Chapter Text
…The mirror was cracked, shattered pieces of it covering the floor around. Jam could be seen all over the shards of it and the ground.
A new sense of anxiety welled up within him. What had happened while he was gone? Was his other half ok? Was the Jam his? Was he hurt again? How bad could the injury be?
…….Where was Shadow Milk…?
.
The chattering of cookies surrounded Pure Vanilla and the group. Negative whispering from the female cookies in the crowd drew attention to the cookie in which he was holding in a bridal carry. A cookie none other than Shadow Milk, whom Pure Vanilla had just found out only a few minutes before, was going by the name ‘Miss Blueberry Yogurt Cookie’ in this disguise of his. Cookies cleared and watch him and the other’s small group all the way to their destination: the vanilla sanctotium.
A hiss came from the cookie he held in his arms. She was in pain.
Empathy filled him making his feet come to an abrupt stop. “Are you alright?” Pure Vanilla asked.
The other answered. “Perfectly fine my king.” Her tone was soft and sweet. Why was she attempting to cover her pain with such a beautiful voice?
How sad, had the other been too nervous to allow him to show how she was feeling out of fear of being vulnerable to anyone? It made him want to hold her close and reassure her that nothing would happen.
This thought grew bigger as he carried on holding her as he walked, each time feeling the sudden twitches and tensing of muscles in her body in pain against his made guilt beat at his chest. Oh how he wanted to take away her pain this instant! He couldn’t react though, he knew the other well enough that if he did she may attempt escape and he would be unable to help her; so Pure Vanilla toughened his nerves and pressed on to the groups destination.
The chattering of cookies faded away as they walked into the place of interest, the vanilla sangtorium.
Cookie Doctors went back and forth from patient to patient meanwhile maintaining a pretty quiet atmosphere so as not to disturb the cookies who were unconscious or resting. One of the cookie nurses walked up to him and the group. “Your highness. I heard that you left your meeting with the cream republic so suddenly, we got worried. Who is that you are carrying?” They asked head turning to look at the cookie in question. The way she turned her head away and the unpleasant hum he felt in his soul jam, Shadow Milk felt uncomfortable. Poor thing. “Would you like me to take care of this patient?” the cookie nurse inquired, looking up to Pure Vanilla for his answer.
A now dreadful hum came from his soul jam, alongside a tense in the muscles of the cookie he was carrying. Shadow Milk would certainly deny this to his dying day but at that moment he could feel that the other felt genuine fear. Of what exactly was not certain but it was clear to Pure Vanilla that she did not want to leave his side. That thought made him feel both slightly happy and sad at once. He couldn’t leave Shadow Milk alone in this state.
“That’s alright, I found her so I’ll help her.” Pure Vanilla said in his perfectly rehearsed soft tone. Her eyes snapped to meet with his own. He simply smiled a reassuring smile in hopes that his message got through in some way.
“As u wish.” The nurse replied. “Would you like me to take the others to the waiting room?
“Are any of the rest of you injured as well?” Pure Vanilla asked, turning to face the group whom all shook their heads. “Then would you all please follow my friend? They will show you the way to the waiting room while I take care of your companion.”
It was clear by their faces and body language to Pure Vanilla that the group didn’t want to leave Miss Blueberry Yogurt cookie, even for a moment. It make him feel guilty. His remorse was interrupted when he noticed that a member of the group, Blueberry Shortcake cookie, stepped forward and laid a hand on Miss Blueberry Yogurt, as though she was reassuring her all would be fine. The scene warmed Pure Vanilla’s heart- for a moment at least. He could feel that the gesture made his other half annoyed.
The Nosy merchant led an unwilling Fresh Apple Faerie cookie to follow the nurse to the waiting room, Blueberry Shortcake trailed behind shortly giving Miss Blueberry Yogurt a wave; which Pure Vanilla could feel, once again annoyed Miss Blueberry Yogurt.
