Nearly a week had passed since dinner at Gohan's. Chichi was sat in the quietness of her kitchen one afternoon, sewing up her youngest son's Gi pants after he was rough housing with Trunks. She'd lost count of how many times she'd fixed these pants or had to make him new ones. As she quietly sewed, her thoughts led her to her husband.
She didn't say anything at Gohan's, but she saw it, too. She saw Goku's anxiety, she saw the restlessness, she saw the weight loss. And since they returned from Gohan's, that's all she could think about.
For Goku not to eat properly … that was a massive alarm bell! That wasn't him. Even when he was sick (which was a rarity, she could probably count on one hand the amount of colds/bugs the man had, aside from the Heart Virus) he still ate like a ravenous shark. She'd never been concerned about his lack of food intake, she'd never been concerned about him losing weight.
Sure, he'd shed some bulk off his muscles since he first became a Super Saiyan. The man was absolutely massive when he returned from Yardrat, the biggest she'd ever seen him, but over the years he'd managed to slim down some, getting to a much lower level of body fat to become completely shredded.
But, he hadn't lost weight like this.
She was worried about him. And there was a lingering guilt she just couldn't shake. She shouldn't feel guilty, he put them in this position in the first place. But, knowing that she was the one who kicked him out and pushed him away, that was hurting her. Seeing him like this was hurting her.
She never wanted this.
All she wanted was for her husband to be honest with her and to stop being so thoughtless and reckless when he was fighting. She didn't want him to stop fighting, she couldn't stop him even if she wanted to anyway, she knew it was a huge part of him and he needed it in his life. If he couldn't fight, he wouldn't be Goku. She just needed him to think before he acted, to stop being so damn selfish and remind himself that he has a family at home who loved him and needed him.
She knew he never meant it. He didn't have a nasty bone in his body. He was just so carefree, too carefree sometimes. But, that nonchalant attitude just wasn't acceptable anymore. She could take his easy-going attitude at home, around the house where she felt she had to run around after him like a third child. She could take his whining about working on the farm and his slacking off to go and train. But, not this.
She sighed as she thread her needle through her small sons' Gi pants.
She was trying. She was trying to find the solution, she was trying to heal herself so she could find forgiveness. But, healing wasn't an easy process.
It was exhausting.
As she sewed up the last little tear in her little son's pants, she thought about the other afternoon, when Goku paid her a visit.
"I look at you, Chichi, an' i'm home"
"Please don't give up on me. Not yet"
"Y'know where I am if ya wanna talk"
She set down her sewing needle and her son's repaired pants.
She sighed loudly.
Maybe now was the time to finally speak to her husband.
Chichi dragged herself up and walked over to the counter in the kitchen. She picked up her mobile phone from the side and dialed the number of the only person she knew could help her right now.
"Hey, Chichi" Bulma chirped the other end of the line when she answered.
"Hi, Bulma, I'm sorry to disturb you, but I wondered if I could ask you a favour, please?" Chichi spoke quietly. Bulma could hear the tiredness in her voice.
"Of course, what is it?" Bulma wondered.
"Can Goten stay the night? If it's not too much trouble"
"Of course he can, but, is everything okay?" Bulma asked concerned.
"Yeah ... yeah ... I just ... I need some time to myself" Chichi stammered out. She did need some time to herself, it wasn't a complete lie, but she also needed to talk to her husband. And she couldn't do either with her son home. And it was a Friday afternoon, school was finished for the weekend, so it wouldn't hurt for her son to be out for the night.
"Well, you know he can stay here any time he wants. I'll call Trunks now, they're out causing trouble somewhere, I'm sure" she chuckled out. Chichi huffed out a small laugh.
"Always causing trouble" she agreed.
"I wonder where they get it from" Bulma added, both of them chuckling, knowing damn well where their sons got it from.
"Thank you, Bulma"
"It's the least I can do, Chichi. I owe you" she told her gently. Chichi let a small smile grace her features.
"Well, I really appreciate it" Chichi responded.
After bidding goodbye to the blue haired woman, Chichi took herself to her bedroom where she prepared some more comfortable clothes and had a relaxing bath.
After trawling through her thoughts and finishing her bath she stood at the bathroom sink, a large, white fluffy towel wrapped around her small frame as she stared at the large mirror in front of her.
As she stared at her reflection, she let her eyes roam over her facial features, taking in the little wrinkles she had here and there, taking in her tired eyes, taking in the stray grey hairs that shone in the bathroom light.
It never bothered her husband that she had aged and he hadn't when he returned from the dead. It still didn't now. He made it very clear that he was still attracted to her, irregardless of the little changes to her body. He spent many nights after his return, letting his fingertips trace every single wrinkle, every curve, every part of her. If anything, his drive to have her had increased tenfold and he fully committed himself to showing her just how much he missed her at every opportunity he got.
When he returned from the dead after 7 years, he stood with her like this, both of them gazing at each other through the mirror. He was stood behind her, his large arms wrapped around her shoulders, his chin resting on her head. She'd shied away from him for a little while, and instead of getting frustrated with her, he tried to understand her, to understand why she was hiding herself, to understand why she felt so insecure.
And when she told him her insecurities, she observed as he studied her for a moment. Like he was taking her all in.
