"What do you mean the tone changes its meaning?!"
Tang shrugged at your frustrated self, enjoying his daily free noodles. "That's just Mandarin, Bell."
You groaned loudly before burying your face on the pile of Mandarin books. "I'm never gonna get the hang of this..."
"Hmm..." Tang then lifted his bowl to take a sip of the soup. "How's living with Sandy?"
"It's alright..." You mumbled, rolling your book-buried head to face the scholar. "Sure, I help him with chores sometimes, but he's pretty nice about it." You added, holding your tongue back from saying you owe them a lot.
"Are you sure?" asked Tang, placing his bowl back on the counter. "Because I bet whatever happened that got you washed up ashore, definitely changed how you see the sea. No less, living on a boat."
"I can't exactly afford to be picky either." You mouthed in a low voice, volume only second to the sleeping bee-shaped Gibby nestled inside your hair. Because of course, the random monkey tethered to you can shapeshift. "Besides, how often do you come across a guy who'd let you stay in what's basically a cat cafe?"
"You got a point there."
While Tang took another slurp, MK dragged his feet behind the both of you, before flopping over the counter in exhaustion. You lifted your head from the pile of books.
"Eeesh, and I thought my eyebags were big..."
"Yeah, MK. You look like hot garbage." Tang added. "Tired?"
"What, me?" MK tiredly mumbled as he pulled another bowl of noodles towards him. "No, I just need to close my eyes for a couple of seconds..."
...Only for him to collapse into the bowl.
"You're pushing yourself too hard, MK." said Tang as he rolled MK's face using the chopsticks. "Working all day, partying all night, painting boats? It's not good for a growing boy."
"Yeah dude, you look like a zombie." You rested your head on your hand. "And you said your training with Monkey King starts next week, right? You're seriously gonna balance all that?"
"Yeah right, you're one to talk..." MK shot back. "Sandy told me about all the times he caught you staying up in the middle of the night."
"The 'monkey see, monkey do' logic doesn't apply here, MK. Besides, being asleep won't stop me from eating late at night." You deadpanned, flipping through one of the Mandarin books. "Being awake just gives me a better chance to stop myself before I could empty the fridge and cupboards."
"I saw you ironing your hair on last night's sleepover-"
"Don't change the subject, MK. Get some damn rest before you start hearing voices." You immediately shot back. MK sighed in defeat, before facing his reflection in the noodle broth.
"I just- I don't want to let my friends down, you know?" He vented. "It's like I want to help out in the store, do arts and crafts with Sandy, and party with M-M-MEI, MEI! But it's too hard! I'm just one guy!" He sighed.
"Too bad you can't make duplicates of yourself, like Monkey King."
"Huh?"
"You know..." Tang grabbed MK's book and flipped it to a section. One with multiple Monkey Kings drawn on the page. "One of Monkey King's seventy-two transformations? Pluck out some hair-"
"Ow!" MK winced as Tang pulled a clump of his hair with the chopsticks, before holding it in front of his mouth.
"Blow on it..."
YOU ARE READING
Ship In A Bottle (A Monkie Kid Reader Insert)
FanfictionHave you ever looked at something and think: 'How different everything was back in the day...' Of course, you had. The news headlines about newly discovered fossils, the little time capsules your parents helped you with as a kid, or maybe that prese...
