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Mk was done delivering his orders for the day. He'd asked Pigsy to let him take the evening off, because Mei had begged him to hang out with her. It’d been a while since anything bad had happened– though that could always change– but he decided to take the chance and agreed to go anyway.
He was waiting in front of the Anti-gravity Arcade, his tuk-tuk parked nearby. The sun was just beginning to dip below the horizon, painting the sky in hues of orange, pink and purple as twilight rolled in. Mk took in the sight, staring at the clouds and the silhouette of Flower Fruit Mountain in the distance.
He kept checking the time on his phone. It was 6:45 now. Mei was supposed to meet him here fifteen minutes ago. He was getting impatient.
He was just going to call her up, when a flash of green light turned the corner and stopped in front of him. Mei parked her bike and waved to him.
"Hey Mk! Sorry I'm late," she greeted. Mk smiled when he saw her. "Hi Mei! It's alright, now c'mon! Let's go have fun!", he said, grabbing her hand. They both headed inside the arcade.
They played their usual games. Monkey Mech, then some other fighting games, then some DDR. Mk fumbled some steps but was holding his own relatively well. Mei was dancing as if she were born to do it.
"Not so bad, monkey man," she teased Mk, pulling him close, "you're getting better." Mk laughed and shoved her lightly, "Next time, you're going down!"
It was around eight when they stepped out of the arcade. Not that they were bored, but maybe staring at the bright screens was starting to hurt their eyes.
They decided to walk along the road, just talking about random things. Eventually they found themselves in the local park strolling around.
"This is nice, y'know. Not fighting demons all the time and just relaxing with mah bestie," Mei said, pulling her hands behind her head. Mk and sighed and nodded. "Yeah, man, it's been a while since we just…hung out." He remembered Mei saying that to him when they'd gone to get the purple and green stones.
"Honestly, we should do this more often with the others. Like, have game night or something," Mei said, interrupting his train of thought. They had game nights before, and Mk missed those days. "Yeah, I guess," Mk said. Their pace slowed.
Mei stopped suddenly, turning to face him. "Mk, what're you doing for your birthday?" she asked, leaning in.
Mk stilled for a second. It had honestly slipped his mind. His birthday was two days away. He was turning 25 this year. His birthday wasn't his actual birthday, just the anniversary of the day Pigsy found him. He always made it a point to remind everyone that his birthday was coming up, but this time he realised he hadn't done anything.
"Uh, I'm not sure. Maybe take the day off, get some cake, go to the arcade with you?", he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Something small, y'know."
Mei gaped at him as if he had spoken in a foreign language. "What!", she said, grabbing his shoulders, "That's it? No party? You're just gonna sit in your room and act like it's a normal Saturday?!", she practically yelled, slightly shaking him.
He just shrugged and removed her hands from his shoulders. "Yeah, just a normal day."
Mei crossed her hands and stepped in front of him. "I mean, it's your birthday, you can do whatever," she laughed, "but at least tell me why. Like, you never miss your birthdays."
Mk turned his gaze to the grass and sighed. "I just want to, y'know? It'll be nice."
Mei raised an eyebrow and Mk could feel her burning the side of his head with her scrutinising gaze. "No, that's not it," she said, shaking her head, "what're you hiding from me?" She stepped closer to Mk.
He took a step back. "Nothing! It's exactly as I said!", he defended, holding his hands up placatingly. But Mei wasn't buying it.
"Mk–", she started, her voice getting a little softer. She grabbed him and dragged him over to a bench. "What's wrong?"
Mk fiddled with the sleeves of his jacket, not sure where he should begin. Mei waited patiently for him to gather his words. She sat a few inches away from him, not touching but close enough to let him know she was here. He took a deep breath before he said anything.
"Honestly, I'd rather have a simple birthday. With like– no distractions," he said, slowly. "Distractions?" Mei echoed.