And that's when he told her ...
"I look in the mirror, an' I don't see ya, Chichi. Not really. I can see your beautiful eyes, your cute lil nose an' the greatest smile I ever seen. But, that ain't all of ya. You ain't seein' everythin' ya done for us. You ain't seein' all the times ya made us smile an' laugh. You ain't seein' how strong you are, how you've always been so strong an' kept this family together" He nudged the side of her head with his nose, one of the most gentlest smiles she'd ever seen on his face.
"What do I always tell ya? You're the strongest, Chichi. An' ya may laugh at that, but I mean it when I say it. Bein' strong ain't all about muscle an' bein' alien. You're strong in a way I could never be. You're so strong to'ave overcome everythin' ya been through. Everythin' I put ya through. Anyone else woulda left me by now. But, not you."
"When I look at you, I don't see some old woman. I see my wife. I see the woman who gave me my sons. I see you, Chichi. I feel you. An' it's the best feelin' in the entire Universe" he whispered softly to her. The tears filled her eyes at his words, it shook her to her very core, his words meaning more to her than he'd ever know.
"I love ya wrinkles" he told her with a playful smile, making her choke on her tears, "I love ya lil grey hairs" she elbowed him in his gut payfully as he pretended to pull at the grey hairs on top of her head, but the laughter continued, "I love you, Chichi" he murmured against her hair.
"I love you, too, you big oaf" she laughed out through her tears. He smiled warmly at her before gently turning her in his arms, so that she was facing him. He cupped both of her soft cheeks in his coarse palms and wiped away her tears with his thumbs. He pouted playfully at her.
"Now, turn that frown, upside down" he told her with a deep, serious voice, making her laugh even more. They gazed at one another, nothing else mattered around them in that moment.
"That's much better" he whispered to her, before resting his forehead against hers, "Y'know I hate it when ya cry"...
She swallowed hard as she recalled the memory, her eyes closing tightly, a lone tear rolling down her cheek.
She could feel her heart racing in her chest.
She was terrified. Terrified of going over to see her husband, terrified of letting him back in, terrified of being let down again.
Terrified of losing him.
And she really was scared of losing him, because there was just something about him, everything about him, that she was scared to lose, because she knew she couldn't find it in somebody else. She could never feel like this for someone else. There was only one Goku.
She took a breath, her tired eyes reopening. She felt sick to her stomach, her nerves already playing her up. She needed to get her act together and just go and see him. After drying herself, and putting on one of her simple dresses, Chichi brushed her hair, leaving it down and slipped on her little ballerina pumps and left the house.
Chichi arrived at Goku's little cabin some time later, the journey taking longer than needed as she opted to walk instead of taking Nimbus. She needed the walk to gather her thoughts and think about what she wanted to say to him. As she closed in on his front door, she felt her anxiety surfacing, her breathing shallow, her fingers fidgeting, her stomach twisting in knots. She shakingly knocked on his door and less than a second later it opened, and there stood her husband in nothing but a small white towel around his waist, a surprised look on his face.
Holy shit. Her heart was pounding like a jackhammer in her chest, so hard and so fast she thought it might jump out of her throat.
Keep your eyes up, Chichi. She told herself.
"Hi" he gently greeted her. But, she couldn't spit out any words to greet him in return. She was absolutely speechless. And she couldn't figure out if it was because she was just so damn nervous to see him and speak to him, or if it was because he was stood there half naked, looking like a fucking Greek God.
Maybe it was a bit of both.
"Is ... everythin' okay?" He asked her unsurely. She took a moment to respond. Because how did she answer that question? What was she gonna say? Was everything okay?
"No" she whimpered out. He could see the tears forming at the corner of her eyes, her glassy eyes reflecting from the moonlight, her fingers fumbling with the sides of her dress nervously.
It was like all of her anxieties, all of her uncertainties, everything leading up to this moment, were all bottling up inside ready to blow!
He suddenly reached for her hands and gently pulled her to him and into his cabin, his right hand letting go of her one hand briefly so he could push the door shut. He closed the gap between them, the uncertainty and the fear in her eyes tugging at his heart strings. She ducked her head, avoiding his gaze, so he cupped her one cheek with his large hand, his thumb stretching out to tilt her chin up so he could look into her eyes.
There was an unspoken tension between them, he could hear her heart racing in her chest, he could feel her nervousness through her trembling fingers as they intertwined with his.
"I don't ... I don't even know what to say to you" she quietly admitted. And honestly, she really didn't. Words completely failed her now she was standing there in front of him. His eyes darted back and forth hers, his silence telling her he was willing to wait an eternity for her to find her words if she needed him to.
"I had it in my head ... I did. It was all right there ... maybe a bit jumbled up. But ... now, i'm here ... I can't even think straight" she trembled out.
"You take all the time ya need. I aint goin' nowhere" he gently assured her. The seconds ticked by, their eyes not once breaking contact.
"I'm so angry with you" she blurted out, pouting, a frown on her face, the tears threatening to fall from her glistening eyes.
"I know" he quietly agreed, a guilty look upon his handsome face.
"But, I miss you. And I can't ... I can't stop thinking about you. But, I'm just so angry and hurt, I don't know how to let it go" she observed as he tried to think of what to say to her. She could see it in his eyes, in his expression, he was mulling it over in his head.
