Chapter Text
It was a normal day at Megapolis, the Sun shined, the birds chirped, and MK was delivering noodles like always.
No demons causing shenanigans, nop, not one. Especially not a child looking demon who wants to, you know, doom the world.
Or at least that's something MK's friends would think, he knows better, he has seen that lady, the one threatening the world with ice on the tip of her fingers and whispers that know your worst fears.
But MK does not want to worry his friends, he wants to protect them. And to be able to do that he needs to be stronger, that's why has been desperately looking for anything that could make him more powerful. So he can defeat her. So he can protect his friends. So everyone can be at peace. (So he's able to sleep at night without the smell of frozen bones and the sound of whispers in the dark, without the promise of impending doom made by a child who is not herself.)
When MK arrived at Pigsy's he was pretty much exhausted. It was mostly because he wasn't able to sleep much the night before, or the night before that, or the night before that one. Spending that precious time to look into the depths of the internet for some kind of legendary weapon of some sort, maybe re-reading Journey to the West for the millionth time, because, maybe there was a secret power Monkey King has that he could learn to defeat you know who. (But it always started with a nightmare.)
—Woah, you alright there kid?
Pigsy asked with a frown. The man was just finishing cleaning a table, when MK passed through the door.
—Yeah, have you been sleeping well?
Tang contributed from his spot at the bar, a bowl of noodles in front of him, notes and textbooks scattered all over the counter.
MK looked at them and recomposed himself quickly, trying (and probably failing) to look casual.
—Yeah, I'm fine... — An akward silence follows. — Just tired, it's been a tough week, you know?
—Oh! I know what will cheer you up!
Mei, who was playing a game on her phone, stands up on the table she was sitting on.
Pigsy sighed mumbling to himself about how he just finished cleaning. Tang rests his hand on the cook's shoulder in silent support.
The dragon girl jumped across the room, her expression was full of excitement, irradiating from every pore in her body.
—A slumber party!! It's been so long since we had a proper one, you know? Just watching movies, eating candy until our teeth falls, gossip about others and drawing on eachother's faces.
She talked very quickly, stimming, her arms moving up and down very quickly.
And MK didn't want to go. Don't get him wrong, he would love to go, he thought it would actually be great to go and relax for a night (and Mei said it herself, it's been a time since they had a real slumber party, he misses it a little). But the weight of a world ending threat had his hand tied up.
On the other hand, he couldn't say no to Mei (he couldn't say no to a lot of people, but that was a problem for a night when insomnia had him overthinking everything about himself and his relationship with others).
—Sure Mei, that sounds great! My house or your house?
MK said with the most happy and carismatic smile he could come up with. He didn't know if Mei actually bought it, he probably would never know.
Mei's smile widened, her eyes sparkled with pure joy. And MK would do anything to protect that smile, he's always known that, but every time he sees it he reminds himself about how far he will go for his family. How many lines he will cross... (The answer is every single one)
—Your house is fine, my father hasn't really cool off from the last time you came by.
Then Mei started rambling about all the things they could do that night and MK just half listened. Praying in his mind to the noodle gods for a night without nightmares.
The sky darkened quickly, the stars twinkling in the black fabric that is the universe. And MK hadn't really prepared mentally for what was about to come.
When he was finishing eating dinner Mei opened the window and came in.
—Hey Monkey Man! — She called with enthusiasm. —You ready for the best night ever?!
MK smiled widely at her with food still in his mouth. The dragon girl pulled out slumber party things out of her backpack.
—How about we watch some movies first?
MK swallowed his noodles while nodding with his head. He hoped they went to sleep soon. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all, he could catch a break from frantically looking around for something that would solve all his problems. Good heavens, maybe he wouldn't even have nightmares tonight.
Yeah... Maybe this could work.
Mei turned on the TV.
He woke up gasping for air, cold sweat raining down his back. The nightmare (not dream, never a dream) already slipping through his fingers like sand. But he knew one thing for sure, it was about her.
–Don't panic, don't panic, don't panic...
He thought to himself in despair.
—It wasn't real...
He whispered in hopes of comfort, because, if he said it out loud it would be true (maybe he had seen too many manifesting videos).
He heard the sheets move next to him and froze, a train of scared thoughs about what could it be started. Then MK saw Mei on his periphery.
Right... the slumber party. He had to calm down before he woke her up. He tried to take deep breaths, they were very shakey but he kept trying.
Once he finally calmed down and tried to go back to sleep he found himself in an endless loop of tossing and turning, without being able to keep his eyes closed for long. Images of unspeakable terrors haunted him, hopeless thoughts crawling into his brain like spiders.
Spiders, what horrible creatures. He knows that his phobia is seen as a silly trait, but for him is scary. It's scary and gross, how those arachnids can even exist, how the simple thought of being in the same room as one of those creatures makes him go into fight or flight mode. Some nights, when he wasn't the Monkie Kid yet, he stayed up thinking about how unfair it was for him to have such an idiotic and horrible fear. (When he became the Monkie kid he started thinking about how embarrassing it was.)
MK got up, tired of playing pretend with himself. He went to the mini kitchen in his apartment to get some water, maybe that would calm him down. He filled the glass until the water poured from the edges, drops running down his hand. It was refreshing.
He drank the whole thing, he wanted to drink more, but he knew that if he did the only thing he would get out of it was a stomach ache.
He went back to his bed, only to see Mei sitting on the mattress he had put on the floor for her.
—Hey MK... — She whispered gently. —Went for a midnight snack without me?
The boy just looked at her, suddenly nervous.
—Nah, just went for some water. My mouth was dry.
He answered. He couldn't let her know, he couldn't let his mask fall.
Mei looked at him with innocent eyes. And when he stood there without moving for another fifty seconds she got confused.
—Are you getting back to bed or?...
She asked with a worried frown. (Because she knew something was up, she always knows. Not because MK isn't very good at lying, but because they've been friends for years. She knows him well, that's why she hadn't asked what's wrong yet, because she knew he wouldn't tell her. Mei can't force MK to speak, she only can remind him that she is there for him and wait.)
—Yup! Hehe, on it.
He said, trying, and failing, to sound normal. (He wasn't ready yet, but Mei would wait. She always will.)
MK got into his bed, tucked himself and wished Mei a good night again. He layed facing the window, hoping that his friend didn't noticed anything.
She did, in fact, notice. But she decided that she couldn't intervene now, not yet. She would, later, when she knew that it was the right moment to push, when she knew that he wouldn't lock himself up but instead finally share what had been troubling his mind.
For the moment, she would wait.
And MK? MK would keep building walls around him. Because that's what he knows how to do best.