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Goku decided that women were complicated.
He had learned an awful lot about them over the years but he’d learned the most in the past six months. Master Roshi, Krillin and Yamcha had given him advice before his wedding but he’d learned rather quickly it was best not to follow it (except Krillin’s advice about offering chocolate—that seemed pretty solid). He found his knowledge about being friends was far more useful.
And he and ChiChi were definitely that—friends. For a while after they married, it kind of felt like that, waking up with a good friend next to you. A best friend even. But as the weeks went by, it had become something different.
Goku had never thought much on appearances for anyone. One reason he had struggled so much with what Master Roshi determined to be a “hot girl” when he was younger. It wasn’t that he found them ugly or anything just more like he wasn’t interested. He’d thought it was something he’d understand as he got older and he had, to a decree.
But one day, he’d caught ChiChi coming out of the shower and you might as well had punched him in the chest. All the air had rushed out of his lungs, his heart had sped up and he’d found himself pondering why something so beautiful had latched onto him of all people.
He’d thought her attractive before—at the tournament when she’d left other competitors twitching on floor, an odd rush had filled his body, raw and primal. When they’d moved into their small house together, determined Grandpa’s hut was too small and worked on making the larger wooden house they lived in now, seeing her heave wood onto her shoulder with nary a sweat had made him grin like a fool.
This had been different though. Why? Well, he didn’t have much of an explanation. It just felt different. He’d not thought much of things like her hair or her curves before but now, they drove him nuts. Especially her hair. He didn’t know why she liked to pin it all up. He loved when she let it down and he could run his fingers through it. Sent a tingle up and down his spine that he couldn’t identify but that he didn’t want to go away.
He’d wrapped his arms around her that morning, kissed her neck and eventually that had turned to sex.
Sex he understood. Hard not to when you grew up with Master Roshi but that was the first time he’d found satisfaction without nerving touched or touching himself. When he’d explored ChiChi in ways he’d never thought of before and she’d moaned and cried his name and dug her nails so hard into his scalp that blood trickled out, his body had reacted on its own.
Making her happy made him happy.
And he’d found it wasn’t just in the bedroom (hallway or wherever they happened to be) it was other things—bringing home bear instead of fish because she wanted it. Sitting next to her beside the fire and not caring of either of them said anything so long as they were next to each other. Trying and failing miserably to cook her a dessert to appease the little life growing inside her.
That was another wrench in the works that he’d not expected but found he grew more fond of with each passing minute. Children had never been something he’d considered. Now though, from the day ChiChi told him that a daughter or son was growing inside her, he’d not been able to take his mind off it. He didn’t know what being a parent involved but ChiChi promised him they’d find out together.
That was the best way to do anything, he’d discovered. With her.
Hence, he was currently making his way around the world, Nimbus no doubt cursing him for the speed he was insisting. Today was the day you were supposed to show people you loved them.
He tried to do that every day, in some way, but he’d learned ChiChi could he, what was it? Romantic. Apparently, that meant certain days were more important than others. That made no sense to Goku but it didn’t need to. It was important to her and that was what mattered.
It did leave him in a bit of a pickle though. Money right now wasn’t an issue—he still had some of his World Tournament winnings—but nothing he could buy seemed right. Chocolate, much as they BOTH loved it, had become a staple with her pregnancy. Stuffed animals weren’t her style and roses died too quick. All the usual stuff didn’t work.
So, Goku’d risen early and rode Nimbus about, hoping an idea might flow into his head. Looking skyward, sighing, he went over the past few months.
“Nope. No. No. Not good enough. She’s got lots of those—-“
Jolting upright all of a sudden, Goku screeched, “I got it! I got it!” The cloud beneath him quivered a bit, almost like the sudden shouting had hurt ears he did not possess. Goku patted it gently. “Sorry, Nimbus. But I know what I gotta do! North, ol’ buddy!”
OOO
ChiChi stared out the window, hugging her sides tightly. The table behind her was decorated brightly and the food steamed amid the rainy weather outside. What had begun as a day full of sunshine had shifted about midday to turn gloomy and overcast.
Suited as far as she was concerned.
Where was Goku?
When she’d woken up to find him gone, that wasn’t too unusual. He liked to go train in the morning and if she was still sleeping, he’d slink out like a cat to keep from waking her. It was rather sweet actually.
But he usually came home for breakfast. Or at least lunch. But both those meals had come and gone without hide nor hair of her husband.
