Archive of Our Own

Macaque was known for many things.

A shadowy menace who tricked and lured innocent souls into the murky depths of the dark.

A celestial monkey who could hear everything, even the future and the past.

An outcast. A theatrical wanderer. An untrustworthy, silver tongued scoundrel.

An enemy with a spark of potential to be something better.

A warrior.

An old friend, left behind deep in the past.

But to the group of powerful demons Macaque hung out with (mostly due to Wukong’s involvement with them), he was a loner and a cowardly rat. Someone who hid in the shadows and had no potential for glory. The outlier in their fierce brotherhood.

The Monkey King’s shadow.

Macaque was once content with that, and even took pride in that title.

That was back when Wukong was still his sun, bringing light to his world and his miserable existence.

At least he could serve some use with that light Wukong reflected onto him. He didn’t have too grand of a dream: He was willing to follow along with Wukong and have the stone monkey’s back, trusting that Wukong had Macaque’s own.

It didn’t matter if the demon brotherhood didn’t appreciate him.

Wukong did, and that was all that mattered.

Wukong was the sun, Macaque was the moon. Macaque would do anything for him, and he was sure Wukong would do the same.

He was willing to follow Wukong to the ends of the Earth, and would gladly sit with him on the mountain for all of eternity, eating peaches and enjoying their lives.

But that was centuries ago. Times have changed, and so has he.

He tenses as the group, thanks to Tang, appeared on the outskirts of heaven. The intricate glowing circle fades under their feet.

Heaven looked… the same.

Of course, there’s still some signs of damage from the fights that had occurred in the Celestials’ efforts to stop the Camel Ridge trio.

But otherwise, Heaven looked the same as it was before. If it weren’t for the fact that Macaque, Nezha, and MK had seen the Jade Emperor fall and nearly tear the fabric of the universe apart, he wouldn’t have believed that Heaven had been overtaken.

The chef, Pigsy, spoke up. “Alright. Remember the plan?”

MK nodded. “We split into groups and find the last items we need to fix the tablet Monkey King’s stuck in.” He took a deep breath.

“That’s right.” Nezha nods, the stoic expression on his  face softening for just a moment.

Huh. It seemed that even the Third Lotus Prince had caved in to the classic MK charm over the past few weeks. Macaque could understand.

The kid was like a golden retriever. You can’t say no to him for too long.

As everyone began to set off, MK seemed to hesitate. Macaque, noticing his unease, stayed back for a moment.

“Hey, kid.” MK looked up. Macaque put a hand on his shoulder.

“Remember what I taught you?” MK let out a breath. 

“I choose my own path.”

“That’s right. It doesn't matter if you’re a stone monkey like me or Wukong, or how you came to be. You get to choose your own identity and your own destiny. Who cares what the Lady Bone Demon thinks? There is never only one path or solution.

“And knowing you and your little entourage, I know all of you are more than capable of saving Wukong and defeating the Azure Lion. You’ve got this, bud.” He ruffled MK’s hair, who seemed to lighten up at Macaque’s words.

“Yeah… yeah, you’re right! We totally got this!” MK nodded, a determined fire lighting up in his eyes.

Macaque felt a twinge of something painful in his chest at the familiar expression. The very same expression a certain stone monkey had worn no matter the challenges he faced. Whether that be Diyu, the gods… 

…or his best friend himself.

He shook himself out of his thoughts and smiled at the kid. “Now that’s the spirit.”

MK moved to set off, before he paused and turned back to Macaque. “Thanks, Macaque. We’ll meet again after all of this.”

He then leaped off and disappeared. Macaque couldn’t help the fond grin that appeared, laughing softly and shaking his head. He then turned towards his own destination, a determination settling into his bones.

-

There had been a slight hitch in the plan. 

Turns out someone had tripped some sort of celestial alarm, which meant the armies of Heaven (and maybe Azure Lion himself) would be surrounding them any second now.

Macaque had two options right now.

He could stay behind to hold off Azure and keep him off the group’s trail, or he could flee this entire mess and abandon everyone like a coward (that Peng always said he was).

He grit his teeth.

“Kid.” He turned towards MK, who was instinctively shielding the rest of the group. The kid was still flickering between his monkey and human forms. He was gaining better control of it, but he wouldn’t be able to complete his plan if he stayed any longer.

