#ljttw

Paramita - He sees a lot of himself in his eldest. Mainly, how hard he works to ensure his family is safe and happy, along with their home. But....he also wants to make it clear that he can choose the path he wishes. When Paramita was little and was starstruck watching him go through his forms with his staff, he was so giddy to ask to learn. But he knew that it would mean it would likely lead to something else along the line. Well, he can't say no to father-son time and happily helped Para learn his first forms with weapons....even if it stung a bit when he started looking at Erlang Shen as another weapons inspiration. He wishes his son wouldn't work as hard, and will absolutely do what he can to encourage and remind him it's ok to have fun and try new things. Given that he has to be a little cheeky to ensure his eldest still takes genuine self-care. He knows what it's like to constantly work and have no play, trying to ensure nothing bad could ever happen, hence...why he wants to ensure that his eldest, while learning his passion, also gets to grow up and be a kid for a while.

Upaya - He happily encourages her passions for the arts. When she was young, she was so nervous and shy, barely spoke above a whisper. But he never let his patience wane as he took as many steps with her as it took. They bonded mainly over her adoration for makeup and dances, but oh, her first opera was perfect. She was so awestruck, so lively, she could barely contain herself at the awe of it all. And it was that moment he knew he never wanted that smile to fade. So, he did his very best to teach her the old dances and songs of the mountain, sure his dancing was a bit stiffer now from age, but she was so happy to learn such things with her father. He knows what it's like to second guess one's self, to always be wondering if this was right or wrong. So he ensures that when his little princess stumbles across something of the sort, he walks her through it.

Pranidhana - He was a little worried at first about how quiet his cub was, but then again, he was too when he was fresh out of stone. It didn't take long to see his more soft-spoken cub having hyperfixations in the... non-magical area. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Hell, he hyperfixated hard on learning magics when he was young to gain immortalities so as long as his cub did so safely and enjoying themselves more power to them. Though....he can't help but feel his heart break when his cub shared their insecurities about being 'different', that fear of rejection and worry that....nothing would be good enough. That.....shattered him. None of his cubs should ever feel that way. So....he encouraged them to follow their heart, encouraged them to follow their passions. He knew what it was like to be isolated for being different, and like hell will any of his cubs feel that way. He may not understand some of the things they gush about, but their smile makes him want to know. They probably get their mind from him, being the monkey of the mind after all.

Bala - He will immediately be in the dirt if his daughter is there. She's high-energy like he is. And he sees a lot of his younger self in her. Curious, wild, loud, bold. Maybe it's from their similar elements, but maybe he has a bit too much fun making mud puddles with her. When she expressed her interest to learn and follow her uncle sanzang's footsteps, he felt his heart squeeze. She wanted to learn the scriptures, learn that inner peace that he struggled with for so long. And already she was doing leagues better than he did. He's very tender when she expresses her confusion and frustrations, expressing that need to expend extra energy. He helps guide her the best he can, hoping whatever path she chooses is the one she wishes. Even if she has his tendency to swat at a small tudi or two.

Jnana - That is the BABY. And therefore he is WEAK to the youngest. He claims he's not. But oh, he is. He can't help it. When they were just a small baby, freshly peeled, they were so much smaller, their ears folded down and covering their face. And the moment they unfurled, he felt his heart break all over again. It reminded him of someone once dear to him. And a part of him promised that no matter what, his cub would live the best life he could offer. When Jnana began to express interest in fashion and metallurgy, he immediately encouraged them to follow their passion, much like their siblings. Though….perhaps he dusted off an old room someone from a long time ago used to use for his own arts just so they had the space. Every time his youngest of the five struts out in a new outfit or jewelry to show off, he feels his pride for his cub grow each moment. Jnana gets away with a lot and is part of the main reason the mountain becomes modernized.

For the five, he's immensely proud and somehow finds himself more proud of their successes and happy lives each day. Even if it hurts to see them grow up too fast

The same is true for the Star Kids!

Now, for the Star Kids, they happened differently from their older siblings. Where the five were tied to the sun, the star kids were more tied to the moon. But, he adores them as a father does.

Jidu - When the older of the twins was found, he was so unsure how to handle him at first. Always sleepy or sleeping, very quiet and soft spoken compared to his twin, a part of him was a little worried at first. But.....then it all changed when he watched how his mood changed the moment he caught someone saying something rather mean about one of his siblings. Jidu....had his temper. Thunderous and loud. They bonded through temperaments and crafting clouds together. But, the moment he saw how he was drawn to his older sibling Hana, he encouraged the two to work together on something, and now he's very successful in his element. Whenever his little cloud starts rumbling, he would always be there to calm. After all, a father's fury is unmatched when it comes to someone being cruel to his family. And....perhaps Jidu started to style his 'mad face' after his father a bit.

