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Chapter Text

GOCHI WEEK 2017

• Day 1: Fairytales/Triumph - Chapter 2: Stardust
• Day 2: Secrets/Longing - Chapter 3: What You Know
• Day 3: Butterflies/Anticipation - N/A
• Day 4: Art/Inspiration - prize fighter

• Day 5: Game/Energetic - Chapter 4: Another Pretty Piece
• Day 6: Patience/Stress - Chapter 5: Peace of Mind
• Day 7: Future/Satisfied - it's a better place

GOCHI WEEK 2018

• Day 1: Garden/Apples/Memories - N/A
• Day 2: Chocolate/Dancing/Daydreams - always late

• Day 3: Butterflies/The Truth/Epiphany - Chapter 6: Some Kind Of Love
• Day 4: Roses/Once Upon A Time/Confessions - Chapter 7: Stardust, Pt.2
• Day 5: Halo/Wishes/Seeking - Chapter 8: Goodnight, Travel Well
• Day 6: Kiss/Lost and Found/Miracles
• Day 7: Coffeeshop AU/Canon Divergent AU/Freebie

Chapter Text

Chi-Chi’s mission was simple. Go and find the fallen star, bring it back to her kingdom, and deliver it to Gero. In return, he would release her father and remove his army from her kingdom. Simple and straight to the point.

Unfortunately, simple was not synonymous with easy. For one, she had only a month to complete the task, which was problematic since it took her half that time to reach where the star had crashed. Another issue was the fact that Chi-Chi highly doubted Gero would keep his word, as few kingdoms have ever survived once his army’s invaded. If it weren’t for the fact that she had barely survived her fight with his top assassins, twins who referred to themselves as numbers, of all things, she would’ve outright refused to do anything for him. As it was, she had little choice. At least by going out and fetching the star she gave her kingdom a chance with some much needed time.

The largest issue with her mission, however, was the star itself. Chi-Chi had been unsure what to expect when she finally reached the crater – a burnt chunk of rock, like any other meteor? Perhaps a large crystal? Or would it still be a ball of light, burning brightly even while on the ground? Whatever it was, it had to be something pretty valuable for Gero to desire it so much.

What she discovered was an empty crater. No diamond, no light, not even a bit of rock. In an instant, her heart sank with her to the ground and she cried over the charred landscape. She failed, though it was through no fault of her own, and any hope she had of saving her father and kingdom was lost.

But then a strange man dropped out from the trees behind her and rudely proclaimed, “Could you keep it down? I’m trying to sleep!”

Chi-Chi’s sadness was quickly replaced with anger. How dare he interrupt her during her time of mourning! When she quite loudly reprimanded him for his insensitivity, he at least had the courtesy to look abashed. “Who in their right mind sleeps in the middle of the day, anyway?”

Irritation flashed in his eyes, and if Chi-Chi didn’t know better, she could’ve sworn she saw those dark irises turn green. “Well, I do! My kind sort of thrive in the dark,” he explained before his expression melted into that of concern. “Why are you in mourning?”

He seemed so…sincere. It was strange, how he had been so rude one instant and then so caring the next. Seeing no harm in it, she explained her woes. “If I cannot return in two weeks, my father will be killed and my kingdom will burn. I have to bring back the star, I have to save my people.”

The man’s face instantly steeled, his brow furrowed, his jaw clenched tight, his whole being just exuding determination. “Ok. I’ll go with you.”

Chi-Chi took a step back, reeling at his words. What on earth was this man thinking? What could he possibly do to help her take back her home and not hinder her? “Why?”

And with his answer, her mission became all the more complicated.

“Because I’m the star!”

Chi-Chi, of course, didn’t believe him at first. Her mocking laughter was however cut short when the man began to glow, a golden aura flaring around him. The ground beneath them began to tremble as electricity sparked off his body, which made her take so many steps back she almost fell into the crater. Even his hair started to change, the black melting away to reveal a brilliant gold.

Needless to say, she had little trouble believing his claim after his display.

And so there they were only a few hours later, trekking back towards Fire Mountain. Chi-Chi had yet to speak a word to the man, the star, outside of thanking him right before they began walking back the way she came. She knew that she was now the rude one, almost completely ignoring him outside of the occasional glance to ensure he was still following her. She couldn’t help it, though, for she was completely unnerved by him. While she was no stranger to the supernatural (her father was the child of a demon and a human, after all; the supernatural was in her very blood), never before had she encountered anything as powerful as him.

For he was undoubtedly powerful. No one could survive a fall like he had if they were weak. And his transformation earlier had shaken her to her bones, his aura almost overwhelming her. The demon blood within her was practically boiled by his light, something she had rarely ever experienced and certainly not at that magnitude. Was that why Gero wanted him? He had to have known the star’s true form. Was he going to make the star do his bidding, or would he drain his power away?

The very thought made her feel ill. This star was sentient; he could very clearly feel the same way she and everyone else could. Passing him off just to have his freedom stripped away… It may have been her kingdom’s only hope, but still the guilt gnawed at her.

