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(( The time is five months after part 1!! ))
Maybe this wasn't so bad.
...
It was.
Let's save that for after the catch-up though.
Shadow Milk let out an impressive screech after being told the news that he was a father. The father of Pure Vanilla Cookie's unborn child. Pure Vanilla is a man. It wasn't possible- and that's why Shadow Milk's head just... Squashed. Figuratively.
As the former Fount of Knowledge, the literal being of knowledge, Shadow Milk had not once seen a male cookie become pregnant. No ordinary cookie's body (accept females') could muster such an impressive biological accomplishment. It didn't make sense at all. It was safe to say Shadow Milk was stressed out over the fact he didn't know something for once.
And under that moonlight, in that field of flowers that danced in the stressed beast's presence, Shadow Milk acknowledged what position he was in. It was not a time to bathe in his emotions that screamed confusion and misunderstanding. He needed to be there for Pure Vanilla, who had a smile that just wasn't quite right. Probably because Shadow Milk was currently staring smack at his face. And Pure Vanilla knew Shadow Milk well in terms of his... Problems. Chances Shadow Milk wasn't going to be okay in that moment were high.
Finally, after what seemed like forever, Shadow Milk mustered a small whisper: "... I love you."
Shadow Milk ran to Pure Vanilla, coiling up in his embrace. A boney one at that. Pure Vanilla beamed at Shadow Milk's acceptance, chuckling while on the verge of tears, slowly resting his chin on Shadow Milk's head.
"My love... You... Are okay with this?..." Pure Vanilla breathlessly whispered to Shadow Milk. "Yes, stupid!! I wish I knew how but I'm here for it!"
With that, the catching-up is done. Now, we move on. Five months later to be specific.
"Uggnn..."
The tan cookie rolls over, his unusually long hair trailing across the bed. The light from the large window welcomes itself in like an old friend. Pure Vanilla didn't like that friend, though. He wanted that friend out so he could sleep. But the friend will linger no matter what- and besides, the very much male cookie was dealing with a problem causing him absolute laziness.
He slowly leaned up with a "hng!-" and a huff of satisfactory once he reached the edge of his bed. His slightly skinny legs dangled off, not hitting the floor despite his tallness. Curse this bed and it being high just because Pure Vanilla is royalty. No meaning at all.
He stepped down, feet hitting the fluffy carpet with a small smack. His feet were still swollen, and they weren't returning back to normal until those awful nine months have finished.
Pure Vanilla's stomach wasn't too big. His original stomach wasn't usual cookie size (bc that fool don't eat), so being this far into the pregnancy didn't result in average belly size for him. It was smaller. Slightly. And it was just a reminder of how skinny he usually was. Shadow Milk didn't like thinking about that aspect- it nearly brought him to tears when he first saw Pure Vanilla's belly. Bad times.
Pure Vanilla's stomach wasn't too large- at least not big enough to really take a toll on his daily activities. It was only a slight bulge. Not big enough to be nine months, but not small enough to be taken as bloating. It was noticeable.
Which was why...
Pure Vanilla invited all of his friends: Golden Cheese, White Lily, Dark Cacao, Hollyberry, and even Gingerbrave and his pals. Oh, and Black Raisin Cookie too, but she was already in the kingdom.
He... Wasn't exactly pumped about telling his friends about his current situation. For obvious reasons.
Shadow Milk wasn't in bed with Pure Vanilla because he had some matters to attend to. (He had to suck up to Candy Apple and Black Sapphire so they won't claw Pure Vanilla's face off when they break the news to them)
Pure Vanilla got up and did his morning routine without any disturbances. Soon enough, he was done and dressed, ready to begin his day (Full of walking. Sigh.)!
He started with going downstairs to eat a hardy breakfast. How else was his beautiful baby supposed to eat? Then, he shuffled the streets of his kingdom, visiting schools and markets just to show his face somewhere. Next, he sat through a two-hour meeting about the rebuilding of the Blueberry Yogurt Academy, the idea having been brought up by a cookie known as 'Sage of Truth', or Blueberry Yogurt Cookie. Shadow Milk was pushed into doing that by Pure Vanilla. Last, Pure Vanilla sat by a tree deep inside of the forest outside of his kingdom. Not deep enough to not have a small path highlighting it, but a good empty area for meetups. It even had a fountain and a large clearing.
