castaside | Seasons Inbox

Macaque reaches up and helps wipe MK's tears away.

"No, he's all sorts of stubborn when he wants to be. But if you ask, and I ask, then maybe he'll let Red help. I'm sure it's not easy for you to see that reminder all the time, and I know it's not easy for me."

He hugs MK closer again. "Do we need to talk about you doing dangerous things that you'd never let the people you love do in a thousand years?" Or do you get it already.

The noodle boy leaned into the wiping of his ears and shook his head. "I...I know better. I came back and I said I was sorry. I knew I screwed up. I know I screwed up. I...I'm sorry." He pressed his face into Macaque's chest.

He got the message. He got it already.

Macaque catches MK and squeezes him tight. "Okay. I won't belabor the point."

"I love you, kiddo. I'm so glad I didn't lose you, and I'm glad no one else did either. And I'm sorry you were deceived into nearly sacrificing yourself, and I'm even more sorry that you were made for that purpose. It's cruel."

MK chirped softly, comfort, love, promise.

"I love you too. So much. ...I'm glad I came back. To you. To everyone..." MK took a deep breath. Now for the other big thing.

"It...wasn't the first time," MK said softly. "I...did it every cycle. And there's been a lot of cycles. And...to not do it...I broke it. I broke the cycle. We all did. We destroyed the colored stones and the power went everywhere. Into a lot of people. Maybe everyone. But now, everyone is part of the pillar."

This just gets better and better.

Okay, one thing at a time. Aside from the fact that deities suck.

"MK, I don't care what some goddess says or thinks, you are not some throwaway part of a cycle. You are not disposable. You're a person, you're my favorite person. A lot of people's favorite person, I can say confidently."

"Whatever broke when you refused to go along with Nuwa's plans, we'll fix it. We'll figure it out together."

MK pressed close and held on tight. He wasn't sure what could or couldn't be fixed. But whatever happened next, they would face it together. He shifts so easily now as he purrs for real, his tail wrapping around Macaque's.

"Thank you. Together. We'll face it all together."

He kisses the top of MK's head and just holds him, his tail easily wrapping around MK's. So glad that MK isn't going to make him argue about the value of MK's life, since that would have been frustrating. Especially if the Lady Bone Demon factored in somehow.

"There's nothing we can't handle if we handle it together. And it sounds like Wukong and I are even getting along better back home." Or at least Wukong's reaction would indicate that. It's something to hope for.

"I mean, it can still get tense around you two. But overall, I think so," MK wasn't sure what changed. Something did at some point. They could all be together for fireworks in the end.

"I know I worried you. Probably a lot. About everything. ...As weird as it might sound, learning what I did, it helped with the touch thing. At least I know where I come from and why. At least I don't have to be scared about that anymore. ...The Nine Headed Demon, I'm a little worried about him and what happens next but as long as we're all together, we'll do our best."

"It took us nine months being here and a few big mishaps before we were able to really get to a fully better place, and we're around each other all the time here, so I'm not surprised." He'll take tension as long as it's moving in a good direction. He knows that he can be stubborn as hell too.

Nine Headed Demon, hm? Note to self, do some reading.

"Sounds good, kiddo. Is there anything else I need to know?" Surely not about mysterious powers he possesses or anything.

"I mean, that's about all I can think of," MK said with a nod. Macaque wasn't about to get more spoilers since MK didn't know any. Oops.

"Well there is one more thing," MK said as he cupped both of Macaque's cheeks. "I love you, my Warrior."

Well, that's a relief. At least when or if he goes home for a few days it'll be a happy ending.

He smiles down at MK, then kisses him. "Love you too, kiddo. And I'm glad you're back."

MK returned the kiss and trilled happily.

"I'm glad I'm back too," MK whispered and kissed Macaque again.

Macaque winces just a bit at the trill. "Watch the pitch please, kiddo."

That doesn't stop him from kissing MK more deeply. It's been such a long time.

MK notes less trills, more murrs. He parts his lips and returns the deep kiss. His hands run down over Macaque's shoulders and grip harder. He wants to give into this feeling but they have more to talk about. He thinks they can enjoy this for another few seconds, right? Just let this happen a little longer. That'll be okay.

