Goten had fallen asleep long ago in his room down the hall, exhausted from asking "Where's Dad?" every five minutes. She'd finally sent him to bed with a forced smile and a promise that Goku would be home soon.
Soon had turned into very late.
When the front door finally slid open with that familiar soft thud, her heart leapt—then sank again when she heard the unmistakable sound of heavy footsteps dragging across the threshold. Goku. Tired, dusty, probably smelling faintly of sweat and distant mountains.
She stormed out of the bedroom before he could even kick off his boots.
"Seriously, Goku! Where have you been!?"
Her voice cracked through the quiet house like a whip. Goku paused in the hallway, one hand still on the doorframe, looking up at her with those wide, innocent eyes that somehow always managed to look surprised even when they shouldn't.
"Chi-Chi…" He rubbed the back of his neck, a sheepish grin tugging at his lips. "Training ran a little long. You know how it is with Whis sometimes. One minute it's just sparring, next thing you know we're halfway across the galaxy—"
"You could have sent a message! Or flown back for five seconds to tell me you were alive!" She marched forward, hands on her hips, her long black hair swaying with each furious step. "Goten kept asking for you. He fell asleep holding your old orange gi like it was a teddy bear. Do you have any idea how worried I was?"
Goku's grin faltered. He stepped inside fully now, closing the door behind him quietly. "I'm sorry, honey. I didn't mean to make you worry. I just… I always come back, right? You know that."
Chi-Chi let out a sharp, exasperated breath. "That's exactly the problem! You think 'I always come back' is enough! You disappear for days—sometimes weeks—without a word, and I'm left here wondering if this is the time you don't make it back. If some god or monster finally gets the better of you. If I have to explain to our son why his father isn't coming home again."
She turned on her heel and strode back toward their bedroom, not waiting to see if he followed. Goku did, of course—quietly, his usual boundless energy dimmed by the weight of her words.
Inside the room, moonlight spilled across the bed. Goku kicked off his boots and flopped down onto the mattress with a tired sigh, still in his torn training clothes. He reached for the thick black blanket folded at the foot of the bed and pulled it over himself like a shield.
Chi-Chi stood at the balcony doors, arms wrapped around herself against the cool night air. She reached up and yanked the heavy cotton curtains closed with more force than necessary. The room plunged into near-total darkness, broken only by the faint glow of moonlight sneaking around the edges.
"Chi-Chi…" Goku's voice came softer now, muffled slightly by the blanket. "You need to cool off sometimes. I'm not a child. You don't need to know every single thing I do. You know I always come back to you and Goten. It doesn't matter the situation—I'll always find my way home."
She spun around. "As always, you're completely insensitive."
With an angry flick of her wrist, she reached over and switched on the small lamp beside the bed. Warm yellow light flooded the room, chasing away the shadows. Goku blinked against the sudden brightness, squinting up at her.
Chi-Chi didn't say anything else. She simply began undressing—methodically, almost mechanically. Her red dress slipped off her shoulders and pooled at her feet. She stepped out of it, folded it with careful hands, and placed it on the chair. Underneath she wore a simple white camisole and shorts. Without looking at him, she climbed onto her side of the bed, pulled the covers up, and turned her back to him, curling slightly into herself.
The silence stretched between them, thick and heavy.
Goku watched her for a long moment. He could see the tension in her shoulders, the way her breathing was still uneven. He knew that pose—knew it meant she was hurting more than she was angry now.
Slowly, he shifted closer.
His arm slid around her waist from behind, gentle but firm, pulling her back against his chest. Chi-Chi stiffened at first, but didn't pull away. Goku pressed his face into the crook of her neck, breathing in the familiar scent of her hair—soap and faint jasmine from the shampoo she always used.
"I missed you, honey," he murmured against her skin. His voice was low, rough from exhaustion and something deeper. His right hand moved up slowly, cupping her breast through the thin fabric—not demanding, just holding, warm and steady. His thumb brushed lightly over the curve, more comforting than anything else.
Chi-Chi let out a shaky breath she hadn't realized she was holding.
"You always say that," she whispered, voice cracking. "After you disappear. After I spend days imagining the worst."
"I know." Goku kissed the side of her neck—soft, lingering. Then another, a little higher. "I know I'm not good at this stuff. The waiting, the worrying, the… normal husband things. But I do miss you. Every time I'm gone, I think about coming back here. About this bed. About you yelling at me." He gave a small, sheepish chuckle against her skin. "Even that part."
Chi-Chi huffed, but it sounded more like a laugh caught in her throat. "You're impossible."
"Maybe." He nuzzled closer, lips brushing the shell of her ear. "But I'm your impossible."
She finally turned in his arms, rolling over to face him. Their noses almost touched. In the lamplight, Goku's dark eyes looked softer than usual—tired, yes, but warm. Sincere.
Chi-Chi lifted a hand and touched his cheek, thumb tracing the faint scar above his eyebrow. "You scared me tonight," she admitted quietly. "Really scared me."
"I'm sorry." He covered her hand with his own, pressing it against his face. "I'll try harder. I'll… I'll tell someone to tell you next time. Or I'll come back sooner. I promise."
"You always promise."
"I know. But I mean it this time." He leaned in and kissed her—slowly at first, tentative, like he was asking permission. Chi-Chi hesitated only a heartbeat before kissing him back, her fingers sliding into his wild hair, tugging him closer.
The kiss deepened. Hands roamed. Goku's palm slid down her side, tracing the dip of her waist, then up again to cradle her face. Chi-Chi pressed herself against him, needing to feel that he was really here—solid, warm, alive.
When they finally broke apart, both breathing hard, foreheads resting together, Chi-Chi whispered, "Don't do that again. Not without telling me."
Goku nodded, eyes locked on hers. "I won't."
She searched his face for a long moment, then gave a small, tired smile. "You're still covered in dirt and sweat, you big idiot."
He grinned—that bright, boyish grin that always melted her anger, no matter how justified. "Wanna take a bath together? Like old times?"
Chi-Chi rolled her eyes, but the corners of her mouth twitched upward. "Only if you promise not to fall asleep in the tub again."
"No promises," he teased, already sitting up and scooping her into his arms in one effortless motion. She yelped, then laughed—real laughter this time—as he carried her toward the bathroom.