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Wukong poured the last of the bottle's contents in his and Macaque's cups, his giggling making the pour shaky, spilling a few drops on the table. Macaque, just as giggly, watched as the drunk monkey tried to cover up his mishap with a dramatic flourish of his hands to make the bottle disappear. The distant sound of the glass bottle hitting the ground behind them. They both erupted in loud laughter, picking up their respective cups and tapping them with each other.
The Monkey King drowned the rest of his laughter down with the entirety of his drink, watching Macaque from the corner of his eye. Macaque was still quietly snickering, making it hard to actually sip the beverage. The golden monkey smiled into his empty cup, snaking his tail to tip the cup further up, forcing the shadow monkey to either drink or risk spilling the alcohol all over himself. Macaque sputtered as he tried to drink as much as could, a small rivulet of clear liquid falling down the side of his smiling mouth. Wukong stared at the small droplets falling off his friend's chin, ignoring the half-assed protests from him.
He didn't see the fist that lightly tapped the top of his head, effectively knocking him out of his trance. "Are you trying to make me choke Wukong?" Macaque asked through his non stop laughter.
Wukong couldn't bring himself to reply, just grinning widely at Macaque. The moment easy and carefree between the two, sparking further warmth through his chest not caused by the alcohol in his system. "You already know there's more effective ways to take me out." Macaque quipped, the laughter dying down again to small giggles. Wukong felt a strange stirring pulling at him as he finally processed what Macaque said. Normally such a statement would’ve been loaded with painful emotions and unsaid accusations between the two, but the ease with which Macaque said it with a smile on his face, posture relaxed, and the light air struck Wukong. He missed this ease between them. Not wanting to taint it with his heavy thoughts, he gently clapped Macaque on the back, breaking out in small giggles.
They met each other's eyes, knowing they both had the same thought. The absurdity of this moment speaking volumes. They broke out into more laughter, leaning lightly on each other for support. Wukong wiped the unshed tears from his eyes, trying hard to reign in the hysterics.
An unopened bottle was slammed on the table in front of them. Red Son struggled to hold up a semi conscious MK and a staggering Mei as she backed away from the table. "Last one boys!" she slurred out the final word, placing her full weight on the flustered demon. "Don't have too much fun!" Mei shouted at them. The pair of monkeys watched as Red Son manhandled the two inebriated humans into a transport portal. MK and Mei made it harder on him by shoving their kissy faces at Red Son as they draped over him. Wukong and Macaque burst into further laughter, Macaque shakily opening the last bottle.
"Stay safe!" "Use safety!" Wukong and Macaque yelled at the group as Red Son yelled indignantly at both pairs, throwing the trio into the portal, smoke in the after trail as it closed up. "Aw, Macaque, you know they're too young for that." Wukong sang as he slowly slumped on the table, playing with his empty cup. Macaque let out a final snicker as he poured them both full cups, "Wukong you know as much as I they are more than old enough for shenanigans, doesn't hurt to remind the young ones to be smart about it."
The golden monkey looked up at his friend, gasping in shock, "Don't say that about my baby boy! He's too young! Forever my cub in my heart Macaque!" he cried out as he buried his face in his arms, the cheerful mood from the party shifting in parenting woe.
“Baby boy? In your heart? Cub? Dang Wukong, if I didn't know any better I would say you love that kid." Macaque said sarcastically to his distraught friend, smiling into his drink. "Of course I love him! He's my kid! I'm proud of him but worried for him! He's just too young for messy hormonal emotional stuff like that!" Wukong looked at Macaque with tears in his eyes, face scrunched up.
Macaque looked at the hilarious look on his friend's face, silently pushing the full cup towards the golden monkey, "Yeah yeah, proud parent arent you." he joked, a teasing look on his face. Wukong held the cup in both of his hands, tail swinging behind him in small lazy circles, "I adore him so much Macaque." he whined out, finally sipping from the cup. Macaque barked a laugh, watching his friend becoming all pouty, struggling to articulate his adoration for the kid.
The silence of the cave settled now that the kids had left. Tang, Pigsy, and Sandy left even earlier, Nezha only staying briefly for the celebration. Flower Fruit Mountain now only hosting the last two party members into the late night.
Wukong was still pouting and mumbling into his beverage, only to be brought back as he felt Macaque's tail lightly tap him on the shoulder. The shadow monkey now standing with the bottle in one hand and his cup in the other, gesturing to the outside that he was walking towards. Wukong stared at him, the unasked question finally catching up to him. He stumbled out of his seat, catching a small laugh from Macaque, quickly regaining his balance as he grabbed his drink and followed.
