Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Breathe…

Demon fights were not uncommon. Despite how much time had passed from the olden days thousands of years ago, many demons still battled against each other. Fight pits existed as well as simple things such as gangs. Much of modern violence existed within demon communities as well. It wasn’t unheard of for demons and humans to have fight clubs (despite the illegality of said clubs).

It was a way to let loose and relax. A way to let out frustration and anger. And for Macaque, it was a way to do both.

Swing.

There was something beautiful about battle. The way the contenders moved so fluidly with practiced ease. The way their bodies twisted and bent to their will. The way each had their own unique style. A hefty brute might swing with a clumsy attitude, yet the blow would still pack a punch. A smaller opponent may not hit as hard, but would hit much faster. There were ups and downs to fighting styles.

Duck.

Macaque supposed his own fighting style had its own faults. Despite fighting clubs being demons and or humans fighting, rules were still set in place. Rules that permitted any killing. But other than that, there weren’t many limitations to what could be done in a ring. He’d seen people lose limbs. Humans and demons alike. And it didn’t matter the extent of damage done to one person. As long as they didn’t die in the ring, they were good to go.

Pivot.

But death wasn’t a fault in his style. He was sure to leave wounds that would finish his opponent later. Blows that would slowly build up over time before taking one’s life. He had no trouble avoiding that rule. The only two faults in his style were his tail, ears, and powers. Powers were strictly prohibited in the ring unless both opponents agreed to use them. However, that agreement was rarely ever made.

Not only did it mean putting yourself at risk for more injury, it also meant putting yourself at more risk for killing your opponent. Which meant a penalty. Which meant your own death or jail time. Luckily, having shadow powers made that hard to catch. It was easy to use them whenever an agreement wasn’t made. A simple flick of the wrist and a shadow would trip his opponent.

Kick.

But he had his own disadvantages. His tail and ears. Not that they were specifically disadvantages. His ears helped battle against opponents when powers were agreed to use. It was easy to detect which way an attack was coming from. Not only that, but he could easily judge by one’s heart beat whether they were about to move or not.

His tail was also helpful. There weren’t any rules about extra limbs for the battle ring, so it was useful. A way to grab. A way to hit. A way to avoid attacks. But while it helped, it had its downsides.

People would grab. It was a way for his own opponent to get closer to him. Not only that, it was something that could easily be broken. He had to be careful about what he did in the ring. Whenever he came across someone he figured to be a tough fight, he would simply wrap his tail around his waist and keep it tucked tight. Safe and out of danger.

Stumble.

As for his ears, the crowds could be overwhelming at times. The sounds too disorienting. Not that any of them knew he had more than six ears. Glamor hid those all too well. For all they knew, he had two working ears and two working eyes. Which is exactly what he wanted. What he needed.

He wasn’t someone taken lightly down in the fighting clubs.

Although his appearance was usually hidden by a mask, the only thing they knew of him was that he was a monkey demon of some sorts. And that was all they would ever know as far as he was concerned.

He was feared. And he liked it.

Fall.

But something changed.

He wasn't sure when it had happened. He wasn’t sure how it had happened. Flashes of the bone demon crossed his mind as he battled. Flashes of a cruel smile. Flashes of two glowing blue eyes staring at him. Flashes of Wukong mercilessly swinging and kicking. They plagued his mind when he swung.

Scramble.

Battle wasn’t as easy as it had once been. Battle was something he dreaded. Something he feared.

His title was lost. Once a feared opponent in the ring was now a measly underling. It was embarrassing. A sting to his pride. Something that made his shoulders hike up to his ears as he huffed out a defiant hiss, nostrils flaring in distaste. But he couldn’t help it. He had tried and tried to get the feelings away. To chase those images from his mind.

But nothing worked.

Hit the ground.

Pain snapped through his body, startling him from his thoughts. He bared his teeth in discomfort, arching off the ground with a snarl. His clawed finger tips twitched as he writhed, twisting uncomfortably as a foot came to rest on his chest, pinning him down. Another demon stood on top of him, arms extended into the air as the crowd roared around the ring.

“And we have a winner!”

He slumped defeatedly as the announcer’s voice rang out, a bell dinging. The crowd roared louder, an upheaval of cheers for the demon on top of him thundering through the air. Macaque glared daggers up at the demon as he gazed down at him, a grin crossing his face. “And to think you were a big name… pathetic.”

A kick to the chin.

Macaque let out a wordless snarl in response as the demon stepped off of him, heading out of the ring. For a second, the monkey demon could’ve sworn he saw something glinting in his pocket. But he brushed it off.

With a huff, he stood up as well, brushing himself off. His tail lashed angrily behind him, twitching. The nerve. He scoffed, rolling his eyes as he slowly exitted the ring. The sound of the announcer calling the next two fighters faded from ear shot as he left the building, slipping out into an alleyway.

He shook his head, slowly tugging the mask off as he let out a disgruntled sigh. He tossed the item of clothing behind his back in the general direction of a trash can, shoving his hands into his pockets as he slowly sauntered out of the alleyway into the streets. They weren’t too busy. Not this late at night, anyways.

But people were still walking around, carrying things they had shopped for. He blinked a few times, glancing around before turning to make his way down the sidewalk. His dojo was across town, and he didn’t feel like portaling home after that. He gave a little sniff, grimacing as a pang of pain shot through his head.

His chin still hurt from the blow. Not to mention all of the other hits he had endured while trapped in his thoughts.

He brought his wrist up to his nose, wiping at it. He merely scoffed at the red smear he was met with, shoving his hand back into his pocket. His arms were stinging. His legs were stinging. Everything hurt in some way. Bruises, scratches, a cut or two… not that weapons were allowed in the ring. He let out a groan, raising a hand to run through his messy hair.

He hadn’t cleaned himself for weeks. It wasn’t that he lacked motivation. It was more so the fact that his dojo lacked a source of running water. Rebuilding the city was a tedious task, and the after effects were still leaving echoes. Some buildings were still being rebuilt or repaired. Not to mention some places still did not have restored electricity or water yet.

Such as his dojo.

He closed his eyes for a moment, relishing in the blissful darkness that greeted him. He hadn’t cared about the world since her defeat. Nothing was relevant to him, after all. His contract was gone. There was nothing more the demon could do to him. And yet, despite that, he cut himself off from the group. The group being… MK and his friends.

Contact had been limited to none between them. Maybe it was fear or awkwardness, but Macaque didn’t– no. He couldn’t talk to them. He couldn’t be around them. So when MK showed up at his dojo offering noodles, he slipped into the shadows and reappeared on the opposite side of town. When Sandy arrived to offer him tea, he slid into the shadows and waited for him to leave.

Any time any of them showed up, he hid or fled. But he wasn’t a coward. No. He was merely protecting himself. And if that meant fleeing, then so bit it. He wasn’t afraid to admit he was running from them, because it didn’t make him a coward. It didn’t mean anything if he didn’t want to talk to them.

