Chi-Chi had not expected Bulma Briefs to drop everything to show up at her door twenty minutes after they'd hung up. It was a shock to see the normally glamorous heiress with her hair up in a bun, a dingy white t-shirt with the sleeves rolled up and jean short shorts. It reminded her of the old days, before real life and responsibilities took over, when Bulma would burst into her dorm room, demanding explanation about the latest gossip or some other occurrence.

It warmed her heart.

"Okay, tell me everything," Bulma said bluntly.

Chi-Chi flushed and let her friend in.

"I… there's nothing much more to tell, really," Chi-Chi went on.

"No. No, don't do that," Bulma said sharply with a pointed finger. "You've been withholding stuff from me and I'm kinda hurt by it! Because, first of all: Are you fucking kidding me? Lapis?"

Their brief call had been a normal Sunday afternoon catch up, and Chi-Chi had given her brief summary of the past few weeks.

"We went on two dates," Chi-Chi said as they headed to the kitchen. She grabbed a bottle of wine from her cabinet, but Bulma brushed past her to take a bottle of whiskey instead. Wordlessly, Bulma found a tumbler and immediately poured the amber liquid in.

"And not even that," Chi-Chi went on. "One and a half. Sort of."

"Yeah no duh Goku would try to cock block all of this the moment he found out! When I said start dating again, I meant strangers!" Bulma said with a quick swig of the hard liquor. Blue eyes narrowed with interest. "So did you take a ride on more than his motorcycle?"

Chi-Chi's jaw dropped. "Do you know me? We went on two dates, one of which was spent mostly with my ex-husband hovering around."

"I guess I don't know you, because honestly… Lapis. I'm ready to believe anything now."

Chi-Chi rubbed her eyebrow. "I wanted to go out with someone I knew would be safe."

"Safe like a pit of vipers!"

"Bulma, he's our friend. He's Lazuli's brother."

"And I'm guessing that's the only reason why Goku hasn't beaten him to a pulp yet."

"Goku and I aren't together! He would have no right to—"

"Doesn't he?" Bulma broke in with a brow raised, taking another sip of whiskey.

Chi-Chi ducked her head, guiltily. "I don't know. He… we haven't talked about anything."

No, all they'd done was flirt with each other shamelessly, in front of their kids no less, and not have one single serious discussion about the past few weeks…

"Let's be real here, Chi," Bulma said, her expression sobering. "Do you want to get back with Goku? Because you know he'd back off if you just said so. He's not the type of guy to… well, I mean, he's a fucking boy scout. He wouldn't be upping his game if you haven't…"

"If I haven't what…?" Chi-Chi said, narrowing her eyes.

"If you haven't given him the green light, is all I'm saying," Bulma said bluntly.

Chi-Chi shifted her feet, unable to deny her friend's statement.

"I mean, he's never pulled this shit with you in pretty much the seven years you've been divorced right? And haven't you gone on lame-ass dates before too? Something changed… and remember, I was there at the photo shoot. I'm not blind. You guys were ready to eat something other than food, audience be damned."

Chi-Chi touched her burning cheeks, knowing she couldn't deny it. There was only so much she could pretend was an accident.

"Oh my god, it's all making sense now, you two are so bad at…" Bulma began then took a deep breath. "Chi. Have you and Goku ever had… like… a post-moterm about your divorce?"

Chi-Chi frowned. "What do you mean? Like… hey, let's go over what went wrong? Are you kidding me?"

But Bulma's blue eyes were sharp and clear. "No, I'm not kidding. Have you guys ever spoken about exactly why you broke up? You filed for the papers while he was deployed. He wasn't even in the same country. And er, you were kinda pregnant and hormonal at the time."

Chi-Chi closed her eyes briefly at the painful memory.

"Did you two actually talk about the details beyond… um, logistics?"

"Of course! It's not like I wasn't going to leave him without letting him know why! Though it was rather obvious. And it's not like he blindly signed those papers, either," Chi-Chi said with a frown, not understanding what Bulma was trying to get at.

Bulma pursed her lips. "I don't know about that last part."

Chi-Chi gaped at her friend in disbelief. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Chi, you sent him those papers while he was deployed," Bulma repeated softly. "He signed them when you weren't even in the same room."

"Well if he wanted to sign them in person, then he could have just come home," Chi-Chi said sharply, her throat closing up with tears from long-ago heart break.

Bulma shook her head. "Chi… you knew he couldn't."

"He didn't have to go. He didn't even come back for another two years," Chi-Chi added, her eyes stinging with pressure.

Bulma took another sip of whiskey and sighed. "You both are being cowards about this by saying nothing, not talking. In this case, 'go with the flow' is probably going to end up with disaster. And I'm not sure you're the one that's going to be left hurt the most after it's said and done."

Chi-Chi was startled at the reproachful look on the heiress' face. "What are you talking about?"

"Chi, I know I'm biased because Goku's my friend too, but… he was fucking destroyed when you left him."

