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Licorice sighs; his back slumping as much as it could, letting his scythe drag across the grass, why me?
“Don’t complain now, Meowster. You took this willingly.”
“Shut it, you!”
Maybe it wasn’t smart of him to invite his furry companion with him on this mission. Well, if you could even call it that.
Licorice had always been the first to take on missions when handed out. But now…
Firstly, this mission is complete nonsense! collect jelly frogs , tch , did those cretins not know jelly frogs were as green as these forests? It's gonna take ages until Licorice is able to find just one!
Second of all, this whole mission isn't even assigned by Dark Enchantress Cookie! He had Pomegranate Cookie come to him for such, apparently for a concoction she was doing. The only reason he’s doing any of this is simply because he knew among the other members, he’d be the most efficient.
Not because he wanted to prove anything to the priestess. No, shut up.
He couldn’t even bring Poison Mushroom Cookie along to experience this idiocy with. The younger being occupied by Dark Choco in a separate room. Licorice isn't sure what exactly the two were doing, but the little smile on the younger’s face around Dark Choco’s presence told him not to disturb anyway.
He wishes he didn't listen to his gut now. Screw him for enjoying Poison Mushroom’s company.
Licorice and Bat-Cat had been walking around the thick forest for a good while, still no luck finding those cursed jelly frogs.
The man let out a low groan, slumping as he did so,
“Curse you, Pomegranate Cookie! Find your own ingredients, why don’t you?!” He screams into the trees, causing one or two birds to scatter.
“This is what you get for trying to show off, meow! Now you got me stressed!” Bat-Cat snarls before placing himself on the top of Licorice’s hood, snickering at his master’s frustrated grumbling.
“Before I turn you into a jelly frog myself you better remain silent.”
“Psh . Whatever, meow.”
Licorice was truly considering, but then he’d have to listen to the annoying birds and other animal folk within these woods (and he hates to admit, but he’d feel quite lonely), he supposed he much preferred the banter.
With another sigh, Licorice carries his scythe on his small shoulders instead and follows the imaginary trail his vision makes for him through the forest while Bat-Cat nestles on his head.
---
Licorice continues to wander, coming across a few jelly frogs, to his relief. Unfortunately he has the physique of a bean pole, he really didn’t take into account how he was gonna capture these slimy creatures.
“Ugh, it got away again! Bat-Cat, please tell me you caught at least one!” Licorice wails, slipping on his stomach with his hands balled in an attempt to catch the frogs, letting the small animals jump away out of instinct,
“Uh, no luck here, either, Meowster!” Bat-Cat responds from the opposite side of Licorice after failing to capture his own jelly frog. The pet laid down on its back in exhaustion, panting. It feels Licorice’s shadow loom over it afterwards, panting just as much.
“I thought you were part cat! Don’t you have a knack for this sort of thing?!” Licorice says, hands clenched into light fists on his sides as he scolds his companion. Bat-Cat waves him off, too tired and annoyed to look him in the eyes, “and I don’t recall being the one taking this mission in the first place.”
Licorice thanks the Ancients above for being isolated in this forest with just his cat. Anyone seeing the two jumping around for frogs would’ve gotten a good kick out of it he figured.
With the two already exhausted to continue on, they opt to rest by a nearby stream. Licorice placed his scythe on top of a stump with Bat-Cat next to it while Licorice sat on the ground, leaning his back against the small trunk.
Immediately upon a minute of resting Licorice could already hear soft snoring. He mentally groans once he realized Bat-Cat had fallen asleep.
Just great , he thinks, we’ll be back by midnight if this goes on.
Licorice stares into the trees they had pass by, mildly listening to the stream of water that caused small waves to softly splash whenever it hits rocks, and the occasional rustling of leaves whenever the wind flew by. Heck, even the sound of the birds.
Ashamedly, Licorice felt his eyelids grow heavy as well.
He hated this. Licorice knows he is capable of many things, yet he’s the first that comes to mind whenever there is a lousy mission needed to be completed for whatever reason. He hates how easily his ego gets hurt when it comes to those things..
He hated that he was even doing this stupid mission for Pomegranate of all cookies.
….
You know, Licorice is a hard working cookie (capable of magic at that!) and he’s sure if any other darkness members were to do this idiocy of a mission, they’d be just as lost as he is. Perhaps a little nap wouldn’t hurt. Who knows, maybe Bat-Cat would wake up first anyway.
The necromancer begins to slowly shut his eyes, holding onto slight hope that he’s not that tired, he could still continue this god-forsaken task and be done with it. Alas , he watched the trees around him start to turn black as his vision faded…
“You alright, dude? ”
Licorice’s eyes had never opened so fast, shocked to see another cookie, who had shown no signs of presence before, right in front of him. The necromancer jumps, eyes wide and mouth agape, seemingly about to cry out. Quickly, the intruder presses a hand over the frosting of his mouth.
“Hey, whoa, calm down, your cat’s still asleep.” The stranger says, their purple eyes pointed towards a still snoring Bat-Cat as he let out an amused chuckle. His tone was light-hearted and soft. Most likely attempting to calm Licorice, but it only threatened him more.
