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Pure Vanilla cookie hummed against a hot cup of tea, his lips against the intricate teacup and hot air hitting his frosting.
It was nice and warm against the cold winter air of the Cacao kingdom, where snow seemed never ending.
The cold freezes his nose and hands, but Pure Vanilla would never complain about it. This was someone’s home, and a beloved place to someone dear to him.
That ‘someone’ who he’s visiting, in fact.
Right now he’s seated on a mat in the floor of a dining room, to his left is Golden cheese- and his right was Hollyberry, and right across from him was Dark Cacao.
Yeah, it was cold, but Pure Vanilla always felt pleasantly warm next to all his friends.
Well, all minus one.
He sips his tea, trying to ignore any solemn feelings.
“You ought to have more Berry juice here Dark Cacao! This stuff wouldn’t even get a baby drunk~” Hollyberry teased.
She was the only one who asked to drink Juice instead of tea.
Dark cacao heaved a sigh and asked someone to bring more juice.
Golden cheese snickered alongside her, before looking into her tea. Her eyebrow furrow together.
“…it’s truly nice to be surrounded by real familiarity again.” She whispered, holding the scruff of her coat up in attempt to hide her quivering lips.
“Oh golden cheese cookie-“ Pure Vanilla stands, his heart sinking in his chest at the sight of his friend so upset.
“-I’m so sorry for what happened to you..I.. am sorry I wasn’t there to help you.” he says, engulfing Cheese in a tight hug to his chest. She hugs back and tightly pressed her face against his own coat.
“You’re free to stay in the Vanilla kingdom for as much time as needed, and we are always here for you.”
Golden cheese sniffled again, then chuckles before slightly pushing him alway. He stumbles back a little, in confusion.
“Thanks, you big ‘ole softy..but really, I’m…learning how to accept it.”
“Ah- well-“
“Yes. I’ll ask for help if I need it Pure Vanilla, now drink your tea before it gets cold.” She says, ushering him away. There were still tears in her eyes, and Hollyberry was looking at her softly- but Pure Vanilla simply left it be.
He takes another sip, and enjoys the company of his friends in silence. It wasn’t awkward, but it was getting rather solemn..
His fingers feels around the traditional cup, looking into the swirl of green and black. No one talks yet.
…it’s starting to get a bit awkward, Hollyberry casts a glance at him, and he’s just looking at Dark Cacao- and it’s all in uncomfortable silence.
Golden cheese breaks it with a shaky inhale.
“Oh- quit the silence already! Yes, I was upset- but I’ve already mourned- for years..”
She heaved a sigh.
“I want us all to talk- laugh! Isn’t that what we’re here for?”
Hollyberry nods, and drinks her freshly brought juice with a smirk.
“This has been the first conversation in a while, and I for one, with the best parties out of all kingdoms on earthbread, have heard some interesting rumors about you all.”
The room goes cold and everyone looks at Hollyberry.
He sits up straighter, intrigued. Rumors about the ancients? After all this time, it figures the one thing that still followed him was rumors of all things.
Cookies never change, do they?
“Really? Like what?” Pure Vanilla smiles, finishing his tea off.
“Yes, I to would like to know what rumors your spreading about us…” Dark Cacao a glare. But it was definitely the amused kind.
Pure Vanilla could recognize it in a heartbeat, he’s sought the expression many times- and it took awhile for him to realize that this was the closest pure Vanilla would get to Dark Cacao cracking a smile.
“Well~ firstly, many cookies think your blind Pure Vanilla, since you’re eyes are two different colors- and always seem to be closed!”
“Hmm.. well I can see why they could think that…” He said, looking at the dark wood of the table..
“Ridiculous, heterochromia has nothing to do with blindness.”
Dark Cacao scoffs, then raises an eyebrow at Hollyberry.
“You did correct these rumors, right?”
“Aaah- well i was busy! Anyways here’s a rumor I’m really curious to hear about-“
She turned to Dark Cacao, with a devious smirk.
