I enjoy the thought of Woo and ApeTrully trusting each other. :)
"Everyone knows you wear a costume, ApeTrully! I wonder what you are? Besides a traitor, of course, because you don't even trust your friends!"
The Monkey stared at himself in his mirror, his eyes red from crying. He shivered as the words played in his head again, hugging himself. He felt so alone. So very alone. There was a knock on his door. He didn't move, but spoke in a light tone.
"Who is it?"
"Commander? It's me, Woo. Are you alright?"
"I am fine. I am in bed. I had a trying day. I will talk to you tomorrow."
"Commander, if this is about what High Roller said…"
"I said I will talk to you tomorrow!"
There was wounded silence for a few moments. "Alright then. I…I guess…Goodnight."
Blayze crawled into bed, blowing out the candle, but he couldn't sleep. After several long hours of tossing and turning and more crying, he threw the blanket aside. Grabbing his brush, he gave himself a thorough grooming before grabbing his costume in his hands, hurrying out the door, and running down the halls toward Woo's workshop. It was very late, which meant most of the base was asleep. But there was a good chance that Woo was up working on an invention. He tended to do that when he was upset.
The red Monkey met nobody, for which he was grateful, but he still hesitated outside the door for a little too long for him to still be called cautious. He opened it. Woo was hunched over his worktable, and Blayze could hear him sniffling and muttering to himself. His friend truly was hurt.
Blayze shut the door loud enough for Woo to hear, and the little man stiffened. He didn't turn around, hands dashing over parts as he became more agitated. The Monkey King hesitated for a moment before lightly setting his costume down in the corner and approaching to stand a couple feet behind the inventor.
"Woo…I am sorry for my harsh words earlier."
"It doesn't matter," Woo replied.
"That tone of voice tells me that it does. Forgive me. I do not feel well."
"Is it about what High Roller said?"
Blayze shifted uncomfortably and answered in a small voice. "Yes."
"Everybody knows you're in a costume, Commander. That wasn't news to us."
"But they do not know what I am. Not even you." Woo twitched harder. "And that clearly bothers you."
"I just…I trust you, ApeTrully. I've trusted you with my past. With my parents who didn't care. With my brothers who were bigger and stronger and loved more. With my lonely childhood. With my age. And yet I know so little about you. I want to get to know you. The real you. I want you to trust me."
"I do trust you, Woo."
"Well, you have a very bad way of showing it."
"But I do," Blayze said more forcefully, hoping the little man would get the point.
Woo didn't take his eyes off his work. Blayze could finally take it no longer.
"Oh, for the love of banana pudding! Turn around!"
Woo glanced back to reveal his face was red and tears were streaming down his cheeks. The expression of sadness went blank and he fully turned to appraise the red Monkey. There was no movement for a full minute. Bayze finally shivered and hugged himself as his pain wouldn't be held back anymore. Woo jumped off of his stool and slowly approached. He caught a tear on his fingertip.
"Why are you crying?"
"Because you hate me for what I am," Blayze whispered brokenly.
"No. I think you're very handsome. I can't really see you as any other kind of Animal at this point."
Blayze's self-control shattered and he collapsed to the floor, sobbing his heart out. Woo embraced him without even a flinch, and joined him in his pain. They cried together, clinging to each other through the torrent of tears until they had weathered the storm. There was nothing but calm breathing for a good ten minutes afterwards. Woo finally shifted, yawning.
"I'm exhausted."
"Yes. It is rather late."
They stood, and Woo turned and went to his own personal bathing room. Blayze stood there awkwardly for a moment before shyly following and peeking his head in the door. Woo was drawing a nice, hot bath, and was in the middle of pouring soap in to form a mountain of sweet-smelling bubbles.
"Ah…I shall leave then?" Blayze asked.
"No. You need a bath, too."
Blayze came into the room, shutting the door firmly behind him then rubbed his arm uncomfortably. He had no idea what to do, and that was saying something for him.
Woo stripped his clothes off and hopped in, popping up with a gasp as his skin flushed. Blayze watched as the inventor began to bathe. He looked up.
"Well, get in."
"I…Very well."
Blayze couldn't stop his groan of delight. The hot water felt so good on his exhausted body. He slipped under, holding his breath for a moment before coming back up. He relaxed back and began to doze. Furless, featherless hands stroked his chest, and he opened one eye to see a hesitant man drawing back, unsure of himself. Blayze smiled, grabbing the retreating hand and pressing it onto his fur. Woo smiled at him and began to pet him.
"I've always been fascinated with fur," Woo admitted as his fingers began scratching.
Blayze grunted, arching toward the pleasing sensation. "As I have been with skin."