"Yeah, I mean– don't get me wrong, I love spending time with you guys and I'm not saying spending time with you is a bad thing, I just don't want–," Mk paused, realising he was beginning to ramble. He thought about his next words carefully.
"I just want to stay prepared in case something new comes up," he said after some time. Mei’s expression softened.
Before she could say anything, Mk continued. "The Nine-Headed Demon said that 'he's winning' and I know there's not really been anything serious in the last few months but I'd rather just stay prepared because every time I think I'll get a break there's always some new world ending disaster waiting!" He threw his hands up, frustrated. His thoughts involuntarily shifted to all the villains he'd fought over the years. Lady Bone Demon, Azure Lion, the pillar incident that he still refused to talk about. He didn't even want to think about that.
Mei hadn't said anything in a while. The silence between them was suffocating. Mk slumped even more on the bench. His hands found their way to the staff, hanging off his ear as an earring. The warm magic was familiar against his fingers and provided some comfort.
Mei placed her hand on his shoulder; a grounding touch. Mk slowly turned to face her. She had a small smile on her face and she was sitting to face him completely.
“You're right to feel that way. Every time we think we're good, the universe just throws something else at us,” she said, letting some of the frustration shine through. She continued after a brief pause.
"I don't know what the future holds for any of us, and it might be scary and dangerous and weird," she said slowly, measuring her words. "but you'll always have us by your side. We're going to help you no matter what. Whatever happens, we'll always be with you. And together we're a force to be messed with!" She gave him a reassuring smile, and bumped his shoulder.
Mk laughed at the gesture and Mei gave a small chuckle too. It was especially at moments like these that Mk was glad Mei was his best friend. She was always there for him, laughing with him, fighting by his side and he never wanted to lose her.
"And besides", Mei added, "I don't wanna see you sulking the whole day."
"Yeah, thanks Mei. For everything," Mk said, before wrapping his arms around Mei and giving her a tight hug. Mei hugged him back just as fiercely. They stayed like that for a while, not saying anything. The scene was wrapped in a new kind of silence, though this one was calm; steady. They were safe in each other's embrace and Mk felt like maybe everything would be okay.
It was really dark now, and Mk would have to go home or Pigsy would yell at him for being out so late. He still had to work in the morning. He waved Mei goodbye and stepped into the shop, then headed upstairs to his room.
That night, laying in bed, Mk considered it again. His birthday. He still felt odd wanting to celebrate it with a party but maybe spending some time with everyone would be fun. Like a little game night.
•
Mei sat at the head of the table, head propped up on her hands. Pigsy, Tang and Sandy sat around her. She'd called them all here for an ‘emergency’. They all waited for her to start talking.
“Mk doesn't want to celebrate his birthday,” she said grimly. “What!”Tang exclaimed, “But why?”
Mei shook her head. “He said he wanted to stay prepared in case something happened. No distractions.”
“What?” Pigsy exclaimed almost immediately, “He can't just stop doing things because he's scared of something happening! Something happens all the time!”
“Then let's just go convince him,” Sandy offered. “No, if we try to convince him, he'll just say no again,” Mei responded.
“Then…what do we do?”
Mei produced a paper roll from her bag. She unfurled it on the table. Inside were detailed instructions, shopping lists, and a crude drawing for a large monkey-themed cake.
“I've got a plan,” Mei started, “but I'll need everyone's help. Are you all in?”
Pigsy nodded with determination, followed by Sandy who gave a thumbs up. Tang nodded as well. “Alright, Mei. What's the plan?”
•
“Surprise birthday party? For the noodle boy?”Red Son asked, looking the paper over, clearly unimpressed. “This is your plan?”
“Yeah, and you're going to help with it!”, Mei said. “It's going to be the most awesome party ever.” She threw a hand over Red Son’s shoulder. He pulled away from her.
“If I'm going to be a part of this, then it better be. As it stands, this party is going to be very boring,” Red Son deadpanned.
Mei placed a hand on her chest in mock offence. “What should we do then, Red Boy?”
