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Pure Vanilla walked the halls carefully, every step seeping to have purpose. He looked to his side, gazing at Vanilla Fudge beside him, who was not in his normal attire. His usual delicate robes were replaced with a common folk button up shirt with sweatpants his stomach growled audibly, causing him to slouch over and hold the area as if his insides were about to slip out from how hungry he was. Pure Vanilla’s eyebrows furrowed in worry, wrapping his arms around his son’s shoulders. “Are you okay, little flower?” he brushed a bit of hair out of Vanilla Fudge’s face, who smiled softly at the gesture. “I’m alright, papa… Just hungry…”
“You know you can’t eat until after right?”
“I know… It is still bothersome…”
Pure Vanilla nodded in understanding, slowing down when they reached the medical bay, where doctors and nurses were waiting for them. Pure Vanilla turns to be in front of his son, rubbing up and down his arms before kissing his forehead. “You’ll be okay… I’ll be right there when you wake up, my little flower…” Vanilla Fudge chuckles at the affection, bringing his father in for a hug, which the other immediately reciprocates. “I know… Thank you, papa.”
And with that, he was led by the doctors and nurses into the surgery room, away from Pure Vanilla. The king’s head tilted down, looking at the floor. His child had grown up so much, yet in his eyes, that was still his baby boy. The thought of him going into surgery was terrifying. They were going to cut open his baby! His baby is going to be strapped down on a table and cut open! The thought made his anxiety spike up, but he didn’t do anything to stop this from happening, he knew it was necessary and not as violent as his feelings were making it seem.
Hours passed, Pure Vanilla had tried to get some work done while the operation was going on, but not much was completed due to his constant worry. He waited the last thirty minutes until Vanilla Fudge was allowed to leave, which felt like another four hours to him. His child was rolled out in a wheel chair, slouching forward with bandages over his eyes and chest, the eyes just a precaution to prevent him from opening them. Out of the bandages on his chest were two fluid drainers with sacks on either side. “It was successful as suspected.” The nurse spoke up, handing Pure Vanilla a pouch that had various medication bottles. “Instructions are in the bag, your highness. Only take the red bottle if he is in extreme pain.” They bowed to him. Pure Vanilla thanked them and took Vanilla Fudge back to his room. Pushing his wheelchair down the halls.
“Papaaaa” Vanilla Fudge whined out, turning his head up to Pure Vanilla. “I’m hungry…” he held a juice box in his hand, apple flavored, his favorite, and held it up to Pure Vanilla. “Do you want a sip?” Pure Vanilla chuckled, gently lowering Vanilla Fudge’s hand. “No thank you, my child. You need to drink it.”
“I haven’t drank it yet!”
“I know, that's why you should drink it.”
Vanilla Fudge whined, sticking the straw into his mouth and sipping it calmly, swaying side to side.
When they eventually got to his room, Pure Vanilla helped Vanilla Fudge lay on the bed, making sure everything about how he was laying was perfect, even grabbing a triangle pillow wedge to prop his legs up. “Are you comfy? Anything disturbing you, my flower” He gently caressed Vanilla Fudge’s head, slicking his hair back. “Nooo…” the prince whined out, shifting a little. “I wanna sleep on my stomach…” “You cannot do that, little flower, I’m sorry. You have to stay like this for at least a month.” Vanilla Fudge frowned, shifting a little more until his head and shoulders were resting comfortably, sinking into the soft cushion. “Tired…”
“I know…” Pure Vanilla caressed his son’s cheek, smiling softly. “You are my sunshine, my only sunshine.” Vanilla Fudge tilts his head in the direction of his father, smiling when he recognizes the song he is singing to him.
“You make me happy - when skies are grey..”
“You’ll never know, dear, how much I love you.”
“Please don’t take - my sunshine away…”
Vanilla Fudge lets out a yawn, head tilting deeper into the pillows. Even after Pure Vanilla could hear soft snoring from Vanilla Fudge, he continued singing until he finished the song. “Please don’t take… my sunshine… away…” He leaned forward and planted a gentle kiss on his son’s head, standing up and slowly walking out of the room, looking back once he was at the door, before closing it and going down the hallway.
