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"Is that- is that supposed to be me?" Nezha asks, eyes on the screen as MK offers him one of his cancer-inducing sweets. Nezha politely declines.
Mei pops one in her mouth happily. "Yup!"
The woman in the box shouts some inspirational speech about lotus flowers and rebirth that Nezha couldn't even dream of coming up with himself, petals falling around her and her hair blowing elegantly in the wind that mysteriously decided to show up, despite the fact she was indoors. But even with the false information and honestly corny one-liners, Nezha can't help but be entertained. "Huh."
Seeing the way mortals interpreted ancient "myths" or any major historical event that mainly involved the Celestial Realm was always interesting. Especially when it was obvious that the producers have no idea what they're talking about or someone took a little too much creative liberty.
The actress is fair-skinned with straight jet-black hair, lotus petals woven beautifully in the buns on the top of her head (Nezha totally didn't make a metal note of that to try later. It looked good, sue him). The ribbons holding the hair together were also extremely long, and it took Nezha an embarrassing amount of time to realize that it was this movie's version of the Huntian Cloth. As the movie progressed his Fire-tipped Spear was nowhere in sight, a fact that made Nezha just slightly disappointed, and his Qiankun Ring took the main spotlight as the woman's stylish choker. A fact that Nezha tried not to think too hard about. But honestly, that would just be really inconvenient in an actual battle. Even with the ring's unique ability to grow in size, any competent opponent wouldn't allow the time for that change to happen. And the ribbon? He supposed it wasn't too outlandish, but all it did was lead up to a dramatic "hair reveal", which was really just the woman letting her hair drop to its full length. Everyone in the apartment room broke into laughter at the other characters' reactions, some random man Nezha didn't care enough to know the name of immediately rushing to kiss the girl. At that Nezha makes a face, one that sends Mei and MK into hysterics.
In between bursts of laughter MK grabs his arm, shaking him ever so slightly. The mortal was severely out of breath, gasping to try and recuperate. It makes his words winded, having to pause many times to giggle. "Nezha! You should- you should do that!"
Nezha follows his finger to where it's pointed at the couple on the screen, the movie having been paused without him noticing. He looks back at MK confused. Did he want him to...kiss that guy? The one in the box? That can't be right.
Sensing the gods' confusion MK continues, "That hair thingy! With the ribbon!" He gestures wildly to his own brown hair then to Nezhas, which is still in his signature buns, though quite ruffled by now. Wukong had once asked him how he managed to keep his hair so "together" during and after battles, which Nezha had made some comment about decent hygiene (it was oils and hair masks, but he would rather cut his hair than divulge his secret to the likes of Sun Wukong ). The monkey took offense to that, and the rest was lost to time.
He doesn't feel as together now, having completely forgotten about his hair by the end of the first "horror movie". But both MK and Mei were staring at him with such hope, and while puppy dog eyes didn't work on him anymore he supposed it wouldn't hurt. It would be at least a little funny. So he sighs, standing up from the floor to strut in front of the television, just like the woman had been doing the entire movie.
It was a completely foolish thing to do, and he knew if anyone from heaven were watching right now they would be laughing their asses off. But this action alone was enough to make the two mortals double over, a grin worming its way onto Nezhas own face. He supposed a bit of jokes wouldn't hurt, heaven knows that the two mortals needed some amusement.
He glances back to the TV where the actress was still smashing her face into some guys, and he tries his best to recreate her previous facial expression. He can see Mei pull out her phone in the corner of his eye, and he turns to face her fully.
MK is on the edge of a coughing fit from how much he is laughing, and Mei is smacking him the best she can with her free hand, her other what he assumes is recording. Mei was beaming at him, the same closed-eye fang-showing smile that everyone in the Ao family had. But instead of filling his gut with dread like he expected, he found something rewarding in that smile.
