As Macaque emerged back into the cave and hut, he was immediately greeted by his son's tiny hands. They grasped eagerly at his legs, causing him to stumble and lose his balance. With a quick reflex, he caught himself against the rough stone wall, eyes wide. The little monkey's grip was surprisingly strong for his size, holding on even as Macaque lifted his leg to examine the boy.
"Xiaotian..." Macaque mumbled, startled. "What are you-?"
"Baba is back!" Xiaotian proclaimed loudly, eye brows narrowed, "Cause he left! Without saying so! And without telling MK where he went!" he puffed his cheeks, very peeved by this.
"Oh, uh..." Macaque paled. As Xiaotian's face clouded over with irritation, Macaque realized that he had some explaining to do. "I-I only left for a little bit," he tries to say. His eyes were drawn to the side of the room, where Wukong was.
The King stood off to the side, fiddling with some toys in his hands. He had been playing with their son moments before Macaque's sudden entrance. With an easy smile he says, "What do you say, MK?" he reminded the child.
"...Welcome home, Baba!" MK's tail wagged excitedly before his expression turned to a pout as he remembered why he was upset. "But Baba, you left me! You left without your MK!" He kicked his feet in frustration and crossed his arms.
Macaque's eyes widened in terror, unable to discern that this was a playful jest rather than a serious outburst of rage and betrayal. "Oh no, Xiaotian, I would never-!" he stuttered in shock.
"All alone with just Dada! And his Dada jokes!" MK wailed dramatically.
"I told you he would be right back," Wukong chuckled, giving a soft roll of his eyes, "And my Dada jokes are great." He locked eyes with Macaque and lightheartedly winked, conveying the unspoken message that this was all in good fun. Macaque's expression twisted into a frown as he felt a twinge of embarrassment, heat pooling in his cheeks. He knew deep down that this was just a joke, but it still stung a little. Xiaotian wasn't genuinely angry at him... right?
"I was gone maybe an hour? I thought you might have napped longer," Macaque says softly, still wanting to explain his actions.
"I was still worried!" MK let out an exasperated sigh as he scurried down Macaque's pant leg and latched onto his Baba's foot, clearly annoyed. He had searched every inch of the house for him! He even went up to the roof by himself, although his Dada had helped him up there.
Macaque kneeled down and gently patted the child's head. "I'm sorry, Moon drop," he said sincerely, taking his son's hand and giving him a remorseful look. "I had something important to take care of. Can you forgive me?" He wasn't teasing; he genuinely couldn't handle Xiaotian being angry with him.
MK pressed his cheek into his hand, cheeks puffed cutely. He swayed side to side, a grin spreading across his face as he spoke, "It's okay, Baba~ I forgive you." He leaned in closer, nuzzling his nose against Macaque's. Macaque let out a sigh of relief and returned the gesture with a nuzzle of his own. "But next time, you have to take MK with you! I can help with errands too. I always help Dada whenever he needs it. I'm great at carrying shopping bags," he boasted proudly, patting his chest.
"Until I put more than 2 items in it," Wukong mumbled under his breath, snickering.
Macaque's smile widens, "Actually, this wasn't just a simple errand. But I'll make it up to you and tell you all about my destination next time," he assures the boy. "Did you have a good rest?"
MK nodded and climbed up Macaque's leg to perch on his shoulder, excitedly recounting,"I got to snuggle with Dada and then I played with Dada! Right Dada?"
"We sure did," Wukong's lips curled upwards as he looked down at his hands, then began gathering up MK's toys and stowing them back in his backpack.
MK's joy was evident on his face, his smile stretching from ear to ear. "Dada said we can go home when you come back! I can't wait to show Baba my room and our house!" he cupped Macaque's cheeks with his little hands, squishing his lips. He pressed his forehead to Macaque's insistently, staring at him with starry golden eyes. "And then we gotta pick a house for Baba too."
"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.
"I could-" Wukong swallowed thickly, then put on his best smile, "I could travel by sky and you can go that way. We can just meet up there?" he offered, knowing he could just give Macaque the location. He wasn't going to just invite himself where he wasn't wanted.
He watched Macaque's shoulders visibly loosen, his eyes shifting to him. Considering that, he gave a nod. "That works," Macaque's ears lifted, eased and calmed. He seemed back into a better mood as he smiled at MK, "Who do you wanna go with, Moon Drop?"
