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Assistant: Title: Jambound
        Author: Anonymous undefined 
        Chapter: 20/32 
        Summary: The room is too bright.It’s quaint, in a nauseating sort of way. Polished floors glint from the gleaming honeycomb chandeliers overhead, make him squint. A few vases sprinkled here and there, filling the room with a sickeningly sweet scent – even a waffle-cone headrest framing the silken sheets of a neatly-tucked bed. Outside, the golden sun gleams, the gentle rays of light spilling past curtains that waver in the afternoon breeze.It's meant to be beautiful. Luxurious. Welcoming.With one sweep of his cane, Shadow Milk tears it apart.[[ Updated semi-weekly ]]
        Contents: Chapter 20
    

    


  

  
  
    
    Shadow Milk may be many things, but he isn’t a monster.Well, technically he is, but he’s a practical monster. Despite his dramatic exit and the annoyance still simmering in his jam, he knows he can’t actually leave Pure Vanilla alone in the woods. The other may be a capable magic user, but he’s still blind as a bat and liable to wander off a cliff or into the jaws of some Cake Hound if Shadow Milk simply abandons him to the night. And, regrettably, if Pure Vanilla gets his arm bitten off, Shadow Milk’s going to be feeling that one in the morning as well.So, he waits. Not where Pure Vanilla can see him, high and far enough away to be mutually tucked out of sight. Shadow Milk dozes amongst the treetops, floating peacefully beneath the star-studded sky now that his illusion’s finally worn off. There’s nothing to disturb him but the gentle caress of the wind on his dough and the rustling of the leaves below.Shadow Milk waits nearly an hour – when there are no warning signs of teeth marks imprinting in his dough, he decides the other’s probably had enough of bumbling about and heads back down to the meadow.Upon his descent, Shadow Milk is appalled to find Pure Vanilla sitting just where he’d left him, hands tucked into his lap and a serene smile on his face.Pure Vanilla, content as can be, simply just… waiting for him.Infuriating. So infuriating that Shadow Milk is before him in an instant, grabbing Pure Vanilla by the collar as he leans in to scowl in the other’s face. “You,” Shadow Milk hisses through gritted teeth, “are the most annoying Cookie in all of Earthbread.”The grin Pure Vanilla flashes back in return has Shadow Milk’s jam boiling; before the other can say a single, no doubt equally-infuriating word, Shadow Milk’s yanking him into yet another kiss.He doesn’t care anymore. Anything to shut this little pest up.It works, sort of – Pure Vanilla is immediately far more interested in kissing than talking, grasping hands pulling Shadow Milk closer in an instant. There’s a gentle squeeze on Shadow Milk’s hips followed by, of all things, a revolting little giggle. The fact that Pure Vanilla is clearly oh-so pleased with himself sends another spike of fury through Shadow Milk’s jam; he nips admonishingly at Pure Vanilla’s lower lip in an attempt to punish, but all he gets back is a happy sigh in return.Annoying. So, so annoying.It’s a bit of a blur from there, all movement and wandering hands that grab and caress with reckless abandon. Somewhere between the kissing and greedy, open-mouthed gasps, Pure Vanilla’s managed to flip them, pinning Shadow Milk beneath him in the grass. Shadow Milk takes offense to this, pushing upwards – only to find his own wrists trapped in Pure Vanilla’s grasp and a sly little grin on the other’s face. A flicker of disbelief, a pulse of something dangerous as their Soul Jams hover just shy of brushing before Pure Vanilla’s leaning in to press another kiss to Shadow Milk’s slack, gawking mouth.Shadow Milk may have underestimated this old fool.That fleeting thought feels more and more apparent every time Shadow Milk comes up for air, because the moment Shadow Milk turns his head away Pure Vanilla’s immediately busying himself trailing kisses up the curve of Shadow Milk’s neck. No gentle swatting or biting remarks seems to dissuade him; if anything, he seems to take it as an invitation. Clearly, he’s under the belief that if Shadow Milk has enough breath to complain, he has enough breath to be kissed again.This – misconception follows them all the way back home. Even after Shadow Milk’s managed to pry Pure Vanilla off him long enough to fly them back to the castle, the moment Pure Vanilla’s feet touch his bedroom floor he’s pulling Shadow Milk over to the bed. He falls backwards with an open laugh; Shadow Milk groans as he’s tugged down after, wrapped up in Pure Vanilla’s arms with his back pressed against the other’s chest as kisses are continually peppered against his cheek.