“Run.” 

“What? No! I can’t leave you behind-” MK’s voice rang out, full of confusion and fear.

“MK! You have to leave! Right now!” Macaque barked back, before he looked at Tang. 

The bespectacled human was the only one who could get them out of here. And he was the person in the group who Macaque could connect with the most, despite being the reincarnation of the damn monk.

 The man understood immediately, and a glowing gold circle formed beneath the group.

“Macaque!-” MK desperately reached out to him as the magic in the circle grew stronger. 

Macaque smiled.

“Sorry bud. But it looks like your other mentor’s gonna have to stay for now.”

A flash of gold blinded everyone briefly, and the group was gone.

He took a deep breath as the celestial army surrounded him, weapons drawn.

The Azure Lion himself stood in front of him, menacing and adorned in a new outfit. 

He sensed a kinship in the Azure Lion he hadn’t felt for a while.

Here, standing in front of the group, was an adversary who was brought back to the mortal realm by a powerful being with an agenda, who was using them like a pawn.

Oh right, they also had a past friendship with Wukong.

Now where had he heard that story before?

“Six-Eared Macaque.” Azure Lion’s eyes were steely. “It’s been a while.”

“Heh, Long time no see, Azure.” Macaque grinned, despite his instincts screaming at him to run, get out of here before you get killed- again-

“You left us. You escaped the punishment and agony our brothers had to endure for centuries. I am giving one final chance. Join us once more or face the fate of those who stood against us.”

Azure’s cold face softened.

“Please. I don’t want to hurt you. Just rejoin us and help us reforge this world anew.”

Icy chains wrapped tightly around him, burning through his fur and into his skin.

Freezing air filling his lungs, making him choke.

Ice wrapping around his arm and face, the pain burning and burning and BURNING-

A cold gaze and colder voice, innocently disguised as a little girl’s.

“Fool.”

“I will erase the very memory of you.”

“My champion.”

“Reforge this world anew.”

Macaque shook off the phantom chills and sighed. “Sorry big guy, but no thanks.” His grin turned bitter. “Besides, I was always the deadweight to this group, huh?” 

He leaped at Azure.

-

He had been doing pretty well dodging the tablets of the scroll. 

He had blocked one of the tablets with his staff before he leaped into the air above Azure. 

He’d been barely able to land a hit when he felt it. A tablet slamming his ribs, turning his body into black goo.

The last thing he saw before he was sucked into the tablet was Peng, standing to the side.

“Coward.” The avian demon hissed.

Macaque smiled.

-

He found himself on Flower Fruit Mountain.

The mountain had barely changed in the past centuries, still full of wildlife and curious little monkeys. 

He hesitantly stepped forward. Everything was so familiar, yet somehow different at the same time-

The monkeys scattered.

He tensed up.

Of course, they probably didn’t recognize him as he was now. He was in his past memories, after all.

Wukong was probably still trapped in his own broken tablet. Seeing as Macaque was trapped in the Scroll as well, might as well try to find him-

“Mihou?!”

Huh. Speak of the devil. Looks like Macaque didn’t have to go looking very far for him after all.

Wait. Why did he say that name?

He plastered on a grin before spinning around to face him. “Wukong! What a-”

He froze.

Standing in front of him was a Wukong dressed in tiger skin. His clothes were less flashy, and that cap was on his head.

That was… unexpected.

From what he had gathered, Wukong was in his original form when MK had last seen him. 

Perhaps the tablet breaking had reverted him to his past self..?

Macaque shook his head quickly. “Hey Wukong.” He let the smug, confident tone he’d forged over the years fall away.

Wukong frowned. “Mihou? The monkeys told me you were back! What happened? You… look different..”

Ah right. Macaque was still wearing his normal clothes. 

“Yeah, it’s uh, been a while.”

Wukong tilted his head for a moment before a bright smile appeared on his face.

“Yeah, it really has! C’mon, lemme show you what you missed!” He grabbed Macaque’s hand and ran off, dragging him along.

Macaque froze, his ears quietly fluttering from underneath the glamour as Wukong laughed.

It’d been so long since Wukong held his hand.

His heart ached.

-

Wukong had dragged him around the mountain all day, excitedly talking Macaque’s ear off discussing all the new wildlife and monkeys, and all the conquests Wukong had accomplished during Macaque’s absence.