"I don't know how to make that anger an' hurt go away. I wish I did. I wish I never caused it" he admitted. He pulled her even closer to him, her trembling body grazing his bare skin as he let her rest against his front, eyes still on his as she looked up at him.
"I ain't ever loved anyone but you, Chichi. I know I messed up, i know I hurt ya. But please, just lemme show you I can be better"
"Goku-" she managed to breathe out as he dipped his head down, his lips closing in on hers.
"-Please don't stop me this time" he whispered to her before sealing her lips with his.
They kissed for a few moments, her shaking hands unsure of where to put themselves as they hung at her sides, her whole body going limp as she hung in his arms. He took initiative, taking her small hands in his and brought them to his chest, the heavy drumming of his heart thumping against her clammy palms. He broke the kiss a moment later, leaving his lips to ghost over hers, unsure of how she was going to react to that.
It didn't take long for an answer as she threw herself at him, throwing her lithe arms around his neck, her lips fiercely attacking his. He moaned in delight and wrapped his large arms around her small frame and lifted her from the ground, landing her on top of his chest of drawers to the side of them. His hands were all over her, her hands were grabbing at his wild, signature hair, mouths moving, hearts racing, pulses thumping, heat building in their core.
What the hell were they doing? She questioned herself.
She felt her breath hitch in her throat as he friskily tugged at her bottom lip with his teeth.
Kami, she was just a damn sucker for him.
His deft fingers made quick work of the clips to her cheongsam, his lips peppering hot kisses down her strong neck as she tried to shimmy free of the top half of her dress. He helped her tug it down to her middle, their mouths meeting again, moving sensually together, their tongues entwining and fighting for the dominance they both so desperately desired. He held her puckered dress at her hips and he tugged at it, signalling for her to lift her bottom so he could remove the garment fully. She wiggled her hips and lifted her bottom, allowing her big husband to remove her dress and throw it to the floor behind him.
This moment of weakness, it had her feeling sinful. They may have still been married, they may have still been in love, but they weren't together. They hadn't spoke about this properly, they weren't thinking straight, there could be consequences to these actions! His lips slamming against hers once again had her all but throwing those thoughts carelessly away, his unrelenting need to have her making her femininity flutter.
His lips seduced her, moans escaping them, his arms encasing her body, his one hand unclipping her bra eagerly before peeling it from her soft, pale skin. Her dainty hands found his towel and she yanked it from his waist, letting it slide down to pool at his feet. He grinded against her, gasping against her mouth at the feel of her heated core rubbing against his throbbing erection. He couldn't take much more of this. He effortlessly lifted her from the cabinet and let her wrap her strong legs around his lean waist, their eyes in a heated gaze as he walked her over to his bed.
He placed her gently onto the mattress, his hands reaching for her dainty little slip-on shoes and removing them one after the other. She observed with a thumping heart as he suddenly reached over to grab a beaded cord to his left and gently tugged at it, the thatched roof above opening to show off the beautiful evening sky.
"Oh, Goku" She gently spoke, "It's so beautiful. Did you make this?" her eyes were in awe as she stared up at the sky.
He knelt at the foot of the bed, his eyes on her as he gently spoke to her.
"I wanted to be able to watch the stars. Ya told me once that if anythin' ever happened an' we were apart, to look up at them, 'cause you would be lookin' up at them, too. That way, we wouldn' feel so alone"
Chichi felt a tidal wave of emotions hit her all at once in that moment, his words breaking her resolve. He forgot birthdays, he forget their anniversary, he forgot the simplest of things, but he never forgot this.
She tried to take deep breaths, trying her hardest to calm herself down, but her heart betrayed her. Her bottom lip quivered and her eyes flooded with tears, the tears rolling down her cheeks, symbols of her distress.
"Aw, no, Chichi, please don't cry. I didn' mean to make ya cry" he softly soothed her, reaching for her, both hands cupping her cheeks. She swallowed down her sobs, his thumbs gently brushing away the tears that stained her cheeks, her eyes sparkling beneath the moonlight that shone through the thatched roof.
"I hate it when ya cry, babe" Goku whispered to her, resting his forehead against hers as he continued to caress her face in soothing motions.
"Kiss me" she whimpered to him. There was no hesitation as he pulled his forehead from hers and kissed her deeply, swallowing her cries, her tears melting against his skin as he poured all of his passion into the kiss. Her hands wandered his large chest, his lips leaving hers and slowly kissing down the hollow of her neck and across her collarbone.
He was gonna kiss every inch of her, touch every inch of her, like it was his first and last time.
His fingertips slipped beneath her little cotton panties and trailed up her folds, gathering her wetness, the heavy smell of her arousal making him heady. She cried out against his lips as he parted her with two fingers, his one finger finding her clit and rubbing it in circular motions. He kissed her, the whine that escaped her lips making his cock jump against his thigh as she lost herself against him, arching her back, her pelvis grinding against his fingers, her legs spreading wider for him.
Her smell, the feel of her, the heat from her body against his, skin to skin. Time and Space no longer had any meaning. All he could see and feel was her. All he wanted was her.
