It only took a day for the recurring dreams to start.

He stood on the edge of a temple at the end of the world, looking out into a sea of black and orange clouds. Lightning crackled within the unnatural dunes of the storm, stretching out as far as he could see. There was a staircase behind him which he never remembered walking up but must have, yet it only led to nowhere, here, to this overlook that dropped off sharply into the energy just a step in front of him.

Every time this dream happened, he'd hold out his hand, watching as his purple shadows shifted into orange bordered flames, leaping and yearning to dive into the chaos before him-

Macaque bolted awake, breathing hard as a few startled monkeys leapt off of him. He was beyond making any kind of remark to them, needing his first moments awake to catch his breath and clutch at his chest, chills and sweat keeping his body tense as a spring.

After over a week of this, something had to give.

He didn't want this power, and surely the Nine-Headed Demon would like whatever scraps of chaos back that he could get. Macaque rubbed his head, wondering how to even contact such a being.

Sleep that night was out of the question. He might as well try to rid himself of the nightmares for good.

Macaque leapt down onto the sands of the beach, finding a scenic spot to sit and meditate in. He closed his eyes, breathing deep. His first course of action was to try and track people his usual way, ears perked up and on alert. However, Xiangliu wasn't close enough for him to hear anything. Frowning, Macaque held out his hand again, conjuring his power.

It never tinted orange on command, but if he used it enough it happened eventually. He watched as the shadowy plume turned jagged, outline crackling with chaos.

He held it out further from himself, closing his eyes again, almost as if he was offering it to the world. His hope was that it would be drawn to its source. Envisioning Xiangliu and the moment he'd taken his power, Macaque focused hard.

There was a tremor in the energy before him.

Macaque smoothly slid into a shadow portal, racing towards what he hoped was the Nine-Headed Demon and not something worse, if such a thing was possible. He also hoped he wasn't about to get lost in some crack between universes. Just as he felt he was getting close, he was sharply pulled out of the darkness.

"Agh!" Macaque rolled out of his portal, arms hugged to his chest as he went with the momentum. He tried to figure out where he was— a courtyard of some sort, in the nighttime, yet it felt different than an ordinary place on Earth. There was a warm haze around him, like a scentless smog. With every breath, he felt energized, on the fringe of panic, exhilaration building until frenzy became a constant.

Dark whips of energy snapped out at him, binding his wrists and ankles in an all too familiar fashion, holding him in a pool of the orange tinted energy.

"I hope you weren't trying to sneak up on me." Xiangliu's voice emanated from everywhere. "It won't work."

Macaque was good at not showing surprise. "Cut out the sound effects. Just here to talk."

Xiangliu didn't keep him waiting, although Macaque could do without the playful glint in his eyes as he appeared in front of him. He raised his hand to stroke at the snake framing his face, fingertip petting its head. "So… is this visit for business, or pleasure?"

That playful lift in his tone didn't help either- nevermind that Macaque often used it himself.

"I want you to take whatever power I got from you back."

He pouted. "You don't like it?"

Macaque grit his teeth. "I can't control it. It has too much of a mind of its own. You want it for yourself, right? So take it."

"Ah, you really should have thought of that before pulling that stunt you did." His soft scolding gave way to a helpless shrug. "I have no idea how to take chaos from another vessel. It seems only you have that gift."

"You don't know? Really?"

Xiangliu enjoyed lecturing, though Macaque wished it wasn't always to a captive audience. At least he wasn't gagged this time. "No matter how tightly you shut your eyes, you cannot unsee the sun once you've seen it. This power has taken root within you. Chaos rebels against order and control; it doesn't like being directed or told what to do. I do have a few fun ideas of what may allow me to withdraw the energy from you-"

"Do it."

Macaque kept his gaze steady, even as Xiangliu's grin revealed his canines.

The Nine-Headed Demon leaned in close, stroking Macaque's jaw with the same fondness as he'd given to his snakes. "Are you sure?"

He couldn't move enough to close the gap between them himself, but Macaque got as close as he could, some interest he chalked up to morbid curiosity making his pulse rise. "It's like that, huh? Do your worst."

