The Day The World Eclipsed || Lego Monkie Kid

Priorities

"A house for me?" Macaque asked.

"Dada said you aren't staying "in" my house," MK pouted, but had grown to accept this fact. "But you get a house by our house. So we gotta pick one." he whispered quietly against Macaque's ear, his voice airy and not quiet in any way, "I hide some tweasures in the other houses too so you can share my tweasures. Don't tell Dada~" He giggled, shifting his gaze to Wukong who "totally" couldn't hear him.

Tweasures...

Macaque contemplated that. Treasures? What sort of things did his baby consider a treasure, he wondered.

"Oh, that is very nice of you, Moon Drop. Thank you," Macaque tilted his head. Right, he did agree to live with them. So- he supposed they would have to go to the temple eventually.

He smiled, discreetly creating a dark duplicate while MK's attention was elsewhere. Wukong noticed the clone, but the King remained silent as Macaque instructed it to carry out a task.

Macaque didn't mention it aloud; instead, he sent the clone to check on the paint they had left outside. If it was ready, the clone could bring it back and save Macaque from having to bring it up with Xiaotian. But if the paint wasn't done yet, he wouldn't have to remind his son to wait even longer.

"Okay MK," Wukong knelt down, the backpack in hand, "You got everything packed?" Wukong held MK's backpack infront of him, knelt downward so the little cub could stuff it full of things. His toys, his brushes, his sippy cups.

MK tilted his head side to side in thought. Sliding down his Baba's side, he scampered around the room to check. His parents watched as he peeked under chairs and other things.

In a moment of realization, MK quickly turned around and rushed back to the bedroom where Ke was patiently waiting on the bed. He cuddled and kissed the doll before carefully tucking it into his backpack. "All set!" he exclaimed excitedly, bouncing up and down on his feet. He was eager to begin their adventure together.

Scurrying with his parents out of the cave, MK was rolling and cartwheeling with joy, chirping with more energy than his far older parents could muster anymore.

At the foot of the cave, Macaque turned to watch the water close the entrance off. Somberly he stared at it. He had been so mad at Wukong for just abandoning their home... yet here he was doing the same thing.

For the sake of their child, however, which Macaque couldn't fault either of them for.

"Alright bud-" Wukong extended his hand, holding out his hand with wisps of smoke trailing from his fingertips. He was in the midst of conjuring a cloud when he peeked over his shoulder. To his surprise, Macaque had already summoned a shadow beneath his feet. The two locked eyes, realizing they each had their own unique methods of reaching the temple.

Wukong's eyes widened as he stuttered, "Oh um- W-Would you prefer the shadows?" His usual confidence seemed to falter as he offered an alternative option.

Macaque blinked, adjusting his stance as he looked away. "...Yes?" he hesitated, unsure of how to respond to Wukong's request. He definitely was NOT holding onto Wukong up in the sky. He was used to relying on his shadows for safety and would have preferred to continue using them in this situation.

But inviting Wukong into his shadows felt uncomfortable. His shadows were usually his safe place, where no one could get to him. Where he could relax his soul and just be at peace when he was stressed. It was the gateway to his soul, in a sense.

Welcoming Wukong there, of all places...?

It was an honor he had only ever given a few people, the King being one, once upon a time. He wasn't sure he could handle the touch of the sun anymore.