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Shadow Milk picked up a puppet, turning it around and looking at it from all angles. “A perfect replica of that pest…” He muttered as he set the GingerBrave puppet back down on his desk.
The beast cookie reached for a hair tie and pulled his hair back into a long ponytail, ready to create his next splendid puppet, which caught the attention of someone else in the room.
Pure Vanilla walked up to the other, rotating his staff to get a good look at Shadow Milk.
“I didn’t know it was possible for you to put it into different hairstyles…” Pure Vanilla noted, which earned a glare and a scoff from Shadow Milk. “Oh, puh-lease! You doubt my potential as a model, I’ll have you know I’m a WONDERFUL hairdresser—“
“No, no, not like that!” Pure Vanilla chuckled, adjusting the grip on his staff. “I meant… is it alive? Since… the eyes…”
Shadow Milk’s gaze softened just a bit as he turned to face the ancient. “No, you moron. It’s moore likeee… My real eyes.” Shadow Milk noticed the head tilt in return, and realized he had to elaborate more. “They’re what I see out of.”
Pure Vanilla didn’t seem any less confused. “But… what about the eyes on your face?”
Shadow Milk sighed.
He didn’t know how to explain.
He didn’t really want to.
“I see out of those too— It’s hard to explain! Ugh, silly Nilly with your stupid questions…” Shadow Milk ran a hand down his face. “If the eyes on my hair aren’t working, the ones on my face aren’t, and vice-versa.” Pure Vanilla let out a hum of understanding. “Have you ever been blinded?” He questioned, to which Shadow Milk jumped a bit in reply. “Ugh. Yes. Y’wanna hear?”
Pure Vanilla nodded. Shadow Milk despised that.
———————————————————————
It was a day like any other in the Spire of Deceit. Except one thing. While spreading lies at the markets, Candy Apple somehow got her hands on a makeup bag. Shadow Milk didn’t know if she stole it, bought it, or found it unattended. He didn’t really care. This was Black Sapphire’s battle, anyway, considering he was the one fighting Candy Apple off of himself.
“Get off me, you brat!” Black Sapphire flailed around, furious as Candy Apple forced him to stay in place. “Hold still, you’re messing it up!” She whined, pinching his cheek in frustration. Eventually, it quieted down, which stole a glance from Shadow Milk. It was hardly ever quiet unless he demanded it to be. He looked around, seeing nothing, before hearing an innocent voice. “Master Shadow Milk Cookie…” Candy Apple tugged on Shadow Milk’s sleeve, in which he swatted her hand away. “Yes?” He tilted his head in curiosity. “Can I give you a makeeovveeerrr?”
Shadow Milk froze. In no world would he ever—
“Pleeaaaasee?” Candy Apple looked up at him.
“No.”
Her eyes got wider somehow. Sparklier. Dear Witches…
“Y’know what— fine! A haircut and a new look could do me some good anyway!”
She obviously wasn’t gonna use real scissors, right?
She pulled out real scissors.
…it’ll be fine, he can just grow his hair back!
About ten minutes has passed. Shadow Milk kicked his legs in boredom as more and more chunks of his hair fell off. His vision was fading in and out, but he paid no mind to it. He was probably just tired.
Tired. Yeah. That’s it. A nap wouldn’t do him any harm.
———————————————————————
Twenty more minutes pass. A loud and proud “Done!” woke Shadow Milk up as he opened his eyes. “Augh—! Hm? Done already? The professionals sure do work fast!”
He blinked a few times. He saw nothing.
He blinked a bit more. Oh no.
“I’m blind.” Shadow Milk quietly said to himself.
Candy Apple raised a brow, hardly hearing what he said. “What?”
“I’M BLIND!!!” Quiet thoughts turned to full on panic now as he clutched his hair and Candy Apple ran to get Black Sapphire. “I’m BLIND!!! Like that STUPID NILLY!!!”
Black Sapphire was pulled into the room. “What happened?” He questioned.
“HE’S BLIND!” Candy Apple pointed to Shadow Milk, who was now having a meltdown on the vanity. She clutched Black Sapphire’s leg, beginning to sob dramatically. “You— What did you do?!” Black Sapphire demanded, and it wasn’t long before the two’s squabble started up again.
———————————————————————
Pure Vanilla laughed. “You went temporarily blind because you accepted a makeover?” Shadow Milk only scoffed in turn. “I didn’t think she had access to actual scissors—! I thought she was just playing pretend! That gnat took my craft scissors…”
“There, there.” Pure Vanilla rubbed the other’s head, causing his wrist to quickly be grabbed by Shadow Milk, who stood up and pulled Pure Vanilla’s hat over his head.
“Hey!” Pure Vanilla adjusted his waffle cone hat back into place, smiling. The beast cookie simply swung his leg with his hands behind his back. “Ohhh? Wasn’t meee…”
The ancient rose to his feet, having sat down to hear the story earlier. He returned to the topic from before as he brought his hand to his chin. “I knew your hair was just a little shorter when you accepted my offer of friendship.”
Shadow Milk rolled his eyes. “Oh, cmon! You’re acting like it was noticeably shorter, when I came to you it’d been a couple months since then.”
“Oh, no no, I don’t mean it insultingly.” Pure Vanilla walked towards Shadow Milk, cupping the beast’s face. “I mean that it’s grown during our time together, just like you’ve grown.”
Shadow Milk’s face flushed.
“Yeah yeah, right.” Shadow Milk pried Pure Vanilla’s hands from his cheeks. “Whatever. Get out so I can focus, you pest.”