"What seems to trouble you, simian?"
Looking up from his spot on the branch, his golden orbs trail over the petite features of the golden haired demoness.
"Ah. Jinhua, I wasn't expecting you. What may I have done to grace myself of your undivided attention?" He mused himself as his tail swung around the branch idly.
"Keep humoring yourself, Macaque, but I was just drawn to the look on your face." A small smile rose on her lips, "Just out of curiosity and wonder for your current thoughts."
Macaque raised a brow, "My face? What face? I don't have a face." He denied with his brows furrowing and a lip jutted out in a small pout.
"That one." She lightly tapped a finger on his scrunched up nose. Her violet eyes gleaming in amusement as they watched the male hide half his face in his large red scarf.
"I don't even know what your going on about." He let out a huff, keeping his eyes on her's.
Jinhua just smiled and took a seat on the same branch. Her large Nekomata features now appearing after feeling relaxed in the male simian's presence.
"Why do you hide your demon features?" Macaque asked quietly as if the peace could hold the comfortable atmosphere between the two.
Glancing over her shoulder with a small hum, "I guess it's become a habit of mine that took place overtime."
Macaque just nodded, accepting the answer as it was.
Looking upwards and through the outstretched branches Jinhua spoke up, "Why do you keep your glamour on?"
Macaque let out a small chuckle, "Glamour? I don't have it on. This is what I look like." He flexed his six colorful ears and small other red markings that went down his arms and chest.
Jinhua shook her head, "Not from the description I heard from Wukong."
Macaque kept his eyes steady on hers, "Don't listen to the fool. He's probably lying to you, to get a reaction, or maybe even try and bother me about it."
"Oh no-no. I've heard that your coat of fur isn't what it seems."
He kept quiet at the statement.
Closing her eyes, Jinhua could feel a smile grow on her lips again, "In fact, it's the opposite of your black sleek fur. The color white."
She opened one of her eyes to glance over at Macaque, to see his gaze still on her with an unreadable expression.
"The color of snow. Light. The color of daises and the clouds above us." She opened her eyes and turned head to face him directly. Tilting her head slightly, she gave an amused look, "Such a pretty little color, isn't Macaque?"
Macaque sat there bright as a newly washed cherry, his once colorful ears were burning in embarrassment as he had listened Jinhua listing off things.
He shoved his face into his scarf and tried to hide himself but his ears still stuck out, "You really know how to phrase your words."
"Oh you charm me so." She chuckled lightly, Weaving her fingers through her locks that stranded over her shoulders, "Well, it's just from what I've heard, no need to get yourself in a twist." She hummed out before letting her weight drop her off the branch. Landing lightly on the soles of her feet, Jinhua was about to walk back to the group's small settlement, until her wrist was lightly tugged back.
She was about to turn around to see who it was but Macaque's voice made her freeze in her movement.
"Don't turn around yet. I'm mentally preparing myself."
She kept quiet, but she couldn't help the small giddy smile rising up her face.
Staying in her place, Jinhua could feel the slight tremor of his hand clutching her wrist. The small intakes of shaky breaths could be heard as Jinhua resisted the urge to just turn around that moment and embrace him comforting.
But she resisted the temptations.
After a few moments of trying to regulate his livers, Macaque gave a slight tug of indication that it was okay.
Slowly turning around, Jinhua was met with the sight of Macaque in white coat of fur. Little splotches of black could be seen on his shoulders and the tip of his tail, his ears all folded back in slight fear of what Jinhua might say.
His breathe hitched at the sudden warmth of Jinhua's hand caressing his cheek. His golden orbs met hers widened in pure shock. All words were left stuck or forgotten as he gazed at her soft expression.
"Beautiful..."
All but a soft whisper left her lips at the word.
But that word left the male simian in a mess of his own, his hands frantically trying to cover his flushing cheeks. And his eyes flickering off into another direction, trying his best not to look her in the eye and melt in a daze.
Rubbing her thumb in circles, Jinhua smiled softly as she watched Macaque lean into her touch.
His hand then came up and grabbed hold of her own that was placed on his cheek, "But nothing is as dazzling as your tantalizing presence at my side."
With that, Jinhua's own breathe hitched in surprise by his bold action. Her eyes slightly widening with a mild flush dusting her cheeks.
"You..."
—
Opening her eyes, Jinhua sat in her rocking chair that sat on her front porch.
"I must've dozed off there...." She muttered to herself.
"Jinhua—!"
"Master!!"
Turning her gaze to the side road that led to her cabin, she watched her two favorite teens rush towards her with beaming grins.
Though Jinhua did take notice of the noticeable missing locks of hair from MK.
"You would not believe the crazy events that went on today—!" MK shouted out of breathe like he had just ran around two whole mountains in one go.
"Yeah! And it all happened because this guy, didn't wanna say no." Mei eyed him with a stern look.
"But I didn't wanna disappoint you guys and it looked like you all were happy, so I—.." MK struggled to put the feeling and thought in words as he kept cutting himself off. But Jinhua just sighed and placed a hand on his head gently.
"Do not say such things... Friends will understand if you explain to them when you can't do something. I'm sure Mei would've." She beckoned a hand over to the swordswoman.
Mei smiled softly and wrapped an arm around his shoulder, "You could've just told me, man. I would've planned things on a different day."
Jinhua kneeled down and rubbed a thumb under his eyes as she noticed very visible dark eye circles, "And it seems you've barely gotten time to sleep as well... Come, get some sleep on the couch." She lightly pushed him into the cabin hurriedly.
Mei followed with a light jump to her step, "He's been going around helping us out for multiple days now... Honestly, MK, you should worry more about yourself."
"Indeed, your actions are reminding me more and more about a certain demon Simian..." Jinhua chuckled lightly, taking a step to her cabinets as she prepared some relaxing tea.
"Who? The Monkey King?" MK questioned, laying lazily on the couch with his arm dangling and tail curled around a nearby pillow.
"The other one." Jinhua smiled softly, while she stirred a couple sugar cubes in one for Mei sense she likes her tea sweet.
"Macaque, was his name? The one really good in chi control?" Mei asked in a nearby chair.
"That one." Jinhua set the cups down along with the kettle.
"That's surprising... I thought I would remind you more of the Monkey King because of the staff and being taught by him." MK stated, while waving his hand slowly.
"It's the attitude and selflessness of how you act for your friends." She hummed quietly as she sipped her tea.
"Macaque was like that, huh?" Mei leaned back in the chair.
"Yes... No matter how much trouble we got in, he would do his best to rescue us above all else... Even if he was in no position to." Jinhua sighed as she looked at her tea's reflection with a distant look, "He was the definition of what a warrior should be like..."
Mei and MK looked at each other for a moment before looking back at the demoness hesitantly, "What happened to him exactly...?" Mei asked first.
Jinhua was silent for a moment before speaking up, "He... He fell in a battle, defending a kingdom from the hands of a demon." She smiled weakly to the two teens, "But you don't have to worry, it happened thousands of years ago..." She placed her tea cup down on the small plate.
MK watched as Jinhua kept unconsciously fiddling with the red ribbon around her neck while she looked out the window in that same distant look, "Did you defeat the demon?"
"No."
She smiled sadly, "I didn't."