“Is it true that you're seeing a certain same cookie name Peach Blossom cookie?”
huh?
Pure Vanilla cookie blinks, realizing that his heartbeat was thrown off. Something ugly began wriggling in his chest.
Dark Cacao cookie seeing someone? He felt himself frown despite logic.
Who on earthbread was Peach Blossom cookie?
He frowns even harder. the grip on his empty mug grew tighter.
Golden Cheese and Hollyberry were probably watching Dark Cacao too, but he was too busy searching his face to notice it.
Dark Cacao just hummed, and kept his face stonewall as he returned Hollyberry’s attention.
“Is that so?”
He just sips his tea, and glanced at Golden cheese cookie.
“Any rumors about her?”
What?? He wasn’t even denying anything…
Pure Vanilla felt a bit colder than before. A servent is suddenly besides him and pouring him piping hot tea. He mustered a small thanks.
Hollyberry chuckled in a standoffish way, then continued spewing goofy rumors about how Golden cheese was actually yellow custard, then to less related rumors about a cookie of darkness being a former son of the licorice servants.
But he’s he couldn’t focus on any of that.. not when his- well..his- you know…
…Dark Cacao could be seeing someone,
The thought reverberates uncomfortably, the idea sinking its teeth into his chest.
Pure Vanilla feet felt sore on the mat, and really- he kind of wanted to leave…
He tries not to slump forward, he tries to listen to what Hollyberry is saying,
(she wasn’t even talking right now, golden cheese was-)
but it all felt so hard to concentrate on.
Especially when all he wanted was to ask Dark Cacao cookie head on, ‘who this Peach Blossom cookie was- and who is he too you?’
He didn’t talk for the rest of lunch, Dark Cacao sometimes glanced at him.
The food was good, or it probably would have been, if Pure Vanilla hadn’t realized the tea accompanying it had an aroma of a peach.
…
After the get together, the Hollyberry and Golden cheese left for their warm guest rooms. Later, Dark Cacao had promised them a tour of some new monuments- and suggested they warm up for a bit.
But Pure Vanilla had gone and did the opposite, went outside for a walk through the winter woods. He needed some fresh air.
And the thick cold air of the Dark Cacao kingdom did the trick just nicely. His hands shook violently, and his face was surely red,
The trees were dark pine. Pure Vanilla looked up every so often at them, because there was nothing else to look at that wasn’t white snow.
He wonders distantly if he’ll see crunchy chip cookie.
Walking outside in such weather probably paints him like a mad man, or some thief on the run.
But it’s helping him calm down.
The crunch of snow, in the vast backyard of the kingdom, was slightly therapeutic.
Burying his face into the coat, Pure Vanilla sighs shakily. He can’t handle this, the thought of peach Blossom rears its head again.
“Pure Vanilla cookie?” A deep voice says, cutting through the thick whistle of wind. “What are you doing out here?”
Ah, it figures someone would see him, he wasn’t that far at all from the citadel. Just outside of it, really.
“Trying to take a walk, Dark Cacao! But it appears I’m unused to the cold weather…”
“Is that so.” He says, halfway to a sigh.
Dark Cacao stalks to him with ease, as if the wind hardly effect him at all. Apart from the flowing of his long element black hair.
He puts a hand to Pure Vanilla’s shoulder and draws him close, into the cloak- warmth engulfs Pure Vanilla before he can say anything.
It’s not strange, they’ve done this familiar song of intimacy before. It’s always tended to be cold in Dark Cacaos kingdom, and they have good Friends for years now.
Through life, wars, and countless experiences, this kind of intimacy grows, unlabeled and content with the little space it has.
This kind of intimacy that lovers tended to have.
The kind you leave behind with your friends once you’ve someone you can say you love.
A Hand reaches out to Pure Vanilla’s. touches it gingerly, before completely covering his red cold hands.
