Chapter Text
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“Shadow Milk!”
Shadow Milk turns his head, that familiar call drawing his attention. Pure Vanilla catches up to him, panting.
“You ran from all the way over there, Nill? Didn’t take you as much of a runner.” Shadow Milk remarks dully, raising a brow.
“Yes…Well…”Pure Vanilla replies, still breathing heavily. “I…Wanted…” the cookie seems to catch his breath, straightening up. “I wanted to give you this.”
Shadow Milk turns his gaze back to the man, who appears to be reaching into his pocket. Pure Vanilla Cookie pulls out a neatly wrapped gift from his robes. It appears to be about 3 inches wide, the same in length, with a pastel blue bow atop waffle-cone paper. Of course. Waffle cone. That’s this little gnat’s signature, isn’t it?
Shadow Milk Cookie looks the offered—what is it? A bribery? A cute little attempt at showing Shadow Milk how he “cares,” how he “saw this and thought of him,” a miserable little object to taint his worth?— up and down. How pathetic. He snatches it up in an instant. “What’s this, hm? Finally decided to try bribery? Cuz I hate to break it to ya, Nilly, but I am immune to such tricks.”
“Just open it. Please,”
Shadow Milk grins. “Or what? Gonna beg? Thought you, the great Pure Vanilla Cookie, founder of the oh-so famous Vanilla Kingdom, would be above such scandals!”
Pure Vanilla offers one of those sweet little smiles of his. Something strange twists in Shadow Milk’s jam. He ignores it, rolling his eyes.
“Fine. I’ll open your pathetic little trinket. Happy?”
“Very much so.”
“Shut up.” Shadow Milk narrows his eyes at the fool standing in front of him. Averting his gaze, he begins to gently untie the bow, before abandoning all grace and tearing the paper to shreds. Pure Vanilla watches him, with that fond gaze Shadow Milk is unwillingly acquainted with, yet says nothing.
Enjoying the view, you fool? Shadow Milk grits his teeth, refusing the urge to smile. He opens the box.
“Do you like it?”
Shadow Milk says nothing.
“Shadow Milk?”
Shadow Milk, still, says nothing. He stares down at the bracelet, the blue and black, crystal beaded bracelet, the one that bears a charm with striking resemblance to his soul jam. He takes it from the box. Pure Vanilla stares up at him, and Shadow Milk finally, finally, meets his desperate gaze. No, no, not desperate. Hopeful. Calculated. Curious.
“It reminded me of you,”
There it is.
“Hm.” Shadow Milk returns his gaze to the bracelet, deliberately ignoring the hand the other is raising, carefully, gently.
“Do you like it?” The fool repeats once more.
“It’s…” Shadow Milk offers no more of a response. He shifts his gaze to the offered hand, and, after judging it with no shred of self consciousness, takes the hand into his own, allowing Pure Vanilla to lower him down to eye level from his spot in the air.
“May I?” Pure Vanilla takes the bracelet, beckoning Shadow Milk to let him fasten it.
“I suppose you may.”
Pure Vanilla Cookie delicately lifts the other’s hand, loosening the bracelet and sliding it down Shadow Milk’s wrist. Shadow Milk shivers…No. No he doesn’t. He doesn’t feel, and definitely not for the fool king opposite him.
“There. Now isn’t that pretty?” Pure Vanilla beams, seemingly have completed his task. Shadow Milk stares at him.
“Shadow Milk?”