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“You are foolish.” Oh, how her heart would skip a beat when she spoke. The way she held her face, so gentle, yet cold. “Nothing lasts forever, one day it shall all vanish.” She could listen to her voice forever. Eternal Sugar leaned into her touch, raising her own hand to hold it by Mystic Flour’s, “Including you?...” Eternal Sugar hummed. She didn’t care, she could sleep for ages with Mystic flour by her side. “Yes.” Mystic Flour said in a matter-of-fact tone, like it was obvious.
“Why would I want that?” Eternal Sugar opened up her eyes again, chuckling softly at the idea. Slowly, and carefully, Eternal Sugar leaned in further towards Mystic Flour and laid her head gently against Mystic Flour’s chest. Mystic Flour shifted the placement of her hands to rather be brushing through Eternal Sugar’s curly pink hair. She noticed her heartbeat seemed to be faster than normal, “My Flour… my dearest…” she giggled, “Your heartbeat’s fast.” Mystic Flour stared down at her. “You’re mistaken, my heartbeat is at a normal rate.” Eternal Sugar smiled, not believing her one bit. “I know what a normal heartbeat sounds like, and yours is not close to that.”
Eternal Sugar had a thought pop into her head. With careful observation, she took hold of Mystic Flour’s hand and placed a kiss on it. Mystic expression stayed unchanged, simply staring at her hand for a moment while Eternal Sugar’s smile grew wider as she listened to Mystic Flour’s heart, which she felt began to race. “You say I’m a fool, but I seem to know you very well, hmm?” Eternal Sugar's little tail swayed back and forth, Mystic Flour narrowed her eyes at her, and Eternal Sugar simply gazed back at her with loving eyes. “I suppose you might.” Mystic flour carefully reached for Eternal Sugar’s wings only to be caught by her tail, which managed to curl itself around her wrist. “Eternal Sugar, What is this for?” Mystic Flour questioned and raised her arm, gesturing to her wrist that had her tail wrapped around it.
“What?” She looked to Mystic Flour’s raised hand, acting as if she’d done nothing to earn such a question. She just blinked innocently while carefully letting Mystic Flour’s wrist go, before she could speak, Eternal Sugar shot a question back at her. “Why were you reaching for my wings anyway?” She raised her body slowly away from Mystic Flour, which made her widen her eyes a bit to have a better look at Eternal Sugar as the warmth of her still lingered for a moment. “You have pin feathers.” Her hand didn’t move, but she didn’t pull it back either. Mystic Flour seemed determined to preen Eternal Sugar’s feathers, “Oh my flour!” she gasped and immediately grabbed Mystic Flour’s hands to hold them in hers. “Why didn’t you say so!” Her tail was raised high and seemed to twitch with excitement as well. Eternal Sugar’s smile seemed to falter as she seemed to simply stare longingly at Mystic Flour’s face. Mystic Flour, on the other hand, had become distracted for a mere moment by her lips.
“Do you want something else?” She tilted her head, noticing the distant look on her face. “I do not want anything.” Mystic Flour quickly took her gaze away from her lips. “My flour, I can tell something was on your mind.” Eternal Sugar let go of Mystic Flour’s hands, instead resting her arms on Mystic Flour’s shoulders. “You were looking at me…” she hummed. “Not at my eyes, though by this point, you should know that you can’t hide things from me so easily…” Eternal Sugar was amused, though stern as well, which made it difficult for Mystic Flour to ignore things that she pointed out. “I have nothing to hide,” she sighed, hearing the usual answer of Mystic Flour denying anything she could she didn’t want to accept. “You are the only one wanting something here.” Eternal Sugar huffed, “Oh, please, no matter if you say it or not, let me help you.” She leaned in closer to her. “So? Will you let me help you?” Mystic Flour furrowed her eyebrows subtly, but she didn’t say anything. “I love you.” Carefully and softly, Mystic Flour placed her hands behind Eternal Sugar’s head, gently taking hold of her hair. Eternal Sugar waited, letting her decide what this moment meant to her, what she was going to do.