Now to get this cookie all healed up. Pure Vanilla carried her to a room at the back of her own, best if she wanted to not be seen in this state and he wanted to talk to her. Once reaching the care room he placed her upon the medical bed which earned him a jolt of pain from the other. Guilt and concern flooded instantly. “Sorry.” He spoke quickly, avoiding the loud reaction he wanted to give. “It’s quite alright.” She replied reassuringly, though to Pure Vanilla, it was evident that it wasn’t and she was quite pissed.
He wasn’t ready to face her. To face HIM. Not after all that had happened and the time that which had passed. But he had to….. after he mentally prepared himself.
“Please, relax while I get some things ready.” He said retreating to the shelves.
“Okay.”
It was clear that the other was confused on what he could possibly need to get ready, and to be honest, so was Pure Vanilla himself. Not the best excuse.
Calm, be calm. Pure Vanilla set down his seeing flower staff and after a breath finally spoke. “May I ask how this injury occurred?” Damn! His tone wasn’t the way he rehearsed. Hopefully Shadow Milk hadn’t noticed.
“A simple accident, that’s all. It’s only a scratch but my friends insisted on me seeing a healer.” She chuckled sweetly, placing her hands properly in her lap.
Why did she feel the need to lie? At something so obvious at that.
“Seems like a bit more than a scratch.” Pure Vanilla countered.
Another hum, she didn’t like that reply.
Turning around to face Miss Blueberry Yogurt, Pure Vanilla stated. “I’m going to need to see the wound myself.” A weird hum from the soul jam in reply from the other. Interesting.
The lack of a physical reaction from the other told him that the other didn’t want Pure Vanilla that close up and personal. But he had to be to know the diagnosis for sure…… alas he folded.“It’s alright if you don’t want me to see it, I can do my best by feeling it instead but it will be more painful.”
The cookie seemed to like that answer. “That’ll be fine.”
Pure Vanilla was before her in an instant, eager to help his other half now that he has permission. Though he startled said other half at the same time.
“Above your hip right? May I?” He requested.
“You may.” She consented.
“I’m going to touch it and you will tell me how it feels, it will help me have a better idea of what I’m working with.”
Miss Blueberry Yogurt nodded, confirming her understanding of the directions.
This was going to hurt, he knew it would. Taking a deep breath he brushed his finger over the wounded area, immediately being rewarded with the tensing of the other’s body in response to the pain. Guilt. “Sorry.” He whispered. It was hard knowing that he was causing the pain to intensify; he NEEDED to finish this as soon as possible.
“Can you tell me how that feels?” He asked quickly.
“I burns- and throbs like crazy-“ she hissed between gritted teeth. That was surprisingly honest…. Must hurt more than he initially thought.
This left Pure Vanilla with a single answer. The diagnosis to his patient was-
“Infection.” The word lingered on his tongue like sour candy.
The other simply huffed in annoyance.
She? Annoyed?? At this??? When she was the one who allowed the wound to get so bad by denying its existence???? Pure Vanilla couldn’t pretend to be clueless anymore, he needed to be serious.
Opening his eyes half lidded he looked his other half in the face at pressed flat toned. “Tell me, why didn’t you treat this sooner Shadow Milk?”
“Hh-!” A sting shot through his soul jam and before he knew it the other had pressed her palm against his chest pressing him back suddenly and firmly.
He messed up. He shouldn’t have spoke. Shadow Milk was on edge. Ready to pounce and run at any moment. He needed to ease him-
Suddenly a cold prickly sensation shot through his chest where the other’s hand was placed upon his soul jam. Miss Blueberry Yogurt quickly snatched her hand back. They must have felt it too. The soul jams hadn’t resonated since the spire, and even then never like this… interesting.
But the way she drew back so quickly caused Pure Vanilla to jolt forward, clasping her hands between his in an attempt to assure her, keep her here with him. “It’s alright, calm down. I’m not going to hurt you.”
