#tripitaka: *oFFENDED GASP*

[cave-monkey]

Tripitaka, when confronted with the most indescribably beautiful young woman on the planet: >:( Hey! Wukong said there weren't any people around here!

[mythologyfolklore]

Liù'ěr Míhóu joins the jttw gang, or: How to redeem an all-hearing celestial monkey with a superiority complex and a seriously bad attitude

(A/N: TW: mention of past physical harm, chronic pain and the Six-Eared Macaque being a dick)

Chapter Fourteen: Karmic pain

.

As happy as Tripitaka was, that his two monkey menaces-  disciples got along better now, it also came with a whole new nightmare.

Nothing catastrophic, just … stressful and kind of annoying.

For one, it turned out that Wùhuàn was just as mischievous as Wùkōng.

They also still bickered quite a lot to the point, where Tripitaka couldn't tell, if they were teasing each other or fighting.

For another thing, Wùhuàn still called him a slaphead.

“Will you ever stop calling me that?”, the monk asked in exasperation.

Wùhuàn shrugged: “Sure, when you stop being a slaphead. Besides, that bald head of yours is so slappable!” And emphasised his statement by clapping the top of Tripitaka's head like a drum, making the monk wince.

“Stop that, it hurts!”

“If you can stand seeing Wùkōng in pain, when you use that cursed headband on him, then you can handle a little sting on your skin. I know fully well, that if I had a thing like that, you would use it on me too. But I don't, so you'll have to suck it up and learn to educate through other means than torture. Also, it's just a few light claps on the head. Stop being a whiner.”

The Scripture Pilgrim gasped in offence: “Okay, first of all, I'm not a whiner! I'm complaining!”

“You're a whiner, Master”, Wùkōng dared to pipe up.

To add insult to injury, the other three disciples nodded - including Bái Lóng Mă.

Ouch.

Well, that hit the monk right in the pride he wished he didn't have.

He wasn't supposed to be offended by that. He was supposed to just shrug and smile it off, let it pearl off him like a lotus did with raindrops.

The bitter reminder of his own faults and failure to be a good example as a monk and teacher left a bad taste in his mouth, similar to what he felt, whenever Wùkōng talked about his home.

Tripitaka frowned at the thought, only to be startled back into reality by a gasp and a distressed Wùkōng falling onto his knees.

“I'm sorry, Master! Please forgive me!”, he pleaded. “Please don't say the mantra! I will be good, I swear! I will never say anything negative again! Please, please-”

Huh? But I wasn't angry at Pilgrim? I was … oh. Oh no.

Tripitaka wanted to crouch down and embrace his disciple, but that plan was thwarted by his aching back.

“Stand up, Pilgrim”, he spoke. “I'm not angry at you.”

Wùkōng looked up, blinking. “You … you're not? But … you looked like …”

“I'm not angry at you”, the monk repeated. “Nor will I recite the Tightening Mantra. I was frustrated with myself, nothing more. In fact, I'm the one, who should apologi-aaahhgh!”

“Master?!”

Tripitaka forced a smile. “Don't worry-ngh! It's just … my back …”

He was starting to fear, that Wùhuàn's strike had permanently damaged his spine, because it still incapacitated him as it had two months ago. Actually, the pain seemed to get worse!

Maybe it was karma for all the times he had hurt Wùkōng with the fillet.

“Master, shall I give you a massage?”, offered Zhū Wùnéng.

Enthusiastically, the monk accepted.

His third disciple helped him lie down and began to work his magic hands on him.

After what seemed about an hour, the Pig Demon helped his master put his robe back on, then carefully set him back on his feet.

“Better?”, Wùnéng inquired.

Tripitaka smiled, genuinely this time. “Much better, thank you.”

“You're welcome, Master, but we'll have to see a professional healer about this. I think you have a spinal injury. If we don't get you treatment, the pain will become chronic and you might lose the ability to walk.”

Tripitaka moaned despondently.

Yep. This was definitely karma.

[skellebonez]

59 for MK, Wukong and Tripitaka interacting?

"How long have you just been sitting there?"

"Alright MK, I think you'd better just stay here for the night," Wukong said as he grabbed MK's shirt to keep him from toppling backward. "You're practically dead on your feet."

"What? Nooooo, I hav-" MK yawned, leaning into his teacher's arm as he wrapped it around him to keep him from toppling forward this time. "Have work in the mornin... I can't stay here."

There was no use trying to fight the fond smile that formed on the Monkey King's face as the kid actually started to doze off on the spot. The two had been sparring for the better course of 4 hours and it was no wonder the kid was exhausted at this point. It was nearly dark and they had actually intended to be done training well over 3 hours before, but a few well placed good natured snarky remarks from each as they practiced katas had resulted in a sparring challenge which turned into multiple challenges and then into an almost actual match.

The young man had a very long way to go before reaching the ancient being's level of skill, but he had improved so much and the fact he was able to hold his own for so long and actually make Monkey King want a break was a feat to be proud of.

"You needn't worry," A familiar voice suddenly rang out, startling Wukong enough to jolt MK awake. The two looked around and realized that they had an audience of one Tripitaka, sitting comfortably on a mossy rock as he pet a few stray monkeys that had fallen asleep on him. "I am certain Wukong will make sure you get to the city in more than enough time."

MK blinked, slow and taking a moment to process what the monk said before nodding. "Yeah... yeah ok. He will."

"How long have you just been sitting there?" Wukong asked, noting the multiple flower petals that made a new home on the monk's clothes.

"Oh, not very long at all," Tripitaka said as he stood softly, moving the monkeys so gently they didn't even wake as he placed them where he had sat. "Only about 4 and a half hours or so."

