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Wukong swung his head, frowning behind him to meet the amber eyes of Macaque. “What do you want?”
Macaque crossed his arms, raising a brow. “Took the time out of my day to check and see what messes you’re causing this time.”
“At least I cleaned my mess,” Wukong muttered, glaring daggers at Macaque. “Unlike someone.”
“Oh?” Macaque scoffed. “Yes, I would think getting yourself possessed cleans up messes.”
Wukong rolled his eyes at him. The nerve of this guy. “Oh yeah? And what did you do to clean up your mess?”
Macaque raised a brow, using his fingers to count. “Hmmm, let me think. Oh, saving the kid from you, lending information to the kid’s group to help defeat the Lady Bone Demon, oh, distracting you from the staff,” he put on a smug smirk. “Shall I continue?”
Okay, fine, so maybe Macaque did help a lot during the battle against the Lady Bone Demon, but still! That doesn’t give him the right to be a a smug little narcissist.
Wukong narrowed his eyes. “Don’t think I’ve forgotten about the Samadhi Fire incident.”
Did Macaque just flinch?
If he did, Macaque was doing his best to ignore it. “And I don’t think the others are gonna forget on what was your so-called plan. Especially the dragon horse girl.”
“Says the one who threatened her!” Wukong snapped.
“Says the one who planned to physically pull it out of her!” Macaque hissed.
The two monkeys were snarling with each other, practically glaring daggers at each other. At least, they were, until they both remembered that Mk had specifically told them to try to be nicer to each other and be civil. And if worse came, Mei might intervene to shout at them.
Wukong’s tail swept over the cliff ledge they were on as the sun was minutes away from its sunset. “What are you doing here, Macaque?”
Macaque narrowed his eyes before grinning. “Just checking over the biggest ass.”
Wukong put his hands on his hips confidently. “You might be looking in a mirror, then.”
Macaque stuck out his tongue in a smirk. “Says you.”
Wukong hissed. Okay, at least Wukong was trying to keep it calm. “Must be fun to be the biggest buzzkill on Earth.”
Macaque shrugged, that still stupid smirk on his face. “Takes one to know one.”
Wukong huffed in annoyance as he crossed his arms. “Wish you stayed dead than hearing your annoying voice right now.”
Realization hit him immediately when he saw Macaque staring at him with a sharp inhale, eyes staring at him in surprise and anger.
He turned his head around frantically. “Wait…”
The memory of Macaque dying in his arms by his own hands still clung to Wukong in the back of his mind everyday.
He took a step forward, hesitant at Macaque’s bitter stare, feeling as if the stare was seeping into Wukong’s soul. He knew they were arguing just a minute ago, but he didn’t want to take it that far. “I didn’t mean…”
He felt worse as Macaque let out a chuckle, grinning maliciously. “Wow, wouldn’t you look at that! Finally something we can both agree on! Won’t the kid be proud…”
Wukong winced. He couldn’t tell if Macaque was joking or not.. “Macaque… I..” he didn’t know what to say.
”You what?” Macaque snarled. “Wish I never came back? Wish you killed me permanently? Go! Go on, spit out the facts that I already know! That I shouldn’t be alive. That I should never have come back! Say it!”
He’s serious, Wukong realized.
Wukong flattened his ears against his head. “Macaque, I.. I didn’t mean to.. I mean, I didn’t mean to take it that far! I just…”
Put my foot in my mouth.
Macaque glared at him, crossing his arms, his gaze cold and bitter.
Wukong didn’t know what to say.
There was a long moment of silence between them.
“You’re right…” Macaque muttered.
”Wait!” Wukong tried to take another step forward, trying to… comfort Macaque?
Fuck. Fuck Wukong’s heart. Fuck all the little pieces in his heart that still cared about Macaque.
Macaque took a step back, tail lashing angrily. “Can’t even finish what he started.. like how you couldn’t even finish the job.”
“Macaque, just stop and listen to me for once in your goddamn life!” Wukong snapped, attempting to put a hand on him. “Mihou…” he begged.
A moment of silence.
“No,” Macaque hissed as he pushed himself away from Wukong’s touch. “You don’t get to make this all bright and sunshine, Wukong!” he snarled. He grabbed Wukong’s shoulders, his grip tightening. “I know I mess things up! For both you, Mk, Mei, everyone! I never asked to live again. So please…” Wukong felt a liquid dropping onto his shoulders. “So please… stop. Stop talking, Wukong. I can’t take it…”
Wukong looked at him, not entirely sure Macaque wouldn’t punch him the second he made any movement. “I didn’t mean to…” he whispered.
Macaque always seemed so.. confident and sure of himself. Was all that a facade? A mask? But then again, it’s not like Wukong didn’t do the same thing.
”I hate you…” Macaque choked out, his voice hoarse from his sobs.
“I know.” Wukong whispered.
A moment’s silence.
Wukong tried to keep his breath calm as he felt Macaque’s tail interwine with his. He didn’t comment on it.
“Macaque… If anything, I’m..” he struggled to find the right words. “I’m happy you came back… and, I’m—“
Macaque immediately pushed away from him, glaring daggers at Wukong with cold resentment.
“Liar.”
And then he fell down into one of his shadow portals.
Wukong stared at the spot where Macaque used to be in silence. He held onto his arms, trying to convince himself that things were going to be okay, when they weren’t.
“I’m sorry.”