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MK was progressing fast since starting his "training" with Macaque. Which was perfectly fine with the warrior. It was perfect, really. It meant the seal would fill more rapidly than he'd originally planned.
But it also meant the kid's punches were getting just a bit too much like Wukong's.
Don't get him wrong, MK was nowhere near the Monkey King's level, let alone Macaque's. MK couldn't actually hurt him. And yet Macaque lately found himself getting a bit… unsettled.
He ignored the way his fur bristled as he sparred with MK. He was Wukong's successor, yes, but he was still just a kid. Well, young adult, but still a kid. He was human. He couldn't hurt Macaque anymore than a house plant could.
And yet, and yet…
MK twisted past a punch and moved right. Macaque put his guard up with practiced ease, and—MK suddenly switched left. A feint, something Macaque should've seen coming miles away. But he somehow missed it, stupidly, and now his face was wide open, and the staff was right there—
A flash of gold, a flicker of orange fur; his right eye ached, and he acted on pure instinct. A palm strike with far too much power, even a bit of magic that he didn't mean to add, sent straight to MK's sternum.
The kid made an aborted sound and went flying, landing hard enough against the wall that Macaque was surprised he didn't go straight through it, then fell face-first to the floor.
Macaque allowed himself two seconds of panic, and a single shaky breath, before he grinned. "Gotta be faster than that, bud," he said, putting his typically unbothered mask firmly back in place.
When MK didn't move, Macaque chuckled and leaned on his clugel. "Come on, I didn't hit you that hard." That was a lie and he knew it, but he also knew the kid could take a hit. He was fine.
…He still wasn't moving.
Something heavy settled uncomfortably in his chest. He dismissed his staff and stalked forward. "Come on, kid. Get up." He pushed against MK's shoulder with his foot roughly, but MK didn't react at all.
Macaque frowned. Kneeling down, he carefully turned MK over onto his back. His head rolled with the motion, his face slack.
The weight in his chest turned nearly unbearable. He was using the kid, yes, but he hadn't meant to actually hurt him. At least not while training. Despite his best efforts, he found himself enjoying MK's company. He didn't like MK more than he hated Wukong, but still. Knocking the kid out had him feeling wrong.
Macaque felt carefully along the back of MK's head, wincing as he found a decent sized bump. He sighed. "Sorry, kiddo," he murmured, then immediately chastised himself inwardly. It was an accident, yes, but he couldn't afford to get attached. He had a mission to do. MK was just a pawn, a stepping stone to get to the king.
And yet…
He sighed again and slowly shifted the kid into his arms. He deposited him onto the couch on the other side of the room, taking extra care with his head.
Whatever feelings he had about MK, he would get over after everything was said and done. Until then, he supposed it wouldn't hurt for Macaque to watch out for him a bit more.