Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“...”

“...”

A piece clacked against the white and black surface. 

“I would say ‘Checkmate’ but..." Macaque drawled, contained laughter wrecking his shoulders in slight trembles that was unlikely to miss. “This barely counted as a fair round, didn't it?”

“That's your fault for teleporting the chess pieces away when I'm not looking?!” MK angrily bit.

Macaque held his stomach as he slightly doubled over. “That―ahaha―hah―I won't deny but―”

The older monkey slightly looked back at his fuming boyfriend and then further doubled over in snickering. “Did you really have to eat the chess pieces?”

“As a matter of fact, yes.”

Very confidently answered by MK.

With arms crossed and expression nothing more than a dead fish stare. 

Macaque laughed harder. 

“We don't even have half of the chess pieces to put back in the case! Buddha―” Macaque shook with the strain of not deciding to just topple over the chair and go ahead to shake Wukong awake to question how he even managed to keep his ridiculous disciple alive. That or Pigsy. 

He held no responsibility for this. 

He convinced himself of it as MK squinted thoughtfully at him. 

MK opened his mouth―

“Dang, can I eat Pigsy's noodles like this?”

―and Macaque stood by his choice. There was no helping this guy. 

They later got scolded by Pigsy. Both of them. Unfairly if you asked him.

Still, Macaque would have minded more if he wasn't busy trying to not lose it when MK said that it would just ‘get out’ of him soon enough.

In the account of his remaining sanity, he had no excuse as to why he loved that idiot. 

Chapter Text

"Can you let go of me now?"

"No."

"Oh you big, big puppy." 

MK nuzzled stubbornly on Macaque's middle, arms circling around him in a tight grip.

Macaque sighed fondly as he reluctantly patted the messy mop of hair that brushed over his hanfu with each motion. Internally he noted that he might have MK's shampoo smell stuck to him, a totally not unpleasant thought. 

A bark alerted him of the dog that still sat down near them, tilting his head curiously at how both of them huddled close and glued in place. 

Macaque offered the animal a sheepish smile as his fingers continued to thread the brown locks. 

That's right. It had started with this dog. 

A sweet guy that Macaque wasn't sure where he had come from. The most likely possibility was that he was lost from his owner―the collar on his neck jingled with a chime of the metal plate against the leather material. 

He had barked at Macaque before seemingly deciding to ask for affection as it had sat down next to Macaque's leg and looked up expectantly. 

Macaque had immediately relented to his wishes and crouched down to pat him carefully. 

MK who happened to finish his shift right at that time and had gone out to meet Macaque who was waiting for him of course saw the scene and apparently decided to be jealous of a dog out of everything else. 

It had led to the now, MK sticking to him like a parasite and demanding a thousand times more pats than the ones he had given to their guest. 

What an embarrassing thing to be doing outside. Especially as the unaware creature looked at them so innocently. 

Macaque smiled wryly at him. "Sorry, bud. My boyfriend is a troublesome one, you see. I'll give you more pats later."

MK whined then. "No!" 

Macaque bursted out in laughter from it―shoving his face into the top of MK's head. "You gotta be kidding!" He had a shit-eating grin hidden into the soft strands. "We have to get the lil guy back to his owner, hun."

"Later."

The snappy reply that MK muttered had Macaque once again laughing breathily. 

The lost pet remained by their side with a curiously wagging tail as the couple didn't move even an inch from their spot. 

Later they did search for the owner together after Pigsy personally kicked them away with an angry shout of 'Don't flirt right in front of the shop!'

All things considered, maybe they should get a pet. 

Chapter Text

"Nh."

MK squeezed his eyes close as his lover gently kissed his forehead while they sat in front of each other so closely. 

Macaque hummed satisfyingly, leaning away after the simple touch of lips, playing with MK's bangs as he rubbed the spot he had kissed before. MK's red bandana hung loosely around his neck after being pulled off its usual stationed place. 

MK gazed up at the older monkey in curiousity. "...You always do that."

"Hm?"

"Just now." MK tried to specify. 

"The kiss? Why? Can't i?" Macaque raised a questioning brow at him.

The nimble fingers didn't stop playing with his brown strands of hair. MK was sure Macaque was only half-tuning to the conversation. 

MK gently took Macaque's wrist to direct his palm onto his cheek, leaning into the contact. "It's not just that..." He mumbled into the air. "You like, kiss my forehead everytime you pull off my headband and... yeah..."

Macaque's ears flicked and danced with the quiet explanation―his jet black fur unfairly giving him a one up at masking his expression in the darkness of MK's room. 

With only the moonlight to support him and his own training with Monkey King that he would proudly brag that it helped him a lot, MK could at least see that Macaque was surprised to a degree. That and maybe a little bit of something else. Flustered?

"...Ah."

Macaque let out in the end. An ending to a statement. Untamed reaction that escaped from the lack of better ideas to throw it back. 

MK narrowed his eyes this time. 

"...You got an idea about it?"

Macaque sighed. "Well, sort of, more like―"

"You were doing it unconsciously?" MK cut him off.

Macaque smiled wryly. "Bingo."

MK made a face. "For real? You always do it."

"That's why I'm surprised myself, kid." Macaque huffed―"You don't have to say it," he grumbled―before using both hands to mess up MK's hair which of course raised a yell of protest out of the hero.

"Ack―stop that―"

"Ahaha―"

"You're such an asshole―"

The laughter from Macaque combined with MK's annoyed groans repeated until it mingled and spreaded and mixed together into a blend that led them to lay sprawled beside each other on the bed. 

It didn't take long for Macaque to gesture with open arms and have MK shifting to lay on top of him inside his awaiting arms. Macaque immediately went to play with his hair once again, caressing the unruly ones to rest in the peaceful heaven.

The long discarded bandana from the shuffle at the corner of his vision made him hum thoughtfully.  "So, why did you always do it?"

Macaque chuckled. "You're still on that?"

"I know you enough to know that you mess with me to avoid answering things." MK nuzzled into the embrace that had started spooning him. It was warm. 

"I guess that's true." Macaque sighed again. 

MK hurriedly added, "But if it's something hard to talk about―"

Macaque shook his head as he inhaled MK's scent. "It's fine. Like I said, I was just surprised myself."

From MK's view, after straining to look up at Macaque's expression even in the tangled up position, the other did look quite bashful about it. Awkward. A rare sighting. 

"Your forehead is usually always hidden by your trademark bandana, right?"

"Uh-huh."

"It's a place that was off limits to most people's sight. The skin there." Macaque chuckled softly. "I ended up always kissing that place whenever my eyes landed on it. You can call it claiming in a way."

Macaque smirked playfully. "Only I get to kiss that spot. Hopefully."

"Wha―" MK almost loudly exclaimed. "That's corny, eugh."

Macaque snorted. "Whatever. You satisfied now?"

MK let out an 'ehhhhh' that prompted Macaque to ask 'What now?' in his famous so-done tone. 

MK pouted. "It's unfair you get to claim and I don't."

"You just said it was corny." Macaque deadpanned. 

"That is that and this is this!"

Hearing MK's outburst, Macaque seemed to sigh in fond exasperation.

"What then?"

It was asked softly in the way that it was coaxing and calming. 

MK answered just as tenderly, if not with more care than what was asked of him―words that tried to protect than hurt even when it might be unavoidable. 

"Can I kiss the scar on your face?" MK uttered in reverent. Loving. 

Macaque widened his eyes. 

Seconds after, his gaze softened back in the face of MK's patience. 

"...I would love that."

Spoken as a secret between their heat. 

Their distances disappeared as lips touched the place that had given up on being loved before. 

Chapter Text

Cold.

Macaque exhaled long into the winter air. 

Snow covered everything as far as he could see, painting them white like an untouched canvas. The breeze of wind brought an added chill to the already cold temperature. 

Buried in white. Everything and anything. 

He was a dot that stood on the blank paper.

Normally, he would hate it. The season as a whole and the cold that always accompanied it. 

The way that the world fell into silence―a deep slumber. 

A strange feeling when he was so used to all the sounds. So used to the signs of life everywhere he went as long as he let his ears lean to it. 

Normally, he would surely hate it.

Yet...

"Is it helping?" MK asked earnestly, worried for his lover who always ran colder than most people. "The scarf, I mean."

Macaque inhaled the scent of the scarf. It smelled like MK. Though maybe it was given considering that he only just got it from MK today right before their walk. 

A hand-knitted gift. One that was made thicker than his usual one. Still red, soft, and felt like home. 