Macaque hadn't expected Xiangliu's mouth on his to be so hot. He almost laughed as he realized his mistaken assumption. Xiangliu felt the minor shift of the buried laugh, pulling back. "What?"

"Thought you'd be coldblooded."

The snakes framing his face hissed. "Just the hair."

Xiangliu grasped the front of Macaque's tunic in his fist and pulled him close for another kiss. Macaque tried to chase after the touch, straining at the strands holding him in place. Pleasure blossomed after the initial surprise, sudden and strong. He moaned, puffing his chest out as the chaotic energy inside of him was drawn to its likeness, orange glowing under Xiangliu's palm.

But it didn't leave him.

It was as though the infernal power was trapped within his ribcage like fireflies in a lantern.

They broke apart after a few moments, gasping for breath.

Macaque had never been one to be passive with a partner. He squirmed with frustration. His shadows refused to help him while he was trapped in the mysterious chaos magic. "For a guy who's all about choice and freedom, you sure do tie people up a lot."

Xiangliu laughed from deep in his chest. "You're right- I'd like to see you uncaged."

Macaque was determined to wipe the taunting look off of Xiangliu's face.

The second he was free he leapt up and tackled the Nine-Headed Demon across the courtyard. He pinned Xiangliu to the far wall with a crash, mouth back on his before the dust even settled. If Xiangliu had been kissing to try and pull power from Macaque, he kissed even more forcefully to try and give it, keeping Xiangliu pressed down with all his weight.

All Xiangliu could do was drape his arms around Macaque's neck, fingers curling in his soft fur. He kissed back eagerly, both engaged in a nonverbal game of avoiding each other's fangs while also hoping to draw the other's blood.

Macaque's chest heaved and he came up for air, only to be started by how softly Xiangliu was looking at him. It was his turn to ask, "What?"

"Wukong squanders you."

Macaque should've known Wukong would come up. Everyone and everything in his life was defined by being Wukong or not Wukong. Something was either like him or defined by how unlike him it was. Wukong was the center, the sun, of his view, and all else was laid out and charted in accordance to its position from his sun.

A growl rose up out of his throat. He didn't know if he wanted to punch Xiangliu or kiss him again, so he did neither.

"Such power, such passion, all devoted to him in ways he can't even fathom," Xiangliu mused, voice wistful. "It's his habit to take the most precious things of this world for granted, isn't it?"

His tail lashed behind him, betraying his anger. "You know everything, so why bother asking?" he spat. Macaque let Xiangliu go and stepped back, brushing himself off. "So I'm stuck with this power. Thanks."

"I'd help you learn to live with it," offered Xiangliu.

"Why?"

Xiangliu kissed him again, though with the acceptance that whatever was inside of them could be swayed by their personal tides, but not ultimately changed. The way he spoke always bent the ear of the listener to hang on his every word. "Chaos loves to spread, loves itself. You'd never fear losing control with me, for we have no control left to lose. Or, you could leave and never come back. Either way."

"Yeah yeah, of course you don't care."

"Heh- well one option is more fun than the other."

Macaque couldn't believe he was stuck with a fragment of someone else's powers again, but he couldn't complain about the side benefits this one brought. "Whatever."

He slipped into a shadow and- perhaps guided by Xiangliu as a parting gift- found himself on the shores of Flowerfruit Mountain's beach, exactly where he'd left.

Wukong squanders you.

Macaque couldn't deny it, even if the wound was slowly healing. He was under no obligation to not seek Xiangliu out again and indulge just because he was warm blooded after all, armed with secrets that could save his life as well. He was already planning on returning, but his loyalty didn't bend to who he kissed or kept company- only to one person, after all this time.

It's his habit to take the most precious things of this world for granted, isn't it?

He curled up in his tree, finally allowing himself to feel the bitter aftertaste of heartache in his chest.

Yes, Wukong could be as obtuse and cruel as Xiangliu said-

-but a shadow never fully leaves the one who casts it.