“Uhm, Miss?” Chi-Chi stopped and spun around, surprised to hear his voice. When she had made no effort for conversation, he had seemed content to simply follow along in silence. He gave her a somewhat sheepish smile once he had her attention. “I know you’re in a hurry to get back home, but do you think we can stop and set up camp for the night?”

She let out a huff of air through her nose, crossed her arms, and began to chew on her bottom lip as she mulled over his request. It wasn’t unreasonable, as it was late in the evening and the sun would be setting soon. When she had been traveling on her own she would continue walking well into the night, but the star….

My kind sort of thrive in the dark.

He must’ve been exhausted. And considering the fact that they were going to just hand him over to Gero and his army, it was only fair to comply with his request.

“Ok,” she answered with a sigh. “We’ll stop for the night.”

It didn’t take them long to settle down, as all that really needed to be done was build a fire and grab something to eat. Chi-Chi could’ve easily done both on her own, as she had done for the last two weeks, but the star had insisted on hunting something for the two of them. He walked off and shortly returned with the corpse of a large boar, his whole frame practically glowing (or was he actually glowing? It was so subtle that it was hard for her to tell). She helped him prepare and cook the meat, and once they started eating it was all gone almost instantly.

Chi-Chi only grabbed a small portion of the meat, and it was enough food to tide her over for the night. The star had devoured the rest with such amazing speed and voracity that she almost didn’t finish what she had, disgusted as she was by the display. Once he had finished, he sat back with a content sigh and there was no denying the faint glow that surrounded him – he seemed to take on a golden tint, and the air buzzed around him enough that she could almost feel strands of her hair beginning to rise up.

“That was really good, uh,” he glanced towards her, his smile faltering slightly. He then shrugged and moved to lie down in front of the fire. “You sure you got enough?”

“I’ve plenty, thank you,” was her response as she continued to eye him, still disturbed by his eating habits. She had almost figured that, since he was something as mighty as a star, he would eat with the grace and elegance of a royal or some other high class. It seemed he was full of surprises. “And….thank you.”

“You said that twice.”

She rolled her eyes. “Yes, but the second one isn’t for the compliment.” He lifted his head to look at her, his head tilted to the side as one eyebrow popped up with curiosity. He almost looked like a puppy, which only served to amaze her more. “I mean, thank you for returning home with me. For helping me.”

The star gave her a small, soft smile that seemed to warm her to her very core. “It’s no problem, really! You need help, and it’d be pretty bad of me to not lend a hand.”

“Still. Thank you.”

They sat in a comfortable silence for a few moments while Chi-Chi finished her dinner. Once she had, the star sat up and turned to face her.

“Do you have a name?” he asked so seriously that she almost laughed; because of course she had a name! Everyone does. Her expression must’ve conveyed her thoughts, for he sighed and shook his head before rephrasing his question. “What should I call you?”

She smiled slightly, although deep down she felt a twinge of shame that she had forgotten her basic manners and never introduced herself. “Chi-Chi. And you?”

The star grinned at her, heat radiating off his form in that golden glow yet again. Her demon blood once more shrieked and begged to get away, but she found that she couldn’t take her eyes off him.

“My name’s Goku!”

Chapter Text

“So, when were you going to tell me?”

Goku’s head jerked up, startled from his lightly dozing state by his wife’s voice. She sat next to the hospital bed, eyes focused on the sweater she was knitting – one that was larger than the one she had just finished. He smiled, silently hoping that the sweater was for him before her question finally registered to his tired mind. Puzzled, he tilted his head to the side and asked, “Tell you what?”

Chi-Chi’s hands stilled and she sent him an irritated glance. “That you’re an alien.”

Goku’s breath hitched, his eyes widened, and his heart began to pound so loudly in his chest it almost drowned out all other noise in the room. Chi-Chi did not notice his panic, having already turned her attention back towards her knitting. He would’ve been grateful for her distraction if it weren’t so out of character for her – she was usually so attuned to Gohan and him that she could tell if something was wrong even if they weren’t in the same room. He had thought she had moved past ignoring him in her anger, but...

He gulped. “They told you?” He supposed it would’ve only been fair that is friends did fill her in on that. It just seemed that they had kept contact with Chi-Chi to a minimum during the year he had been dead, so he had figured... Well, he had hoped that that small detail was never brought up.

“Not outright, no,” she answered without looking towards him, although he noticed that her hands began to subtly tremble. “But it wasn’t hard to figure it out with what Krillin told me. That man claimed to be your brother, and he was an alien, the same species as the ones who put you in here.”

A long stretch of silence followed her words, as Goku was unsure what to say. His stomach churned as he struggled to get his mind to cooperate. Although there was no point in hiding it, she already figured it out, so... He nodded, an odd numbness washing over him. “Yeah, I’m an alien. A saiy–” he cringed, not at all willing to finish the statement. This caught Chi-Chi’s attention, for she finally stopped knitting and turned to face him fully. He gave her a weak smile. “I’m a saiyan. Like them.”

She shook her head, her cold mask finally melting away as she reached over and cupped his cheek. “Not like them. No matter what happens, you’re still Goku.” His shoulders sagged a bit with relief. “I’m just concerned about why you haven’t brought it up yet. This isn’t something you can just keep a secret.”