He blinked slowly, his walk slowing for a moment before he shook his head and continued. Odd… he was dizzy. Surely the kick to the chin hadn’t been too hard? He sighed, closing his eyes again as he continued to walk. The streets were mostly empty. He wasn’t worried about bumping into anyo–

“Macaque?”

Macaque barely had time to react before he was walking face first into someone. He startled away and backwards, opening his eyes with a grunt. He blinked a few times, staring at the blurry (why were they blurry?) figure in front of him. His shoulders slouched, a heavy feeling of dread pooling in his gut as his eyes focused on who was in front of him. Was it seriously–

“Tang?”

The scholar stared back at him, his eyes comically wide. His hands were clenched around a small brown bag, holding it close to his chest as he stood before the other. Macaque’s tail lashed once behind him as he processed the other’s emotion. He wasn’t scared. He was… surprised. His heart beat gave that away.

“Where- where have you been? We haven’t heard from you in a bit.” Tang cleared his throat, speaking after a moment. And Macaque stalled, his mind blanking. “...what?” He breathed after a moment, raising an eyebrow. Tang let out a nervous laugh, readjusting his glasses. “Oh! I was just… asking how you’ve been! Y’know! We just haven’t heard from you, and MK…”

Tang trailed off, tilting his face downwards to shove his chin into his scarf. Macaque let out a sharp laugh, his tail flicking. “Huh.. Well, specs,” he couldn’t help but grin at the look that crossed Tang’s face at the nickname, “I’ve been doing just fine. You can go ahead and report back to the kid that Macaque is doing great.”

“Oh, well, actually, we’re having a nice little get together at Pigsy’s for a meal! Uh… Wukong will be there! And the girl– her name is Bai He.” Tang explained, tension bleeding from his body as he spoke. Macaque allowed himself to assume a relaxed pose (his body felt fuzzy) as he stared curiously at Tang. “And you’re inviting me to this?” He mused, raising an eyebrow.

Tang sputtered, waving his hands around. “Ah- pff- actually, it’s technically MK inviting you! I’m just relaying his message!” He leapt to defend himself, his tone shifting erratically in a way that made Macaque snicker. He sighed, raising a hand to wave it off. “Welp… I’m afraid I’ve got things to do tonight, so I’ll just be on my way–”

“You’re bleeding.”

Macaque stalled again, fixing Tang with a blank expression. Tang cleared his throat. “I-I mean aside from… your nose. Your arm has a cut.” He explained softly, his voice surprisingly calm. Macaque rolled his eyes, rotating his arm to look at said cut. He assumed it to be something from the fighting ring. But… no.

It was too clean of a cut. The slice was perfect. It had to be the work of a blade of some sort. No claw or tooth would do that… not that the demon he had fought had claws. He remembered that. His hands were just like a human’s. Soft. Round tipped. There was nothing to use to slice or cut… the glint.

“You should really get that checked out! I’m sure we have a first-aid kit back at the shop! Pigsy wouldn’t mind…”

The words grew muffled as Tang went on. Rather, an odd ringing replaced the sound. Macaque opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. He stared in silent disbelief as red dripped from the cut, slowly splattering onto the sidewalk below.

The fuckers knife was laced.

“Macaque?”

His tongue felt heavy. He blinked slowly, his eye-lids moving lopsidedly. Out of sync. His breathing stuttered as he took a staggering step forward, willing a shadow to form beneath his feet to fall into. Unfortunately for him, his powers didn’t comply. Rather, his body continued to tilt forward. Right into Tang.

“Macaque–!!”

Tang dropped the bag of whatever he was carrying, scrambling to hook his arms under Macaque’s own as the monkey demon slumped onto him. Macaque barely had time to register he was falling before he was on the ground beside Tang, eye-lids fluttering as he desperately willed himself to stay awake.

But his eyes were rolling. Something was buzzing. He drew in ragged breaths, letting them out in harsh exhales that rattled his lungs. He could just faintly hear the sound of a phone ringing. That or it was the ringing in his ears coming back ten fold. Whatever it was, it irritated him. He let out an embarrassingly weak groan, trying to shift his body so he could cover his ears.

But his arms didn’t move.

He exhaled a shaky breath, heart hammering in his chest. Words. Words were being spoken. They sounded far away. Muffled. Was someone talking right next to him or were they a few blocks away?

He didn’t know.

Nor did he care.

The buzz in his body increased as an odd tingling sensation crept through his veins. His breathing stuttered again, hitching in his throat. His fingers twitched as a wave of darkness slowly rose up from the back of his vision, creeping over everything to consume it. Something brushed against his cheek once or twice. He figured it was a hand. It felt like one… an attempt to keep him awake. How funny.

Too bad sleep sounded far more preferable at the moment.

“...you kidding me?! Why didja’ bring ‘im here?”

“...that Macaque?”

“...wrong with him?”

The first thought that Macaque registered through the foggy haze that had swamped over his mind was: they know who I am. He didn’t remember how exactly he must’ve been knocked out, but they must’ve taken his mask off at the ring and seen who he was. The first thought and it wasn’t a good one. It almost got a visceral reaction from him.

Keyword: almost.

The rest of his body felt like mud. It was heavy and felt impossible to move. In fact, his thoughts were slow as if they were trudging through mud as well. He couldn’t find the strength or energy to open his eyes, so he let them remain shut as he tried to get a grasp on what had happened. No one could’ve hit him this hard to leave him like this.

Had he been paralyzed? Maybe that was why he couldn’t move his body… no. That didn’t make sense either. He could still feel his lower half. He could still feel the way his tail twitched when he tried to move it. There was feeling. There was movement. Paralysis was out of the question, which led him to his next idea: a concussion. Which sounded even stupider.

His thoughts were coherent. They were fully formed. There wasn’t much confusion about anything aside from how he had ended up this way and why he couldn’t move his body. Whatever had happened to him must’ve been magic related, which he also found out. He didn’t remember agreeing to a magic-using fight in the ring. He hadn’t agreed to one of those in a bit.

“Macaque? You with us?”

A voice spoke. He heard his name, and his heart began to race. It wasn’t that his identity being discovered would be a big deal. No. In fact, he would have cared less about it. He simply didn’t want his name to be floating around a fighting ring. It would rake his name through the mud (not that it hadn’t already been raked through the mud time and time again beforehand).

“Give ‘im this. Tilt his head back.”

A hand moved to rest on top of his head, a thumb pressing into his forehead gently to tip his head back. He was propped up on something soft… which he found even more odd. When someone got hurt in that ring, they didn’t usually tend to them. It was sort of a fend for yourself type of deal unless you had a friend watching who was able to help afterwards. And last he checked, he didn’t.

The sudden feeling of something cold and wet trickling onto his lips and into his mouth startled him. He flinched, his ears flickering as his body jerked in the slightest. It took him a moment to realize that it was water (and that he was, for some reason, incredibly thirsty). He drank the liquid without restraint, giving himself a moment after the trickle had stopped to breathe. The hand was gone from his head now. He almost missed the gentle touch.