“How long had you known?” She snapped accusingly.
“The second you entered my kingdom.” A quick and honest reply. One the other clearly didn’t believe.
“Then why didn’t you say anything?”she asked once more.
“I didn’t want to scare you off. I can see you’re wearing a disguise for a reason.”
“How did you know?”
Was that a serious question? “We do share a soul jam, in case you forgot.” Got some reason Pure Vanilla couldn’t help the teasing tone in his voice or why he started to find this onslaught of questions funny; But the cookie, judging by the scowl forming on their face, obviously didn’t find this situation or his reaction very funny at all.
“Huff” She said as though the sound were a word while turning her head away from him. A giggle tickled at the back of his throat; just for it to melt away like hot wax the second she flinched. A sigh came instead.
“No one is here, you don’t need to hide.” He said in an attempt to comfort and calm the other. “Go ahead and transform back. It’s very distracting trying to treat you knowing who you are when you look so different Shadow Milk.” Shameful honestly slipped out.
Another huff from the other as Miss Blueberry Yogurt’s perfectly crafted form melted away opening the curtains for Shadow Milk, in whom had a wolfish grin already plastered across his face. “Ha! Did my excellent disguise and acting really scare you that much old man?” He mocked. Though it didn’t escape Pure Vanilla’s notice that he shifted slightly, likely from the pain of transforming.
“I already explained why I want you in your real form, don’t put words in my mouth.” A contented exhale escaped him as he spoke.
A slight feeling of excitement was beginning to well up within him now that he was truly face to face with his other half.
Shadow Milk placed the back of his hand against his forehead sighing in his usual dramatic flare. “Poor radiant king! My transformation making you feel more blind than you already are!”
Pure Vanilla couldn’t help the slight amusement he found in the others poorly thought through words, He was clearly ad-libbing, thus the Vanilla cookie played into it. “Indeed, it feels as though my eyes are playing tricks on me, more than they do on the daily.”
A pause as his other half noticed how his hands remained clasped around their own. Once the sight registered he pulled back from Pure Vanilla, catching him off guard. For a short second anyway. Jam started rushing fast to Shadow Milk’s face and Pure Vanilla couldn’t help the small chuckle that escaped him.
Shadow Milk felt annoyed by it.
Regaining his composure and setting his hands in his lap Pure Vanilla spoke once again. “Shall I heal this wound for you now?”
Shadow Milk’s also regained his composure with a puff of air before replying. “Would’ve been nicer if you’d done it sooner.” He said winking at him. He would deny it if you asked but jam threatened to flood Pure Vanilla’s face.
Instead, a perfectly practiced and constant smile. “Sit still then.”
Pure Vanilla reached his hand to hover over Shadow Milk’s wound and cast his healing spell. A hum; Shadow Milk was feeling relief from his pain.
That’s good.
This however, was not good.
No matter how much power he pushed behind the spell the wound kept resisting full recovery; as though it was pushing back. In only a short minute Pure Vanilla had had a battle against the persistent injury that kept fighting him back.
Why was it doing this? It’s only a simple small infection. Wounds didn’t do this unless-
The Cookie’s magical energy was nearly completely depleted…
That can’t be possible! Not with Shadow Milk at least. He had way more reserves than even Pure Vanilla himself, so a lack of magical energy couldn’t be the case. It had to be something else.
Pure Vanilla stopped attempting his healing spell and withdrew his hand, bringing his fist up to his chin.
“That isn’t good….” His face was scrunched in confusion and slight unnoticeable frustration.
The other was confused, almost as much as he was becoming concerned.
Pure Vanilla didn’t was to cause the other to panic but he needed them to take this a little more seriously. So he questioned. “How long have you had this wound?” Not attempting to hide the worrisome tone.
“Not too long ago.” Shadow Milk was picking at his nails without a care in the world, at least it looked that way.
Clearly he wasn’t gonna turn off his cool act to answer any of his questions seriously.