Goku turned away, although not enough to loose contact with her hand. “I didn’t want to think about it.” It was a flimsy excuse, one he knew she wouldn’t accept in the long run. But it was true nonetheless; finding out he was an alien had been surprising, yes, but easy enough to accept. He had always felt out of place and even considered the possibility that he might not be human a few times in the past. But to learn the awful customs that surrounded his heritage on top of all the devastation they caused to his friends and his home – for Earth was his home, no matter what anyone else might claim – it all left a sour taste in his mouth.

He could accept that he wasn’t human. He couldn’t accept that he was a saiyan.

He had expected Chi-Chi to demand more of an explanation, to press and ask why something so crucial was kept from her, his wife. But she surprised him by simply leaning forward and pulling him into a gentle hug. “Well, this at least explains your appetite,” she began with a small laugh before she pulled away, barely giving him any time to return the hug. “This conversation isn’t over, but we’ll talk about this more later. After you’re healed and out of here.”

Goku grinned brightly as the last of the nervous numbness finally faded away. “Thanks, Chi.” He watched as she returned to her original position, hands already back to working furiously on the sweater.

“Just... in the future? Try not to keep me in the dark about any other life changing news, ok?”

He nodded, although he doubted Chi-Chi saw as her eyes were glued onto her project. With any luck, there won’t be any other life changing news to share.

Chapter Text

“Come on, Chi!”

Chi-Chi smiled and shook her head as she was practically dragged out of her house by her husband. Goku beamed at her as he led her towards the nimbus, a noticeable bounce to his step that she hadn’t really seen from him before. He was certainly excited to show her the “thing” he had found.

“Alright, alright!” She tried to sound exasperated at his actions as she struggled to match his long strides, but Chi-Chi could not keep the laughter from her voice. His joy was simply too contagious. “What’s so special that you’re willing to put off lunch for to show me?”

Goku hopped onto the nimbus and helped pull her up next to him. “Gifts are supposed to be a surprise,” he teased, using the exact words she had told him mere weeks ago for their first anniversary.

Chi-Chi’s heart skipped a beat, her face instantly heating up as her stomach began to do small flips. Gift? There was nothing special about that day, so far as Chi-Chi could remember...

Goku didn’t do spontaneous gifts. Not really. If he ever did give her something that could be considered a gift, it was usually small and simple. And he certainly wasn’t ever so excited to give it to her. Just what was her husband up to?

So caught up was she in her daze, she hadn’t noticed that Goku had given nimbus the command to go until she suddenly almost flew off the cloud. She let out a rather undignified squeak as Goku quickly caught her and brought her around to sit in his lap. He laughed and made a comment, but she couldn’t make out his words as they were drowned out by her own heartbeat.

The flight was a rather short one. The nimbus took them over to the other side of Mt. Paozu, about a day’s hike if they had gone by foot. They dropped by the river, Goku jumping off before they were even close enough to the ground for Chi-Chi to even consider getting off herself. He then proceeded to bounce on his heels as he waited for her to climb down from the cloud.

“So, what’s so special about this river?” she asked as she looked around the area. It was very pretty, there was no denying it; with the green grass and tall trees surrounding them, and the sounds of the river’s current combined with the birds chirping relaxing her. But she couldn’t see it as being anything for Goku to get so worked up over, especially to consider it a gift. It just looked like the rest of Mt. Paozu.

Goku shook his head. “Nothing! This isn’t what I wanted to show you.” He grabbed her hand and led her through the trees, practically racing ahead. Chi-Chi struggled to keep up, but she bit back on her complaints – she was too curious about what he was doing to risk dampening his good mood.

“Just through here!” He then pushed back a branch and stepped out into a small field. Chi-Chi followed him with only the slightest bit of hesitance and the sight she was met with left her breathless.

The area was covered with pink and yellow flowers. She couldn’t recognize the type, no, but that shade of light pink... he couldn’t have...

“Goku,” she gasped, suddenly finding her voice though it wavered. She hadn’t realized her eyes began to water until she turned to the blurry figure of her husband. “Goku, this...”

He smiled at her, although it wasn’t anything like the large one he gave her when he dragged her out of their home. It was small and hesitant, with his brow crinkled slightly with worry. “They look like the flowers over by Fire Mountain. Do you remember?”

She was definitely crying. There was no denying the wetness on her cheeks. Chi-Chi giggled in a way that was very reminiscent of how she did all those years ago, and she quickly closed the distance between them by drawing him into a bone-crushing hug. He yelped and stumbled a bit, but returned it by gently wrapping his arms around her.

“Of course I remember!” she answered, her voice muffled as she pressed her face into his chest. “As if I could ever forget that.” She pulled back and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, making sure to give him a large grin through her tears. “Thank you for bringing me here.” All the worry washed away from his features, and soon Goku was beaming brightly at her once again.

Chapter Text

“Mommy? Are you ok?”