MK was a crafty one, he knew that since long. 

But he still was pleasantly surprised when MK had rushed to him with the gift tucked so comfortably in his arms, cradled preciously with a shy smile. 

MK had bashfully explained that it was something meant to complete Macaque's winter getup with the coat that MK had previously convinced Macaque to buy for the season. 

"It'll look good on you!" MK said excitedly. That was all it took. Honestly, MK could get him to agree just with about anything. 

MK had also gone to the length of offering to help Macaque wear the thick scarf, saying that Macaque needed to dress warmly for the weather before they go on their date―a simple walk to anything they would decide they want to do or buy along the road. 

Macaque would have refused and said that he could wear it himself―knowing that MK just enjoyed any excuse to prod at Macaque―if it weren't for the fact that he himself didn't really hate the attention. 

Hands that carefully put the scarf around his neck, patting at them and fixing it so that it would fit snugly and appear as fluffy as possible―contrary to the shadow monkey's held-up vibe. Gentle touches―simply brushing―on his cheeks, affections that conveyed adoration even if faint, even if feather-light. 

The smile that he had seen after letting MK complete his mission of making his lover as dumbly soft as possible was worth it in his opinion. 

That's why.... even if he used to hate this season―

Just for this moment―this second where they linked their hands together and walked along the frozen bushes and warmly lit shops―

"It's warm." Macaque finally answered. 

"The scarf, I mean," He elaborated. Liar. "Thanks."

MK grinned. "You're welcome."

His grin was of one that looked like he was the one who received a gift. Macaque huffed amusedly. 

―He didn't hate it very much. The comfort that gathered and snuck into the nooks and crooks of his being. 

He was warm. 

Chapter Text

Palm to palm, hands clasped together, pushing at each other in a wrestle for an absolute goal. The two of them sat on the bed―more or less, one of them more like halfway to being slammed down and the other hovering over them in an attempt to gain an upper hand.

Macaque tried to emulate a smirk but it would always fall short from the annoyed grunts that escaped him whenever MK would push back stubbornly. His legs would get cramps from this position too if it went on for too long. 

MK shot him a glare. Nothing too intense but that was expected of the hero. It tried to chew more than rip, inconvenience being the most prominent and anger never to the point of biting in. 

Alike to a small animal his lover was. Constantly coming with a new idea his lover was. 

Macaque pushed harder back and MK disgruntledly whined, "Why are you so mean?!"

"You're the one who sneaked inside to put that thing on me."

MK tutted at him even if shakily from the strain of holding off Macaque from fully pining him down. "That thing is a bunny ears headband! And they are super duper cute!"

"Is that so?" Macaque sneered. "Then you wouldn't mind wearing it yourself, right?"

"Pass," MK said monotonously. 

"Why?" Macaque asked exasperatedly. 

"There's no point if you don't wear it! I want to see you wear it!" MK obnoxiously whined. 

Macaque thought he might as well kiss him harshly until he lost his breath if the younger kept whining at him like this situation was even his fault. Truly a time to be alive. Well, it wasn't like he didn't sign up for this. He definitely did sign up for this. But with all that said, he should be allowed to at least wish for MK to make it make sense first before he comes running at Macaque with a bunny headband. 

"I'm already a monkey, MK." 

"Not a bunny," MK said flatly. "Not a cat either. Oh! Do you prefer cat ears?!" MK's voice ended up asking excitedly at the end with the lilt of someone who just made a discovery. 

"I prefer to be out of this conversation."

Macaque had to face a whine again from MK at this brunt reply but it gave him a chance to overpower MK who let his guard down. He pushed forward and had MK's both hands pinned down besides his head―easily straddling the other. 

"Oof."

"There, you lose so..." Macaque trailed off

"Don't want to," MK curtly replied before he stuck his tongue out. "You wear it."

"Listen here, you brat..."

Macaque's start of a protest was then cut off again by his sparkly eyes that lit up from another idea. Macaque definitely didn't want to hear it―

"We could just both shapeshift bunny ears!"

―Oh here they go again...

Chapter Text

"...Pigsy?...Yeah he... okay............take.....home"

Snippets of conversation he thought he could hear. Though, was it really a conversation? He felt like there was only one voice talking... Ah his head really hurt. 

MK blinked awake sluggishly, strong needle-like pain throbbed in his head, dizzying sensation rendering him unable to quite catch up with the living world, consciousness still flickering in and out.

Beep. The sound of a phone call being cut off was something that he clearly registered first.

Along with the footsteps that rang with his own headache. A black blob on his vision. He recognized it as another person, crouching over him. 

MK realized then that he had slouched and leaned and dragged his body down a wall until he laid half sprawled, only barely awake and back faced onto said wall. He couldn't really pinpoint where he was  tho even when he was starting to gain consciousness again right now. 

Macaque's unreadable look greeted him when he could finally see better. It was quickly wiped off with a pissed off smile. 

Uh oh. 

"Did you finally wake up, princess?"

It was said so sweetly like honey slowly trickling down your throat but the perfect smile was definitely carved on in anger no matter how you look at it. The brighter a smile from Macaque was, the higher chance it was meant to shower prickling 'Are you fucking kidding me' words or the like. 

He was angry. That was the undeniable truth. 

"Macaque....?" MK tried before his voice tipped over into a groan.

Seeing it, Macaque sighed. "You can get scolded all you want later. By both me and Pigsy."

Macaque shortened their distance, circling his arms around MK as if embracing him in the odd stance. "Let's just take you home first."

The lull of Macaque's voice in that sentence―whispered beside his ear―was the last thing he knew before his world was drastically changed. His sight went up off the ground part of the road to the sky and at Macaque's calm face. 

MK realized with a start that Macaque had scooped him up into a bridal carry, jostling him in his arms―one comfortably below the bend of his knee and the other around his shoulders. 

MK gasped before he weakly glared at the older of the two who only smirked. 

"What? Don't like it?" Macaque cooed, obviously entertained by the intimidation that MK couldn't get to work with how he trembled from exhaustion. Macaque tutted, "If you don't like it, then don't work your power to a full drain. Monkey King's power or not, you're not invincible."

While teasing, there was something heavy silently hidden in how Macaque had said it, a hint of worry that even the out-of-it MK could catch. 

"...Sorry," MK mumbled quietly. 

"...It's fine." Macaque looked straight ahead and from where MK looked up at him, he appeared to be looking far away to somewhere that maybe MK couldn't ever reach―the past that MK couldn't have existed in. 

His heart ached somehow and he nuzzled closer to the other, his cheek flat against his chest in an attempt to hear the beats. In an attempt to stay deep inside him. 

Macaque chuckled. "Aren't you a spoiled one?"

MK smiled despite the drowsiness that creeped in on him. This wasn't the best thing to happen but...

MK enjoyed the warmth that enveloped him. 

He could deal with their scolding later. His tired mind just wanted to exist in this moment. 

It wasn't so bad...

"You could have carried me in other ways."

"Would you prefer to be swung over my shoulder like a sack of potatoes?"

"Ah, never mind."

Chapter Text

The heavy silence blanketed over them as the brightness of the sun pricked MK's eyes as much as the glare of the one in his arms. 

"When will you stop glaring at me? This wasn't even my fault!"

"Shut up." Macaque said curtly. 

"Meanie." MK pouted. 

It really wasn't his fault. That much MK could guarantee. No normal person would be expected to know that it would be raining monkeys that day―or just one especially grumpy monkey who just decided to fall from the sky or well, from wherever the shadow monkey had come from. He could proudly say this time that he had nothing to do with whatever caused the string of events to lead here. Whatever had happened to make Macaque seemingly fall from the sky and into MK's awaiting arms that had been stretched out in reflex, he held no responsibility to it. 

Though it didn't really change the fact that Macaque was still glaring at him. 

"Glaring at me won't really do anything..." MK sighed before he shifted his arms to hold Macaque more comfortably and Macaque flinched from the movement in alarm. MK hushed him, "It's fine, it's fine, I'm just getting a better hold."

MK started walking after he deemed it to be enough. The part of this city wasn't one too crowded so MK didn't have to hurry as far as he was concerned, walking onto a path that he very much had carved into his memory―the usual path to Macaque's abode. He didn't feel like carrying to his place instead and possibly risked scaring Pigsy into the next week. 

Macaque scrunched his nose in annoyance. "You might as well put me down."

MK made a noise as if he was giving it a thought before he drawled, "Nahhh―"

"Your leg." MK glanced at a darker patch that was starting to form on the red fabric. "It's hurt, right?"