Macaque was leaning back on his hand as he sat near the cliff edge facing toward the sky, patting down on the space next to him. Wukong settled close next to him, refilling their drinks. The only sounds now being the gentle breeze and rustling leaves on the cliff side. The two said nothing as they watched the cloudless night sky, nursing their drinks in companionable silence. The high energy from the party finally winding down, leaving them in a contemplative state.
Wukong looked for constellations to help bring his mind out of its drunken state, still enjoying the rice wine at a slower rate. Hoping his preoccupied mind would stop him from ruining the pleasant moment. Macaque looked over at his friend, noting the drunken flush high on his cheeks, how relaxed his posture was and how his face scrunched slightly in concentration. The rare moment that the Monkey King was fully able to relax, no need to keep his defenses up. He couldn't stop the small smile on his face that widened a bit, enjoying the sight of his old friend looking at peace, even if it may have been aided by the liquor.
The two fully content to be in each other's company, enjoying the rest of the evening in quiet. Macaque let his gaze drift back to the sky, the small smile never leaving his face. The stars continued to shift across the sky as they continued to slowly drink the rest of the bottle, the only direct form of communication between them being questioning tilts of the bottle and small nods.
Wukong finished his final cup and set it away from them, the drunken haze now mellowed out to feel soft on his mind and body. Without thinking too much, he slumped onto his side, slowly laying his head on Macaque's lap, giving him a chance to push him away, still looking out to the horizon. Macaque was initially surprised at the sudden contact between the two, but relaxed at the cautious approach from his friend, letting out an amused huff. The cool air became more apparent on his own heated drunken flush as he gently laid a hand on the golden monkey's head, slowly caressing the fur. Wukong leaned into his friend's hand, feeling at ease as he twined his tails with Macaques.
The shadow monkey refused to look at his friend, to entertain his racing thoughts that picked up at more contact, rather to just enjoy this small moment between them. Wukong nuzzled into the hand with each cautious pet Macaque gave him. The two of them enjoying their quiet fragile company as the night moved.
The sky began to lighten to a pre-dawn indigo, Macaque sighing out as he long stopped feeling the alcohol effects on him, now wanting to get actual rest somewhere other than the ground as the night was creeping into day. He adjusted to get up but upon feeling the dead weight on his leg, looked down to see Wukong fully asleep. Wondering when he even passed out, Macaque debated with pushing him off to move him, but seeing how relaxed his friend had remained squashed any reasonable thought of waking him up. Macaque shifted, gathering Wukong up in his arms as gently as he could to not wake him, abandoning their cups and bottle as he carried the snoozing monkey into his home.
Carefully entering and navigating the slightly messy hut, Macaque brought them into the golden monkey’s room and laid Wukong in his bed. Not being able to stop himself, he allowed himself to caress the top of the golden monkey's head again in a way of parting. He turned to leave, hoping the light feeling in his chest would last him into his own sleep and maybe a few good days after. As he took a step towards the door to leave, he felt his tail getting gently tugged. Looking back he saw Wukong with one sleepy eye squinted open, with his own tail still holding onto Macaque’s. Macaque stared back until he felt another tug from Wukong, an invite that didn't need to be asked out loud.
Wukong huffed quietly as he scooted further back into his bed, sleepily patting down on the space he just made. Macaque couldn't help the disbelieving scoff that escaped him as he fully turned back around, sitting down on the edge of the new spot. Wukong huffed again in response, slowly reaching to pull Macaque down into the bed, again giving him the chance to turn him down. The caution warming another part of Macaque he refused to think too much about.
The shadow monkey went down without much resistance, settling in next to the sleepy golden monkey and pulling in the blanket around them. As he finally settled into the bed, Wukong wrapped his arm around Macaque, pulling him close to his chest. Macaques head immediately went blank, a surge of different emotions rattling in his chest, thoughts turning into a whirlwind, now worrying about lines of boundaries in their new tentative friendship. The fight inside of him quickly escalating between ripping away from Wukong or pressing further into him.
“I can feel you thinking Macaque. Just come to sleep now okay." Wukong’s sleepy voice whispered down to the top of Macaque's head. Macaque stilled, the onsurge of everything freezing in place in his mind. Wukong gently squeezed him in his arms, pulling away to give him space he seemed to need.
Macaque quickly reached out, hopefully not coming off as too desperate as he placed Wukong's arm back around him. Wukong gave him a final small squeeze, relaxing with Macaque in his hold. Macaque slowly felt himself melt into the embrace, forcing himself to shelve all these thoughts for later, pressing his face into the slow rise and fall of the golden monkey’s chest. He finally allowed his eyes to close as he slowed his breathing to match Wukong’s. In a few minutes Wukong felt the shadow monkey fully relax into sleep in his embrace. He pressed his lips to the top of Macaque's head, a small smile staying on his face as he slipped back into slumber with his friend in his arms, the faint smell of rice wine and the feeling of soft fur quieting his mind.