A cold bitterness overtook Liu'er Mihou. All at once he was young again. Taken years into his past to a time where his anger festered and his impulses seeked blood. Foolishly he had taken up the offer of a wicked being.
She was deceivingly sweet and understanding. Her words soaked into Mihou's soul and promised him resolution to the turmoil. At this point, he was longing for his mate. His loneliness drove him rather mad as he waited and waited for Wukong to return from his journey westward. In his naive youth, he listened to the poison she spew.
Had he followed her advice, he would have done the unforgivable, he was sure. It was only due to the kind hand of the Monk Tang Sanzang and pleading of Wukong that he saw reason. Drawn into his mate's arms and securely held. Kissed so sweetly it stole his breath away...
The fog of his mind had lifted and he felt free of her perfidious touch.
He could still feel the chill on his nose as she screamed. Hidden behind Wukong as the great Monk sealed the Witch within her coffin, left to rot unless she saw the error of her ways.
Mihou had almost forgotten her. However, he could never mistake the touch of her influence. The murky blue of her gaze...
It shined clear in these soldiers' empty skulls- filled with nothing but ice and lies.
" Lady Bone Demon ." he hissed, summoning his weapon from the shadows that licked his feet. He held it outward, baring his fangs to the enemies before them. Wukong was pressing to his side, his hand slipping around Mihou's waist as it had done all those centuries ago. Forgotten rage lurking beneath his fiery eyes- assured to never let the beldam anywhere near his beloved ever again.
Ao Lie turned sharply, his eyes a piercing green, "That's impossible!" He himself had been there to bare witness to her downfall. There was no doubt in his mind that his Master's power would hold her forever more, so how could she be here? Before any debate could be had, a soldier leapt. Ao Lie was quick to react, side stepping to avoid its attack. The ground cracked against where its hammer fell, splintering the ground with ease. The dragon stared quietly, examining the damage down, before side swiping the boney creature to remove its legs and sending it flying back towards its companions.
The creature's power was like a crashing tide. Slow, but powerful once it was upon you.
"We can figure out the how later." Wukong's voice is clear in its resolve. "For now, we get these things out of our way."
All at once the soldiers were throwing themselves forward. An avalanche of stomach churning shrieks and sorrowful moans.
With the experience of countless battles before, Wukong surged forward to meet them. While it had been some time since his last battle a simple flick of his hand was tossing a handful of these walking dead back out the window they crawled from. More continued to pour through, seeping from the doors now. It was hard to pinpoint an exact number. War was breaking out, surrounding Azure and his court in overwhelming numbers. Tables were flipped, and chairs shattered against the walls.
Just knocking them down wasn't enough. They would just stand back up and piece themselves back together. It was something MIhou had seen once before, but on a larger scale. One of Lady Bone Demon's henchmens he had bested many years ago. He never thought he would think back to something like that.
Macaque was flipping over his mate to slam his staff down against a few breakable skulls, opting to shatter the bones completely to avoid any reconstruction. "Aim for their heads!" he called to the others. "The magic within them will just pull them back together if left as they are."
Peng was quick on the upkeep, taking the skulls of two and slamming them together. "Wouldn't have it any other way." he cracked his knuckles, his smirk wild. "Come on then, who's next?" he gestured for them to dare stand before him, itching for something to break. The first one dumb enough to approach was crushed in a flourish of golden feathers.
"How did they manage to get this close?" Yellow Tusk grunted, not understanding how they hadn't even heard their approach. Not even Mihou seemed aware of this attack, even with his skilled hearing. Together the adults kept their backs to the stairs and dance floor, where they could keep the masses of young and unarmed safely behind them.
It was like they just materialized from thin air.
"Whatever is happening they just keep coming." Ao Lie glared at the window. Theorizing perhaps something like a portal was being used. If so, they would need to close it less they be here all day. He slipped around Azure, brushing against the taller form. His voice caught the Emperor's attention, drawing magenta eyes against his own. The first they had looked at each other face to face in what felt like a lifetime.
Ao Lie's own green pupils dilated, sharp fangs growing from his mouth- seconds from transforming. It crawled up his back, his natural form wishing to breathe life. To stretch outward and take his prey into his claws- to punish them for daring to threaten the loved ones here with him this evening. To threaten his Emperor... "I will take to the outskirts of the palace." From there he could track down this deathly army's means of getting close and test his theory.
