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[castaside]

Leave a message for MacaqueYou know how this works.

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[castaside]

I'm already tempted enough, no need to sell me on him. I'm not surprised, though.

We didn't exactly fall into old habits. I just laid with him in his nest. Which you'd think would be nice, but it only reminded me of ancient history. And how I can't say the things that need saying. Like being closer made the distance seem worse.

[forgingfires]

What can I say? He had been so excited about playing wingman when he first got here, it feels only right to do it for him.

It feels in reach, but it's just that little bit too far.

At least not fighting is a good sign?

[castaside]

I can tell you're secure in your place with him because you're not jealous. I didn't used to be.

I guess it's a good sign. Didn't feel good. It's like if he's fighting with me then at least he's feeling something. He just laid there. It felt like hell.

[forgingfires]

I've had practice. It's difficult to say if that applies to everyone or just ones I don't think would want to steal my place.

Better to be hated than ignored sort of situation?

[castaside]

I definitely don't. [ Although it's clear that he can't say no to MK in any capacity, so as long as MK doesn't express that interest it's not an issue. Right now his romantic focus is 100% in the unhealthiest, least attainable direction. ]

Maybe. Having him feel nothing about being that close was worse than the fighting.

Being shot down can't be worse than this, I'm thinking. [ At least he'd know and be able to move on with his life. Make some sort of something with Wukong that wasn't anger and resentment, hopefully. For the kid's sake. ]

[forgingfires]

[And that Wukong hang up really does mean Red Son can't feel threatened. If he sees it, MK sure as hell does.]

Are you sure he felt nothing and it wasn't just him trying his hardest to also not rock the boat?

I know you're used to fighting Wukong, but it is the thing I've noticed when he doesn't want to fight. He just gets....passive. sometimes it irrevence. Other times it seems like resignation.

[castaside]

If I could tell anything about what he's thinking about anything my life would be substantially less frustrating.

Resignation was closer, maybe. Even when I tried to talk he barely said anything. Even about how I should have tried to be honest before he got sealed under a mountain, which you'd think would get a reaction.

Maybe he was still all emotionless, I don't know.

[forgingfires]

[There is a delay.]

He may have still been emotionless.

I also know he's thought of that fight.

A great deal.

[castaside]

Of course he thought about it, what else was he going to do for the next six hundred years?

But if you have any additional insight, by all means.

[forgingfires]

[There is another delay, debating if he should say or shouldn't say.]

[Well, its not like Wukong trusts him anyway.]

He regrets lashing out. He wishes he had been grateful you had still cared enough to show up.

[castaside]

[ Wukong, maybe say that when the subject arises? ]

I know there are bigger fools in the world, but honestly he and I should win some sort of prize.

He shouldn't be grateful that the one who's supposed to love him shows up to visit. I shouldn't have expected magnanimity from someone who was facing who knows how much time being alone in the dark.

...And I probably shouldn't expect chattiness from someone who just got done being undead. It just always seems like there's something and there will never be a good time for him and I to hash things out, and there's only so much I can do if he just sits there and says nothing.

[forgingfires]

[Yeah, it'd be great if he just said things sometimes.]

I think no one else showing up made him regret his response all the more keenly.

But yeah, it would have probably been better to expect him to not respond so well at that time.

You could always see if he's up for having the mushroom at the same time.

Or maybe see if there's a couple's therapist around willing to take this case.

[castaside]

If you only knew how sick I was of being treated like crap by that point. I regret snapping for sure, but it was the product of centuries of being overlooked and taken for granted. Then I show up and I'm not doing enough, like it's my fault I can't get around the Jade Emperor's seal all by myself...

Aaaand that's how things go from neutral to a disaster in no time flat. I can have this argument all by myself at this point.

I don't know if it's better to tell him and make an agreement or to just show up having been bitten and start talking. He might get defensive if I ask him to also get a truth serum.

Do you have a vague plan for that if you go through with it too?

[forgingfires]

Yeah. He did seem to recognize it was unreasonable for you to think you could do something.

Not everyone has the tenacity to throw themselves thousands of time at an impossible task. Its not exactly a sustainable thing without having to sacrifice a lot along the way.

I could give you a mushroom in a container. Show up bitten and make the offer. Tell him you don't expect him to take it, but you recognize part of the problem is the inability to just say the things you really want to say and you think it might be the same for him. So its there for him if he agrees.

At least if you could mean it, since you wouldn't be able to lie at the time.

I would just get myself bit. I don't think I need Wukong's honesty. I think what I need is him to understand.

[castaside]

Very clever. Has anyone ever told you that you're pretty smart? [ Somehow it's clear even over text that this is a joke, everyone knows how smart Red Son is. ]

I'll probably get my head on straight for a while, see how volatile his transformation thing is. The only thing worse than hiding things would be setting that off again. [ Red Son saw Macaque's reaction, he was a mess. Still sort of is. ]

I assume you're not in the same hurry I'm in, but if you wanted to go first I wouldn't argue. Which isn't stalling, I'm just saying it was your idea.

[forgingfires]

Really, people could stand to say it more.

I'm definitely in no hurry myself. Setting him off again would be bad, it'd upset MK and Saya, and then I'd want to fix it, and then I get upset, and that just spirals out of control.

If he'd at least let me scan him, then maybe I'd take the risk. I was able to detect MK's trigger. But I can't do that without his agreement. The thing takes at least at hour. Probably more because of all the stuff he's got going on.

And no, doing it in his sleep isn't a good idea. Dreams would mess with the results.

[castaside]

If only I was in the mood you talk you into bed again, I'm good at making compliments sound really good.

Hm. How's this... I'll figure myself out and do the mushroom thing first, maybe after the full moon so we can make sure nothing is too all over the place for it assumings stay cooled down, then either way after that's done the air will be clear and I'll convince him to let you help. I'm sure that convincing him to be less of a volatile ass is still among my skill set.

If all else fails I'll get him drunk on something with peaches in it, that usually does him in. [ Wukong has his weak points if you know where to push. ]

[forgingfires]

Another time. Maybe I'll wear something extra pretty.

That would be a good idea. The full moon is in a few more days. If Wukong can stay stable throughout the two days with us both likely being in close proximity, then that would be a good sign its not super volatile.

He and I could do quiet around each other before. As long as he agrees, it should be easy enough to do. All he really needs to do is sit there, keep his head clear as possible, and not fight the magic.

Drunk still isn't ideal, but it is better than dreams, at least.

[castaside]

I meant I'll get him drunk to get him to agree, not have him drunk for your scans. He won't be able to go back on his word, it's basic hero BS.

But do tell me more about the pretty thing, I earned a treat.

[forgingfires]

Ah. Fair enough. If it works, it works. And he really does just need to sit still.

I've been looking more into lingerie. I've been looking more into oranges and reds, but I do look rather good in purple. Perhaps something with sturdy straps, good for pulling around.

[castaside]

Is that so? Interesting. I'm sure MK will get a kick out of that, among other things.

[forgingfires]

Oh, I imagine so. He can get surprisingly forceful. At least when he's worked up.

[castaside]

Not surprising. He's like a puppy who realizes how hard he's biting but keeps doing it because now it's a game.

[forgingfires]

A very apt description. I'm rather certain that's half the basis of our friendship.

Him finding the ways to get me angry without it being a lasting anger because he likes setting my hair on fire.

[castaside]

Sigh. I'm such a good person for turning him down, it's truly tragic.

I sure enjoyed setting your hair ablaze, for my part.