“May I take a look at it please?”
The other one laughed. “Why? Am I gonna die?
A shiver of dread came suddenly crawling up Pure Vanilla’s spine and spreading across his body at the very thought of that.
The stress of the idea distracted him so bad he didn’t notice how fast he jolted forward taking hold of Shadow Milk’s face. His hands squishing his face tightly. “No! You’re gonna be just fine-!”
He realized how strong his reaction was a quickly loosened his grip upon the other seeing how stunned and wide eyed the other was. He let go and his hands fell to his sides.
He should know better than to react like that. He may have just scared the jester away; all because he couldn’t keep his emotions and hands to himself. He should know better.
The words of Shadow Milk broke his thoughts.
“Gee Nills. What’s got you so heated?” judging by his tone Shadow Milk may have finally begun to grasp how serious the situation may have been.
Compose. Explain.
“Your wound isn’t healing completely. It’s like something is keeping me from doing so- like a barrier. This usually happens when a Cookie’s magical energy becomes nearly depleted. If your wound has been there too long then it’s possible you’ve already exhausted it.” He spoke too frantically.
“I already know this, no need to explain.” Shadow Milk glumly replied. He likely didnt notice but he had an unknowable expression on his face. A mix of glum and stress. How sad.
Never mind.
“Please tell me how long you’ve had this.”
“Not long.”
Why was he avoiding giving Pure Vanilla real answers? Pure Vanilla was beginning to become slightly annoyed.
“Minor wounds like this don’t get this bad unless they’re not handled properly for long periods of time.” The truth. One the other did not like, but Pure Vanilla was determined to make accepted.
Yet the cookie in question didn’t. They simply sat silently while picking at their nails. How does one become so prideful and foolish?
Shadow Milk was injured, that was obvious. But he was too prideful to even accept help or even TRY healing himself. Without a shadow of a doubt he knew that Shadow Milk would rather die than ever allow himself to be vulnerable and ask for help with he most definitely needed. Pure Vanilla couldn’t leave him to his own devices like this.
Then an idea came to mind.
An exhausted sigh from Pure Vanilla came before he spoke. “Do you have anywhere to be?”
“Not at the moment.” Shadow Milk said, raising an eyebrow.
“Will you please stay for a while? I’d like to monitor this wound until it heals.”
The two locked eyes for a moment, a moment that felt like hours for Pure Vanilla. The other seemed almost baffled at the idea of his, but Pure Vanilla didn’t mind, as long as he could look into those eyes- and monitor his condition…
“I can set you and your friends each in rooms of the castle. At least until you’ve completely healed.”
Another add on to hopefully make the other feel more at ease with the idea. The cookie simply sat bewildered though; completely and utterly confused with unbelief that the healer would ask such a thing of him. But despite this Pure Vanilla was determined to convince him to stay, even if-
“Sure, why not?” Shadow Milk simply said after pressing his thumb and pointer to him chin to act out deep thinking.
Pure Vanilla almost fell. He didn’t expect for Shadow Milk to actually accept, especially this quickly. A smile bigger than the other crawled across his face as a wave of giddy excitement washed over him like a toddler.
Pure Vanilla stood up. “Alright, I’ll tell the castle attendants to prepare your rooms.” He declared walking, nearly skipping to the shelf where he once again took up his seeing eye staff. Turning to Shadow Milk he continued. “You may want to disguise yourself again. I wouldn’t want the cookies to cause an uprise out of fear of your presence in the Vanilla kingdom.” Harsh but true, other cookies may flee or fight if they saw the beast.
Worst, what if news got to his friends….
A pause from the other before their form melted down into that of Miss Blueberry Yogurt Cookie once more.
“Shall we go then~?”
This was his chance. Maybe his only chance. He’d messed it up at the spire but not this time. He would get through to Shadow milk this time! This time he’d get closer to the cookie. This time he’d be his friend.
Pure Vanilla will not mess up.