Xiaotian, the easily distracted child, was on his knees and looking down at his Baba's feet, "Puddle," he pointed to the circular pool that was bubbling and growing from Macaque's power. He patted it a little, watching how it swirled and twisted about his fingers. He giggled, wiggling his fingers like it was goo.
A mischievous grin spread across Macaque's face as he realized that this was the first time his offspring would witness his true powers. "It's my shadow," he calmly explained, expecting questions or concerns.
Instead, MK greeted the puddle with a cheerful "Hello, Baba's puddle!" and waved to it as if it was completely normal.
His parents had taken this as the child mistaking the portal as a rain puddle. Though, MK had seen "shadow puddles" like this many times before at his own feet.
He liked when his Uncle Sandy fell into them and popped back out. It was so silly~
MK leaned over to peer into the abyss, chirping and tilting his head. He stuffed his hand into his pocket, pulling out a few pebbles and rocks he had buried within his jacket. "Hungry puddle?" he asked, plopping a few of the stones within.
Macaque's lips curled, eyes crinkling. He would have to fish those out later. "I-It's not really, alive, kiddo," he says, trying not to laugh.
MK stared at him, not stopping in his task to drop rocks into the puddle. Of course the puddle was alive. MK's was, afterall. "..." Plop. Plop. Plop.
Macaque watched, his lips a thin line, "But uh- y-you can still do that, I suppose."
"Ya rascal, you're gonna get that "puddle" all plump if you keep feeding it," Wukong teased as he played along with the child's thoughts, messing up MK's hair in the process. The child immediately squealed and protested, flailing his hands at Wukong's cheeky gestures.
Fixing his hair, MK looked up at them, "Hand, Dada." Xiaotian insisted, making grabby hands at him. If they were going home, clearly they should go together. This just made sense in the toddler's eyes. Wukong tilted his head, placing his hand into MK's curiously.
"So you wanna go home with me?" he asked the child.
Similar to the night before, MK grasped Wukong's hand, then turned and took Macaque's. Standing between the two he jumped and swung a little, eyeing the puddle. "Let's go!"
He wanted them to go together.
"Oh uh-" Macaque's tail anxiously curled against his own ankles. Just a moment- right?
They would reach the temple in a matter of moments. He realized that this was something he would just have to become accustomed to. If MK suggested they do small tasks like this together, Macaque wasn't sure if he could refuse. MK didn't know- and he shouldn't have to be conscious of their own issues. He wanted MK to live a carefree life.
Of course he would want to spend time with both his parents. He was a sweet boy like that.
"Ah well, yes... o-of course," Macaque squeezed MK's hand, drawing Wukong's startled gaze.
"What?? But-"
"It's fine," Macaque says sharply, looking ahead, ready to plunge. In and out. Just a moment of pure connection, where their magic intertwined. A moment of feeling Wukongs' very essence against his soul, surrounded by his magic. To feel his touch on such a level again... Holding him, seeing him...
Avoiding direct eye contact with Wukong, he could feel his body trembling. He knew the King was fixated on the drop of shadow just as much as he was. "Well," wanting to finish this as soon as possible he gestured forward. "Let's get this over with."
"Okay!" MK cheered. Ready to jump, he felt one of his parents step back.
"Oh Buddy," Wukong was backtracking, dropping to his knees. "I completely forgot!" he gasped loudly, catching the child's complete attention.
MK's tail perked up with curiosity, "Forgot? What did you forget, Dada?" The child became immediately absorbed, eagerly nodding his head.
Wukong laughed nervously, attempting to brush off his mistake, "Oh you know me-" he bonked his own skull, "Silly Dada here forgot he was going to pick up some noodles from Uncle Pigsy first. So... So we could all have dinner," he nodded, more confident now. "So how about you take Baba home, show him around the house, and I'll meet up with you there afterward? We can have dinner and then help Baba pick out a house of his own, yeah?"
MK's eyes lit up at the idea of noodles and having dinner with both his parents. "Okay!" he exclaimed, agreeing to the plan. He released Wukong's hand, stepping back with Macaque.
A sense of relief washed over the Moon Monkey as he placed a quivering hand on his chest. His ears drooped down as he let out a long exhale.
He discreetly glanced back at Wukong, observing the King conjuring a cloud with his fingers. A strange sensation bubbled up in his chest- it almost felt inappropriate to feel thankful, but he allowed himself to embrace it for the moment.