Chi-Chi paused in chopping the vegetables for lunch and sucked in a deep breath at the sound of Goten’s voice. She let a few seconds tick by before letting the breath out and forcing a sweet smile onto her face. She then turned to face her youngest, who stood in the doorway of the kitchen with a look of concern on his young face. A small frown, his brow furrowed, so much like – stop it!

Chi-Chi quickly put the knife down on the counter and walked over to where Goten stood. “Of course, I’m ok!” she reassured in what she hoped was a convincing happy tone. His face remained unchanged. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

Goten looked down at his feet. “Earlier, when I–”

“Goten!” she cut it, perhaps too sharply for he jumped back a bit. Chi-Chi forced on a brighter smile and gently placed a comforting hand on his head. “No, sweetie, I’m not still upset over that. It wasn’t your fault.” And it wasn’t, he had no control over who his father is and the power he had inherited. He was also not to blame for just how similar he looked to his father either, especially when – “Just don’t make a habit of transforming like that, ok?”

Goten nodded, though he still looked uncertain as he mumbled a small, “Yes ma’am.”

Chi-Chi sighed and resisted the urge to shake her head. “Lunch still has some ways to go before it’s done. Why don’t you go outside and play for a while?” Goten’s face instantly brightened, as the time between training and lunch was typically dedicated to studying. He gave her a tight hug and rushed out the door, laughing as he ran out to the woods. She smiled, the first real one since their training ended, and closed the front door before moving back towards the counter.

Her smile faded once she turned back to cutting the vegetables, images of her youngest son with yellow hair and teal eyes refusing to leave her mind. Goten can turn into a super saiyan… how? He’s so…so young! Was Trunks also able to transform? Would this mean that they’ll have to fight like Gohan had to all those years ago?

No!

Chi-Chi let out a small yelp as the knife nicked her finger. She quickly moved to the sink and ran the injury under some water, silently cursing at herself all the while. Her hands wouldn’t stop shaking. This is ridiculous! Things have been peaceful for years now! Neither of her sons would have to fight for their lives anytime soon, or ever again if she was optimistic (which she was truly trying so hard to be).

But her mind refused to focus on anything else. Even as she set out cleaning and bandaging the cut, Chi-Chi’s attention was still drawn to the memory of Goten’s sudden transformation. Both her sons have always held a strong resemblance to their father, her youngest especially, but in that moment…with the determined glare in his eyes…

Goten looked so much like Goku had that week leading up to the Cell Games, to his…well, to his death.

She had always hated the super saiyan transformation. It made her family look like delinquents, which never settled well with her. It also only ever appeared around the time something awful had befallen her family. Goku was stuck in space for a year thanks to that form; Gohan was forced to grow up even more before his time in order to face off against Cell.

Goku died.

Seeing her son, her precious little Goten, like that nearly broke her. Haven’t they suffered enough? Couldn’t her children grow up in peace?

“Now stop that,” she muttered to herself as she examined the now bandaged finger. “You’re getting worked up over nothing.”

Seven years. It has been seven years since the last catastrophe had struck. The longest stretch of peace that they’ve had ever, even longer than her first few years married to Goku. Her husband has refused to be revived to ensure that they kept this peace! There was no reason for it to suddenly crumble away, super saiyans or not.

Although she found herself wishing, not for the first time, that Goku had chosen to come back. Raising two boys on her own was no easy task, but training a tiny super saiyan? Some help from him would certainly have been appreciated. It would thrill Goten to no end, too, especially when he learns Goku could also transform – any connection to his father brought the boy so much joy…

Goku was dead, though. There was no changing that.

Goten’s a super saiyan. There was no changing that.

There was no world ending threats looming over them. That could easily change at any moment. But it would be foolish to dwell on it and cause unnecessary stress to herself and her children.

“It’s fine.” Chi-Chi grabbed the knife and began to chop the vegetables yet again. “Everything will be fine.”

She pointedly ignored the painful twisting in her gut.

Chapter Text

When Chi-Chi got married, she was certain she knew exactly what love was. She knew from the stories she read as a child; those of star-crossed lovers who would do anything to stay together, or of princes who whisked in to save the princess, or even those of two ordinary people bumping into each other on the sidewalk.

She knew of love from the whispers of the staff at her father’s palace, gossip about how one maid had a crush on of the guards being one of Chi-Chi’s main sources of entertainment for much of her childhood. She still remembers how cheers erupted throughout the hall as the two confessed their love and kissed one New Years Party. It had been one of the most joyous occasions to take place within the palace walls, with only her own wedding beating it out.

She knew of love from the tales her father would tell her about him and her mother. The tales about how he had been a vicious warrior blinded by greed until the one woman to ever beat him in combat came and knocked him down a peg. She was his anchor, bringing out his more goofy and lovable side that Chi-Chi knew and loved. Her father would go on and on about her mother’s skills as a fighter, her compassion, and her bravery. One could always tell just how much the Ox King cared for his wife by seeing the way he spoke of her. His eyes would go soft, his tone becoming almost wistful as he stared off into the distance. Though Chi-Chi will admit that she wasn’t very certain about a lot of things, she never once doubted the love her parents had shared.

