Chapter Text
Macaque couldn’t help but punch the nearest tree as soon as he exited his shadow portal. How dare Wukong blame him for getting himself stuck under that damn mountain! He was the one who bothered to look for him after he escaped from the Celestial Realm after the rest of the Brotherhood had fled and they hadn’t even bothered to help Macaque look for his king either! Apparently they thought Wukong had given up too easily, and that he knew wasn’t the truth. While he hid his ears regularly that didn’t mean he hadn’t heard the threat against their lives if he didn’t surrender and even trying to explain that to Azure and the others didn’t amount to anything, but them ignoring every word he said thinking he was only defending his king and was blind to the truth. Then to have Wukong of all people throw it back in his face was like a knife twisted into his back and he had lashed out right back!
Perhaps he shouldn’t have, but he was so angry and taking care of their home without Wukong was causing him stress of his own. Even as he sighed, dropping down and leaning against the tree he had punched earlier in defeat. “Damnit Wukong you idiot!” He shouted though not loud enough to disturb any of their subjects that weren’t too far away.
“Well I was going to ask how your visit with the King went, but it appears it didn’t go well.” A voice called and Macaque set up straighter out of instinct as the Grey furred Marshal approached him.
“Oh hey Ma, and no it could’ve gone a lot better..” He trailed off even as the elderly monkey gave a frown at him and he barely sustained the flinch as she started grooming his fur. He was sure it was dirty from the cave and peach juices that still covered his hand from when he had squished it in his rage.
“Well I’m not surprised that boy always did have a temper, but as I recall so do you Mihou.” She stated knowingly even as he sighed. The marshals and Wukong were the only ones he still allowed to refer to him as Mihou. It was the name he’d been born with, but it had memories attached to it he found uncomfortable. He knew he didn’t need to associate that way here with his true friends and family.
“I guess I shouldn’t have lost my temper…” Macaque trailed off even as he gave a look up at the clear sunny skies. He supposed if he was trapped away from the fresh air and sunlight he wouldn’t be in the best mood either. He’d let Wukong cool down and then head back to hopefully a better reception.
“When are you going back then?” Ma asked as Macaque couldn’t help but sigh.
“A week or two, I have to give him time to calm down. Maybe then he’ll actually take a peach from me…”
“Well then we’ll make sure we remind him why he shouldn’t lose his temper next time.” Ma stated finishing the top of his head with a knowing smile on her face. Macaque honestly didn’t know how to take that smile. What did she mean by that?
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Normally the winters on Flower Fruit Mountain were fairly mild if Wukong decided to let them happen at all. However, Wukong wasn’t exactly home to help control how mild the weather was going to be. So Macaque was planning and thinking ahead. He was gathering up supplies to store in the cave. It was isolated and always had a natural warmth to it and all of their subjects stayed there during the winters. Even as he grabbed another basket full of fruit and chuckled as one of the tiny monkeys climbed on his head. The younger cubs always liked to follow him around even as he used his tail to pick the little guy off his head and put him down on the ground.
“I’ll play with you later little one, I have to get these supplies put away first.” Macaque replied even as he gave a small yawn. He hadn’t been resting lately, and he didn’t know why he was anxious about something. He wanted to write it off as merely because of the approaching colder weather, but that didn’t feel like the full reason.
“You will do no such thing! Our queen needs to rest!” Ba exclaimed and Macaque cursed himself since apparently he was tired enough to not notice the dark furred marshall from approaching. Even as he sighed as he looked at him with a frown.
“I’m not that tired!” He protested and cursed himself as he yawned. Stupid body contradicting his words at the wrong moment.
Ba crossed his arms as he looked at Macaque with a disapproving look on his face.
“Okay I’ll take a short nap. Happy?” He asked.
“Not really, but I guess I won’t be able to force you to take a longer one.” The other stated with a sigh.
“I swear you and Ma keep overreacting.” Macaque started picking up the basket of fruit as he tried to grab the second one. Ba picked it up instead, giving him a pointed look.
“Well excuse us for our worry Mihou. You are as stubborn as our stone headed king.” Ba stated sternly.
“I’m telling Wukong you said that when I visit him tomorrow.” Macaque teased even as Ba rolled his eyes.