Red Son's hair went up in flames immediately. “IT’S RED SON, IMBECILE!” He took a deep breath, and smothered the flames. “I say we add a little light show.”
Mei's eyes glinted with mischief. She pulled out her phone and began typing. “Say no more.” She placed the order for a dozen or so fireworks right there.
“What now, Red Boy?” Red Son pretended to ignore that, instead looking over the paper again.
•
The hardest part of planning a party wasn't buying the decor, or making the food, it was coordinating everyone. Making sure they were all on the same page, working together towards a common goal.
Mei was never the leader type. She could hang out with people and make friends easily but she was never the type to think strategically.
Despite that, making plans with Pigsy, Tang and Sandy was easy for the most part. They'd known each other for so long, they knew exactly what needed to be done. Mei barely had to say anything.
Planning with Red Son was a little rockier. The demon bull prince was maybe one of the grumpiest individuals ever, and working with him always meant lots of arguments. He was a big softie, but sometimes he was really hard to work with.
But of course, a party for Mk wouldn't be complete without his mentor. Mei had no idea how she was going to approach him, and she was even less sure about how she was going to approach Macaque. He still hadn't really apologised for trying to kill them but at least he was on the good guy team from what Mei could tell.
“So you want our help in throwing Mk a birthday party?”, Monkey King asked, gesturing between him and Macaque. Macaque only stared at Mei with his usual grumpy face.
“Yeah, can't have a party without you two!”, she said. She unfurled her paper and showed it to them. Red Son had made some adjustments and he was right, the party was a lot more fun now.
“I was actually thinking we could do a sleepover. Here. If you're okay with that,” she added. Monkey King tapped his chin in thought.
“Sure! I mean, as long as there's no fighting,” he said after a while. Mei turned to Macaque. “And you? Will you join us?”
Macaque looked surprised at being asked. “I'm not sure it's a good idea,” he responded after a while.
“Aww, but Mk would love it if you were there!” Mei pleaded with him.
“Kid, I really don't think it's a good–,” Macaque tried saying, but he was interrupted.
“No, you're coming,” Monkey King said matter of factly.
“Why? You don't even like me,” Macaque tried arguing back, but Monkey King's mind was made up.
“No, but the kid does, and he'll be disappointed if you don't come.”
“I'm sure he'll be fine without me.”
“Please Macky?” Mei asked again, giving her best puppy dog eyes. Macaque didn't comment on the nickname but gave her an incredulous look.
“Yeah, see! You gotta come, and you gotta get a present,” Monkey King added. Macaque opened his mouth to argue further, but before he could, Monkey King shut him down. “You have to come, or I will drag you there.” Macaque didn't say anything further, this was a losing battle.
Mei quickly explained her plan to the two, and then gave Monkey King one of her many spare phones so they could stay in touch. Honestly, they should've given him one earlier.
And with that, phase one was over.
•
Mei spent the vast majority of the next day getting decorations ready and coordinating everyone. Sandy helped her craft the decor. Tang had offered to help Mei with coordinating, and she was eternally grateful.
Pigsy was baking the cake. It was supposed to be big enough for a dozen people to eat, chocolate flavoured, with Oreos and of course, it was going to be monkey king themed. Mei had spent a while conceptualizing the design and she ran it by Pigsy once to confirm.
All that was left was to bake it and then deliver it to Flower Fruit Mountain the next morning.
So while Mk was gone, delivering noodles, Mei helped Pigsy with the cake. Which was easier said than done.
“You have to add three and a half cups of flour,” Pigsy said, squinting at the recipe. “Three and a half cups? Ain't that a bit too much?” he questioned.
“I mean, the recipe says so. Also, aren't you a chef?”Mei retorted, already measuring the ingredient.
“I make noodles, I'm not used to baking cakes,” Pigsy deadpanned.