Almost.

He exhaled a huff, scrunching up his face. Every muscle felt tight. It was similar to that feeling when someone ate something sour. An odd constricting tension in their cheeks, except it was all over his face. And it was thick. Despite the odd feeling, he managed to get his eyes to flicker open. It was slow, and it was barely there for a moment, but he managed.

The first thing he did once he got his eyes open, however, was shut them. A blaring white light blinded him, sending him shrinking away with a noise horribly akin to a whine. There was a hushed whisper followed by a clearer voice he just couldn’t put his finger on. “Alright, monkey. Light’s off. Open up.”

A retort rose in the back of his throat at the name, but he didn’t bother speaking it. Instead, he slowly opened his eyes again. Even with the light turned off, everything was still blurry and smudged. Black dots danced at the edges of his vision, leaving traces of green and blue in his vision that made him blink.

“Does he need some tea?”

A gruff voice sounded from behind him to his left. His ear flicked, the tone processing in his mind for a moment… wait.

“Sandy?”

He grimaced at the roughness of his own voice, swallowing dryly as he blinked a few more times. He was laying down on something, his head propped up on something soft. A pillow, he assumed… Why was Sandy in the fighting club? He clenched his jaw, moving to prop himself up onto his elbows. Despite his best efforts, however, two hands came to push him back down gently.

“You stay right there, pal.”

The other voice… he recognized that one now. Pigsy. And the other’s from before… the dragon girl and MK. None of them had any reason to be in the fighting club. Judging from that, it was safe to assume he wasn’t there anymore. However, that didn’t explain how he had gotten… wherever he was. The confusion on his face and in his eyes must’ve been noticed, because Pigsy continued.

“You’re at the noodle ship, monkey. Tang brought’cha here after you took a swan dive.” He explained. Macaque blinked a few more times, reaching up a hand to his face. He slowly rubbed it over his eyes, scrubbing at his cheeks a few times as he willed more awareness into himself. He grumbled a few incoherent words under his breath before exhaling a sigh. Before anyone else could speak, Sandy did.

“I’ve got the tea!” The blue giant appeared hovering above him, extending a cup down towards him. It took a moment for Macaque to realize that Sandy was extending the cup for him. He raised up a hand shakily, his fingers trembling far too much for his own liking. Thankfully, another pair of hands took the cup for him.

“Let’s give him a bit to wake up.”

Tang. He recognized that voice… huh. If Tang had brought him here… and he didn’t remember what happened… did he get jumped by a nerd?

“Did you jump me?”

Said scholar sputtered, coughing on seemingly nothing. Macaque could see now. He was laying on a couch in the shop, a few chairs scattered around. Some were occupied while others were not. He noticed Pigsy, Sandy, and Tang present around him. However, MK and Mei (who he had heard moments ago) were nowhere to be seen.

Pigsy laughed, reaching a hand over to pat Tang on the back. “Him? Jump you? Hah! You’re funny.” He snorted, raising his hand to ruffle Tang’s hair. “Nah. He said you just sorta started t’ look a bit ill and then ya’ dropped.” He raised his hand, lowering it downwards and whistling as he did so. Macaque furrowed his eyebrows together, opening his mouth to speak again before shutting it. So they didn’t know what had happened… huh.

Pigsy sighed, folding his arms. “You wanna explain how you got all banged up in the first place?”

Macaque opened his mouth to speak again. And then shut it again. He frowned at the other, earning a sigh. “Just gonna assume you got into a fight…” The pig demon mumbled, turning to head towards the kitchen. Macaque readjusted his gaze to focus on Tang and Sandy (one of which was receiving a reassuring back pat from the other). How peculiar.

“Oh! By the way,” Pigsy’s voice sounded from the kitchen, “I wouldn’t advise goin’ anywhere for a bit! MK and Mei took some of your blood to get it tested!” He must’ve somehow seen the look on Macaque’s face, because he continued. “Since ya’ just sort of dropped without any reasonable injuries to cause that, we figured you might’ve been hit with something.”

...ah. He remembered now.

“Yeah… sums it up.” Macaque grunted, looking up at the ceiling. “Guy… got the jump on me with a knife.” It wasn’t a lie, nor was it the truth. He wasn’t jumped, but there was a knife. A knife laced with something. Something that he doubted would kill him, but it was better to be safe than sorry. That was what everyone always said, anyways. Pigsy reappeared, holding a bowl of noodles. “We’re just gonna keep an eye on ya’ for a bit. You can blame the kid for makin’ that executive decision.”

“What?”

Macaque shot upright, fur bristling with dismay. “You can’t keep me here!” He spat, to which Pigsy laughed. “Oh ho… you think you’re stayin’ at my shop? No, no… Tangsy, here,” he threw his thumb towards said person, “is the one who brought you here.. So Tangsy is gonna be the one keeping an eye on you.”

Macaque’s eye twitched, his gaze slowly shifted towards Tang. The other was looking down, his eyes glued to the floor with his shoulders peaking up to cover his ears. Pigsy continued, a hand resting on one of Tang’s shoulders. “You’re gonna be stayin’ at our apartment. No sneakin’ out and no messin’ the place up.” He explained.

Macaque’s ears flicked dismissively at the words, narrowed eyes shifting over to focus on Pigsy. The chef continued once more. “Tang is in charge of you, so listen to ‘im. If you don’t, then I’ll keep an eye on you instead.” That didn’t sound too bad. “And if I’m keepin’ an eye on you, you're not leavin’ my eyesight. Got it?” Nevermind.

He gave an acknowledging huff, scowling at the pig demon. The other merely flashed him a toothy smile, face strained. Macaque, in turn, bared his teeth back.

Sandy cleared his throat, speaking up. “I can always offer to watch mister macaw!” He offered. Macaque opened his mouth to correct the other, but was once again interrupted by Pigsy. “Good deal, pal! I’m sure you and Mo can keep the monkey under control.” Mo?

Macaque shook his head, sighing. “Look. It was just a little cut. I’m sure whatever it is will be out of my system by tomorrow. So if you don’t mind, I’ll be on my way now.” And with that, he moved to swing his legs over the edge of the couch, pushing himself upright. The warning hum Pigsy made when ignored (which was really the first mistake he made).

The immediate wave of dizziness that followed made his head spin. He took one blind step forward before he was teetering towards the ground, his body going boneless. Thankfully, the stupidity of his actions was brushed off. A hand just barely managed to hook under his chest to stop his fall, heaving him back upright before setting him back down onto the couch.

He blinked a few more times, scowling as his tail twitched irritatedly behind him.

“Like I said,” Pigsy sighed. “We’re jus’ keepin’ an eye on you until we know it’s out of your system. As soon as we know you’re in the clear, you can be on your merry way… besides, MK wouldn’t be too happy if we let’cha walk out right now. I’d be gettin’ an earful from him.” He folded his arms over his chest, glancing towards the entrance of the shop.

