Wukong was training MK like every other second day. The boy was getting better every day with martial arts and with controlling his powers. He really did his best and kept surprising the stone monkey with his progres.

From one of the branches their training was being watched by the ebony monkey. Macaque sometimes helped in the training, especially when it came to other weapons than a staff. But he was most likely to just observe from the shadows and later talk about what he spotted. Good things and bad all the same, trying to keep some balance between praise and criticism.

Six Eared Macaque over all was a very observant person.

Lurking in the shadows — watching, listening. Noticing even the smallest details and most silent sounds. After all, comprehension of all things was in his nature.

When the delivery boy already went back home, the ebony monkey rose from Wukong's shadows. The other didn't even flinch, being used to Macaque's tricks.

"You stink." the ebony monkey said, leaning against the tree with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Yeah, I just finished training with MK. Congrats it seems your nose is working fine." Monkey King snarled out, rolling his eyes and walking in the direction of his rebuilded hut.

"Then why not go with other monkeys to wash now?" Macaque pointed out innocently, looking at the King with a sharp gaze "It's almost the end of grooming time." he hurried, seeing how Wukong's tail twitches in a tick and how his muscles tense for a second.

"I'll do it later." he brushes the other monkey off and walks inside his home, not waiting for an answer, acting all nonchalant.

Macaque just followed him with his gaze, furrowing his brows slightly and sight in disapproval when the rusty monkey disappeared inside.

☽☼☾

The night was close, the sun was slowly drowning in the horizon and Monkey King was already getting ready to sleep. He had his hammock prepared with all the pillows and his favorite, pinkish blanket. He was about to get into it, when suddenly he started falling.

His fur bristled and his body tensed, his gaze sharpened as he looked around the darkness that swallowed him. He was ready to fight off anything that just decided to interrupt his soon to be sleep, being pretty sure he knew who his opponent was.

That's why he was even more surprised when he fell out of the shadows and landed on the ground next to the hot springs.

"Who takes care of you?" he asked rhetorically "You haven't bathed." Wukong snapped his head to the direction where his Shadow stood, furrowing brows at his words.

"Yeah, I was tired so I wanted to go straight to sleep. I'll wash tomorrow." he turned on his heel and wanted to walk back to his hut, but Macaque grabbed his tail and pulled him back with a sudden yelp.

"Wukong, I'm not stupid. You haven't washed in months now." he growled, his gaze burning holes in the back of the King who just clenched his fists.

"Great, so you're stalking me now?" Wukong scoffed, not turning to face the other "I knew you were obsessed with me, but don't you think it's a bit too far, even for you?" he mocked.

"Don't twist everything around." Macaque rolled his eyes, walking closer to the Sun "Why do you not wash? You used to take such pride in how your fur was groomed and fluffy." his fingers brushed the fur on Wukong's tail, breaking the strings of glamor and refiling the unkept and nasty strands. Chills run down the stone monkey's spine at the contact.

"Oh, so you're just here to mock me then." Wukong was looking to the ground, tense and ready to fight at any second, yet still somehow frozen in place "I was wondering how long you're gonna play pretend just to try stabbing me in the back." he continued, not paying attention to the fact he started to tremble slightly "Finally showing your true colors, my Shadow." he spitted those words out with such a venom he could kill a Celestial army with it "You can laugh all you wa-" he didn't finished, almost choking at his words, his eyes wide in shock when the ebony monkey hugged him from the back.

Hand wrapped tight around him and only then Wukong felt how his body was trembling and tense. Feeling the warm body pressed to his back squeezed the tears out of his eyes.

"I'm not here to mock you Wukong." Macaque stated, his voice calm and soothing, yet it made Wukong's insides twist in a pain "I know you might not believe me, but I'm worried." he tangled their tails together "I know you. You know that. And I know you're doing it purposely." he said 'Hurting yourself on purpose, punishing yourself.' was silent in his voice, but they both knew it was there between the lines "I'll wash you." he stated, losing his hold and walking around the King to face him.

There was a moment of silence, as Wukong looked to the side, avoiding eye contact for all cose. But he didn't resist when Macaque took his hand in his and pulled him in the direction of the water. Six Eared heard how King's heart was beating fast and he saw he was looking to the ground in shame. He bit his lip, wondering if he was doing the right thing, but at the same time he knew there was no one else that could take his place in this situation.

He started to undress Monkey King not really slowly but also carefully to not startle him. Then he undressed himself much faster and again took Wukong's hand in his, tangling their fingers lightly.

The Moon slowly eased the Sun into the water. Even though there was no resistance, Macaque could see the tension between them growing and Wukong's body language screaming in discomfort. He stood behind Wukong in the warm water of the hot spring and lightly pushed him down by the shoulders so only his head would be above the surface. He got down himself to be on the eyelevel of the rusty one as well.

His hands run through the red fur under the water, untangling all knots and washing all dirt off in a gentle, yet still confident motion. He could feel the tense muscles under his palms, and the stiff, surely uncomfortable position the King was in. He looked to, already half hidden being the horizon, Sun and hummed, earning a twitch from Wukong's ears.