°
“WE WERE SUPPOSED TO ADD 2 FULL EGGS AND 1 EGG YOLK, NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND!”Mei screamed, stirring the batter around. “I did that!”Pigsy yelled back, leaning over her shoulder to look at the concoction.
“It says the consistency is supposed to be thick, why is this so runny?” Mei said, tilting the bowl so he could see better.
“I think you added too much condensed milk.”
“WE WERE SUPPOSED TO ADD CONDENSED MILK?”
°
“The cake's in the oven. We gotta keep it in there for 20 minutes,” said Pigsy, shutting the door to the oven and pressing the buttons.
Mei nodded and set the timer on her phone. While the cake was baking, they'd get to make the frosting and decorations. It was easier than the cake.
They mixed together some sugar, heavy cream and food colouring and they were done. They carefully cut out shapes out of fondant; the same monkey king logo at the back of MK's jacket.
The cake was a little strange tasting, maybe a little tangy, but adding the sweetness on top really fixed the flavour. Mei and Pigsy gave it their all, decorating the cake till it looked like a piece of art.
They took a step back, taking a look at their handy work. It looked delectable and Mk was going to love it. Mei wanted to chomp into it at that very moment.
She looked at Pigsy and snorted with laughter. The man was covered in flour, with some food colouring staining his hands and face.
“Don't laugh at me like that, ya look just as bad,” Pigsy said, giving a little chuckle. Mei looked at her hands and realised they were equally stained. Pigsy flicked some sprinkles out of her hair.
“You did good, kid,” he said. “MK's lucky to have a friend like you. I'm glad you're taking so much effort for this.” He gave her a proud smile.
“'Daww, Pigsy, it's nothing. He deserves it. And thank you, for helping me out,” Mei said, smiling. She snapped several photos of the two of them, covered in flour and sprinkles, as something to remember this day by. And also for black mail later.
•
It was finally the day. Mei had wished her best friend at midnight sharp, bombarding him with puppy videos and birthday texts.
When she got to the shop around lunch, Mk wasn't there. Pigsy informed her he'd be delivering noodles and then heading off to Monkey King's for training. Then he'd be home by 4 p.m. and spend his day like he'd told her he would. Of course, that wasn't going to happen.
They took advantage of his absence to load everything up. Sandy brought his truck, loaded with all the decor they'd bought and they'd pack up the food and take it to the mountain when Mk wasn't there.
Just as they were almost done, Mei got a text from Monkey King, saying Mk had left the mountain.
“Hey guys, we just gotta finish this and then we're off. MK's done with training!” Mei called out to everyone.
“Ohh, I can't wait for the party! And all the food! It's gonna be so fun!” Tang exclaimed, almost vibrating with excitement.
“Yeah, I can't wait to see the look on his face. MK's gonna love this!”, Sandy agreed from inside the truck, petting Mo as he landed on his shoulder.
Pigsy was just loading in the cake, when he spotted MK's nimbus flying down the street, headed right towards them. He quickly ducked behind the truck, carefully balancing the cake. Tang and Mei stood outside and watched as MK inched closer. He smiled as soon as he spotted them.
“Hey you guys, what's up?” He asked, landing the cloud in front of them. Mei gave him a smile she hoped looked relaxed. “Hi MK, you done with training?”
“Yeah! What're you doing here, you're usually at home at this time,” he said, eyeing her, but seemed to forget about it as soon as he saw Tang. “Hi Mr. Tang! Where's Pigsy, what're you doing out here on the street?”
Mei could feel the man tense up next to her. Tang was a lot of things, but cool under pressure was not one of them.
“Uh, Pigsy? I don't know. Somewhere? I just got here. I don't know– I don't know–” he stammered quickly. Mk gave him a scrutinizing look. His eyes shifted to look behind them, at the truck, and Mei thought for half a second that they had been caught. That all this was for nothing and–
“I just remembered! I still have that DVD you gave me! I'll give it to you now, wait here!” And before Mei could say anything, he ran inside a shop.
