Monkey in the Middle
Destined One x OC Jen
(Prompt - Patience)
(Thank you so much to @miranita for the amazing artwork!)
Monkey took a deep breath in and slowly let it out, focusing on the calm within himself. Fluffy clouds drifted by in a clear blue sky. Sunlight dappled though the trees and danced along the forest path. And the warm breeze was filled with the sound of birdsong and chattering voices. It would have been a perfect day for travel.
If his companions would ever stop stalling their progress.
The whole day had been a constant game of stop and go with each delay taking longer and longer. While Monkey did his best to keep their little group moving forward, Jen and Bajie kept getting distracted by heated debates; mostly thanks to their Uncle’s needling. The current conversation was verging on nearly an hour with barely a step taken during that time. All of Monkey’s efforts to coax them along went unheeded but as frustrated as he was, he refused to go on without them. And so he waited in the shade of a nearby tree, the last of his patience dwindling as the others continued to argue, unmoving, in the middle of the road.
“That sounds like a ridiculous story,” Bajie snorted in disbelief.
Jen let out a long suffering sigh. “It’s not just a story, Bajie. It’s a movie.”
“A move-y?” he repeated with a quirked brow. “The hell is that supposed to mean?”
“It’s like a play but you can watch it whenever you want.”
The boar grinned, sharp and teasing around his tusks. “So you just go to the theater and demanding a show like a spoiled princess?”
“No!” Jen objected crossly. Her hands flailed about as she struggled to explain. “You see, the actors…perform a show…and it gets recorded kind of like a painting and you can watch it at your own home on a little box!”
Bajie gasped and looked from Jen to Monkey in mock horror. “Hear that, Nephew? Lady Jen here has trapped a poor troupe of actors in a box for her entertainment.”
“I haven’t trapped anyone anywhere!” the woman shouted, face flushing bright red from frustration. “It’s just a moving painting! It’s a completely normal thing where I’m from!”
Bajie rolled his eyes. “Sure, just like that horseless carriage you claim to ride in.”
“Don’t you start about the car again–!”
Their bickering was interrupted when Monkey’s patience finally ran out. He marched over and stepped in the middle of the building fight, dark eyes glancing between his companions in a chastising manner.
“Ha!” Bajie shot Jen a boastful smirk. “Seems Nephew is tired of your tall tales as well. Now just admit you’re making this nonsense up and we can–”
Bajie squealed in surprise when Monkey lifted the smaller demon clean off the ground and easily tucked him under one arm. “What is the meaning of this! Put me down at once, Nephew!”
Jen nearly doubled over with laughter watching the boar squirm and thrash but ultimately fail in getting himself free. “Serves you right for always starting arguments, right Mon–?”
Her gloating was similarly cut off by Monkey casually throwing her over his other shoulder, one arm anchoring around her kicking legs.
“Monkey!”
“Ahahah, not looking so innocent now, Lady Jen!” Bajie cackled. “If you weren’t always claiming your world has move-ys and magic lightning, there would be no argument to have!”
“I already told you, it’s electricity!” Jen snapped back, twisting herself to see over Monkey’s unyielding shoulder. “And literally everyone uses it!”
While the two continued their bickering, Monkey just sighed and shook his head as he carried them down the road. But he couldn’t help but smile fondly to himself; he loved his little found family. His companion, bold and unafraid to speak her mind. And his mentor, clever and goading in his exchanges. Even when they tested his patience, Monkey was forever thankful to have them by his side along his journey.
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AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/62162575/chapters/205249346
