#liukong

I've posted the next chapter of Moon Mist in the dead of night, just like always 😜 this shit is super 🔞🔞🔞 because we are getting down, these monkeys are going at it, and this is only!! the first part!! there's two more parts of monkeying around, isn't that swell. and then there's even MORE after that! Wow!

​The silence lasted exactly three seconds after the announcement.

​Tripitaka, Zhu Bajie, Sha Wujing and Ao Lie: (In a deafening, unified roar that shook the thatched roof) "YOU’RE WHAT?!"

​Zhu Bajie: (Points a greasy finger at Wukong’s midsection) "But- but I thought you were just hitting the peach wine and the steamed buns too hard! I literally told Wujing yesterday, 'Look at the Great Sage, finally letting himself go, getting a little soft in the middle!'"

​Sha Wujing: (Nodding frantically, eyes wide as dinner plates) "I thought it was a bloating curse! I was looking up herbal teas for indigestion!"

​Ao Lie: (In his human form, leaning forward in pure shock) "Wukong...we know you're...you know, you...but a whole child? A biological heir? I didn't think the Heavens allowed stone monkeys to be that fertile!"

​Sun Wukong: (Holding up a hand, looking increasingly pale) "Look, it’s a long story involving Laozi, a lot of celestial energy, and apparently Liu’er’s shadow-magic being way more...effective...than we anticipated. It’s a boy. We’re having a-."

​Wukong stopped mid-sentence. His golden fur bristled, his cheeks puffed out and he bolted from his chair with a speed that blurred the air. He scrambled out the front door and a second later, the distinct, miserable sound of the Great Sage losing his breakfast echoed from the bushes.

Liu’er Mihou: (Winced, his six ears twitching painfully at the sound) "The morning sickness is...persistent. He’s been eating for three people and then seeing it all again ten minutes later."

​Zhu Bajie: (Leaning back, a wicked, lopsided grin spreading across his snout as he nudged Liu’er with his elbow) "Well, well, Shadow Meat. I guess you two really did it, huh? I mean, I knew you guys were 'meditating' in the cave, but to actually go and-."

WHACK.

​Tripitaka’s hand moved with the speed of a divine strike, his palm connecting squarely with the back of Bajie’s head.

Tripitaka: (His face a mask of serene, holy indignation) "Bajie! Have you no shame? We are discussing a miracle of life, a new soul entering this world and you choose to be a gutter-dwelling swine!"

​Zhu Bajie: (Rubbing his head, whining) "Ow! Master! I'm just stating the obvious! You don't get a baby from just holding hands!"

​Sha Wujing: (Ignoring them, looking toward the door with concern) "Is he going to be okay? I've never seen the Great Sage look so...fragile."

​Liu’er Mihou: (Sighing, looking toward the door where Wukong was currently grumbling curses at a flower bed) "He’s the strongest person I know, Wujing. But apparently, a tiny monkey-spirit is the only thing capable of knocking the Monkey King off his feet. He’s scared. I’m terrified. But..." (he looked down at his own hands) "...he’s going to be a Sun. We’re going to make sure of it."

​They were in the Tushita Palace, the realm of the Great Supreme Elder, Laozi. Wukong sat perched on the edge of a mahogany bench, looking uncharacteristically pale beneath his golden fur, while Liu’er Mihou paced the floor, his six ears fanned out and trembling with every minor sound of a bubbling cauldron.

Liu’er Mihou: (Stopping his pacing to press a hand to Wukong’s forehead) "You’re cold. Or you’re hot. I can’t tell, my hands are shaking. Wukong, if that ‘immortal’ peach you ate three centuries ago was actually fermented, I am going to lose my mind."

​Sun Wukong: (Groaning, leaning his head against Liu'er’s hip) "It’s not the peach, Liu. I feel like I’ve swallowed a mountain and the mountain is trying to kick its way out. Maybe I’m just...evolving? Again?"

​Laozi: (Stepping out from behind a massive bronze brazier, stroking his long white beard with an expression that was halfway between clinical fascination and sheer disbelief) "Not evolving, Great Sage. And certainly not poisoned."

​Liu’er Mihou: (Snarling slightly, protective instincts flaring) "Then what? He hasn't been able to look at a bowl of noodles for a week without turning green. If the Heavens are trying to curse him again-."

​Laozi: (Raising a hand) "Peace, Shadow Macaque. It is no curse. I have checked the pulses of the cosmos and the flow of his golden core. It seems your union has...manifested a new life. Wukong, you are carrying a child."

The silence that followed was absolute. Even the celestial fires in the furnaces seemed to freeze.

