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"Why is your heart going so fast?"
"Huh?"
Fruitie broke Monkey King out of his trance. They were taking a break near a river side, he sat cross legged unknowingly staring at you from afar. You were talking to the pig about something, he could hear it even from here, his ears twitching trying to remember the sound of your laugh. He takes notice of how the evening sky makes you glow in a pleasant way. Oh right, Fruitie asked him something.
"Whenever I fight my heart gets fast," he scratches his neck looking at the little qi energy clumsily climbing his knee, "is that what you meant?" He grabbed Fruitie onto his lap.
"No, when you were looking at them!"
"...what."
He could only stare at the qi on his lap. Looking at..you? His heart? Fast? No way! That only happens when he's in the middle of a hard fight, he doesn't fight you! Wait, does he want to fight you?
"Fruitie you're talking nonsense," he huffs and places his chin in his palm looking away with narrowed eyes. Fruitie only giggles in response.
"What does it mean? Are you excited when you see them" the question was met with silence, he squeals "I'm right, I'm right!" Monkey King grunts in embarrassment, "No, delusional, not right!"
He reached a hand out trying to grab Fruitie but to no avail, frustration quickly replacing his earlier peace.
Sure he likes teasing you to see your reaction, but that's not fighting, sure his hands get sweaty and his face heats up when you're too near, and yeah maybe he imagines what it'd be like to feel your hands on his face. But none of that matters!
It was only yesterday he was sure that he didn't like you, you picked up a single peach during your foraging for food and hid it from everyone. That is until later in the afternoon you offered it to him, saying you knew he liked them and how hard they are to find. Then you smiled. And your fingers brushed his. You seemed a little nervous, which obviously meant this was a peace offering! Hah! You thought he'd eat you just because he didn't get to eat a peach? Typical mortals and their hatred for demons.
He never noticed how you jumped whenever he spooked you or your face whenever he pushed your buttons. Never, not once did he find it cute how huffy you can get without food, or how he slightly admired how brave you were trying to protect those you care about. Or how-
"Hellooooo, earth to monkey?"
He blinks. And then again. You're right in front of him waving a hand, he jumps backwards making you flinch in response. When did you get here? You were just across the river weren't you? Fruitie opens his mouth to speak but Monkey King swiftly grabs the little one's mouth to cover up.
"What? What do you want?" You move to sit next to him and his fur bristles at the near contact, but not near enough, "We're getting ready for bed but you're oddly still," you peer at him from your side, "is something wrong?"
You were sincerely concerned over him. That does...something to him. He can't place his finger on what but he brushes it off. He was probably a stone demon monkey equivalent of cold. Scoffing he looks at you "How jittery do you think I am? I'm perfect at everything, including staying in place."
"So I guess that's not your tail wagging around?" You chuckle and point behind him. He looks over his shoulder and a red hue quickly makes its way to his ears and he stops the wagging.
"That- I always need to exercise you know!" He raises an eyebrow at you covering his earlier embarrassment, "unlike you, I'm always keeping-"
"His heart is also moving!"
Distracted by you, Monkey King didn"t notice his hand being shoved off.
You both snap down to look at the new voice coming from the King's lap.
Uh oh
"Fruitie do you mean...beating fast?" You tilt your head at him, Monkey King attempting to cover the little fiends mouth again, but failing as he flies away from his hands.
"Yes yes! His heart beats fast-"
"You're talking rubbish again!"
"He looks at you and it goes boom!"
"Stop!"
With the boom, he slowly falls down in between the two of you giggling, unaware of the tension he just caused.
You look at Money King as he covers his ears, chittering a little. Coughing into your hand, he looks at you with one eye.
"...was what Fruitie said-"
"Random crap!"
He springs up so fast you fall back. "Qi energies speak rubbish alright! Go to bed!" He storms off, not letting you get a single word in.
He jumps up into a tree and grumbles into his hands. He doesn't need you to have that information! It's not like he himself even knows what it means, if you do then it's all over. Fruitie flies up to him landing tummy down on his shoulder.
"Did Fruitie do good?" Monkey King glares at him, "No Fruitie did bad, now they'll probably think I wanna fight them or something..."
The or something part was weighing on his mind. He didn't like you but that doesn't mean he wants to beat you up, just imagining you slightly injured makes his blood turn cold.
"Isn't monkey in love?"
Okay that's new.
"Now what are you saying," he rubs Fruities head with a sigh, "I'm not in love with them."
Fruitie ponders for a moment.
"But...don't you want to keep them safe? Aren't you happy when they're happy? Don't you like it when they look at you or are near you?"
He pauses. Yes, yes and yes.
"That's..." he trails off, is that that love is? Is this what love is? It's so weird, a feeling that shouldn't be making itself so comfortable in his stone heart. And yet...it is.
All those unanswered feelings make sense. He wants your touch to linger, he wants your attention to be solely on him, he wants you to smile and laugh and never waver, he wants you to be unscathed after every battle.