It was slow, it was nice. How her lips ever so perfectly fit against hers, it was calming how gentle Mystic Flour was, she didn’t care that she didn’t return her words, as it was obvious her love was returned. Even if Mystic flour wouldn’t dare say she cared for her, she could deny it as much as she wants, but actions speak louder than words. They held eachother close, and slowly they pulled away from eachother. “Is that what you wanted?” She played around with Mystic Flour’s hair while keeping her eyes on her face. “Desires are meaningless,” she just looked down with a melancholic gaze. “It doesn’t matter.” She looked back at Eternal Sugar, “You are my everything, you matter dearly to me.” She gave a small kiss against Mystic Flour’s cheek, and a sugary sweet scent was left behind with the kiss. “Why? It won’t last…” for someone who insists on not caring for anything or feeling, she just seemed to let herself embrace Eternal Sugar’s warm, soft hug. This time, she was the one lying against the other, resting her head on her shoulder. She didn’t know what to say, she never expected her to ask such a thing. With a sympathetic sigh, she simply looked away for a moment. “We will last, that I am sure of.”
“Your belief appears never to fall, I may never understand why.” She didn’t say much, just muttered in agreement. “Still open to help preen my feathers?” Eternal Sugar had already started doing it herself out of instinct, though it was difficult as she was trying not to squirm around too much so that she wouldn’t disturb Mystic Flour. “Stop moving.” That's all she said, and faster than a cookie could blink, she sat still. “Turn your back my way.” She gestured to Eternal Sugar vaguely to move a bit away so she could get a better look at her wings, and with that said, Mystic Flour began attentively removing the pin feathers to let the new feathers free. “You know, I’ve seen many cute birds sitting together in trees, preening eachother with such care! And you know what Pavlova Cookie told me? The birds were together!” she squealed with joy. “It was so cute, birds showing affection in ways I wish all cookies on earthbeard could understand. Pavlova is always so clever, able to tell if something is love just at first sight!”
Mystic Flour didn’t say a word, she quietly shifted around as she pushed Eternal Sugar’s hair out of the way and before she could point out her sudden pause in preening, she suddenly gave a little kiss on her shoulder blades, it sent a shiver down her spine, it was slow and felt like it lasted for ages yet when it finally left, it felt like it lasted barely a few seconds. “What was that for!” she frantically turned to look at Mystic Flour again, but all she saw was the tiniest hint of what she could only assume was a smile, a smile! From Mystic Flour herself. “I finished preening your feathers.” was all she said, the usual act-like-it-didn’t-happen reply from her. Eternal Sugar pouted but couldn’t deny she didn’t actually mind it at all. “If you wanted another kiss, my dear, you know you can just say so.” She giggled as Mystic Flour put her hand on her mouth to hide her little smile. “I do not need another kiss.” Eternal Sugar raised an eyebrow, not really believing her, but shrugged it off, and for a moment, the silence felt nice. Didn’t last long though, “Oh my flour, you know what I love the most about you?” She slowly reached for Mystic Flour’s shoulders, caressing her as she drifted up to the neck and towards her cheek.
“How selfish you are.” She abruptly stopped by her neck, the grip suddenly tightened.
The look in her eyes wasn’t sweet at all, her smile was crooked, and her voice was laced with amusement, joy that wasn’t for her, it was at her. “You disgust me, how you call out others greed, while never considering your own selfish wishes, how you get close to others and then leave them to rot when you've had enough.” She carefully placed kisses on Mystic Flour’s face. “And how you think I love you, after everything, you strive for love without returning any of it. You ruined me, Mystic flour.” She whispered softly, her gentle voice that brought comfort and safety to those who heard, but it only made everything hurt more. “And yet, you lay here, thinking of me. You wish you had done this, you wish you had done anything else but leave me behind this way. How come a mess like you still stands to this day? How dare you think of me while having redeemed yourself? You are worthless. What made you think you could ever love me the right way?” She dug her nails into Mystic Flour’s neck. “You’re foul and full of hatred for those you love, you project your own sadness and mistakes you hate about yourself onto me, to make yourself feel less of a shitty person.” She gave a disdainful smile. “Even in your messed up fantasies, you fail to express yourself. Do you like treating me this way? Is that the truth? How sickening can you even be.”