Macaque inhaled and exhaled again, clearing his throat. “...and what if I do leave?” It wasn’t meant to be a challenge. It was more of a hypothetical question. But judging by Pigsy’s expression, the other didn’t take it that way. He looked about ready to mouth off to him when two figures burst through the entrance, chests heaving. Two figures that looked horribly similar to MK and Mei. Actually, it was because they were MK and Mei.

“Pigsy! We got the blood to– oh, hey Macaque!”

The two spoke in unison. Macaque frowned over at them, offering a grimace of a smile as he waved a hand. MK shook his head, making his way over to Pigsy. “We took the sample to the doctors and now they’re testing it!” He chirped. “Results should be out by tomorrow!” Tomorrow? Eugh. That was a bother. But he could manage one night with the group. It wasn’t like it would kill him.

“Good t’ know.” Pigsy nodded, bringing up a hand to ruffle the kid’s hair. Mei shuffled over, clearing her throat. “So what’s the deal with monkey man? Is he just sort of gonna be sticking around here?” She raised an eyebrow.

Sandy nodded. “Tang and Pigsy are gonna watch him!”

Pigsy snapped his fingers, pointing at Tang. “Correction. Tang is the one who’s gonna be keepin’ an eye on him for now. But if he needs someone else to do it, I will.” He explained. Mei nodded, making an “o” shape with her mouth. MK cleared his throat, rubbing at the back of his neck nervously. “Uh… yeah, so, am I good to call it quits? Bai He is already upstairs and I’m pretty tired myself.”

Pigsy nodded, waving a hand. “Yeah, yeah. Go on, kid. You too, Mei. I’m sure your parents wantcha home by now.” He glanced over at said girl, who merely gave a thumbs up and moved to make her way out. Macaque glanced around, his fur prickling with unease. Tang had said Wukong would be at the dinner. Funnily enough, the annoying ape was nowhere to be seen. He wasn’t sure he wasn’t sure if he was glad or not.

“Why don’t you head out too, Sandy?” Pigsy asked, throwing a thumb towards the door. “I gotta lock up the shop yet.” Sandy tilted his head. “Do you want any help, friend?” Gods they were unbearable. Macaque scoffed into his scarf, looking away with a frown. The offer was turned down from the other, and soon enough it was only him, Tang, and Pigsy in the lower level.

“I’m just gonna be finishing up some dishes ‘ere, Tang. Why don’t you take Macaque back to the apartment?” Pigsy said as he made his way back towards the kitchen. Tang furrowed his eyebrows together, a worried expression forming on his face. Maybe one of unease. “Are- are you sure you don’t want me to stay around? I could help clean up or-”

Pigsy cut him off, not stopping from wiping down a few bowls. “He doesn’t bite, Tang. And if he does, just whack him over the head. Whatever he’s got in his system is making it hard for him to do much of anything.” He muttered. Macaque’s lips curled at the comment, anger and defiance flaring in his chest. But just as quickly as it had shown itself, it died away as he looked down with a defeated expression.

“Oh… okay.” Tang nodded, clearing his throat. He stood up, setting the tea (he’d forgotten about that) in his hands aside. And with that, he extended his hand to Macaque. “Let’s… get going, then.” He murmured. Macaque looked back-and-forth between Tang’s face and his hand, his eyes half-lidded.

He didn’t take the hand.

Comfort was no friend of Macaque.

It was a rare feeling. Hardly ever did he feel sheltered enough to truly relish in any safety or warmth he was offered. And right now, it was no different. The apartment Tang and Pigsy shared was roomy. There were two rooms, a bathroom, a kitchen, and a living room. There was even a spare closet in the hallway connecting the two bedrooms and bathroom to the living room (which was linked with the kitchen).

But it was nowhere what he would consider comfortable. Albeit a cozy feeling place, he refused to allow himself to admit to the relief the place brought. The paint on the walls was chipping in places. The air conditioner rattled in a way that made Macaque’s ears hurt just listening to it. Not to mention the buzz from all of the other apartments in the building.

Pigsy had arrived within an hour after they had, explaining to Macaque that he would be sleeping on the cough. He offered a pillow and a blanket (not that they were). And with that, Macaque was left on his own in the living room on the couch.

It was comfortable to a degree. He could feel the springs in the cushions in certain spaces. Not to mention the annoying creaking of said springs whenever he shifted. Other than that, however, the couch was fairly comfortable. It was something he could and would sleep on… if not for the noise. The rattle from the air conditioner drummed against his skull throughout the night, driving sleep away from him.

That combined with the noises from every other apartment left him silently writhing, tugging the pillow and blanket over his ears as he kicked his legs. By the time Pigsy and Tang had emerged from their rooms, he hadn’t slept a wink. Exhaustion clawed at his eyelids, weighing them down annoyingly. Not to mention the headache that had formed sometime in the morning hours of the night.

He felt sick, which he figured had something to do with whatever the demon had laced his knife with. But he also supposed he could blame it on the lack of sleep he had gotten.

His ears flicked a few times when he heard movement. Pigsy was moving around in the kitchen, drawing out pans and plates. He assumed he was making breakfast. As for Tang, he could hear the scholar rummaging around in what he assumed to be the bathroom. Judging by the sound of running water and something brushing, he was doing his hair.

Their heartbeats were slow. And even. Unlike his own, which hammered in his chest erratically. He exhaled a sigh, closing his eyes for a moment. He ignored the biting sting of pain that followed when darkness swept over him, forcing his eyes to open a second later. They would come over to get him up when the time came. He figured that, anyway.

A door clicked open and foot steps emerged from the hallway. Tang was out, now. Not that Macaque had seen the other. His head was hidden beneath the blanket he had been given, wrapped tightly around his skull. It had been in an attempt to muffle the sounds from the night before, but it had failed. Rather than showing he was awake, he opted to listen in to the conversation they were having. Tang spoke first.

“Is he up yet?”

Macaque could practically hear Pigsy shaking his head. “Don’t think so. Hasn’t moved much since I came out.” He mumbled back. The sound of glasses clinking together made Macaque flinch, but it must’ve gone unnoticed. Tang sighed. “Are you sure about me keeping an eye on him? You don’t really think I can keep him under control, do you?” Macaque had to bite his tongue to keep himself from letting out a sharp laugh. But Pigsy’s next response quelled the thought of a laugh instantly.

“If you and I can’t handle him, then we’ll get Wukong to take care of it.”

There goes that idea.

Macaque let out a huff, and the two fell silent. After a moment, Tang spoke up again, changing the subject. “So do you want me to come to the shop and bring him with me?” He asked. Something cracked, and the sound of sizzling met his ears. Pigsy responded after a few moments of shuffling. “Just take care of the guy for now. Give ‘im water and food… feel free to drop by whenevah, but I might be busy.”