Pure Vanilla used his small amount of free time to think. About... His upcoming life. When all of this was done, he would have a child. He would care for this child by his love's side. But, same as all of his past children, this one would die just the same. Old age. No Souljam? A hundred years is all you get, sometimes not even. It broke Pure Vanilla's heart to think about.
Suddenly, Pure Vanilla felt a tap on his shoulder. He opened his soft eyes to see who it was.
"Heya, Nills! Did ya' miss your humble jester? Cause' I missed you!!!" With that, Shadow Milk floated into Pure Vanilla's lap, snuggling in like it was home. With his head on Pure Vanilla's chest, Shadow Milk smirked up at his soulmate, still half on the ground (He didn't want to hurt PV's belly:( ).
"Hello, my truth! How was your playdate with Candy and Sapph?" Pure Vanilla asked. "And yes, of course I have missed you." Shadow Milk opened his mouth to answer, but instead, he scoffed. '''Playdate'?!?! I was professionally entertaining them to get on their extra good side!" Pure Vanilla giggled in response, slightly bouncing Shadow Milk's head when doing so.
Eventually, one of them spoke up. "When are your 'dearest friends' going to get here, anyway?" Oh, Shadow Milk. As impatient as always. Pure Vanilla hummed. "Well, they do live quite far away. I'm lucky I got them to accept just by saying I have 'important news'. Not saying I don't, of course." Shadow Milk looks away, but Pure Vanilla continues. "I'd say they will get here around sunset-" Shadow Milk floats out of Pure Vanilla's lap, hovering above the ground, facing a good clearing.
"I'll save them some time." Shadow Milk says, opening five portals up at the same time. Pure Vanilla frowns from behind. "Shadow Milk! This is using too much of your energy!" Shadow Milk only rolls his eyes- but Pure Vanilla can't see since he was facing Shadow Milk's back. "Relax, my lovely triple T IRL!! I don't need much energy right now anygays." Shadow Milk could feel the stare of pure confusion Pure Vanilla was giving him. "Stop with the names, please..."
Finally, one by one, each ancient came out of their portal, it closing behind them. The first to greet Pure Vanilla is White Lily. Pure Vanilla gets up from his spot under the tree to walk over and hug her. When they back off from one another, White Lily smiles. "Pure Vanilla... I- I see you have gotten better with your eating...?" She didn't mean for it to come out like that, but Pure Vanilla didn't mind at all. "Yes... This has something to do with what I want to talk about with all of you." White Lily tilts her head, but Shadow Milk interrupts. "Soorrry about my intrusion, but there are others you need to greet as well, Pure Vanilla." Pure Vanilla turns, slightly red at the cheeks. "Ah, my apologies, my friends..."
Pure Vanilla takes forever talking to his friends. Shadow Milk tried to give them time, he really did, but as soon as he saw the sky get coated with the colors of a sunset, he called it.
"Nilly." Shadow Milk says, just a tad serious in the tone. He floats angrily behind Pure Vanilla, keeping a safe distance. Pure Vanilla turns to face Shadow Milk. They trade faces that scream 'big news', so the ancients all trade faces of their own at each other. Golden Cheese leans towards White Lily. "Pssst... Hey, you are closer to Pure Vanilla, do you know what in Witch's name is happening?" Golden Cheese whispers to White Lily. "No... I hope it isn't bad."
Slowly, after some time, the two lovey-doveys fully face the line of ancients, who were all with mixed expressions. Shadow Milk floats with his arms crossed and one leg up next to Pure Vanilla, who was just standing there with his arms behind his back. Pure Vanilla had a large amount of flush on his cheeks- Shadow Milk only a bit. "My friends..." Pure Vanilla finally says, "What I have to say is nothing bad. We do have to soon deliver this same news to the beasts, though." Before one of the ancients could retaliate, Pure Vanilla clears his throat to continue. "It is only fair his friends know this as well. I would prefer no one other than the beasts and you guys know this, please."
Shadow Milk giggles, leaning forward in some bone-cracking way that could make anyone's gut twist. "If any of you tell a soul- and this goes for my comrades too, I will cook you over a fire with a stick. You will be so deep inside of these woods that no one will-" He gets cut off by Pure Vanilla, who smacked a sweaty hand over Shadow Milk's mouth. The ancients were left standing there with widened eyes while Pure Vanilla and Shadow Milk had a whisper argument hidden by Pure Vanilla's hand.
