@inmiasma: combat.ย for our muses to train together in combat. / src.
their dance is discordant today, wukong notes at the back of his mind. it's strange. they're always in tune with each other, for the most part: every block and parry a wonder to witness- their duel always like a violent waltz.
nezha's wheel slams into his stomach and it sends him hurtling towards a nearby pillar, back cracking against the marble in a plume of dust. wukong jumps right back into the fray in a minute, zipping through the air on his cloud somersault, throwing a punch that makes nezha stumble, but not fall.
the rhythm of their battle goes like this: the ting-ting-ting-ting-ting of gold parrying flesh as nezha twirls his spear around, connecting with every blow from wukong's fists. old monkey uses nezha's speed to his advantage, grabbing the spear at one end, sending him and it spinning with a well-placed kick. nezha's sash grabs him from afar and throws him as far as he can manage, using wukong's momentum to bring him right back into the fray of battle.
push and pull, ebb and flow. the fight goes by in a blink of an eye. wukong could always get lost in the rhythm of their battle. honestly, it was kinda relaxing- in a way! he knows nezha; who he is, what he does, what he can do- he can easily let the battle take him for a spin as he parries and redirects nezha's attacks, whirling and spinning in the air.
...this was always meant to just be fun. call him flippant, sure, but his fights with nezha were never meant to be serious. for both of them, no matter the labels they put on it. (training, practice, yada yada yada. be real! when they come together, nezha's always itching for a fight.)
but he doesn't want to fight nezha! there isn't any reason to fight him- hasn't been for a while now, not since the first time. he isn't an enemy- and wukong never wanted him to be an obstacle, either! they're friends. friends who always stood on the opposite side of battle, sure- but wukong always thought that they wouldn't let that get between them. they've been through way too much for that to happen. right?
...but it feels like nezha doesn't want that. like he wants to be an enemy. like he wants to get in the way, when he doesn't have to. when there's no need to.
(seriously, what's up with that?)
in the middle of nezha's assault, he sees an opening. wukong grabs at his sash and swings him downwards, and nezha crashes into the ground.
it's only when the dust clears and he's hovering over nezha, fist raised, ready to strike again- that he realizes that he's shaking.
...wukong instantly draws back.
โ i think- i think we can count that as a win in your book, โ he laughs weakly- offering a hand for nezha to take. โ ...you've really improved since last time, you know? honestly, i'm impressed! โ
his smile drops. he clenches his fist.
โ ...we should stop here, though. i'm beat. โ