Sun Wukong: (Blinking slowly, his jaw dropping) "I'm...I'm what?"

​Liu’er Mihou: (Frozen mid-step, his ears pinned flat against his head) "A child. Like...a small, screaming monkey? Inside him? Right now?"

​Laozi: (Nodding calmly) "A boy, by the strength of the spirit I sense. It is a rare occurrence for those born of stone and shadow, but it seems your Journey to the West changed more than just your titles. Your body has adapted to the desire of your heart."

​Sun Wukong: (Looking down at his stomach, his hands trembling as he hovered them over his midsection) "A boy. A son? But I’m...I mean, I’m me. I’m the Great Sage. I’m-" (he lets out a shaky, breathless laugh) "I'm going to be a Baba?"

​Liu’er Mihou: (Finally moving, he drops to his knees in front of Wukong, his hands covering Wukong’s on his stomach) "A son. Our son." (He looks up at Wukong, his eyes wide with a mix of terror and adoration) "Wukong, we can't even keep the mountain spirits from setting the forest on fire. How are we supposed to-."

​Sun Wukong: (Grinning through the shock, his eyes shimmering) "We’ll teach him to set better fires, Liu. Higher ones."

​Liu’er Mihou: (Burying his face in Wukong’s lap, his voice muffled) "We are so doomed. He’s going to be just like you. I can hear his heartbeat already...it’s fast. Like a little drum."

​Sun Wukong: (Softly, stroking Liu'er's ears) "He’s a little Sun, Liu’er. Our little Sun."

this is post s4. s5 doesn't exist yet, okay. And this is CANON shadowpee up until that point, so it's technically canon divergent. Yes, I have a backstory for their beef that's separate from Constellations. No, I haven't dedicated NEARLY as much thought to it so it's probably wonky.

the point is: Wukong's mean and it's mating season and Macaque's alive and shenanigans ensue

It's super emotional for him because, if you remember this part in Constellations

and this part

You can start to put the pieces together. Macaque’s always got this fear that he's never going to be known and accepted. And Wukong is aware of this because it's something Wukong picked up on in the past, and he and Macaque talked about it a few times, but it never got too deep. Now Wukong’s seeing it again, he’s aware of it, and he wants to prove to Macaque that he cares, that he wants to know him on the deepest level possible.

Macaque, to me, is a character that is so clever and thoughtful and has these facades and knows how the mind and heart works so intricately - he knows how difficult it is to find a person that truly understands you. That can see things from his point of view. That can follow his train of thought. Because it's very extensive. Macaque is all about planning and he can hear the present and future -- planning for multiple outcomes is just his nature.

and Wukong understands that and is more than happy to understand Macaque's thought process. But finding someone like that is hard and it takes time and effort for another person to reach that stage of deep friendship and knowing. But it's so much to take on, Macaque has this fear and resignation that he's never going to find anyone who is willing to do that. Even though Wukong already has and absolutely will continue to go that distance, Macaque has, deep down, convinced himself that even Wukong may give up after a certain point.

So this gesture is significant because it reestablishes Wukong's commitment to not only their relationship, but to the time investment, to the effort, to the mistakes - to everything that goes into knowing Macaque like this. It's something he wants, enthusiastically! And he's also respecting Macaque's boundaries by saying, "whatever you want to share with me, whenever you want to, I want to take part in it" Wukong's not saying it has to happen overnight. He's letting Macaque make that decision and saying with his full chest that he'll be ready and waiting to receive and interact with that whenever Macaque is ready.

And that means so much to Macaque. That Wukong will still go that far for him. Mac just wants to be known and understood, just like everyone, but he knows his mind is complex. Wukong can keep up with it. he's one of the few who can, and Macaque treasures him deeply for that. And after hearing this, Macaque felt a burst of love and had to show his appreciation verbally so Wukong knows that he understands what he means to say and it means a lot to him.

And just the flowers to show support and care, that Wukong was so enthusiastic about Macaque's plays, that he wanted to involve himself so much in it, that he asked questions, that he thought about the material and even why Mac picked that specific play. That he was amazing and entranced with the magic.

Sun Wukong: (Face-down in a silk pillow, muffled) "Liu’er. The sirens are going off. Deal with them."

​Liu’er Mihou: (Eyes clamped shut, pretending to be a statue) "I am a shadow. Shadows do not possess physical forms capable of lifting toddlers. I am one with the darkness."

Sun ​Wukong: (Bolting upright, hair a mess) "You have six ears, Liu'er! How are you even pretending you can’t hear this? Xingxing sounds like he’s trying to summon a demon and Yueliang is definitely using her super-strength to kick the bars out of the crib."