"Goku" she gasped out between trembling lips, his mouth on her breasts, his lips latching onto her nipples, alternating between the two as he continued to play with the little bundle of nerves in her panties. Her soft, little hands clung to his muscular back, fingernails raking down his heated skin, sending shivers up his spine. He circled her one throbbing nipple with his tongue, before suckling on it, a finger now teasing her wet entrance, a hoarse moan spewing from her mouth as he sunk a finger inside of her womanhood.
His lips abandoned her nipple with a wet 'pop', his mouth dotting sensual kisses and nips with his teeth down her toned stomach. His tongue darted out to circle her belly button, his finger inside of her pumping her steadily, the ball of his hand stimulating her clit, his little wife thrashing her body beneath him, her throaty voice calling his name.
As his kissing journey reached the top of her panties, he pulled back just a little, his eyes catching hers, almost as if silently asking for permission.
And no words were spoken, the look in her eyes giving him all the permission he needed.
He hooked his fingers in the silky sides of her underwear and tugged at them, rolling them down her strong, creamy legs until they hit the floor. He climbed back up her body, propping himself on his elbows, his large body blanketing hers. Calloused hands cradled her head, eager fingers tangling with the dark locks of her hair as he nestled snugly between her legs.
He slowly nudged her moistened entrance before he sunk into her, plunging deep inside of her leaving them both overwhelmed by the feeling. He had to take a moment, he needed to be still, because he knew if he didn't centre himself right now he'd lose himself, and he wasn't about to let things end before they even had a chance to begin.
As he moved inside of her, slowly, carefully, lovingly, Chichi felt herself awaken, sensual thrills rippling inside of her, so sensual, so familiar, so perfect.
She'd missed him so much.
He softly bopped her nose with his own, humming delightfully against her mouth, that little rumble in his chest starting up, hands so powerful they could break granite, but so cautiously touching her, caressing her.
God, he missed this. This love, this intimacy, this untamed force that enslaved him, stripping him of his self-control.
He closed his eyes. There were so many things he could have said, so many things he could have done different. The voices were howling in his head, it was always so messed up inside of his head.
It wasn't supposed to be this way. He would do anything to protect her, she meant the World and more to him. He made mistakes, he made stupid decisions. He never meant to hurt her in the process. He never meant to leave her behind.
But he just kept holding on. He believed things would just get better. And now he wasn't sure if he could fix it for them.
Nobody said it was gonna be easy. Nobody said it was gonna be this hard.
But he couldn't imagine a Universe without her in it.
She filled the void he never knew he had after he lost his Grandpa. She cured the emptiness. She gave him courage, she gave him strength to open himself again.
She absolutely completed him.
As he opened his dark eyes and gazed down at her, her cheeks flushed, her hair a mass of tangled ebony, her fiery orbs staring back at him as they moved together, he felt his heart stammer in his chest.
The way she murmured his name, her soft, beautiful voice calling for him. Like a siren calling in a lost, willing sailor, he was hooked.
Oh, her siren voice could crash endless ships. And right now, she was sending him crashing to his knees.
He encaged her in his arms, both hands cupping the sides of her head as he sensually rolled his hips with hers.
She was in his arms. He was in hers. He felt peace. He felt safe. He felt alive.
Kami, the way one person can just make you breathe easier.
He kissed her again, his powerful hands reaching under her to grasp her peachy bottom. He felt his little wife's one hand upon his shoulder, grabbing, kneading and massaging his muscles as her other hand stroked his back, from the nape of his neck to the base of his spine. He shuddered against her, her long nails raking along his heated skin as he grinded harder against her.
Chichi whimpered beneath him. She couldn't get enough of him, she couldn't hold him close enough. He plunged deep inside of her, hitting that sweet spot over and over again, just how he knew she loved it. She was going to be sore tomorrow, but she didn't care. She needed this, needed him. She wanted to feel the ache, the sweat from his body rolling against hers, the heavy drumming of his heartbeat juddering against her chest. She grabbed his face and pulled his lips to hers in a fervent kiss, his deep moan vibrating against her soft lips.
There were so many things that he adored. So much about her, everything about her. It was like an addiction, she hit him with her best shot. And he kept coming back for more.
She had him at her mercy, through all of her anger, through all of her laughter, and he had absolutely no reason to doubt her, his shoulder to turn to, that one person he held onto so tightly, hanging on for his life.
As he picked up the pace, his thrusts getting harder, his breathing becoming more staggered, she just wanted to watch him, to watch how he so passionately made love to her, to watch how he came undone for her. To watch how only she could do that to him.
He made love to her like soft flames, as soft as feathers, but heating up her body like an inferno, melting her all molten inside. She felt his lips press against hers, his tongue darting out to taste her pillowy petals, her mouth opening for him, so his tongue could dip inside and taste her sweetness. Desperate fingers gripped at his wild tresses, pulling on them, pulling him even closer as their mouths meshed so hungrily together, throaty groans escaping the depths of Goku's throat, a yearning whine escaping hers.
She audibly gasped as he broke the kiss, breathless, trembling, throbbing as his thrusts became more frenzied, the force behind them shaking her entire body. He pulled his cock all the way out before driving into her again. Her throat was hoarse, her voice faltering. She was buried beneath his enormous body, buried under his intense heat, his body heavy like the force between them. She met every single one of his thrusts, both of them working together, just like they always use to.
