Helpless

When Red had planned for this day, it had been a simple plan.

Use the gauntlet to lift the staffReunite with FatherConquer the unsuspecting world

He did not plan for something to slam into him and knock the staff out of his hand.

He heard his mother gasp in startled surprise as whoever was above him groaned. Red yelped and paused, too off-guard to really make a noise. A soft butt pressed against his face, wrapped in red pants. But what caught his nose's attention was the scent that whoever had just landed on him held.

The scent of noodles and ink, like a parent demon's scent-marking a child as theirs, covered a sweeter undertone. It smelled like strawberries and what he could only describe as sunshine. Red's mouth watered, even at the lack of dignity in his position.

A young male voice spoke up, trembling with nerves as the Demon Bull King and Princess Iron Fan loomed. "Uh... did someone order noodles?"

What. No. He needed to focus!

"GET OFF OF ME!" Red allowed a burst of fire to pull himself off while throwing whoever had dared to fall on him. "NOW LOOK AT WHAT YOU DID, YOU-" He whirled around on the foolish idiot.

His heart went boom.

Pretty .

The man who was frozen in terror was pretty . He looked a few years younger than Red, and the baby fat his cheeks still clung to only helped the image. He was wearing what looked to be like some kind of retail uniform, a bag with a sheepish pig logo next to him. Dark brown hair was pushed out of a soft face with a red bandana, revealing wide brown eyes.

Red's heart went boom .

A small cloud of pink smoke drifted out of his mouth and Red clamped a hand over his mouth. It didn't stop his hair from sparking.

No, no, why now?! Of all times, now? Now was not a good time! He took a deep breath and swallowed back the ache in his teeth that only wanted to bury his face in the mortal's neck and bite down .

His parents were watching.

He finally managed out a screech of "YOU RUINED MY MOMENT!"

Then his father had decided that this mortal was the perfect first kill in this and Red agreed, swallowing back the urge to protest. It felt like everything else was slow motion until suddenly a wave of golden energy was knocking Red back.

"Hand over that staff!"

There was a pause and a quiet, sassy "No?" Red wasn't sure to laugh or scream at the denial and the man was already shooting out of view.

Red managed to swallow back the heat in his throat as he lunged to his new vehicle. Staff or not, the man couldn't withstand the speed of his Inferno Truck!

It was all too easy to slam his truck up and out of the cave. He was determined to retrieve that staff and the mortal that clung to it. Up ahead, Red could see a tuk-tuk, furiously driving away, a glimpse of gold revealing the staff set next to the driver's seat. He pressed hard on the gas until the Inferno Truck loomed over the measly delivery vehicle, just in time to see already familiar brown eyes peer up at him, wide with fear.

Some part of him howled in delight. A chase! A chase was good, to see how hard his pretty mate would fight-

Not his mate!

No. He needed to focus and get that staff. This was a chase over the staff, not over a mate. He would make an allowance for the boy's life if he handed the staff over. And maybe keep him prisoner to understand why exactly a simple mortal could wield Sun Wukong's staff. (And definitely not to see whether or not he was willing to have his children.) "Alright Noodle Boy! Hand it over!"