It would be incorrect to say Wukong was never considerate of his feelings. Wukong had always been exceptionally attentive... when they were alone. It was like a list of priorities.
Macaque had always been number one, until the brotherhood, or a fight, or a challenge came along. Macaque was still a priority on the list, just lowered compared to what was new and exciting. If Wukong wanted a new sense of immortality, that was priority one. And Macaque? Priority 2. Perhaps 3 if someone else was also joining in on the "fun" like Azure or DBK.
It could have been easy to prioritize MK's first experience with the shadows- the rush to get home- the quickness of getting from one location to another- over Macaque's "comfort".
He honestly hadn't expected to be put as a top priority- especially when it was their own son requesting something of them.
Shaking his head, not wanting to get distracted, he watched Wukong slide back over to them on his cloud. "Alright, don't be afraid, okay Xiaotian?" Wukong says softly, knowing this was the child's first experience with such things. Or at least, thinking this was the child's first experience. "The "puddle" is just gonna take you on a trip, so hold on tightly to your Baba."
"Like peek a boo," MK nodded, already getting the concept and ready to get a move on.
"Um..." Wukong didn't know what that meant, but shrugged. "Sure Kid," he laughed.
MK was already trying to lean himself against the shadow, Macaque holding the child up and letting him dangle. "Lets goooo!" he says impatiently.
His parents shared matching looks of amused shock.
"Just outside Megapolis. That temple 2 miles south," Wukong told Macaque.
"Oh," Macaque knew that place. All the monkey themed statues- of course Wukong picked there. "I know it," he says. He squinted at Wukong a little, "Sure you trust me to be on my own with him? I could bring us anywhere." he challenged.
Wukong's eyes glazed for a moment, then he smiled, "Why wouldn't I trust you, Mihou?" perhaps he did that just to get a rile out of Macaque, or he honestly meant it, the moon monkey wasn't sure.
So he huffed and shook his head, "Don't-" he grumbled, not willing to pick a fight when their toddler was ankle-deep into the shadows and getting rowdy. "Then-" not really knowing how to say goodbye, he said to Xiaotian, "Say Bye-bye,"
"Bye-Bye Dada!" MK waved as the two dropped into the puddle together. The child gave a playful scream as he felt his stomach drop from falling. For a moment they floated, MK's little feet kicking in the air.
The shadows were pulling them at such speed. The blackness made it impossible to tell just how fast they were moving, their own voices sounding muffled.
"Weeee!"
Macaque could sense Xiaotian then- seeing the child far clearer than he ever could with just his eyes. The child's radiant energy, like a ball of starlight.
He could recall Wukongs energy was large and powerful, nearly consuming his own shadows in his light. His shadows would always flinch at first, then soften and mellow to the familiar whirr of his power.
The warmth was too familiar to ever forget. He felt the shadows would hiss and scoot now, not wishing to bask in what had once destroyed it.
Thankfully it didn't need to. It took its biggest interest in the new presence before it. It wasn't overpowering like Wukong tended to be. Xiaotian's soul was soft and fluid, shimmering like twinkling stars against the shadowy landscape.
Macaque's emotions overwhelmed him, and tears threatened to spill as he sensed the very essence of his child. If he needed confirmation that this was all real, that their little boy wasn't just a figment of his imagination, this was the moment.
Macaque couldn't be happier- until a pebble smacked his nose.
"Oh! Mine!" Xiaotian scrambled to grab it before it floated up and away, pocketing what he had previously thrown in.
Yeah, Macaque would definitely have to fish all these pebbles out later.
Emerging at the other side, they popped out of the shadows to land right before the temple. Xiaotian was bouncing. "My tummy felt funny!" he jumped up and down.
'You'll get used to it," Macaque mused, ruffling his hair. "Was that fun?"
"It was fun!" MK agreed. "I wanna go again," he immediately turned, plopping himself down against Macaque's shadow but finding only solid dirt below. The inky monkey laughed, slipping his arms around Xiaotian's waist to lift him.
"Later," he promises. "Don't you have a house to show me?"
Xiaotian wriggled with excitement, his realization dawning on him. "I know! I know!" he exclaimed while squirming in his father's arms. "Come on, Baba!" He eagerly took Mihou's hand and led him around their home, eager to show his favorite spots to his father. "This is my house!" he pointed to it proudly. He guided Macaque through the large towering gates at the entrance to the temple. They seemed to have been repainted and certain spots repaired. Beyond them, the stone path winded through a village sort of location. Many of the buildings were crumbling in spots, but overall seemed perfectly intact.
