Chapter Text
It was a beautiful day on Flower Fruit Mountain as rays of light peeked through the windows of Sun Wukong's hut, landing directly over the king's face and making him stir awake. Wukong covered his face with his hands and turned on his side. Despite having a perfectly functioning bed, he was still more comfortable on the couch. In the king's still slumber-ridden mind, he went over if he had anything important to do, and when nothing came to him, he was content going back to sleep. Wukong shifted around the couch a bit more to get back into a comfortable position, he held one of the throwaway pillows close to his chest. He could almost imagine there was another person there. He doesn't know when it started, but lately, the king has been feeling... lonely. Despite being surrounded by the monkeys of Flower Fruit Mountain and Mk and his friends, Wukong can't help but still feel alone. A sort of empty feeling that he's been having ever since the pillar of heaven, one that he can only call greed for more. He thought he stamped out those feelings through enlightenment and his journey, but here they were again, clinging to him like his shadow...
His Shadow...
Wukong mentally groaned. It felt like there wasn't a day that passed when Macaque didn't cross his mind somehow. And it seems he can't even escape him in sleep. This was all his fault.
Wukong and Macaque had a complicated relationship, to put it lightly. They weren't enemies but weren't friends either; they were just allies as shallow as the word was. They would fight on the same side often for Mk but they wouldn't really hang out unless it was one of their post end of the world get together. He would see Macaque occasionally crash on his mountain and talk to the monkeys, but their interactions were limited, mainly talking about Mk or having a petty fight that would deescalate before it could go anywhere. But Macaque's visits on the mountain started to dwindle, and while Wukong could say he didn't care, it felt like a habit to wonder what was going on. He only recently heard from Mk that Macaque was fully moving into the city, which was strange for Wukong to hear since Macaque hated loud noises. But maybe it was a way to get away from him. That's not all too surprising... Was it weird for him to look forward to that petty bickering with Macaque just to see him?
Oh absolutely, but Wukong didn't want to think about the deeper implications of that. He was too tired. He wanted to go back to sleep already if his mind let him. After finally getting comfortable again and forcing the thoughts plaguing his mind to stop, he already felt himself going back to sleep.
...
...
"Wake up"
With how long Macaque and Wukong had known each other, it was hard to surprise or startle the other, but that didn't mean that Macaque didn't try. Wukong's eyes shot open as he shrieked before he fell off his couch, hitting the floor with a heavy thud. Wukong, in his state of blurry vision, could still see Macaque's amused expression, like the cat that got the canary. Wukong's easily tired thoughts that longed for the shadow seemed to melt away as he glared up at Macaque, leaning against the couch frame. Wukong sat himself upright on the floor "Do you HAVE to do that so early in the morning?" Wukong asked not even bothering to hide how annoyed he was "Oh shut up it's already 11, you've had plenty of beauty sleep. But then again, you seem like you need it, you look like a hot mess" and just as Wukong didn't bother to hide his annoyance neither did Macaque hide his slight tone. "What do you even want?" Wukong finally stood up, making sure his displeasure was known. "I just need a small favor from you." Wukong raised a brow, the six-eared macaque himself, Liu er Mihou! Was asking for something? FROM HIM?! Wukong had half the idea to see if he could get the other to beg, but he'd rather not push his luck. "Oh? And why would I help you?" Wukong asked with a teasing grin that did little to impress the shadow. "Don't get an ego about it. I just need you to watch over my place for a few days while I'm gone."
"You have your own place?" Wukong had only heard about it a few times from Mk since the kid visited Macaque frequently, he said it was very 'Macaque-core' whatever that meant. "Why not ask Mk?" Wukong doesn't necessarily want to shrug the responsibility onto Mk, but it just made more sense to him; he didn't miss the way Macaque's eyes shifted in annoyance, as if the question had already been asked 100 times. "Mk said he was busy with his personal life, kid is stressed enough as is. And I know you don't have plans," Macaque continued to talk, not even bothering to look at Wukong, instead glancing around Wukong's hut, he had to admit Mk and his friends really knew how to fix a place up. Wukong wanted to argue and list the many other things he could be doing instead of watching over what he could only guess was a slaughterhouse, but fell silent when he remembered how open his schedule was. Wukong groaned, "Fiiinnneee! But only because I have nothing better to do." Macaque couldn't care less about how whiney Wukong would act because he just sealed his fate, "Great, thanks bud."
Macaque was ready to just fall into another shadow portal and go about the rest of his day, but then he felt himself be yanked back up by the scruff of his scarf, the audacity, Macaque thought. "Hey you can't leave yet. I don't even know where your haunted house is anyway." Oh, right, that was something important to tell Wukong, wasn't it? Macaque looked around the hut for a paper and pencil, seeing some of the stuff Mk left behind, he quickly wrote an address down and shoved it in Wukong's hands. "There. You can meet me here later today, and I can show you around. Now, if you'll let me, I have more important things to do." Macaque was quick to disappear into another shadow portal this time before Wukong could catch him. Wukong stared at where Macaque had ported away and then looked down at the paper with the address on it. It is only now sinking in what Wukong agreed to. Spending a few days at Macaque's to... house sit? Macaque was kinda vague about the details. Wukong thought he might as well have sold his soul right then and there with how easily Macaque got him.