There was an exagerated gasp from MK and Wukong looked at his student in amusement. "You watched us the whooooole time? Did-" He yawned again, leaning into Wukong's shoulder and almost fell over until he grabbed both of his arms to hold him steady. "Did I do ok?"

A soft laugh rang from the monk as he helped steady the younger with Wukong. "Yes, I was quite impressed. It takes a lot to keep up with The Great Sage Equal To Heaven after all." There was a teasing lilt to his voice and Wukong couldn't even be the littlest bit offended by it. All he felt was a swelling pride, not the same kind as he always felt but a new one focused solely toward his student.

"Hmn, yaaaaaaay," MK slurred out tiredly, and Wukong took this as a cue to give up even trying to keep MK on his own feet and he just scooped the boy up entirely to carry him to the small house he now occupied instead, moving so his head leaned on his shoulder instead of falling forward or back. "Y'hear tha' Dad? h's im-impress...ed..." And with that MK passed out, completely dead to the world.

"Yeah, bud," Wukong smiled. "I-" And then he froze, every strand of fur and hair on his body standing straight up as he caught sight of Tripitaka's slacked jawed expression. He then realized that he kinda... maybe... forgot to inform the monk he had actually adopted his student. "... s-surprise, haha?"

[tigerseye46]

How about Fluff 50 for Wukong and Bajie... pre dark Peachpig.

Yessss, some pre dark peachpig stuff

Fluff 50. Can you quit being sappy for five seconds?

Sun Wukong and Zhu Bajie were both flirts in their own way. Although for Sun Wukong, it was more to keep up the act of whoever he was playing but he did enjoy some actual flirty banter when someone caught his eye while Zhu Bajie was serious about it, really serious and got distracted when trying to sate his desire. It wasn’t his fault there were so many beautiful women and, on occasion, men around.

Together they were insufferable. Through their bickering and teasing, there had been pick up lines and flirting dropped in the middle. They had always been flirting with each other when their feelings began to grow but it became prominent at the tail end of their journey when their courtship had started.

The others would shake their heads and at some points, Bai Longma had broken his quiet nature to tell them, dead in the eye, “Get a room” to which they would snicker then go back to flirting.

Eventually after four hundred years of dating they had gotten married with Tripitaka’s permission.

And at this point, they were married for one thousand and one years and were still as bad as ever, acting as if they were still in the honeymoon phase.

Currently they were wrapped up in each other’s arms, Bajie’s head laid on the king’s chest, drool dripping out of the corner of his mouth and onto a small spot on his partner’s shirt. The king rested a hand on the side of his partner’s arm and other on his waist, their legs entangled together.

The king was the only one awake out of the duo and took the time to press an affectionate kiss in the space between his partner’s brows, completely used to being drooled on at this point. The pig grumbled something incoherent under his breath and nuzzled further into his lover. The king let out a small laugh and left another kiss and another and another.

That managed to wake his partner. Bajie giggled and slowly opened his eyes, his gaze containing all the love and adoration in the world. Wukong loved seeing those gorgeous blue eyes. He smooched his forehead, his lips lingering on him for a solid minute.

The pig tugged on his shirt to redirect him to his own lips which he accepted eagerly. When they parted, they continued to exchange little pecks until it was broken by a sleepy “Mornin’, lăogōng.”

“Morning, lăogōng,” he greeted back. “Well more like afternoon, you’ve been asleep for awhile.”

“And you just had to wake me up. How dare you,” he exclaimed but there was no real trace of anger.

“Is it bad I wanted your company?”

“You had my company while I was asleep,” he pointed out.

“Yea but there’s only so much drool I can take,” he teased with a smirk and received a smack to the chest. His husband knew it wasn’t true but played into his teasing.

“Excuse you! I do not drool!”

“Uh huh. Tell that to my shirt.”

“Not my fault your shirt makes for a comfy pillow.”

“Is that supposed to make me feel better?”

His partner shrugged. “It can make you feel however ya want, babe. And that still doesn’t excuse you wakin’ me up. In fact I think I should be allowed to sleep in longer for that. What horrible husband wakes their spouse for somethin’ over as silly as drool,” he joked and began to close his eyes.

Wukong let out an “offended” gasp and said, “Horrible? Wow, you break my heart, love.”

“You’re fault, boss.”

“Just for that. Come here you!” He peppered kisses over his face and trailed his fingers up his side so his spouse wouldn’t fall back asleep and so he could shower him with love.

“Hey! Can you quit being sappy for five seconds?” He asked in between giggles. “I’m supposed to be mad at you,” he yelled while red painted his cheeks even after all these years. Purrs of contentment slipped past his mouth and he couldn’t help bring his face closer to receive more kisses despite trying to pretend he was the slightest bit angry.

“But you’re so cute! And I should be saying that! How dare you call me horrible.”

“I don’t tell lies, babe.”

“Yea, sure, you don’t.”

“Okay so maybe I tell a few but that’s besides the point! I should get you back.”

He raised a brow. “And how are you going to do that?”

Then all of sudden their positions were flipped with his partner brushing a hand over his fur and placing a big kiss on his lips that melted the king’s heart. The act brought purrs forward from the king and his tail swished. “You owe me food,” Bajie said.

“Fine. You want me to have something prepared or do you want to cook together?”

The pig scoffed. “Do I have to do everythin’? But yea, let’s cook together.” He got off and began pulling on pants. “Come on, lăogōng.”

The king smiled and leapt out of bed. “Yes, love.” They exchanged little kisses as they got dressed, complimenting each other and at the end they put on their wedding rings and courtship bracelets, one gold, one silver. The silver read ‘My peach king’ and the gold read ‘My equal.’

Then they were off into the kitchen where the monkey plastered himself against the pig’s back, enjoying their little domestic moment.