Chapter Text
It'd been about two days since you met Sun Wukong, the Great Sage, Equal to heaven!... Who turned out to be a little bit awkward around you. He was either way too close to you, as if he was looking for something you had, or... Keeping his distance, quite a bit of distance. While you spoke during your first interaction, he seemed tense, then relaxed, often switching between the two when you took notice of his behavior. It seemed he'd learned to read you pretty quickly, but not as fast as you learned to read him. Yet, one thing stayed the same throughout it all: he was smooth with his recoveries. Awkward situations happened often, but he seemed to have a little escape planned every time. Clever monkey, huh!
It was post-shift now, after having clocked out of work a little early since you finished everything you had to do and Pigsy, even with all his power, was quite exhausted. It was another day of MK being a no-show, but at least he called this time to let Pigsy and yourself know why and when. While the swine did not take it very well, he grumbled about at least being grateful MK told him on the phone. To you though, what a little traitor! He was supposed to take some shifts, but so far, he'd run off every day, the first two without warning!
Just as you sat up on your balcony, a cool breeze tickled your back. Its cold-hearted kisses sent goosebumps swimming up your spine... This weather, amazing, and annoying, incredibly annoying. Getting up, you made your way off to your closet, taking in what you could before making your choice. Bad thing is... There aren't very many choices, and the last of what you had to pick was a cloak. A very specific, fancy cloak.
Your mind often wandered to the creature, that strange monkey man who seemed like very fun company... Save for his flirting. The little nicknames just wouldn't leave your mind, maybe you just had a thing for being called a Plum? But then again... Peaches.
A reality somewhat harsh hit you.
Sun Wukong and Macaque, you met them both on the same day, did you not? The absolute definers of a centuries long rivalry that just can't be put to rest, what a problem... And to make matters worse, you weren't a dense little poppy flower- you knew they were both calling you petnames and trying to get friendly with you. They enjoyed your company, just like you enjoyed theirs, but the safety levels are quickly, and I mean VERY quickly retreating. You know that this is the calm before a storm, and the storm would hurt, but you tried to focus on the now. Perhaps there was no real reason to worry? You hoped.
By now, you were wrapped up all cozy-like outside on your balcony. It was nothing impressive, but you liked to just swing your legs off the edge and think. You daydremt of mythical creatures that you couldn't see, losing yourself to the great poison that is the human mind. Perhaps more awaited you in a dreaming realm, but you had no dreaming to do when your legs were starting to get a bit too chilly...
You stood up, using the rail to give yourself something to balance on, but as soon as you did, you felt something bonk against your head- Quite hard actually! It surprised you enough to make you stumble back, but it made you upset as well, as you now had a headache from the childish collision... What did you even- Oh.
"My God you have a thick skull..."
"Speak for yourself-! Oww..." You mumbled, trying to find the source of your pain.
Your eyes met an all-too familiar monkey, who's very own dulled gold eyes were already trained on you... Just upside down. If you did know any better, you'd say he looked a little bit like a superhero checking in, the way he was dangling there using only his tail all smug like. "Macaque, was it?"
The monkey's hands left his head as he turned to look at you, offering you a half nervous smile, half smirk. His expert use of arms and and legs became of note, smoothly letting his tail release the railing above to land before you. How elegant.
The usual person might've been shitting their pants in absolute fear, but you were still rubbing your head. If you had a thick skull, Macaque must have something made of steel in there. "The one and only, Plum."
You managed to dull the ache in your head for now, finally finding his eyes. He seemed pleased, even thought his gaze wasn't on yours, it was on the cloak. With a chuckle, you pulled it a bit closer. "Looks good on me, hm? Thought I'd wash it to get rid of the smell and repurpose it a little, make a few outfits with it, eh?"
"So you didn't plan on giving it back? You little thief," He chuckled, approaching.
He tugged at the cloak until it rested properly before making a few adjustments so it would fit you better. You were by no means a small person, just a bit off average, but Macaque... Macaque was definitely not short, not by a long shot.
"I would have given it back! Just not for a while," You hummed, looking down at the cloak.
You couldn't deny, it did look rather good on you. Maybe you'd keep it, with permission and after paying him back the cost of it of course, because you could always find another! Wouldn't be as cozy though, thats for sure. "Plus, being a thief is better than being a little creeper."
His cheeks seemed to darken, juuuust a little. It was adorable.
"Creeper? How mean, you haven't even invited me in and you're insulting me? Feels like I'm not wanted here." He crossed his arms, brow raising.
The smile on his face was still plastered so smugly, but you were quick to correct. "I didn't- Oh come on," You huffed playfully. "you can come on in, just use the door next time- its a little suspicious when you go in through my balcony."
"Well, this was a little easier than the front door." He commented, entering after you'd opened it for him. "Plus, I wanted to surprise you this time, why'd you think I was hanging there?"
You blinked. That would explain it, a little.. Still a creepy way to drop in on someone but you just brushed it off as monkey stuff. "I don't know, to watch me?"
Oh. Wait, you hadn't meant to say that out loud. The hearty laugh before you easily broke the awkwardness you thought was building. "You wanted me to watch you, little thief?"