“Christ...you're freezing.” Dark Cacao muttered, looking down at him with a frown.
He stays silent, unable to trust himself not to blurt anything unwanted.
“Pure Vanilla? Are you alright?”
He asks, resting his chin on Pure Vanilla’s head with boredom, and still holding his warmer hands over Pure Vanilla’s.
It was something intimate- and pure Vanilla feels himself glow under the warmth of it. He felt safe,
He doesn’t want to lose this to someone else, he wants to keep and embrace these things wriggling in his chest to Dark Cacao. To help what wronged Affogato cookie had wronged his dear friend, To give the man every damn thing he deserved in this cold city he loved so much, the same city he had tamed massive, furious dragons for.
Dark Cacao cookie was amazing, and Pure Vanilla loves the way he instinctively sinks back into the warmth of the cookie’s chest under the cloak. For a moment it felt like a hug.
He looks upwards, butting the crown of his head against Dark Cacaos chest.
dark and aged skin, the black and white hair that draped around him and the white specks of snow coating them both- and still falling from the sky.
“Yes, I’m alright,” how could he not be?
“You’re out here in the cold while everyone else is inside.” Dark Cacao points out, tilting his head sideways.
“You hate the cold.” He added, much quieter. Vanilla lowers his gaze back down, and Dark Cacao returns to resting his chin on his head. Keeping him warm.
“Dark Cacao-“ Pure Vanilla began, before he could really think it out. This could be where their friendship ends, where their relationship becomes nothing more than an awkward memory.
It always felt like he had so much time- but now… it’s all so quick. Maybe it was the weight of all the time he's harbored these feelings, perhaps it was the leftover courage from rebuilding his kingdom, or maybe it just because of some rumor- either way he feels ready to risk it all.
Pure Vanilla steps out of the warmth of the cloak, and his lifelong friend stumbles for a moment at the change. Nearly black eyes were looking down at him with an arched eyebrow.
Snowflakes fall, and cake the already snowy ground.
He takes a trembling inhale.
“I love you.”
Dark Cacao is staring down at him with sharp eyes, entirely silent. Pure Vanilla feels what he assumes all past foes of Dark Cacao felt under his gaze. A trembling feeling a fear.
For an entirely different reason.
Those probably deserving foes would want him to leave, to disappear from sight. Pure Vanilla desperately wants him not to.
The snow continued to fall, he clenched his hands together to stop them from shaking.
“You…what?”
A thick coarse voice slowly whispered, hardly louder than the wind. It was disbelief, and probably a bit of skepticism.
Pure Vanilla swallows down something painful, and closes his eyes.
“I love you, Dark Cacao.”
His voice is quivering almost as much as his hands.
He hears Dark Cacao exhale, it’s somehow louder than the sharp howling winds. Pure Vanilla chewed on his bottom lip, eyebrows furrowed together.
He can’t muster up the courage to open his eyes. After a quiet moment, slender hands touch his shoulder.
“Let’s head inside…” dark Cacao said, quietly under his breath.
Pure Vanilla opens his eyes, watching the hands leave his shoulder and watching Dark cacao walk back towards the castle.
It was heartbreaking, watching the reciprocal of his love walking away so easily, but so gracefully as well, you’d have thought he was a ghost if not for the foot prints.
What does this mean?
Pure vanilla almost didn’t want to know the answer. But love compels him forward.
…
Back inside, Dark Cacao is undressed and sat sipping at tea across from Pure Vanilla, who sat on his knees. Fingers trembling beneath the table.
Steam rises from the ceramic cup and into Dark Cocoa’s blank face. Say something already he internally pleads.
They were going to be alone. He had stood stiffly behind Dark cacao as he requested the maids to not let anyone come through.
Oh gods, Pure Vanilla was doomed. The whole idea was so pitiful.. and now, decades of friendship was going to be…
After another dreadful minute of silence, Pure Vanilla ducks his head downward and speaks.
“I’m sorry, friend.”