His fingertips traced every curve, touched every nerve, igniting every bit of her sensitive flesh. His skin prickled at her touch, his nipples hardening as she clawed at his sweaty back, his hot, breathy gasps mingling with hers, his sultry gaze enrapturing her as she stared up at him through hooded eyelids.
There was a time where he was only falling in love. Now, here he was, hurting, fighting, vulnerable, baring his soul, his scars were all open.
Now, he was all but falling apart.
"Chichi" he breathed, "you feel so good". Goku couldn't hold back any longer. He slammed his pelvis against hers just a few more times, his little wife locking her arms tightly around his thick neck, her face smothered into his shoulder as she cried out her pleasure, her thighs squeezing against his strong hips as she came for him. He groaned in satisfaction as she convulsed beneath him, burying his face into her raven hair, the tightness of her womanhood absolutely maddening, sending a rush of heat throughout his entire body as he filled her with his passion.
He ceased his moving hips, his sweat-drenched face still buried into tangled locks as he tried to catch his breath. He revelled in the feel of her pounding heart beating against his own, her gentle fingers trailing up and down his sweaty back as she recovered from her own high. As he embraced her in his strong arms, he truly felt he could never be more at peace. The way she made him feel, the way she held him, the way she felt in his arms ... he never wanted to let her go.
Goku drearily lifted his head from her silky hair, his eyes meeting hers, his eyes searching so deeply into those frightening yet enchanting eyes, he wondered what she was thinking right now. He wondered if she didn't want to let go of him, either.
As they lay there, under the stars together, he felt his heart swell in his chest. He wished he knew how to explain it better, this feeling he had, this love he held for her. How just the sound of her voice gave him butterflies, how her smile made his heart skip a beat, how she just made him feel so complete.
He was so lucky he got to lay under the same stars as her.
As he gazed at her, his fingers running through her silky soft, midnight hair, it dawned on him that this could be his last time with his wife. He could feel her conflict and knew right in this moment, that he would do anything for her, whatever it took to make her happy.
He'd been here before. He'd been back and forth in his mind on what he should do. One minute he was fighting for her, fighting for their marriage, the next he was willing to let her go in order for her to be happy. When he really thought about it, he was just as conflicted as she was.
But, he'd poured his heart out to her, he'd given all his truths. There was no more begging for her forgiveness, no more apologising. He'd done enough of that.
This was it for him.
"I don't know what this is right now, but I just want ya t'know that whatever you decide to do, i promise I'll take it. I just want ya to be happy, Chichi. Even if that means without me. I want ya to know that I love you an' I will never stop lovin' you. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me. You gave me a family, you gave me a home. An' I will always be thankful for that". He paused for a moment and smiled sadly at her.
"You're gonna hav'ta stop gettin' so beautiful though, 'cause i'm really gonna miss ya". He huffed out a small laugh. Chichi felt a lump forming in her throat at his words.
"Think I'll miss ya forever" he whispered softly to her, before cupping her cheek in his one palm and bringing her lips to his in a gentle kiss.
As he kissed her, gently, lovingly, pouring his soul into it, Chichi felt her walls starting to crumble around her. His lips left hers shortly after and he let his nose softly rub against hers, imprinting the feeling of her soft skin, imprinting the feel and taste of her lips and breath in his memory. He gave her a sad smile as his eyes scanned her entire face, almost as if for one last time, before stroking her soft cheek with his knuckle, the tears in her eyes visible and threatening to fall.
He knew she was overwhelmed. He could feel it. He could see it in her eyes. And the last thing he wanted was to make things more difficult for her.
"Let me take you home" he offered, pulling himself out of bed and grabbing some clean boxers from his chest of drawers. Chichi wordlessly followed his lead a few moments later, collecting her clothing from the wooden cabin floor and getting dressed.
Not too long after, Goku touched down into the Son family garden, his wife in his arms. He gently set Chichi down on her feet, a small silence between them.
"Thank you for taking me home" she managed to whisper to him. He gave her a small smile before gently reaching for her forearms and pulling her to his chest.
"Thank you for tonight" he spoke softly against her hair before kissing her forehead. She tried with all her might to keep her composure, her small frame almost trembling in his strong arms. She closed her eyes tightly, taking in his scent as his nose nuzzled her hair, his lips brushing tenderly against her skin.
"I meant what I said" he whispered to her, pulling back, allowing his eyes to gaze longingly into hers, "Every single word". He cupped her cheeks in his coarse palms, his thumbs tenderly caressing her soft skin, before he lovingly sealed her lips with his in one last sweet kiss.
"G'night" he told her, before parting from her and briskly taking off into the night sky, leaving Chichi alone in the silence of their garden.
A few days went by.
Chichi was on her way to one of the guest bathrooms of Capsule Corp, her mind elsewhere as she stepped through the glass patio doors and inside of the building. She'd come to spend some time with Bulma, 18 and Videl, whilst Goten and Trunks caused mischief down by the pool, and Marron played sweetly with Pan on the grass. As she stepped inside and went to turn down the one hall, she jumped slightly, not expecting to see Vegeta standing there.