So he breathed in deep, jutted out his hip, and tried his best to take his hair down in one smooth motion. It doesn't exactly work, he just had to tie his ribbons so damn tight, but he shakes his head dramatically anyways. He knows he looked stupid, and he knows that this is ridiculous and that this is not what a thousand-year-old deity like himself should be doing, but he can't bring himself to care. MK is rolling on the floor, Mei is whistling and clapping like he just put on the best performance known to man, and he can feel himself on the brink of bursting into his own laughing fit. He feels his singular ribbon in his hand and tries to reach for the other one, realizing he must look twice as stupid with just one bun, but the second ribbon somehow gets lost in his hair. He drops the first to use both hands to try and yank the cursed thing out, but it won't budge . Completely forgetting himself, and the fact that this was being recorded with an audience, he ever so gracefully starts to shake himself like a wet dog. The thought process was that maybe the thrashing would somehow dislodge the fabric, but all he does is give himself a serious case of bed head without actually sleeping. After a good twenty seconds he freezes, scanning the ground for any discarded pieces of cloth. He is only met with the one he pulled out earlier.
Huh. That usually works.
"What was that!?"
He looks up to see- and hear- MK and Mei howling with laughter, clutching their stomachs and rolling. He didn't realize their sudden silence when he was shaking, the two probably shocked to see the ever so graceful Third Lotus Prince physically fight a tiny ribbon. And lose. His face heats up and he shuffles over to his spot on the floor. All three of them were sitting in front of MK's bed, blankets and pillows propping them up.
When he sits, carefully avoiding the hacking MK spread across the floor (honestly if the kid kept coughing like that he might go look for an inhaler), Mei looks up. She pauses her laughing to try and say something to the god, her mouth opening only for a stream of giggles to flow out. MK turns his head from where it layed next to Nezhas thigh, following Meis' gaze. His hand swings up to his mouth, trying and miserably failing to hide his amusement.
Nezha pats around his head, only to feel the ribbon sticking halfway out of his now fluffed up hair.
"Ugh, really!?" He grunts, once again trying to yank the ribbon. But MK manages to sit himself up, reaching towards Nezhas head. "Here, I got it!"
So Nezha drops his hands and allows the Monkie Kid to run his hand through his hair, detangling it with much more care than he expected. His fingers expertly pick away at knots, parting the locks to allow easy access. The ribbon is out in less than a minute.
"Boom!" MK says, holding it up for Nezha to see. The kids' face is red and there's tear marks on his cheeks and even more tears rimming his eyes, but it's a surprisingly welcome sight. Deciding that what little dignity he had left was already up in flames, he smooths his hair back with one hand, and turns to MK with what he hopes is the worst flirting face known in all three realms. To really sell it Nezha pitches up his voice.
"Why thank you." He says, gently taking the ribbon out of MK's hand. He even tacks on a tacky wink at the end.
MK freezes.
Mei freezes.
All hell breaks loose.
"NEZHA WHAT THE FUCK!?"
"How the fuck- how the fuck did you do that!?"
They're laughter bounces around the small apartment, so loud that Nezha won't be surprised if MK wakes up to noise complaints in the morning. He joins in, laughing just as hard but with much more breath.
MK sounds like he's struggling to breathe, and Mei won't stop slapping the floor, but it's perfect. Their happiness leaks into Nezhas very being, watering the roots buried deep in his chest and allowing the flowers of joy to bloom. Figuratively and literally.
His vision is quickly drawn away from MKs gasping face to a small glowing petal floating to his left. He watches as it drifts across the room, landing next to Meis hand. She notices it too, picking the delicate thing up before turning towards Nezha. He turns too, watching as even more petals dance and float around him. They all glow a beautiful pink, emitting a soft aura of comfort and warmth. One tickles MK's cheek, and he laughs harder, swiping at it. The sight fills Nezha with so much joy that he has to hold himself in order to not make even more petals explode from his being.
He's vaguely aware of tears in his eyes, and Mei tries sticking one of the petals in her mouth, the whole situation making Nezha laugh even harder.
It's a feeling that he thought would only be felt around his youngest brother, the fire that set his world ablaze in the best of ways.
But looking at the two young (maybe) mortals, chasing and laughing at his petals, that statement loses some of its truth.
And he's okay with that.
He's more than okay with that.