“Aren’t you tired?” Shadow Milk complains, giving Pure Vanilla a firm nudge with his elbow. “You’re so clingy.”Pure Vanilla simply hums, burying his face against Shadow Milk’s neck. “That depends,” he murmurs, the vibrations sending an unbidden shiver through Shadow Milk’s dough. “Will you still let me kiss you in the morning?”“Ugh.” Shadow Milk gives him another nudge. “Why should I? Seriously Nilly, you’re so annoying.”“Yes,” Pure Vanilla hums, “or no?”Shadow Milk rolls his eyes, slumping limply in Pure Vanilla’s arms in a show of petulance. “I don’t care. You’re insufferable either way.”“Yes?” It’s a prompt, accompanied by a sickeningly gentle nuzzle.“Oh, for- yes, yes, fine!” Shadow Milk hisses, cheeks flushed with what can only be exasperation. “Now let go.”Pure Vanilla finally acquiesces, releasing his grip with another soft laugh. Shadow Milk is mercifully left to his own side of the bed, is allowed to mutter and burrow under the covers without greedy hands grasping at his dough. As Pure Vanilla settles in himself, he leans over to whisper a sweet little murmur in Shadow Milk’s ear, a hushed goodnight that Shadow Milk merely hisses to in reply. The lights go out and, after quite a bit of tossing and turning, Shadow Milk finally sinks into restless, fitful sleep.When Shadow Milk begrudgingly wakes to the sun’s merciless rays on his face, he is wholly unsurprised to find Pure Vanilla wrapped up around him yet again, and smiling in his sleep. As Shadow Milk sighs to himself, exhaustedly slumping back into the embrace and massaging at his temple, a persistent thought echoes at the forefront of his mind.He really should have just let this old fool spend the night in the woods. -- Surprisingly, nothing really changes after that.Shadow Milk had half expected some grand gesture, to be woken with more nuzzles and greedy little kisses pressed into his dough each day; instead, Pure Vanilla seems perfectly content to resume their normal activities as if nothing had happened at all. Sure, there’s still the relatively-new good morning kiss, but that’s always pressed to Shadow Milk’s cheek, not lips. Beyond that, everything’s as it was – Pure Vanilla is dragged out of bed by the sisters, brushed and prepped for the day, then ushered out the door to his meetings. When he returns at night, if Shadow Milk’s left him alone for the day, not much else passes beyond their usual games and chats before both retire to bed.It's as if Pure Vanilla’s backed off completely, and Shadow Milk’s not really sure he likes that outcome either.While the side Pure Vanilla had shown in the garden had certainly been a bit much, receiving the same serene smile as he always has feels irritating in a way he can’t place. It’s a difficult thing to put into words, to be both relieved at the space to breathe and still nettled by the sudden lack of appropriate attention. He’s Shadow Milk Cookie; if Pure Vanilla’s going to kiss him, he better commit.So, Shadow Milk decides to do what he does best – ask questions.“Why did you even bother asking?”Pure Vanilla glances up; they’re both seated around the game table, but there’s no board laid out this time. Instead, Pure Vanilla’s got his head bent over a newspaper, mug of tea in hand, while Shadow Milk toys with floating his own cup in circles overhead. “Pardon?” Pure Vanilla says after a moment.“You asked me,” Shadow Milk says lazily, eyes on his cup, “if you could kiss me in the morning. And yet it’s been nearly a week, and you haven’t done a single thing. Have you gone senile enough to forget already, old fool?”