Macaque stared wordlessly at him, his arms crossed over his chest, appearing to be unimpressed yet the slight rise of his brow told otherwise. 

MK grinned. "Of course I would notice. I'm your super amazing boyfriend, aren't I?"

Macaque scoffed. "Well, I guess you pass just barely as a normal human being with a normal functioning brain."

"That's harshhh." MK dragged the last letter with a singsong tune to it. 

Macaque shrugged, closing his eyes in defeat. 

"Wasn't really gonna ask what you were up to but..." MK trailed off in a laid-back manner. 

Macaque peeked one eye open. "It's nothing bad, if that's what you're wondering."

MK hummed cheerily. "Guess I'll have to trust you on that."

"...Just like that?" Macaque asked with a certain disbelief like always. 

It always weirded MK out that Macaque seemed to rather not want to be trusted despite his talk about him manipulating people to get what he wants. Don't people who manipulate or stuff kinda aim to be trusted?

Macaque really needed to realize that he was contradicting himself in a lot of things. 

MK smiled. "Yep, just like that." 

"...Huh." 

"I wanna hear it later, of course! But we gotta get you treated first, yeah?" MK grinned brightly, closer to Macaque's face from leaning forward and his arm around Macaque's shoulder that pulled Macaque in slightly. 

Macaque blinked confusedly, now with both eyes widened and caution bleeding into the heat on his cheeks. "You're unbelievable."

MK laughed as he backed away and resumed his light steps over the tranquil road. "I'd prefer if you just thanked your super amazing boyfriend over here."

Macaque gained his composure soon after, letting his weight settle more into the other's arms as he chuckled deeply. "Sure."

"Thank you, my hero."

A teaseful remark that was uttered with a content smile. 

And the most wonderful expression that responded to it. 

A smile like an angel.

"Anytime!"

Chapter Text

"Pfft―"

"Do not."

"Ahahahahahahahaha―ack―agh―" Cough. Hack. The resounding laughter stretched out until it cut itself off into hacked coughs, the act of breathing very much getting in the way. 

"You are laughing too much." Macaque frowned with a distinctively annoyed glare―narrowed eyes biting into MK's form with its line of sight. 

"Hah, you know you can't expect me not to laugh." MK wiped the beads of tears from his eyes, the hilarity of the situation really getting to him. 

Macaque bit his lip in thought, tilting his head in zoomed scrutinization at their cause of dilemma with his hand propping his chin.

Seeing that, MK came even closer to Macaque's side and leaned his head on the celestial primate's shoulder as he copied the other's thoughtful look. 

Macaque smiled slightly from what he caught of MK's actions at the corner of his vision―It was just too cute―before he shook his head and gestured at the counter to MK.

"What is even that?" Macaque asked accusingly even when he had a hand in the matter. 

MK took it in stride, beaming up at Macaque. "A special menu?"

Said special menu lounged on the counter, its whole appearance only spoke of calamity―black and blue gooey blob placed on top of a clean plate, drizzled with some kind of sauce that didn't look any better, all red and yellow mashed up horrifyingly. The mint and diced red onions on top of it was just plainly sad. 

"Do you even remember what we were trying to make?" Macaque found himself asking, despite already knowing the answer. 

And as expected, 

"Nope!" 

MK cheerily answered, almost too bright and seemingly too drunk on something―maybe drunk on air if he wasn't already this ridiculous usually. 

MK grinned mischievously. "Do you, then?" 

Macaque blinked owlishly before he finally let out a chuckle. "Ah, I can't remember either."

"Right? Totally not our fault! It is a 'Forgetful' day~"

Macaque sneered. "When did anyone decide such a ridiculous day?"

"Just now. Me." MK flatly replied as if it would make it make sense.

Macaque leaned his head right on top of MK's head, their position awkwardly stacking on top of each other like and it raised another chuckle out of Macaque before he circled his arm around MK's waist. 

He knew the reason for all of this. 

"When was the last time you slept?" 

MK squinted, interrogating a mini version of him in his mind. "Maybe like... Wednesday?"

"It's Saturday right now."

"Ah." MK let out in realization before he directed the asked question back, "When did you sleep then?"

"Not for a few days back, no." Macaque mused with a smirk that slowly curled his lips up. 

No wonder their cooking resulted in such an abomination. He should have known nothing good would come out of their barely working hands and brain. 

He guessed it could be something to remember for next time. 

Macaque kissed the top of the messy hair that tickled him as the owner was starting to doze off on his shoulder. He whispered in a coaxing manner and MK promptly giggled from it. 

"Sleep first?"

"Sleep first."

Chapter Text

MK sighed loudly, wiping the sweat off his forehead before starting to shrug off his jacket, the fatigue of the day finally catching up to him when he finally could retire to his room. 

Now standing in the middle of the messy little apartment that he had―faintly listening to the weird song Pigsy sang downstairs as he closed the shop for the day―MK thought carefully, weighing between taking a nap before dinner or playing a few games.

It's still kinda early. 

As soon as he thought that, a click was heard loudly inside the small space―followed by the cool wind of the early evening that slipped inside and had MK shiver a little. He snapped his head to look at the intruder already inviting himself inside. Ah, the usual...

"You could just go from the front door, you know." MK scolded the older monkey.

"Could. Not a chance though, I'd have to go through Pigsy." Macaque only flicked his tail annoyingly as he replied with a smirk. The movement itself resembled a pout in the monkey's eccentric ways.

The tail was always more honest than the expression, it seemed. MK was somehow convinced that Macaque's coy expression might have been stitched onto his face all along. The only fatal argument to this theory were the occasional expressions that MK has witnessed. Several being variations of frustration, confusion, surprise, anger and the like. And the one MK most cherished and treasured of course were the flustered or fond ones; This one in particular MK was proud of and thankful to be allowed to see. 

MK shook his head in mirth as he sauntered over to the other―discarding his jacket and bandana somewhere on the floor. He could see how Macaque's ears flicked in disapproval at the careless disposal. He thought it was too cute. 

His ears are as pretty as always. 

MK smiled as he nodded to his own thoughts, standing in front of Macaque who only raised a brow in question of what he would do next. He felt the stare was really asking 'Gonna kick me out?' when he tried to read it. Impossible. But if Macaque really thought that, then he was so much of a bigger idiot for even thinking MK could ever do that to him. 

He was weak to Macaque and that much was obvious to everyone else. 

MK sighed fondly. "Pigsy already knows you go here all the time. Nothing to lose, right?"

Macaque glanced away with his arms crossed over his chest. "A lot to lose. Like my pride."

"Awww."

"Shut it." Macaque pointedly said. 

MK sighed again, his exhaled breath turning into a fog as he realized the door to the balcony was still open. 

MK passed Macaque and closed it quickly in simple strides before he trudged over to the edge of his bed all the while Macaque's eyes followed him. The bed dipped beneath his weight as he sat down and immediately graced Macaque with his gaze and ultimate attention once again. 

MK beamed, holding his arms out. "Come here!" He exclaimed while opening them as far as he could in a bold request. For Macaque to give in. For Macaque to sink in. For Macaque to rely on. 

Macaque's expression shifted with surprise before he huffed almost irritatedly but still affectionate somewhere in between, striding fast to further decrease their distance before he lunged into MK's arms and sent them down onto the mattress. 

MK shrieked in delight as Macaque laughed with him, nuzzling his nose against MK's neck and mouth latching onto one spot to start sucking sweetly―blossoming a hickey into existence. 

MK giggled from the feeling of it, readily wrapping his arms around Macaque and squeezing him tightly which earned him a grunt out of the grumpy monkey and a more stubborn nudge of his nose. 

They enjoyed the tranquility that quickly settled around them, a contrast to their hectic day. 

MK dropped a kiss on the top of Macaque's head as he said, "Welcome home."

Words that didn't fit the small place and the messy arrangement of furniture. 

Words that still brought warmth nevertheless. 

Macaque buried himself further into MK, almost melding together. Wishing they could meld into one. Not one that could be permanently done but at least―

"I'm home." 

―They would always come back to each other. 

Chapter Text

MK leveled Macaque with the most flatly disappointed look that he could manage. Macaque himself was forced to sit down obediently on the floor in front of the frankly annoyed hero of Megapolis. 

"Care to explain why you have these?" MK asked slowly as if to test his patience but in truth was making sure that Macaque very much knew he was not getting out of this so easily. 

"Tch."

