Work Text:
Knock Knock Knock
"Vanillaaa, You in there?"
There's no response from your shared bedroom... Which would be concerning if this were any other person. You push the door open with your unoccupied arm.
The room is dark save for the lit lantern illuminating the fact that Pure Vanilla's fallen asleep at his desk again. The desk was covered in parchments and envelopes, a quill still grasped firmly in his hand.
Hm, That won't do...
You set what you were carrying on the consistently unoccupied space of the desk and brush his hair-icing out of his pretty face. He looks so peaceful that you almost decide not to disturb him.
Key word: ALMOST.
You gently shake his shoulder and Pure Vanilla's eyes flutter open.
"Hm? Oh, sorry, was the light keeping you awake?"
You tap Vanilla's forehead lightly with a spoon, his eyes close in reaction.
"Hey, You're a healer, aren't you?"
"...Yes...why do you ask—?"
"—So you don't need me to tell you that reading these letters in the candlelight is bad for your eyes, right?"
Vanilla frowns and turns his head away.
"...My eyesight is already bad."
"And you're gonna make it worse or at the very least give yourself a headache straining your eyes like that!"
"...I know, I just need to finish responding to these letters as soon as possible."
"I'm sure whoever you're responding to would understand that you also need to eat and sleep!"
"...but these are more important..."
UGH! Sometimes it's like arguing with a brick wall.
You pluck the letter from his hand before he can begin reading.
"Dear Pure Vanilla Cookie, The Crème Republic Council would like to invite you to—"
"H-Huh, What are you doing?"
"Reading this letter for you—I'll write the response too, just tell what you want me to write."
"But I can do it myself...!"
"I know you can."
"But—"
...Pure Vanilla pauses as he feels your hand rest on his dominant one.
"Nilla... You've been in here writing letters all day.
You need to take a break and get some food..."
He finally notices the smell in the room:
Warm Jelly Stew and a small loaf of bread rested on the tray you'd brought with you.
"...but if you're planning to keep going for the rest of the night, at least eat something and let me help."
...Pure Vanilla sighs in defeat, opening his hand to allow you to take his quill and replace it with the spoon. The tray is pushed in front of him and he takes a spoonful of stew.
...Oh! The Stew is actually still warm?
You briefly look up from the letter as his hand traces the body of the bowl, it seems to have been engraved with a spell circle—Pure Vanilla Cookie remembers it was something you mentioned you were working on this morning.
"...It's not too hot, is it?"
"No. It's fine. I'm just curious how it works..."
"Hehe~ Well, Not to brag or anything but I'm pretty proud of it.
The enchantment takes a bit of your magic, converts it into fire magic and sort of reheats the contents. Took me all day to fine-tune the runes so the stew wouldn't burn!"
"...and where's your bowl? Have you eaten yet?"
".....hm?"
Faex.
Pure Vanilla opens his eyes slightly just to narrow them at you.
It's not like you actually need to eat, you get your energy from other sources after all, but he doesn't know that!
"U-Um... You don't need to worry, I had a few spoonfuls of stew while I was testing it out!
They weren't even small spoonfuls either so—!!"
Mid-sentence, A spoonful of sweet stew is deposited right into your open mouth. Pure Vanilla smiles at you innocently.
He looks so proud of himself...
"Oh dear, It looks like we're going to have to share."
"...You better be eating four spoonfuls for every one I get, Nilla."
"...three spoonfuls. You need to eat as well."
"Three and a half. Like I said, I've already had some."
"Fine, But you'd better have some bread too."
"...deal."
The both of you spend the rest of the night working through the letters scattered on the desk between mouthfuls of stew and bread.