“You know, I kind of thought you’d gone for good this time,” Wukong teased, “and decided to brood eternally in some forest.”

Macaque gave a light smirk. How ironic. “Well, maybe it was getting too quiet.”

They continued lightly bantering as they made their way down a stream, chatting about ‘recent’ drama and godly affairs, and then arguing on fruits and the best way to grow peach trees.

At one point, Macaque let out a breathless laugh as they paused on a cliff. “Still the same old Wukong. I don’t get how you still have this much energy.”

Wukong paused, looking back at him. “Mihou, don’t tell me you’re already tired!” Something familiar flashed in his eyes and he grinned.

Macaque gave a tired grin. “Look peaches, not everyone is seven-times-immortal or as energetic as you. It’s fine. I can- gah!”  

He suddenly found himself lifted by a pair of arms, his body being pressed against a warm chest. He gripped at the yellow fabric of Wukong’s shirt, going wide-eyed at the abrupt change.

Wukong was carrying him.

His immediate instinct was to bite, to fight the arms surrounding him and free himself from Wukong’s grasp, teeth bared and ready for the next blow.

But then he looked up at Wukong.

His cheeks heated up as he stared at the ginger-furred monkey, desperately trying to glamour away the blush before it reached his ears and failing.

Wukong smiled down at him, before gently leaning down and nuzzling his cheek.

“Your face is so red right now.”

“Ah- oh shut up.”

Wukong laughed, and a twinge in his heart made Macaque smile.

-

Macaque looked around for Wukong.

The other monkey had suddenly disappeared while they were walking, which was something he’d liked to do back then.

The goal was usually for Macaque to find him.

And despite the dark recesses of his mind whispering doubtful words, Macaque was reluctantly willing to indulge Wukong, as he always had.

Curse him. Curse Wukong and that stupid, beautiful face of his.

And he cursed himself for his softness as he gave himself the halfhearted excuse all of  this was just to revert Wukong back to normal so he could help them.

He left you again.

You’re all alone.

You’re not worth staying for.

Nobody could love you.

He should’ve left ages ag-

Macaque let out a soft breath as he slowly let down the glamour around his ears for a brief moment.

A rustling sound.

He threw back on the glamour and turned around just as Wukong burst out of the bushes and leaped at him, tackling Macaque to the ground.

Wukong laughed brightly, and for a moment Macaque’s heart yearned.

He shoved the pesky emotions away.

“Gotcha!” Wukong declared, grinning down at him.

Macaque smirked. “Not yet.”

He sank into the shadows, emerging from behind Wukong.

The ginger-furred monkey turned around at the right time to catch him. They fell onto the forest floor once again, trying to get a hand over the other as they rolled around.

Grass and earth flew everywhere as the two wrestled until they rolled down a slope, laughing ecstatically as adrenaline pumped through their bodies.

They finally ended up under a tree, breathless as their limbs tangled together. Macaque ended up halfway in Wukong’s lap as the two settled down, catching their breaths.

The sun was setting, and they had a full view of the beautiful rosy sky painted in different hues of warm colors. The pale silver moon was slowly coming into view and taking its place among the stars that were flickering in the sky.

It looked as if the moon was chasing the sun.

 Macaque smiled softly and felt his eyes drooping, exhaustion catching up to him and sinking into his bones.

He felt a pair of claws gently running through his fur, picking out the dirt and grass. Too tired to care anymore, a soft purr slowly rumbled from his chest for the first time in years.

A light giggle came from Wukong as Macaque closed his eyes, drifting off to a peaceful slumber.

-

Warm.

Everything was warm.

Macaque felt a purr rumble from within him once more before he pulled himself together. Right. He was in the Scroll with a past Wukong.

He slowly shifted and blearily opened his eyes. They were still sitting under the tree with Wukong’s arms wrapped around. Macaque was leaning against his shoulder, and upon looking down he realized their tails were intertwined.

He looked back at Wukong, and was treated to a sight he hadn’t seen in centuries.

Wukong was sleeping peacefully, lightly snoring and face relaxed. This was a Wukong unburdened by war and loss and pain. This was a Wukong who was still innocent to what was yet to come.

But then Wukong’s body became rigid.

Macaque tensed up.

