Cool spring air floated in through our open living room window, bringing with it the nice sweet scents of blooming flowers. Fluffy little clouds dotted the blue sky visible out the window. Gohan and Videl enjoyed a little spar under the evening sunshine a ways away from our home. They deserved a break from studying for their upcoming finals.
The breeze carried in their distant laughter and grunts. Curled up on our living room sofa, I hummed enjoying the soft breeze while I browsed a home décor catalogue.
A weight settled in the empty cushion on the other end of our sofa. I smiled at my sweet husband who was on his knees on the sofa, hands braced on the windowsill, as he looked toward where our son and future daughter in law fought.
"Videl's gettin' really pissed," he said through a chuckle.
I set down my catalogue on the side table next to me and watched Gohan and Videl through the window. Gohan's eyes lit up with a familiar, playful smirk—the same smirk his father wore when he stayed just out of my reach. Gohan dodged Videl's kick with a big jump backwards. Videl flew toward Gohan, her growl floating in through the open kitchen window. That little smirk during a little spar was just as infuriating to her as it was to me.
Goku flashed that same playful little smirk in my direction before returning his attention to Gohan and Videl. I shook my head but couldn't help a smile.
I stood from our comfortable sofa and nodded toward the window. "Shall we, sweetheart?"
Goku's eyes lit up and he jumped to his feet. I giggled as he grabbed my hand and pulled me outside with him into the cool spring breeze.
###
I wiped the sweat from my forehead and glared at Goku. Oh, he was really going to get it if I could just catch him. I rushed Goku with a snarl, my fist ready to smash into his cheek.
My fist passed through empty air.
A whisper of warm breath off to one side brushed the exposed skin of my arm. I swung my elbow toward the warm sensation with as much weight as I could put into it. My elbow did collide with flesh in a satisfying smack—though not my intended target. Goku caught my elbow with an open hand, which he dropped to hang limply at this side. I shook off the jarring impact and got ready to attack him again.
Goku dodged and wove through every kick and punch I threw at him. Sometimes he returned a light hit, exploiting the rare opening I left. That playful little smirk never left his face. The light, cooling breeze picked up as we fought and felt wonderful against my skin.
"You're really strong, mommy!" yelled a small voice from somewhere near the house.
I sprang backwards out of Goku's reach and could easily make out Goten's awed smile inside our brightly lit house.
I giggled. "Thank you, sweetie."
"Yeah, you are," said Goku with a wink.
My heart fluttered in my chest as a little extra heat spread across my cheeks.
The bright sunlight faded.
An imposing mass of dark grey clouds blotted out the golden sunlight of late evening.
"Huh. Looks like we're gettin' a storm," said Goku, his gaze toward the sky. Goku looked at me, his eyebrows raised.
I answered Goku's silent question with a smirk. I wasn't about to let a little weather stop me.
Goku grinned.
I lunged for him as the wind picked up and feigned a punch to one side while setting up my real attack. Goku caught onto my ploy and answered with simply springing backward just out of my reach. I growled under my breath.
Goku chuckled and winked. "Nice try, babe."
I sprang after Goku and again let loose a quick series of knife handed strikes but all of them, as usual, missed.
The increasing wind made things difficult to keep going but I pushed through it, anyway. Goku seemed unfazed by the wind pulling on his gi and simply bobbed and wove around my attempted strikes, still wearing that irritating smirk.
"Mom! Dad!" yelled Gohan.
I stopped my attacks against Goku as Gohan and Videl landed by the two of us, eyes wide.
"Uh-oh," said Goku, staring at something behind Gohan and Videl, across the yard.
I followed his gaze. A wall of very low, dark grey cloud rushed toward us, flattening the grass it passed over. The wind carried the fresh scent of rain. A deep rumble echoed through the mountains and a bright flash of light lit up the darkened sky.
Goku pulled me against him. "We have to get inside!"
Goku reached toward Gohan and Videl. "Goten's inside! Grab on!"
A few droplets of chilly rain hit my face and the skin of my arms exposed by my rolled up sleeves before our living room materialized around us. The wind howled through our house.
"Quick! Close the windows!" I yelled as I dove for the open window above our sofa. The window wouldn't budge. It was hard to close against the wind. Large, strong hands stopped my struggle and easily pulled the window closed. I grimaced at the high-pitched sound of shattering ceramic. "The kitchen!"
Goku jogged into the kitchen but not before another dish—likely from the drying rack above our sink—met its end with another loud crash.
The wind blowing through our house ceased. I sighed grabbed the broom out of the utility closet.
"I need to cover the firewood," said Goku as I swept up the razor sharp shards of white ceramic.
He didn't give me the time to tell him to be careful before he phased out and vanished from the kitchen.
Instead, I called out, "Boys! Go check your bedrooms!"
"We are!" called Gohan from down the hall.
I picked up a few kitchen utensils the wind knocked to the floor and put them in their places.
"I hope nothing broke in the boys' rooms," I murmured as I put away the broom.
I decided to check on them.
A few loose-leaf papers littered the hallway floor. I gathered the papers, recognizing Gohan's handwriting, and knocked on Gohan's half-open door before I pushed it open.