“Ah.” Pure Vanilla sets his mug down, a small smile on his face. “No, I haven’t forgotten.”Shadow Milk perks a brow, a clear sign to continue.Pure Vanilla folds the newspaper, moving it to the side before he continues: “I did not wish to rush into things and upset you.” The smile deepens, just a bit. “I get the feeling you don’t like being openly pursued. I also feel I may have gotten a little carried away in my enthusiasm that night.”“That’s putting it mildly,” Shadow Milk drawls, finally lowering his gaze to the other. “I thought I was the one who was supposed to be the Beast around here.”A laugh, accompanied by a slight flush to Pure Vanilla’s cheeks. “My apologies. I was… very touched by your return.”“Funny. As I remember it, I was the one who was very touched.”Pure Vanilla’s flush deepens to a lovely pink as he quickly averts his eyes; there’s another laugh, but this one feels a bit nervous. “As I said – my apologies.”Shadow Milk rolls his eyes, an amused smirk of his own twitching at the corner of his lips. “Oh, stop blushing like a schoolgirl. After all, it is me. Can I truly blame you?” An exaggerated sigh, a theatrical flick of his wrist. “Oh, the woes that come with being as magnificent as I.”“Yes, well,” Pure Vanilla hums, re-opening his newspaper. “There’s your answer.” And just like that, he’s back to reading – though very obviously, hiding his still-pink cheeks in the folds of the paper.“Nilly.”A quick glance up before Pure Vanilla looks away again in clear embarrassment.Shadow Milk gives the other an amused once-over. “Nilly,” he repeats slowly. “Are you ever going to kiss me again?”Pure Vanilla’s newspaper is immediately set down again. “Do you want me to?”A hum as Shadow Milk tilts his head, pretending to consider. “I’m not opposed,” he remarks after a moment, “to humoring you. If we iron out some rules first.”The chair scoots as Pure Vanilla straightens up, hands folding in front of him. His earlier shyness has vanished, all attention on Shadow Milk. “Such as?”Shadow Milk’s gaze lids dangerously. “You,” he says slowly, “are not to kiss other Cookies.”Pure Vanilla lofts a brow, but seems otherwise unaffected. “I hadn’t planned on it,” he replies after a moment. “But I shall return the same restriction to you.”“Oh, please.” Shadow Milk rolls his eyes again. “What would I bother with that for? It’s trouble enough just dealing with you.”“Very well.” Pure Vanilla’s got a pleased little smile, even if his eyes remain serious. “What else?”Shadow Milk toys with the hem of his sleeve, idly tugging on a thread before replying: “Don’t pursue me.” He pulls out the thread, laying it flat in his palm as he avoids Pure Vanilla’s gaze. “I don’t like it. I’ll come find you when I want to.”“Alright.” A pause. “Did I make you uncomfortable before?”A shrug as Shadow Milk drops the thread on the table; it vanishes in a puff of smoke. “I don’t enjoy feeling trapped.” A slow, steady blink. “Physically or otherwise.”“My apologies,” Pure Vanilla says gently. “I will keep this in mind.”Shadow Milk sighs, rolling his shoulders. “Stop apologizing. You’re so annoying, you know that?”“I do. You’ve mentioned it.” Pure Vanilla’s eyes are fond, completely unoffended. “Anything else?”“Mmm…” Shadow Milk taps his foot against the table leg as he thinks. Ah. Here’s a good one. “I get to kiss you too. Whenever I want, in front of whomever I want.”“No.”Shadow Milk blinks; Pure Vanilla’s still smiling back at him, but his tone had been shockingly absolute. “No?” Shadow Milk repeats in disbelief.“You may kiss me when I want it, and when it is appropriate.” Pure Vanilla’s gaze is deeply amused. “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re planning. If you intend to weaponize kissing me just to make other Cookies uncomfortable, I am not interested.”A faux-gasp as Shadow Milk recoils dramatically in his chair. “Such accusations! Why, the thought never even crossed my mind.”“You did it to Dark Cacao Cookie.”Shadow Milk blinks. “You noticed that? You never said anything.”Pure Vanilla shrugs one shoulder, eyes lidded. “I liked the attention.”Well, well, well. Pure Vanilla Cookie, just full of surprises.