Chapter Text
“I’m bored.” MK said, from his position of laying on the ground, staring at the sky. The sun would start to set soon, they’d have to get the campfire going eventually.
“You and me both, kid.” Macaque replied, from where he was sitting, lazily leaning against a tree. Wukong was a little ways away, laying down on his cloud. Macaque and MK, to be honest, both felt a little jealous over the fact that he got a cloud while they didn’t.
“...You know, I’m honestly surprised that Monkey King isn’t bored yet too.” MK said. Wukong sat up upon hearing his name.
“You talking about me?” He asked. Upon receiving a nod in response, he said, “I’m just a hair clone. The real Wukong left to go and find some food for you two like, 20 minutes ago.”
“What?” MK and Macaque said, surprisingly at the same time. The Wukong clone glanced between the two of them in confusion.
“Did you two really not notice?” He asked, “MK I can understand, but I expected better from you, Macaque.”
“I... was distracted.” Macaque said.
“By...what exactly??” MK asked, “There is nothing here!”
“I was just... thinking about some things.” Macaque replied, his tail swishing anxiously. Upon recognizing the look on his face, the Wukong clone gave him a soft small.
“You know, Macaque.” He said, “He still lo-”
The clone didn’t get the chance to finish his sentence, as the real Wukong suddenly dropped down from the sky, hurriedly dispelling the clone with a panicked look on his face. He let out a sigh of relief as the clone vanished, but quickly tensed again when he saw the shocked (and a bit confused) looks on Macaque and MK’s faces. Wukong let out a nervous laugh, rubbing the back of his neck while his tail swished in a nervous gesture.
“What was the clone about to say?” Macaque asked, oblivious.
“Nothing!” Wukong rushed to say, “It was probably nothing, just the clone being, um, silly is all!”
Realization of what had just happened suddenly hit MK loud and clear. Almost immediately, he started laughing hysterically.
Wukong smacked the back of MK’s head with his tail.
Macaque was left confused for the rest of the night.
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It was late at night, after yet another day of traveling, and Wukong was awake, keeping guard as Macaque and MK slept.
Or well. At least, MK was supposed to be sleeping. Instead, after Macaque had fallen asleep, MK had climbed out of his sleeping bag, and made his way over to sit by Wukong instead.
“So.” MK started, a teasing lilt to his voice, “When were you going to tell me you have a crush on Macaque?”
“I do not have a crush on Macaque.” Wukong hissed, careful not to be too loud, not wanting the aforementioned monkey to wake up.
“Mhm, sure.” MK said, in a tone that said he didn’t believe him at all. “And if you aren’t in love with Macaque, then what was your hair clone about to say, huh?”
“It, I-......” Wukong sighed, tail drooping as he realized he was not going to convince his successor of anything other than the truth. “.....Stupid clones don’t know how to shut up. Fine. Yes, I........love him.....”
MK smiled at first at getting his mentor to admit it, but that smile slowly faded when he realized how upset Wukong looked.
“...Why do you look so upset by that?” He asked.
“Because!” Wukong said, “How could I still love him!? Especially after what he’s done to you?!”
MK was silent for a moment at that, his tail swishing in contemplation.
“I’ve.... already forgiven him you know.” He eventually said. Wukong, who had slouched down a little during the silence, sat up straight in surprise.
“What? Why?!”
“Because he’s helping us now, isn’t he?” MK said, “He’s actually been kinda nice, when he isn’t really trying to keep up that ‘tough and scary’ act. Some part of him must be good, we just got to wait a bit for it to show a little more. It’s totally fine by me if you love him.”
“I....guess so.” Wukong said. There was once again a moment of silence, until MK smirked.
“Also, I just find it really funny that your type is ‘dark, edgy emo boy’.” He teased.
“Shut up!” Was Wukong response.
The two of them quickly dissolved into light hearted bickering, and, unnoticed, on the other side of the camp, Macaque, pretending to be asleep, rolled over, pulling his scarf over his twitching ears, and pretended he hadn’t heard anything.