Yet again, Shadow Milk and Pure Vanilla returned in the same positions, except Shadow Milk had an aggravated expression. "My apologies." Pure Vanilla begins. "I have gathered all of you here today because you guys are my dearest friends, so I wish to share the life changing news I received just five months ago with you all." Dark Cacao's frown and scrunchy eyebrows surprisingly relax a small bit. Everyone else was just... Intrigued. Or locked in as some would say.
Pure Vanilla sighs, glancing at Shadow Milk for his approval. Shadow Milk faintly nods, barely making eye contact with Pure Vanilla. Pure Vanilla looks down the row of all of his friends before saying:
"... I'm pregnant."
Golden Cheese breaks the silence with a rough laugh straight from the underworld. Everyone stares at her as she recollects herself. "You- you- Pure, I know you aren't always in your right mind, like when you decided you had feelings for the Beast of Deceit,-" She snorts, bending over like some ruler about to crack. "-But you're a guy first of all, and second, that blue tampon over there wouldn't be able to knock a word outta' you!"
Shadow Milk floats backwards, his hands darting to his chest in offence. His blue and cyan eyes blown wide, he screams "BLUE TAMPON?!!" almost as loud as he screamed 'what' when Pure Vanilla told him the news.
Hollyberry almost topples over in laughter. "You- guys! Stop crackin' me up! Let our poor Vanilla explain- explain a bit what he means-..." She covers her mouth to prevent another laugh from escaping her lips. Pure Vanilla attempts to reapply his smile, fingers twisting together behind him. "Thank you, Holly. Now everyone, I'm sure I can prove to you all that I am extremely serious with what I said."
Shadow Milk's face scrunches up with absolute anger at everyone still snickering. With a wave of his hand, a zipper to his mouth, and a baring of teeth, everyone quiets down. "Go ahead, Nilla." Shadow Milk says, frown switching to a smile when turning to his partner, who was caving in on himself next to him. "...I... Have no idea how to prove this kind of thing to them, Shad."
Shadow Milk huffs, drifting behind Pure Vanilla, urging him to remain faced towards his friends while Shadow Milk does this. When the ancients give him a questioning look, Pure Vanilla just shrugs.
Suddenly, Pure Vanilla felt his robes being pulled around him like a corset- just not as tight. Everyone's jaw drops at whatever they see.
Shadow Milk was a genius. He had gripped the robes from Pure Vanilla's back and pulled them so that his stomach that was in fact not very extra weight looking.
"Well, Pure Vanilla? a view from the front isn't very helpful. Especially since you have on pure white clothing." Shadow Milk guides Pure Vanilla to turn to the side a bit, and boom. That was not extra weight. Rounded and everything. It wasn't much, but it was noticeable when shown.
"Holey mother of Witches-" Dark Cacao mutters with wide eyes. Hollyberry just looks like she was sorta expecting this, sorta not. White Lily says "Oh my..." in a small voice. Golden Cheese's mouth would be hanging open a mile down if it could. Shadow Milk chuckles, letting Pure Vanilla's clothing go and floating back to his side. "Thank you so much, my truth." Pure Vanilla whispers to Shadow Milk, who just awkwardly smiles and nods.
At the end of it all, and after many, many 'How?'s, all of Pure Vanilla's friends leave out of more of Shadow Milk's portals. Though, not one of them left without saying 'congratulations'. By then it was pitch black outside. Perfect for round two: The Beasts. Shadow Milk dreaded telling his 'friends' such news, but Pure Vanilla insisted, saying crap like 'It's only fair' on the way to Beast-Yeast by walking through the Other Relam. To get to such a far place from the Vanilla Kingdom, a small bit of walking was required. Sadly. At least for poor Pure Vanilla who couldn't float.
"Are you sure you don't need some help?" Shadow Milk said, the sound echoing off of non-existent walls. Pure Vanilla nodded back, eyes focused on his feet, which were obviously hurting. Yeesh, only a couple pounds added to him and he's already feeling it.
Shadow Milk scoffs, turning his head away as he summons his staff, twisting it around. Pure Vanilla slowly floats up, very slowly flying away in the void. "Shadow- Milk!!! Let me down before I get lost!" Shadow Milk wheezes, watching the very slow flying Pure Vanilla Cookie freak out about getting lost in the void.