Louhou - Far more high-energy and loud-spoken compared to his twin, Wukong knew he had his tendency to get into mischief. Always the prankster, he knew it came from no form of malicious intent, but perhaps he was stern once or twice for show before he knelt down to give pointers on how to improve it for next time. He bonded mainly by helping him find an outlet for his energy. In fact, he was the one to offer the idea of a mullet to his son for all his static charge. But it was his son who eagerly said, 'he wanted to match his dad'. He did not tear up like a bab,y no sir. He has a soft spot for him, and he's thankful he has such a close sibling bond with his twin. He's thankful they both can complement each other and thrive together.

Yuebei Xing - Oh.....that was his little baby. Yes, he's well aware she towers over him, but when he found her, by his old skull of all things. He just latched immediately that this was his baby and he would protect her no matter what. He shares the familiarity of being different. He knows his daughter struggled for a long time due to her differences. Wither her neck, her mouth, her eyes. When she was young, she used to wonder why she was made so different. So....he showed her he was different too. Stone skin, burning eyes, blood that boiled too hot. He was a monster. He knew that. But god forbid the person who ever makes his baby think she was. A part of him wished she didn't have his old skull, but.... he can feel the parental protection from it despite it being 'not him' anymore. They bonded through differences, but he cherished that he could cheer his baby up. Even if seeing her ears made him wish someone else could see how much she had grown.

Luzhen - He was born the same way he was. Broken through by stone. For a long time, he wasn't sure why his youngest didn't seem to like him very much, despite how hard he tried to be supportive. It wasn't until his youngest broke, yelling that he can't be him and he's nothing like him did he understood. Why in the world would his youngest ever think such a thing? After a long talk and a lot of gentle reassurances, their relationship mended, and Luzhen started being more touchy-feely with him. Though Wukong's guilt still ebbs in him. He knows it wasn't his doing that made his youngest think that. Just…the world showing so many similarities, then what else could it be? He knew someone from a long time ago who was lost in his shadow….and like hell would his youngest ever feel that. He encourages him immensely to follow his own path and passion. And when Luzhen's older, he's far more soft with his father. It makes him a little wistful for a different time when he sees how close Jnana and Luzhen are.

Bonus: Element teaching

Paramita - When Paramita was first learning to control his flames, he constantly set his father on fire. Wukong thought it was hilarious and would scare Bajie every time he was ablaze. But when his son looked at him once with big ol' eyes all weepy, he reassured him he knew it wasn't on purpose, and he was so proud of him for being able to light a flame so easily.

Upaya - When Upaya was first learning to guide water, she'd constantly end up dousing her father in a literal torrent of water. She would already be in tears and waddling up to ask if he was okay, and Bajie of all people would be laughing at how much of a soaked cat Wukong looked like. It quickly turned to squealing when a water ball was thrown at him. Wujing applauded cause he was happy to help.

Hana - When Hana was first learning to affect the plants around them, they'd constantly end up entangling their father in vines. He didn't mind one bit and was all the more happy to statisfy hana's curiosity. It took a worried Sanzang to convince them both to "please don't feed him to the carnivorous plant."

Bala - When Bala was first learning to affect the earth, they mainly did it as over-exaggerated steps. He would start with huge stomps, and she'd follow with hops into his footprints. Well, they would forget what they were doing and end up chasing each other in a circle before the earth collapsed under them, making them howl in laughter on top of a rather upset tudi

Jnana - When Jnana was learning to bend metal to their will, Wukong was a little hesitant. Mainly because metal was sharp and that his widdle baby. He insisted that if Jnana wanted to learn how to bend metal properly, they would practice first with metal bands by wrapping them around his arms or tail. This is how jnana learned their father ran too hot and could make metal bright….and how their passion for jewelry and blacksmithing came from

Jidu - When Jidu was learning how to guide his thunder clouds for the first time, it was a mess, he accidentally made the clouds over the mountain dark, which led him not to want to try. It took his father making his nimbus a silly little black rain cloud that followed him for Jidu to try again. "Can you make the sad go away, son?" And when the cloud listened, Jidu lit up. He may or may not also be the reason Jidu figured out he can make any liquid into a gas and therefore a cloud.... Considering Bajie was coughing on a bad stink bomb one day

Louhou - When Louhou was learning how to handle his lightning for the first time, he accidentally electrocuted his father. He was a mess, crying and hugging him and asking if he was dead. Wukong just blinked and started laughing, much to his cub's dismay. It took wukong cooping him to calm him down and reassure him he was alright....And then louhou saw that he made his father a literal puff ball before his weeps turned into maniacal laughter

Yuebei Xing - When Yuebei was first learning to channel ice, she froze her father mid-waterfall jump. He fell backwards out of the little nook behind it, and out of panic, she froze the water. Which, as a first time, was incredibly impressive……. only to be overshadowed by her father's legs, which were frozen next to a fish, and his upper half was hanging out of the water fall upside down. She didn't really understand at the time what it meant and merely waved at her father, who happily waved back. Ao Lie was the fish, and he was caught mid jumpscare by his elder brother in arms.