Tang hummed softly. “Right.. I’ll be sure to do that… have they sent back any results yet?” At the question, Pigsy let out a little sigh. “Nah. Still no word. I’m thinkin’ it was just some drug. Might put him through the ringer for a bit, but I’m sure the guy will be fine.” He waved it off. Macaque rolled his eyes beneath the blanket, his fur bristling. Of course he’d be fine.

“Now why don’t you go wake him up?”

Macaque frowned. Great. He had to bite back an annoyed comment that rose up the back of his throat. He really didn’t want to have to get up and deal with anything. Especially with how he felt. But there was no way of getting out of this one, so he resigned himself to defeat… Well, he could have a little fun with this.

Footsteps approached the couch. He could feel a presence hovering over his shoulder, and that was when he decided to strike. The moment the time felt right, he ripped the blanket off his head and let out a wordless snarl, his teeth bared. The yelp Tang let out was comical. He reeled backwards away from the couch, just barely avoiding the coffee table set in front of the makeshift bed.

“Hah!” Macaque snorted, slowly pushing himself upright into a sitting position. Tang sputtered, waving his hands around. “How long have you been awake for?!” He cried as Macaque stretched, arching his back. “Long enough…” He muttered, flicking his tail towards Tang. His gaze drifted towards Pigsy in the kitchen, who was focused on a pan of what smelled like eggs.

“Well… Pigsy is making breakfast.” Tang explained after regaining his composure, clearing his throat. Macaque’s ears twitched in his direction, acknowledging the words. Though he didn’t make a comment. He already knew this, after all. And the thought of eating anything was making his stomach churn. Especially the ideas of eggs. He shook himself, looking back at Tang.

“Yeah, I’ll pass on the eggs.” He mumbled.

Tang frowned, but he didn’t make any other comment. Thankfully Pigsy called him back into the kitchen. So Macaque simply sat on the couch, staring at them as they bustled about. It sounded like MK would be helping Pigsy today at the shop… interesting. More interesting than the plans Tang was whispering about.

A library? A tea shop? Sandy’s boat? All of those locations made him roll his eyes and scoff, but he supposed he had no choice in getting out of it. Pigsy had made it pretty clear about the consequences he would face if he didn’t listen. And if he was being completely honest, he’d rather pick a day with Tang than a fight with Wukong.

He exhaled, running a hand through his hand. It was still dirty. Still greasy and ruffled and a mess. He glanced back towards the two for a moment before sighing, rolling his eyes. “Hey you two.” He called after a moment. Two heads snapped up to look at him as he stood up off the couch, tail swaying behind him. Biting down the annoyance at the question, Macaque strained out his curiosity through clenched teeth. “Could I use the shower?”

“..yeah. Down the hall to the left. First door.” Pigsy explained, motioning with a spatula towards the hallway. “There should be some folded towels in the cabinet closest to the shower. Make it quick. Tang will getcha some clothes and leave them in there for when you get out.”

And with that, Macaque slid into the hallway.

He quickly found the bathroom. After stepping in and making sure the door was locked, he exhaled a sigh of relief and looked at himself in the mirror. After a moment of hesitation, he allowed his glamor to slip away. Six ears flicked nervously, each pair having their own unique color. One gray eye stared back at him while the other glinted a sharp amber.

His fur was greasy and ruffled. The half of his fur that was still black was practically shining from the grease. And the part of his fur that had turned a blue-white (at least half of his head and his right arm) was practically turning gray. In other words, he was a mess. He scoffed, bringing a hand up to rub at a bruise along his jaw that was turning an ugly purple-yellow.

It would go away in time. Unlike the other things.

With that, he took off his clothes (folding them neatly and setting them aside). He took a moment to get the water to a comfortable temperature before getting in. The feeling of wet fur always made him shiver in discomfort, but it would be worth it in the end. Instead of having matted, nasty fur, it would (hopefully) be fluffy and soft…

Ah. He should’ve asked if he could use shampoo.

His gaze flickered around to the few bottles that lined the walls of the shower as he let the water run through his fur. Nothing in particular stuck out. Just some cheap shampoos and conditioners. He decided to use the lavender shampoo in the end. The conditioner would follow, of course. So he got to work cleaning his messy hair, doing his best to not use too much of either product.

After having finished, he turned the water off and pulled back the curtain. A set of clothes had appeared on the counter by the sink (it looked to be some sweatpants, a t-shirt, and a hoodie). His old clothes were nowhere to be seen, so he assumed Tang or Pigsy had taken those to wash. He gave a little sniff, shaking himself a little before stepping out onto one of the rugs on the floor.

After grabbing one of the towels and drying himself, he threw on the clothes he had been given and took a look in the mirror. Granted, he looked far better than he had before. Not only had the shower cleaned him up, but he felt a bit better as well. He had heard that warm showers could help one feel better while sick, but he hadn’t ever really tested the theory.

He ran a hand through his knotted hair, frowning as his fingers caught on tangles and clumps. Right… brush. He’d need to do that. He exhaled a heavy sigh, looking around the counter for a moment before pulling open one of the drawers. Nothing but some makeup. The next drawer had deodorant and some perfume (he assumed the perfume belonged to Tang. Pigsy didn’t strike him as the guy to use perfume).

The third drawer he opened did have some brushes. It even had a few combs and a straightener. Perfect. He grabbed a brush out and got to work, starting from the top to work the knots out towards the end. He had maybe been doing this for five minutes before he heard a knock on the door. Pigsy’s voice followed.

“You doin’ okay in there, monkey?”

Macaque brushed a comb through a knot, letting out a huff. “I’m fine… hope you don’t mind me using your brushes.” He didn’t really care if the other minded or not. Pigsy sighed. “As long as you don't got bugs or nothin’, I don’t really care.” He muttered. A pause… then he continued. “I’m heading out to the shop shortly. Tang is in charge. Behave or else.”

Macaque rolled his eyes. “Yeah, yeah.” He muttered with a scoff, grimacing at a particularly painful tug. After a few more moments, he heard the sound of footsteps slowly fading down the hallway. He paused before looking in the mirror, inhaling and exhaling. This would work for now. So he took the brushes and combs and set them back in the drawer, leaving the bathroom.

When he emerged from the hallway, he noted Tang was sitting in the kitchen idly eating some eggs. He glanced up when Macaque emerged, a look of unease flashing in his eyes before ducked away. Macaque exhaled a sharp huff, turning to sit back down on the couch. That ill feeling from earlier had returned now. While he wasn’t exactly worried about what the knife had been laced with, he was curious as to what it was. And how long this would last.

He sighed, kicking his feet up onto the coffee table. Tang made a noise from the kitchen, clearing his throat. “Feet down.” He squeaked out. Macaque looked over towards him, raising an eyebrow. He couldn’t be serious… huh. He cocked his head to the right, fixing him with an unamused look. Tang’s expression hardened. “Feet. Down.” He repeated.