Azure's magenta eyes crossed over the smaller dragon's face, taking into account his suggestion. The idea didn't sit well with him, "Would be unwise to send you alone." He shakes his head, not too keen to send in those under his protection blindly. Especially the man he had been seeking out these long years. "Normally you are one for the more cautious path." he says, knowing this fact all too well.
"One must also know when to act." Ao Lie stepped around him, tugged back when a heavy hand snagged his wrist.
Azure's touch on his arm was burning, tightening to hold the man against him. Ao Lie's eyes meet Azure's, pinned beneath them. They boil, softening to concern. "You expect me to just let you run off again? Blindly put yourself at risk?" Something unspoken lives between their shared breaths. Something hidden in a night long ago, shielded behind locked doors. A conversation they hadn't had since the night in question. A moment- a feeling- both too cowardly to let out of their hearts.
A indulgence of passion influenced by the burning taste of alcohol and the little smiles shared between the two that fateful evening.
"I need no protector, Emperor." Ao Lie spoke, a flutter to his eyelashes. He feels the way his pulse quickens, betraying his every sense. The very reason he ran off all those years ago was due to his inability to trust himself around Azure. Too easily his heart was swayed. Too easily he was drowning in seas of fluorescent pink. "I am perfectly capable by myself." They duck when Yellow Tusk throws a solider over their heads, hearing fragile bones breaking against solid cement.
"You too swiftly go off by yourself. Just like all those years ago, when you left without so much as a letter." Azure's mane fluttered from the gust of Peng's wings ahead of them. To be having this conversation now, within the middle of a battle field- of course now was the time Azure pushed for this.
" Azure ." he pleads, "Don't do this now."
His fingers dance their way up to Ao Lie's shoulder, "If I wait you'll slip away."
"Certainly you can trust me to check on everyone after the battle is said and done?" the dragon scoffed, practically insulted. "I won't run off."
Emperor Azure offers but the smallest of smiles. "I'll keep you to your word then. Return swiftly."
Ao Lie's frown was dashed with a sheepish nature. He offered a cat-like smile, "I tend to be someone to take my time."
"You certainly are." Azure took a hold of Ao Lie's other arm, nodding in agreement to the notion. With a sharp pull, he was bodily tossing the dragon over the consuming army, right out the upper window. In a flash of green Ao Lie was taking the form of a dragon, shooting into the skies to find exactly what they were dealing with. It was freeing to be in his true form. He kept himself small for space purposes, but never did he feel more alive than when he could soar through the sky.
To the dragon's surprise, after eyeing the perimeter, it was far worse than it first appeared. The execution of portals was definitely being put to use- but not just at their gates. It seemed they were gathering in several places around the palace, dropping soldiers from the sky and from the ground. He took towards one at a blinding speed.
With a glowing claw, Ao Lie slipped by like a gust of wind, cutting through its outer edge to disrupt the connection of the portal. Unable to keep form it fell into itself, disappearing from sight.
"Good." Ao Lie murmured, quick to head to the others. If there was a means to get rid of them, there was a means to stop this continuous onslaught of warriors. He just hoped the others could hold their own until he could close them all.
Within the palace, large versions of the skeletal creatures were pushing through the doors, splintering the elegant hand carved wood. They were slower than the others, but it was clear from their deeper blue eyes they packed more of a punch if they got close. Stepping forward Wukong was eager to take these brutes on. The thrill of a fight making him grin. It had been too long...
"Want a fight do we?" he asked. Ready to leap into action, his ears were drawn to a startling sound.
" Father!" It was Red Son.
The shrill cry of their children was clutching their hearts. The parents turned, spotting their little one's on the second floor. These horrors of nature were spilling from the windows above, reaching for the retreating children. One had snagged a bit of Red Son's clothes, startling the boy enough to yell out. It was dragging him closer, attempting to snatch him from the ground and into its hand.
"Son!" DBK's howl was loud and echoing, covered by the ghouls that swarmed him. His eyes sparked with fury, a light in his mouth. Iron Fan was yelling at him to hold back- knowing if he released that sort of attack here the damage could inadvertently hit the children.
Thankfully, the one to come to Red Son's aid was none other than the little Prince beside him. Xiaotain was chucking a glass cup, which he stole from the adults table, against the monster's skull, freeing his friend for a moment to tug him away. As the two scrambled away, a sword swung out, grazing the edges of Xiaotian's robe. The lower fabric easily shredded to ribbons- only inches from his frail skin.