Despite being a temple, it seemed more like a town with the small structures leading up to the larger temple. That location seemed more untouched than the rest, as if Wukong hadn't really found a use for the larger building so far.
Instead, the focus seemed to be on one of the more simple locations. A smaller building came into view first that was surrounded by shaded umbrellas, freshly growing flowers, and the clear sign of a child from the amount of toys that were hidden within the grass.
MK ran ahead first, waving his arms around. "Tada!' he showed off the house with glee.
Macaque trailed behind him, keeping his eyes out for any sign of the tribe. With how big this location was, they could be anywhere. "Well look at that," he marveled at what MK was showing him.
"Baba come~ Come!" MK was pushing himself against the door. The door didn't have a traditional handle and was more like a swing door that MK could easily push open. He probably couldn't reach it even if it did have a handle. Taking his Baba inside, he welcomed him to what had been his home as far as he could remember.
Macaque nodded in approval, taking in his surroundings. This would be the perfect place to see how well Wukong was at parenting. Even though he had reluctantly agreed to co-parenting and giving it a chance, he couldn't help but look for evidence that would prove him right.
It was petty, he supposed, but he needed it if he was going to fully get through this. To 100% convince his mind this was the best course of action and that Wukong had changed in some capacity.
The house was fairly clean. Wasn't spotless, but that was probably impossible with a toddler barreling through it day after day.
"This is the couch. I like to cuddle Dada here and read and talk and build forts!" he patted the plush couch- that distinctly smelled of Wukong. "And I watch my toones." MK pointed to the small TV before them.
Macaque frowned, not surprised that Wukong had one. "Tonnes?" he asked.
"Car-toones!" Mk clapped. He pouted, 'But Dada says only one if I was super super good."
So Wukong limited tv time... Good. Macaque nodded in approval to that. TV wasn't necessarily bad, but too much all the time certainly was. Wukong at least had some sense to that.
"And then the kitchen!' Mk showed it off. Showing Macaque every pot and pan and silverware they had. It made him laugh. Then they moved down the hall to the bedroom. It wasn't a large home, consisting of just the kitchen, living room, a bathroom with a bathtub, and two bedrooms- one used for sleeping and the other seemed to be a playroom for Xiaotian.
Of course, when you owned an entire temple, this little space didn't matter too much. Typical Wukong however
He had access to all the luxuries he could imagine, but he found comfort in the simple and mundane. Macaque was glad that part of the cheeky Monkey King was still the same.
"Bedroom!' MK strutted inside to show of the space. "Dada and I sleep here," he patted the large mattress within. Bundled with blankets and pillows in such a particular way that it was impossible for Macaque not to notice.
"...A nest," he mumbled.
"Hm?" Mk tilted his head. Seeing what Macaque was looking at he patted it, "This is Dada and I's~" he says proudly. "Do you like it?"
"Oh uh- y-yes" Macaque waved it off. "it's a nice bed." he glanced away, covering his mouth a little.
A heat seemed to radiate from his ears as he heard the thought, "It's adorable," creeping into his mind. He quickly tried to dismiss it but the idea lingered. There was nothing remotely cute about Wukong building a nest. Absolutely nothing at all.
Nothing about imagining Wukong making this, and working so hard on it, and being so happy about it, was adorable....
Macaque insisted on this lie.
Clearing his throat, he looked over to the rocking chair instead. Books and other things were lining the wall. Similar to the spacious living room, there were many baskets of toys and other activities for MK.
"I love your house," he knelt down when MK started up at him expectantly. He cupped his baby's face, kissing his forehead. He was glad his child had been growing up somewhere peaceful like this, surrounded by treats and toys and love.
MK's eyes glimmered with happiness at his Baba's praise, clinging tighter to his hand.
Leading the way to the playroom, MK's energy was infectious as he shared his favorite toys and games. There were puzzles, toy cars, building blocks, and even a small play tent that he and Wukong had set up together. As Macaque looked around, it became apparent that everything had a mix of Wukong's playful creativity and MK's formative imagination.
After sitting in the playroom for a while, going over everything Xiaotian had, MAcaque could hear a commotion outside.
A growing wave of voices, and then Wukong's voice. It seemed he had finally made it back.