“But,” Pure Vanilla continues, leaning back in his chair. “I’m not going to be as lenient about this. Your intentions may have been to cause him unease, but I allowed it since they would ultimately become a source of reassurance. Still, I’m not a fan of feeling used for the sake of it, and I won't welcome it again. So, please do not kiss me in front of the delegates simply to make a scene.”“I might,” Shadow Milk retorts, just to be contrary. “I could flop right down in your lap, kiss you in front of all those doddering old farts and their horror-stricken faces. What would you do, hm?”“I,” Pure Vanilla says with a smile, “would do something you would not like.”A challenge. Shadow Milk scoots up in his seat, interest piqued. “Oh?” he replies with a grin. “And what’s that, my foolish, simple Nilly?”Pure Vanilla clears his throat; a hand comes up to touch his chest as his shoulders sag in a sigh. “My friends,” he announces, voice ringing clear. “Please, do forgive my guest. I’m afraid Shadow Milk Cookie is so helplessly enamored with me that he cannot control himself. So deep is his longing, that even one moment apart-”Shadow Milk’s hand snaps out, shoving Pure Vanilla back with a burst of magic; the other simply laughs, teetering dangerously in his chair before he regains his balance. “You see?” Pure Vanilla grins. “You would not like it.”“Shut up,” Shadow Milk hisses back; he’s half-annoyed, half-impressed with the play.“My rule,” Pure Vanilla replies calmly, “is that you may kiss me only because you, Shadow Milk Cookie, want to. I will accept no other reason than that.”Shadow Milk scoffs. “Who says I want to?”“You. And only you.” Pure Vanilla pushes himself up out of his seat, leaning on his staff as he makes his way to the other side of the table. He pauses before Shadow Milk, extending a hand in offer with a small smile. “Now then. Are these terms acceptable?”Another scoff as Shadow Milk eyes the offered hand. “What is this, a contract?”“A gentleman’s agreement.” Pure Vanilla keeps his hand held out, smile softening. “A show of mutual care.”Shadow Milk sighs; after a moment he takes the offered hand, letting Pure Vanilla gently pull him closer as their foreheads brush. “You’re a lot of effort,” he grumbles.“Oh, the feeling is mutual, my dear.” Pure Vanilla nuzzles against him gently. “But, remarkably worth it. Wouldn’t you agree?”No curls at the tip of Shadow Milk’s tongue, but he doesn’t voice it. Instead, he simply mutters: “You’re not even that good at kissing.”“How disappointing.” Pure Vanilla’s smile turns sly. “Perhaps you’d be open to helping me practice, then?”This earns an ugly snort as Shadow Milk rolls his eyes. “Insufferable.”“Actually,” Pure Vanilla remarks, pulling back as sudden interest sparks in his gaze. “You’ve reminded me. I have something else I wanted to ask.”Shadow Milk c@cks a brow. “Oh? How to not be so insufferable?”“No, you’d be a terrible teacher for that. What I meant,” Pure Vanilla continues, ignoring Shadow Milk’s affronted gasp, “is that I’d like to learn some magic from you. Being left alone in the forest got me a little curious.”Biting remark aside, he’s managed to pique Shadow Milk’s interest. “Curious about what?”Pure Vanilla smiles up at him, gently squeezing Shadow Milk’s hand.“Can you teach me how to fly?” -- It turns out, Shadow Milk can teach him.Slowly. Very, very slowly.“You’re so bad at this.” Shadow Milk’s reclining in the air, watching Pure Vanilla with an air of deep amusement. They’ve been at this for days now; Pure Vanilla had been remarkably insistent about it, wanting to practice every evening possible even with his paltry results. Most of their lessons, if one could call them that, are spent out on the balcony with Shadow Milk attempting to guide Pure Vanilla through the steps.Well, guide may be a bit generous. It’s more making fun of him than anything.Pure Vanilla’s face is screwed up in concentration, both hands gripped tight around his staff. He’s hovering – shakily – a single foot off the ground. He tries to take a single step and immediately wobbles like a newborn fawn, fighting to keep his balance as Shadow Milk snickers above.