Pure Vanilla was about to yell at him again when he felt a cold hand tug him around until he was right side up. "There. Now, don't let go of my hand. You'll float away at 2 feet per sometimes again if you do."
"I never understand your language, Shadow Milk." Pure Vanilla replies, being pulled mid-air by Shadow Milk. "Good."
Once a portal opened in front of them, Shadow Milk guided his love outside and into the dingey air of yet another random forest area, but much darker and greyer. It was also a cleared-out area- so Shadow Milk must have come here often.
Shadow Milk waves his staff around again, spawning a nice little chair for Pure Vanilla. "My truth, that's so sweet of you..." Pure Vanilla happily says, sitting down on the chair. Shadow Milk rolls his eyes but adds a smile at the end. Shadow Milk floats down and sits on air next to Pure Vanilla. This drags a small chuckle out of Pure Vanilla.
"Will you need to make them portals too?" Pure Vanilla asks in the windy silence. "Nah. They know this place well." Pure Vanilla didn't want to pull any more information out, assuming this area had to do with them (the Beasts) and their past. Instead, he places his warm hand over Shadow Milk's cold one. Shadow Milk excitedly accepts, intertwining their fingers.
"Am I interrupting something."
A cold, whispery voice rings out in the moment Pure Vanilla and Shadow Milk were having. They immediately let go of each other's hands, standing up to properly greet the sulky Mystic Flour.
"Protein Powder! It's so, so nice and thoughtful of you to pull up to our party~" Shadow Milk sings, floating closer to Mystic Flour slowly. From behind him, Pure Vanilla awkwardly smiles and waves. Mystic Flour surprisingly nods at him in reply.
"What is the meaning of this useless meeting, clown?!" Burning Spice stomps into the open forest area. He picks Shadow Milk up by his neck ruffle, eyeballing Shadow Milk closely. Shadow Milk makes a irritated expression in response. "You are tinier than the last time I saw you! Hah!" Burning Spice throws Shadow Milk carelessly in the air, knowing he'll stop his fall by floating.
Meanwhile, Mystic Flour and Pure Vanilla have a rather nice conversation about flowers.
"Oh, I wish to know what has happened that I must leave my dear paradise alone for..." Burning Spice turns to face the cookie that has just arrived. "He won't budge! I'm growing sick of his holding back!" Shadow Milk floats over to Eternal Sugar, poking a curl. "Hey diabetes-" "No. Shadow Milk Cookie."
After everyone is gathered in a line like the ancients were, Shadow Milk and Pure Vanilla get back into their usual positions. "Hurry up, I don't have all day." Eternal Sugar says with an irritated tone.
Shadow Milk clears his throat. "Since we have already been through talking about this, I'll just skip to the part that explains this for us." Shadow Milk floats behind Pure Vanilla, but Pure Vanilla turns around. "Is that all? No... Nothing else?" Pure Vanilla mumbles. "Uh... Yea? They aren't the best listeners." Pure Vanilla sighs, turning back around to face the beasts. "Just so you all know, I was forced into telling you guys this." Shadow Milk yells from behind Pure Vanilla.
He pulls on the fabric; it tightened around Pure Vanilla's stomach. Same scene, different audience. The beasts gasped. No one laughed. It was very shocking, and Eternal Sugar even passed out. Act two done.
"Huuughh..." Shadow Milk flops onto his and Pure Vanilla's bed, curling up in the sheets. "My truth, your clothes..." Pure Vanilla says from beside the bed, already dressed in PJs.
Shadow Milk groans, snapping his fingers and changing into a T- shirt and some shorts. Pure Vanilla lets out a mysterious snort, but Shadow Milk is too tired to care. "Get in bed at this very moment, Nilly." Shadow Milk extends a hand, making a grabby motion towards Pure Vanilla. Classic Shadow Milk.
Pure Vanilla scoots in next to Shadow Milk, tucking in and reaching over to turn the bedside lamp off. As soon as Pure Vanilla is comfy in his placement, Shadow Milk rolls over to scootch in right beside him, letting himself be taken into Pure Vanilla's warm embrace.
...
"Why were you laughing just now when I put my PJs on?" Shadow Milk asks, but his question is barely coherent due to the chest he's buried himself into. Pure Vanilla snorts again, chuckling.
"Your shirt says, 'I love you, but I love myself more'."
"... True. But I didn't mean to put this on."