#the dorks

The pilgrims handling babies but also babies of their species

Wujing doesn't really count but I think he would be surprised if he met kiddos who are fish demons in a "why do I think they are cute"

Bajie will deny it but baby pigs are DELIGHTFUL to him, they tippy tap even if they are demon piglets so it's like extra cute

Ao lie PANICS at baby dragons same with Tripitaka, these two have never had to interact with a toddler

Wukong is the chillest about baby monkeys, like mom crying because the kid won't stop screaming and wukong just pops him on his shoulder and makes the kiddo burp and calm down to the joy of the mother

(dunno I am sleepy and thinking of pilgrims)

Honestly this begs some VERY interesting questions about "how much do you identify with the species whose body type you are in?" and dysmorphia and baked-in instincts and allll sorts of other fascinating topics re: the nature of yaoguai and especially yaoguai like Bajie and Wujing who started out as something different. And does it also apply to shapeshifting? Like, if Wukong is shapeshifted into a bird does he instinctively find baby birds cuter than he would otherwise??

I have no answers but many questions.

Okay, and some speculation. :D F'rinstance, since (most) fish notably do not have the instinct to care for their young, I think Wujing would be exempt from automatically finding the babies cute, but he might be able to, e.g., decide that that fish demon is ugly by fish demon standards whereas this one here is very appealing and quite the catch. (hehehe). (...sorry). And this would be a challenge for him to articulate; he never learned that specific colors and a particularly spiny set of fins are Good, he just vibes that.

Bajie is thrown into some confusion over how freaking cute he thinks piglets are, especially since I HC him as having the most dysmorphia, but is sort of reassured when Tripitaka also goes into raptures about the lil' round bellies and the tippy-tap toes. Piglets are just cute. Okay. HEY, then how come no one finds me cute, huh? Only answer: the ladies DO find me charming but are too modest to say so.

(All the other pilgrims: "No. Wrong takeaway entirely.")

I think you are 100% right that both Ao Lie and Tripitaka panic upon being presented with babies. Tripitaka for the obvious reasons: he has no idea what to do, it's so fragile, what if he drops it, what if it cries and everyone thinks he did something wrong, what is that smell. Ao Lie's got a different reason to be wary: he knows baby dragons are ferociously protected by their parents and so if there is a dragon baby here, Mama is not far away and will probably eviscerate you for standing too close.

Wukong of course is great with monkey babies and is hugely in demand as a babysitter on Mt Huaguo. He unfortunately makes the mistake of assuming he'll ALSO be great with human babies. They look pretty similar, they laugh when he pulls faces at them, anyway he is brilliant and will figure it out.

Made with love for @key-rk :3

{Candy Heart Prompts are officially CLOSED!}

Heeeey! :D Ooo, I got you anon! Sakura and Suo are truly such a fun pair! Plus I got it in my head that Sakura swears like a sailor when tickled and wanted to explore that, hehe! I hope you like it!

CW: Swearing (non-serious)

Always and Forever: "Look how red you are! How cute!" + Kiss me: "Do you want me to stop?"

Suo’s hands found him before his voice did. “Got you.”

“AH! Sohoohn of a bihihihitch!” Sakura arched at the fingers digging into his sides, curling along the hem of his shirt. “Suhuhuho, ehahahahha! Whhhehehere dihihid yohohohu come frohohom?”

“Straight from your nightmares, dear.” Suo giggled, prodding along bare skin as he got a few fingers under the other’s shirt. “Hehe, does it tickle that bad? Hmm?”

“Ehehhe-EHHEHEHE!” Sakura squeaked before shooting his hands down, gripping Suo’s wrists and pulling them up and away. “Ehehehe..ehehhehehe! Hohhohold on, hohohold on a mihhinute.”

“Oh?” The other paused, a touch of concern entering his voice. “You okay? Do you want me to stop?”

“Ehhe..nohohoho. Wahahit- wahahit, hahang on. Lehehet me think..” Sakura’s cheeks were flushed bright red, his mirth dying out of his tone as he struggled with words. “I…don’t mind it. I just got a little overwhelmed. You can..you can ... you can keep going.”

“Sakura..” Said boy didn’t need to turn around to know Suo was grinning. “Are you sure? Don’t force yourself if you’re uncomfortable.”

“I’m not! Like I said- I just got overwhelmed. Now I’m fine- would you knock that off!” Sakura fussed when he looked back, seeing Suo’s delight plain as day. “Ugh, just do it already!”

“Hehe, look how red you are! You’re so cute.” The redhead laughed, wiggling his fingers. “You’re gonna have to let my hands go though if you really want me to tickle you.”

“Oh- right.” Sakura looked down at them, then took a deep breath. He pulled them back to his waist, bracing himself. “Well go on then!”

“Sorry. I’m just taking it all in.” Suo teased, and before Sakura could fuss at him more- he began tickling his sides quickly. “Tickle tickle, Sakura-chan~”

“Ehehheehhehehe! Doohoohohn’t you gohooho tehhahhasing mehehehe! Ehehahahhha, Gahahhaha!” Sakura’s fingers loosened and tightened like a pulse against Suo’s wrists, never quite pushing them away but rather treating them like a security blanket. He doubled over in laughter as Suo danced his fingers up his sides, brushing ribs and pinching along his back. “Suuhuhuho, coohohohome ohohohohon! Thihihihihis is so dhuuhuhumb!”

“Sometimes it’s good to embrace the stupidity of life.” Suo shrugged, relishing how Sakura’s laughter morphed into adorable hiccups. He walked his fingers around to his belly, poking into muscles that had Sakura squeaking out curse words. “Naughty Sakura- you shouldn’t curse so much. It’s bad for your health.”

“Iihihihll cuhuhurse ahahahll I whahahahnt! Shihihiht, fuhuhuck, dahahaamn, bihihihitch!” He swore like a sailor, making Suo falter in his tickles as he laughed himself sick. “Yohoohohu fuhuhuss ahhall yohoohhu waahahnt, buhuhut you fihihihnd it fuuuhuhny!”

“Ehehhhhe! Shuhuhush, hehahahaha!” Suo wheezed, dropping his hands against Sakura’s legs as he snorted in his shoulder. The sound was enough to get Sakura smiling again, giggling to himself as he took in Suo’s reaction. “Gohohod…I’ve nehhever met ahahnyone who swears so muuhch when tickled!”

“I’ve yet to meet anyone who found it that funny.” Sakura smirked when Suo laughed again, gently elbowing him off before turning to face him. “Heh, and you say I look red. You’re blushing like mad!”

“Huhuhush! Hehehehe, I juhuhst nehehed to brehahhathe!” Suo waved him off, covering his face with his hands. Sakura’s growing laughter did nothing to help his predicament, but at least he was having fun.