Wukong felt his heart drop, shooting forward with enough force to break the ground at his feet. "Get away from them!" angling to grab the two, something heavy fell against his back. One soldier, a rather brutish one in particular, bigger in size and oozing from its mouth, had slammed its war hammer against him. It had crashed from the ceiling without warning, hitting the Monkey King right into the ground.
A golden glow crackled from the rocks, emerging from Wukong's eyes in a deadly animosity. He took to the monster, eager to cut it down.
All at once all hell broke loose. The army lunged mindlessly, overwhelming the party by sheer numbers. Liu'er lifted his staff just in time to block a sword angled at his face. "Xiaotian!" he called for his child. "You know what to do!!"
The moment his Father gave the word Xiaotian was snagging Red Son by the wrist to tug him back. They ran across the platform to the stairs to head back down to the parents but were cut off when a few more landed at their feet. "This way!" Xiaotian tugged Red Son to the right. They ducked into the nearest door, scrambling to open it and slid within.
This door led deeper into the palace, the lights dim and the area dark since no one was in the area. Xiaotian used this to his advantage, his powers surging him forward at a faster speed. He knuckle ran as fast his legs could carry him, letting Red Son hold onto his tail to trail behind.
Not far behind, three of the skeletons, faster than the others, were slipping after them. These ones were different from most. Their teeth were sharper and they had claws- like Hunters . Foot soldiers, Hunters, Brutes- there were many different versions of these un-dead and not a single clue in how they came to be. Their only hint- an icey glow in their eyes.
As the three Hunter's crashed through the doorway more would have continued to pour through the entrance if it hadn't been for the Golden Winged general cutting into their pursuit.
Peng managed to force his way upward, pushing off the line of soldiers that pursued the younglings like wildfire. "Not so fast!" he hissed, slamming his spear into one of their skulls. With his nephew behind him, he would drop dead before he let even another one through. Xiaotian was clever, as he had taught him to be, so he was positive the children could handle at least three of these beasts alone.
It was his job to protect them from the rest.
Stuck in place for a moment, Peng caught their ramming attack, leaning back on his heels to keep his balance. What they lacked in agility they flourished in unbridled strength, compensating for their speed by sheer numbers. How had the Lad Bone Demon, if this really was her doing, acquire such soldiers??
"Gh...!" he hissed, his eyes sharply peering behind him. He could see the sights of Xiaotian and Red Son fleeing from the three pursuers, but he wouldn't be able to hold off the rest indefinitely at this rate. He grunted, his golden wings spinning around him to knock off a few from his person. "Liu'er!" He called to the simian since he was the closest. "We got three following them!"
Liu'er's head snapped upwards, eyes stormy. Princess Iron Fan was at his side, taking the floor steps three at a time to head for the door.
Within the palace, the two little Princes were running for their lives.
"They're right behind us!" Red Son warned, snagging Xiaotian's tail to keep up with the faster boy. They whipped around the corner, scurrying down elegant halls and winding stairs. Deeper and deeper they escaped into the palace, neither knowing where they were headed.
Cutting into one room, Red Son cursed to realize it was a dead end. The only escape being the entrance they just came through. The three soldiers were already tossing themselves through the door, madly chasing the children without a thought behind their eyes.
Xiaotian's eyes were flickering to the passing scenery madly, his brain working a mile a second. His eyes caught sight of some scented oil, left out to burn to freshen up the room in a lavender smell. Snatching the bottle from the table he held it up. Together the children circle the table, XIaotian making sure Red Son was right beside him. In a quick motion, he turned against Red Son and snagged the boy by his waist, leaping upward.
Sharp claws swung forward, missing them by inches as they jumped up. Red Son was crying out, clinging to Xiaotian's back as the room flipped.
When the soldiers looked up, Xiaotian slammed the bottle against one's face. Oil erupted from the glass, blinding the three just long enough for Xiaotian to slam his foot against their head and flip the two of them over.
He landed with the grace of any acrobat. Red Son was less graceful in his descent, smacking the floor head first. Before he could mumble a sound Xiaotian was gathering him up and they were running again.
Red Son was dazed, amazed they managed to jump right over the enemy and back into the safety of the hall. Safety being a struggling word considering they weren't out of the fire yet. It was a quick move on Xiaotian's part though.
His scheming seemed to pay off more than Red Son tended to realize. It made Xiaotian clever...