Salvage. Even if he has to lie, he won’t let this escape him.
“I didn’t mean it, romantically. I wanted to express how much this..friendship means to me, I suppose I got carried away.” He tries to chuckle, putting on the same composed face he had put in front of unfriendly diplomats.
Dark Cacao slumped, eyes wide- then downcast. He set down his tea gently.
“..I see,” The same dark eyes glance up at him. “So it wasn’t meant in..that way.”
Pure Vanilla smiles, he has salvaged one more good thing. “Yes, Precisely.”
“Right.” There was a downward quirk to his lips, and suddenly Pure Vanilla felt wrong footed.
“You're upset-?”
“I don’t mean to be, friends. It’ll pass-“
“What will pass??”
“Pure Vanilla..”
“OH FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!”
Suddenly the sleek dark oak of the door is reduced to splinters, and Hollyberry is stumbling through- sake in one hand and her shield in the remains of the door.
“WHAT HE MEANS IS-“
She comes through- Golden Cheese behind her, both frowning loosely. (The maid is frantically apologizing to Dark Cacao through the doorway.
“That he LIKES ya, ‘Nilla.” Burnt Cheese grinned, just as tipsy as Hollyberry.
Pure Vanilla’s eyes widened, he dropped the tea (oh dear, another mess..) and stared in disbelief at the pair. Dark Cacao stood up, and glanced between them all.
“Quit lookin’ so surprised, you two! Lemme get this straight..you both like each other-“
“Of course we like each other- we’re friends.” Dark Cacao’s deep voice cut in, his face was fiercely sharp, frustrated- and Pure Vanilla shrinks in on himself.
Hollyberry pokes him on the forehead- (Golden Cheese giggled from behind) and huffs out exasperatingly.
“No- ya guys are in love.”
Dark Cacao is staring at him, eyebrows furrowed.
Golden Cheese pipes in, “Romantically.” She quietly said. As if he wasn’t already reeling.
As if Dark Cacao wasn’t already glaring at him, demanding an explanation.
“We’ll- uhm..yes it’s true,” he swallows, feeling young and sweaty again. ‘Oh gods’ repeats in a cycle in his mind.
“Then why did you say..?”
He blushed, and faces the floor. “You didn’t respond after I confessed- I- I though you hated me for a good portion of it.”
Dark Cacao, as per usual, takes a moment to collect his words. Pure Vanilla hates how long it takes, but gods he loves the man so much it hardly matters anymore.
He places his hands around the ceramic cup, it’s gone long cold. “I wanted to salvage our relationship.”
Dark Cacao rises from his seat, slowly and majestically. Tall and intimidating like the fierce king he was. Pure Vanilla bites down his nerves as he swoops closer to him.
Next thing he knows, they’re much closer and he’s breathing in the scent of chocolate and crisp firewoods.
“Apologies, I was just so surprised. I had never thought it was possible, my heart needed a bit of time.”
They were ancients, they’ve lived for years. One would think this would toughen the heart but maybe it made it softer. Wore down from time. Pure Vanilla is a little more than sick of waiting. For asking politely and being so..static.
He pulls down his friend by his purple rolls of fabric- gripping the soft furs tightly and yanking them till he can kiss the man properly. First, a fleeting quick peck on the lips, testing the waters. Seconds later leaving more lasting and deeper ones.
He tasted bitter, deliciously so- Pure Vanilla couldn't get enough. Hands on either side of the man’s head, pulling him in again and again for plethoras of gentle kisses.
Dark Cacao returns them as quickly as he is able- but most of the time he’s looking at him with the softest damn expression he’s every seen. Pure Vanilla has never loved anymore, and when he says so, Dark Cacao turns shades darker and bashfully looks away.
Hollyberry and Golden cheese has since left- (maybe to drink more?) and the doors still broken- and his tea is still all over the table-
But it’s okay, because Dark Cacao loves him back. Pure Vanilla can’t himself from grinning like an idiot.