“Unhand me, you--” Licorice grabs the other’s hand trying to pull it away. Seeing as Licorice’s voice has softened (out of fear, maybe), the stranger lets him. Licorice coughs for a bit before glaring right in the other's face.
He examines closely at their intruder. Quite a curious one. The cookie was donned in a black silk blouse shirt with a long ruffled collar that showed too much chest for Licorice’s liking. He wore white slacks and had a black cloak draped behind him. Not to mention that annoyingly long, dark red mane he assumes was his hair.
“Sorry, man. I thought you were dyin' or something.” The stranger muses, using one of his hands to push back his long messy red hair. What the hell. His fringe is so long, yet so short on the other side? Licorice wanted to grimace.
Taken aback by the statement however, Licorice gasps dramatically, “Dying?! W...why would you think that?!”
The stranger gestures to Licorice to quiet his voice, seeing Bat-Cat stir behind him. He chuckles in amusement, “Heh, I saw you two catching those jelly frogs earlier. Thought you fainted. 'seemed to be strugglin' back there.”
Licorice felt his face heat up. Gods, he was being watched this whole time?!
He could cry. How humiliating.
Nevertheless, as always, Licorice laughs hysterically to hide his shame, “Wh… Do you think I’m some old fool? I’ll have you know I’m probably much younger than you!”
“Yeah, you probably are. I’m turning a hundred and twenty five this year.”
Licorice fell silent. Now what the hell is this? “Excuse me?”
“Heh, maybe hundred twenty six? Can’t remember. Numbers are weird,” the stranger jokes, shrugging, "I still feel like a century old!"
Licorice frowns in confusion, though he, too, shrugs it off, “uh, your name, perhaps?”
The stranger smirks, one hand pushing his hair back while the other leans forward in front of Licorice, who arches his back to keep distance.
“My name? Tryna' to get to know me, huh? You sly thing.” The stranger says smugly, wiggling his eyebrows. Licorice flushes, he wasn't used to this... questionable banter. Though he supposes he'd much prefer it over the petty arguments he has among his colleagues.
The other notices Licorice’s dismay, and lets out a deep laugh in amusement.
Licorice inhales sharply at the sound. Oh ancients his laugh .
“Jokes, jokes! I’m Vampire Cookie from the Cookie Kingdom.” He extends a free hand for Licorice to shake, to which he hesitantly does.
Vampire. Huh . “Well, that explains the obscene age gap, I suppose.” Licorice murmurs. Vampire smiles, leaning closer to the other, his voice turning huskier when he speaks,
“you can call me Vamp, though. Many of my peers do.”
Licorice scoffs, mentally forcing his body to stop overheating at the deep tone he was receiving. “Huh, you think I want to start a bond with you or something?” He spats with unnecessary harshness, though Vampire seemed unfazed. His expression remained smug if not more so than before.
“Oh, you hurt me, pretty boy. We all know the first stage is denial.” Vampire winks before letting out another light laugh.
Licorice felt a sudden unknown feeling pang through his chest at the statement. His face felt full and hot, as well as did his heart. His voice is lost for a moment, only able to stare blankly at an amused Vampire, who was still laughing.
...Oh crumbs.
You see, Licorice does NOT meet other cookies. How the hell is he supposed to respond to that? It’s not like he’s unfamiliar with the concept, he’s read about this particular situation in love novels. Though he never took it into account he’d be a victim to it. Oh screw him. Screw everything.
He's suddenly hyper aware where he stands, being conscious enough to see Vampire’s waving hand in front of his, still smugly, annoying face.
“What the-- get away from me!”
“You haven’t told me your name yet, though.” Vampire says.
Licorice hesitated. Should he? Vampire Cookie doesn’t seem to be of any threat so far. Other than his incessant form of "jokes" and that distracting collarbone (what?). He seemed harmless enough. It’s not everyday he were to meet anyone who wasn’t seen as potential to the darkness.
“It's… Licorice Cookie,” He responds meekly, to which Vampire smirks in satisfaction. He scoffs again, facing the side to hide his reddening face. “...don’t forget it.”
“Heh. ‘couldn't even if I tried.”
“-and what is that supposed to mean ?!” Licorice questioned, he knew exactly when an insult was coming his way.
Instead, Vampire chuckles deeply, and Licorice stiffens once again. That horrible pang feeling and the overwhelming heat from earlier quickly coursing through him at the sound. He's quiet, watching the other lean closer to the side of his face, unable to back away from the towering gaze.
“Don't think I would've forgotten the cookie who was jumpin' more than the frogs he was tryna catch," Vampire teases, his eyes squinting as he looked amusingly over Licorice. His chuckles are breathy, his voice getting huskier and more playful as he adds, "he's pretty too. Nah, I don't think I'd forget you, Licorice Cookie."
“I-wh... h-how dare you...” Licorice wants to raise his voice but suddenly he can't seem to find it. Eyes carefully watching one of Vampire’s hands reach for his face. Widening as he feels the shaggy pieces of licorice on his head being gently pushed back against his hood, revealing his full set of amber eyes to Vampire’s delight.
“Ah, there you go.”
It was only a second until his locks were dropped back down, but Licorice didn’t miss the way Vampire stared deeply into him, still wearing that smirk.
Oh, breadcrumbs. Why him?