Macaque rolled his eyes. “I’m not doing any harm by propping my feet up.” He muttered. Tang frowned at him, setting his fork down. “It’s not about what you’re doing. It’s about manners. So please take your feet off the coffee table.” A please. Huh. Macaque paused for a few moments before exhaling a gravely, over-dramatic groan. He slowly slid his feet back onto the floor. Tang muttered a small thank you before going back to his eggs.

And Macaque waited.

As it turned out, Tang actually ran around town a lot.

The first thing Tang dragged him out of the apartment to do was go to a local bakery. The walk there was relatively quiet. Little to no words were exchanged between the two as they navigated through the streets. As much as Macaque hated not being able to simply use his powers to travel through the shadows to get there, Tang had insisted on walking. And he had complied.

The streets were… loud. Louder than he liked, which was typically why he traveled through the shadows. It helped him avoid sounds. The noises of cars driving by sent a cold shock running through his body. Loud shouts from people talking pounded against his eardrums. Even the sound of bells from nearby shop doors opening was making him grimace.

It reminded him of why he chose to live in a dojo on the outskirts of the city. It was quieter there. Little to no activity happened at that place aside from when MK dropped by with a noodle delivery. But here, there were noises and lights and just far too much stimulation for him to care for. He found refuge in the places they stopped, practically melting with relief once they had entered the bakery.

It had a nice smell to the air, and it was warm inside. The place was quiet and even had a small sign requesting a quiet atmosphere (which he silently thanked the owner for). It was a relief. And there was less pressure. However, the distraction of noises and sounds have taken away the ill feeling. Now that that distraction was gone, he felt uneasy once more. So he lingered behind Tang, hunched over and just slightly curled in on himself.

Tang had gotten himself a small bagel, offering for Macaque to get anything if he pleased. But he turned down the offer. He didn’t think he would be able to stomach it. So with that simple exchange, Tang paid what he owed and they left back out onto the street.

The barrage of sounds distracted him from the ill feeling, but he wasn’t sure if he preferred the sounds over that feeling. He grimaced at every honk and every shout. The sound of footsteps as groups of people shuffled by made his ears ring. He had to clench his jaw and grind his teeth together to keep from shouting at them for being too loud. Because in reality, they weren’t being all that loud. Everything was just tenfold in volume to him.

Thankfully, the next stop wasn’t too far from the bakery.

A tea shop, this time. And this shop was much quieter than the bakery (which wasn’t loud to begin with). No one else was in the place at the time. No one aside from a short elderly lady who stood behind a counter smiling. Macaque shuffled in after Tang, wincing against the ringing of the bell overhead.

“Travelers tea?”

The elderly lady called, to which Tang laughed and waved a hand. “Ah, no thank you. Hibiscus for me, this time. And, uh… you, Macaque?” The scholar glanced over his shoulder towards Macaque. Said monkey cleared his throat. “Chamomile and Chai, please.” Two different kinds. Hopefully Tang wouldn’t mind?

Thankfully, Tang repeated the order, and the two found a booth. Macaque slumped into the cushioned seat with a huff, closing his eyes for a moment and tilting his head back. The silence of the shop was welcomed. No music blasting in his ears and no talking in the background. No disturbances… until Tang nudged his foot under the table. Macaque opened an eye, tilting his head back down as he hummed.

“Ah… are you feeling alright? I mean… we can go back to the apartment if you want.” Tang shrugged. Macaque raised an eyebrow at him, and Tang laughed nervously, waving his hands. “I-I just noticed you seem a bit drained and I figured you might still be recovering from whatever you got hit with!” He explained, giving Macaque a strained smile.

Macaque sighed, shaking his head. “I’m fine, Tang…” Cover it up. He flashed a toothy smile towards him, leaning forward. “But the worry is appreciated. Charming.”

And oh how amusing it was to watch Tang’s face grow beet red.

He stuttered on his words for a few moments, earning a grin from Macaque. Luckily for him, the three cups of tea arrived to cut the interaction short. Tang murmured a small thank you as Macaque took one of the tea’s (chamomile, he could smell it) and drank some of it. It was… nice. Definitely some of the better tea the city had to offer. It left a nice after taste on his tongue. Not to mention it definitely wasn’t processed. It was fresh.

He finished the chamomile tea quickly, grabbing the cup of chai tea next. Tang made no comment, but Macaque caught the scholar raising an eyebrow out of the corner of his eye as he tilted his head back to drink down this cup as well. It wasn’t too long until the two were on their feet and back on the streets again.

The noise was… a bit more tolerable, this time. It seemed that some of the energy had died down in the streets. He assumed the morning rush was over. However, a few cars still drifted past and a few groups of people still shuffled along the sidewalks as the two walked through the streets. Macaque allowed himself to relax a bit as Tang led him to his next destination: a library. The idea of another quiet place sounded like music to his ears right about now. So he followed after him eagerly.

But apparently, the library was a bit further than their last two stops. Which was where the first few words exchanged outside of the shops happened. Tang was walking in front of Macaque, but he could still hear him talk well nonetheless when he did. “Pigsy just texted me.”

Macaque hummed. “And what did he say?”

“Blood test came back.” Tang continued, not looking back. “Nothing serious. Just some poison. It’ll be in your system for a few more days. Nothing bad, though.” He explained. Relief and annoyance lanced through his chest like a spear. He was glad it wasn’t anything bad. But at the same time, he really didn’t want to be boxed up with this group of people. He sighed, looking off towards the road.

“Peachy.” He muttered. Tang didn’t respond.

The two stopped before a crosswalk, waiting for the lights to change to signal they could walk forward. After a few moments, the light changed, and Tang started ahead on the white striped road. Macaque took after him slowly, blinking tiredly. Maybe chamomile tea wasn’t the best choice when he hadn’t gotten any sleep.

That, however, was the least of his concerns.

A blaring, ear-ringing noise pierced his ears. He grimaced, whirling to see what the source of the sound was. Only to freeze. The world around him blurred as blue smoke rushed towards him, an outline of a demoness barreling towards him. Her cruel laughter echoing off the walls of the nearby buildings.

And he froze, staring as two blue lights attached to the mass of smoke rushed towards him. The air was getting colder. Colder and colder and colder until–

“Macaque!”

Tires screeched against the road as something slammed into Macaque. But it wasn’t anything cold. No. It was something- someone warm. He hit the ground with a thud, straining out a pained gasp. He blinked his eyes rapidly, trying in vain to chase away the black dots that danced in his vision. His ears were ringing and his head was spinning. Everything outside of the horrible screeching noise in his ears was muffled. It all sounded far away and underwater. But gradually, the sound came back.

“..-acaque! Macaque, are you okay?”

He blinked a few more times as the black dots crept out of his vision. He could see the sky overhead. Not only that, but he could see Tang hovering overtop of him as well as a few faces he didn’t recognize. He blinked a few more times, scrunching up his face as he exhaled a strained breath.

“...yeah. Yeah, I’m good.”