She let out a breath she didn't even know she was holding in, shoulders slumping. Tang exhaled loudly and motioned for Pigsy to quickly put the cake in the truck. Just as he got it in, Mk was out of the shop, DVD in hand.
“Hey Mei, you wanna come over later?” He asked suddenly. Mei was caught off guard. “Yeah I mean, maybe we can watch some Monkey Cop, y'know?” He added when she didn't respond.
Hmm, he must've opened up to the idea, Mei thought idly. “Sorry Mk, I won't be able to.” Because I'm planning your birthday party!!
“Uhm, what about you, Mr. Tang? Checkers night?” He asked. Mei could see Tang going through the same dilema. “Sorry Mk, I've got some important research to catch up on,” he lied, although it pained him.
Mk looked slightly dejected but nodded understandingly. Mei wanted to grab him and tell him everything to see his face light up. “It's okay, maybe some other time,’’ he said.
“Yeah.” She watched him go inside. Once she was sure he was gone, they headed off to the pier.
•
It was MK's birthday and he was doing just as he had said. He'd taken the day off again, and was sitting in his room, drawing something at his desk. Pigsy wished him happy birthday in the morning and made him his favourite noodles for breakfast. He'd gone to Flower Fruit Mountain to train with Monkey King a little bit, before coming back at noon. He'd been here since.
In the time he and Mei had gone out, he'd actually considered doing something. But Mei, Tang and Sandy had all said they were busy and Pigsy had closed the shop early, leaving a note saying he was out. Mk had an inkling of something going on, especially since his talk with Tang and Mei earlier, but he brushed it off.
It was somewhere around 6:30 when he felt the familiar ringing of magic in his ears. It sounded like a thousand bells ringing at once, and it startled him a little. He saw the golden projection of Monkey King form in front of him.
"Hey, bud!", the projection greeted him. He had a basket of peaches in his hands.
"Hi Monkey King! What's up!" Mk was surprised to see him but didn't miss how shifty he was being. "Bud, I'm gonna need you to get over to Flower Fruit Mountain, RIGHT NOW!" he said, with great urgency.
Mk summoned the staff from his ear. "Wait, wait, what's going on?", he asked, zipping up his jacket. Someone shoved Monkey King lightly and said something to him, and he mouthed something back. Mk couldn't see the other person.
"Uh, can't explain. I'm in a hurry. Okay, bye!" And the connection was cut. Mk tried astral projecting to him again but he couldn't reach him.
He practically flew down the stairs and out of the restaurant, then actually flew all the way to the mountain at mock speeds. Every single possibility of what could be going on was playing in his head. Was it The Nine-Headed Demon again? Or something from the chaos? Another world ending threat? Knowing his luck, that was probably it. When was he going to get a break? He just hoped it wasn't too bad and Monkey King was okay. He sent Mei a text to stay alert.
When he reached the shoreline, it was quiet. Not in a bad way –just quiet, as if the whole mountain was holding its breath. No little monkeys jumped out to greet him. It was just the crickets and occasional rustling of leaves.
The sun was setting and the waves lapped at his feet. He looked around the beach for someone, but there was nothing. His grip on the staff tightened just a bit.
Monkey King still hadn't come to meet him like he usually did. Along the way, he occasionally called out to him. He spent quite some time searching around the base of the mountain. Mk was halfway up, when a monkey jumped on his head. He yelped in surprise and almost fell down.
“Hey little guy, where's Monkey King?”, he asked, plucking it from his head and putting it on his shoulder. The monkey yipped and chittered something waving its arms around. It pointed up the path to the waterfall. Mk could understand a little bit of what it was saying. He could somewhat understand the monkeys ever since he'd tapped into his monkey form. He could pick up ‘waiting’, ‘hurry’ and ‘important’.
The rest of the way was just as quiet, the monkey’s chittering being the only thing filling the silence. Mk was glad for the company. He made his way through the waterfall, then through the cave. It was dark. Really, really dark.