“Aw,” Shadow Milk coos, folding his hands beneath his chin. “So pathetic. It’s adorable.”“It’s hard,” Pure Vanilla mutters breathlessly, trembling as he cautiously repositions his feet beneath him. “This is… very… unintuitive.”“You’ve done it before.” Shadow Milk twists in the air, flipping upside-down as he grins at the other. “Back when you awakened? A funny little term, by the way. You’re clearly still asleep if you think the truth’s going to get you anywhere in this world.”“Yes…” Pure Vanilla wobbles dangerously again. “But I wasn’t… thinking about it… back then.”Shadow Milk sighs, letting his arms drape limply at his sides. “Obviously, fool. That’s why you could do it. I’ve told you a million times, you’re overthinking this.”A sharp gasp – Pure Vanilla drops, feet hitting the ground as he stumbles slightly. There’s a small noise of frustration as he glances back up to Shadow Milk. “It’s unintuitive,” he repeats, looking adorably cross about it. “To both perform magic and not think about performing it at the same time.”“It’s not ‘not thinking about it’,” Shadow Milk corrects, flipping around again as he floats closer. “It’s about refusing to bow to your precious reality and instead bending it to your own will.” He perks a brow. “You don’t believe you’re as light as a feather.”“Because I’m not,” Pure Vanilla sighs. “I know I’m not. It’s hard not to think about it.”“And that,” Shadow Milk replies easily, leaning forward to poke Pure Vanilla’s forehead, “is what the kids these days call a skill issue.”Pure Vanilla’s pouty little frown twitches slightly. “You really like that phrase.”“I do. I think of it often when I look at you.” Shadow Milk grins, all teeth. “My little wobbly lamb.”A soft laugh follows. “A new pet name?”“If you’d like to call an insult that, sure.” Shadow Milk floats backwards, tapping the balcony railing with his cane. “Now try again.”Another hour or so passes with little to show for it; Pure Vanilla manages to get another few inches off the ground, but he never makes it more than a step or two before he’s dropping back down to the ground. The fact he’s trying to take steps at all is a poor show of progress, one that Shadow Milk not-so-patiently tries to point out with little success as he floats aimlessly to and fro.Eventually Shadow Milk’s patience for the night reaches its end and he ends the lecture; yet, the open frustration on Pure Vanilla’s face softens his mockery into little more than an amused sigh.Perhaps they need to end on a pleasant note for once.“Here.” Shadow Milk extends a hand; Pure Vanilla tiredly glances up from his seat on the floor. “Come on,” Shadow Milk continues coaxingly. “You’ve tried very hard, Wobbles. Don’t sulk.”“I’m not sulking,” Pure Vanilla corrects, sulkily. Still, he takes the offered hand; Shadow Milk grasps tight, pulling the other to his feet.“You need motivation,” Shadow Milk decides, giving his grumpy little pupil a once-over. “Have you ever sat on a cloud before?”Pure Vanilla blinks. “Clouds are just water,” he says after a moment. “I’d get soggy. And they’re not solid enough to-”Shadow Milk rolls his eyes, swiftly ascending with Pure Vanilla in tow; the other lets out a startled noise, cutting off whatever rambling nonsense he’d been spouting. Shadow Milk bends down, grabbing both of the other’s hands as they fly upwards; Pure Vanilla’s sullen expression has changed to one of delight, a nervous laugh bubbling from his lips as Shadow Milk smirks down at him.The nearest cloud isn’t terribly far off, a plump little cumulus that’s been drifting by for some time. Shadow Milk gently tugs Pure Vanilla over to it; he feels the other’s hesitation, an attempt to pull back just slightly. “Wait,” Pure Vanilla begins, “I really will get soggy if you-”The only warning Shadow Milk gives is a sharp grin before he promptly throws Pure Vanilla straight into the cloud.Pure Vanilla’s panicked flailing is deeply amusing in and of itself; doubly so when Shadow Milk watches the other’s head poke out of the puffy sea of white and blink in astonishment. He watches Pure Vanilla test his surroundings, smoothing his hand over the curves of the remarkably solid cloud; when he looks up, Shadow Milk merely perks a brow.