She eyed him for a moment, wondering why he was staring at her so intently. He looked as joyful as ever, with his deep frown and tight lips.
"Can I help you?" she asked him, unsurely.
Vegeta didn't respond at first, he just continued to stare at her, as if analysing her and it made her feel uncomfortable. As he glared at her, his mind took him back to the very reason why he was standing there in the first place, waiting for her.
Kakarot.
They'd had a heated fight a few days ago, the day after Goku had apparently seen Chichi and talked to her. Vegeta eyed him suspiciously as they grappled in the blue skies, hovering above the vast ocean that was situated next to Capsule Corp. Goku wasn't playing on this particular day. His punches were hard, his kicks were wild, the fire in his eyes was raging.
He was angry, real angry, he clearly needed to burn off some steam. And Vegeta was not about to deny him that.
It took some time for Vegeta to get it out of him, but Goku soon confessed his frustrations. He tried to lie to Vegeta about what really happened between him and Chichi at first, earning him a slap up the back of his head. The Saiyan prince was no fool, he could smell Chichi all over him. That had Goku pouting like a child but admitting his truths. He was angry at himself, but beyond frustrated that Chichi hadn't spoken to him since they had been together that night. As much as he was trying to be patient, allowing her to have the time to think things through, it was really getting to him now.
Vegeta was fed up of Goku's unpredictable personality shift. One minute he was simply Goku, the next minute he was a mad man on the edge. Vegeta needed to step in.
"I honestly have no idea how you put up with him. He's beyond annoying! I can just about stand his idiocy when training" Vegeta finally ground out, "but, that buffoon has a big stupid heart and he loves you with it, there's no denying that"
Chichi was silent as she listened to him. This was Vegeta, talking to her about her husband and how much he loved her. Where the hell had this come from?
"He may be way beyond you in terms of physical strength. But, you have all the power in the World to break him" he told her seriously.
"Why are you saying this?" she quietly asked him.
"Because I've seen what this is doing to him. And before you say anything, yes, I know it's his fault! He's an idiot, he fucked up, but he doesn't deserve to be dragged through the mud"
"I'm not trying to drag him through the mud. We're ... just talking things through"
"Don't bullshit me. I smelt you all over him the other day"
"What?!" Saiyans and their damn noses, Chichi cringed.
"That idiot tried to play it off, saying that he had been to the house to see Goten and you were just there. I'm not stupid, I know what happened! Talking and fucking are too very different things" He raised an eyebrow at her and she suddenly felt embarrassed and sinful under his scrutinising glare.
"Do you still love him?!" he demanded to know, completely throwing her off guard.
"What?! Of course I do!" she yelled back, offended by the question.
"Then, do something about it!" he yelled back.
"You say it like it's so easy" she barely whispered, her sad eyes making him calm down some.
"It was never going to be easy marrying a Saiyan" he told her. Her silence had him rolling his eyes, and he let out a breath before he continued.
"If you decide to let him back in, you have to mean it. He wants this more than anything. Don't take him for a ride! None of this back and forth bullshit! You're either in it or you're not. Don't break him!" he warned her before walking off back down the hallway, like nothing had happened, leaving Chichi speechless.
Goku inhaled a sharp breath, the enormous knee to his gut completely winding him, but he couldn't wipe the smirk from his face. This Saiyan was incredible, he was pretty sure his strength outmatched his own.
And it excited him.
After discovering 6 of the Dragonballs had been stolen from Capsule Corp earlier that day, Bulma, Vegeta, Whis and Goku made the trip to the glacier continent in search of the 7th Dragonball, hoping to put a halt to Frieza's evil plans. Ye, Frieza, he'd already had it in the neck from Vegeta about giving Frieza his life back. But, Goku figured he had his reasons to do so. He'd helped them win the Tournament of Power after all.
But, what they weren't expecting was to meet Broly, another Saiyan who'd survived the destruction of planet Vegeta. He was nothing like any other Saiyan both Goku and Vegeta had met before.
And Goku needed this. He needed this distraction from the heartache. He needed something to make him feel good right now, because his own little world was in shambles. But, as Broly threw him into the giant mountain of ice next to him, it had him thinking about her. Because if he was outmatched right now, if he couldn't beat Broly, he would be killed and leaving her for good, and he knew that he'd lose her forever.
He didn't know if he had much of a chance in winning her back, but there was something there. And he'd take something over nothing.
He couldn't lose this fight. It was that simple. He had something to fight for. He had something to live for.
She may not have been his reason to always stay home, but she was his every reason to come back.
Chichi held onto the kitchen counter as the entire house shook again, the ground trembling beneath her boots, what was left of the crockery rattling in the cupboards, the last of the picture frames falling from the wall. What on Earth was going on?! And why wasn't anyone answering her?! She'd tried phoning Bulma, but her phone was off, she'd tried phoning Capsule Corp but it just kept ringing, she'd tried phoning Master Roshi but the line was dead, likely cut off due to the earthquake that racked his little Island. Krillin and 18 were unreachable and of course, Goku's phone was off.
She took a breath when the house finally stopped shaking, but she held on, bracing herself for another impact. Goku ... this just had to have something to do with him. Was he fighting someone? Was he out there saving the World again? When she felt it was safe enough to grab her mobile again, she dialed the next person who came to her mind; her eldest son. Maybe he would answer her and knew what was going on.