—
Pure Vanilla’s magic staff vibrated in his hand, taking his attention away from his royal adviser who was currently speaking to him about agriculture and economics. “Ah- Excuse me, Sunday Scoop Cookie, I must give my son his medication.” He excused himself from his throne, bowing a little to the advisor. “Oh please, it is no trouble, my king. I shall put this conversation to a halt until you come back.” He bowed back before rolling up his scroll. “Thank you for your understanding.” Pure Vanilla responds before heading off to Vanilla Fudge’s room.
He could’ve told his servants to be responsible for his son’s medicine, but it also gave him the chance to personally see Vanilla Fudge. He loves his son. He genuinely couldn’t ask for a better one. Though, he sometimes wishes his son was a little kid again, so he could care and love him once more. This was a similar opportunity, with Vanilla Fudge recovering from surgery. He was going to be loopy and disoriented for a long while,and he wanted him to rest as much as he could.
He knocked on Vanilla Fudge’s door, waiting until he heard a soft “you may enter” in a raspy voice. Pure Vanilla opened the door slowly, staff’s eye landing on Vanilla Fudge who had a thick book by his side, notebook and fountain pen in his lap. The king frowned and walked over to the prince. “Vanilla Fudge Cookie, sweetie, what are you doing?” he questioned, almost rhetorically as he could clearly see the magic textbook and frantic notes. “Studying, papa. I need to keep up with my classes.” Vanilla Fudge’s tone was deadpan, with a little discomfort seeping through the edges of his mouth. Pure Vanilla hums in disapproval and places his hands on Vanilla Fudge’s shoulders, gently pushing him back down onto the bed. “Your classes can wait until you are done recovering, little flower.” Vanilla Fudge sighed and hissed in slight pain, one of his hands coming up to hold the bandages around his chest. “I don’t want to fall behind-” “You will not fall behind, I promise.” Gosh he has my habits… Pure Vanilla thought to himself. It was one of the things he wished he had done right while raising his son, but he couldn’t stop neglecting his own needs for others or school work. It was only natural that his son saw it and picked up the habit as well.
“Your classes know you are recovering, so please, let me take those from you.” Pure Vanilla slowly takes away the items from Vanilla Fudge, who resisted very little under the after effects of the medication he had been taking for a week now. Pure Vanilla sets the books aside on a shelf, before walking back to Vanilla Fudge’s side and opening a drawer full of medication.
One by one Vanilla Fudge was fed the medication, followed by a big gulp of water that almost caused the pills to come right back up. “Thank you, papa…” Pure Vanilla caresses Vanilla Fudge’s cheeks, opening his two eyes to gaze at his son. “Please, it’s no trouble dear. Is there anything you would like before I go?” Vanilla Fudge hums in thought. “Could you leave a few books beside my bed, please?” “Of course, little flower.” He straightened himself and walked back to the shelf, hand glazing the books until he spotted the right ones. He took two books, one fantasy, and one historical. He places them beside Vanilla Fudge, who glazes his hands over the covers, feeling the brail. His mouth turns up into a smile. “Aw…! Papa, did you translate these into brail? I don’t remember there being a translation for this one.” Pure Vanilla laughed a little. “Yes I did. I heard this book was quite popular with the kingdom's youth. So I personally translated all of it for you, my flower.” He ruffled Vanilla Fudge’s already messy hair, making his son giggle. “Thank you so much, papa! That must have taken a lot of time…” Vanilla Fudge smiles even wider, carefully feeling for his father’s shoulder before bringing him down to wrap his arms around him. Pure Vanilla happily reciprocates the display of affection, humming softly.
“Thank you so much, papa… I love you so much.” “I love you more, my little flower.” Pure Vanilla’s heart swells at the affection, feeling overwhelming love for his son at this very moment. They eventually pull away, Pure Vanilla about to leave when Vanilla Fudge calls out again. “Wait- Papa. I’m sorry, but could you help me with the draining?” He asked, face a little red in embarrassment. Pure Vanilla turns around and nods. “Of course!” He walked over again, taking a disposable cup from the pile stacked beside the bed, before going to his son’s chest and checking the number on both draining sacks coming out of his binder. Twenty milliliters. He quickly writes that down on the cart pinned to the wall before quickly draining both jam-filled sacks into the cup. He found this process very gross, but he knew it was necessary for his son’s health.
After dumping out the jam into the bathroom sink, washing out what remained dripping down the porcelain bowl into the drain, he threw out the cup and quickly headed back outside to continue his kingly duties.