She knew of love from many sources, but none of them compared to the most important one: she knew from experience, for she loved Goku as truly and deeply as she possibly could. Goku, the strange boy with the monkey tail who helped to save her father and her kingdom; she had been enraptured with him from such a young age. From the moment he agreed to take her as his bride, she knew her heart would belong to no other. Of course, she would find out later that he had been ignorant of what his promise truly entailed, but he still agreed to marry her even after finding out what exactly marriage was. He became her fiancé, won the tournament, and saved the world in one fell swoop, and as Chi-Chi stood next to him in her mother’s old wedding dress she was certain - as certain as she was about her father’s love for her mother - that she was completely and totally in love with Son Goku.

Nearly half a year of marriage later, she knew that she couldn’t have been more wrong.

She did not know love, only of it. Romantic love, the kind shared between her parents, the kind shared between the maid and the guard, the kind that was supposed to be shared between spouses, was more than grand gestures. The stories she was told as a child only covered the start of the relationship, of the prince whisking the princess off her feet, but never went into the aftermath. She never knew the true stories that were gossiped about around her, only bits and pieces – and she highly doubted that even the staff at the palace really knew the whole thing. The tales her father told her were many years old, with some of the details long forgotten and everything looked fondly back on through rose-tinted lenses.

She did not love Goku. Oh she cared for him, there was no doubt about that; but as the days and weeks and months passed by them in almost a blur while they adjusted to the new life they created for themselves, Chi-Chi realized that the love she had felt towards him from her childhood up until the tournament was not actually directed at him. She loved the idea of him, of the grand hero that she had built up in her head based on the few interactions they had had. A charming hero, someone who was strong and happy and loved to eat; he was all those things, to varying degrees, but they only made up a small portion of who he was.

Goku was a man who didn’t like wasting the day. Each morning he was up before the sun, ready to eat breakfast and begin to train. He spent a good chunk of the day out in the woods, jumping from tree to tree, practicing different techniques he had picked up over the years. Of course, he would also do things to relax, like fishing or even sitting down in the grass by her to watch the clouds or the stars. He knew the importance of giving your mind and body a break, and he did take advantage of that. If Chi-Chi asked him to stay indoors and help around the house, either cleaning or helping fix an appliance or helping in the garden, he’d more than happily do so. Oh sure, sometimes he’d complain a little, especially if she caught him right as he was heading out the door, but he was never too upset – her requests broke up the monotony of his daily routine.

While Goku didn’t much care for her clinging to him at the tournament, it did not take him long to latch onto her in bed. “I used to sleep next to Grandpa all the time,” he murmured into her hair one of the first nights they spent together after she pointed this out to him, “I always slept better when I’m not on my own.” He was used to the contact, longed for it even. The longer they spent together, the less uncomfortable he became with her physical affection. In fact, Chi-Chi would go so far to say that he liked it when she hugged him or held his hand or cupped his cheeks. It was only in public, those times they had to go into town for groceries or other supplies, that he became uncomfortable once again.

He lightly snored while he slept. Though he ate more than she thought was humanly possible, he cared little for sweets, preferring savory foods (that said, he would eat the desserts she baked so long as she didn’t do it too often). He liked to go hiking with her through the mountain. He loved watching the wildlife. There were a million little things that made Son Goku who he was, little things that she didn’t know, couldn’t have known about before she married him.

The more time she spent with him, the more the truth began to dawn on her until it all came to a head one day in a startling revelation six months after their wedding.

The moment itself wasn’t anything spectacular. She had just finished setting the last dish of food on the table for supper, Goku already sitting eagerly at the table. As soon as Chi-Chi sat down Goku dug in, a good fifth of the food already gone by the time she took her first bite. She ate slowly (compared to him, at any rate. During her visits with her father she found out that she ate much quicker than she had before), eyes glued to her husband as she watched him eat. The sight had disgusted her the first time she saw it as an adult, unable to comprehend how he could eat so much so fast. But now it was simply commonplace, a normal sight to see him shovel food into his mouth and make a huge mess of everything.

Then he paused in his eating to smile at her, sauce and crumbs covering the lower half of his face, and said around a mouth full of food, “This is delicious, Chi!”

It wasn’t the first time he had complimented her cooking, and she was sure it wouldn’t be the last. It was common, ordinary, just like everything else about the meal. And yet… Chi-Chi’s heart seemed to swell in her chest as her cheeks began to warm and a feeling of… of…. she couldn’t describe it as anything other than contentment, a peaceful sort of joy, washed over her. She smiled at him, one so wide that she was sure it was as close to ear-to-ear as humanly possible. “Thank you,” she replied as her heart pounded in her chest and she struggled to figure out why she was reacting the way she was. Not since the first few days of their marriage, when Goku first complimented her cooking, did she get this flustered – and yet, this was even different than that.

Goku swallowed what was in his mouth and beamed at her once more.

And before she could even register what she was doing, Chi-Chi giggled and said, “I love you.”

She had said it before, several times in fact. She had been saying it since the day they got engaged. It was a common practice between them, her constantly saying those three words, even though Goku never said it back. She never held that against him, as this sort of relationship was newer to him than it was to her, and so she simply made up for it by saying it as often as she possibly could.