It's so nice to be able to kiss MK. Candid had helped Macaque a little, but there's no substitute for MK himself. Macaque keeps kissing MK for a long moment, then a longer moment. He missed this.

At length, however, he does gently pull back and break the kiss, keeping their foreheads resting together, nuzzling noses as they tended to do before the cursed game.

"There's a few other things before we get carried away, I think. Do you want me to start or you?"

The kiss went a little longer than MK planned but he didn't chase the kiss as it broke. He nuzzled noses back and murred this time, nice and low. He nodded.

"We do. Uh. You start this time. What's on your mind?"

The murring is appreciated, it feels nice in his ears.

"Well... when Wukong got back he called me "bud". I didn't say anything because you were still missing and I had bigger priorities, but I wanted to feel out where you are with that. I could ask him not to use that for me if it bothers you..." But it was good to be called that again, he can't deny it. He'd thought it would hurt, but apparently it only hurt when someone other than Wukong did it.

MK's face probably didn't do what Macaque was expecting. He didn't look angry or hurt or even scared. He just smiled in a cute little way and nodded.

"That's alright. That's a like really good sign. Especially if he said it all nice. I'm happy for you."

Macaque blinks.

The blinks again. He clearly didn't expect that.

"You're really sure that it doesn't bother you?" He doesn't want to have to deconstruct this months down the line because MK isn't being honest with himself here. "It's okay if it does, I get it. You explained it to me before."

"Really. It's okay," MK said again and nodded. That part of him that bubbled up wasn't there. He nodded and took Macaque's hand.

"You were bud first. And we can share it. I'm okay with that, and I mean it. I know I said before I like having a nickname all to myself but that's not really fair. And I think it's better this way. Help me not feel so jealous. I'm okay sharing bud with you. And other names too."

Yeah this just does not compute with MK's previous positions on basically everything.

"...Do... you still want me to keep "kiddo" for only you?" Macaque asks very slowly, clearly choosing his words carefully. Because he did call Cole that before.

MK knew this was a 180 for himself. He knew it was like it was coming out of nowhere. And it was. Like a lot of other things MK found out about himself. Things he's been thinking about a lot while lying in bed since he got back.

"You can if you want and I can share it. If you got other people you wanna call kiddo, I'll share too," MK kissed Macaque's hand after he said it.

So... MK found out what he was made for and now doesn't have jealousy issues anymore? Because he found out... that he was made to be sacrificed and reset all life... this all seems like something that should probably be a red flag.

But it's too big to get into right this very second.

"I'll have to think about it. You really threw me for one." He snuggles closer to MK again. "I'm glad if you're more comfortable in your relationships though. Does that mean you feel less jealous about the kids?"

MK snuggled into Macaque. Everyone had tried to stop him. Begged him not to go into the pillar. Monkey King was willing to go in as a substitute. MK knew his place with everyone. At least back home. It helped. Though the darker side of it was that part of him that was dealing with being made to sacrifice himself. A combination of healthy and unhealthy adaption. He nodded.

"Yeah, I am. I feel less jealous. A lot less, actually. I've had a long time to think about it and talked to people. I'm ready to talk when Korone is. We're already texting about it. ...I don't know when everyone would be comfortable, them and me, with me coming over to your big awesome room. I can't really say. But we can wait until they are and I am. That's how it should be."

Macaque is so relieved to hear that, he could honestly cry (he doesn't, he's been working on his crying reflex ever since the heart game put it into overdrive). He's not... entirely sure he believes it all the way, but he gives no indication of that. MK needs encouragement, and Macaque provides it with a quick but enthusiastic kiss.

"Your place there will wait until you're comfortable and everyone else is. There's no hurry at all." It gets complica-- no, not that word. It's a lot to juggle with wanting MK to always feel like he has a place with Macaque and there being very literally a place where he can't go right now, but it is what it is. Less jealousy is better than before, and Macaque will take better.

"You're sure your ready for that conversation? You don't have to tell me what you'll say, that's between you two, but I just want to make sure you can hear her without spiraling."

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