​Liu’er Mihou: (Peeking one eye open) "I did the midnight shift. I remember because Taiyang tried to eat my scarf. It’s your turn, "Great Sage". Go use some of that 72 Transformations magic to turn into a person who isn't exhausted."

Sun ​Wukong: (Groaning as he swings his legs out of bed) "I birthed them! I literally grew them inside my own body! I think I’ve done enough heavy lifting for this millennium. My immortality didn't prepare me for the psychological warfare of a two-year-old."

Sun ​Taiyang (2-years-old): (From the nursery, screaming) "PAPA! PEACH! NOW!"

​Liu’er Mihou: (Sighing, finally sitting up) "See? He’s calling for you. He knows you’re the soft one."

Sun ​Wukong: "He’s calling for a Papa. We are both Papas! That is the fundamental flaw in our parenting structure!"

Sun ​Xingxing (12-months-old): (A high-pitched, glass-shattering wail joins in)

Sun ​Wukong: (Rubbing his temples) "That’s it. That’s the signal. I’m retiring. I’m going back to the furnace. At least in the Eight Trigrams Furnace, it was quiet and I could get a tan."

​Liu’er Mihou: (Pulling Wukong back by the tail) "Oh no, you don't. We’re in this together. Remember what we said when Yueliang was born? "A beautiful addition to our legacy"?"

Sun ​Wukong: (Hissing) "I was high on celestial herbs! I didn't know the "legacy" involved being a human chew toy! Three is the limit, Liu’er. No more. I am closing the shop. I am sealing the mountain. If I see one more diaper, I’m going to start another war with Heaven just so I can get some "me time" in a cold cell."

​Liu’er Mihou: (Smirking despite the fatigue) "Agreed. Three kids is plenty for two immortal monkeys and a thousand-year-old mountain. Now, go. If you get Taiyang back to sleep, I’ll handle the babies."

Sun ​Wukong: (Standing up, cracking his back) "Fine. But if Taiyang asks for a bedtime story about the Journey to the West again, I’m telling him the version where Tripitaka gets eaten. Maybe then he’ll be too scared to wake us up."

​Liu’er Mihou: "You’re a terrible influence."

​Ten minutes after the arrival of the second prince of the mountain, the royal trio was officially complete.

​Sun Wukong: (Propped up against a mountain of soft furs, cradling the tiny, squirming bundle. His eyes are tired, but as he peels back the silk blanket, a slow, predatory smirk of victory spreads across his face) "Oh...oh, look at you. Look at this glorious sight."

​Liu’er Mihou: (Leaning over with a basin of warm water, his six ears twitching nervously) "What? Is he okay? Does he have too many ears? Not enough?"

​Sun Wukong: (Turning the baby toward Liu’er with a look of pure, unadulterated smugness) "He’s perfect. Because look, Liu’er...GOLD. Bright, shimmering, Sun Wukong-level golden fur! He has my nose! He has my brow! He has my everything!"

​Sun Xingxing: (Only ten minutes old, he lets out a tiny, melodic yawn, his fur glowing like a soft dandelion in the cave’s bioluminescence. He reaches up with a tiny paw, grabbing Wukong’s thumb)

​Sun Wukong: (Cackling softly, despite his exhaustion) "Finally! Nine months of suffering and I finally won the genetic lottery again! Take that, Liu’er! The score is two-to-one! The Great Sage's genes will not be suppressed!"

Liu’er Mihou: (Chuckling, leaning down to kiss Wukong’s forehead) "Alright, alright, you win this round, Great Sage. He’s a little golden star. A 'Xingxing' to guide us home."

​Sun Taiyang (2-years-old): (Climbing onto the bed with the grace of a seasoned warrior. He peers down at his new brother, his amber eyes wide.) "He’s shiny, Baba. Like me."

​Sun Yueliang (1-year-old): (Wobbling over, her six ears fanning out as she sniffs the air. She looks at the golden baby, then up at her dark-furred Papa and then back at the baby. She lets out a small, huffy noise, clearly realizing she is now the only one who looks like Liu’er)

​Sun Wukong: (Nudging Yueliang playfully with his tail) "Don't look at me like that, Yueliang. You’re still Papa’s little shadow, but your new brother? He’s all me. We're going to be so loud together, it'll make the Jade Emperor's head spin."

​Sun Xingxing: (As if on cue, he opens his eyes — bright, twinkling and full of mischief — and lets out a tiny, high-pitched chirp that echoes through the cave)