notes: this is a request fic i did on tumblr, and since i haven't exactly been writing anything (especially anything db/z-oriented) for the past couple of months, i thought to post it here.

Something is off about Chi-Chi today, Goku thinks as he dunks his head underwater, but he can't quite put his finger on it.

The house is spotless, dinner (and dessert) is finished, Gohan is studying, and Goten is sleeping. They're all the signs of a happy, yet incredibly temperamental housewife, so what could possibly be the problem? He recounts all the times she's yelled at him today - and even throughout these past few weeks - but finds himself chuckling in response.

"It's impossible ta keep count'a somethin' like that," he muses when he rises, rolling a crick out of his neck. "She yells at me all the time."

The thought is near fleeting when he exits the bath, leaving his dark hair to drip dry as he wraps a fresh, white towel around his waist. Chi-Chi's been following the same schedule since forever - she cleans, cooks, readies Gohan for school, cleans some more, makes sure Goten studies, cooks some more, cleans one last time, and then goes to bed. The routine is repeated over and over and over again as if it's embedded in her soul. Nothing's that different (not since he's come back to life, anyway).

Goku stretches as he pads his way from the bathroom to his bedroom, completely ignorant of the water trailing behind him. But when he steps through the door, he finds himself staring curiously at his wife, who hasn't moved so much as an inch away from their bedroom mirror since he first entered the bath.

Mildly surprised that she doesn't notice him, he crosses the room in a heartbeat, removing his towel from his waist to throw it over his shoulders, leaving his bottom bare to the world. He peers over her shoulder, eyes beaming with an innocent gleam that only he and his boys could pull off, and asks, "Wha'cha doin', Chi-Chi?"

She tenses, gasps, and turns around, brown eyes widening in misplaced fear. It's during this moment that Goku takes a good look at her. The lipstick stands out the most, bright and red and odd against her unnaturally pink-dusted skin. Her lashes look longer, making her already large eyes pop even more, and he isn't quite sure what to make of that powder-stuff on her eyes. Suffice to say, he doesn't recognize her at all.

Chi-Chi almost averts her gaze, cheeks burning a natural red with what could only be described as embarrassment. She didn't count on her husband catching her in the act, even if he had watched her do this a million times before. Seldom does the princess put on makeup, especially out of something as silly as insecurity, but a part of her happens to buy into an innocent remark made by Bulma's mother yesterday.

And here she finds herself massaging the knotted flesh between her eyebrows and frowning at the blossoming crows feet nestling in the corners of her eyes not even five minutes after Goku enters the bath, with all the worry of a wife looking 'older than her husband.' It's unlike her to feel self-conscious over her appearance, but the idea that she looks older than Goku - who was dead less than a year ago - is definitely worth noting.

Chi-Chi allows herself a peek at Goku's expression, but is (un)pleasantly surprised when her husband throws his towel over her face, fingers going to work as he wipes away everything she'd spent the past half-hour applying. She stares at him, wide-eyed and surprised, when he finally pulls back the make-up-spotted towel with a bright and cheerful smile.

"There ya go!" he says, throwing the towel over his shoulder with a proud grin. "Ya look much better now, Chi-Chi."

While the sight of Goku's nude body hovering over her makes her want to scream in absolute frustration, she can't help but allow a smile to blossom over her lips.

Oh, Goku, she thinks, fondly.