"This way." Xiaotian was tugging him down a sharp turn, using his tail to knock over a standing statue in the corner. It wasn't a lot, but enough to slow down the three pursuers for a short time. Xiaotian moved with more speed than Red Son thought possible for someone his age. Even unaware of what might be around the next corner, the monkey adapted quickly and adjusted to match the situation. The three soldiers, who should easily be upon them by now, were scrambling to keep up. Red Son himself was wheezing, having been dragged by Xiaotian this entire way.
It made Red Son wonder... had he gone through something like this before? Had his parents trained him for exactly situations like this? To flee and find a safe location...?
He himself had been trained to defend himself, but the Bull family was a proud family who didn't believe in the art of running away. Of course, he too had been told to run should things get too severe- but this was just due to his age.
This was actually the first time he had encountered an actual foe this close.
"Just a little further..." Xiaotian panted, encouraging Red Son to keep strong. Not even sure what his friend was scheming he followed without complaint, his chest on fire. Red Son recognized none of these locations, but Xiaotian seemed to be finding his barings. Finding a familiar hall, he took down it. The vault was at the end.
A place he knew all too well~
"Jump!" Xiaotian commanded, forcing them both to leap for no particular reason in the middle of the hall. Red Son did as he was told, but didn't understand why until a moment later- Like a hidden trap, placed to catch unwanted thieves, an array of sharp spears emerged from the ground, piercing two of the three hunters in the chests, trapping them within the confines of the weapons. Not dead, but at least contained.
The third had managed to vault over with enough time.
Xiaotian smirked over his shoulder, landing and tugging Red Son to the side. In a strange flurry of movements he stepped side to side, confounding his friend in why they were wasting time with the idiotic dance??
"Xiao-"
" Just trust me !" The monkey cut him off, his smile wicked. With one more step, he stopped. Red Son was shaking, gasping for air.
"W-What are we doing?" he demanded. First a strange dance and now they were stopping? "That thing is going to catch us!" his friend turned with ease, facing towards the Hunter with an easy smile. It was downright terrifying how calm Xiaotian looked.
A few uncoordinated steps later, cutting right for them, the hunter was leaping. Xiaotian didn't flinch while Red Son covered his face with his hands, fearing for his life. As he looked away, something heavy made the room shake.
Then, everything was still. Considering he was still alive and breathing, Red Son had to assume that something had gotten in the creature's way- And something certainly had.
"?" The bull prince peeked out from behind his arm hesitantly. In a shock realization, his mouth fell open at what was before him; A large fist had emerged from the ceiling, slamming straight into the unknowing Hunter, who had tripped its alarm. It had crushed the thing in its tracks.
Xiaotian dared to snort obnoxiously, his expression similar to Peng's when he was mocking someone. " Stupid~ "
"....???" Red Son's mouth hung wide, not realizing such dangerous traps were even within this palace. How did Xiaotian even-? As the fist slowly lifted, mechanically pulled back into its hidden location in the ceiling, the crushed remains of the Hunter didn't move. "That was... amazing.." Red Son gasped for air, hunching forward. Xiaotian was in a similar state of exhaustion, slowly kneeling down. The two were falling to the ground, taking a moment to just catch their breaths. "How did you-? I mean- I can't believe you- How?? "
"Treasury." Xiaotina pointed behind him, knowing it was best they didn't try to keep heading towards it. The traps only got more elaborate the further you got. There was a small golden glow to Xiaotian's eyes. The only power he seemed to receive from his Father- Gold vision. His Baba had attempted to tell everyone about it before but Xiaotian had kind of distracted them all with his clones. He'd rather keep this to himself and his parents as long as possible. Left the possibilities for pranks more open that way. "I like to go in there and lay on the gold sometimes."
"You- I.. wha- You??" Red Son's mind was short circuiting. Was his friend really telling him he purposely risked going through such dangerous traps just to go lay on the gold?? "How often do you do this?"
"Whenever I'm here and my Dad's have their meetings." Xiaotian folded his arms behind his head casually, finally catching his breath. "I always steal a piece."
"Just one..?"
"It's too obvious if you steal more than one." he snorted. "I got like- 50 coins back home. I'm gonna make a shirt out of them."
Red Son's mouth felt dry, "A-A shirt...?"
"Yeah~" He reached into his bag he kept around his shoulder, producing a small vial. Popping the lid he chugged the liquid within- the bitter taste of the tea soothing his fraying senses. He exhaled loudly, feeling a lot better now that this was in his system. "Thanks for trusting me, by the way." he brushed the back of his palm to his mouth. He offered Red Son a little smile, pleased his friend had willingly let Xiaotian lead him through such a disaster.