"Don't take that attitude with me, young man." MK scolded him exaggeratedly on purpose. 

Macaque raised a brow, a thin frown taking its place. "I'm way older than you."

"Right, right." MK pinched the bridge of his nose with a dramatically long sigh before he peeked one eye open with a sly grin. "I forgot you're the grandpa."

The corner of Macaque's mouth twitched in held back irritation, an obviously ticked off smile in place as he jeered, "Oh you're on."

"Nuh-uh." MK flicked Macaque's forehead and it had the other almost wanting to snatch that arm and bite it in spite. "I'm asking why you have a folder of my photos taken secretly."

Macaque tilted his head. "....It's not like it's anything bad, right? I'm your boyfriend." 

In a way, it was true because all of it was just photos of MK in his usual routine, things he did in a day, but still.

"It's not―Wait, did you think this is normal?!"

"Of course not, are you dumb?"

"You're the dumb one!" MK whined and Macaque made a face that was obviously trying to say 'Wow, you can't be serious'. 

MK wanted to wipe his incredulous look off. The one who put them here is Macaque, not me! "You took them from a close distance without me realizing too."

"Well..." Macaque made a show of flicking his fingers, making a portal appear somewhere to the side. "I got this power so that's your answer." He smirked so satisfyingly, looking boyish somewhat from his usual cunning appearance. MK couldn't lie and say that it didn't make his heart jump right there. Agh, stupid crush―oh wait, this is my boyfriend. 

"Stalker." MK flatly replied despite his inner thoughts. 

"I'm quite aware."

"That doesn't make it better just so you know." MK sighed. "At least tell me why?"

If it weren't MK's imagination, he would say Macaque was blushing right now, a faintly different kind of red smearing near his red mask. Oh he actually is!

"Don't you tell me you actually use this to―"

"No."

"Then why?" MK repeated impatiently. He was this close to bursting from curiosity. 

Macaque peered up at him with a squint of his eyes, gauging MK's expression―he did it a lot before saying anything important just to try and predict what MK's reaction would be after.

"If I say―" Macaque moved to kneel and then stand up to cup MK's face with his hand, closing in their lips' distance― "that I like to see it whenever I miss you, what will you do?"

That is cheating. MK's mind immediately complained but his heart was always in a different path. 

MK moved to nip at the other's lips and Macaque seemed to be too proud of himself for it. Geez... "Fine, we'll talk about it later."

MK gazed at him with a pair of hazelnut eyes that hid a swimming heat in it. 

"....Just kiss me already." 

"Roger."

Chapter Text

If everything was made to be wished upon, would the stars still remain special? 

If you could make a wish just by dropping a coin into a fountain,

Would people still choose to climb a mountain, go deep into the forest and far away from civilization to observe the stars' light in its glory just to make a wish upon it?

A sky that held no corrupted layers. A sky that didn't hide the stars.

Would they still search for the falling stars if they had no need for them?

Would they still yearn for them?

"―I think I would still love to see them."

MK grinned brightly like the sun who didn't even need the other stars in the night sky but held Macaque's hand like he was a star made only for him.

It was enough to make Macaque's heart soar.

"I think everyone would."

"You're an optimist." Macaque chuckled hopelessly.

MK pouted, whisper-yelling in the safety of their―Macaque's to be exact―bedroom, "They are pretty, you can't deny that!"

Macaque shook his head, thoroughly done with the other's view of the world―bright and always worth protecting. Something that he learned to wish for too. 

"And you know...." MK trailed off, suddenly squirming and jittery with nerves as if just now finally reliving the embarrassment of his words. Or maybe what he wanted to say next was the cause of it? 

MK grinned a bit shyly and a bit too adorably for Macaque to not zoom in on. "It would look prettier if I were with you..."

The giggle that MK let out after saying such a line was unfair to the bits. It was totally unfair. What was he supposed to do? Not fall for him? Oh wait he already fell for him, making him fall all over again was certainly against the rule. Sigh. 

"We'll go stargazing next time then."

MK beamed and squeezed his hand, the warmth seeping in even to his darkest core. "That's a promise!"

Macaque would like to be applauded that he didn't straight up smash their face together in a heated kiss. Unfair. MK would always unfairly pull Macaque's heart to him. 

With that in mind, Macaque pulled MK against him to cuddle until morning, only soft snores would be left in the dark space. 

Right now, MK was the only star that his night needed.

Chapter Text

Macaque chuckled, a bit unnerved and at the same time entertained at the sight in front of him―the mountain of store-bought chocolates slightly off-balance and some pieces trickling down the side. He contemplated MK who looked excited beside the thing before finally asking, "What is all this?"

MK made a delightful hum as he had both his hands on his waist in a prideful pose. "Why, it's to win the battle!"

"What battle?" Macaque asked with a hint of amusement that he couldn't just wipe off no matter what. At least he would like to argue that it was something out of his control.

"Trick. Or. Treat." MK emphasized every syllable with a bit of moodiness. "I'm anticipating so you can't play a 'Trick' on me!"

"So you have all of these as counter to any of my attempts.... is that right?" This amount is ridiculous no matter how you look at it though. 

"Yep!"

"Aww, you can't trust my 'Trick' that much?"

"Yep!"

"Immediate answer huh." 

Macaque exhaled a breath, highly looking like he was offended but the untimely twitch of his lips spoke otherwise―a held-back smile if anyone could have an opinion about it.

"That's a shame..." He gazed at MK almost alluringly, the words rolling off his tongue in a sultry voice which had MK gulping too soon for the first stage of their standoff. Macaque's eyes crinkled like a cat who caught the mice. "I was planning to thoroughly steal your breath....."

Macaque trailed off before approaching with slow steps that had MK reflexively taking a few steps back before he was trapped into the other's arms. The next words were whispered so intimately close beside his ear, slowly playing a tune it resonated, "...with a deep kiss that the snow white couldn't help but wake up to..." Macaque blowed a warm breath over MK's exposed neck and continued, "That kind of 'Trick', would it be so bad?"

"It's a shame." Macaque ended it with a chuckle. 

MK grasped the back of Macaque's hanfu desperately, a slight trouble in breathing, flushed red to his ears. "You just can't let me win, can you?"

It was uttered so weakly Macaque couldn't help but to be attacked by all kinds of feelings. He ended up expressing it by getting a little taste of MK's earlobe right there in his sight, a nibble that had MK yelping and almost jumping out of his arms. 

Macaque smirked and leaned away to look MK in the eyes. "You already won my heart. It's only fair I get to win everything else afterwards."

His eyes clearly said 'Give up'.

MK pouted but didn't say anything more, closing his eyes with a pointedly stubborn hum, a white flag that signaled Macaque's win and a trap that would only take more of Macaque's heart than it had already won for, alike to awaiting a kiss of true love instead of the passionate 'Trick'

The chocolates were left to only waft their sweet smell as the two lovers couldn't be bothered to care for anything else. 

5 minutes until the mountain completely lost its balance and fell down on the two.

Chapter Text

"Mmm..."

"Does it feel good?"

MK asked quietly, a pleasant giggle slipping in between the whispering as if sharing a funny secret. Macaque's ears reacted to it almost instantly, fluttering against MK's hands that cupped them with the fingers that brushed each of them and slotting between the gaps. 

Macaque released a soft sigh in ease that MK just as softly giggled more at. His half-lidded eyes peered at MK with a sluggishness to it as he regarded the other carefully and answered even if it felt too cozy to even bother to, his voice pulled and put to work it reverberated as he nuzzled against MK's touch, "What does it look like to you?"

MK made a thinking look, tapping a finger against his chin as his face crunched up in deep consideration that was mostly just for show.

Macaque huffed in his mind.

MK smiled satisfyingly after a bit as he leaned far into Macaque's personal space. Not that they weren't already too close, though. "You look sleepy!"

"Full marks." Macaque snidely remarked before he closed his eyes again in an attempt to dive deeper into the comfort and temporary relief of all of his nightmares. "Now let me sleep."

MK blinked a few times before he let out a soft exhaled breath himself. 

Macaque thought that would be the end of it as MK resumed stroking his ears in the silence that was left. 

Peace―

"Macaque?"

―or maybe not. 

"...What?"

"I just realized something, hehe." At least he sounded like he felt bad about it. 

"Hm?" Macaque let out as in a 'Go on' sign. 

"Your ears. The more I look at it, the more it looks like fairy wings," MK muttered in wonder.

"That's.... new." 

