Chapter Text
There is something to be said about distraction from tragedy, even if it is met with some other kind of traumatic event. When her husband died for the first time at the hands of a brother she did not know he had, she could not find it in herself to be sad. Chi-chi told herself that it was because of the presence of Dragon Balls. Of course, the loss of her husband hurt, as it would hurt anyone with love in their heart for the person they married, but there were more pressing things. After all, her four-year-old son had been kidnapped and her Goku would never leave her as a widow.
Except he had.
She wore a black tulle hat with a dark veil that only covered her eyes in a transparent grey. Along with a nice black maxi dress in the style she liked. She knew that after today she would not like this dress anymore. As the widow, she had a lot of responsibilities for today. When she had gotten the news that Goku wanted to stay dead this time, she wanted to do something to memorialize him.
Chi-chi had gotten a gravestone made. It read simply ‘Son Goku’ and the dates. Perhaps, if someday her Goku did come back, it would be best to not have a gravestone that drew attention and wouldn’t be missed if they had it removed. The casket was a sleek dark wood that was very practical and something he would have surely hated. Still, she would not be using any of those metal and glass things that cost a pretty penny.
It wasn’t as though Goku left her much to bury. Instead, she laid out a set of his clothes inside and kept the service small. She prepared no food and involved no churches: she just wanted a chance for everyone to say a formal goodbye to her husband. It was the only thing she wanted to do now, to cling to the semblance of normalcy that she’d always craved.
However, the presence of the rain made him still seem anything but normal. Like the whole Earth was mourning the loss of its hero. Maybe it was. Still, she stood as strong as she could, humbled by the presence of the Z Senshi. She kept Gohan to her side most of the day. Holding the large black umbrella to shield them both from the pouring rain in one hand, Chi-chi squeezed his hand as tightly as she could.
Eleven years old. Gohan was eleven years old and standing without a father for the second time, but he was so stoic. She could not help but wonder where exactly he’d gotten that from. She could barely hold back her tears through shaky breath and blinking eyes. The only person to offer her real comfort was Bulma. She approached her with Trunks in her arms and handed him off to Gohan. He let go of her hand to hold the small, lavender-headed child. She wrapped her arms around Chi-chi’s shoulders and held her so tight that she gasped.
Her mouth resting against her shoulder, Bulma whispered, “I’m so sorry Cheech.” She found herself frozen for a moment in the face of some genuine intimacy and kindness from the Senshi.
Few spoke to her about the passing and less offered any physical touch. Hands shaking noticeably as they rested on Bulma, Chi-chi held her close and sniffled into the crook of her neck.
Bulma squeezed her tighter before saying, “He’ll come back to us, I-I know it.” She sounded more like she had been convincing herself.
Still, she was grateful.
Bulma used the back of her hand to wipe her eyes as she stood up with proper posture again.
Her voice cracked in a way that reflected how Chi-chi’s own had been as she said, “Anything you need, just, let me know.” Chi-chi smiled rigidly, the expression only lifting the corners of her mouth.
Hesitantly nodding, Chi-chi accepted with a meek, “Thank you.” Bulma appeared to be satisfied with this response and took Trunks from Gohan.
When she finally let go of Chi-chi, she did not make a move to hold her son’s hand. Instead, she watched the small crowd of the Z Senshi minus Vegeta across the way. She caught the dark eyes of Piccolo from across the way. Wearing that same white cape, but a black top and pants. He was quick to look away when she met his gaze.
She blinked her eyes to try to get some tears out of them. Reaching into her small purse, she pulled out a white piece of fabric and hid it in her fists. Twisting it in her hands, she made sure to keep it well hidden in her hands.
Her wedding veil.
The one thing that couldn’t be planned for was the unexpected storm. Given the locale, being outside became quickly dangerous. Bulma was the first to close her umbrella and usher everyone into the house. Chi-chi just listened to the sound of commotion the rain brought. People started to make their way to her home where the front entrance was bleeding yellow light into the rain, but he could not will herself to follow.
Just watch. Gohan squeezed her hand a little tighter and started to pull her along but she resisted. Her heels had slowly sunk into the softening Earth around them, but Gohan could easily sweep Chi-chi forward and off her feet. However, her baby boy had always been gentler than Goku. Feeling resistance he stopped to look at her.
