Once Bitten

Macaque

(Just for clarification, Mihou is Macaque's name. (Liu'er Mihou is his full name) It's his birth name, so throughout this chapter that's what he'll be called.)

Nerves bundled in his chest like snakes but Wukong looked confident next to him, chattering away so Mihou shoved the feeling down and shoved his hands into his pockets, hoping to look as unbothered as he usually did. 

"So, how'd you even know to find this place, anyway?" He asked his closest (and only) friend and Wukong turned to look at him, smiling with a wide grin.

"I asked around!" He said and Mihou rolled his eyes. 

"Of course you did, Mr popular." He huffed, not wanting to admit he was a little jealous Wukong seemed to get on with other people so easily while everyone seemed to avoid Mihou like the plague. 

"Anyway, this is a great idea! I've heard they pay really well." Wukong told him as though Mihou would care about that. 

"Sure but we'll also get hurt, too." He huffed, eyebrows drawn into worried lines that left the moment Wukong shoved him playfully while they were walking, almost making him trip. 

"Not if you're good, you won't!" He laughed and Mihou rolled his eyes again, ignoring the amused fondness snug in his chest. He hated that he liked the sound of Wukong's laugh. His friend seemed to laugh easier these days than they did when they first met a year ago.

Was it silly that Mihou hoped he was the reason?

"It's going to be fine, you'll see. Oh, and once we get in, we'll definitely need code names!" He mentioned, and Mihou grinned. 

"They should call you monkey, cause you smell like one." He told him, laughing loudly at his friend's offended pout. Or a peacock cause he sure loved showing off like one.

"Hey! I do not! Besides, I'd never be just a monkey, I'd be the king of the monkeys!" He declared, brandishing an invisible weapon in his hand like he was fighting with it. It made Mihou laugh, shaking his head and ignoring the warmth in his chest. 

"Sure." He was only humoring him. 

Wukong stopped then, and Mihou looked up to find themself outside of a seedy-looking building. The type of place you wouldn't want to go in. The type of place you'd likely find drugs or get robbed in. 

"They said it was here!" Wukong told him, hands triumphantly on his hips like he was proud of himself and not for the first time Mihou wondered if this was a good idea. He knew Wukong needed money but... the thought of his friend getting hurt made him anxious. 

"Great. We're totally not gonna get mugged or anything." He muttered instead as Wukong raised his fist and knocked on the door. The little slit in the front opened and all either of them could see was a pair of eyes.

"What do you want?" A male, gruff voice asked, sounding annoyed and Mihou was on guard instantly though he didn't show it. Wukong's grin only seemed to grow wider, likely missing the dangerous tone.

"I was invited. You might know him. He goes by The Demon Bull King." The eyes they could see narrowed at the words while Mihou's own eyes widened. Wukong hadn't told him anyone had invited him. Discreetly, he stepped on his friend's foot, Wukong's face pinching in pain but not reacting other than that, and Mihou could only hope the idiot could feel his glare.

Silence followed the statement for a moment and just when Mihou could see some nerves showing on Wukong's face the slit shut and the heavy door swung open, a man in his early twenties standing there. 

"Follow me." He said simply and then turned and left, Wukong turning to grin widely at Mihou before following and there was nothing he could do but follow. He trusted Wukong after all. He knew how much this meant to him.