Chi-Chi frowned deepened. Goku had been subdued during the process, resigned even, but there had been no indication to her that their divorce had been anything but just a nuisance. It was why she had been so determined to go through with it… he hadn't protested, hadn't fought back.

In fact, he hadn't cared at all, and Chi-Chi had realized at the time that was what hurt her the most.

"I'm sure he was upset," Chi-Chi allowed with a shrug. It was Bulma's turn to look at her with disbelief.

"Are you really that—" Bulma was starting to sound angry, but whatever she was going to say seemed purposely cut off.

"I mean, he no longer had a cook and maid on hand," Chi-Chi said with a trace of bitterness. "And the kids to amuse him when he was bored."

Bulma pinched the bridge of her nose. "Okay. You… are entitled to feel that way. He wasn't the best husband or father at that time. But… ugh, Chi, I'm going to stop now. It's not my place to judge."

Bulma's lips thinned, and despite her casual attire and appearance for the day, the corporate mogul and top scientific mind of their generation was now looking back at her.

"You two need to talk it out. Have that post-mortem. Because it sounds like neither of you were honest then and neither of you are honest now."

"Did you and Vegeta have a post-mortem?" Chi-Chi had meant to throw the question in Bulma's face in defense, not expecting the heiress to nod vigorously.

"Oh you bet your ass we did. Because no matter how good the sex was, I sure as hell wasn't going to be 'his woman'—" Bulma actually paused to do air quotes. "—if we weren't crystal clear as to why we almost got divorced in the first place. We even went to a counsellor."

At that, Chi-Chi gasped in shock. Vegeta Ouji voluntarily going to a marriage counsellor?!

Bulma lifted her hand, her expression wry. "Though, that goes to your grave. Vegeta wants everyone to just think he fucked his way back into my good graces and that he's some sort of crazy alpha male that I just couldn't resist bending to his will. Which, fine, not a hundred percent inaccurate."

Chi-Chi turned this information in her mind, her heart fluttering with fear. She wanted to try again with Goku but she was just so scared… and she had no idea what Goku actually wanted. Yes, he was attracted to her, but… did he want to actually be with her? The way she needed him to be?

She wasn't sure if he had wanted to be with her even from the very beginning!

She had always been the one to pursue him. She had asked him out. She was the one who even dragged him to a jewelry store, picking out her own engagement ring. He hadn't even asked for her hand! In retrospect, she cringed at her young, desperate self, who was just so crazy in love and eager to start her dream life with her dream man.

She had ignored all sense.

"Go talk to him. Find a time — without the kids — and have that talk," Bulma said seriously.

"You're right. You're right," Chi-Chi said quietly. Bulma handed Chi-Chi her tumbler of whiskey, which Chi-Chi downed in one gulp. The liquid stung her throat.

Bulma walked over and picked up Chi-Chi's cell phone and palmed it over Chi-Chi's hand. Bulma crossed her arms intimidatingly, not unlike her brooding husband, and nodded toward the phone.

"Okay, so let me see you set it up."

"What? Now?!"

"Yes, now. Just text him. Type, 'Hey can I come over to your place this week?' I'm waiting!"

"I can't do that!"

"Yes, you can."

Chi-Chi gaped at the phone, suddenly seized with terror. Bulma rolled her eyes and grabbed Chi-Chi's device. Before she could understand what Bulma was doing, she heard the familiar whooshing sound of a text being sent.

Chi-Chi shrieked, grabbing her phone back. "What did you do?!"

She looked down at the text.

Free Tues night? I want to come over. No kids. —Chi-Chi

"See? Not a big deal," Bulma said smoothly.

"Bulma—!" Chi-Chi began but then she immediately got a text notification back.

Sounds like a plan. 7p? —Goku

Bulma tapped her foot impatiently, her lips twisted in amusement at Chi-Chi's nervousness. Chi-Chi stared at the phone, not knowing what to do and wondering how she could weasel out of it while also contemplating going through with it.

Another text notification ping sounded.

Are we having dinner, too? Or…? —Goku

Chi-Chi looked at Bulma and at the phone, frozen with indecision. Bulma sighed and grabbed her phone again and texted.

Only if it's your treat. x —Chi-Chi

Chi-Chi made to grab her phone back again but the heiress moved the phone away with a giggle.

"Bulma!" Chi-Chi exclaimed. "Stop being childish!"

"I'm being childish? You can't ask Goku out for a silly dinner," Bulma said, as she kept the phone out of reach. The phone pinged again and Chi-Chi finally managed to swipe the device back.

I can whip something up. :-) See you Tues. —Goku

And I guess tonight, too? See you when you pick up the kids. And Tues. —Goku

Bulma hovered over Chi-Chi's shoulder. "There, done. See? Was that so hard?"

Chi-Chi groaned and she mimed choking Bulma in the air. Bulma grinned, clearly pleased.

"You owe me," Bulma said in a sing-song voice.

"I haven't gone over there yet. I may still have to kill you," Chi-Chi said lightly.

Bulma gathered her friend in an enthusiastic hug. "Oh you love me."

.

.

.