But the way he was staring at her, his grin falling slightly and his brow furrowed, a serious face she rarely saw at the table… More than that, she felt a strange lightness she never felt before when saying those words, as though the weight of the world had been lifted off her shoulders.

This time was different. Goku could tell, though she wasn’t sure he knew why or how. But Chi-Chi… she was all too aware.

She didn’t truly love Goku before because love is something that needed time to grow. It took a while, far longer than she had believed, and she had simply been seeing a tree where there was just a sapling.

“I love you, Goku,” she repeated after a moment of silence where he did nothing but ponder at her, her voice louder and steadier than before. A sense of certainty settled in her, one so strong it made the one she felt at their wedding feel like a wet paper bag. Her words were true, now more than ever before.

Goku’s serious look suddenly melted away, another grin growing in its place. This one was different though. It was softer, more like the type of grin he only gave her late at night before they fell asleep. It never failed to make her heart skip a beat, and that moment was no exception.

“I love you, too, Chi-Chi.”

His tone was so casual given that it was the first time he said those words to her. It was no grand declaration as she had often fantasized about, merely a statement of fact. He went right back to eating, as if he hadn’t just turned her world upside down and caused her heart to pound so loudly in her chest she was certain it’d burst or stop altogether. But, as she forced herself to calm down and continue her meal before Goku ate it all, Chi-Chi realized that it was in line with who Goku was. He didn’t do grand gestures, didn’t do loud declarations. He didn’t exaggerate or lie about how he felt.

She loved him. And he loved her.

And Chi-Chi was more certain about that than anything else in the world.

Chapter Text

They were being followed. 

Chi-Chi huffed as she glanced at the trees that surrounded them, walking slightly behind Goku to shield him from any sudden ambush attacks. It was likely unnecessary, as his posture made it clear that he was on guard and ready for an attack, not to mention how he was so much stronger than her. But while stars were powerful, they were not invincible, as evidenced by the fact that Goku was walking around with her at all.

All it would take is one surprise attack catching him off guard, and then suddenly there’d be a knife in his back and her kingdom was doomed. Chi-Chi doubted she could handle all the guilt that would be attached to his demise.

The person following them, for Chi-Chi was certain it was only one person, had been at it for a good chunk of the day, ever since they passed through a small village that morning. In all honesty, Chi-Chi was surprised it took so long for something like this to happen as they had been on the road for almost three days now. She knew others had to be after Goku if Gero was; wherever there was power, there was greed ready to claim it. The fact that Chi-Chi had reached him first even though he fell two weeks prior was practically a miracle.

Goku looked up at the sky, and she felt another twist of guilt at the grimace he made upon seeing the stars above – his siblings, forever out of his reach now that he had decided to help her. The expression was there and then gone in a flash, an easygoing smile taking its place as he finally stopped walking and turned towards her. “It’s getting pretty late. We should set up camp and stop for the night.”

Chi-Chi gaped at him. “Stop? Now?” He merely nodded, the subtle tilt of his head pointing out something behind her. Her mouth snapped closed and she exhaled loudly through her nose. “Fine. But I don’t like this,” she grumbled as she crossed her arms and began to walk off the path they had been traveling down.

“Yeah, but you don’t seem to like much of anything,” Goku teased, lightly poking her side once he caught up to her. She glared at him and instantly he backed off, hands up in the air and eyes wide. It brought her some satisfaction, the fact that she could get a fearful reaction from him with a mere look.

Chi-Chi found her glare falling away and she snorted. “I can’t actually hurt you, you know.”

“Your glare alone is enough to kill someone,” he instantly responded back, quickly returning to her side. “I’ve watched over this world for…” he paused, head tilting back to look up at the sky. “Oh, I don’t even know how long it’s been now…” With a shrug, he turned back towards her and smirked. “But in all of that time, I’ve never seen someone give such an intimidating death glare.”

Chi-Chi huffed and rolled her eyes. “I’ll take that as a compliment.” And with that, she walked ahead of him, eager for them to set up camp. She could hear Goku snicker as he followed behind her and it took all of her willpower to not react to his teasing again.

It did not take them too long to find an area suitable to their needs. They quickly set about unpacking the supplies they bought in town and gathering firewood. It was right before they lit their fire for the night that their stalker finally took action, jumping out from some nearby bushes and grabbing Chi-Chi. Before they could get a good grip on her, however, she went into action. In one smooth movement, she flipped them over her shoulder and slammed them down on the ground with a loud “THUD!” She heard the attacker gasp for air, but before she could do any more to restrain them, they grabbed hold of one of her ankles and pulled her leg out from underneath her with one tug. She braced for the painful impact of her back hitting the ground, but then suddenly found herself surrounded by a golden light with strong arms holding her up.

One kick from Goku was all it took to get the attacker to let go of her, and once she was free he set her down on her who two feet again. In what had to have been a blink of an eye, he apprehended the stranger, restraining their arms behind their back. “You wouldn’t happen to have any rope, would you?” he asked her as he let his golden aura fade, blond hair and green eyes turning black once more. Chi-Chi nodded numbly, amazed.