Wukong’s breathing quickened as his face scrunched and his grip tightened, causing Macaque to wince at the sudden jolt of pain.

“Nononono-” Wukong murmured under his breath. “Kid-”

Oh.

Seems like Wukong’s memories weren’t as buried as Macaque thought.

But that didn’t matter. He needed to wake him up. Macaque didn’t want to end up with a broken bone.

(And deep down, seeing this version of Wukong suffering felt like Macaque’s own heart was being ripped out.)

He grabbed Wukong’s shoulder, shaking him.

“Wukong! Wake up!”

Wukong whimpered, tugging at heartstrings Macaque didn’t know he still had.

“You’re not there anymore. The kid’s safe. Wake up, peaches.”

Wukong snapped his eyes open with a gasp, heaving as Macaque held onto him, whispering words of comfort left unspoken for centuries.

Wukong’s breathing eventually evened out as he sagged a bit, finally calming down.

“..Mihou?” The tentative voice breached the silence.

“...Yeah?”

“...This.. isn’t real, is it?”

“I- what?”

Wukong took a deep breath.

“You’re dressed differently. You’re a little taller than you usually are, which isn’t a lot to begin with-” He snorted at the indignant “Hey!” from the other monkey before continuing.

“I keep getting flashes of memories- dreams- of people. I don’t know. Demons, humans, people all flashing by in front of my eyes as they come and go, and for some reason I care about them. I was about to hit a human I somehow know I care about, but I couldn’t stop myself, I couldn’t save them-”

Wukong growled as he dug his claws into the earth.

“And even now, these- these visions keep coming. As if trying to remind me of something. And the final clue…”

He turned to Macaque.

“Your glamours are thicker. There’s more of them.”

Macaque froze.

“Even without the golden vision, I can tell. Why?” His voice became more worried. “What are you hiding now?”

Macaque stared back at Wukong in shock for a moment, before he sighed and closed his eyes.

“I’ll show you.”

He let down his glamours.

All of them.

The one covering his six ears, helping him muffle the multitude of sounds that might otherwise distract or incapacitate him.

The one covering all the scars over his body.

The one covering the thick streaks of white mixing in with the ashy fur on his right side.

And the final one covering the jagged, ugly scar blinding his right eye.

Wukong’s breath hitched. There was a moment of silence.

Then a golden flash of light enveloped him, oddly quiet compared to the other transformations.

And there he was, still wearing the same outfit, but now centuries older and hypothetically wiser.

They stared at each other in silence.

Macaque stood up. He turned around.

A gentle but firm hand grasped his wrist.

“Macaque, we- we need to talk.”

“There’s nothing to talk about.

“You know very well-”

The dam broke. Macaque’s emotions, already rubbed raw from the past 24 hours, poured out like a tidal wave.

“SO WHAT?”

Macaque spun back around to face Wukong, teeth bared. Wukong jolted lightly but held on.

“YOU did this to me.” Macaque gestured at his mess of an eye.

“YOU left me. YOU abandoned me. YOU made me go through HELL!”

He tugged harshly, trying to free his wrist from Wukong’s hold. Wukong stubbornly held on, something close to anguish on his face.

Or maybe it was rage. Macaque couldn’t tell through the thick layer of burning tears that threatened to overflow and fall.

“Macaque, I-”

“YOU DESTROYED ANY CHANCE FOR US TO TALK WHEN YOU KILLED ME!”

There was a horrible moment of silence.

The tears slid down Macaque’s face as his body sagged.

“I was willing to go to the ends of the earth with you, Wukong.” He whispered. “I would’ve done anything for you.”

“You were everything to me.”

Finally, the hold on his wrist loosened. Macaque fell to the ground, limp as he desperately tried to wipe away the tears that just Wouldn’t. Stop. Falling.

He felt a warm pair of arms wrap around him.

Recognizing who it was, he immediately began thrashing, biting, scratching, doing anything to get out of Wukong’s hold.

He lost the privilege to hold him centuries ago.

Wukong kept holding him tightly. It didn’t matter what Macaque threw at him, the most important thing to Wukong as of that moment was that he had to keep holding on.

After several minutes, Macaque fell limp once more, exhausted. Wukong’s hold on him didn’t loosen.

“Macaque… I didn’t kill you.”

Anger flared up once again in Macaque’s chest.

