Jiankong one-shots [Erlang Shen x Sun Wukong]

Laughter

Note: Sun Wukong and Erlang in this one-shot are teenagers. 

From the very moment of his birth, Erlang Shen was raised for the art of war, alongside his siblings, and nothing more. Leisure and the simple act of laughing were such foreign concepts to him that he tried to avoid feeling those kinds of stimuli that would distract his mind. For this reason, something truly extraordinary happened to Erlang that afternoon on the Mountain of Flowers and Fruits.

He had grown quite used to Sun Wukong's company during those years they spent together on the mountain. Since Erlang had been subjected to a survival test on Earth in his youth, stripped of his divine powers, it was there he first met the acclaimed Monkey King. That day, the sunset painted the sky in golden hues, and the young monkey invited him to watch it from a solitary tree on the edge of the mountain.

"Have you ever seen anything like this?" Wukong asked the black-haired youth.

"In Heaven, we see sunsets and sunrises all the time, Monkey... what makes this one different?" Erlang replied, standing still as he watched the monkey approach the tree.

Wukong chuckled as he climbed the tree and stood on a long, thick branch. He turned to face the young god. "This tree is unique on the mountain, my favorite place. You're the first one I've brought here," the Monkey King confessed. He wrapped his tail around the branch and let himself hang backward, only held up by his tail, now facing the sun still peeking through the golden clouds. "Come up here!"

Those words echoed in the warrior's mind, and beneath his stoic face, a hint of reflection and surprise surfaced. He quickly approached the tree at the monkey's invitation, and with a jump, landed on the branch. He sat down and, after securing his legs, let his torso drop back, now facing the sunset alongside Wukong. They both fell into a deep yet soothing silence. The Monkey King let his arms hang with a tranquil smile, while Erlang crossed his arms, not daring to smile even at that moment.

"...Have you ever stopped to watch a sunset like this, Erlang? Thinking about such fleeting moments must be unheard of for those of you in Heaven..." the monkey reflected. But when he received no response, he turned to the black-haired god, noticing his arms crossed and his usual serious expression. With a huff, he nudged him slightly. "Come on! Do you have any other expressions in your body's inventory? Let your arms down; no one's going to cut them off."

Erlang remained silent, his only response a faint sigh, and heeding the monkey, he let his arms hang, suspended in the air. Just with that gesture, he felt much less... tense, lighter, more free. His lips parted slightly to release a deep sigh, letting go of all his worries and tensions—perhaps this was what Wukong meant by "loosening up."

"It's truly beautiful," Wukong managed to hear a genuine response from Erlang. He looked at him in surprise before smiling with pride, seeing that his companion was finally letting go.

"They'd never let you do this in Heaven. Come..." Wukong leaned towards him and grabbed his wrists.

"!!! W-What are you doing, Monkey?" Erlang jolted the moment he felt the monkey's hands on his wrists. He turned to look at him, becoming tense and bewildered once more.

"Let go," Wukong ordered, holding his gaze. Erlang didn't know how to respond, and for long moments, he couldn't look away from the intense golden eyes of the brunette. This monkey was definitely crazy if he wanted him to let go of his legs, he thought. But he couldn't ignore the confidence in his face. In silence, Wukong was asking Erlang something very simple: to trust him. Despite all the things the Monkey King had taught him, and all he had taught the monkey, a doubt grew in his heart. The monkey was mischievous, energetic, and very bold. Could he really place his safety, literally... in his hands? Erlang looked away several times, but he could feel the monkey's sharp gaze on him the entire time, so he met it again and let out a deep sigh.

"I trust you," Erlang's gaze communicated to Wukong, and finally, he let his legs go, surrendering to gravity and the Monkey King's hands. He could feel his body much heavier, but Wukong's grip was firm and strong. He knew his wrists wouldn't slip, but if there was one thing he had learned about the monkey, it was that he could be incredibly unpredictable.

"Don't you dare let go, Monkey!" Erlang demanded, looking up to see the monkey holding him from above. His body dangled over the cliff's edge; if the monkey had the audacity to release him, if not certain death, it would undoubtedly mean all his bones would be broken.

Wukong let out a choppy laugh, typical of monkeys, and threw his head back to meet Erlang's gaze. "Don't worry! I won't." He reassured Erlang with a pleased smile, then started to swing him back and forth, wanting to offer the god a new perspective. Erlang felt his body swaying, completely at the mercy of physics as he swung, the wind hitting his face as they rose higher with each arc.

He had never been allowed to do something like this, and while Wukong was having fun, Erlang was experiencing something entirely new that left him speechless. He began moving his legs to swing better, embracing the momentum, and started hearing the young Monkey King's laughter growing louder with excitement and joy. Forgetting all his teachings, his training, and the directives to always keep a cool head and resort to reason, for the first time, he focused solely on what his heart felt: joy.

For the first time, in the most sincere way, a growing smile of happiness and excitement appeared on Erlang's lips. Feeling the exhilarating swing, now not only aided by Wukong but also by his own legs, he allowed himself to laugh for the first time in his life, letting his inner child surface and relishing this moment that, out of nowhere, became incredibly special for him.

Laughing felt so good, letting out the best of his soul, especially sharing it with Wukong, who was also laughing along with him, and neither of them had any intention of stopping until the sky began to darken, and the stars, along with the moon, lit the Mountain of Flowers and Fruits in silver.