“You always seem to forget,” Shadow Milk remarks idly, “that I am a being of unparalleled magical power. Honestly, it’s very rude of you.”“I’m not soggy,” Pure Vanilla replies in wonder.Shadow Milk rolls his eyes, floating over to sit on the cloud beside the other. “You are not soggy,” he repeats in amusement.“This is amazing.” Pure Vanilla waves a hand through the mist, watching it part beneath his touch. “How are you doing this?”“I decided I wanted to sit on it, and I decided we weren’t going to be soggy when we did so.” Shadow Milk leans to the side, flopping over to rest his head upon Pure Vanilla’s lap. “I told you, reality is what you make of it.”Pure Vanilla’s hand lowers, stroking gently through Shadow Milk’s hair. “This is lovely. Do you do this often?”“Nah.” Shadow Milk shrugs one shoulder, allowing his eyes to slip shut as Pure Vanilla continues petting him. “Too much effort.”“Well, I thank you for the effort tonight.” Pure Vanilla shifts slightly, jostling Shadow Milk in his lap and earning an irritable growl in reply. “Sorry, sorry.” The hand returns, trailing a line down Shadow Milk’s jaw. “Just trying to reposition my staff so I can see better.”“The view’s nothing special.” Shadow Milk yawns, arching his back slightly in a stretch. “I’ve seen better.”“So you’ve said.” Pure Vanilla scritches gently under Shadow Milk cheek; surprisingly, Shadow Milk finds the sensation rather pleasing. “Can you tell me about them?”Shadow Milk hums, tilting his head to give Pure Vanilla better access. “Hmph. Well…” A pause as he thinks. “I was always fond of the view from the volcanoes in the Dragon’s Valley. The sky’s never blue there; the smoke changes it to a mix of orange and pinks, depending on the time of day.”“Sounds beautiful.” Pure Vanilla’s smile is obvious, even through Shadow Milk’s closed eyes. “What else?”“The Cream Cake mountains aren’t half-bad. The snowfall is thick, but if you can get past the cloud barrier, you can see all the little villages as specks of light from above.” Shadow Milk clicks his tongue. “Well. If they’re still there.”“I’m sure they are.” Pure Vanilla smooths his hand over the top of Shadow Milk’s head. “Have you not gone back since?”“Nah.” Shadow Milk shrugs again. “No time. Had to get a new body, rebuild my spire, you know the deal. Busy, busy.”“You could go now,” Pure Vanilla offers gently. “I wouldn’t mind, if you’re missing it.”Shadow Milk says nothing for a moment; Pure Vanilla’s hand stills in his hair. “No point,” Shadow Milk finally replies, tone neutral. “It’s too far from here. The bond wouldn’t like it.”“I see.” Pure Vanilla’s hand is still resting motionlessly atop Shadow Milk’s head; he nudges upwards impatiently, and the hand begins moving again. “I am working on it, you know.”“On?”“Our connection.” Pure Vanilla’s voice is gentle, yet serious. “I’ve been writing letters to try and figure out a solution. I thought you should know that.”“Letters?” Shadow Milk’s eyes crack open. “To who?”Pure Vanilla’s smile is soft, yet sad. “The one who knows the Witches’ work best.”White Lily Cookie.Shadow Milk scowls immediately, pushing himself up from Pure Vanilla’s lap. “That little weed? What happened to ‘none of his business’ with Dark Cacao Cookie? What happened to prattling on about it was too dangerous to be known?”“It is dangerous,” Pure Vanilla affirms gently. “Which is why I have only spoken to White Lily Cookie on the matter, and only through coded letters. Dark Cacao Cookie’s visit reminded me that I should place more trust in my comrades, and none are better suited to assisting me in this than she.”“Trust her? That little half-Cookie?” Shadow Milk sneers. “Oh, you truly are going senile, old fool.”“The Faerie Kingdom’s library is vast.” Pure Vanilla’s voice is steady, patient. “Elder Faerie Cookie’s personal journals, I’m told, are even more illuminating. White Lily Cookie has access to both, and has told me she is making promising headway in her research into the matter.”“I,” Shadow Milk hisses back, “am well acquainted with the Faerie Kingdom.”