He stepped into the house, hesitating a bit as he opened the door. "Monkey King? Hello?" , he called out into the darkness. He could barely see, just a little light coming in through the cracks in the wood and the windows. The shadows here were strange– too dark and in places where they shouldn't be. Mk raised his staff just in case.
Then, the lights flicked on and before he could process anything, everyone was yelling.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MK!" They all yelled together, some voices quieter than others. Everyone was there– Pigsy, Tang, Sandy, Mei, Monkey King and even Macaque and Red Son.
The whole place was decorated with banners, balloons and streamers. There was a giant banner with "Happy Birthday, Monkey Man!" written on it in large glittery letters. A large cake sat on the table. There was another table in the corner, stacked with presents.
The monkey on his shoulders jumped onto Macaque as soon as it saw him. Mei came up and hugged him. Before he could get a word in, she started speaking. "I know you said you didn't really want a party but I couldn't see you all sad and you kind of deserve this so here's a birthday party for you!", she said, hugging him tighter as she went on.
Pigsy laughed at her antics. "Yeah kid, you've earned it more than anyone."
Monkey King walked over to him, throwing an arm over his shoulder. "Sorry if I freaked you out earlier. We just needed you to come here. And you were taking a while, so I sent that monkey. Heh." That earned him an eye roll from Macaque. He must've shoved him earlier.
"So, what do you think?", Tang asked. Mk was speechless. "It's–," he looked around the room again, taking in everything. “Perfect,” he beamed. It almost brought a tear to his eye. He pulled everyone close into a group hug. "Oh, and, traffic light trio sleepover!", Mei added, giggling. Red Son groaned and mumbled something about that being the worst group name ever. Mei stuck her tongue out at him.
The party was amazing. They played games, had lots of fun, ate noodles and cake and took lots of pictures. Mk was sure his entire storage was full at this point. It was the most fun he'd had in a long, long, time. And Mei was right, it was so much more than what he had originally planned.
In the end, he got to open his presents. Everyone had given him something useful and he loved all of them. A new art set from Tang, a new video game from Mei, Monkey Cop figurines from Pigsy, a special tea blend from Sandy, a laser gun from Red Son and a scarf from Macaque. But there was no gift from Monkey King.
Around 11 p.m, the party was over and Tang, Pigsy and Sandy left as they still had work the next day. But not before Pigsy gave Monkey King a stern lecture about keeping the kids safe as the trusted adult. And he gave Mk the next day off.
The sleepover consisted of them watching a movie or two, until MK got bored and they pressured Macaque to do a shadowplay. He agreed reluctantly, and it was a lot more fun than the last time.
°
Laying there in his sleeping bag, Mk kept tossing and turning but he couldn't sleep. Even though the party had left him tired, his thoughts swirled around in his mind and old memories resurfaced every time he closed his eyes.
Unable to take it, he got up. When he checked his phone, it was 3:43 a.m. Mei and Red Son were on the floor in their respective sleeping bags, with Mei snoring soundly. Macaque was sprawled on the couch and Monkey King was on the hammock hanging from the ceiling.
MK quietly slipped outside for some fresh air. The mountain air was a bit chilly but overall pleasant. He could see the sky only through the hole in the ceiling. It was a full moon tonight and away from the city, MK could see the stars shining brightly.
His legs carried him towards an opening in the mountain side– a ledge with a low cave ceiling above it. He decided to stay there, sitting down and staring at the sky. The wind blew past his ears and the only sound was the chirping of crickets. He was practically lost in his thoughts, staring at the silhouette of Megapolis city in the distance.
“What’re you doing here at this hour?”
Mk almost screamed and leapt off the cliff. He swiftly turned around to see Monkey King standing there, looking sleepy and slightly startled.
Mk sighed in relief and sat back down. The older monkey sat down beside him, mumbling a sorry for scaring him. He kept a distance of a foot between them.