Red Son leaned back, the softer look of his friend surprising him. "Well.. of course I would trust you," he grumbled. Why wouldn't he? Xiaotian was the kind of guy to push you into a situation but fight tooth and nail to make sure you got out of it.
Xiaotian grinned, happy to hear that, "What were those guys anyway?"
"I've never seen them before." Red Son pushed up his glasses. "They didn't look natural.." He stared down the hall, seeing the withering two hunters still stuck in the sea of spears. "Should we do something about them?"
"Nah." Xiaotian says. "We should probably lay low until it's all over." he rubbed his chin in thought. Years of attempted assassinations and kidnapping had made him rather... numb, to things like this. Not that he wasn't scared out of his wits by flipping zombies coming after him, but their actions weren't all that uncommon. It was easy to keep his mind focused during it.
Red Son on the other hand didn't quite seem as used to this, so Xiaotian reached over to pat his back. Offering his hand he tugged them both to his feet. He looked back and forth, not sure which way they should go. They could try to just inch around the spears and the hunters, or head for the vault. He wouldn't mind just swimming in some gold while he waited for his parents to finish up.
About to voice the suggestion, there was a sound.
Clapping.
Xiaotian turned his head to the noise, on high alert. It was hard to see at first, darkness slipping from behind the spears, but then he saw them. Glowing blue eyes and a sinister boney smile.
He flinched as the spears shattered like glass, the Hunters bursting into dust along with them. From the new forced path was a single figure. The children tensed, eyes wide as cold shivers spiraled down their spines.
The sharp warning of Death.
"Hello there~" the man walked forward casually, clapping. "My my." This man was different from the others. Somehow, he had managed to sneak past the celestials and demons below, finding his way before the children. His arms were folded behind his back, a strange mask shielding his face. "Hope I'm not interupting?" he cooed in a sickeningly sweet voice. "What cute little ones you are." his eyes were a piercing blue from below the mask. He wore a fancy suit and blue tie, his stance rather composed. "I don't mean to put a hold on the party. You all looked like you were having such fun."
Xiaotian exhaled sharply, the very sight of man drawing a different sensation from him. He felt the hair on the back of his neck standing up straight. "...What do you want?" he growled.
He looked at Qi Xiaotian, his head tilting with a gurgling crack to his neck. "Such a good question, your Highness!" he praised, sickening the child with his words. "I'm actually here for you,"
Red Son slipped in front of Xiaotian, holding his arm out. "With him...?" he growled.
The man laughed, his voice echoing off the walls. " Little Flower." The name made Xiaotian's stomach twist. Never before had he cared for its use until today, and he was sharply despising it. "Let's chat, shall we?"
————————————-
" I shall visit you tomorrow at sunset. We can have a small uh- party, I suppose. Then I shall tell you my name before I leave."
Those had been Nezha's words before he left the other day. Now, the day of his birth, he was waiting anxiously
MK had listened to them carefully, his heart pounding with excitement. The sun had just begun to set when he returned to his room for the evening. He closed the door, drowning out the noises of the other children in replace of silence.
He didn't exactly trust people at their word. Actions spoke far louder than anything else. Too many broken promises. Too many pretty words filled with lies.
He wanted to say he trusted his Angel to keep true
So he loitered around for a time, coloring in his sketchbook and doing some homework. As he always did on his birthday he had pancakes earlier today. Of course, there were many children with many birthdays, so pancakes weren't exactly a rare occasion. It just made the day like any other.
Painfully the same, highlighting how today wasn't exactly special to anyone else but him.
As the hour drew to an end, the sun had officially set outside. He ventured to his bed, climbing atop the mattress in silence. Hidden under his pillow, safely kept secret, he removed a small little party that he had kept a hold of after the birthday party he had been invited to a few weeks before. Placing it over his head, he kicked his feet idly.
It was his birthday. And his Angel was coming to celebrate with him...
The kick of his feet grew a little more, a bubbling smile taking over his expression. He felt excited. He felt nervous. He felt- empty .
Was it possible to feel emotions but also be painfully aware of the billowing emptiness within? MK touched his chest in contemplative thought, wondering if maybe something was just wrong with him? Perhaps he was always going to be empty. He tried to fill it sometimes with things. Candy or art or friends- but nothing ever stuck. Perhaps the black hole in his chest just wasn't meant to be filled- because only one thing would ever truly fit into place.
