young age was filtered with many fairy tales and romance novel endings. Being married to Goku taught her that marriage was a lot of hard work, sacrifice, and commitment.
"Yeah, but you were much smarter than me Chi. You said eventually we'd both would come to love each other deeply, Goku paused to really look at Chi-Chi. Her eyes were soft. He liked when she looked that way, so vulnerable. It made him feel like she wasn't invincible and that she actually needed him to save her every once and awhile. He liked being needed by her.
"So, do you think we did it Chi-Chi? Do you think we learned to love each other deeply?" He continued, making direct eye contact with the woman who had taken by his side for the rest of their lives because of a childhood promise.
"Goku, I'm still your wife." Chi-Chi relented, a small smile threatening to creep upon her face due to how innocent Goku looked. She liked when he looked like that, so vulnerable. When he looked like that she felt that somewhere deep down, he knew that he wasn't invincible. That he couldn't always save the day. She liked that he knew that he couldn't always do it on his own.
"I knooow. But Chi-Chi do you love me?" Goku pouted, she was making this difficult. Chi-Chi couldn't hide the smile anymore, not with him looking so darn cute. She guesses she should answer her big boy's question.
"Well, for years I've spent cleaning, cooking, and caring for you. Cheering you on, even when I didn't like the circumstances. I've celebrated with you and suffered with you. For years what was mine, was yours. If that's not love, then what is?" Chi-Chi let a playful smirk fall upon her face before it turned into a full-fledged smile watching Goku's own smile stretch across his face.
Before she could think, she was being engulfed in one of the biggest bear hugs. She let out a small squeal.
"Then you love me?!" Goku asked again, jolly. Chi-Chi giggled at his antics. In the heat of the moment sometimes she admits, she would wonder when will he ever grow up. But with moments like this, she's glad he doesn't. It makes her feel just as young and free. She would never tell him that of course.
"I suppose I do," Chi-Chi replied softly, still being held in Goku's arms. She wiggled an arm free so that she could pinch his nose.
"That's great! Because I love you too Chi-Chi!" With that, he gave her a final squeeze before releasing her.
"Welp, I'm off back to King Kai's to train some more. See ya for dinner Chi-Chi." Goku did a quick ransack of the refrigerator, for leftovers. He actually did become quite hungry, go figure. Chi-Chi had to take a second to catch up with what was going on.
"Wait! Goku aren't you going to tell me what brought all of this about?" Chi-Chi asked, catching his attention before he disappeared.
"Yeah, sure I'll tell ya all about it Cheech when I get back. See ya later!" With two fingers on his forehead and four bento boxes balanced in the other arm, the Earth-raised Saiyan was gone. Chi-Chi nearly fell over. After all these years, that man was still a darn mystery to her sometimes.
A little while had passed since the conversation between the two spouses. Chi-Chi had gathered her second cup of tea and moved to a new magazine. Goku, on the other hand, had taken a quick break from training to eat King Kai's cooking, along with the bento boxes from home. Each was thinking on the moment they had just shared together. Both coming to the conclusion that their profession of love for one another hadn't changed a thing. Chi-Chi would still unconditionally take care of her husband and Goku would still without a second's doubt give up his life for his wife, even if they never openly expressed their love for one another ever again. But the two pure hearts did relish in the fact that after all these years it sure was nice to know.
-WritersBlvd