Any words that fell from his lips were drowned out by a foreign ringing in her ears that muted all but the weather. Looking up to meet her son’s dark eyes, she clarified, “What?”
Gohan gave her a tense and frustrated look before he repeated, “Mom, I said let’s go inside.”
Blinking a few times, Chi-chi turned away from her son in favor of looking upon the empty grave sight of her husband. She dared not look at him, her reasonable son, as Chi-chi shook her head. She was clinging tightly to the white fabric that she had been putting through the ringer since the beginning of the service. Mostly hidden by the clench of her fists. Gohan’s expression was pinched with that same expression before sighing quietly and slowly rising off of his feet. She stared at her husband’s grave, almost ashamed to look at her child in her moment of lost mourning.
All at once there was a deeper voice that spoke stoically, “Gohan.” Chi-chi’s expression fell, from something soft and sad, to something a bit more angry when she recognized Piccolo.
Still, her son stared at the Namekian that Chi-Chi could only see in her peripheral vision.
His emerald hand cradled Gohan’s face before he stated, “Go. I can stay.”
Gohan took a deep breath and his expression relaxed with what she could only describe as relief. He nodded and handed off the black umbrella to the demon prince before flying off toward the house. Though she could not bring herself to look at her son, Chi-Chi had resolved to simply not look at Piccolo. He loomed over her like an infuriating statue as he kept her dry from the rain. She used her pointer and middle finger to wipe her eyes of any remaining tears as she stared at the empty casket of her lost lover.
Chi-chi held the veil tight in her hands that she had kept hidden against her upper abdomen and lower sternum. Squeezed it white-knuckled to her, and as Piccolo looked her over, he was sure that it would be ruined beyond repair. Chi-chi stood up a little taller when the green man tapped the back of her arm with his knuckles where he was holding the black umbrella. However, she dared not do anything else out of respect for him and her mindfulness regarding her sharp tongue. Piccolo leaned down a bit to be just a tad closer to her height.
Staring at the white fabric that peeked out between the fingers of her fist, “What are you holding?” He asked, in that same flat tone as he watched her body language.
Even in the peak of summer too much time in the rain could give any human a mild cold. That combined with the fact that whatever Goku’s wife held in her hands had gotten thoroughly mangled in his hands.
“Tell me,” he spoke the quiet order to her which was sweet but an order nonetheless. Piccolo winced before he amended, “Please?” Chi-chi looked up at Piccolo and scoffed, nose scrunched with a terrible concoction of anger and pain.
She tended to shoot off at the mouth at the best of times and this moment with the man who kidnapped her son so many years ago and started this mess.
Gritting her teeth, she breathed, “No. I don’t want your pity or your polite conversation.” He blinked his dark eyes at her, but Chi-chi would give him no more attention before she turned away from him.
She just stared ahead at where she had set up the small memorial for her late husband, now laughably ruined by the sudden downpour. Goku. Chi-chi closed her eyes tightly and could hear the nervous laughter that he would offer her. Remembering a promise to love each other forever and be married, Chi-chi took a shaky deep breath that made Piccolo stand up straighter once more. The two stand in silence for a long time. Each rumble of thunder or crash of lightning made Piccolo look around and inspect the sky, but Chi-chi could simply not bring herself to care about her own personal safety.
She could only really get lost in memories that she was sure she romanticized all too much. Roars of the storm were simply nature’s way of carrying the way he used to say her name and the lights streaking the sky were just illuminating his lopsided smile behind her eyes. She couldn’t help as she sighed his name. Goku. Chi-chi felt at ease in the chaos of this storm even with Piccolo observing her while making an effort to keep her dry. That was until the Namekian carefully touched the knuckles of his hand along her arm again.
She subtly scooted away from him even though it meant getting her nice black dress a little wet. It became quickly apparent that he did not like that when his hand darted forward to grip her like a vice. Chi-chi turned her head to finally look at Piccolo.
“What?!” Hands balled into fists with her frustration, Chi-chi opened them and held both of her hands out in front of her.
She took a stabilizing breath and pushed her hands down in the process to keep track of her breath.
