[Discontinued] Mao Mao x Spy! Reader: Spying for the Enemy, Flying with my Crush

Chapter 6: As Light:Shadow

Umbra grabbed Mao Mao by his cape and yanked on it, spinning the cat into a scarlet cocoon. "Who are you to call me mentally challenged? Remember, I know the way back to base, so either shut your junior scouts-league trap or keep running it and get left behind."

He unraveled himself and growled, "I'll call you whatever I want to, you foul, asinine, unwanted, pompous spy!"

"Wow, that hurts! Oh, that smarts!" Your imprint smiled. "If only you hadn't just met me!"

"[Y/N]. We've known each other for a little under a week. You know as well as I do that we did not just meet!"

Umbra grinned wickedly and said, "My name's not [Y/N]."

"What do you mean, your name isn't [Y/N]?! Of course your name is [Y/N]!"

"Hmm." In their best impression of the sheriff-hero, they mocked, "'While we're out training, could you please tell me why you keep having random outbursts?' Remember that, buddy? Well guess what? I did one better! I showed you!"

"What do you mean by 'I showed you'?!" growled a frustrated Mao Mao. "You've been here this whole time, [Y/N], with me besides you! Not once have you showed me anything!"

"I did show you. It's right in front of you. I've told you several times that my name is not [Y/N], I'm not calling you Mao Mao, I'm actually insulting you head-on—seems kind of...off, especially if I'm supposed to be [Y/N]. Come on, detective. Use your brain."

Mao Mao just exploded. He charged Umbra, grabbed the collar of her zip-up hoodie, and tugged as hard as he could. "[Y/N], you need to stop messing around! You've gotten us stranded in the middle of nowhere, and now you're rambling nonsense about you having some sort of..." His eyes widened in realization, and his grip on the hoodie loosened. "DID."

"Halfway there, but halfway is better than nothing." They removed his hands from themselves and sat down against a tree, cross-legged. "Come on," they coaxed, patting their lap. "As much danger the valley is probably in, your head's in tenfold that danger of exploding from confusion. I'll explain everything."

Mao Mao crossed his arms and gave you this strangled look of embarrassment before sighing and sitting on their lap. He sat with his back to Umbra's right, so that he could focus on them while they talked. "I haven't done this since...jeez, since my childhood."

"Does that explain the look of embarrassment, or is that because someone you've known for less than a week has got you to sit on their lap?"

"Both, I guess." He shrugged and leaned on Umbra. "Hurry up and explain yourself, now. We have reason to hurry."

"I'll take my time. Only the clouds above us know how slow you go." At the glare they were given by the hero, Umbra apologized. "Alright, so to start, [Y/N] has always been here. They have always existed in the world, or at least since their birth. I, on the other hand, did not truly exist along with them until they recognized me and gave me a form. You see, while light can exist for an undetermined time, a shadow cannot truly be recognized as existing until it has something to be cast on, and in that case, it was the form [Y/N] granted me.

"To this day, I can't place as to why they wanted me to be the way I am. When you recognize your shadow, you can choose how it'll feel in comparison to you. Most want their shadow to agree with them, a terrible decision. The few that choose for their shadow to go against the grain are wise, since now, there's a second voice telling them that some ideas aren't the greatest. However, [Y/N] made me go against her in almost every way possible. Breakfast time rolls around, and they'll want pancakes. I'll want a granola bar. We can paint something, and they'll want serenity as the theme. I'll want destruction. You get the gist, Big Maoc?"