Not Your Romeo and Juliet

Chapter 8

(Tw: verbally abusive parent - panic attack leading to self harm by hitting self till headache)

I had grabbed Mk's arm but it was too late even with my body sticking halfway out the door.

And so there stood my father, enraged, and the Six-Eared Macaque, confused but wide eyed.

I curse under my breath. Mk should not be seeing this. What if he heard their conversation? I fucked up bringing him here.

Suddenly, everyone started talking at once.

"Son, what is that monkey kid doing here?!" My father yelled.

"Macaque?!" Mk screeched.

"Woah-Ho-Ho," Macaque half laughed with his word of surprise, halfly grinning.

I immediately let go and step outside beside the frozen monkey boy. "Fa- father, I am so sorry. He was... passed out last night and I brought him home to rest. He- Erm." I was terrible at lying. I even gave off that I snuck out. "Fuck." I whisper, dropping my head, "I am sorry."

"You insolent child." I could hear the demon king suppressing an angry yell at me, trying to make himself seem proper for his guests. I know that too well. If Macaque were not here, I would be trembling while he screamed till my eardrums hurt and rang. But he was not. "You dare leave the house beyond curfew, and bring back this very thing?!"

I can feel Mk's eyes on me, big and round. I don't look up, but can feel a small shake to the world as my father steps over. I tensed myself, but no strike came. Instead Mk squeaked.

"Hey, le- let go of me!" He shouted, and my head Immediately shot up. My dad had grabbed Mk's hood and lifted him up, leaving him a writhing mess. "R- Red Son, what is he doing?!"

I panic, "Father let him down, he is not guilty, I am!" I yell. My eyes fell upon Macaque's smirking face, why was he not intervening? The bastard had been tricking the monkey boy for weeks! He should not be letting my dad torment his toy.

"You feel pity for this boy, son?" His voice is so full of anger. I tremble a little, but he was right. I should not throw around pity for my enemy, but I couldn't help it. Mk grew something inside of me, something unknown. I didn't want to see him hurting. "You anger me. Why must you be like this?" He continued. "I should crush him." He snarled.

"No!" Mk screamed. He had fallen into many forms, his monkey form, a tiger form, a lion form, anything with sharp claws. My father's tough skin barely bled from the scratching, only a little. He made no reaction, glaring at Mk. "Pl- please, don't hurt me , I'll do anything!"

I pray Mk is smart enough to realize he will be crushed if he transforms into something small.

My father snorts and smoke emits from his ringed nose, "Anything? You lie, boy."

Mk shifts back to normal, tears forming at his eyes, "Please."

Father groans lowly, throwing Mk down in front of Macaque. His body went limp. Macaque stared, unfazed completely. I refrain from yelling, even screaming, but my feet move on their own to run over.

My father blocks me with his foot, and I stop immediately, staring wide-eyed as Macaque crouches down to the limp man, then grabs him up over his shoulder, standing back up. His shadowy smirk glares at me for a moment, then he's turning away and walking off to who knows where, Mk's limp arms dangling as he walked.

I'm doomed.

I look up to my father, who is still staring at me in utter disappointment, moves his leg. I felt dull, my stomach had dropped long ago and my heart wanted to leap out my chest. Do not hurt me.

"You disobeyed our rules too many times. Wait till the princess hears about this." He spoke lovely, threateningly. "You have failed us too much. You fail our expectations. You fail as our son."

I immediately crumble. That was a direct hit. My breath hitches and I stare down at the ground, feeling my eyes swell with tears. "I'm sorry." I whisper.

"Shut up, boy. You are not welcome to lunch, nor dinner. A maid will bring it to your room. Stay there." He growls. And with that, he walks away without a single strike. I thought he'd hit me.

I fall to my knees and break down, tears streaming down my face and onto the floor. I wipe and wipe but they don't stop. I can hear bull clones walking down the hallway but say nothing. They know. They know I am a failure. Everyone knows I'm a failure. I am a failure.

My breathing becomes uncontrollable and i back myself up into the wall, wrapping my arms around my legs as I sobbed into my knees.

My dad hates me, my mother will soon. They always agree. They are the same. I try, I try so hard, and they always look for the flaws. They never find the good in them. I start to subconsciously lift my hand up and smash it into my head, doing this so many times. My head did not hurt at all, I only felt it when my arm got tired and i stopped. My head pounded, and it just made me cry more.

I start to mutter apologies repeatedly. I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry...

This goes on for so long I eventually pass out. I felt myself being picked up at some point though, by an unknown person. They felt warm. Was I dreaming? I only rest into their hold and let them lay me down elsewhere, maybe my bed. I hear mutters, but I was too tired to understand them, still being mostly asleep.

Soon I pass out.

-

It was nighttime when I woke up, no more sun spilling in. I didn't want to feel or see the sunlight anyway. My lamp was on and I realized I was in my bed finally. I was cold, shivering in fact, and my stomach felt entirely empty. I stir, wrapping my arms around my pained stomach that I knew was just hungry. I had no appetite.

There were two people murmuring in my room that I could not understand due to being still mostly asleep. One seemed to usher the other out, which they did leave, but the other didn't.

I finally get the strength to sit up, my vision focusing into the dimly lit room. I saw a person standing in front of my bed, something swishing behind them. A tail.

"Hello, Red Son." Macaque.

My eyes narrowed, "What do you want?" I snarl, my ponytail igniting slightly.

"Woah there bud," he chuckles, "I help you and you repay me with this attitude?" Macaque shakes his head disapprovingly. "Seriously kid, your father told me to leave you to rot."

I hush, feeling myself tremble. I let out a shaky breath and calm myself. "You did nothing. You have been messing with Mk for so long and you did nothing.

He clicks his tongue , tail lashing irritably now. He hates his head, "Just because I've been tricking that poor kid doesn't mean I have pity for him." He scoffs, "That is Wukong's job, not Macaque's."

I wish I could've told Mk this.

"I don't care. Where is he??"

Macaque walks over to the side of my bed, "I can tell you Mk is here in the fortress, but where exactly is not for you to know."

I fucked up so much more than anyone could think. I brought Mk to the ones who wanted him most.

I sniff, my stomach growling loudly. I don't reply anymore, but that worked out because Macaque set a tray of food, dinner, on my lap. My empty stomach growls again as the aroma fills my nostrils.

"They brought it by while you slept." He paused for a moment then never said anything more, walking to the door.

"Wait!" I call out subconsciously. He turns and stared confusingly back at me, who wasn't responsive at first but eventually i stammered out "I- is Mk hurt?"

A small smile blooms on his face, and he shakes his head and leaves.

My body rests and I look to my food, reassured and now hungry again after hearing the monkey boy was okay. I eat, trying to sink down the knowing thought that I will not be seeing Mk for awhile.

Our parting is such a sweet sorrow, but I shall say goodnight till it be morrow.
(William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet.)