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Vanilla Orchids, Primroses, and White Lilies stretch across the field. Cream sheep graze the surrounding grass while their shepherd sits serenely in the stained glass conservatory in the middle of the flower garden.
“Pure Vanilla Cookie? Are you out here? Vanilla Shake Cookie told me I would find you here!”
“Yes, Hollyberry! I’m in the conservatory, Why don’t you join me?”
“Ah, that would be great.” Hollyberry took off her helmet and sat next to Pure Vanilla. He had seen her since her awakening, but he still needed time to adjust to seeing her with her hair down and in full armour all day long, but he supposed he wasn’t much better.
“While I know you love visiting, I sense something troubling you. Would you like to share?” Pure Vanilla asked as he shifted his staff from its position leaning on the wall from the cream sheep to Hollyberry. Hollyberry visibly relaxed and let out a deep breath
“Hah, nothing gets past you does it?”
“Not when it comes to those I hold dearest to my heart.”
“Ugh, you big sap!” Hollyberry flushed as she pulled Pure Vanilla into a side hug. Hollyberry had always been like this, even when sober. She loved giving out hugs and other acts of physical affection, so this really didn’t phase Pure Vanilla
“I-“ Hollyberry began but she moved her arm from Pure Vanilla's shoulders to the side and leaned her head against his
“Ever since I got back from Beast-Yeast I’ve felt like I’ve been… plagued by… something.” Pure Vanilla sat up rather abruptly, looking Hollyberry over with concern
“No! No! I am completely medically fine, trust me I went through every test imaginable after our return. This is something… mental or emotional I guess?”
“You know I’ll always be a listening ear, whatever you need.” Hollyberry turned to the side and flashed a warm smile
“I know Vanilla. It’s just… Eternal Sugar Cookie my other- the other half of the soul-jam.-” Realization dawned on Pure Vanilla, that he knew where this conversation was headed, but kept his mouthcing shut
“-She brought out this feeling inside of me that I hadn’t felt in a long time. When I first saw her she was dazzling like I-uhm I mean she is pretty like it’s an objective fact, I’m just stating facts-“ Hollyberry was cut off by Pure Vanilla’s snort causing her previous flush of embarrassment to flush even deeper, but she let out a hearty laugh anyway.
“Please excuse me, of course, nothing but fact. Please continue” Pure Vanilla covered his mouth to let the last few giggles out before he regained his composure
“-Right, well other than her appearance there was just something else about her. Whenever she was around I got this feeling in my heart, it wasn’t the brain fog caused by her sugar mist it was something else… My heart felt warm around her almost reassuring. And I asked around no one else felt the way I did, not even Sugarfly Cookie. So I just- I- Ugh…” Hollyberry put her hands on her knees and leaned forward sighing as her hair fell to the side. Pure Vanilla tried to comfort her by rubbing circles into her back but he knew that the only way to actually make her feel better was to just rip the bandage off.
“While I am only a healer of the body I think I know how to heal this emotional wound… It’s love Hollyberry, you’re in love. But I assume you already knew that.” Hollyberry let out a chuckle as she sat back up looking out over the fields. Then with a gust of wind a single pale baby pink feather floats into the conservatory and Hollyberry catches it.
“I don’t think that as cookies we will ever truly know the mysteries of love. The heart is such a… fickle thing but beautiful nonetheless.” Pure Vanilla stood and walked over to an open window and leaned against its sill and felt the breeze on his dough
“Don’t you ever wish things were different…?” Now that Pure Vanilla is facing away from her, Hollyberry brings the feather to her lips and gives it a soft kiss, then lets it fly away in the wind. Pure Vanilla let out an almost humourless chuckle as he hung his head.
“Sometimes, but that's not something I can control, so, I wait. I wait until…” A blue bird flies through the window and lands on Pure Vanilla's finger
“…The right time”
“But when will I know it’s the right time… what if I mess it up..” The bird jumps off and walks on the windowsill. Pure Vanilla turns towards Hollyberry with the kindest eyes that are tinged with a kind of sadness that you feel when longing for the other half of your soul. It kinda made Hollyberry want to cry, but she had enough self-control to stay composed.
“You’ll know. We have the rest of eternity to get it right.” Pure Vanilla said as he watched the blue bird fly away again. Now that made Hollyberry tear up and Pure Vanilla moved so he could sit next to her again, leaning his head on her shoulder.
“You know why I came to you right?” Pure Vanilla let out a real chuckle this time and closed his eyecings
“Each one of us has had different experiences with our counterparts but… I think ours is a little more complicated than the others.”
“Feelings that feel like they’ve always been there but you could never put words to…” Hollyberry sighed, she missed her, more than she would ever admit to any cookie other than the friend on her shoulder
“I wish I could give you answers and advice Hollyberry but that would make me a liar and a hypocrite-“ Pure Vanilla grabbed Hollyberry’s hand and squeezed
“-But I wish you nothing but the best, truly. Please don’t ignore the feelings in your heart, they should be treasured.”
“I think I can manage that.”
And that's how the heroes were found in the morning, by Black Raisin Cookie and Wildberry Cookie. In the conservatory surrounded by beautiful flowers of yellow and blue hues. Dreaming of a world where their soulmates could be with them happily ever after, but that's not this world so they’ll wait.
Wait as long as it takes