Chapter Text
Wukong doesn't remember when Macaque's smiles stopped meaning trouble.
They were small, fickle things—things that appeared in the space between a blink, or the breath before an inhale. They were short, faint, and would disappear when he realized what he was doing.
That wasn't the case anymore.
"Seriously, kid," Macaque huffed, his face softened by fondness he no longer bothered to hide. "You're getting better, I'm surprised."
"R-Really?" MK stuttered, voice wrecked from earlier training. "You never compliment me!"
Macaque frowned. "…Well—"
"—That means you're getting better bud!" Wukong cut in, popping into existence inches away from the kid. "I've seen it too—you're improving!"
The dark-furred monkey sighed. "Yeah, that…"
MK grinned, allowing himself to be showered in praise by his mentors. "T-Thanks! Y'know, I wasn't expecting to get this good in only three years—"
"Three!?" Both celestial primates say in unison.
The kid(..?) blinked. "Yes…?"
Right, time passed by faster than usual for immortals.
Macaque scratched the back of his neck. "Regardless, kid, you're getting good. Keep this up and you'll be able to beat—" he wrapped an arm around MK's shoulders and forced him to face Wukong's direction, "—that old man!"
"O-Old man!?" Wukong squawked. "You're nearly my age!"
"Pssh, a couple hundred years is quite the difference, Wukong." Macaque rolled his eyes.
MK snickered. "He's got a point—!"
Wukong can only watch in pure, unadulterated horror as his protégé and uninvited guest proceed to laugh in his face, holding onto their stomach's as heat climbs up his face.
Stupid MK and Macaque—he wasn't even that old!
He's about to tell them both to shut it when something suddenly catches his eyes.
At first, he thought he might be seeing things—that the light must be playing tricks on his eyes—but when these eyes have shot lasers into the very foundation of Heaven itself, he's convinced the sight is real.
Macaque is smiling.
No, not a scheming smile shown when he's about to play a trick, or a mocking smile when he's about to say a jab—but a small, up-turn of his lips, untainted by revenge or betrayal. Familiar dimples make an imprint themselves of tan skin, a fang too sharp to fit into his mouth peeks from his bottom lip, eyes clench themselves shut as content spills across his face.
Huh, Wukong thought.
It was not even the first time Macaque has smiled like this—Wukong had long since lost count—but he remembered each moment like he knew the paths on Flower Fruit Mountain.
Yet this time, however, was different.
…
It suits him. More than it used to.
At his silence, both MK and Macaque cease their giggles, forcing their gaze to meet his.
"Wukong…?" MK raised a brow.
"Don't tell me you're getting sentimental." Macaque narrowed his eyes.
Wukong blinked back into consciousness moments after he said that. "Sorry—I just..zoned out. What happened?"
"Well, while you were busy daydreaming, the kid suggested we stop by the pig for food."
"Pigsy!" MK chastised.
"Does his name really matter?"
"Um—yes!? That's like, my dad—"
Wukong tuned them out, still trying to get his thoughts back under control.
…That smile—
…
It was nice.
"Yeah," Wukong finally spoke, brandishing his own grin. It seemed to break them out of whatever argument they were having. "Let's go for some food, I'm starving!"
Macaque let out a sigh. "Took you long enough."
"Don't be rude!" MK gently shoved him by the shoulder. "But alright, Monkey King, Le—Go!"
They began their walk back down the mountain, the silence occasionally broken by his monkey's chirps and the birds flying overhead. It was nice, until someone decided to join in on the peaceful chorus.
"You know," Macaque started, slowing his pace so that MK was far enough to not hear. "You're not very subtle with your staring."
He tilted his head to the side. "What do you mean?"
Macaque frowned. "You know what I mean."
Wukong shrugged. "No, I'm actually pretty confused right now. Care to enlighten me?"
Something flashes across his face—a quick and sour look—before he sighed and began to pick up his pace again. "Whatever."
Wukong smiled.
If he noticed the way Macaque's gaze lingered on his face, he didn't say anything.
He'd bring it up later.