Outside, the Monkey King was throwing his arms away, grumbling to the dozens of monkeys at his feet. Despite Wukong intending to just warn the tribe of what was to come, that Macaque was there, the monkey's had taken this as an 'invitation" and all collectively agreed to gather right in front of their King and Prince's home. All wanting to see Macaque.
"I said not to swarm him!" Macaque could hear Wukong outside, followed by many insistent chirps and screeches.
"We aren't swarming! This isn't a swarm!" a sea of voices disagreed.
"This is completely a swarm!" Wukong objected
The voices chirped back, "This is more like a mob..."
Wukong huffed, "A Mob is worse!"
"It's fine!! Where is he?? We wanna see him!" chirps and yelps echoed.
Not that everyone in the tribe personally knew Macaque, but that didn't mean they didn't know "Liu'er Mihou".
Much of the King's past had been lost to time, only truly known to the rare elders that Wukong had scratched out the names of in the Book of the Dead. Only they lingered long enough to know all of the Wukong's history.
Of course, unable to avoid some gossip and a good story, many of them had even shared their tidbits of knowledge and wonder with the younger monkeys of the tribe.
Only a few understood just how important Liu'er Mihou was in the eyes of their King, but all were aware enough to understand that this was a name that was infamous. The Queen of their King.
The man who even just the mention of changed their King's entire mood so drastically- of course they had to meet him and learn his face. They had to.
"The tribe!" MK could hear them too, gushing excitedly. "Baba, come on~" he took Macaque's hand. Whatever anxiety he felt for this moment had to be swallowed fast as his child dragged him to the door.
It was time to see the family again.
Working up a bit of courage, he followed his son to the door. It was a little over-stimulating, but the tribe always was. Stepping through the front door and back outside, Macaque was surprised to see the hoard of monkeys waiting for him.
The tribe had definitely grown in the time he had seen it last.
"He's here!" some chirped, urging the others to stop squabbling with Wukong. Sensing their silence, Wukong turned, standing within the mass of monkeys. Their eyes locked, and Wukong's gaze softened.
Macaque quickly averted his gaze, unable to bear the sight of Wukong basking in the warm glow of the sun and being surrounded by adoring smiles. The scene had caught him off guard, stirring unexpected emotions within him. He hadn't realized how deeply it would affect him until now, as he felt both drawn to and repelled at the sight of Wukong's confident stance and easy charm.
He just needed to focus on the tribe...
He hesitated, nervously scratching the back of his head. His son, Xiaotian, led him down the steps and they stood before the group together, "Everyone look! My Baba!" MK pointed up to Macaque.
The tribe stared at Macaque in shock and awe.
They had heard stories of the King's lost mate. These stories were scarce and shared in utter secrecy to avoid the wrath of their leader- or worse, the mourning expression of him. Some knew the name and his deeds- The Moon Monkey that could bend the shadows to his will, and held the heart of the Sun in his hands.
None knew how to properly envision him from these stories. Yet as they looked at him now, descriptions of the Moon came to mind.
He was like something out of a dream; his features were delicate despite his initial frown, suggesting a man of both grace and might. His skin was like the night sky, smooth and dark that seemed to dance in the sun's rays. His eyes were a deep, liquid auburn, but when he raised them to the gathered monkeys, they looked upon the face of the Moon itself, ethereal and distant. His hair was long and wild, reminiscent of the chaos of the storms.
The young members of the group stepped forward without hesitation, their initial fears and worries dissipating when they heard their Prince call out to this stranger as "Baba." It was clear that this had to be the legendary Liu'er Mihou they had heard so much about. How could they not be intrigued, especially when their Prince's gaze held such deep affection for this man?
The Tribe finally made their move and Macaque's eyes widened in surprise. In a split second, they were all charging towards him with intense fervor. He stumbled back, a smile spreading across his face at the unexpected reaction from the elders.
They chirped and squeaked, cupping his face to make sure their eyes weren't deceiving them. Their Queen had returned!
"Queen! Queen!"
Macaque was pulled and yanked by them, buried beneath a sea of grabby hands and playful nips and kisses. "I'm not- that anymore!" He huffed, forcing his head free to breathe. "And I always hated when you called me that anyway??" not that these were the same monkeys, but old habits seemed to die hard- even for the next generation.
They did little in terms of apology anyway, too thrilled to finally meet him.
