Once Bitten

One Miserable Moment. One Mistake (30)

"So... finally found your little brother then huh? Took you long enough." Macaque said once MK was in the house, and Wukong's eyebrows shot up as he looked back, about to make an offended comment when Macaque added, 

"He's a good kid though. You must be proud," right after, staring out the window to the side at the house MK had gone into. Wukong's mouth hung open, confused before he slowly nodded, tone soft. 

"Yeah. Yeah, I am." There was silence for a moment after that where Wukong felt awkward and then he breathed in as he realized suddenly that he should at least try. It was obvious Macaque was making an effort so... 

"I am sorry, you know. I never meant to hurt you like that." He said and saw Macaque flinch, his eyes drawing away from the window and staring down instead. 

"Yeah well, you should have thought about that long ago. How the hell do you think I felt when you just never came back? I waited so long for you, you asshole. I spoke to the caretaker about you, I asked around. She said you'd been adopted and I still thought you'd visit at some point or find me or something, I don't know." He said, tone bitter and harsh and it made Wukong's chest ache.            

"Then when I finally just forgot about you and moved on you came back, smiling and joking like you'd never even abandoned me in the first place and I was stupid to believe you. So gullible and idiotic to think you'd cared when the only reason you were back at all was to use me." He scoffed, then looked up, eyes harsh as they glared bitterly into Wukong's eyes. 

"I should have known." He hissed, and it hurt more than it should have, Wukong flinching back like he'd been hit.

"I didn't... I was happy to see you again. That wasn't fake. I'm sorry, okay? I was caught up in wanting to impress my dad and-" 

"Yeah, your adoptive dad you'd only known for a few years. What the hell could he have possibly done that I didn't? I cared about you first, I was your friend and you just-" He trailed off with a yell, clearly frustrated as he threw his hands up while Wukong winced. 

"I know that. I was stupid, okay? I wasn't thinking and everything just happened so fast. I wasn't even expecting you to be part of the group in the first place but then you were and- it was complicated. My biggest regret was firing at you that day, you know. I never meant to hurt you." He said and this time Macaque was the one flinching, hand twitching as he reached up to feel over the grooves of his scar. 

"Well, you did. I don't even know what you expect, my forgiveness? Fat chance that's going to happen." He huffed, crossing his arms and Wukong sighed even though he'd already known he'd say that. How could he have expected anything else when Wukong had left him without a word only to come back and betray him all over again?

"I know... I just... wish things could go back to the way they were." Wukong muttered, less talking to Macaque and more talking to himself at that point but he still heard him. 

"...They can't." The response was deafening.    

There was a long, long moment where both of them sat in silence, the atmosphere stifling as Wukong waited impatiently for MK to get back. It was when he had the first thought that he was taking longer than he should that made him look back toward the house, eyebrows furrowing. 

"He's taking a while." He said, hoping this unsettled feeling in his stomach was just paranoia as Macaque glanced at the house as well. 

"Probably just enjoying the time alone." He huffed. 

"After spending so much time with you he probably needs it." He snorted but Wukong wasn't so sure, shaking his head as he bit his lip. 

"No. MK doesn't like being alone much. Something's wrong." He said, that feeling of worry growing with every passing second and Macaque sighed.