Chapter Text
“Master Shadow Milk Cookie, do I have permission to enter.?” Black Sapphire cookie asks.
“Uugh.. This better be important, Black Sapphire,” Shadow Milk lazily grumbles from behind the locked door of his room. With a flick of his wrist, Shadow Milk unlocks his door, and Black Sapphire enters quietly.
“Master Shadow Milk, we couldn't help but notice you.. well.. We haven't seen you in a few- um.. Months..?” Black Sapphire hesitantly says.
“So, what? Can a cookie not enjoy his alone time?” Shadow Milk instantly retorts.
Black Sapphire pauses for a second before responding, “Well, I didn't say that, but Candy Apple and I don't have good enough disguises to go out and purchase food, and.. We're hungry.”
Shadow Milk slowly sits up from his large, plush, bed and moves closer to float in front of Black Sapphire.
“Are you asking if I, Shadow Milk Cookie, will go buy you food..?”
Black Sapphire’s gaze is fixed on the floor “Well, yes..! Candy Apple and I-”
Shadow milk shushes Black Sapphire by pressing his pointer finger on his mouth, “Sh. I’ll go out, watch Candy Apple and make sure she doesn't follow me… She does that a lot…” Shadow Milk flicks his wrist again and sends Black Sapphire tumbling backwards out of the door to Shadow Milk’s room.
He glides over to the mirror in his bedroom, and with a single flick of his cane, his form starts to slowly resemble that of a young woman. “Ah, perfect! Lady Milk Crown Cookie never disappoints me,” he said to nobody, but himself.
As Shadow Milk Cookie walks through the only market in Beast-Yeast, he can't help but wrinkle his nose at the sight of faerie cookies chatting with each other. Shadow Milk walks up to a stand selling fruit.
“Oh! Hello dear! You must be new around here..” The cookie selling fruit says while extending their hand to Shadow Milk
“I- Yes, I’m very new to this part of Beast-Yeast, I’ve been walking for hours and I’m oh-so terribly hungry!” His act is going perfectly.
They bought it immediately. “Here, dear, let me get you some fruit for your travels! Please, take them as a gift of my kindness!” the merchant starts reaching for fruit to give to Shadow Milk.
“Oh, but I couldn't possibly accept such…. kindness.” Just saying the word kindness made Shadow Milk grit his teeth, and the merchant either didn't notice, or just didn't care.
“No, dear, it's free! take these!” The merchant hands Shadow Milk 4 ripe apples, and 2 packs of berries, and he snatches them out of their hands, giving his thanks as he swiftly walks away. He then does the same to every merchant in the market.
“I’m back!” Shadow Milk exclaims, waving his basket, which was full of the food he tricked people into giving to him, in the air.
“Master Sha-” Black Sapphire is, rudely, interrupted by a very loud, and annoying voice.
“SHADOW MILK COOKIE!!!!” Shadow Milk barely has time to react before Candy Apple Cookie comes sprinting for him wrapping her small arms around him for a tight hug. “OOoooOoohh how I’ve MISSED you!!!♡♡♡” she looks up at him with a large grin.
“haha.. Yes, I’ve missed you as well, Candy Apple..!” He's lying. He treasured every moment away from her. “Well! I hope you enjoy your.. food..” Shadow Milk snaps his fingers and he’s gone, he's gone back to his room, his place to hide, to get away from things.. to think.
Something Shadow Milk has come to realize is the fact that he's alone.
He knows this.
He enjoys this fact.
If he could have it anyway he wanted he'd choose to be alone. It's quiet, it allows him to think, it allows him to be himself for once, there’s nobody he has to put on a show for, nobody there to shame him for his mask slipping, there's…
..Nobody…
Something else he's come to realize is that he's not only alone, but he's lonely.
Though not having anyone around is good, it's also horrible, it's boring, it's too quiet.. it's painful. He doesn’t know why it’s painful, but it is. Before Shadow Milk knew it, it was morning, he hasn’t slept, not for a few days.. Or was it a month..? He doesn’t need sleep. Why would he? He’s immortal! Despite being immortal, he’s exhausted. Maybe if he slept- No. He doesn’t need sleep. He’s Shadow Milk Cookie. But.. maybe..
When Shadow Milk finally decided to lay down, his eyes were so heavy he could barely hold them open “Grhh… Maybe I should’ve been sleeping instead of thinking about…” he trails off although, he was talking to himself. Shadow Milk falls asleep almost immediately. Shadow Milk hesitantly opens his eyes. No, this isn’t right.. Where’s my bed.? Where am I?.... He tries to yell for somebody, anybody. But no one responds. It’s almost as if he’s trapped. The room around him has a slight silver tint to it, the walls look like… Tree bark.. Nononononono… T-this Isn’t real..! Y-you’re dreaming, right? Haha..haa…HAHA.! Right! This is a dream, Silly! Why would I randomly be back in.. there.. But.. It feels so real.. Shadow Milk reaches his hand out to touch the sides of the tree bark, but instead of bark he feels something worse.. another cookie’s dough. It’s warm, he can smell the faint scent of vanilla.. A voice calls his name, too familiar, but it’s distant. Too distant, almost as if…
Shadow Milk opens his eyes to see his room, still the same, no unwelcome voices, or guests. “Phew.. Just a dream..” He says to nobody in particular. He hears a knock at his door.