Amidst the chaotic sounds of cheers and shouts, MK stood by his Baba's side. His eyes were wide and filled with curiosity as he looked up at the scene before him. The Tribe must have been happy to see Baba again after his journey. Even Dada couldn't contain his big smile as he watched from the sidelines.
MK smiled in return and decided to join the reunion, embracing his Baba's leg with a hug. Macaque looked down with a beaming smile and lovingly caressed the top of his head.
As time passed, the initial excitement of their reunion faded into a more subdued atmosphere. They led Macaque to the cool shelter of the trees and helped him sit down, gently picking at his clothes and hair to groom him. A barrage of questions filled the air, all eager to get to know their newest addition.
Macaque gave his response as best he could, with both Wukong and him exchanging warning glances when the questions became too intrusive, especially in front of MK.
"I went on a trip and that is why I was gone for so long," he concluded, giving a sharp eye to most, reminding them that was the only answer they were gonna get from him and should repeat if MK asked again later. "I'm living here now for a time. To be with Xiaotian,"
"Yeah with me... And Dada," MK cooed in correction, his tail wagging.
"...Right uh- You and your Father," Macaque half mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck. He turned back to a few of the elders to answer their questions.
MK stared.
Macaque kept speaking to the tribe and patting their heads, engrossed in their conversations.
Snuggling against his Baba's side, MK gazes up at him expectantly. As time passes by, MK's cheeks slowly puff out in a pout, waiting for his Baba to notice him once again. He absentmindedly played with the loops on Macaque's belt, trying to grab his attention but failing as his Baba refused to make eye contact.
He glanced at his father, who had his hands full with two mischievous young monkeys that kept trying to pounce for Macaque. Noticing his son's pouty look, Wukong tilted his head, "What is it?" he mouthed.
MK silently pointed to his Baba, as if that was all the explanation needed. He then mouthed, "When is it my turn?"
Wukong flashed a mischievous grin, leaning in towards his child. "Sometimes you gotta share your Baba," he flicked the tip of MK's nose with his finger.
"...But why??" MK huffed again, his tiny voice filled with frustration and impatience. At just two years old, almost three, he had a limited understanding of waiting and it was beginning to show through his whining. And, as history had shown, he wasn't the best when it came to "sharing". As more monkeys crowded around them, he tried to push them away with small, clumsy hands. "All done now," he declared firmly, determined to have control over this chaotic moment.
Despite his insistence, the tribe didn't seem to hear him. The young MK stomped his tiny foot in frustration, his cheeks flushed with anger. His voice grew louder and more urgent as he exclaimed, "All! Done! Now!" His words rang out across the clearing, but still no one seemed to heed his call.
The tribe stood still, their eyes widening as they turned to face the prince. MK let out a huff and clenched his fists at his side - a clear indication of an impending tantrum.
"Oh boy," Wukong was snickering, while Macaque was confused.
"Xiaotian?"
The tribal members glanced at each other before turning their curious gazes toward Macaque. They inched closer, wanting to shower him with even more kisses. But MK put his hands up and said "No!" He shook his head as they persistently vied for Baba's attention. To the surprise of everyone except Wukong, MK suddenly threw himself onto Macaque, wrapping his arms around his Baba's head and exclaiming, "My Baba! It's MK and Baba time now!" He clung possessively to his father, insisting on having all of his attention.
A few monkeys continued to approach, staring at their prince in confusion at how much he was yelling. He seldom got this way with their King, so it was strange to see him get so clingy to Macaque.
Of course, MK had never gone a day without his Father. His Baba was someone Xiaotian had only met recently, and thus, wanted to catch up as much as possible.
Macaque's eyes widened in realization. Suddenly, his tough and stoic expression melted away into one of uncontrollable affection. "Aww, Xiaotian," he cooed in adoration.
MK struggled to drag away the beaming Macaque, who seemed more interested in admiring his child's possessiveness than actually attending to the situation at hand. The young prince proudly declared, "Baba is mine!" to the other members of their tribe, while the other baby monkeys chirped angrily in response, craving attention from their beloved new addition to the family. MK's tiny eyebrows furrowed in a pout as he shooed away the eager infants with swats of his tail, determined to keep his grip on Macaque's face and nuzzle against his warm cheek. "Shoo! Shoo! Baba is MK's! You must ask permission from me," he proclaimed with authority.