“I know.” Pure Vanilla’s hand reaches out, as if instinctively, before he draws it back under Shadow Milk’s angry stare. “I know, Shadow Milk Cookie. Which is why I would not ask you to go there, nor will I force you to accept her aid. We are speaking on the subject, nothing more.”Shadow Milk sharply averts his gaze, glaring daggers into the cloud. “She’s using you. This is a ploy for her pathetic little binding ritual, nothing more. What have you told her about me, hm? What has she asked?”“Nothing,” Pure Vanilla replies quietly. “I have spoken only of myself, and the technicalities of our bond.”“Liar. She’s asked.”“She is… concerned.” Pure Vanilla’s admittance feels reluctant at best. “But, she has not pushed me past my refusal to answer. Nor will I allow her to return you to the Silver Tree, if that is what you fear.”“Liar.” Shadow Milk pushes himself up off the cloud, keeping his back to the other. “She’ll just trick you. She’s done it before. You’re so gullible, so forgiving to that half-wilted weed.”“Shadow Milk Cookie.”“Oh, spare me.” Refusing to look, refusing to even acknowledge the wretched little fool sitting behind him. “Everyone knows how you are about her. Your weak point, your precious little lily.”“Shadow Milk Cookie.” Firm, unyielding.“You love her.” An accusation, sharp and pointed.“I care for her.” Effortless, without hesitation. “She has always been important to me. She always will be.”Shadow Milk’s teeth clench. “Shut up.”“I know you want me to lie to you right now.” Pure Vanilla’s tone is so pathetically gentle, so patient. “But I won’t. You’d see through it either way.” A pause. “Have you ever read the works of Kanten Cookie?”A topic shift, abrupt and strange enough to make Shadow Milk turn around in disbelief. “What?”“It is a vast oversimplification of his writings, but…” Pure Vanilla shifts slightly, placing his staff in his lap. “There’s a question posed that I reflect on often when I think about my truth, and your deceit. A scenario in which an enemy comes to my door seeking a friend I’m hiding within my home, who asks me if my friend is in there with me.” Pure Vanilla smiles. “As a beacon of truth, what do you think my answer would be?”Shadow Milk folds his arms across his chest, giving Pure Vanilla a sweeping once-over. “You would say no,” he says finally.Pure Vanilla nods. “I would.”“Because,” Shadow Milk supplies, “you see truth for what it is. Weakness. You’re learning to embrace deceit.”A considering sound as Pure Vanilla tilts his head. “Not quite,” he remarks. “Rather, I see it as truthfully answering a different question.”Shadow Milk scoffs. “Oh?”“The enemy is not actually asking if my friend is in there with me.” Pure Vanilla folds his hands atop his staff. “Instead, what is truly being asked is – may I come inside to harm your friend?” Pure Vanilla’s smile deepens. “And to that, my honest answer is no.”“Semantics,” Shadow Milk dismisses. “Distorting reality to suit your purposes.”“Is that not what you’ve been trying to teach me to do all along?”Hm. Fair.“Regardless,” Pure Vanilla continues, “the reason I bring it up is that I wish to answer the question you are not asking outright.” His gaze softens. “No, I do not intend to pursue White Lily Cookie.”Shadow Milk’s eyes narrow to slits. “I didn’t ask if you were,” he snaps.“I know. I’m answering anyway.” Pure Vanilla’s meeting Shadow Milk’s irritable glare all too steadily. “White Lily Cookie is important to me. As are my friends, as are my people. They will always hold a special place in my heart. That does not in any way diminish my fondness for you, or the hold you have upon my affections.”“Who,” Shadow Milk hisses, cheeks flushed, “asked.”“I will not let you be resealed.” Firm, absolute. “Even if you were to turn against me in an instant, I will not force that fate upon you.”Shadow Milk lets out another scoff, hands folding across his chest. “Disagreeing with the Witches again?”