It surely was. Especially when the most common comparison that had been made about it when people weren't straight up pointing at it and screaming how abnormal it was was its similarity to lotus petals. 

'Fairy wings, huh.' 

Macaque slightly opened his eyes as if to answer MK's gaze that only seemed to grow more adoring by each second. He wouldn't warn MK that this sort of thing would only increase his ego. 

"Is that just another way of saying it's pretty like you always do or are you just now realizing it looks weird?"

"Wow, you dare doubt my love. I'm distressed!" 

"Offended, you mean offended."

"Ugh, it's up to me what to say!" MK stuck his tongue at Macaque and the older man laughed softly still, every nerve too relaxed to be making any more of a stronger response. 

MK snickered himself too. "I'm saying it's pretty like the fairy wings, by the way. In the first place, who would even think of being compared to a fairytale as ugly?!"

The exclamation that was whisper-hissed like a gossip of a higher up had Macaque smiling more obviously even in his own reflection. He replied to MK just as hushedly, "I didn't say ugly. But you might wanna check the origin of those fairytales, they aren't as dreamy as you think."

He then unnecessarily added, "...well, if you could even read anything that didn't have Monkey King in it."

MK pouted but refrained from commenting because it was true in a way. Inside his mind, he swore he will prove him wrong later. With that, he slightly pinched Macaque's cheek just to annoy the shadow user for a bit before he finally kissed Macaque's forehead, whispering, "Just go to sleep, sugarplum." 

"....That nickname is unfair."

"Hah, too bad!"

MK cheerfully replied as he coaxed his grumpy lover right into a deep sleep and quiet breaths. 

The ears moved under his touch with vibrations that went along with the purring coming from the other. 

MK fell asleep in the following seconds from the spell of the fairy's wings. 

Chapter Text

"Ouch!" MK cried out from the fingers pinching his nose while his own hand retaliated by lightly smacking Macaque's face repeatedly. 

It sure did make the other groan at his so-called 'insolence'. 

MK felt bad, almost. Macaque was the one who started it, why was he getting a mean look for his absolutely warranted reaction? 

MK pouted. "What was that even for?"

Macaque himself seemed to think about it before he smiled very much too brightly on purpose. "To buy time?"

MK squinted his eyes at him and that much was enough for Macaque to know what MK was trying to say with his expression. Though it didn't stop him from muttering under his breath how cute MK looked. It worked well enough for his motive even if MK only looked more complicated by the easy going attitude. 

"Just stay awake for a bit more, kay?" Macaque asked while batting his eyelashes at him and MK made a flustered noise that was close to a blabber. Adorable. 

MK looked like he wanted to protest, ready to make a ruckus inside Macaque's arms and Macaque couldn't let him go when he was already so close to his goal. 

The ticking noise inside his brain played as he squeezed MK tighter against him, the bed sheet already disturbed and blankets tangled over them as well as below. 

"3."

Macaque whispered and MK made a confused face. 

"2." 

A peck to the cheek was given as it was uttered and MK blushed profusely. 

"1." 

A smirk that was too giddy, every part having too much fun. 

Zero. 

Macaque swallowed MK's question into a heated kiss that had the younger immediately grasping the back of his hanfu like his life depended on it―feeling the way his tongue explored the cavern of the other's gum, caressing his gum and inviting the other's tongue to let go into the desire. 

It didn't take long for MK to start pushing back against him and making sure to return the favor. 

Eventually their shared breaths were let off until they were back to gazing at each other. 

The confusion still remained somewhere in MK's pools of hazelnut, half-lidded gaze only waiting and searching. 

The clock's hand had passed midnight and MK's phone screen lit up in message notifications but he didn't notice it yet.

Macaque's look considerably softened and finally, he could be the first one to say it, 

"Happy birthday, MK." 

Even if it might not be the day you were actually born. 

Even if you were born to be something else. 

Still...

"You got a kiss at the first second of your birthday, how does it feel?"

Macaque mischievously smirked.

I'm glad to have met you

The widened eyes and sudden laughter that followed was for no one to know and for them to remember forever.

Chapter Text

"You seem to be having fun. What is that?"

"Gah!"

MK, who had been so taken with the item in his hand―peering inside the optical tool while humming a joyful tune, ended up almost jumping out of his seat from the sudden voice talking beside his ear.

"Macaque!" MK loudly reprimanded as he turned to send Macaque an annoyed look. 

His heart still thumped loudly due to surprise and the remaining sensation of Macaque's cold breath on him. It was enough to remind him that today was unnecessarily colder than any other winter day. He could imagine Macaque sneaked in for that same reason. 

"Yo." Macaque gave no reaction whatsoever to MK's ire. 

"You can't just sneak up on other people..."

"It's fine if it's you." Macaque buried his face onto the top of MK's head as he hugged him from behind the sofa. 

It's not, MK almost wanted to argue but he wondered if the position was even comfortable for Macaque. He imagined Macaque might be awkwardly leaning over for it. But it was quickly discarded as it seemed that Macaque was at ease enough to just start sniffing his hair. 

MK chuckled quietly. 

Macaque popped his face back up from its session of nestling into MK's fluffy locks. 

Macaque tilted his head. "So? What is it?"

MK slightly moved the almost forgotten item back and forth in his hand as he replied, "A kaleidoscope. Here."

MK handed it over to Macaque who looked surprised at first but eventually accepted it, looking into it with his one working eye just as MK did earlier. 

The colors that poured over and attacked his pupils were waived with the light and its too-many-to-count amount. The view was made into a melding colorful glass spinning into a cracked mirror. It was a liveliness too stabbing for his taste. 

Macaque tapped MK's temple with one of his fingers―making MK try to peer up―as he voiced his opinion, "Am I wrong to think this isn't your kind of thing either?"

MK blinked in a moment of slight surprise before he went with 'Ahh, yeah kinda.'

"Actually I have had this thing for a while now. Before meeting you." MK caught the wrist of Macaque's hand that was well way into messing with his hair more. He daringly grinned at Macaque's small pout as he continued with what he was saying, "I can't see the colors before so it was just kind of something I kept to look forward to. Like a dream that could never come true."

"But now..." MK trailed off, meaningfully drawling words that carried the world for him. "I have you."

Macaque's eyes widened as he understood where the conversation was going, his cheeks involuntarily flushing a bit with the heat that rushed to his face. "....So you were so happy looking at it because...."

MK grinned, reaching up to circle his arm around Macaque's neck and leaned his head back to look up at him even if it slightly strained his neck. "Because it reminded me of how blessed I am to have met my soulmate!" 

Macaque felt his dry throat struggle to scrape any words out. "...You're a hopeless romantic."

"Fine with me! Say all you want but life has been really colorful now that you're here," MK spoke tenderly as his cheeks almost hurt from his smile. "I have no intention of letting anyone decide otherwise."

"...Hmph."

"Ah, are you flustered?" 

"Keep dreaming."

The sound of MK's laughter made its way into Macaque's flushed ears, it downturned as if trying to hide itself. 

It's beautiful precisely because you made it so. 

The kaleidoscope proved that my world changed when you came into my life. 

The colors that danced and sparked were only ever prettier because of you. 

"...Both of us are just hopeless."

Chapter Text

The hands grabbing and pulling at his cheeks, occasionally pinching, were unexpectedly fierce. The owner sitting on his lap with an especially conflicted look. 

Macaque himself was at all levels of conflict, not knowing what even brought this on. He had no recollection of doing anything particularly bad today and this was their first contact for the day. Immediately being told to sit down and have the other groping at his face as if kneading a dough was not the first in his to-do list. 

MK looked concentrated and that didn't explain anything for Macaque. 

At the very least, MK's tail that manifested even in his human form right now was tightly entangled with his own so Macaque could assume he wasn't exactly mad mad at him. 

"Uhh..."

"...."

"MK―ugh"

"I saw a dream," MK finally mumbled in a small voice, fast enough to sound like gibberish but nevertheless Macaque managed to catch. 

"A dream?"

"You exploded into hundreds of mochi."

Say what now?

MK pulled his cheeks once again and Macaque grunted with it. "I'm making sure you aren't made of mochi....but now i'm even more unsure..."

Macaque made a face that could probably be described as inhumane. That's all it was???

"Pfft. What face are you making?" MK giggled, switching off from his previous gloom in an unreal speed.

Macaque grabbed MK's wrists to halt his grabbing. "Literally this is because of your ridiculous dream! Dammit..."

"Your cheeks are really like mochi, though."