She tried to tell herself that maybe he’d forgotten what day it was but there was no use feeding herself that lie. Her Goku had a memory like a steel trap. Just the other day, they’d been talking by the fire, just reminiscing and he’d brought up her father’s birthday, her childhood legend of the Fire Blossom and the first time she’d told him about it, the day of their wedding day, the day they’d had their first date, the first time he’d told her about the legendary monster of Mount Paouz and her mother’s birthday anniversary all right down to the month and day. He’d likely have told her the hour if she’d asked.
It all had to do with detail. He was a fighter—a damn good fighter!—and details were what let you hear your opponents. It made her smile to think that he applied this to non-fighting details too. He might not know why the anniversary of her mother’s birth was important (though she suspected he DID understand) or why she liked to reminisce over stories she was told as a child or even why she’d grin remembering how she’d screamed when he’d told her that folk legend but that didn’t matter. It mattered that it was important to her.
People that said Goku was careless and forgetful didn’t understand anything about him.
But that left her right now—nearly sunset and all alone on a day that she KNEW Goku remembered. Pain blossomed in her heart but she tried to push it down, sitting down at the table to wait. Her Goku wouldn’t forget her. He wouldn’t.
Her faith would not fail her. It hadn’t before and it wouldn’t now!
The hour grew late. The food turned cold. The sun was replaced by the moon.
Now, worry ate away at her.
She paced. Her swollen ankles rejected it but she did so anyway. If she kept moving then she could focus on other things than thinking. If she started to think, her mind would rush and no good came of that.
When she was sure her ankles were going to give out if she took one more step, she heard the door open. “Hey, ChiChi!”
Rushing around the corner, she stopped in mid-run.
Goku was dripping wet with rain and mud, his clothing was ripped and burns marred his skin. But he grinned at her.
“Goku!” She screeched when she found her voice “What the hell happened to you?!” Her heart raced. “Was it Piccolo—“
Laughing, he took off his shoes and stepped a bit outside to shake excess water and mud off like he was a dog before coming across the room to meet her. “Nope, no Piccolo,” Glancing about, Goku winced at the table. “Oh. I didn’t mean to be so late.”
“Where. were. You?” Her tone was clipped. Her Goku was home, alive but what had he been doing?! If he’d lost himself in training then...then...well, she wouldn’t know what to think. On today of all days...
“Took me a while to find the thing.” Pulling from behind his back, Goku presented her with a small pot. Inside of it, packed in dirt was a tiny flower, barely blooming, of bright red, orange and yellow. It gave off a light airy aura of all colors and felt a bit like a mini fire.
ChiChi stared at it, the warmth coloring her face. After a bit, her hands trembled. “A...fire blossom?”
“Yep! I mean, I hope that’s what it is. You said your ol’ nurse tol’ you it was under Fry Pan Mountain, right? I ‘member the story. You said it was the symbol of your family’s legacy and that your great-great-great-“ he paused, looked at his fingers then gave up “great something grandfather created it for your grandmother, right? Didn’t seem right you didn’t have it then!”
He remembered. All those details in stories she just spouted off to enjoy the time with him and he listened. He knew every damn detail. Lifting her face, tears in her eyes, “Goku, I...this was just supposed to be a legend.”
Scratching his head, Goku surmised “Oh. Well, guess it’s more than that. I hadda go way under the mountain to find it though. Maybe people just never went deep enough.” Laughing, rubbing his head, he said “If they were hidin’ it, they hid it good!”
“I...I used to dream about this thing.” She gently stroked the petals and they gave off a faint warmth. “I never thought I’d...”
Goku took her trembling hands, steadying the pot. “Sorry it took me so long, Chi. Your food looks so good and I didn’t mean for it to go cold.” He stroked her cheek. “I...do you like it? If ya don’t, I can—“
“Oh, Goku!” Setting it the flower on the table, she threw her arms around him. “You lovable oaf!”
Grinning at that statement, he squeezed her back.
“You didn’t have to go to all that trouble,” She went on, lightly shaking her head. “Look at all these burns!” She gently brushed one on his exposed torso.
Shrugging, Goku took her chin in hand. “Ah, these burns ain’t nothin’. You’re my girl, my Princess. Least I can do is give the flower back to its owner. A fire blossom for a fire Princess.”
She caught his lips in hers and they melted together. Later, they would heat up the food. Later, they would laugh as they sipped hot chocolate.
But right now, the Fire Princess had a hero to warm.