Work Text:
It had been unusually warm for late September in Mount Paozu, so Chichi felt that a pink t-shirt and short overalls with walking boots would be appropriate attire for a day of apple picking with her husband.
Chichi’s untamed excitement was something Goku was happy to see on her, and he dutifully followed as she practically skipped to their living room while singing a made up tune to herself.
“Goku I can hardly wait!” She chirped. “The apples look so good this year and I already have a million recipes I wanna try!”
“And I can’t wait to eat each and every one of ‘em!” Goku replied. “Wait… how much is a million again?”
“A lot Goku, it’s a lot,” she said with a giggle.
Armed with various baskets and that funny husband of hers, Chichi took a few joyous strides to the front door, turned the handle and swung it open.
… Just to be met by an angry, grey sky.
“Th-That’s fine, it’s just a little bit cloudy, we should be fine!” Chichi said.
But then, the roll of thunder sounded in their ears, loud enough that it couldn’t be ignored.
“The storm’s probably far away,” she reasoned, “we should get goi-”
But before she could even finish her sentence, lightning cracked the sky and the dams of the clouds burst, immediately covering Mount Paozu with a shroud of rain hammering down on the grass.
The thick downpour washed away the young wife’s hopes of a fun outdoor day, and with a sigh even heavier than the pouring rain outside, Chichi shut the door again.
“Well, I guess I did still have some cleaning to do…” she said downcast as she dropped her baskets on the dining table.
Goku looked on at her slowly making her way back to their bedroom, and noticed her flicking away the tiniest tear before she turned the corner. The spring in her step had completely disappeared along with the giddy grin he’d enjoyed from her all morning.
It had been four months since they were married, and every day he learned new things about her, himself, and married life in general. It surprised him how much of an effect her mood would have on him. It pained him to see her sad, and he loved to see her happy.
He couldn’t let the day turn out like this for her, and knew it was up to him to bring back her smile.
***
Chichi had given the house a deep clean with the soundtrack of the rain on the roof and their windows to accompany her. She hadn’t seen Goku for a while, and presumed he had returned to bed. Even she could agree that the pitter-patter was comforting to fall asleep to, but she knew that her disappointment would get in the way of any meaningful rest. The only thing left to do was to channel her frustration into doing what she did best; keeping busy.
The floors had been swept and mopped, the windows wiped, the fireplace dusted, the bedsheets changed, the pillows fluffed, everything thing under the sun (that she so missed) had been done to every room of the house bar the bedroom.
She did briefly pause at her missing baskets once she reached the kitchen, but presumed that in her cleaning flurry she’d tidied them away.
Soon after settling into folding some laundry that she’d been putting off, Chichi heard a noise coming from the front of the house.
She followed the sound and clasped her face in horror at the sight of Goku. He was soaking wet with a trail of mud and rainwater behind him, and stood in a pool of water dripping from his hair and clothes.
“GOKU, MY FLOOR!!!” Chichi screeched.
“I’m sorry!”
“WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING GOING OUT THERE?!”
“I just wanted to-”
“TRAIN?! IS THAT IT?!”
“No, I-”
“GET OUT OF THOSE CLOTHES RIGHT NOW BEFORE YOU CATCH A COLD!”
“But Chichi, I-”
“NOW!!!!!!”
Goku hopped out of his boots and footed it to the laundry room with haste, and Chichi sank to the floor, sobbing.
She hated blowing up at him.
Maybe she had overreacted a little, but after the morning’s setback, she was proud to have accomplished something by cleaning the house and was distraught to see her work ruined after what had been a miserable day.
When she’d finally stopped her tears and surveyed the mess, she dusted herself off as she rose back onto her feet and said, “Well, I guess I can at least run him a hot bath while I clean… this… up…”
Her mouth hung open.
Her eyes had finally fallen on the kitchen countertop.
Three baskets lay overflowing with bright red, juicy, rain-speckled fuji apples.
She covered her mouth and the waterworks started up again. She couldn’t believe it, Goku had come through for her.
Now she felt even worse for berating him earlier. Wiping her face again and hearing him clattering with a barrel in the garage, she figured that he was getting his bath ready and that she didn’t have any more time to waste.
Staring at the treasures he’d brought her, Chichi knew exactly how she would salvage the day and make it up to him.
***
About an hour later, Goku returned to the front of the house freshly bathed and clothed and noticed that the floor was now spotless.
Chichi emerged from the kitchen looking chipper, the complete opposite from the remorse covering his face.
“Chichi,” he said sheepishly as he scratched the back of his head, “I’m… really sorry for getting the floor all dirty…”
He braced himself as Chichi approached him, flinching as she raised her hand. But to his surprise, all that came next was the soft touch of her palm on his cheek as she gazed up at him with glassy eyes.
“No honey, I’m sorry. I was having a bad day and took it out on you, all you did was try to make it a little better. And I want you to know that I,” she squeaked out past the lump in her throat, “I really… appreciate you.”
She kissed his cheek before nuzzling it, and smiled as she heard his cheeky chuckle in response.
“Ah it was nothin’,” he said with a proud grin, “and really I shoulda told ya before I left.”
Now that their conflict was put behind him, Goku was finally able to detect the delicious aroma filling the air. He could only describe it as fruity, creamy, and “cinnamon-y” as he sniffed and scoured the kitchen, but he couldn’t see where it was coming from.
“Hey Chichi, what’s that smell? It smells yummy!”
“I thought you’d never ask! Since you did something sweet for me, I did something sweet in return! Take a seat at the dining table and cover your eyes!”
Goku obediently sat down at the table and draped his hands over his eyelids. He vaguely felt a subtle breeze as Chichi waved a hand in front of his face, and licked his lips as the delectable scent he’d detected intensified with the sound of metal clanging against the wood of the table.
“Can I open ‘em now?!” He begged.
“Not yet!”
Chichi’s signature cherry blossom essence overpowered the food-based sweet aroma as he sensed her drawing near to him, and the sudden softness of her lips touching his made his heart beat faster.
“Is that my surprise?” He asked with a coy smile.
“No dear, that’s just because I love you. You can open your eyes now!”
He lifted his hands and gasped with delight at the sight of three, sumptuous, overfilled, egg-glazed apple pies before him.
“Are these all for me?!”
“Yep, dig in! Just something nice to tie you over before dinner. Here’s a fork!”
She added that last part as she knew he would otherwise ravage the pies with just his hands and his teeth, and she didn’t feel like having to wash him or clean the kitchen all over again.
His grunts of enjoyment as he immediately chowed down gave Chichi immense joy, and she kissed his pie-stuffed cheek before starting her dinner preparations.
Goku beamed as he continued to chew, and thought to himself, “Maybe I should pick apples in the rain more often!”