"I'm blaming your dad for making me eat so much," Macaque deadpanned.

"That's because you normally eat too little so Dadsy is not at fault〜" MK singsonged as the grin overtake his expression too quickly for Macaque to catch up. 

Macaque sighed. 

MK looked at him carefully once again before he smiled wolfishly. 

"I'm not satisfied yet so... let me touch you more?"

Oh.

Crap. 

Chapter Text

"So, was it pretty? The horizon."

The question was asked so innocently that one might have thought it was a simple conversation starter.

MK weakly groaned and twitched like a wild animal bothered by a curious person with a branch. Macaque poked him more, the hero laying face down on the ground in the mountain area―grumbling like he was complaining straight to the earth. 

MK only turned his head to the side to throw the most annoyed look he could muster at Macaque who crouched next to him with a serene smile. 

This guy....

It went without saying that just his face was making MK contain all kinds of emotions. If only he could actually smack him with Monkey King's staff right now. If it weren't a trauma for the other, he would have done it already. 

Sighhhhh. "Did you have to do that?"

"You said you wanted to view it from a higher position."

"I did say that. I didn't say to fling me into a portal leading to several hundred feets in the air!"

"That's no way to say thank you..." Macaque shook his head woefully, the act just making MK even more inclined to hurl something at the shadow monkey. 

MK glared and Macaque laughed even more freely. Oh sure, laugh, will you? I'm definitely not getting a new trauma or whatsoever right now.

"You're still in one piece, are you not?"

"Well, thank you for that, I guess..." MK grumbled again and rolled his whole body closer to Macaque's crouching form, looking up at his lover and at the clear blue sky that watched over the meadow. 

Macaque blinked a few times at the sudden turn before he fondly snickered down at MK. 

Maybe the view wasn't so bad....

"It was pretty," MK admitted with a straightforward stare.

"That's great," Macaque hummed satisfyingly.

"Never ever do that again, tho."

"Eh, I'll keep that in mind." Lies. 

As long as you don't truly hate it, I might do it again. 

MK knew that much.

What a troublesome partner. 

"Also I'm gonna puke all over you."

"Hold it."

Chapter Text

"I have thought about this for a while but..." Macaque trailed off, blowing the steam away from his mug of hot cocoa. He sat on the edge of the nest, careful not to spill the drink onto the fort of blankets and their clothes.

"Hm?" MK made a curious hum as he scooted closer to Macaque with his own mug cradled by his palms. That much was a killer sight in Macaque's opinion due to how adorable it was. I want to hide him somewhere far away...

Macaque shook his head to dismiss the thought before continuing with his question, "You really like biting me, don't you? Is it because of your instinct?"

MK slowly lowered the mug that he had been taking small sips from, the lingering chocolate licked away in kitten licks. "Did I do it that many times?"

Macaque raised a brow at that obvious question. "Yes." He drilled that simple answer in before he elaborated in quite a shocked tone, "You did it a lot. Even though we are already bonded and nothing else will happen when you bite me, you keep doing it whenever you see the chance."

"Ah..." MK sounded like he was processing that information himself. "Sorry, I didn't realize that. Does it hurt?"

"Not really. I'm just curious why." Macaque shrugged as he took a sip of his own drink. Hm, maybe a bit too sweet.

MK stared at the ceiling, craning his neck to look up and somehow squinting at the stars painted in his room as if it would give him an answer. "I'm not too sure... I guess it's to make up for the time lost?"

"What do you mean?"

MK smiled sheepishly at Macaque. "You weren't bonded with anyone despite the years you have lived. I guess when I think about that, I couldn't help but wonder how many heats you spend alone....and.....I wanted to make up for it somehow..."

Macaque's eyes widened slightly and he couldn't stop the blatantly incredulous look that he threw at MK. "And your solution was to bite me?"

MK rightfully flushed in a record time, similar steam blowing out from his ears not unlike the one from the hot drink. "W-Well, they say marking bites are special and all so―! I thought if I bite you enough times to bury the times I couldn't have given you one, it would―Ugh, why are you making me say it?!"

"No, no, continue." Macaque inched closer and cooed at the flustered Alpha.

"Don't wanna!" MK whined and turned his head to the side. 

"So you're okay if you can't mark me anymore?" 

"That's..."

Macaque chuckled, the aroma of cocoa mixing with his own plum scent―increasing in its acidity and smokiness as it tried to lure with the hidden secret flavor inside it. 

Undeniable sweetness. This was really a bit too sweet for him, especially when MK immediately froze from his scent and muttered how unfair Macaque was. 

Their matching mugs laid in the kitchen sink sometime after, only waiting some time until they would be served again in tender moments―in quiet times spent by each other's side.

To mark you,

To want you enough times 

To bury those times where you felt unloved

'I'm here' 

Chapter Text

"Should I ask what happened? Or should I just pretend this is normal?"

"Please ask," MK croaked out, posture and voice already all kinds of wrongs. 

"Hah, so, what happened here?" Macaque asked MK who was laying down on the floor with the most tired expression ever, his arms and legs outstretched alike to a star usually seen in children's books. He was merciful enough not to mention that, though. 

"There is this rumor of a haunted building..."

"What a way to start." Macaque snickered.

"Shush. So then we decided to explore the rumored place...."

"We being?" Macaque raised a brow at the melting star below his gaze.

"Me, Mei, and Redson...." MK answered as best as he could with the rapidly sluggishness that seemed to attack him where he was.

Macaque hummed. "Ah, so the red-haired pal who had been quiet in that corner is really Redson then."

Macaque had thought it was his imagination for real with how tame the other was being. The fiery demon sat on a lone chair at the corner of the room, his clothing very much contrasting the creaky old and dark vibe the whole building was emanating when he had first seen it from the outside. 

Redson grumbled into his palms, very much cradling his head in his hands although mostly just covering his face from the shame. "Shut up, you peasant."

"Redson, that is not nice〜" 

"You too, noodle boy."

"Rogeeer." MK readily agreed without any pride or energy left to banter. "You wanna hear the continuation, Maccy?"

"If you don't call me that ever again, sure." Macaque brightly smiled in warning.

MK laughed still. 

"And then we heard noises here. Also things moved on their own..."

"An actual ghost activity?"

"Not. It was actually Yin and Jin's doing." MK sighed deeply, Macaque almost felt pity. "But we thought it was real so...."

MK once again looked conflicted as he pointedly stared up and Macaque understood then. He craned his neck to look up too before he let out a sudden laugh prompted by the silliness of this trio. 

"So you guys panicked and blew the ceiling along with everything above this floor away?"

.

.

.

.

No wonder the building somehow felt shorter.

MK sighed again. Correct answer.

The blue sky greeted them right away if they were to look up, unlike Redson who was still determined to hold his head in hands and look down away from their fumbling result. 

"....Pigsy is gonna kill me..." MK lamented.

"Good for you, then." Macaque replied flatly.

"You are supposed to comfort me!" MK whined while outstretching his arms now to Macaque, making grabby hands, asking to be hauled up and spoiled to death. 

Macaque would gladly do so any time of the day. 

"Eugh, take it somewhere private, you peasants couple!" 

Oh right, Redson was still here. 

MK stuck his tongue out at the steadily getting agitated demon. "Get your own pick up!"

"I'm not as incompetent as you, I can go home by myself!"

Macaque, who was already halfway to pull MK into his arms, smirked as he tilted his head tauntingly at the fire user, "I'm telling DBK you got scared by a ghost so much you almost blew away an entire building."

"What?! But noodle boy also―"

"Ahahahahahaha―"

"Shut it, you imbecile―"

Macaque sighed fondly as he jostled MK into his arms more securely, watching the two continue to banter throughout the entire position shift. This kid is really used to our PDA by now...

Macaque blinked confusedly then as Redson was quite ready to jump at them.

"Wait, where is the dragon girl?"

By the way that MK smiled nervously and Redson who huffed amusedly, Macaque knew that Yin and Jin were most likely in mortal danger.

Their screams and a familiar cackle later followed too soon for Macaque to count this as an uneventful day.

Chapter Text

Hiks. 

"Please stop."

"Uhh... I can't...."

The tears ran down MK's face in earnest, adding a glassy effect to those beautiful hazelnut irises―momentarily closing them to blink away as many drops of tears as it could if only to clear the blurry sight that it caused for the hero. 

Just from watching it, Macaque could feel himself feeling guiltier by the second even if it were not his fault. MK's tears just had a real effect on him, he wouldn't like to test how long he could bear it until he either broke down from the unnerving guilt or from something else entirely―something that he wouldn't really suggest to start in the middle of a kitchen in the first place. 