"Buddy," Wukong mused, seeing as Macaque was too over the moon to really stop this. As much as he didn't want to put a damper on Macaque clearly loving this situation, he spoke up anyway, "Your Baba isn't a toy. You don't own him," he tried to explain. Cause while this was cute right now, it would quickly divulge into an issue if they didn't nip it in the bud.
MK pouted and protested, "Baba is my Baba!" He looked up at Macaque for reassurance and asked, "Right, Baba?"
Macaque responded by cooing and kissing Xiaotian's hands, affirming, "Of course, I am, Moon Drop. You are my one and only." he lovingly lifted the child into his arms, swaying, "You'll always have me. The tribe, they just want to say hello to me." the child curled against his chest, considering that.
MK perked up and straightened his little face, nodding as if he understood the reasoning. He looked at the crowd of other baby monkeys, chewing his little lip in thought as he took in the situation. He wasn't big on sharing... but... if it made his Baba happy then he could share a little.
He could definitely share with his Dada, since Dada's tail wagged so much when Baba was around.
"Okay," MK murmured, "I will share," he agreed, hesitantly.
With a grateful smile, Macaque handed MK over to Wukong, who playfully tossed the young prince into the excited crowd of baby monkeys. MK screeched in delight as the other babies swarmed around him, each vying for his attention.
Chuckling, the parents leaned back against the shade of the mid-day, basking in the peace. As their son was tossed and ran about, Wukong quietly spoke.
"Did you get a good look around the place?"
Macaque nodded, "It's a nice location," he stared ahead, focused on their son. "It will work for now."
Wukong exhaled, glad to hear that. "Did MK show you the other places other than our main house?"
"No." Macaque answered, noting the bag of food Wukong had settled to the side- and kept swatting the other Monkeys away with his tail. The smell of noodles and rice wafting from the bag. "It doesn't matter which one I use. Any will work." He leaned back, watching when MK ducked out of the sea of Monkeys and ran back on all fours to them.
Trying to outrun the others to get to Macaque first. Like a game of tag as soon as he got to Macaque he circled his Baba once then stuck his tongue out, standing on two legs to make himself bigger. "Rawr!!" he charged back at them, making the infants high tail it back the way they came, chirping loudly.
The babies returned back to their parents, sticking their tongues at MK. Settled back against their parents, with grumbling bellies, Wukong grabbed the bag at his side.
"I'd say it's dinner time," he says, pulling out the take-out boxes.
As the family huddled together under the canopy of leaves, the day turned into a beautiful evening. The babies, now content after their tumble, happily munched on the fruits and nuts with their calmer parents.
MK had seated himself on Wukong's lap as Wukong handed Macaque some of the takeout.
Macaque eyed it, popping open the lid. The veggie option. The broth smelled thick and heavenly. "...You didn't ask what I wanted," Macaque realized.
"I didn't," Wukong offered a sheepish smile. "I ended up just getting what MK and I always get. It's really good, so I think you'll like it," he held up two similar boxes with the same order. Though one was obviously more intended for MK as it came with some crayons duct taped to the side of the box.
"Oo~ Oo~" MK grabbed the crayons, plucking them off the box to stuff into his pockets.
"Now hold on," Wukong says, stopping MK from digging right in to produce a bib from the bag as well. As he tied it around the child's neck, Wukong leaned down to speak in MK's ear, "Hey Star, just wanted to say I'm proud of you."
MK's tail was already wagging, pleased, "For what?" he asked.
"For earlier, with your Baba. It's easy to give in to your emotions, but I'm proud you saw what your Baba wanted too. Sharing is important, but it's also important to consider those around you as well." he kissed his forehead.
MK's eyes widened as he stared up at his Father. Contemplating those words, he stared down at his own hands. Slowly he smiled, pleased. He felt good knowing he did good.
Distracted seconds later by the food, he hadn't noticed his Baba staring at them. Having yet to touch his own meal, he glanced outward. Wukong was... a good Father. He thrived in the role.
Perhaps from experience or just a natural affinity to it, he wasn't sure. He still felt he had a lot to learn.
Taking a bite of the noodles, his eyes doubled in size and the cheer flavor burst his mouth was suddenly tossed to. The noodles were rich and the flavor was deep...
He covered his mouth, startled. He turned the box a little, reading "Pigsy's Noodles" on the side. Pigsy- right, Wukong had mentioned that earlier. One of the reincarnated companions.
"You like it, Baba?" Xiaotian asked, slurping up one of his noodles. "Unkey Igsy makes yummy yummy food!"