“What do you want?” Chi-chi tugged against him but the Namekian’s grip did not budge. When he did not answer her immediately she grunted and pulled her arm more aggressively and seethed, “Let go.”
He offered her a cold look, eyes lowered with a look that sought to figure her out.
Chi-chi stared at Piccolo, harboring so much anger behind her eyes, that Piccolo wondered how it did not boil over into her words. Finally, Piccolo looked back to where his hand easily wrapped around the circumference of her arm and released his grip. Chi-chi yanked her arm back against her body and eyed Piccolo suspiciously. Glancing down at her hand, she slowly opened her hand to look at the thoroughly wrinkled and lightly torn wedding veil. He leaned a little bit closer to loom over her and Piccolo peered at the fabric in her grasp at last, Piccolo was careful not to bump Chi-chi or touch him again.
Chi-chi however, would not have dreamed of taking that chance again. She tucked the veil quickly away down the front of her dress to sit safely in her bra then turned to Piccolo so she could keep her eyes on him as she backed away. Only a few small raindrops are permitted to touch Chi-chi before she blinked and the green alien that just stood in front of her is gone. Where she had just begun to back up, her shoulders came into contact with a warm figure. Chi-chi spun around on her toes to look up at Piccolo, who would only offer her a blank expression.
Glaring up at Piccolo, Chi-chi looked straight ahead at the Namek’s chest and fought tears that dared bring that wobble back to her lower lip and fill her eyes to the brim. The Namek’s statuesque expression softened a bit to see her well with so much emotion before him. He made a careful effort to slump his shoulders to be more at her level until she surprised him once again by shoving at him. He growled reflexively with some frustration and once again used his speed to flicker closer to her, however this time he appeared directly in front of her.
He asked plainly, “Do you wish to fall ill?” Piccolo cocked his head at her, patient expression had transitioned to something darker before he said sternly, “I am protecting you.”
Chi-chi stared up at him again and screamed a loud frustrated sound before she shoved him again. This time he did not follow her, Piccolo just watched as she backed away from him and let the rain pelt her exposed pale skin and black dress. Chi-chi wrapped her arms around her abdomen as she huffed quick breaths in the rain. Piccolo turned his head up toward the sky and a moment later a bellow of thunder echoed around them which only deepened the frown on Piccolo’s face.
After a moment of just looking at one another, Chi-chi finally called out, “St-stay away from me!” The demon prince only offered her a put-out expression and threw one hand in the air.
He looked up at the interior of the umbrella and muttered something Chi-chi couldn’t hear.
Piccolo turned to look at her once again with his dark eyes and yelled back to her, “I am trying to keep you safe!” He made sure to move at a pace she could see as he stepped closer, but not into her space this time.
Chi-chi permitted him to stay that close, though she did turn her body to face him at a slant.
He bared his teeth at Chi-chi to show her his sharp incisors and he asked with a frustrated tilt to his voice, “What is wrong with me? Why can’t you accept I just want to help?”
Chi-chi wore an affronted expression on her face and pointed a finger at Piccolo before she accused, “You know— Oh! You know exactly why I don’t want your help!!” She took one step forward before taking three more back so that Piccolo could not easily grab her without advancing toward her once again.
A noise bubbled in Piccolo’s throat that he quickly suppressed so as not to mock or intimidate her. He lifted his free hand to press against his mouth, the slight movement making Chi-chi flinch in a way that he made note of but otherwise ignored. The Namekian closed his eyes and breathed deeply through his nose to keep himself from falling into an argument with her.
After another moment, Piccolo lifted his hand before he spoke, “You are being obtuse to my intention and evidence from others.” Chi-chi laughed in disbelief at the alien’s accusation.
He looked down at her, brow still pinched with something like reserved anger as he gestured in front of himself. “I am not my worst actions, I take responsibility for them, but they are past. Let. Me. Help. You.”
“No!” She shouted and her voice broke.
Chi-chi froze in place, her fists balled at her sides, horrified that she exposed anything but her anger toward Piccolo. Turning her head to look at the ground, she closed her eyes as tightly as she could, Chi-chi could not fight against the tears that threatened her.