"I heard MK has a crush on DBK's kid." he said then in a calm, nonchalant tone as he massaged comforting circles into the Sun's back.

"WHAT?!" Wukong's head shot up and he turned to the ebony monkey confused. Macaque chuckled, and turned him back to the previous position as he continued, feeling the tension fall slightly.

"Yeah, I heard him talking about it with Mei." he said lightly, remembering how when they were younger and bathed together as well he always fed Wukong the tea he overheard from around the mountain. He was glad the old trick still worked now.

Wukong coughed himself, mouth open as he wanted to ask some more but then the realization of the situation he was in crushed him again and the tension came back. Macaque sighed and moved to cleaning Wukong's tail, brushing it with his fingers.

"Don't be like this. It's not our first time bathing together." he said, surprisingly without the bite or venom in it, but for a longer while they were bathing in silence yet again.

"It's pointless." Wukong said, when Macaquestarted to wash the fur on his arms and hands. His voice was unsettlingly hollow.

"What?" Macaque's ears perked up and he looked at the stone monkey. Golden eyes were unfocused and locked at his hands.

"It's pointless." he repeated, making Macaque furrow his brows in confusion "It won't wash off anyway." he added in this empty tone.

"What won't wash off Wukong?" he asked, holding his hands gently in his own.

"Blood." he said after a moment and Macaque's stomach dropped, before he could say anything back, Wukong continued, his hands starting to shake "I tried. I really tried. But it won't come off. It's pointless to wash. I tried. Your blood won't come off." he looked up, finally meeting the other eyes with his trembling, broken gold.

Macaque looked at him speechless, the gravity of the situation only now getting to him. His own heart started to race, past anger rising uncontrollably, but he pushed it back with all strength he had left. He couldn't let his anger out now, it wasn't the time it wasn't an issue in this situation. His King was hurting and he was grieving and punishing himself, and it pained Macaque's soul more than it angered him.

And so Macaque's gaze softened, squeezing a trembling cry out of Wukong "Silly monkey," his voice was warm and soft "look again." he ran his fingers through the fur on the Sun's arms gently "There's no blood. Only some dirt and fruit sirop." he continued in a soothing tone, and tears started to run down Wuong's cheeks as he looked down, his eyes shining gold, making him still see a cursed red "And I'm here now Wukong." he hushed, pulling his hands up to place on his own cheeks. He leaned into King's hands, closing his eyes and covering them with his own hands in an affectionate gesture, and as the golden eyes rose to look at him, the merciless gold flicker and there was no more blood in sight.

Wukong's breathing got heavy, and his body trembled, tail squeezing the ebony one, but Macaque only hummed and slightly turned his head to kiss the palm of King's hand, making the other fall into a full on lament.

The stone monkey was crying out loud, leaning against the other for support as his body shuddered uncontrollably under another wave of his sobs. And as the King bawled his eyes out, his Warrior embarrassed him, slowly and gently washing all dirt and pain away.

"I'm here, Wukong." he repeated softly, himself being on the verge of tears, but not letting them fall.

And when time went on, the Hero slowly calmed down from the cry. Yet relief from the other's company was fastly replaced by the fear of being so vulnerable just now. Fortunately the Warrior noticed that and took it upon himself to not let it distress his King again.

"Have I told you the story about the Hero and the Warrior?" he asked softly, making Monkey King flinch.

"The one you told MK? Yeah, heard that." Wukong furrowed his brows, looking to the side with a mix of emotions in his eyes.

Macaque chuckled a bit nervously "Well it's a bit different now you know." he said, running his fingers through now not-so-tangled-anymore, rusty fur.

Wukong's ears perked up in curiosity but he said nothing.

He didn't need to.

"The Hero and the Warrior were like the Sun and the Moon." he said, getting his voice in that narrator tone "Their light, a protective glow, shining upon the world. Together, there was nothing that could stop the two of them. Either in the Celestial Realms or on Earth." he continued with a nostalgic gaze "As time went on, the Hero attained power beyond comprehension. As the Hero's light grew, so too did his shadow. And soon, the Warrior was cast in that shadow." he felt Wukong tens slightly under his touch "In the darkness, the Warrior was forgotten by the Hero." his voice trembled slightly but he corrected himself and continued "Or so the Warrior thought. Consumed by his anger and fueled by the fight with the Hero." he stated "So the Hero and the Warrior fell apart, drawn away from each other by their own pain and thoughtful stupidity." Wukong looked back at him with an unsure gaze, and Macaque smiled softly "But the Hero and the Warior were like the Sun and the Moon, no matter how long apart they will be and how far they fly from each other. They will find their way back and their Eclipse will honor the sky." and Wukong hugged him tight at that, almost making him fall back.

Macaque hugged him back with the same energy and chuckled with glassy eyes.

"I like that story." Wukong murmured into the other's fur.

"Yeah, I like it too." Macaque answered softly.

From now on, Wukong and Macaque started to bathe together again. Washing and grooming each other's fur.

''*★☽☯☾★*''

FICTOBER 2023 DAY 22

Prompt for today: "Who takes care of you?"

FH:

This idea was acually in my notes for quite some time, so I'm glad I could bring it to life on fictober owo

See ya tomorrow!

=)