"No, but you seem a little shady," You giggled. Perfect opportunity.
Macaque almost visibly cringed, had he not been covering the top of his face. Despite it, he couldn't help the growing grin on his face. "I can't believe you did that. Genuinely."
"I know, I'm so great."
You burst out laughing a few moments after, followed quickly by him laughing as well. You're both idiots in your own nature, and that was just fine. After playing a reverse version of 'the floor is lava' and picking up after yourself (Not that you were a particularly messy person, you just had a few things here and there that were misplaced or unorganized.), both of you planted yourselves down on th couch, talking about things that came to mind. It felt strange really, you couldn't even tell the time was passing, even as it zipped past you and monkey.
"Do you don't like all your ears?" You questioned.
"Nah, hearing things three times as loud as everyone else kind of sucks. Most of the time I just stay in quiet places, or tend not to-.." His voice trailed off.
From your spot nestled beside him, you could see his eyes had shifted from yours. They were no longer focused, it seemed he'd spotted something else of interest on your body. You looked down yourself, and tried to find the source, but alas- nothing.
"Uh... Are you okay th-"
"That necklace." He interrupted.
You realized what he was staring at and shrugged, reaching to touch it. Crooking your head to the side, you revealed it more openly.
"You mean my choker? Its always been there, for as long as I could remember." You absentmindedly spoke, not really finding much interest.
Macaque on the other hand, was entranced. You could feel his breath warming your skin as he got closer, to seemingly examine it. His roaming fingers surprised you easily when he reached to touch the golden band. His claws felt sharp against your skin as they caught on the edges of the band before slipping past the golden necklace. Your face was growing pinker by the minute, soon approaching red when his hand grazed the back of your head, moving aside anything obstructing his path. You could feel it, the palm of his hand and his claws grazing your neck as he searched for the clasp to undo the binding, but there was nothing. Goosebumps had formed on your skin already as you lifted your gaze.
You'd never seen a look so intense, as if he was both angered, and lost in thought. His hand moved to free itself before he leaned back, taking notice of your tinted cheeks and quiet stillness.
You were staring at eachother, counting the seconds that turned to minutes. Something was off about the atmosphere... It shifted. What happened?
Without thinking, Macaque leaned back in, his eyes trained on yours all over as he hovered just inches away from your face. He was still as a leaf, and for once you could see- All six of his ears were attentive to thee. They were focused on you, as you stared back into those eyes of his that seemed to be under-toned with a violet hue. You hadn't noticed before, but there were flecks in his eyes, flecks of shiny gold and vibrant violet. They looked so pretty...
"You have beautiful eyes." You commented quietly, aware of his ears.
He shivered, his eyes dropping from yours as he grew a bit flushed. "... Thank you."
He eased himself down slowly, relaxing against you. The phantom feeling of his hand grazing the back of your neck tickled you slightly, and you couldn't help but reach for him. Your hand made contact with his hair, and without warning, his fur seemed to spike up, akin to a spooked kitten. You offered a slight giggle, watching him force himself to relax. This was new to him, especially feeling your hands... After so long...
"Do you remember anything...?" He asked out of the blue, slowly lowering himself onto you as he stared at you. "Do you... Remember anything about me?"
You just became confused, your hand pausing for a moment before you slowly began to stroke his fur. It felt soft, but almost a bit.. Frizzy.
"What do you mean?" You tried to offer a joking tone, but his eyes only fell with a look of slight defeat.
You didn't know the great storm brewing just behind those dull, golden eyes. Your memory was just a whisper now, something you could not reach anymore. Would you have to re-learn everything you ever knew? Perhaps for the best... But Macaque was conflicted. This could be the best thing for him, but if you remembered, what would become of the two of you if... If you ever remembered? Surely there was a chance you wouldn't, but even then it weighed in on the black-furred creature's thoughts like an infinite pit in a finite room. Would he fall in? Would he succumb to this again? The wrath of a great king was no joke, and no matter what he tried, there would've been little to no way...
His perfect opposite, the golden rising sun ushering out the silver, dusking moon. He did not want to lose, not again, and not for selfish reasons... Or so he told himself. But there was one simple truth, wanting you in itself was nothing but a selfish thought, and neither the sun nor the moon could see that, at least not logically. You were a bystander in a war, involved unwillingly, miraculously given a second chance. Somehow...
But that band you wore round your neck would not loosen. It seemed that he must find another way, another... Method. For as long as a marking such as that bore claim unto you, he would not have you. Not for the entire world.
-
Morning came with a chilly start. Outside, rain fell loudly, accompanied by a few harsh pebbles of what seemed to be hail. It was like nails on a chalkboard to the monkey, who'd ended up falling asleep ontop of you once he'd noticed you too had drifted off. Luckily, he was still fast asleep, but quickly rising at the progressing sound of the loud world outside of your windows. The constant shuffling just atop your abdomen was easily prying you from the little world you'd created in your mind to get away from reality. Soon enough, you were groggy, but awake. Macaque hadn't ceased his struggling, all in vain as he tried to desperately to escape the noise. Despite your state of half-awake delusion, you reached for him. In a moment, he stilled on top of you, relaxing into your hands. You'd covered his ears with your hands, quite easy of a fix, and a nice little hand-warmer!