Not that he really knew what had happened. Nonetheless, Tang looked relieved. He exhaled a sigh of relief, looking up towards the strangers. A few hushed words were exchanged before the people seemed to leave. Tang took a step back, standing upright and extending a hand for Macaque to take. “We were just walking and you sorta froze with this deer in the headlights look… guess it was more of a monkey in the headlights situation…” He laughed awkwardly as Macaque grabbed his hand.

“The guy drove off… would’ve liked to have a word with him.” Tang muttered, grunting as he helped Macaque upright. Macaque shook himself, humming thoughtfully. “Right… yeah. Just caught me off guard.” He shrugged, playing it off. He wasn’t going to explain what had happened. No way in hell. So he cleared his throat, waving a hand at the other. “We… Are we going somewhere?”

“Wh- you sure?” Tang tilted his head. “We can totally head back to the apartment. I think that was a good reason to.” He muttered. The idea of the apartment of the library made Macaque shake his head. “Nah. Library sounds more fun.” More fun as in quieter. The sound of an air conditioner rattling and rumbling wouldn’t be found in a library. Nor would the sound of loose pipes dripping or the building settling. And most importantly, there wouldn’t be any shouting from rooms. Because libraries were quiet.

Tang sighed, clearing his throat. “Right… it’s just another block this way, then. C’mon.” He waved a hand, and the two began to walk once more.

After maybe a minute or two of walking, Tang was leading him inside of the library. The sudden change of atmosphere allowed Macaque to relax. He glanced around the place, noting the presence of a few people here and there. It was relatively busy, but it was quiet. He exhaled a sigh of relief, following after Tang.

“I’m gonna get a few books to read here… you can grab something off the shelf if you want?” Tang whispered as he made his way towards one of the bookshelves. Macaque followed after him, shaking his head with a shrug. “Not much of a reader… I’ll just sit and relax.” He whispered back. Tang nodded before turning his attention back to the bookshelf. He started to comb through the different stories while Macaque tilted his head to read the titles on the spines of the books.

He noted a few series he had heard of before as well as some he hadn’t. A few looked interesting, but some looked as if he would fall asleep reading them. His tail swayed behind him as he skimmed over the titles, waiting for Tang to pick out a few books. And after he had done so, he followed Tang over to one of the seating areas.

Tang sat down on one end of a couch while Macaque sat himself down on the other end. Or, well, he laid down on the other end. He used the armrest of the couch as a pillow of sorts and folded his knees up so that Tang still had his cushion on the couch. Now that he was thinking about it… maybe he wasn’t so sure about just sitting here and waiting.

His tail twitched a few times as he looked around boredly. The silence was… loud, oddly enough. But it was welcomed. It was warm inside. No one was talking aside from very, very hushed whispers. Whispers that even he could barely pick up. His ears flicked a few times as he listened in on the conversations.

Some word of a baby shower. Some words of a favorite series. Nothing interesting by any means. The most interesting thing he thought he heard was talk about the noodle shop, but even that didn’t intrigue him enough to listen in more. He exhaled a quiet sigh, blinking slowly as his gaze drifted up towards the ceiling. Exhaustion was tugging at his eyelids. He had his lack of sleep and the chamomile tea to thank for that.

Luckily for him, he wasn’t feeling all that bad. He could thank the chai tea for that.

He was melting into a warm comfortableness. Sinking into the couch. He didn’t know how long Tang planned on staying here and reading. For all he knew, Tang could be planning to stay until the sun started to dip low below the horizon. That or he could only be planning to stay for a few minutes before ditching to another destination. Whatever he planned on doing, Macaque could adjust to. For now, the library was just quiet and warm enough.

He blinked slowly. A yawn tickled at the back of his throat to which he opened his mouth, baring his fangs soundlessly. His jaw shut with a quiet clack, which Tang paid no attention to. He was enveloped in whatever book he was reading. Macaque could hardly care less whether or not he acknowledged the sound. He could hardly care less if Tang was bothered by what he was doing or not.

His breathing had begun to slow and even out. Quiet, tired inhales and exhales. Another yawn. He shifted a little, tilting to let his legs lean against the back of the couch. Tang shifted a little on his end of the couch, but he didn’t make any comment. Macaque yawned once more, blinking away the tears that formed in his eyes because of the action.

His tail dangled off the side of the couch, swishing lazily from side to side. Tang turned the page of his book. Macaque’s eye-lids drooped lower. His head tilted towards where the arm of the couch met with the back of the couch, his nose pressing into the crack of where the cushions met. He folded his arms over his chest, inhaling and exhaling another tired huff.

He was in a public space. He shouldn’t have been letting his guard down this much. Normally he wouldn’t. But normally, he wouldn’t be in a place like this. Normally, he would be in his dojo or at a fighting ring. He would be at a place where he let loose on his own accords because he felt comfortable. If he came here any other time, he was sure he would leave in a matter of minutes if not seconds. And he was sure he wouldn’t dare let himself get this comfortable.

But those thoughts and concerns were far away. For all he cared, none of that mattered right now. Someone else was here with him. He could let himself relax and sleep. Especially since this place was quiet enough. Since it was warm enough.

Tang turned the page again.

Macaque’s eye-lids shot up before sliding back down once more. Despite his willingness to sleep, he fought against the fatigue that gnawed away at him from the inside. But there was only so much one could do when they were so tired. Another small yawn left him. He squeezed his eyes shut before shutting his mouth, not bothering to open his eyes. Well, not quite being able to.

He tried for a moment. He struggled as his eye-lids fluttered, but there was no point. He let the warm darkness wrap around him like a blanket. He exhaled another quiet breath as he tilted his head back slightly, his ears fluttering as sleep overcame him. His legs began to straighten out as he was taken away. But just before he was whisked away, he thought he could hear something. Or someone. Tang.

He didn’t care enough to listen.

Sleep was no friend to Macaque.

That was the first thing that confused him when consciousness slowly crept back over him. The other thing that confused him was the insistent shaking of his legs. Something (likely someone) had grabbed onto one of his shins and was rocking his legs back and forth. He made a noise of protest in the back of his throat, his tail lashing as he peeled open his eyes blearily.

Grogginess clung to him, clogging his mind with dizzying thoughts. Everything processed slowly for him. He was on a couch… in the… library. He remembered that much. Tang had brought him here after they ran some errands. But that begged the question… where was Tang?

Another shake.

He blinked a few more times, curling his lips as a low growl rumbled in his throat. “Stop that.” He hissed out. A momentary pause… and then something hard hit against his shin. He bit back a shout of pain as his knees folded up towards himself. He shot upright into a sitting position, bringing both of his hands up to wrap around his knees and press against the now throbbing area.

“What was that fo–” He cut himself off, blinking a few times as his eyes fell on Tang. The scholar was scowling at him, two books now resting neatly on his lap. “You fell asleep and wouldn’t move your feet off my lap.” He simply huffed out. Macaque’s eyes twitched, a throaty laugh shaking his body. “So you hit my shin?” He breathed out. Tang stood up, clapping the books together. “You weren’t moving, so…” He shrugged. “I finished my books a bit ago, actually.”