“But don’t feel bad now, you’ve already felt bad enough for yourself, what’s the reason for crying for others anyway? You’ve wasted it on your own tragedies,” She let go, but her neck still hurt, like the pressure was only getting worse and worse. “It’s alright, right here, I’ll love you forever, I’m yours. Just like you wanted…” Mystic Flour stared blankly, eyes wide. “What’s wrong? Isn’t this what you wanted?” If she could cry, she would cry as much as she wanted in this moment, but she had no right to. She delicately took hold of Mystic Flour’s hands, placing her hands to her own neck, then to her cheek, and kissing her hands tenderly. “You made me this way, my love.” She continued to place more kisses, soothing, but it felt like torture, misery, and regret. “I never meant for this to happen.” She muttered, her jaw shaking as she spoke. “I know, my dear.” She lightly brushed her own lips against the corner of Mystic Flour’s lips, making sure to drill in the guilt to her. “I’m-” She hesitated, Eternal Sugar still had that face that only spoke to disrespect her, to tell her how much of a waste of space she was.
“You’re what?” She tilted her head, sneering. “I’m… sorry…” Her words were barely audible, shaking, her throat felt dry from just barely trying to speak. Eternal Sugar’s smile faded, replaced with an expression of pure shock and confusion. That then twisted and contorted as she started laughing, smiling ear to ear, and her wings furling out to cast a large shadow. “Oh my witches! You are desperate!” Her voice was cruel, nothing like the real one. “What a liar you are! Lying to your beloved” she hissed, she cackled, and took her hands away completely from Mystic Flour, deciding to clap her hands instead. “You’re nauseating! Out of all of us—And I mean it, you truly are the most beastly of all! Well, if we don’t count the temper of the fiery one and the irritating lies of the blue one.” she pulled Mystic Flour by her robe, forcing her to keep her eyes completely focused on Eternal Sugar’s. “You are by far the worst, just wanting to end all life? For what? Just so nothing ever happens? Don’t you see how utterly stupid that is? That is your plan? Rather, it was your plan. A mediocre one.” she scoffed.
“Oh, how you make me sick.” She kissed her underneath her eyes, beginning to hum a tune she’d wish she had forgotten. “I love you so much it hurts, but while we may pretend we don’t care for each other. That it was all in the past, we can’t let go of it, you can’t let go.” She leaned her forehead onto Mystic Flour’s, their souljams making a clink! sound as they hit into each other. “There’s nothing that can bring me back.” Her voice lowered, almost to a whisper, but not quiet enough. Her voice was weary, as well as her expression. “Mourn me all you want, you can think I miss you… You can think I hate you, whatever you want, but it won’t change the reality of the matter.” Her lips touched Mystic Flour’s once more, the kiss was slow like the other one, but this time, it wasn’t because of passion but rather the hopelessness of the truth. The kiss was agonizing and cold.
“What is there left for me to do, I have no goal.” Mystic Flour grabbed onto the shoulders of Eternal Sugar for some sort of stability. “You’re gone… you’re… nothing but pieces now.” Her hands were shaking. Eternal Sugar moved back a bit. She had let go of Mystic Flour, she wasn’t even holding her. They were both just sitting there. Mystic Flour looked up to her souljam, the souljam had shattered into pieces, some parts still crumbling and falling to the ground, as she just stared with tired but gentle eyes. How much more pain would she cause? Messing with her mind, kind, spiteful, and ruthless, then sweet once more. This was nothing like her, just a poorly done, broken, false imitation of the girl she once knew. “My flour, that’s not my fault.” She furrowed her eyebrows, though it wasn’t because of annoyance, just exhausted and disappointed. “How-” she was cut off before she could question further. “Dear Spider, what more must I say for you? You know the answer already.”