But, not all was peaceful it seemed. You were still blinking the sticky feeling out of your eyes when the thoughts of yesterday all came flooding back to you. He never responded to your question, did he? What he meant when he asked if you remember? Of course, you couldn't remember a thing past waking up within the city of Megapolis, taken in by the little gang MK had at Pigsy's noodles. It made you a teeny bit sad really, what if you did know him before? What if you were great friends? But you just... Forgot?
Luckily, it seemed logic was, infact, a great took in your skill set. It couldn't have been. You've been here for years, why only seek you out now, years after you have woken and worked? You've created a new life and found new friends, its a bit too late to try and rekindle an old flame, but certainly not spark a new one. Unfortunately, you were dragged from your thoughts when you noticed the monkey slowly coming back to life.
"Mornin' sleeping beauty," You managed to croak.
Wow... Your throat was much drier than you remember it. Also had a bad flavor, eugh... "Oh shut up..." He mumbled, burying his face back into your stomach.
"I have to get up, I'm not letting you keep me from brushing my teeth." You chuckled.
Macaque sighed, but eventually began to roll off of you. The second your hands left his face, he let out a hiss, reaching to cover them on his own. A little bit of pity came over you as you watched him struggle, uncomfortably adjusting the placement of his hands to better suit the pairs of ears he sported. You found it best to probably offer him a better spot, even thought it wouldn't be as comfortable.
"Hey Macaque?" You asked softly, approaching him so he wouldn't have to strain himself to hear you.
He gave you a look of annoyance, as if you couldn't have picked a worst time, but it quickly dissolved when you finished your offer. "Move to my room, its quieter and there aren't any windows."
Correction, there was a window, but after it was broken by some lousy teens with a rock, slingshot, and too much free time, you replaced it with a pretty thick panel of glass. Noise barely got in at that point, and even then, the nail happening now just sounded like soft rain on the inside. He would've declined, had he not immediately rushed into your room and let out a sigh of instant relief. It was relatively organized! The only thing out of place was maybe an item or two that you keep for décor.
He seemed beyond thankful to get out of such a noisy space, casually strolling over to your bed. It was tiny, not that you could fit much else in the apartment, but the snicker Macaque let out was just mean.
"Do little mice sleep here? Seems like it fits a good two."
"Be happy you get a bed, mister I-break-into-my-friends-apartments." You laughed.
He offered a small laugh in return before sitting down on your bed. It was comfy and cozy, but best of all... Completely bathed in your scent. He didn't even have to bring it to his nose to scent the faint traces of peach you bore so naturally. His tail, animated with life, seemed to sway dreamily about as he took a deep breath.
"It was once, plus, it was for good reason!" He countered, watching you dig around for some clothes. You'd been in this cloak all night, and you wanted some proper clothes before the cold actually ended up becoming more of an inconvenience than an enjoyment.
Eventually, you found what you needed and proceeded to head on into the bathroom to take a shower. It was quick, not much to do in there anyway, and you were able to brush your teeth and wash your face as you did every day. Refreshing! + 10 points to your day for starting it off clean, eh?
Eventually, you wandered back into your room wearing your daily attire, and last of all, putting on a mask. You weren't sick of anything, but your immune system was... A bit of a comedian. After gathering your things, you gestured for Macaque to follow.
"Come on, if you're sticking around my house, you're helping me get groceries. I'm STARVING and I know for a fact you haven't eaten since yesterday."
Macaque sighed, getting up. He already missed the smell of peaches on your bed...
"Fine fine, lead the way." He smirked, letting you go on ahead.
"Wait, are you going dressed in that?"
Not that you minded (although it was a biiiit heavy), but he was sort of still in his armor. If he was going to go out, best to wear something a little bit less... Conspicuous. He looked down at his attire, almost in an offended way, before realizing what you were talking about. He chuckled lightly, finally agreeing. However, instead of giving you, you know, a warning, he just started stripping right then and there.
"WHOA MONKEY MAN-" You quickly covered your eyes.
Macaque seemed confused as first before laughing. "Oh yeah! Humans don't like seeing natural beauty, almost forgot!"
That was NOT it, but you didn't protest as he descended into his shadow as if no-clipping right through reality. A second later, he was right back, dressed properly this time. He was wearing what looked like.. A leotard? With a pair of sweatpants that reached his shins and a cropped hoodie. For something so simple he looked... Really stylish. Upon closer inspection, he'd even adorned himself with a few accessories.
"Flattering yourself today, aren't we?" You teased, and he chuckled.
"You look like you enjoy gold, so thought I'd match in my own way." He smiled.
He had a few silver accessories around his neck and clipped to his ears. On his neck, there was a loose, thin chain and a slightly thicker but shorter chain that just barely reached his collar bone, and they came hand in hand with a few very nice looking earrings he'd clipped on. How nice. He genuinely looked like a model if he wasn't wearing such a smug grin.
"Gotta admit, it looks nice." You raised a brow, looking him up and down.
He chuckled at that.
Perhaps starting from the very beginning was just what he needed with you.