The party buzzed with laughter and clinking glasses, the warm glow of lanterns reflecting off polished wood. Goku stood near the snack table, munching on something fried he couldn’t name but definitely loved. He was trying to enjoy himself, really, but his thoughts kept wandering back to you. You’d been acting… weird lately. Cold shoulders, barely talking to him, avoiding his eyes. It was like you were mad about something, but for the life of him, he couldn’t figure out what he’d done. Had he forgotten something? Missed a date? Eaten the last dumpling again?

His tail (something he still had in this AU) flicked behind him, a nervous habit he hadn’t shaken since his youth. He wasn’t used to feeling uneasy, but tonight it clung to him like a heavy weight. Still, he plastered on a smile and kept chatting with the folks around him.

“Goku!” A cheerful voice cut through the small crowd, and he turned to see a woman walking up—someone’s wife, he remembered vaguely. She was friendly enough, nothing odd about her. “Wow, I gotta say, those arms of yours are something else! You’re a big guy, huh?”

Now, Goku wasn’t the type to get flustered, but compliments? Oh, those were his kryptonite. His grin widened, a sheepish chuckle bubbling up. “Aw, really? You think so? I mean, I do train a lot, so I guess they’re pretty strong! Check this out!” Without thinking (as usual), he flexed one bicep, the muscle bulging under the fabric of his shirt. “Not bad, huh?”

The woman laughed, clearly amused, but Goku didn’t notice the way her laugh lingered just a bit too long. He was too busy enjoying the rare attention. People usually complimented his fighting, but this? This felt kinda nice.