“You’re not real.” Mystic Flour looked away, though refused to let go of her. “Yes.” She simply nodded, her breathing getting slower and her body moving less. “This is nothing but a dream.” She hated accepting it. “A nightmare, maybe.” Sugar’s wings drooped, practically lying on the ground now as she relaxed. “It is rather bittersweet for a nightmare.” Mystic Flour loosened her grip on Sugar, not letting go yet though. “Yeah.” She exhaled, but no sound came out. “Hollyberry misses you.” Mystic Flour felt her heartbeat pang louder every time she spoke. “We talk about you. I told her of the time before all that happened to us, how kind you were, how you never gave up on bringing happiness to those around you.” Sugar didn’t say anything, she just looked into her eyes. They were dull. “We’ve spoken a lot, I suppose we just connected well, thanks to you.” She wondered if the real girl would care about this, she wished Sugar were still here, so that she could talk together with Hollyberry and her. “You two are vastly different, and yet so intertwined at the same time.” She let out a short, weak laugh. “There’s this other cookie, she looks a bit like you. Swirls of pink hair, pink eyes… white dress. She’s a paladin from the Crème Republic, I believe… I’d be easily fooled by it if I were told she was an ancestor of yours. Though I know she’s not… It would’ve been wonderful if you had a chance to see all the beauty of earthbread now.”
She smiled. “Everything’s different, there’s so much life… big and small. It all means so much to me now.” She took a deep breath and looked into those beautiful eyes. “It hurts to know this world doesn’t have you in it anymore. Earthbread would be a million times more beautiful with you there.” She finally released her grasp on Sugar. “It feels childish saying all this, wishing for such things. Hollyberry and I truly have gotten close, though I feel worse every hour, every minute I think of her and... you…” she sighed “...you..” She glanced up at Sugar for a moment. “I feel as though I took the one person who cared about you back, and stole her away from you.” Mystic Flour hugged herself anxiously. “I wonder if you’d hate me for it. Maybe you’d be happy that I found the same thing you found in her.” She chuckled sheepishly. “I haven’t stopped grieving for you, but… Hollyberry has been there for me, she may not have known you as long as I have, but even so, she grieves with me. It lessens the pain.” Her smile mixed into a bit of a frown, thinking of how painful the first days of her death had been on her.
“Sadly, I haven’t seen Pavlova anywhere… he vanished. Perhaps he’s searching for an answer, for how to process all that happened. Sugarfly is doing well, she has lived in the faerie kingdom for a while now, though I can’t remember if you knew of this already.” She felt an inch of frustration that her memory was failing her but let it evaporate, there was no point in getting angry with herself now. “I knew you loved me, and I knew you hid things from me. I don’t know why I pretended to not know, it could be that I didn’t care about you as much as you cared about me.” A single tear rolled down her cheek, dropping down onto a small shard of Sugar’s souljam. “I denied any ounce of emotions I had for you, as if that would have stopped you from loving me.” She scoffed, thinking about the times they spent together. “Maybe you’re right, maybe I am a fool.”
Sugar was completely relaxed, the only movement she made was the slight rise and fall of her breathing and the occasional sway of her tail. “A fool for you nonetheless! I always thought it was you. That you didn’t know what you were doing, and you were crazy for continuing to love me while I pretended I stopped.” Mystic Flour’s shoulders relaxed. “I know that this won’t matter, that you died thinking I never felt the same way.” She looked up to Sugar, her eyes only got duller but her gaze didn’t break, she patiently waited for Mystic to continue speaking. “I love you, Sugar.” It felt like a weight had been lifted off her chest, relief was an understatement. She felt free, these feelings were no longer a burden, and they never were.
“My love… My dear who left us too soon.” She choked on her own words as she began to cry. “I love you so much.” She sobbed, the tears kept falling.
“I loved you more than you could imagine. In life and in death, I will love you.” Sugar wiped Mystic Flour’s tears away, a final gesture.
“You were a wonderful experience.”