What was that thing exactly? MK didn't know. It was far away, out of sight and out of reach. Teasingly close enough to feel but nothing he could grasp.
It hurts sometimes.
It hurts a lot sometimes.
His head felt dizzy and distant, distracting him from the tapping at his window. It took a while to notice, drawn by a quiet voice and the window creaking open. He turned sharply, pulled from his thoughts to see his Angel crouch before the open window.
"Hello, MK." he spoke with a tone as sweet as candy. He lowered his leg through the window to touch the ground. There was a bag in his hands, held outward. "I hope I didn't make you wait long." MK was attaching to his Angel's leg the moment he was sliding it through the window. Catching himself from falling right over, his Angel gripped the sides of the window. "MK..!" he grunted. The child giggled against his knee, overjoyed.
He kept his promise.
"You're here!"
Sliding into the room, shaking his leg free, Nezha shakes his head, "I told you I would be...?" The bag around his arm shook, hiding some contents within. Assuming it must be dinner, MK grinned.
"Right yeah, right." MK nodded, his face hurting from how much he was smiling. "Oh! Oh wait!" recalling something he ran back to his bed. MK produced a second party hat from under his pillow, rushing back to his Angel. He gestured for him to kneel. Nezha grimaced a little, tilting his head to exactly what MK might be planning. Slowly he knelt before the child, the boy's little hands extending out to him. He slipped the string under his Angel's chin and plopped the hat firmly on top of his head. "Perfect."
Nezha pursed his lips, touching the hat. "Oookay..?" he didn't understand this human concept, but whatever. "So we wear horns on human birthdays?"
MK was clutching his stomach and laughing, "They aren't horns!"
Nezha gestured to him, "Clearly they are??"
MK laughed harder, "No no, they aren't! They are hats!"
"Oh." Nezha cleared his throat, embarrassed now. "I see." Hearing MK laugh brought a smile to his face. "Yes yes, laugh to your heart's content." he poked MK's nose, strolling past the child to the table. He settled the bag down, taking out some dinner but keeping a hidden trove within the bag. "I brought burgers." he explained.
"Oooh!" MK eagerly sat beside his Angel to take his burger. Unwrapping the foil around it, he took a large bite. "What were you doing today?"
"Work." Nezha explains, pulling out a few more treats and things from his bag. Some candy and snacks- not sure what the child would like. He had just bought things that caught his eye at the local store.
"What do you do for work?" MK inquired. It was funny to think an Angel had a job- like an office job? Did he wear a suit and tie? Did he have a briefcase? Have lunch in a cubicle office...?
Nezha wasn't sure how to explain it, "It isn't exactly a job I get paid for, necessarily. Consider me a guard, I suppose?" the older man shrugged. "It's my duty."
Like most children his age, MK snickered at the word choice. "Dutyyyy."
"Not like that." Nezha rolls his eyes. As MK finished his burger he offered the child a napkin to clean his messy face. After a moment, Nezha smiles. "Close your eyes."
MK was confused, tilting his head. When his Angel chuckled he smiled, quietly covering his eyes. He excitedly kept them close, eager for the surprise awaiting him. There was shuffling and something being opened. Feeling a pat on his head, MK removed his hands. In front of him sat something small and circular. It smelled heavenly, coated in delicious frosting.
"A cake.." The Angel says awkwardly. He held it before MK with a little smile below the cloak. "You said a while ago you had never had one before. So I got you this one.'' It was small, with a single candle in the shape of a 10 on top. "I hope you like it."
"For... For me?" MK asked quietly. He had never seen something like this before- at least, meant for him anyway. Something so perfect and lovely felt almost wrong to eat. He had never been given his own cake.
Nezha nodded, pulling out some matches. "You can't have a birthday without a cake." After a moment Nezha quietly asked, "Right? Birthdays have cake?"
MK nodded his head quickly. "You do..!" he sat on the edge of his seat, eyeing the dessert with sparkling eyes. MK bounced a little. "I-I gotta think of a wish!" he closed his eyes to think. Oh a birthday wish was so important he had to make this count! With one in mind he says, "I'm ready."
His Angel lit the candle, sliding it closer to MK. When the boy didn't immediately blow it out, he titled his head. "What's wrong..?
"Usually there is a song." MK says quietly.
