The moment they arrived in the shadow-drenched alleyway of an unfamiliar town, Y/N stumbled slightly, her chest rising and falling with ragged breaths. The battle's stench still clung to her—the iron scent of blood, the crack of bone, the terrifying weight of Wukong's twisted smile still fresh in her mind.
Macaque turned to her instantly, grabbing her trembling hands in his own. His grip was tight, almost desperate. "Don't—don't ever do that again," he rasped, his voice trembling with something more than just exhaustion. "Don't jump into a fight like that. I almost—"
He swallowed hard. "I almost lost you."
Y/N's eyes softened as she looked at him. He was battered, bleeding, but what pained her more was the look in his eyes. That look of fear.
"If I lose you," Macaque whispered, "I'll be alone again. Truly alone. I can't—I won't let that happen."
He looked away. If only we'd never met... That thought stabbed through his mind like a dagger. Maybe if they hadn't met, she'd still be living a quiet, human life, untouched by gods and monsters. Maybe she wouldn't be bruised, broken, or hunted like prey.
But no. He couldn't entertain that.
Not now. ___✭✥
Macaque shook the thought from his head violently and swept her up into his arms. She let him, resting her head against his shoulder as he carried her through the town's twisted alleys until they reached a long-forgotten hideout carved into the cliffs beyond the village.
He laid her gently on the bed, brushing the hair from her eyes. His movements were careful, deliberate—like she was something fragile. Precious.
Y/N watched him, her brows furrowed. "Macaque... what's wrong?"
He paused. His back was turned to her. She couldn't see his expression, but something about his silence made the air feel heavier.
Finally, he turned. His eyes were distant, his voice strangely calm, almost too calm. "Do you... want to be immortal?"
Her heart skipped a beat.
"What?" she whispered, sitting up slightly.
"If you were like me," he continued, approaching her slowly, "you wouldn't have to worry about death. Or getting hurt. Or losing me. We could be together—forever. Just you and me. No fear. No pain."
Y/N's lips parted in shock. "Macaque... no. I don't want that." She shook her head. "Watching everyone you love die, living through centuries of sorrow—that's not life. That's torment."
His eye twitched.
"I know," he said quickly, trying to keep his voice even, but there was a flicker of desperation beneath it. "I know that, but... wouldn't us being together forever be worth it?"
Y/N stared at him. The cracks were starting to show.
He wasn't okay. ___𖤓✧ She stood, wrapping her arms around his waist, pulling him down with her to the bed. "Lay down with me," she said softly, "you're exhausted. You need rest."
He hesitated.
Then he let her pull him into the bed, into the warmth of her embrace. He wrapped his arms around her tightly, burying his face into her neck.
She held him as his breathing slowed, but his thoughts didn't.
Would she really hate me if I gave her the peach without telling her? No, that's insane. Or is it? What if it's the only way to protect her?
Macaque stared at the wall, wide awake in the arms of the woman he loved. And slowly, silently...
The madness in his mind began to bloom. ___✥✭
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