Yes, they were in the kitchen. More precisely, Macaque's kitchen which had been renovated for a cleaner and more stylish appearance.

Why was MK crying, then? Good question. 

The answer laid innocently on the counter, almost rolling away if it were given any chance or any shake, their round shape just plainly troublesome both for cutting and for keeping still. 

"Ugh, I can't cut these onions with all these tears!"

Onions. 

Yes, onions. 

Yes, he was getting shoved around by MK's teary eyed look. And yes, it was because of onions.

He was getting shaken because of onions. A ridiculous story, indeed. 

Macaque almost wanted to cover his face and sigh so very loudly from the bottom of his heart. He could only glare at the onions that seemed to taunt him loudly and with no remorse. He swore he could see it smiling mischievously. Although that would just end up in him being ordered to sleep. 

"Please stop crying already." Macaque sighed.

"You are lucky that you aren't really affected!" MK replied back at him while squeezing his eyes shut as if that would help wave off the effect of cutting the onions. 

"They affect you by smell, not by getting in your eyes," Macaque said as a matter of fact. 

"Are you telling me to stop breathing?!?"

Macaque would like to appeal that it was not his fault that his face took on a very complicated expression. "...I'm telling you to try not to breathe in the smell right after you cut it each time."

MK sniffed, eyes watering even more as he tried to get what Macaque was saying. He did exactly the opposite by breathing in more when he was lost in concentration. 

Cough. Cough.

"T-That didn't work―"

MK almost wailed and Macaque had to watch those shiny eyes look at him pleadingly with flushed cheeks. 

Okay, that previous guilt sensation was really getting overthrown by that something else. 

Fuck it.

"Let's go to the bedroom."

"Why?!"

Chapter Text

"Having fun?"

The voice seemed to be the one who was having the most fun despite the question. 

Macaque squinted his eyes grumpily at first before the thin line of his lips depicted his disappointment in a more regal way. 

Mei of course took that as an answer of its own as she grinned all annoyingly at both MK and Macaque who were down on the ground for the count. Her posture, hovering over them with her hands in her jean pockets, made a shadow over the two which Macaque was grateful for at least because it meant he didn't have to be temporarily blinded by the sun from his current position. 

The culprit of his downfall was still busy sniffing him out like a dog, nuzzling into his winter jacket persistently and frankly amazingly for his standard. 

Macaque sighed as he thought back to it. 

MK had rushed at him out of nowhere, shouting his name from afar even when it wasn't needed at all, with Mei following on his tail with the most shit-eating grin ever. Soon enough, MK had almost reached him when he apparently had thought it was a good idea to jump and launch straight at him like how couples would after not seeing each other for so long in romance genre movies. 

It had resulted in Macaque being body slammed and both of them toppling down like a domino effect. 

It hurt like hell. The back of his head would agree so. MK should praise him for hugging him even still after the dumbass move. 

"...Do I look like I'm having fun?" He finally answered the dragon descendant. He already knew the answer but there was no way that his pride would allow him to just admit it right away. There was a limit to everything.

Admitting that he was too fond of the bundle of warmth on top of him to even be mad at him was one of those limits. 

Mei surely wasn't dumb enough to not realize that even when the actual answer was denied from her. In actuality, she definitely did. Because she grinned even more widely, wiggling her eyebrows teasingly. What a foolish girl. Foolish me.

"Whatever you say, buddd." She settled on, with the last word dragged out on purpose, before she beamed at Macaque's currently somehow immobile lover. "MK, come on, get off the grump monkey!"

"Mmm...." MK grunted into Macaque's chest. With how much he was trying to dive deeper and closer to Macaque, the shadow monkey felt like MK might as well zip down his jacket and get inside before zipping it up again so that he could hide inside. 

"You said you just wanted to hug him for a bit," Mei mused.

"Five more minutes..."

"He isn't your bed, monkey man." 

Macaque scrunched his face at their casual exchange that was done as if Macaque weren't directly under them both. "What is this even..."

Mei tapped the corner of her phone against her chin, seemingly observing the two of them amidst the snow that covered all parts of the city, her scarf blowing in the wind and throwing attention away from her unmistakenly adoring look at her best friend. "MK said he hadn't seen you for a week so he wanted to get a sniff before we go on with our yearly snow fight." A sniff???

"Really."

"Yep." She giggled almost helplessly. "But now he just sticks to you. Whatever should we do, heh?"

MK grumbled. "Wait, I'm coming...."

Macaque had to ask the first thing that came to his mind. "How did you both even find me?"

MK, already halfway into getting off from Macaque, shared a look with Mei―one that immediately changed to a placating smile that they both sent to Macaque. 

He should have known not to ask. It was probably Mei's thing. He faintly remembered having heard Mei keep a tracking device on all of them. 

...He might need to be careful about that one. But for now,

"Let me in on that fight."

He could just join these two for whatever shenanigans they had for the day. 

They were the one who rudely flew and broke into his day in the first place. 

The high five that MK and Mei shared from his initiative told him of an acceptance that he rarely ever had. 

For now,

He would try to counterattack. 

Chapter Text

"Let go of that now."

Macaque's tone was an absolute order. 

But it didn't deter MK from where he stood. 

"Don't you think calling yourself 'that' is a bit too much? Also you let go first!"

MK replied right back, both him and Macaque glaring heatedly at each other.

"Um..." The softer voice that tried to break in between the rumbling exchange was desperate in a way. The person called 'that' by Macaque tried to wiggle away from MK's arms. The attempt to rebel the capture rendered useless because MK only hugged him tighter from behind while glaring even more sharply at Macaque. 

Macaque grinned meanly, a nerve popping out. "I'm making sure this kid is safe, that's all there is to it... you get that, bud?"

MK raised a brow. "Then I'm just doing the same thing, problem solved."

"That thing isn't a child!"

"Wow, you really went for a thing, now! Fine then, I'm just gonna date this Macaque!"

Both the Macaque in front of him and the one in his arms widened their eyes at him and stared in shock. ""What?!""

"MK, I'm serious!"

"You two are dating?!"

Two questions that had such a contrasting dilemma were thrown at the same time, causing all of them to break their expression into one of confusion and slight disorganization, left rattled by the situation―a big questioning mark was so prominent inside the bubble of their conflict. 

The small one carried and tucked inside Macaque's arms only yawned―blissfully unaware and pampered by the protective embrace. 

MK broke out of the trance first with a pout at how cozy his small version was feeling in Macaque's arms so he turned to answer the younger Macaque's question with a too joyful grin. "Yes, I'm your future lover!"

"Lover?!" Younger Macaque flushed red instantly, the sight of it immensely adorable to MK who grinned more daringly as he got closer to the other to kiss his forehead. It raised another series of yells. 

Watching his own past self flustered to no ends and getting it good with his lover.... Macaque had all kinds of different alarms ringing in his head and it was obvious even in the threatening aura around him. 

"?!?!" Past Macaque shuddered. 

"Aww, don't scare him." 

"Stop flirting then!" Macaque chewed out. 

MK smiled innocently. "It's a greeting!"

Macaque smirked dangerously. "So that is how you want to play..."

MK merely stuck his tongue out as he hugged the early version of Macaque―still pure and believing, still too kind for the world back then―tighter and more securely. The other had no way to back away from his angry future self because MK was right behind him and too stubborn to run away. 

Too stubborn to let go. 

Because when MK had first seen him appear, he was thoroughly being made to realize how much had Macaque lost. How much fate had made him suffer. 

And even if he did feel guilty to the current Macaque, he just wanted to hold on a bit longer to the younger Macaque.

Just a little bit more...

Surely something that Macaque also felt, looking at how little MK barely stirred in his arms, held softly and warmly. 

If only they both could just admit the reason. 

But they were both stubborn. It would last for a bit more. 

Until they realized they just wished for the same.

Until then, they would banter just as they always do.

Chapter Text

"You love me, right?!"

"Well..."

"You love me, right?!"

"Why two times...eh..." Macaque sweatdropped.

"I need an answer!" MK whined with random hand gestures that almost looked like he was either doing a summoning ritual or performing a mating dance. In whichever case, it didn't look good for his reputation. Or if ever he ever had any. Maybe the whole city already knew how goofy their hero is. And in that case instead, this was fine. 

Though as someone who was having trouble with trying to calm the wild gestures, this was not fine. 