She knew Goku was powerful, but that speed… She didn’t think anything alive could move so fast! Was he always capable of that, or was it only while he was shining? Why didn’t he use that sort of speed to get them back to Fire Mountain?

Questions for another time. Quickly Chi-Chi moved to her pack and grabbed the rope that she had brought with her from home. Soon enough they had the stranger tied up to a nearby tree, ready for interrogation.

The stranger was a young man with long, messy black hair, dark eyes with a scar that went down the right one, and another scar on his left cheek in the shape of an x. He looked so familiar to Chi-Chi, though she couldn’t place how she knew him. He glared up at them both, chin stuck out in a defiant way, but both she and Goku could see the slight tremble in his frame.

“W-what do you want with me?” he demanded, his voice shaking slightly.

“I could ask you the same question,” Chi-Chi growled as she glared down at him. He winced under her gaze, and she was glad to know that Goku’s words earlier had not been as much of an exaggeration as she had originally thought “Who are you and why are you after Goku?”

“Goku?” he balked, head jerking back so much he just barely avoided slamming it into the tree trunk behind him. “I wasn’t after Goku, I was after you,” he told her, brow furrowed. “You may not dress like a princess, but I’ve been by Ox’s Kingdom a couple of times. I recognized you as his daughter.”

Ah. That explained why he looked familiar.

“Yamcha.” Both men looked at her in surprise as she spoke his name. She glanced at the two and shrugged, offering a, “We have a mutual friend,” as her only explanation. Goku’s look of confusion remained on his face, but Yamcha’s quickly fell into a scowl, and she knew that was the only explanation that was needed. So Chi-Chi moved forward with the interrogation. “The Ox King is no pushover. You’re a fool if you thought he’d let his daughter be one.” She crossed her arms. “Why did you attack me, then?”

Yamcha gave her a hapless shrug. “I’m kind of tight on cash at the moment. Like… No home, hardly any food, the works. I figured you probably had some pocket change or something, enough for me to get a hotel room in town.”

Chi-Chi’s stance went slack. “That’s it?” Some pocket change? For a hotel room? Well, that certainly was more in line with the stories she had heard about him, she supposed. “You could’ve just asked.”

“I didn’t think Bulma had been serious when she said she knew the princess.” Yamcha looked back at Goku who stood only a few feet behind her, and his face paled a bit. “Besides, if I had known your friend over there was a star, I wouldn’t have even bothered. Know of a lot of witches who’d pay a lot for that sort of information.” He yelped as Chi-Chi sprung forward, grabbing the front of his shirt and pulling him close to her face.

“Why?” she hissed, eyes narrowed. “Why would witches want a star?”

He gulped and leaned back as far as he could, eyes wide with fright. “You don’t know? You… Your dad’s a demon! I thought it was common knowledge among the supernatural!” She growled and tightened her grip on his shirt. “Ah, ok, ok! I think they like. Perform some ritual on them to drain their power. Kills the star, but the witch gains immortality!” Yamcha let out a small shout as he was suddenly dropped.

Chi-Chi paid him no mind, however, already spinning around to glare at Goku. He was looking away from her, eyes drawn off to nothing in the distance as he rocked back on his heels. “You!” she shouted as she stormed forward with an accusatory finger pointed at him. “You knew, didn’t you? That’s why Gero wants you so badly!”

Goku finally looked down at her as she drew closer, taking several steps back once he felt she got too close. She stopped when she noticed, hands dropping to her waist as she glared up at him, her stomach twisting uncomfortably. He stared down at her, his face slowly shifting from unease to that same determined seriousness she had seen when he agreed to help her.

“I didn’t know for sure,” he answered, “I don’t really have any knowledge on Gero outside of what you’ve told me. But… I had an idea. Stars don’t often fall to Earth but when they do… some are able to gather up enough energy for a trip back home, but most are constantly hunted, never given the chance to leave.” He turned away. “Just takes one lucky shot.”

Chi-Chi’s stance deflated, all anger having dissipated and replaced with a deep sense of dread. She had suspected that taking Goku to Gero would mean taking him to his death but to have it confirmed… “You can’t come with me,” she whispered without realizing, eyes wide as she stared at him. She knew, logically, that the needs of the many outweigh that of the few, but thought of Goku dying was almost unbearable.

Goku scoffed. “Can’t? You said it yourself; Gero will destroy your kingdom if you don’t bring me to him. I’m not going to let so many die if I can help.”

“Wait, wait, wait!” Yamcha shouted, forcing Goku and Chi-Chi to turn their attention to him, still tied up to the tree. “Gero? As in Dr. Gero? Of the Red Ribbon Army?” Slowly, Chi-Chi nodded. “Man, the last thing this world needs is an immortal version of him.”

“See?” Chi-Chi instantly jumped in, shooting Yamcha a thankful look before turning back to Goku. “It’s far too risky! I can find something else to save my father and people!”