“You… were there…” Her tone was bitter as she trembled where she stood as the rain continued to pelt her and make her dress cling to her skin. “You were there and able and you could have fought but you didn’t…” She glared up at him with water running down her face angrily, tears having mixed with the rain.
Marching over to the tall Namekian, Chi-chi aggressively poked his chest with her expertly filed nail and made him step back, “I’m not special! I don’t have an impressive power level! And I can’t fight like you can, but you are! You can! You were there!” Piccolo was stiff, expression only twitching to frown deeper when she claimed that she was not special.
Still, he remained sturdy under her observation and apathetic as she exhibited more aggressive behavior. Chi-chi stepped toward him, face flushed by the cold brought by the rain and her high emotions.
Piccolo took one step back before he stuttered, “I-… I do not understand.” She jumped to her toes to laugh with an aggressive tone only a practiced caretaker could get. He attempted to take another step back from her, his feet sinking in the soaked mud, but she simply stepped forward with him and pushed at his shoulders.
She hissed at him, “Of course, you don’t you— you Demon! How could someone like you understand an emotion so human?! I’m angry!! I’m HEARTBROKEN!!! You ASS!” Falling back onto her heels, she swallowed another sob in favor punching against Piccolo’s chest as hard as she could.
He was moved slightly with the sheer force of her blows, but he had braced himself for her punches and remained almost entirely unaffected. Upon Chi-chi’s discovery of this, she screamed out in anguish. She looked up at him with an angry stare and wobbly lip that made him need to take a breath.
Her voice broke as she continued, “You were there and able to fight, and yet my husband fought! My baby fought! You— YOU STALLED FOR TIME!” He grimaced before she continued, “If you had gone out there— FOUGHT— like the fucking hero—” She looked up at his and pulled back one hand like she was preparing to smack him as she continued, “special person—” but did not go through with her impulse.
Instead of just spitting hatefully, “Thing! That you claim to be! My husband wouldn’t have had to sacrifice himself for all of us! And my Gohan wouldn’t have had to kill that monster!”
She used the hand she had wanted to smack Piccolo with to cover her mouth despite how violently it was shaking. Chi-chi desperately tried to catch her breath as she sobbed loudly in the pouring rain. She took a loud and snotty deep breath that sounded more like another choked sob.
Looking up at the taller alien she said, “Why? Can you tell me that?” She stared up at him with wet eyes, red-faced, and that damned wobbly lip that reminded him so much of her son.
Brow furrowing and her nose wrinkling in that same angry way it had been before as she screamed through her tears to almost combat that clap of thunder, “Why didn’t you try to fight?!”
Piccolo’s heart jumped a little in his chest, and he took another step back before he spoke up in his typical gruff tone, “I do not know—”
“LIAR!” She shouted over him and stepped forward. A flash of lightning. A roar of the weather.
He bared his sharp teeth at her and took a step back again before firmly stating, “We would have all been killed! The reason more of us are standing here than on the other side is because Goku—”
“Stop lying!” She stomped up to him, standing now chest to upper abdomen. She snaps, “You are selfish! You would have used the Dragon Balls! You would have been FUCKING FINE!”
She jerked aggressively at him, it was clear that she had no intention to back down. There was no stutter in her voice and the only cracks were a result of the sheer emotion Chi-chi felt.
She shouted as another flash of lightning streaked across the sky, “Why?” Piccolo closed his eyes tight and clenched his teeth, he knew better than to continue this shouting match. However, his pride would not allow him to simply fly away either.
“Why?!” Another angry roar of thunder. His heartbeat in his chest was so loud. It was all so loud.
She screamed to match the volume of everything else as she just sobbed, “WHY?!?!”
He reached forward without thinking for a moment. Squeezing her enough to bruise and his nails sliced through the fabric of her dress sleeves, he pulled her off of her feet.
He gave into the shouting match to scream back, “I WAS AFRAID!!!”
Huffed breath aggressively through his mouth, Piccolo stared at Goku’s wife with eyes that were dark with anger. Meanwhile, she just stared, her doe eyes blinked a few times in quick succession as more tears cleared their way from her eyes. There was a low growl of thunder in the distance, and it was the only thing that dared to break the silence that hung in the air between them now.
END OF CHAPTER.