Chapter Text
The blueberry birds chirped faintly outside of the sugar glass window, where the dark curtains were drawn to lessen the light entering the room on the soft morning. Pure Vanilla stood before his tall, vanity mirror, the chair pushed in before him as he leaned forward, applying his white eyeliner leisurely, for his lover hadn’t yet gotten out of bed despite his few attempts to wake him.
The lover in question, adored with pale blue skin and stunning, long black and blue hair, lay on his side, facing Pure Vanilla, with the blankets pulled to his bare chest. Scarring, even paler than his skin, decorates his lower arms and lower chest as one arm dangles off the side of the bed and the other is buried beneath the two pillows under his head, claws hovering just above his face.
There was a time where the beast would never dream to be this vulnerable, this comfortable and complete, drooling while his claws twitch occasionally, dreaming of a faraway place. It had only been three months since his arrival at the Vanilla Kingdom. Three months since the bloodied beast of deceit received medical care, a much needed bubble bath and manicure for his poor overgrown claws, a soft place to rest, and the reassurance that his other half would protect him from any harm that may come his way. What a wonder love and patience can do to a wounded animal, as he had truly blossomed under Pure Vanilla’s care.
The ancient in question decides he’s finally satisfied with his eyeliner, leaving the vial at the vanity and walking closer to the bed, waiting until the back of his shins are flush with the bedframe before he allows himself to fall backwards onto the mattress with a soft sound, bringing giggles from his mouth as he turned slightly, only slightly, to not smear what he had just finished. Shadow Milk stirs with a grumble, mouth closing with a grimace as he slowly registered the feel of his own saliva against his face. He brings his arm back from behind the pillows, pulling the blankets to his chin before settling again. Pure Vanilla doesn’t give him much opportunity to fall back to sleep, reaching a hand over lazily to rest against his lover’s cheek.
“Darling, the reunion, remember? The others will be finding their way to the castle any minute now, wouldn’t you like to get ready? I know how you adore dressing up for special occasions such as this one.” His voice is honey sweet against Shadow Milk’s ears, but his words do little to convince his lover from bed. Instead, a small, pained sound escapes him. “My love?” Pure Vanilla prompts, sitting up and then to the side to see the other’s face. Shadow Milk’s head remains on his pillow, the hand he had just retracted firmly pressed against his mouth while his brows were knit together tensely.
“..don’t feel well.” Shadow Milk managed with great struggle through his hand, shutting his eyes tightly as the uneasiness in his stomach continued to worsen, nausea ebbing at his composure.
“Oh!” Pure Vanilla is quick to action, practically jumping off the bed to grab the mesh trashbin by his desk, half filled with old papers, providing it quickly to Shadow Milk who grabbed it and sat up swiftly, burying his head in its contents as his stomach provided more. Coughing as Pure Vanilla held the majority of his hair to the side, Shadow Milk couldn’t hide his obvious sickness. It took moments before he felt well enough to raise his head once more, expression winded and pained.
“Oh darling I didn’t know you were feeling unwell, my deepest apologies for waking you, I would have continued to let you rest,” he says softly, taking the bin from Shadow Milk’s claws and setting it aside to deal with later.
“Hhm. My star, it’s alright,” Shadow Milk looks up at the standing Pure Vanilla with that usual spark in his eyes, fangs glinting in the low lighting as he offers a weakened smile. “It just, seemed to arrive out of nowhere,” he waves his hand aimlessly. “Please, do not fret so much! Though I’m sure those words mean little to someone like you, hm, doctor?” He stands, unsteadily at first, until he seems to find his footing like a new fawn. He sleeps rather wildly, black shorts clinging to his slimmer frame as he wanders to the vanity to get a look at himself, humming with dissatisfaction. “My, you are quite right. We have work to do,” his voice is lighter, more mischievous as he opens a drawer that holds his more extravagant items.
Pure Vanilla looks upon him with a slight smile now, seeing more of Shadow Milk within the being that shared the room with him. “I’m glad you think so darling, but, are you sure you shouldn’t rest? Do you feel tired, ill, anything of the sort?” He follows in his lover’s footsteps, standing behind him at the vanity as he places two soft hands upon Shadow Milk’s small shoulders, the other looking with a glare over two different shades of blue eyeshadow.
“I feel fiiiiine,” Shadow Milk insisted, finally settling on a single eyeshadow and shoving the other back into the drawer where it can’t offend him so easily. “Plus, I have a walking medicine cabinet with me,” he says, a bit of a jab, “so if I need anything I can trust you’ll be right there beside me.” He snaps the case of the eyeshadow closed very suddenly, the sound echoing rather harshly through the environment before he looks up, blue eyes staring sharply into Pure Vanilla’s reflection. “I can, trust you, can’t I?”
Pure Vanilla shifts his weight where he stands a bit uneasily, though his voice is calm as ever as he responds with a simple: “of course.” Shadow Milk was still adjusting to having a support system after all, it’s only natural he questioned the strength of the net before he allowed himself the need to fall.
“Wonderful! Then I should be able to join everyone else at the reunion just fine.” He waves a clawed hand, as if diminishing the smoke of Pure Vanilla’s doubt before there’s a soft knocking at the door.
“Pure Vanilla, Dark Cacao and Holly Berry Cookie have just arrived.” The servant of the Vanilla Castle says through the crack in the door.
“Oh! Thank you, please inform them we will be there to greet them shortly.” He says with a smile, opening the curtains to allow the fresh sunlight to grace the room, only for Shadow Milk to hiss with displeasure.
“Please, ‘Nilla, I’ll be fine by myself and I’d much rather prefer to ready in private. Why don’t you greet them now?” His words seem short, if anything he’s still tired, and Pure Vanilla accepts that Shadow Milk is placing a boundary to be undisturbed and unobserved while he prepares for the day.
“If you’re sure, my love.” Pure Vanilla accepts it, and exits the room with excitement to greet his friends, though he still can’t help the doubt that Shadow Milk’s sudden sickness may be more than it seems.