"It's-" Macaque swallowed, glancing away when Wukong looked at him expectantly. "Not bad."
MK giggled, kicking his heels together, "Unkey Igsy said when it's my birthday he's gonna make me a big cake! With lots of frosting."
"Pigsy does make good cakes," Wukong agreed, sighing in bliss.
"Oh Oh!' MK gasped, remembering something. "My birthday." He had been counting down the days, putting a sticker on each new day to help him get an idea of how many more days until his birthday. It was right around the corner, with three weeks left. "My Birthday is soon~ I'm gonna turn-" he paused to look at his fingers. "...Three!" he held four fingers up.
Wukong quietly held up three of his fingers and MK mimicked him.
"Three!" he declared again with more confidence.
Macaque offered a smile, "Three already," he mused. The first birthday he could celebrate with his son. The day the eclipse would cover the sky in a beautiful silvery glow.
"Baba come too?" MK asked.
Drawn from his thoughts, Macaque tilted his head, "Come where?" he asked.
"To my birthday," MK says, eyes sparkling.
Wukong cleared his throat to explain, clearly nervous as he knew this might not be something Macaque was interested in, "We always spend the kid's birthday together with his Uncles at Pigsy's shop. Have a party, eat cake, play games... if you were interested..." he trailed off. He hadn't even considered that this was going to cause some complications. Now he was mentally kicking himself. He needed to talk to the gang about this.
"So Baba should come too!" MK clapped, putting his noodles down to crawl to his Baba and stand before him.
Macaque felt his mood drop. Spend time with- no, he'd rather not. Oh but, it was Xiaotian's birthday. Well, surely they could split the time or something. He gets Xiaotian in the morning and then Wukong could take him for the party. "Oh um... I-I mean, I would love to celebrate your birthday, Moon Drop. I just don't think I should go to this party," he cringed, knowing exactly who would be there.
"What?" MK gasped, stunned.
"It's alright bud," Wukong quickly tried to play it off. "You can still see your Baba that day. Maybe you two could do something fun in the morning, and then we go to the party in the afternoon?" he offered, unknowingly thinking along the same lines as Macaque.
Xiaotian frowned sadly, his eyes seemingly twice as big. His lower lip trembled, and then, he lifted his teary eyes to his Father, "B-But it wouldn't be fun without Baba," he took his Baba's hand and squeezed it.
Macaque felt as though he was shot through the heart, "Oh," he whispered.
"..." Wukong leaned over, staring intently at his son in a suspicious manner when he saw his son's tail curl.... Which he only did when he was trying to be sneaky.
"Would only be fun with Baba there," Xiaotian added, giving his Baba the sweetest kiss on his cheek.
Macaque touched his cheek, his eyes sparkling, "...aww...." he whispered weakly, his tail wagging.
"What?" Wukong mouthed soundlessly. Wukong knew Xiaotian meant these words, but also knew that Xiaotian was the champion of getting what he wanted. So with his arms folded, Wukong shook his head, knowing Xiaotian had Macaque wrapped around his finger. "This little sneak," he mumbled.
"Please??" MK was giving puppy dog eyes. "All MK wants for his Birthday is his Baba with him."
"Oooh," Wukong scowled, almost annoyed at how impressively effective that one-liner was. It even felt familiar?? Where did MK even learn to- ah, wait...
Tang.
It made sense now.
"Really?" Macaque whispered.
Xiaotian held his face, "Weally."
Macaque's hand flew to his chest, as if trying to physically hold onto his racing heart. He turned his head away from the scene in front of him, lost in a tumultuous inner debate about his own existence and purpose. How could he possibly deny the opportunity to be present at his son's birthday celebration? It would be their first birthday spent together, and the weight of that fact hit Macaque like a tidal wave of emotion. His mind swirled, all tangled up with guilt and longing.
He was weak. He was weak. He was weak to starry baby eyes!
"...Pwease?" Xiaotian leaned his cheek against Macaque's chest.
...Dang it....
What had he said? I would rather die than see those friends of yours?
"Seems my child is making a liar out of me.' Macaque sighs, tilting his head back dramatically. Then he surged forward and hugged Xiaotian tight, "Alright~ Just for a little bit."
"Yay!" the child squealed, his crocodile tears dried in a moment. Wukong sighs, shaking his head. This was not going to end well...
He better warn the gang.
By the end of the month, Macaque was going to a birthday party.