Because he loves you.
"...Buddha save me."
You're bewildered.
Fruitie said Monkey King- the Monkey King's heart beats fast with you around. You know he doesn't wanna fight you, he barely sees you as capable of handling yourself. So it leaves one very possible but seemingly impossible option.
He likes you.
In some capacity at least. But then again, the little qi could have been pulling your leg. You desperately don't want to get your hopes up. It's been a good while since you've accepted the fact that you've grown fond of Sun Wukong. He teases you constantly and pokes fun at your weakness, but you can see how lonely he is. How he yearns for some form of connection. He has his own way of caring for the people around him.
During one of your more tiring days, you barely slept at all. The rocky ground was not exactly comfortable for your back that screamed at you. Of course, he made fun of how soft you are for such a small thing, and yet gave you extra padding for your bed. He didn't outright hand it over to you, no that's just too gentle. Instead he opted for throwing it at your face and leaping away.
You've been sleeping well ever since and it's all his fault.
He annoys you to no end with his little antics, but lately you've noticed you started to find them much more endearing. And how when he smiles you can't hide a creeping blush from rising to your face. When he takes care of Fruitie you can't help but find it adorable how he tries to nonchalantly take care of the little friend, but fails. His face may try to hide any emotion, but his tail most certainly gives everything away.
You dust yourself off and stand up, gazing into the direction he ran off to. Turning on your heel you walk back to get yourself ready for sleep. If that's even possible. You almost got confessed to for crying out loud, and even worse you reciprocate.
Slow down, it could've been a prank.
"Why is your face so red? Did Brother Wukong berate you? That ape!"
"Bajie, they're smiling." Wujing pointed out with a raised eyebrow as Bajie muttered an 'I knew that' under his breath. You laugh a little, slightly embarrassed they were able to tell.
"No, no nothing of the sort. Must be...too cold," you gave a reasonable excuse and they shrugged it off.
"Oh that reminds me! There was one time when that ape..."
The chatters died down as Bajie and Wujing fell into slumber. Unfortunately, as you had predicted, you did not meet the same fate. You tossed and turned in vain. Getting up, you remember the nearby waterfall, hopefully its calming sounds will lull you to sleep rather than Bajies endless snoring did.
You reach, and you're immediately stunned at how gorgeous it is. The fluorescent rocks that glowed faintly around the water made it look enchanted.
"Wow..."
"Pretty awesome right?"
You turn, surprised at the voice, only to notice it was Monkey King. You're unsure if you're lucky to finally be able to see him again, or just unlucky to...well see him again.
"Wukong! Why are you here so-"
"I did that, by the way," he walks beside you and lazily points a finger to the rocks, a hand behind his head, "pretty neat right? You can say I'm amazing."
You let another 'wow' escape your mouth. How did he? Why did he? You didn't know he was so into...nature aesthetics? You turn to look at him after admiring the rocks, "They're gorgeous, the water looks so-"
"I'm in love with you."
Your sentence is cut off and you all but spin to look at him with wide eyes. What. What did he say? No seriously what did he say, he was meant to make the mood just right, not cut you off! He couldn't help it, the scenery looked great all thanks to him and you looked stunning all thanks to you being you, all he wanted to say was how much he adored you.
He slaps his head, "Wait- shoot no I mean- agh!" Ruffling his fur he calms down and drops his hands to his sides, trembling with anxiety.
He takes a deep breath, "I know you don't feel the same but hear me out," you go to open your mouth but he continues, putting a hand up. You wait.
"I don't know when and I don't know how, but you're all I can think of. Stupid-" he stops and sighs, "Fruitie was right, my heart beats fast and my tail moves quickly just looking at your direction. Everything else doesn't matter, just the fact that you're there. I want you to smile and laugh and be as unreasonably lovely as you always are, I want to see you, I want you to be safe no matter what, and I admire how unbelievably capable you are. You exist, and you persist, and I love you."
He stops and closes his eyes, not ready to see your face of disgust at his confession. What human could possibly be happy to be loved by an ugly horrible demon like him? Only a fool could even think of it.
That's when he feels it. The warmth on his body. Arms around his waist, tight but comfortable. He opens his eyes, confused.
"Me too," you shove your face onto his shoulder, hiding. "All those things...I love your smile and laugh, and I just want to see you everyday. I know it sounds selfish, but it's the truth."
He lets out a breath he didn't know he was holding and hesitantly puts his arms around you. You're soft, and he's born from a stone. He's terrified. But not enough to not nuzzle his head into the crook of your neck.
"That does mean you find me handsome, yes?" He questions and you freeze. Of course he'd tease you. You've given him new ammo, flirtatious teasing ammo.
"In a way..." you murmur. Losening your grasp, you look up to see him as he tilts his head. Gently, you place a hand on his furry cheek. Soft, you think. His eyes widen for a second before they close in comfortable silence.
The brightness of the moon shining upon the both of you, blissful and impossibly happy.
You really are a fool. A fool that loves him.