A Son Of Two Dad's

Gift of Friendship

The silence was awkward and long as the trio waited for Mei to arrive, having texted her that MK was awake. 

MK could tell his efforts at glaring at his parents were hurting them but didn't soften or break his attempts at ignoring them despite it. He thought it was only fair considering how much they were purposefully keeping from him.

So they waited in silence, Wukong still tucked up beside Macaque until finally the door opened and Mei burst into the room in all her glory. 

"MK!" She yelled out, eyes immediately fixating right on him but with the suddenly flung open doorway came a chill, and just as MK opened his mouth with a smile to greet her it passed over him, sending goosebumps up his arms. 

Instantly the smile dropped from his face and he was somewhere else, with someone else. He could hear something in his ear, a voice maybe but he couldn't make it out and his whole body felt stiff like he couldn't move it, so stiff that it hurt and ached and all he could see was-   

"MK?" He heard Mei ask again, her voice smaller and worried this time. He shook his head, forcing whatever that had been away to grin at his best friend instead and reassure her.

"Mei!" He made sure to put as much confidence and delight into his tone as possible, ignoring the way his body still felt stiff and the way his hands trembled for no reason even as he moved to hide them under the covers. 

"It's so good to see you!" He continued instead, hoping the others in the room had missed whatever had happened as Mei's smile came back to her face. 

"Mk! I'm so glad you're okay!" She cried out, rushing over to his side and pulling him into a tight but gentle hug. He hugged her back, warmth filling his chest as he smiled into her shoulder and forgetting all about the thing from before. 

"Me too! I didn't mean to worry you." But he had, he could see it in the creases and bags under her eyes as she pulled back, punching him lightly on the arm. 

"Just don't you dare do that again! I'd never be able to get over it if you died for me." 

"For you?" He immediately caught onto the last two words, eyes widening at the new information, mouth opening to ask for more, to know exactly what she meant but Wukong stopped him. 

"Don't- uh MK doesn't remember what happened and the doctors think it would be best if he remembers on his own naturally, so maybe don't talk about... everything." MK felt his smile tighten at the lie, the liar that Baba was. Childishly, he felt rage simmer and bubble up inside him and he fought to not show it. 

The doctors hadn't said that. He was sure. Baba just didn't want him to know what had happened. When he looked into the immortal's eyes he thought he saw fear. Whatever it was that had happened had made him afraid.

Just that knowledge was enough to make his frustration falter. If it had been enough to make even Monkey King afraid, then perhaps it was a good thing MK didn't remember. 

That didn't stop him from wanting to know though. 

He wanted to know why he felt so... so alone. He wanted to know why he felt so cold. 

  "Right, well I told everyone else that you were awake as well so- come on in guys!" Mei yelled towards the door, clapping her hands together and the door burst open with noise. 

MK was gobsmacked as his friends, and his family, burst through the door.

Pigsy, Tang, Sandy, and someone hidden behind them all squished in, smiling and looking relieved to see him awake.  

"Kid!" Pigsy was the first one to pull him into a hug and soon it became a group hug as Mei and Sandy were pulled back in too. 

"It's good to see you awake, kiddo," Pigsy told him, softer than normal and MK smiled brightly at the care in his tone, looking just passed him to see- 

"Red Son!?" His surprise was clear, true shock written all over his face as he gawked at the demon standing with his arms crossed, now rolling his eyes. 

"Yes you moron, it's me! Don't look so surprised." He huffed and MK blinked twice to make sure he really was awake. He'd been told they were wrong with MK now but still it felt unreal to see his former enemy now working with them.

"Red Son was worried about you." Mei teased in a singsong tone, slinging her arm over the demon's shoulder and Red Son's hair immediately burst into flames as he squawked angrily, his whole face seeming red.

"I was not!" He yelled out, shoving her off him and all but growling in her direction aggressively. MK watched the whole display with wide, shocked eyes, struggling to keep his mouth from hanging open. 

"What are you gawking at, you damn monkey boy?" Red Son scowled at him the moment he saw MK's face and he blinked twice, embarrassment overridden by his shock. Red Son had called him that when they'd met and yet it didn't sound like something with any malice in it now. In fact, it almost sounded fond, like a nickname you'd give someone you liked. The very thought of Red Son thinking of him fondly made his whole face light up into a giddy smile, glad they'd come along this far. 

He still remembered that first fight and that look of fear on the demon's face that made his whole stomach twist with guilt just thinking about it. It was nice that there was none of that now. He hoped they were good friends, Red Son looked like he needed friends. It seemed like, at the very least, Mei had forcefully befriended him anyway.

Based on the way Red Son was visiting MK in the hospital, it looked like MK had befriended him too.  

He just wished he was able to remember it.   

He couldn't believe he'd managed to befriend Red Son and couldn't even remember. 

"This is so cool!" He grinned, excitement bursting from his chest, all confusion and frustration at not being able to remember cleared away with his newfound giddiness. 

"And..." Red Son paused, one of his hands fiddling with something behind his back and MK tilted his head curiously, trying to catch sight of it and wondering what it was that made the demon sound so flustered. 

"I brought you this." 

He thrust the object out from behind his back and chucked it in MK's direction, making him yelp and catch it, staring down in awe at the monkey plush he kept on his bed.

How had Red Son even known he'd had this? Had the demon been in his bedroom? He couldn't fathom the idea as he stared at the plush in his hands, the beloved thing looking a little dirtier than he remembered it being.  

"Macaque left it on his bed and I thought I should bring it to you because that idiot would have probably lost it if I didn't or something and then you'd never stop complaining about it-"

"Thank you." MK cut off his rambling by staring at him, his voice utterly reverent and sincere.

"This- this means a lot to me." He added and Red Son's whole face flushed red before he looked down at the ground, clenching his hands into fists. 

"Yeah well only someone like you would love a damned plush so much." He huffed and MK smiled even brighter, hugging the toy to himself softly. 

"Red Son and MK sitting in a tree-" Mei giggled out and immediately Red Son was trying to roast her alive, scrambling around the room to grab her and yelling insults and threats. MK watched, laughter bursting from his lips as his whole chest swelled with joy and warmth. He was so glad he had so many people surrounding him.  

(Red Son's back because I love him and MK still has no answers. He'll get some though. I hope you guys are doing well and I'll see you all next time!)