"Gohan?!" she frantically called out his name when the line connected.
"Mom! Are you okay?! I've been trying to get through to you, but the line was busy!"
"I was trying to contact Bulma and your father, even Master Roshi, but no one is answering me! What's going on?!"
"I'm not entirely sure, mom, but dad and Vegeta are fighting someone miles away from here. I spoke to Piccolo, he seen dad and Vegeta. The guy they're fighting is real strong. He's another Saiyan. Frieza's there, too, he's the one behind all of this" Gohan explained.
"Is your father okay?!" she questioned him in a panic.
"Piccolo said he was a lil beat up, but I think he's done the fusion thing with Vegeta, so he's okay right now". A little beat up? Chichi's heart sank. She knew about the fusion technique. Goten and Trunks had done it to fight Majin Buu. But what if this person was too strong for the fusion? And they parted ways just a few days prior without her telling him how much she loved him.
No ... no, please, Kami, no...
"Mom? Where's Goten?" Gohan questioned her, bringing her back to reality.
"Um, he was with Trunks at Capsule Corp. Oh, Kami, you don't think he's out there with your father, do you?!" she almost cried out.
"No, he's definitely not with dad. Maybe he's still at Bulma's". Everything was all over the place, it was difficult to pinpoint exactly where his little brother and Trunks were right now. He was just certain they weren't at the battlefield.
I hope so, Chichi thought to herself, now worried about her youngest son as well.
"I'll come and get you, mom" Gohan told her, noticing her silence.
"No, I'm fine right here, Gohan!" she managed to get out, her hand on her heart as she tried to calm herself.
"Mom, you're on your own and the planet is literally falling apart! I'm coming-"
"-No! No, you're not! I'm staying right here! I've always stayed home, I've always been safe here!"
"But, mom-"
"-You need to keep your family safe! You need to be with Videl and Pan, you hear me?!"
"Mom..."
"I've always been here! I have to stay here! I made a promise to your father! I've always stayed home waiting for him! He'll come looking for me here..." That's when she realised what she said and Gohan couldn't help but smile as he listened to his mother.
There was silence for a moment, as Chichi relayed the words in her head. She choked on her laugh, tears brimming her eyes.
Really? That's what it took? For that loveable fool of hers to be out there risking his life to save the Earth?!
And let's be honest, it was never going to change. She was always going to worry about him, she was always going to be restless until she knew he was safe.
This was it. It all lead to this.
She needed to accept what Goku had done, to accept that he betrayed her and hurt her, to accept that he was genuinely sorry for what he had done. Until she accepted it and made peace with it she couldn't heal, and she couldn't forgive him.
Acceptance didn't mean that what happened was okay. Because it wasn't okay. Acceptance was a part of moving on, maybe not fully understanding why Goku did what he did, but understanding that he never meant to hurt anybody when he did it.
Acceptance didn't mean she approved of his behaviour. It just meant she finally freed herself from the ropes of her anger, hurt and resentment. Acceptance was for her, just as much as it was for him.
He was a foolish man, a selfish, foolish man. But she loved that fool with every fibre of her being and his reckless behaviour never changed that.
"Mom?" Gohan gently called out to her, the silence making him question if she was even still there.
"I'm going to wait for your father here, Gohan. If you speak to him before me, please tell him i'm worried about him and I need to know that he's okay" she asked her son. Gohan's smile was splitting his cheeks, Videl grinning right beside him as she listened in on the conversation.
"Of course, mom. Just hang tight" he told her.
After it was all over, Goku teleported Bulma, Vegeta and Whis back to Capsule Corp.
"DAD!" Both Trunks and Goten screamed for their fathers when they saw them, leaving Lord Beerus lazing on the deckchair, a sleeping Bulla on his chest.
"Hey, kiddo!" Goku saluted his little son, ruffling his hair when he attacked his large leg in a tight hug.
"I can't believe you fused and we didn't get to see it! It's not fair!" Trunks pouted as he looked up at his father. Vegeta smirked down at his son and rested his hand on his head.
"Maybe another time" he told him.
"Lord Beerus said you were fightin' another Saiyan! Is that true, dad?" Goten asked with large, wondrous eyes.
"Sure was. His name is Broly an' he's incredible. I'm definitely gonna track him down an' fight him again" Goku told his son excitedly.
"Not anytime soon, please. Besides, we need to keep tabs on Frieza. Who knows what stunt he'll pull next" Vegeta reminded his Saiyan comrade.
"Aw, he'll be fine. I think between gettin' his ass kicked by Broly an' our fusion technique, we scared the crap outa him" Goku chuckled. Vegeta frowned at him.
"This isn't funny, Kakarot! You caused this by bringing Frieza back! This wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for you!"
"Aw, c'mon, we already had this argument earlier. He helped us win the Tournament of Power, remember? An' anyway, if we can make Broly an ally, Frieza won't stand a chance against us" Goku told him confidently. Vegeta let out a really dramatic sigh and started to walk off towards the main building.
"Hey, where ya goin'?" Goku called after him, but Vegeta ignored him and disappeared inside, "Bye, then" Goku shrugged.