“Yes,” Pure Vanilla replies simply. “If we must crumble together, let us crumble. But so long as I stand, I will not allow White Lily Cookie or any other to lock you away again.” Another small, soft smile. “And if I cannot stop it, I will go with you. I will bear that eternity so that you do not have to be alone again.”A flicker of something dark and anxious, a pull that draws Shadow Milk closer even as his hands ball into fists. “A lot of talk,” he says coolly, forbidding the heated pulse in his Soul Jam, “for the one speaking to another woman behind my back.”This seems to amuse Pure Vanilla; there’s a quiet huff of a laugh as Pure Vanilla lifts his hand in offering. “My apologies,” he says softly. “I did not wish to deceive you. I know you do not care for her, and that the feeling is mutual. But I promise none of our correspondence went beyond business. And I do think she can help.”Shadow Milk reluctantly takes the hand, even with a dismissive turn of his head. “I don’t want her help.”“And I don’t want to be your cage.”A simple, yet effective remark; Shadow Milk’s eyes widen as Pure Vanilla offers him a gentle smile. “I will not force you into anything,” Pure Vanilla continues kindly. “But I also do not wish to hold you here against your will. If…” A pause, a sigh. “If this is to… continue, I would like it to be with the reassurance that you want to be here. Not because you have to be.”Despite it all, Shadow Milk’s lips twitch with a smirk. “Don’t trust me?”Pure Vanilla lifts a brow, eyes searching. “Should I?”A beat of silence that stretches on; Shadow Milk can feel the weight of Pure Vanilla’s stare before finally looking away. “Who knows.”“Well,” Pure Vanilla replies, giving their hands a gentle squeeze, “I’d like to find out someday. But for now, our research into the bond is only talk. If White Lily Cookie even finds a solution within her archives remains to be seen. So, if it pleases you, we can set the topic aside for now.”“Fine.” Shadow Milk glances down, watching the Cookies far below mill like ants beneath their feet. “Should we head back? I think you’ve had plenty of motivation for the night.” A pause. “Wobbles.”“Oh, dear.” Pure Vanilla’s pushing himself up with his staff, getting to his feet with an unsteady sway. “Is that to be my nickname now?”“Until you’ve earned otherwise.” Shadow Milk gives Pure Vanilla’s hand a gentle tug; carefully, the other’s pulled off the cloud, floating in mid-air beside him. “You’ll accept my ways of deceit eventually.”“Perhaps.” The same neutral answer, accompanied by an oh-so familiar smile. “May I ask something?”“No,” Shadow Milk replies easily; he begins floating backwards, a slow descent that drags Pure Vanilla along with him. “I’ve heard enough out of you. Talk, talk, talk, that’s all you do. Really, Wobbles, you put my own showmanship to shame.”Pure Vanilla laughs; being pulled at this angle allows his long hair to flow freely behind him in the wind. “It was a short question!”“Don’t care.” Shadow Milk twists in the air, a simple spiral that twirls Pure Vanilla along with him. “No more talking. You can chatter my ear off after we connect.”“Oh?” Pure Vanilla’s reply is breathless, his eyes sparkling. “You want to?”“Of course.” Shadow Milk gives him an amused once-over. “If we’re to be rid of this pesky little bond, we may as well enjoy the good bits while we have them.” He leans in, face inches from Pure Vanilla’s own as he bares his teeth in a grin. “Any objections?”Pure Vanilla laughs. “None at all.”“Good.” Shadow Milk turns, accelerating their descent as he makes for the balcony doors. Pure Vanilla is pulled effortlessly behind him, little more than a feather in the wind; perhaps it’s this charming lightness, perhaps it’s the warmth of their hands clutched together, but something stirs in Shadow Milk’s chest long enough for him to slyly add: “And you can have a kiss, if you’re good.”Pure Vanilla’s expression lights up immediately; Shadow Milk simply rolls his eyes, averting his own amused gaze away as he heads straight down, ignoring the tickle in his jam.So easy to please.'
User: Summarize the chapter based on the content provided, ensuring to follow the set format and emphasize key aspects within the specified length.
User: Summarize the chapter based on the content provided, ensuring to follow the set format and emphasize key aspects within the specified length.
Assistant: