The Jade Warrior

Shedding Weight

     Wukong hummed thoughtfully as he ran his fingers along the seams of Y/n’s armor, inspecting every dent and mark. "You know," he said, tapping a particular spot with a grin, "I never realized you wore this much armor. Thought you’d be a little more, I don’t know, free with it?"

Y/n glanced at him, slightly amused. "Armor serves a purpose. Unlike you, I don’t rely on sheer speed to dodge everything."

Wukong chuckled, tilting his head to the side as he poked a spot on Y/n's shoulder. "Fair, fair. Still, don’t you ever get tired of all this weight?"

Y/n raised an eyebrow. "It’s hardly a concern. Unlike some, I prefer to be prepared for whatever might happen." His tone was calm, but there was a hint of a playful jab in his words.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Always the cautious one," Wukong teased, letting his fingers trace along a scratch. "But c’mon, aren’t you the least bit curious how it’d feel to go without it? Be a little more… flexible?"

Y/n looked at him steadily. "Armor doesn’t prevent flexibility. It provides protection. Something you might want to consider more often."

Wukong feigned a gasp, clutching his chest dramatically. "Ouch, the Great Sage needs protection? You wound me, Y/n." He paused, then grinned, his fingers lingering over a dent on the side of Y/n’s armor. "Besides, what’s the worst that could happen? I’m already the fastest there is."

"Confidence alone won’t stop a blade," Y/n replied, his gaze unwavering. "Perhaps you could use a little more caution."

Wukong smirked, leaning closer until they were almost face to face. "And maybe you could use a little more… relaxation."

Y/n’s expression softened just a little, though he still maintained his stoic front. "If you’re trying to get me to take this off, you’ll have to do better than that."

Wukong’s smirk widened, and he leaned back, crossing his arms. "Fine, fine. Maybe I'll find a way to surprise you one of these days."

They sat in companionable silence for a moment, the cool mountain air drifting around them, the only sounds the gentle rustling of leaves outside the temple and Wukong's occasional murmurs as he continued to poke at Y/n’s armor.

After a while, Wukong spoke up, his voice quieter this time. "You know, I could find another way for you to take off your armour~" Wukong days leaning down infront of Y/n's sight from being perched on the large warriors helm.

He immediately gets tossed off into a pile of peaches as juice covers him.

Wukong spluttered as he wiped peach juice from his face, laughing despite the sticky mess. "Alright, alright, I’ll admit I deserved that," he said, grinning up at Y/n from the pile of crushed peaches.

Y/n crossed his arms. "If you want to keep your life intact, perhaps you’ll reconsider those kinds of… suggestions."

Wukong shook his head, laughing as he pulled himself out of the peach pile, brushing the sticky remains off his robes. "You’re no fun," he teased, feigning a pout. "But I’ll give you credit; that was a good throw."

As he straightened up, Wukong looked at Y/n with a glint of mischief in his eyes. "You know, for someone who claims to be so serious, you’ve got quite the sense of humor."

Y/n tilted his head, maintaining his calm demeanor. "Perhaps you just bring out the worst in me," he said.

Wukong stretched, grinning as he moved to stand beside Y/n. "Then I must be doing something right." He placed a hand on Y/n’s shoulder, still smiling as he looked out toward the horizon, the sun dipping low and casting a golden glow over the temple grounds. "Look, I’ll be serious for once. I know you don’t want to take off your armor. However  doing so is… I dunno, letting yourself feel free sometimes, even just for a moment."