“I’m not scared of our king. I remember you two as cubs. Trust me nothing is intimidating after you’ve had to wash mud out of the fur of the same monkey for decades, king title or not.”
Macaque laughed at that memory. Wukong somehow always managed to get dirtier than him when they were cubs playing in the mud, and funny enough he was always the one harder to bathe. Not helped by the fact he sank like the stone he was born from in deep water.
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Storing the supplies away even as Liu and Beng shooed the little monkeys away from him Macaque gave a content smile. Now if only Wukong was back home it would be perfect, but he missed his husband…Even if he was an idiot at times…
Curling up in their nest even as he caught the fading scent of peaches and he gave a small and sad chirp out of instinct. He wished he could have him back home in their nest again, but for now he would just have to be satisfied with the other’s scent. Even as he fell asleep dreaming of better times.
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“Ma! I really don’t think this is necessary!” Macaque protested as the marshal combed through his fur again. She forced him to take a bath and with those scented soaps that Wukong brought home once no less. He liked the smell of them, sure, but he was just going to get dirty again! He was going under a mountain full of dirt and grim! Not that he didn’t think Wukong would probably appreciate a different smell then dirt and iron. That idea made him blush a bit.
“Yes it is! He couldn’t dare get mad at his queen when we get you looking and smelling so nice!” Ma declared her reasoning and he knew he should’ve questioned her more when she got him up so early this morning.
“That doesn’t mean he won’t still be mad at me..” Macaque mumbled as he got a light slap on the back of his head.
“None of that now Mihou. Hold still..” Ma stated as she finished putting the little bits of peach blossoms in his fur behind his ears. Adding a pink color to his dark fur. Even as he was wearing a lighter colored hanfu. This one was more of a light blue hanfu with dark blue pants. If Wukong at least took time to notice he’d be happy with that even if he still ended up yelling at him.
“Done, and if he doesn’t appreciate my hard work. You come and get me so I can smack the boy over the head.” Ma declared with a smirk on her face.
Macaque couldn’t help the light laugh at that, because he was sure she would do that. Ma had been like a mother to both of them after all, and had never been afraid to give them both smacks to the head when they were being stubborn or stupid. His laughter stopped as he caught a sound on the breeze, one he instantly tensed up hearing. How hadn’t he noticed!?
“Mihou?” Ma asked with concern in her voice at the sudden change of the other’s mood.
“Get everybody in the cave!” He didn’t explain further as he dropped into a shadow portal.
It sounded like an invasion force! Did they know that Wukong wasn’t there? How!? Of course that didn’t have to be the case. Demons in the past had tried invading before, mostly because they had underestimated Wukong’s strength when they were still younger and the ‘Monkey King’ wasn’t as feared as he was now.
Even as he quickly switched back into his armor, hoping he could at least meet whatever army was coming here head on. All he could really do was buy time for everybody else to get into the cave. The seals would hold. Both Wukong and him had made sure they were reinforced before their failed attempt to take over the Celestial Realm. Macaque had insisted on it and he was glad for his ‘paranoia’ now.
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Appearing out of his shadow portal on the beach holding his shadow cudgel in one hand as he approached the army of demons. There was no signal species of demon that it was made of which caused a chill up his spine. He knew of one demon that kept an army like this even as he scanned the group of demons who were just watching him.
“You are not welcome here! As one of the rulers of this land I demand to speak with your leader!” Macaque stated loudly his voice unwavering even as footsteps shook the ground slightly as the leader emerged from the group.
“You want my attention, that bad little monkey? Did you miss me that much?” The leader stated, and it took everything Macaque had not to flinch or panic even as the monster that had taken over their kingdom centuries ago stood in front of him.
“Havoc” He growled out as fear crawled up his spine. He couldn’t do this again! Wukong had come back and saved them last time. There wouldn’t be a rescue this time from him either. Their king was trapped under a mountain unable to return, but Macaque wasn’t going to allow the Demon King of Confusion to hurt their subjects again! No matter what it took! He couldn’t fail them! He was stronger than when he had been a child he could and would do this! No matter what he had to do to keep all of their subjects safe!