“What do you mean, you didn’t kill me? I remember you striking me into the Earth and casting me into Diyu. People don't forget that kind of thing easily, you know.” He glared up at Wukong.

“I didn’t kill you. I- I blinded you, I know, but I didn’t- I would never have killed you.”

“...You’re lying.” Macaque whispered. “You’re lying, you’re lying, you have to be-”

“I’m not!” Wukong cried out. I don’t know who told you or how they manipulated your memories, but I didn’t- fuck, you died and I didn’t know- how- who-”

The memories changed. A staff slamming him into the Earth changed to icy blue chains and shadows dragging him into the darkness, suffocating him- killing him-

“Nonono no- You’re lying- if you didn’t- how- why- everything I did-” Macaque realized, his heart stopping for a moment as he came to a realization.

“Hurting MK, spending all this time trying to get back at you- all of it- everything I did was for nothing.”

Wukong tensed. “I took your sight. I scarred you. What you did was pretty bad, yeah, but I wouldn’t say all of it was for nothing.” He murmured.

Macaque let out a hysterical laugh.

“Looks like she was puppeteering me even before she caught me again. How fucking ironic.”

Concern flashed over Wukong’s face. “She- the Lady Bone Demon?”

He didn’t have anything left in him. Macaque turned to face the ginger-furred monkey holding him.

He spoke the question that had haunted him for generations, the first question out of many that drove him to find and end up fighting Wukong in the first place. 

His voice came out as a whisper.

“Why did you leave me?”

Wukong flinched.

Sun Wukong, the Monkey King, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, flinched.

“I-”

“Was it… was it because of me?” Macaque finally whispered out the thoughts that had been haunting him this entire time. 

The very thoughts he buried under mountains of resentment and anger, covered by betrayal and vengeance.

“Was it because I wasn’t good enough? Because I finally grew boring?” He hunched in on himself instinctively, his tail wrapping around his legs.

“I- no, gods no, Mac. It wasn’t because of you. It was never because of you.” Wukong sounded horrified.

“I-” He let out a breath. “After fighting the Jade Emperor and embarking on the Journey, I realized some things. Yeah, the Jade Emperor sucks, but I- nor any of us, for that matter- would have been able to rule Heaven successfully.”

Wukong looked down. “There are things in the mortal plane worth caring about. I learned to enjoy life for both its complexities and simplicities at the same time.”

“Those are some pretty Big words. Who are you and what have you done to Wukong.” Macaque sniffed, looking over his shoulder with some spark of playful mirth in his eyes.

“Hey!” Wukong laughed. His face turned somber. “Going on that Journey- it changed my life. But… I’m sorry. I’m sorry I left you behind without a single word and turned against the brotherhood with no explanation. I’m so sorry.”

Macaque looked up. “...I can’t forgive you. Not right now. But… I understand.”

Wukong nodded. “Could we…” He paused. 

Could we try again?  

The unspoken question hung in the air.

Macaque gently intertwined his tail with Wukong’s. Wukong brightened and gave a light squeeze.

“Baby steps.”

-

They sat together quietly, talking about recent times, events, and plans. The moon hung high in the ocean of stars, illuminating the night sky.

Then suddenly, a beam of golden light crashed down on Wukong.

His eyes widened. “Did they-”

Macaque briefly froze in surprise before nodding. “They managed to fix your tablet.”

“But that means-”

“They don’t have my tablet. I’ll have to stay.” Macaque’s eyes softened. “I’ll take care of the monkeys.”

Wukong nodded before stepping forward and cupping Macaque’s face.

They both leaned in, heads pressing against each other gently.

“I promise I’ll come back for you. I won’t leave you behind this time. As soon as we free you, I am never letting you go again.”

“That doesn’t sound too bad.”

“You’ll get to hang out with MK and his friends more. Maybe stop brooding for once.”

“Funny enough, I actually already got to know some of them.” Macaque smirked. “You should take your own advice.”

Wukong let out a breathless laugh. “Yeah, I should.”

They gently pressed their mouths together in a kiss. A promise.

Then the light beam faded, teleporting Wukong with it.

Macaque smiled, looking up as the sun began to rise. The sky was dappled in color, swirling and beautiful. The stars twinkled faintly.

It almost looked as if the sun was chasing the moon.