"Oh... Right..." Nezha cleared his throat. F-For the kid. For the kid, he reminded himself. Having never really sang in front of anyone before, the words stumbled out awkwardly. "Happy Birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday..." Nezha paused, his heart sinking. Oh... " Dear MK." he offered a small smile, reaching out to brush the tear that slipped from MK's eyes. "Happy Birthday to you~"
Mk sniffled, his chest feeling tight but warm. "Heh..." He didn't mean to cry, but his eyes just welled up when his Angel sang to him. It was a kind of coziness that overtook him.
With a mighty breath, he blew out the candle with everything he had. All his hopes and wishes in this single breath of air. I want my Angel to sing Happy Birthday to me every year.
He slapped his hands together, squeezing his eyes tight in hopes of this dream coming true. If he got nothing else, at least let him have this one thing! Satisfied with how long had passed, MK rubbed his eyes.
The air felt bubbly and warm. He turned to his Angel, who stared at him. "...." Nezha could see how MK bent his knees, realizing. "Don't-!" Too late to stop him the child was slamming into Nezha's chest, the top of MK's head ramming into his chin. Nezh gagged, falling back. Sitting up, MK was tightly attached to him, snuggling into his shoulder. Nezha quietly patted his back, a little smile on his face. The boy was so happy with just this... it made his heart heavy to think that MK could be enjoying so much more right now. He could be surrounded by loved ones, not the monster who tore him away from his family.
"Thank you." MK cooed. Pulling from Nezha, he gave a little smile. "C-Can.. Can I have my gift now?" he swayed back and forth eagerly. "Cause I've been waiting all day and I would like my gift... Please."
"Ah.." Nezha lowered his gaze. Right, he did promise this, didn't he? "You really are sure that is what you want? I did offer you anything." he says.
MK nodded, understanding this well. "I know."
"I could get you toys or- or candy? All the coloring books you want?" Nezha stressed. MK shook his head, determined in his answer.
"Your. Name." the boy pouted.
Nezha leaned back from such a heartened look, grimacing. "Tch..." he exhaled, struggling to really look MK in the eye too long when he child gave him those eyes. So wide and innocent and endearing. Little black pools of stars at his beck and call- very unfair. "Alright, yes. My name." he eventually concedes. A promise was a promise. Lifting MK off him he sat the boy before him to clear his throat.
The moment of truth.
"My name is Nezha."
MK's eyes widened. "Nezha." he says, the name sounding far sweeter when it came from his mouth. "Nezha..!" MK said it a few more times, putting the name to memory. "Nezha! Nezha! Nezha~" Nez-haaaaa." he waved his arms around. He struck a few poses, dancing around Nezha. "OOh! I like it. I really really like it." MK cooed. He hugged Nezha around the shoulders, shaking the man. "Nezhaaaaa."
"Yes yes- Nezha." Nezha mused, patting MK's arm. "Now you know, MK." Nezha glances to the side. "Are you certain a little token like that would be enough for you?"
Small hands cupped his face. Mindful of his Angels' hood, since that seemed to be a guarded secret held so dear to this man, MK brushed his thumbs to Nezha's cheeks. He pinched them, giggling. A name is a gift. The first gift you are given when entering this world. To know it is to truly know the person before you. To be able to call to them. To speak to them. To remember them.
"I could ask you to show me your face instead, but I think you would prefer your name." MK snickered, startling Nezha. The older man snorts.
"Yes indeed, I would prefer the first option." he touched MK's hand, holding it in his own hand. What a strange but wonderful child. "What would you like to do now? Have some cake?"
MK nodded eagerly, "And then we can play some games? And dance?"
"Dance?" The notion of that made Nezha feel nervous. The child nodded, rushing over the CD player he had in the corner of his room.
Turning on the little CD player, MK riffled through his collection of staked CD's, picking the perfect party mix. Tossing it in a few upbeat tunes filled the air. "Party~" He clapped, and rushed back to the center of the room. As the music played, he held his hands out towards Nezha. The cake could wait. "Come on, Nezha." he wanted to dance with him. Truly the day would be the absolute best if he could.
"Well..." Nezha slowly took the boy's hands into his own, stepping closer. Nezha felt awkward, glad he had assured the cover of his face with a glamor since MK was looking right up at him. "Are you trying to steal a peak?" he asked. Hand in hand they swayed.
"Maybe a little." MK admits with an easy smile. Circling the room, it was clear neither of them really... knew how to dance. "Angel, do you know how to dance?" MK asked, waddling his feet.
Nezha grimaced, "Not... particularly? At least, not to music like this." He was used to something far different. Slower, with older instruments and more precise movements. He hadn't done a dance like that though in a long time.