But she could tell just by his expression that that wasn’t going to convince him. “I’m not going to lay down and let him carve out my heart,” he told her, voice suddenly soft. “I’ll fight back as much as I can. At the very least I can help get you more time.” Chi-Chi sighed and nodded; she knew there was no point in arguing with him, not now. Hopefully, they could find a better plan during the week and a half journey they had left to her home.

“Uh,” Yamcha called out again, “so are you guys just going to leave me tied up here or what?”

Chapter Text

The night was still, the silence pressing heavily down on her soul. She was exhausted, tired to her very core after the long day before, yet her mind would not rest and her eyes refused to close. Not that Chi-Chi would complain about that; she didn’t want to sleep. The sun would soon rise and with it bring Fortuneteller Baba. She had so little time left with her husband before he was whisked back to Other World, never to be seen again until her own death. Chi-Chi refused to waste these last few precious moments with something as trivial as sleep.

Goku’s halo was the only source of light in the dark bedroom, the soft glow allowing her to take in his features with no trouble. She watched him, memorizing every last detail while she still could; the curve of his cheeks, the perfect point of his nose, the way his mouth hung open while he slept, the steady rise and fall of his chest… He really hadn’t changed at all during those seven years. He looked the same, acted the same, still breathed and ate and slept…

Chi-Chi frowned and tore her eyes away from her husband’s face to glare at his halo. If it weren’t for that blasted thing she could pretend he was there to stay. She could pretend that he never died, that he hadn’t missed seven years of her life, that he had been there to help Gohan when he started to grow into a young man, that he was able to help her raise Goten, that –

But perhaps it was for the best. Pretending would only bring her temporary relief and make letting go all that much harder. Looking at the halo was like having reality step in and slap her across the face before she got too carried away. Her time with Goku was short, too short. No point in wondering over the what-ifs.

Chi-Chi brought her gaze back to Goku’s face just in time to see his mouth pull closed and his brow furrowed. That was the only warning she received before she found herself looking into his dark eyes, that same old thrill raising up her spine like it used to back when they first married. She never forgot how gorgeous his eyes were, but photographs and her memories did them little justice. Even when they were unfocused, blearily blinking away sleep, they didn’t fail to make her breath hitch.

She waited silently for him to fully wake up, holding her breath as his eyes began to focus and narrow in on her. Goku frowned, scooting closer to her as he wrapped an arm around her waist. “Hey,” he greeted, voice rough with sleep. Chi-Chi smiles at the sound, her heart aching as she tried so hard to memorize how he sounded when he first woke, “why aren’t you asleep?”

Chi-Chi didn’t answer right away, simply cupping his cheek instead. She relished the warmth of his skin, a pit of dread growing in her stomach as the realization that she would have to go in without it once again began to settle in. Goku’s frown deepened at her silence and opened his mouth, likely to repeat his question, but it was then that she decided to respond with a soft sigh. “I couldn’t.”

He stared at her, eyes roaming around her face, and she was once again startled at how well he could read her, even after the seven years apart when his frown transformed into the soft smile he reserved for her and Gohan (and Goten, now that they’ve met). The hand on her waist moved and began to rub soothing circles on her back. “I don’t go back until the sun rises, y’know. And I’ll be sure to wake you and the boys up if you aren’t already.”

Chi-Chi nodded her head and bit her lip, the hand she had on his cheek slipping off and landing on the mattress between them. Her eyes dragged down to stare at it, vision blurring at a sudden onslaught of tears she struggled to fight back. “I don’t,” she began, voice hitching as a knot formed in her throat. She took a deep breath in through her nose, vaguely aware of her husband moving closer to her, and tried to speak again. “I don’t want to waste this time left.”

“You need rest.” His lips were a hair’s breadths away from her forehead, each breath pushing against her hair. “You’ve got the boys to take care of.”

Chi-Chi snorted as she finally blinked away the unshed tears. “This wouldn’t be the first night that I’ve gone without sleep,” and it likely wouldn’t be the last, though she did not say. Stress was a common ailment that refused to let her rest, and she knew that losing him all over again would take its toll on her for a good few weeks at least. “And I never had trouble watching over the boys before.”

She felt more than heard his quiet chuckle. “I don’t doubt that,” he murmured, his voice suddenly heavy to her ears. Goku’s lips then pressed to her forehead for a quick kiss, one over far too soon for her liking. Just like everything that has occurred in the past day. “I don’t want you losing sleep because of me, though.”

A little late for that. She had to bite down quite hard on her tongue to keep the statement from slipping out – he had made her lose sleep for their whole marriage, starting from the night they were married. He had a habit of keeping her up throughout the night for various different reasons. The last thing she wanted to do was cause him any guilt, though, especially when their time together was so short.

So Chi-Chi took in a deep breath, looked up to meet her husband’s eyes, and lied. “Ok,” she said, a small smile tugging at her lips. “I’ll try to go to sleep.” The smile he returned her was small and did not quite reach his eyes, and she knew that he knew she was lying.

But Goku merely shook his head as best he could given his position. “Ok. I’ll see you in the morning.” He pulled her close, his chin moving to rest on the top of her head while she buried her face into his chest.

“Goodnight,” she responded, voice muffled and quiet.