Wukong wasn't all too familiar with the streets of Megapolis, even less with the more isolated parts of the city, which were less expensive and not as inhabited; some buildings even looked abandoned. Perfect for a creature like Macaque. The area was still nice, but it was less of the overstimulating paradise that was the main city where Mk and friends lived. Wukong had transformed into a bird and perched on a sign, he looked over his surroundings. Seeing a few families walk around, a couple on a bench in a park, and a father watching over his kids playing with a ball. They all seemed so happy together. Wukong couldn't help but daydream of a reality where he was in there place instead, being the one to bandage up a scraped knee, watching over as kids would create the wildest games, or even have his arm wrapped around somebody special and run his hand through their dark hair- Wukong squaked in distrubance. He stuffed those feelings down once more before he started getting odd looks from others wondering why the bird was acting like that, with his feathers puffed up from surprise at his own thoughts, he flew off, he was better than that, better than those feelings of jealousy.
Wukong transformed back into his normal self and turned the corner, and he was face to face with a long-since-abandoned building resembling a wuguan with a second floor that was surrounded by empty parts of land where other similar buildings probably stood. In another life, it would be brimming with life as a tourist attraction or its intended use for practicing martial arts, but instead, it was dusty with long, overgrown foliage. He checked the address written down on the paper and the one he typed into the GPS. He didn't think there were that many other wuguans around that reeked of shadow magic, so he took his chances and knocked on the front door. He waited a few seconds before he heard the sound of shushing, followed by footsteps, and then eventually, Macaque slid open the door, looking a little frazzled. "Jeez, did I wake your beauty sleep or something?" Macaque didn't appreciate his earlier jab being thrown back at him and scowled, "No. I'm just busy making sure you couldn't possibly mess this up." Macaque seethed, though he was too tired to bear any real bite in his tone. Macaque stepped to the side, and Wukong was quick to walk in, closing the door behind himself.
The wuquan part was nice enough, a bit small, standard stuff, mats on the floor, a few weapons he doubts Macaque has ever used off to the side, and a punching bag hanging by a heavy chain, though it looked scratched and bitten as if a rabid animal had gotten to it. Wukong didn't pay any more mind as he was led further, to the more homey part of where Macaque apparently lived. He had to admit it wasn't looking to be that bad of a space, maybe a little small, but he wasn't one to talk; he wondered briefly how Macaque was living here... he then thought to email his lawyer about whether his credit card information had been stolen again. Macaque opened another door revealing the actual living space a small living room that connected to an open kitchen where something was already cooking on the stove. Macaque walked over to the stove to turn the heat down "Welcome to my humble abode. Make yourself comfortable, you're gonna be here a while. Down the hall is the bathroom, and the room's" Macaque commented more focused on whatever was on the stove in front of him. Wukong does a quick over the place taking hesitant steps around, he pushes down on the couch and feels his hand sink in, comfortable, Wukong thought to himself.
He looked under the coffee table and saw a few DVD cases for various animated and kids' movies. He didn't think Macaque was into those types of films, but he would be sure to make fun of him for it later, after what kind of friend? Monkey would he be if he didn't? His aimless wandering led him down the hall Macaque had mentioned, and there was a closet that was only used for storing small things like batteries, a brom, and a sewing kit in a cookie tin (tricked again), but he'd never seen Macaque sewn before. Wukong simultaneously felt like he knew more about Macaque and less at the same time. He had changed so much in such a short time, it honestly felt like he was learning about him all over again. He felt his face heat at the idea of getting to know Macaque again, but it was replaced with unease at the notion that this Macaque wasn't as passively receptive to him as before. He closed the closet and turned down the hall opening the bathroom to see a tub with a shower overhead perfect for either a bath or a shower, the sink was rather messy, the cup with two toothbrushes knocked over, with a hairbrush, and tie being thrown about like someone was in a rush, maybe Macaque but why would he use such a girly hair brush, was it that much cheaper... definitely not. Wukong stepped out and continued his snooping arriving at the first door there. He was just about to creak it open before a rustling caught his attention.
Wukong turned to the noise of the sound, coming from the other side of the room. He thought his mind was just playing tricks on him, but then he heard a more audible scratching noise. Wukong, now very curious about what was on the other side of the door, took a hesitant step forward extending his hand to the knob. "You're not allowed in there!" He heard Macaque shout at him and sprint towards him, grabbing his wrist before it could even get near the handle. "J-Just snooping a little!" Wukong stammered, watching Macaque yank his hand back, "That's my room. You can go to whatever other room you want, but not my room. Understood?" Macaque's tone left little for argument, making Wukong feel like he was a kid getting scolded by his teacher, so he just nodded his head and followed Macaque out of the hall and back into the living room.
'...What just happened!?' Was all Wukong's dazed thoughts could ask himself. He knew Macaque was a very private person and despised people going through his personal belongings, but that was different than defensive, almost protective, oddly enough. What could be in there that he didn't want Wukong seeing? He was snapped out of his thoughts by Macaque adamantly pushing Wukong out the door "Well, you got your house tour, but I've had enough of you for one day. You come over here tomorrow at 9 am and no later. Now leave".
Wukong was about to say something regarding Macaque's room, but the door was promptly shut on his face and locked. Wukong wanted to barge open the door and demand answers, but the lock sent a clear message: to leave. Wukong just sighed and transformed himself into a hawk to fly back to Flower Fruit Mountain. He'd like to say that he didn't think about Macaque the entire time, but of course he did. He was acting secretive, and Wukong, the hypocrite, didn't like having secrets kept from him. He arrived at Flower Fruit Mountain, and his monkeys scurried over to him before stopping and tilting their little heads at them, before sniffing his clothes. They would only do that if they didn't recognize a scent on him, but so far he had only been around Mk and Macaque and all of his monkeys knew them both well; this day just kept getting weirder. "Thank you, thank you everyone, but I should tap out for the night" Wukong continued moving through the waterfall and to his new hut, the monkeys removing themself as he made his way to fall on the couch. He wasn't tired, but hearing that Macaque was making him go over there at 9 am he might as well get whatever hours he has in.