MK snorted, "I thought I was the only one." he felt relief, stepping back. "Oh! I know this one though." he put his hands up, opening and closing them. He started to do the Chicken showing off the dance to Nezha with pride.
The celestial watched with a small nod. Was this how humans danced...? Watching MK shake his little hips he was rather perplexed. "It's kind of strange."
"It's the chicken dance! You are pretending to be a chicken." MK explained. He showed Nezha the dance again, wanting the older man to do it with him. Nezha hissed a little, his motions slow.
Forced to join MK in such a humiliating dance, he shook his hips. "I hate this." Despising every second of this, he groaned. "It's demeaning." For MK. For MK.
"Bak Bak~" MK made a chicken nose, bobbing his head. "I think someone is just afraid to commit to the role." It was an obvious tease, but an effective one.
"Afraid to- Oh." Nezha huffed heatedly, feeling the same annoyed heat in his chest that Wukong always seemed to draw from him. Truly like Father like Son. "What you are doing couldn't even be considered a chicken." He waved his arms a little, showing off what clearly a "true Chicken" would do.
MK copied him, the two circling each other and squawking like the bird in question.
Nezha was glad no one could see them at this moment in time.
The two awkwardly danced in the room, spurring small chuckles for their own sakes. Eventually the embarrassment seemed to fade.
They made up dance moves on the spot, naming them with silly names. Banging their heads to the beat. Crouched before the CD options to go over what MK had. He would get them from nearby garage sales for a few cents a piece. A few he didn't really like, but he liked having a collection so he wasn't that picky.
One CD in particular was filled with punk rock screaming and raving guitars. Nezha rather enjoyed it, despite MK's pursed lip stare. "It's good." Nezha insisted.
"You like what you like, guy." MK says, changing the CD to something more friendly.
The hours began to drift by. They danced, they ate cake, they joked and teased.
MK bounced on the bed, right into Nezha's arms. The man spun him before tossing him back back up. It was loud and fun and silly. The music filling their lungs and their laughter like Heaven on Earth.
It wasn't luxurious by any means. Or well thought out- but was perfect. It was everything MK wanted and more. He could never truly achieve perfection. The word made his skin crawl because he always seemed just short of reaching its mark. Always just a little off from perfect... but he felt this must have been its closest definition.
Eventually they moved their party to the floor, pulling out the board games MK kept under his bed. They played them for hours, munching on snacks and making small bets on how the games would go. Which MK seems to be winning by a landslide.
His Angel even scarfed down a bag of chips- the first time MK had ever seen him eat. He was a rather loud chewer. Made him wonder if it was more his Angel's embarrassment with eating too loudly that always prevented him from eating in front of MK rather than him being unable to eat.
He didn't mind though.
"Candy land!" he lifted the next game, slapping it down. Nezha eyed the rules as MK set up the board game.
"So just get to the end of the path?" he asked. When offered a few different characters he picked the red one while MK picked the yellow. Setting their characters at the start of the path MK drew his card first.
"If you get the candy characters you can go forward super far!" the child explained.
"...Isn't that cheating?" Nezha was confused, reading the rules again. With the back of the box on his lap to glance at the rules from time to time he drew his own card, moving forward a few squares to the color that matched.
"No, it's not cheating, it's the rules."
"It feels very cheap. Very cheating-like." the older man insisted. Just like monopoly. That game was just a walking trap to trick you into complacency- and then BAM! You were broken and down on your luck. MK had stolen everything he owned in that game.
MK drummed his fingers on the ground, "It's not...! It's part of the game." he pouted, "You can't keep calling it cheating just cause I beat you at the other games."
"None of these rules make sense" Nezha insisted, gesturing to the other stack of board games they had already torn through. "They should be applying hard work or chance at best, but most of them just involve rewarding you in sabotaging the other players??"
"So you can win!!"
Nezha huffed, legs crossed heatedly. "I don't like these games." MK pulled out his next card, smugly holding it out when he got a card with one of the candy characters on it. All at once his piece was moving miles across the board. Nezha threw his hands up. "How is this fair??"
MK's laugh was too much like Wukong's in the following seconds, drawing the older man to his younger days. Where he would play board games with his brother- eating fruit and enjoying the day. A rare break from his duties to bask in the comradery.
He wanted to tell MK this. He wanted to happily tell him how much he reminded him of the boy's Father.
He didn't.
He wished he had.