"These were in the hallway," I said holding out the papers I found.
Gohan's attention slid up to me from his cross-legged seat on the floor and settled on the papers in my hands. "Oh, thanks," said Gohan absently as he added the loose pages to the stack in his hands.
Videl—seated on the other side of the mess—handed Gohan other papers. "At least you keep everything well labeled."
Gohan's chuckle was only half-hearted as he thumbed through the stack in his hands. "Heh, yeah. All of this is—"
The lights flickered and then went out, engulfing us in darkness.
Gohan groaned.
"I'll find a flashlight," I said. "Goten?" I called toward my youngest son's room. "How's your room?"
"It's fine," came Goten's unconvincing response.
I sighed. "I'll go find a flashlight."
I turned and reached out into the pitch-black darkness. My fingers made contact with the textured paint of Gohan's bedroom wall. I patted my way along the wall and found Gohan's doorway. I didn't get much farther before a warm, dry hand grasped mine.
Goku led me down the hallway with more confidence in the darkness than I showed. Goku always did have excellent night vision but I was surprised even he could see in that perfect, inky darkness without so much as a moon.
"How can you see in this?" I asked.
Goku's giggle reverberated across a wider space than the hallway. "I can't see much more than fuzzy shapes right now. But I can see energy."
"Your fuzzy shapes are better than me. I can't see at all," I said.
Goku giggled again and gave my hand in his a light squeeze. "I gotcha."
Goku stopped walking. I walked into the solid muscle of his back with a soft grunt.
"Heh. Sorry," said Goku. He drew my hand down and off to the side where my fingers grazed the soft, fuzzy fabric of a throw blanket. "Here's the couch. I'll make a fire so we have some heat and light."
I made myself comfortable as Goku shuffled around the fireplace, clangs and scraping noises echoing around our living room, adding to the noise of the wind rattling our windows. A rustle of fabric sounded next to me. I reached toward the noise and felt a small arm.
"Hmm. I wonder who this is," I said, knowing full well.
I moved past his arm and tickled his side.
Goten laughed.
A bright, tiny pinpoint of white light floated on Goku's outstretched fingertip, highlighting Goku's silhouette. The light turned into a soft orange glow that quickly grew brighter. When Goku moved aside, I watched small flames consume the kindling and spread to the logs.
"That should be enough light to see by," said Goku, coming to sit at my other side.
Gohan and Videl emerged into the dim light from the hallway.
"Did you manage to organize your homework?" I asked, dreading his answer from the way his eyebrows pinched together.
Gohan shook his head.
I jumped out of my seat. "I'll find that flashlight and light some candles."
"Thanks, mom."
It took some time to help Gohan get his homework and lecture notes organized again and help Goten clean his room but we did. When we finished, we all sat in the living room, enjoying the heat from the cozy fire burning in our fireplace.
"So, now what?" asked Goku.
"Hmm. Well, we could roast some mochi in the fireplace."
"Yeah!" said Goten as he jumped out of his seat next to me on our sofa.
"Mmm!" hummed Goku.
"How about it, you two?" I asked turning toward Gohan and Videl.
Gohan and Videl answered with eager nods.
I giggled. "Okay."
Goku got up and followed me into the kitchen. I set five plates, five roasting sticks, the box of mochi, and a small bowl of sweetened soy sauce to dip the roasted mochi in all on the counter. Goku helped me carry everything into the living room with a sweet smile.
Gohan, Videl, and Goten all moved to the floor just in front of the fireplace and the burning fire. I readied our snack, spearing a piece of mochi on everyone's roasting sticks and passed them around. We settled into easy, pleasant chatter as we roasted our treat over the fire to a perfect golden brown.
The pleasant chatter died down after we finished our snack. It didn't take long to figure out why. Goten fell asleep curled up against Goku's side under a throw blanket. I reached over Goku's lap and ran my fingers through Goten's thick hair. Gohan and Videl fell asleep facing each other, their hands intertwined.
"Oh, Mr. Satan is going to be so worried about her," I murmured over the crackling fire.
Warm lips pressed against my temple. "Don't worry, babe," breathed Goku into my ear. He yawned and then said, "She's got a phone. She probably already told him." He nodded at Gohan and Videl asleep on the floor. "'Sides, just look at 'em. I don't have it in me to wake 'em up."
I smiled at how sweet Gohan and Videl looked together. "I don't, either."
Goku carefully shifted Goten off of him and grabbed a couple of logs off the small stack of firewood. He pushed them into the fire with a roasting stick. "Let's keep this going a little longer."
I nodded.
Goku wiped the little bit of soot off his hands with a rag, scooted next to me, and wrapped his strong, gentle arms around me. He pulled me down with him to the soft blanket covering our hardwood floor. I giggled softly and settled next to him, resting my head on his chest. Warm breath tickled my forehead. I hummed and snuggled closer.
The chilly spring storm raged on outside but it was so nice and warm inside our little home on Mt. Paozu, I forgot all about it.
My family was home safe and whole.
This was perfect.