Three months had passed since that night filled with unspoken emotions, and in that time, nothing significant had happened—except for Bra's steady growth. At six months old, she was becoming more active, much to her parents' delight and occasional exhaustion.
Bulma had also cut back on breastfeeding, which was a relief. At least now, she wasn't dealing with her shirts getting stained at the most inconvenient moments.
One of the biggest surprises came when Bra started crawling—something neither Bulma nor Goku had expected. The first time it happened, Goku had gotten up in the middle of the night for a snack and saw his daughter moving across the floor.
"Bulma! I think Bra is crawling!" Goku had shouted, rubbing his eyes to make sure he wasn't dreaming. Bra, as if amused by her father's excitement, let out a small giggle.
Bulma had rushed downstairs, her heart pounding, only to find Bra sleeping peacefully in the middle of a rug.
"Crawling, you say?" Bulma muttered, a vein pulsing at her temple as she turned toward Goku. "Did you just wake me up for nothing?"
Goku took a cautious step back. "I swear she was crawling! I just went down to get something to eat, and—"
"Oh yeah? And where exactly did you leave her before that?" Bulma's eyes narrowed suspiciously.
Goku scratched his cheek, looking completely clueless. "Uh… I don't remember."
Bulma's eyebrow twitched.
With a deep sigh, she refrained from yelling, instead picking Bra up and cradling her in her arms. Goku grabbed a couple of snacks and was about to head upstairs when he felt Bulma's gaze on him.
"Nope. Tonight, you're sleeping on the couch," Bulma said sweetly, her voice carrying an underlying threat.
Goku froze, then let out a nervous laugh. "Bulma, come on, I—"
A pillow and blanket were thrown directly at his face.
A chibi Goku slumped onto the couch in defeat as he watched Bulma disappear up the stairs with Bra, swearing he saw a mocking smile on his daughter's lips.
"Sleeping on the couch? Man, Bulma is cruel," Goku muttered before collapsing onto the cushions.
Of course, the next morning, when Bulma found out that Bra had crawled, she apologized profusely—showering Goku with kisses and treating him to a fancy lunch to make up for it.
---
More than anything, Bulma was eagerly awaiting Bra's first word. She desperately wanted her daughter to say "Mama" first, but considering Goku's genes, she feared it would be something ridiculous like "food."
These past three months had also strengthened her relationship with Goku. They were comfortable, affectionate, and took things at their own pace. Their routine remained the same—they still went to the movies, still visited the amusement park, and still enjoyed every moment together as a family.
Bulma still kept the teddy bear Goku had won for her at the amusement park that day after karaoke. That moment had been one of the happiest in her life, and she was determined to keep the memory alive.
Friends visited them from time to time. Krillin, Oolong, and Puar often came to play with Bra, while Chi-Chi and Bulma had grown closer, talking more frequently.
But the most frequent visitor was Tights. She stopped by three or four times a week, always showing up at the same time, bringing food and toys for Bra.
So many toys, in fact, that they had to dedicate an entire room just for them.
"Tights, you don't have to keep buying her things," Bulma had told her repeatedly.
"Nonsense," Tights had insisted. "Aunties are meant to spoil their nieces."
---
One afternoon, Tights was lounging on the couch, watching Bulma vacuum the living room with a smile on her face.
"I don't get it," Tights said, raising an eyebrow. "Why don't you just build some robots to do this for you? You're a scientist."
Bulma chuckled. "I could, but honestly, I don't mind doing it. I have plenty of time to work in my lab, and taking care of the house feels kind of… satisfying."
Tights tilted her head. "And when you go back to college?"
Bulma paused for a moment before turning off the vacuum.
Her plan was to return to college once Bra turned a year old. Since she'd only be gone for a few hours, she knew Goku could handle things at home while she was away.
"When that happens, I'll definitely use robots," she admitted. "But I trust Goku completely. He'll be fine with Bra while I'm at school."
Tights smirked. "Oh, I don't doubt that. But I have to admit, it's pretty funny imagining Goku walking around town with Bra in a stroller. You know he's going to attract a lot of attention with that single-father look."
Bulma rolled her eyes, pretending to ignore her sister, but deep down, she knew she was right. Goku's physique was not something people saw every day. Seeing him in dad mode would probably make women swoon.
She shook her head, finishing up her cleaning.
Tights, however, wasn't done teasing her.
"Uff, so this is where you tried to seduce your beloved Goku, huh?" Tights said playfully, looking around the kitchen with mock interest.
Bulma froze, her face immediately turning red. "T-Tights, stop!"
"According to what you told me…" Tights continued, spinning dramatically. "Goku was half-naked, and you got so excited you practically pinned him against the wall while your hand—"
"TIGHTS, PLEASE!" Bulma nearly shouted, covering her face with both hands. "I don't want to talk about that! It was a moment of weakness! We lost control, that's all!"
"Correction," Tights smirked. "You lost control. You were his temptation."
Bulma groaned. "For your information, Goku actually told me something inside him was telling him to keep going that day, but he stopped himself because he thought it wasn't the right thing to do."
Tights raised an eyebrow. "So… when are you two finally going to do it?"
Bulma's blush deepened. "I-I don't know! Doing that could mess things up! Our relationship is perfect right now. Besides… I don't think I'm ready."
Tights sighed dramatically. "Bulma, listen to yourself. You're afraid that having sex will ruin your relationship, but sex is literally what started your relationship. You do realize the irony, right?"
"This is different, Tights!" Bulma protested. "That night, I was drunk. Back then, I was just Goku's friend—now, I'm his girlfriend and the mother of his child."
Tights shook her head. "Bulma. You and Goku have known each other for, what—ten years? You've been a couple for six months. Taking this step wouldn't ruin your relationship, it would strengthen it."
Bulma opened her mouth to argue but hesitated.
"Just because we've known each other for so long doesn't mean I should rush things," she said quietly. "It'll happen when it happens."
Tights crossed her arms. "What exactly are you afraid of?"
Bulma clenched her fists.
Tights sighed. "Life's too short to hold back, Bulma. If you don't enjoy every moment to the fullest, you'll only end up with regrets."
Bulma snapped. "You wouldn't understand, Tights! You've never even been in a relationship!"
The moment the words left her mouth, she regretted them.
Tights' expression shifted. Her eyes twitched slightly, like she was trying not to let it show, but Bulma saw the pain in them.
"No, you're right," Tights said quietly. "I haven't been as lucky as you."
"Tights, I—"
Tights turned toward the door. "When Goku and Bra get back… tell them I said hi."
Then she left.
Bulma stood frozen, tears welling in her eyes. Deep down, she knew Tights was right. But her fear of shattering the fragile perfection of her relationship with Goku held her back.
And she didn't know how to let go.