"Thank you for babysitting, Uncle Beerus" Bulma chirped as she picked up her daughter from Beerus' lap.
"Ye, don't ask me again" he grumbled at her. Bulma rolled her eyes at him, she didn't even ask him the first time.
"Well, I guess I better get myself home an' clean up" Goku thought, noticing the state of himself, his boxer shorts were just peeking out from the rip in his Gi pants.
"You're nearly naked, daddy" Goten giggled. Goku giggled with him.
"Hey, I have a lot of missed calls from Gohan" Bulma realised as she switched her mobile phone back on. After she completely lost signal way out in the middle of nowhere, she decided to just turn it off.
"Oh, he's probably wonderin' what's been goin' on" Goku thought.
"Well, your fight did cause a bit of a disturbance" Whis informed him. Goku cocked an eyebrow.
"It did? How?"
"Earthquakes mostly, a few cracks through the ground and buildings here and there" Lord Beerus added in casually.
Goku's eyes widened and he took a moment to feel for his wife, to ensure she was safe. He was relieved when he felt her and she was okay. He then felt for his eldest son and smiled, he was just fine, too ... and he was heading towards Chichi.
"Alright, I'll go check in with ya big brother an' get myself cleaned up" Goku chirped, ruffling Goten's hair affectionately, "I'll catch ya later" and with that, he put two fingers to his forehead and vanished.
"Oh, look, Chichi tried calling me, too. She's probably worried about-" Bulma trailed off, noticing Goku had already gone.
Not even a second later, Gohan froze mid-flight with a shriek when his father appeared right in front of him.
"Dad!" Gohan exclaimed, more than happy to see him as he floated mid-air. Gohan was on his way to his mother when his father appeared in front of him. His mother specifically told Gohan to stay with Videl and Pan, but since things had calmed down and the battle appeared to be over, Gohan made the decision to venture out.
"Hey, you okay, son?" Goku asked him, his one large hand resting on his son's broad shoulder.
"Ye, i'm fine, dad, but, how about you?" he noticed his father's lack of clothing, his Gi shirt completely gone, his Gi pants ripped to shreds. His father looked pretty rough, his lips bloody, his one eye bruised, dried blood in his nostrils. Damn, that must have been one hell of a fight for his dad to look this battered.
"Ah, y'know me, i'm good" he assured his son with a smile.
"You sure 'bout that?" Gohan asked concerned.
"You should see the other guy" he teased with a wink. Gohan shook his head amusedly at his father. He could be on his deathbed and still crack a joke.
"I spoke to Piccolo, he said you were fighting another Saiyan, is that true?" Gohan wondered.
"Ye, his name's Broly. He's extremely powerful, but he ain't a bad guy, he was just bein' controlled by his dad, an' Frieza didn't really help things" Goku shrugged. Gohan gave him a look. It was a look that said 'see? I told you it was a bad idea bringing back Frieza!'
"I know, I know" Goku put his hands up in front of him, "Bringin' Frieza back wasn't one of my best decisions. Geez, i'm gettin' that from all angles today. But, honestly I didn't think he'd start causin' trouble this quickly" Goku admitted.
"Dad, it's Frieza" Gohan bluntly reminded him.
"Kiddo, y'look just like ya mom when ya gimme that look" Goku huffed out a laugh. That had Gohan snapping his fingers.
"Dad, you need to go see mom" Gohan told him. Goku stared at his son, his heart thumping in his chest.
"Why? Is she ok?!" He felt for her Ki again. She felt okay.
"She's fine, but she's worried 'bout you"
"She is?"
"Ye, she called me wondering what was going on. She refused for me to go get her when the entire planet was shaking. She said she wasn't leaving the house 'cause you'd go looking for her there. She needs to know you're okay". Gohan smiled at his dad, and it was as if there was an unspoken conversation between them both as Goku slowly smiled back.
She was worried about him ... and was waiting for him. Goku couldn't stop the smile spreading wider across his mug.
"Hey, do ya have your phone on ya?" He asked his son.
"Yeah, sure" Gohan replied, digging into his pants pocket and pulling out his phone.
"Can ya dial Bulma's number for me?" Gohan did so and handed the phone to his father.
"Hey, Gohan, what's up?"
"It's me, Bulma" Goku told her.
"Well, well, aren't I lucky getting a phone call from the guy who literally never phones anyone" Bulma answered him. Goku chuckled.
"Hey Bulma, is Goten still with ya?"
"Well, Chichi just phoned, and told him he needs to go home"
"Has he left yet?" Goku hoped he hadn't.
"Nope, still here with Trunks" Goku silently cheered.
"I need to ask a favour"
"Anything"
"Can Goten stay there for a little while? I wanna talk to Chichi, an' I can't really do that with Goten there".
"I gotcha covered, he can stay the night, it's no problem" she chirped.
"Thanks, Bulma"
"Go get her, Goku" Bulma told him gently, a warm smile on her face, knowing what this could mean.
Goku ended the call and handed the phone back to his eldest, both of them smiling at one another.
"Gotta go!" Goku chirped! He ruffled Gohan's hair playfully, but affectionately, before winking at him and taking off into the sky.
Gohan watched his father proudly as he disappeared into the distance.
Go get her, dad.