So Tang had been waiting. Macaque frowned at him, but he said nothing else. His tail twitched irritatedly as Tang waved a hand, starting to head back towards the bookshelves. “C’mon. We’re gonna head to the noodle shop for a bit and… then we can probably head back to the apartment.” Another shrug. Macaque exhaled a heavy sigh, scrubbing his face tiredly with his hand as he swung his legs over the side of the couch. He stood up slowly, arching his back in a stretch before sauntering over towards Tang.

Within a few minutes, they were back outside on the streets. The sky was notably darker. The blue from earlier had melted into something nearing the color of orange-pink. Which meant they had been at the library for most if not all of the day. Even then, tiredness still weighed on Macaque’s bones. Not only did he still feel tired, but as they walked, that nauseating stomach feeling returned.

Nonetheless, he followed Tang as they traveled to the noodle shop. When they arrived, there didn’t seem to be many customers (thankfully). In fact, it looked like Pigsy was starting to close up the shop. He noted MK and Mei sitting together on the couch in the corner of the shop, whispering excitedly about something. Other than that, however, no one else seemed to be around. He couldn’t hear anyone else, either.

Pigsy glanced up from one of the pots he was cleaning, exhaling a sigh. “Left a bowl of noodles on the countah for you, Tang.” He motioned towards the counter with a rag he held in his hand. Tang waved a hand over towards him, beelining for a stool before sitting down to dig in. Macaque glanced around before slowly following after, sitting down on one of the stools next to Tang.

He hadn’t had much to eat or drink, but the idea of eating or drinking anything made him feel uneasy. He opted to cross his arms on the counter and rest his chin on his forearms, humming as his tail swished low to the ground. Tang was talking about what they had done throughout the day, but he tuned him out to listen to whatever MK and Mei were talking about. And, honestly, it wasn’t any more interesting than what Tang was talking about. Just… training.

He exhaled, shutting his eyes for a moment before opening them again. He felt dizzy, and he knew it was because he hadn’t had anything to eat. Despite that, he didn’t want to eat anything. His gaze drifted over towards the bowl of noodles Tang was eating before he shut his eyes again.

…Gods he wanted out of here.

He couldn’t believe he had willingly followed Tang around all day like a lost puppy. He should’ve just shadowed away. He could’ve. But the gods' damned fear of whatever they would do if he fled drove him to stay. Irritation prickled beneath his hair. He exhaled an annoyed sigh, his tail lashing.

It wasn’t like they would kill him. The worst they would do is hunt him down and force him to stay around. And even then, that wasn’t all that bad. But still, some odd feeling drove him to linger. And it made his chest burn. It made his chest burn with a type of annoyance that made his stomach churn… or… no. No, that wasn’t irritation.

He shot upright, stumbling off the stool, sending it crashing to the ground. Pigsy gave a muffled shout of annoyance, but the words were lost amongst him scrambling towards the bathroom (he’d been in the shop a few times beforehand, he knew where it was). He practically ripped the door open, crashing onto the floor besides the toilet. And ignoring the sparks of pain that burst through his knees, he bent over the toilet, and heaved.

Nothing came up. There was nothing to come up. And despite that, the back of his throat still burned.

He blinked back the tears that stung at the corners of his eyes as he pulled back, drawing in strangled breaths of air before his body spasmed once more. He ducked his head back down, gagging and spitting out as a strained wheeze rattled his chest. He could hear voices in the background, but it was all drowned out by the ringing in his ears.

He jolted at the sudden feeling of a hand on his back before shuddering as the hand began to rub in a circular motion. He closed his eyes, exhaling a few more chokes breaths. Saliva was dangling from his teeth and lips. He was sure he looked like a mess, but he could care less. His ears flicked a few times as a voice slowly faded back in.

“...-alright, you’re okay.”

That was Tang speaking. MK’s voice followed from the hallway.

“Is he gonna be okay?”

Pigsy answered that.

“The monkey is gonna be fine, kid. Just under the weather.”

Irritation burned in his chest once more, and this time it wasn’t just nausea. He raised his head, opening his eyes to scowl over at Pigsy. He wasn’t weak. “Don’t talk about me like I’m a child.” He hissed out. Pigsy folded his arms, rolling his eyes. “Well if yer gonna act like one, I’m gonna treat ya’ like one. I’m just tellin’ the kid what’s going on.”

Macaque’s fur bristled. He opened his mouth to make a retort, but Tang cut him off. “Stop fighting!” He snapped. The two looked towards him immediately, jaws shutting as he continued. “There’s no need to start going at each other over something so… so stupid!” He sighed, shaking his head. “...I’ll take him back to the apartment. Pigsy, you can… finish cleaning up.”

Pigsy stared at him for a few moments before sighing, raising a hand to rub at the back of his neck. “Yeah, yeah. Alright. Sorry.” And with that, he was vanishing down the hallway. Macaque stared after him for a few moments, chest heaving with effort before he looked over at Tang. Guess the guy is a bit more feisty than I remember.

Tang exhaled another sigh before looking at Macaque, clearing his throat. “...uh… you alright?” But still not eloquent.

Macaque heaved himself upright onto his feet slowly, shaking himself a little. “M’fine.” He sputtered, wiping his sleeve over his mouth. Tang rose to his feet alongside him, his hands extended and ready to support Macaque. Thankfully, it wasn’t needed. But Macaque appreciated it either way.

“...so we’re headin’ back to the apartment?” He mused, raising an eyebrow.

Tang smiled nervously, a strained expression forming on his face. “Well, I- I figured that it would be best to go back if you aren’t feeling well?” He explained, waving his hands. “Pigsy is uh… he’s got a little plastic container with some fruits for you to snack on. He usually has some leftovers after the day.. He gives them to MK or me sometimes, but uh… you haven’t had much to eat, so…”

Macaque sighed, rolling his eyes. “I’ll take the stupid fruits. No need to make a big deal out of it.” Gods the guy was a mess. Tang nodded vigorously, starting to walk out of the bathroom. “Right, right…” He whispered under his breath, vanishing down the hallway. Macaque exhaled shakily, turning to flush the toilet before glancing at himself in the mirror. He was.. Paler. Maybe some food would be good right about now. With that in mind, he left the bathroom to head back towards the group.

Just as Tang had said, a plastic container with some fruits was waiting for him when he emerged. And with the container acquired, they were back on the street walking towards the apartment again. Albeit he didn’t particularly enjoy being stuck with Tang, he didn’t mind the guy’s schedule. Besides, it meant having a nice place to stay… well, nicer than the dojo, at least.

He glanced down at the plastic container as they walked, opening it up. He skimmed over the fruit slices and cubes before picking out a mango, throwing it into his mouth to eat. He chewed for a bit before swallowing and picking out another fruit. The fruits were sweet.

He supposed Tang giving him the fruit was sweet as well.