They both sat silently, looking out at the horizon. It was heavy and uncomfortable. Monkey King didn't say anything for a while, but his tail slapped against the cold rock floor.
“You good, kid?”, he asked gently.
Mk didn't say anything, just dug his nails into the fabric of his pants and kept staring off into the distance.
“Y'know, if it keeps bothering you so much, you should talk about it,” he added.
“I know,” Mk answered, voice mixing with the wind.
He opened his mouth, then closed it again. His nails kept picking at the fabric of his pants, then his sleeves.
“I'm scared about what's going to come next,” he said finally. His tongue felt like lead in his mouth.
Monkey King nodded, giving him permission to go on.
MK fiddled around with his sleeves, not looking his mentor in the eye. His feet swayed over the edge, kicking loose dirt off.
“What if I can't deal with it? What if something bad comes and I'm useless to stop it? There's no destiny making sure we'll win now, what if it all goes wrong?” He continued to ramble, tears pricking the corner of his eyes.
Monkey King didn't say anything, just pulled him into a half hug and wrapped his tail around his wrist. The tears slid off MK's cheeks and he took in a shaky breath.
“Kid,” Monkey King started, but paused. He pulled him off and made him look at him in the eye. “Whatever happens, you won't go through it alone. And so what if there's no destiny? You know better than anyone that whatever’s destined isn't always true,” he finished softly.
“I don't want to mess up and– and hurt anyone,” Mk said through his tears. “I'm sorry for worrying all of you and being reckless for doing that I'm so sorry–”
Mk was interrupted by Wukong firmly grabbing his shoulders. He looked unsure of what to say but his face held sympathy and another emotion Mk couldn't name.
“Mk, no, that wasn't your fault. It isn't,” he said. Mk gave a small nod, though he was still crying. Monkey King brought him close and wrapped his arms around him in a strong embrace. Mk held on to him.
“You're a strong kid, you always have been. Whatever comes next, I know you'll be able to beat it.”
“I know I'm not always the best with feelings, but you're an awesome kid. I want you to know that,” he said. Mk nodded against his shoulder. He cried a bit, holding onto his mentor tighter. “It's okay, I'm here,’’ Wukong murmured to him. Tears pricked at the corners of his eyes as well.
So much had changed in Wukong's life since Mk had shown up. He'd gained a successor, a friend, and in a way, a son. He'd learnt so much, and even begun to make up for some of his past mistakes. Mk really was a good kid.
He held on to him for a while, at least until Mk had calmed down a bit. The boy pulled away, wiping his tears. Wukong put a hand on his head, ruffling his hair. Mk leaned into the touch.
He suddenly jerked up, remembering something. “Hold on, I almost forgot this.” Mk looked at him, confused. He pulled out a red cloth from his pocket and presented it to Mk.
It was a bandana. Red and patterned with glittery golden swirls, just like the ones on the staff. Mk took it in his hands, looking it over.
“I forgot to give it to you at the party, sorry,” Monkey King added.
Mk felt the cotton fabric under his fingers. “It's –it’s really nice. Thank you,” he said, giving Monkey King a genuine smile. “Can you put it around my head?” “Sure, bud.”
Monkey King did as told, ruffling MK's hair a bit as he did. “You look great,” he said. “Thank you,” Mk replied.
They both sat out there for a while, just enjoying the silence and each other's company. Occasionally Monkey King would point to one of the stars, telling a little story behind it and Mk would listen with enthusiasm.
Eventually, Mk felt his eyelids getting heavy. He yawned, checking his phone for the time again. It was 4:42 a.m. “Let's go back, it's cold out here,” Monkey King said. They headed back to the shack.
“Goodnight bud, happy birthday,” Monkey King wished before he went back to sleep in his hammock.
“Heh. ‘night, Monkey King,” Mk whispered back.
As MK went to sleep that night, he had a feeling things would be okay. Not perfect, there'd definitely be times where things would get bleak but somehow it felt better knowing he would have his friends and family by his side.