Woo laughed. "Then we compliment each other well."
The Monkey nodded, trying to get those fingers to behind his ears or tail without moving too much. Woo didn't seem to understand and stopped altogether, making Blayze growl in irritation.
"What's wrong?" Woo asked.
"Oh…nothing," the red Animal muttered, rather embarrassed. "Just tired."
He got out and dried his fur as best he could with a towel before heading for his costume. Woo followed, a towel about his waist.
"You're leaving?"
"Don't you want me to?"
"Not really. You can sleep with me tonight."
Blayze hesitated before picking up his costume and moving it into Woo's room. Woo dressed and got into bed, gesturing for the Monkey to cuddle up beside him. There was hesitation in the red eyes.
"You really don't mind that I am not…hu-man?"
"No. I like it. Now, come and sleep. We need it."
Blayze stifled a yawn as he slipped in beside his best Human friend. He hadn't cuddled since he was back home with Hardwin…
The pleasant sensation of scratching fingers woke him the next morning. He grunted, shifting into them. There was a chuckle.
"Like that?"
"Mmhm," Blayze sighed. "Tail?"
"Tail?"
"Base…"
"Oh. Is that what you were trying to have me do last night?"
"Um…yes…"
Blayze suddenly realized exactly what he was talking to Woo about, but then those fingers hit that one spot just right, and he found he didn't care. Soft little noises came from his throat as his tail twitched excitedly. He pawed at the diminutive man's robe, chittering in delight. Woo watched him in fascination.
"You really do like that, don't you?"
Blayze grew embarrassed quickly and pushed away. "My apologies."
"What for?"
The Monkey shrugged, sitting there with slumped shoulders. Woo reached over.
"You shouldn't be like that. It's okay to enjoy it."
"I don't know. I am going to breakfast," Blayze muttered, shoving the gentle hands away and rapidly putting on his costume.
The poor Monkey was miserable all day, and he avoided his friend all he could. Woo finally cornered him at dinner.
"I need your advice."
Blayze glanced over. "About?"
"I have a friend. He just told me a big secret, but he is extremely embarrassed about it. I think he thinks I don't like him now, or that I will judge him for being different, or both. The truth is I don't mind it at all, and I'm actually rather relieved that he's trusted me with this. How do I convey this to him?"
Blayze poked his noodles. "I would say just keep telling him those things. He obviously needs to hear that he is not a monster or extremely foolish. He has kept his secret for so long. So very, very…long."
Woo nodded. "I think that's wonderful advice. Mind having a drink with me tonight?"
"That…sounds nice. We could talk about…things."
"I have a bottle with a very good year. Come by around nine."
At nine sharp, the Monkey walked through the door.
"Lock it behind you," Woo called.
Blayze did so then took off his costume, dropping it in Woo's room before going over to observe Woo's latest blueprints. The yellow-clad man walked in with a bottle and two cups.
"Here you are."
He handed his commander a cup and filled it with wine before filling his own. Blayze sipped his drink, humming.
"Mm, this is a good year."
"I told you."
They sat in companionable silence as they finished their first cup, feeling much more relaxed when they were refilled.
"So…I never asked last night," Woo started.
"Yes?"
"What should I call you?"
"Well, my name is Blayze, but if you have a preference for titles, you may call me 'Monkey King' if you so wish."
"You're the king?"
"I am."
Woo nodded. "It makes sense. You're a natural leader."
"Thank you." Blayze hesitated. "You really don't mind?"
"For the hundredth time, no! I like that you're a Monkey! I've never met one before."
"For good reason. Before me, the kingdom was very violent." The Monkey took another healthy swallow of wine. "Especially my father."
Woo heard deep pain in those three words. "What happened?"
"I don't want to talk about it."
"If you ever do…"
"I will. I just don't want to remember at the moment."
"Understandable."
They talked together for three hours before retiring to bed. Blayze happily snuggled close. He was woken by the same pleasant scratching as the previous morning, except this time, it was directly at the base of his tail. He happily chittered, pawing at the yellow robe again. Woo continued to scratch until Blayze was fully awake, when he stretched and licked his friend's cheek.
"Good morning," Blayze sighed, sitting up.
"Feeling better this morning?" Woo asked.
"Better?" The Monkey considered this. "I am starting to believe that you don't hate me for what I am."
Woo nodded. "Good. Would you like breakfast?"
"Certainly. Maybe we can come back here and talk about my father."
Blayze didn't like talking about it, but he trusted Woo. He really did. And as he and Woo headed to get their morning meal, Woo shot him a smile that informed him that he was trusted, too. It was nice to have one person who knew about him, he decided. But the others…he wasn't sure about. He'd worry about them later.