Macaque sighed as he massaged his temple. "What brought this on?" 

MK still flapped his arms as he pouted hard, cheeks pushed out to look round like a mochi. He does know this is the opposite of intimidation, right?

"Why did you keep killing me?!"

Now hold on a fucking second―

"In the game!"

Ah.

Macaque ahh'ed as he remembered the Among Us game sessions they had played together with everyone. He and MK had played from the same place so they did it while facing each other, and everyone else connected online from somewhere. For the whole course of that event, he did always kill MK first or second whenever he was an imposter. 

So that was what this is about...

If it was just about that, then Macaque truthfully was aware of the reason why he kept doing it. 

But...

Macaque stared at MK whose cheeks were becoming redder by the second, somehow pouting while holding his breath even though it wasn't something people did. He would turn blue any second now...

Macaque would be lying if he said he didn't feel the mean urge to let it so that he could see what would happen. He supposed that part of him couldn't be changed.

If there was any answer that he could give, then it would be...

"Because I love you?" Macaque smoothly answered, watching as it took seconds for MK's expression to explode, coughing from the fast inhale from the mouth and just plain heat rushing to his face with no mercy. 

Macaque laughed as MK pinched his nose after it as a way of revenge, erratic heartbeats rang in his ears with no signs of slowing down. His own heart was also jumping from his lover's actions, always too honest and always trying to understand. Always reaching out to him. The touch was near scorching. 

Things that he couldn't really say out loud. 

That's why, even if MK were to seek the real reason, Macaque couldn't say the full truth.

Macaque couldn't say that he kept killing MK in the game because ghost MK afterwards would follow him everywhere like a duckling. 

'Because I love you' wasn't a lie. 

Because I love you, the way you kept so stubbornly stayed at my side was most dear to me.

Chapter Text

Wukong tilted his head almost curiously yet not, a laid back grin still etched on his face despite the concerning amount of displeasure held in his raised brow. 

"Now what do you have on your head there, bud?" Wukong asked with a masked lilt to his voice, amusement and annoyance fighting to come on top of each other. 

"A cat....?" MK answered unsurely, his voice trailing off into a helpless drop. 

"A cat, huh..." Wukong drawled with a chuckle before he cocked his hips, clearly smug. "Don't you think you're underestimating me here?"

"That's Macaque, isn't it?" 

Made to sound like a question but very clearly a statement in itself. Wukong leered up at the black cat who immediately glared and hissed at him with his whole body, fur all up. It brought a chuckle up his throat with how much smaller Macaque was in that form.

MK sighed, nodding an honest answer to it. He was really a good kid. The opposite of the grumpy cat who seemed to huff annoyingly at him. What a bad mood...

Wukong smiled at his successor placatingly, reassuring him if he were to be mad, it wouldn't be at MK himself but the uninvited guest to their training. Still, he had to ask, "Sorry, bud, but why is he here?"

"I kinda...made him mad..." MK sorrowfully uttered.

The cat who lounged on his head just nodded as much as he could, confirming the truth of it. 

Wukong blinked confusedly. "You made the faker mad?" 

Macaque definitely glared at him again, as if warning him not to make him mad too. Wukong could careless about it.

MK fidgeted with his jacket sleeves as Macaque turned around to not have Wukong in his line of sight all the while making himself more comfortable on MK's head, managing to make MK laugh a little from the movement―a small gesture to relieve a bit of the nervous energy. 

MK inhaled before he smiled and said, "I'm sorry, Monkey King. I actually got too reckless a few times this week and Macaque was mad that he had to help with my injuries all the time so... Macaque told me he won't get off my head until I learn better....so um, today's training..."

The words trailed off as MK gulped, feet tapping nervously. 

Wukong had to take a moment to process it, the cog in his brain turning before he understood the gist of the situation. 

A guarantee. Macaque knew MK wouldn't actually stop putting himself in danger if only himself were on the bet. Someone else had to be in on it. Macaque perching on his head was an optimal solution for now, he deduced so. He was vulnerable to attacks if on that form and on that obvious place. 

"Alright, we'll take a break for today's training."

"Wait, really?" MK gaped. 

"Pfft, do I look like a strict type?" Wukong jabbed MK's sides.

"Ahaha, no, but...!" MK giggled and tried to avoid the jabs, pulling out a displeased meow from his cat-turned partner.

Wukong smiled fondly before clearing his throat. "Ehem. In any case, I have the same thought with Macaque for this one. Take a day off, MK. Gonna bet you got a lot of injuries below your clothes." 

MK sheepishly laughed, hand traveling up to scratch the cat's chin. Pleasant purrs helped to ease his guilt. "Maybeeeee? Ehehe."

Sigh. "You need to tell me things like that right away, bud. I don't want to have to rely on that grumpy cat for this."

MK nodded gloomily and Wukong patted his shoulder, narrowly avoiding Macaque's claws when he at first tried to pat MK's head. 

Wukong shook his head as he gestured to go inside his place. "Let's just watch some movies, eh?"

MK cheered and hurried ahead with Wukong right on tow. A really noisy bunch even with just the two or well, three of them. Movie CDs scattered around in search of one that fitted the current guests' taste. Anything besides Monkey King-related stuff, the cat's gaze told so. 

Throughout the day, MK didn't notice a certain exchange. 

Unbeknownst to MK, Wukong had smiled gratefully once to Macaque and the feline just flicked his tail in answer. 

'You have a cute part after all, huh?'

Just say that you're worried

Dummy

Chapter Text

The tea overflowed from the cup as the server pouring it stared mindlessly to the other part of the shop. It took a moment and a poke at his arm for him to realize what he was doing, the mess on the table quickly startling him into furiously wiping the spilled contents. 

The regular customer AKA one of his unofficial dads wordlessly teased him with a knowing smile and wriggling eyebrows, constantly glancing at the kitchen as a jab to the cause of his distracted mind. 

"Your mind a bit occupied?" Tang asked in lieu of disturbing his peace. 

MK could only try to settle down the flame that licked at his cheeks, dying them crimson in a rush of enormous heat. "....Ugh, don't."

"Don't what?" Tang tilted his head innocently. "Don't tell your boyfriend that him wearing your clothes is getting your thoughts everywhere?"

"Mr.Tang, did you have to describe the whole thing out loud?" MK gripped the front of his shirt with a pained expression. 

MK's boyfriend was indeed wearing his clothes―or well, one of his shirts to be exact, the rare ones with long sleeves.

It was a new routine that they had established with Macaque being taught how to cook by Pigsy after the swine noticed how thin the shadow monkey was. The two of them would end up in the kitchen together, Pigsy running him through the steps and Macaque focusing on getting it right. Something that MK was glad to see, especially since it encouraged Macaque to stay for dinner later with the small family. 

It just happened that Macaque went straight to the practice session in the late noon when the shop was empty from customers straight after hanging out in MK's room. Which meant that he had somehow stolen a clothing from MK's wardrobe in the meantime that MK was working. Which meant that he was right now doing the thing called 'boyfriend shirt'―his unexpectedly smaller and shorter frame being hugged by MK's shirt, making it look baggy, its sleeves almost reaching past his palms before he rolled them to start cooking. 

This was torture in itself. There was just no way he could focus with that sight near him. 

"You're lucky I'm not sitting at the counter. Your staring would have gotten noticed right away," the scholar unnecessarily commented. 

MK sighed. 

Tang was right in a way. If he had to serve Tang while he sat at the counter closest to the kitchen, Macaque would have noticed him staring blatantly at him. Though, he could just let Tang serve himself in that case. It wasn't like he was paying. 

MK slumped into the booth across Tang, thoroughly run down by his circling thoughts. 

"Oh, slacking?" 

"There is no customer beside you. It's fineee." MK exclaimed, exuding his bad mood. 

Tang chuckled before sipping his tea, leaving MK to glance as sneakily as he could to Macaque. The older monkey squinted his gaze at the chopped liver, jolting at the visual of its insides as Pigsy snickered at his reaction before telling him to do other things than gape at the ingredients.

A sight that had MK smiling slightly in a helpless way as he whispered, "He is mine anyway. What's wrong with me looking at him?"

The loud sound of an egg crushed between nimble fingers and the flush that slowly spread in Macaque's expression told MK of a certain fact.

Tang smirked. "He heard that one."

"Macaque―Wait, Dadsy, don't look at me like that?! Dadsy?!"

Without saying, MK was told to zip it so as to not crumble the inner peace of Pigsy's cooking student.