#but then you get wukong being comforted and encouraged by the memories of his old friends

[macaroonkitti]

Literally so normal about Monkie Kid season 4 episode 7. Btw

[jadethest0ne]

In need of Refueling, Chapter 18 - A Second Chance

Summary:  “You?! Why would I trust you? You have brought me nothing but failure. Time and time again; nothing but disappointment!”

His father’s words might have been a result of his possession by the  White Bone Spirit, but whether or not they were his true thoughts, Red  Son vows to prove them wrong. To do so he seeks to attain a power strong enough to destroy his father’s immortal enemy. After all, he’d much rather throw fire at his problems.

Word Count: 1364

Ratings/Warnings:  Teen and up; injury, burns, angst and hurt/comfort, toxic thoughts caused by toxic parents, panic attacks, abuse

Notes: Short chapter. "To Catch a Leaf” might have greatly impacted how I interpret Sandy and his backstory >:3

Credits: Big thanks to @painted-arachnid and @simplyfornardo  for helping me bounce ideas off of them. And also thanks to @lemonsqueazie for providing me with “Journey to the West” lore. I don’t know much about the original novel or other iterations, but I still tried to keep  some things compliant with the lore. You should check all of them out, since they’re really great content creators with neat ideas!  

Read on AO3

———-

Sandy sits in a back room with Pigsy, waiting for Red Son to finish his talk with the Monkey King. He hopes it is going well. The Monkey King himself seemed to be in a lighthearted mood and intent on hearing Red Son out, so that was a start. But Sandy has his own talk to have, and he turns to Pigsy. The chef is pacing back and forth. Sandy knows that he is having a hard time with the added stress of taking care of an immortal, and might not be too pleased with a former enemy being around. He at least agreed to let them be alone together after Wukong insisted, along with Sandy's encouragement. And Sandy knows it's likely a stretch to get him to agree with what he's about to ask next. But he has to try. So he gets the attention of the pacing pig and just says what he wants to say.

“I want you to give Red Son a job,” Sandy says. After he is met with no response other than the incredulous look of his old friend, he feels the need to clarify. “Here. At your noodle shop.”

Pigsy finally seems to find the words in his shocked silence and erupts in his usual angry fashion. “Are you out of your MIND?! You want Demon Boy to work here?!”

“He’s a hard worker, and has some knowledge of cooking,” Sandy says, ignoring his friend’s ire.

Pigsy sputters. “That’s not the point! He nearly killed the Monkey King!”

Sandy lifts up a finger and adds helpfully, “It seems like the Monkey King is okay with having him around.”

“He’s fought my current employee multiple times! And I don’t think MK will play nice with the demon who attacked his mentor.” Pigsy growls.

Sandy rubs his hands nervously. “I understand your reservations, but he’s really turned himself around, and I think he wants to make up for the trouble he’s caused.”

“No. No way am I letting that demon brat work here after what he’s done.”

“He deserves a second chance.” Sandy looks at Pigsy earnestly. “You gave me one.”

“That was different! You didn’t hurt–” Sandy raises his eyebrows at the chef’s pause. Pigsy folds his arms together and turns around. “It wasn’t on purpose. And you are my friend.”

He speaks tersely, but can’t meet Sandy’s hard gaze, which then lowers sorrowfully as the blue giant states, quietly, “It wasn’t so different…”

There is an awkward silence between the two, both recalling unpleasant memories.

“Why him?” Pigsy finally asks, looking out of the corner of his eye at Sandy.

Sandy rubs his thumb over his palm, carefully considering his words, but as usual, he decides on honesty. “Because he reminds me of how I used to be," he says with a shrug. "But the only difference is that he doesn’t have the support network that I had. He just needs someone to vouch for him and a place to start over, and I was hoping you’d help me with that. Please?” He looks up hopefully at Pigsy, giving him the biggest puppy dog eyes a man his size can muster.

Pigsy squints at him, resisting momentarily, but heaves a great sigh as he rubs a hand over his tired face. “Ugh, fine! But he has to ask me for the job himself, got it? I ain’t handing out a job without a proper application and interview!” He points a finger at Sandy for emphasis, but Sandy is already smiling widely at him.

He picks up Pigsy and hugs him tight, thanking him profusely.

“All right, all right, put me down!” Pigsy squirms in his grip, and Sandy obliges, putting him down gently.

The big man laughs and says, “I’ll go get him! You want the interview in the kitchen maybe? Yes, we’ll meet there!” Before he even waits for an answer, he eagerly slips out of the room and is about to rush to get Red Son, when he nearly crashes into the very same demon upon opening the door.

Red Son’s arms pinwheel as he’s nearly about to fall over, but steps back and catches himself. He looks up at Sandy sheepishly.

Sandy, also quite surprised, quickly shuts the door behind him and opens up his palms in front of him, partially to calm Red Son, but also as an involuntary action of momentary vulnerability, as he realizes Red Son might have overheard his talk with Pigsy.

Sandy, without thinking, plasters a smile on himself and says, “Ah! Red Son, just the person I was going to see! Did you, um, did you just get here?” He can’t help the corner of his smile from twitching slightly.

Red Son looks up at Sandy, curiously, and blinks. His answer is a flat, “Yes,” transitioning to a smooth question, “What did you want to see me for?”

Sandy also blinks, but answers, “Good news! I might have a job for you! Just come to the kitchen with me, all right?” And he quickly ushers the boy through the dining area to the kitchen, hoping that Red Son hadn’t heard much, surprised at himself to feel a hint of shame creeping into his heart.

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