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It doesn't take long for Pure Vanilla's curiosity about Pristine Milk's feline habits to resurface - in the wake of everything that had happened, he'd somewhat left his curiosity by the wayside.
But now it's all settled - Pristine Milk is awake, and only mildly flighty around him, still. (The guilt in his eyes still makes Pure Vanilla ache - but he'll let the other take him time to accept that Pure Vanilla has forgiven him.)
So Pure Vanilla decides it's time to see just how deep those feline habits of his run. He'd studied all of Pristine Milk's journals and published works on the Bestial Cookies, but nothing beats actual experimentation!
…Well, sometimes it does. Pure Vanilla is not necessarily proud of just how many things he blew up back in his Academy days, experimenting by White Lily's side.
And thus his mind wraps back to the feline currently curled up on his chest, purring in his sleep. Pristine Milk's hair sparkles even in sleep, and Pure Vanilla spends a few moments tracing the constellations blinking through it, his staff settled carefully against the side table to allow him to see better.
Pristine Milk just purrs louder at the feeling of Pure Vanilla's fingers in his hair, nuzzling against his chest. Pure Vanilla can even hear his tail smacking against the bed under the blankets.
It was always cute, how much those animal features of his gave him away. The soft purring that always ratchets up when Pure Vanilla is near, the way his tail wags (although that's a canid trait…) when he's excited, the way his ears perk up and droop with his emotions.
"Nils." Pristine Milk whines, struggling to keep his eyes open, "Go t'bed." He mumbles, nuzzling Pure Vanilla's chest, tail coming to wrap around one of his ankles. "You can pet me in the morning…"
"Is that a promise?" Pure Vanilla teases, but the other just gives a half-hearted growl - there's never any heat behind those, not like the ones he remembers from before.
"If you want it to be…" Pristine Milk yawns, blindly reaching up to poke at Pure Vanilla's cheek, "Now sleep."
"Your wish is my command, Bluebird." Pure Vanilla laughs softly, nuzzling against Pristine Milk's hair, letting the eye of his staff shut.
"Sap." Pristine Milk mumbles against his chest, sighing in content as Pure Vanilla squeezes him tighter for a moment.
Pure Vanilla is just glad the other sleeps easier now - although that only seems to apply to when he's near Pure Vanilla… The healer's heard enough stories from the kids to know how often Pristine Milk forgoes sleep when he's back at the Spire.
Well, he can begin his experimentation in the morning - for now, he has a clingy cat to keep him warm.
Pristine Milk is sprawled across the couch, legs thrown over Pure Vanilla's lap as he stares up at a book, tongue poking out of his mouth as he focuses. Pure Vanilla is just petting through the fur of Pristine Milk's leg, focused on his own book - before his curiosity nags at him again.
He glances at Pristine Milk, seeing the other still squinting at something - the book isn't even that complex, it seems to just be one of those romance novels Sugar Apple enjoys - and then shifts to poke at Pristine Milk's toe-beans.
He ends up getting a book thrown at his head in panic.
"Bluebird!"
"Sorry, it's a reflex!" Pristine Milk blinks at the other, slightly bewildered at his own actions, looking between his now-empty hands and the book now held by the vines of Pure Vanilla's staff. "They're sensitive!"
"Are they?" Pure Vanilla pokes at them again, and the other's leg twitches. "Fascinating."
"S-stop looking at me like I'm some- some science experiment!" Pristine Milk whines, but Pure Vanilla knows he's not actually bothered, so he just keeps gently poking at the leathery pads of Pristine Milk's paws.
They're soft and smooth, faintly cold to the touch, and Pure Vanilla finds himself strangely enthralled with them. It's not unlike the regular cats that wander the Vanilla Kingdom, but on Pristine Milk it's so much more interesting.
"You know, I've never asked. Why do you have paws?" Pure Vanilla asks, and Pristine Milk just hums.
"I dunno. It's not a trait shared by everyone. Spicy has hooves and stuff." Pristine Milk shrugs, tail flicking. "I think it's a trait of, ah… Purity, I suppose? The Virtues are true beasts, so we have paws and hooves and whatnot. Not many after us did."
"But Eternal Sugar and Silent Salt don't appear to."
"I don't even Know what Salt is." Pristine Milk giggles, smacking Pure Vanilla with his tail as the other pokes at his paw pads again. "Avians don't usually have non-Cookie legs, anyway. Flour has hooves, though."
"…How do you not know what Silent Salt is?" Pure Vanilla tilts his head, and Pristine Milk shrugs.
"They always wore that armor. I never bothered to ask. Thought they'd share if they wanted to." He yawns, lightly kicking at Pure Vanilla's hands to get him to stop poking at him. "I wasn't ever really one to pry. Also they scared me."
Pure Vanilla hums at that, "How come?"
Pristine Milk just gives him a flat look, and Pure Vanilla just stares back.
"They were just… scary… That big sword and all that armor…" Pristine Milk finally says, stretching out - Pure Vanilla watching as the claws in his paws extend with the motion for a moment, before retracting. He didn't even know the other had retractable claws…
"You have claws?" Pure Vanilla speaks without intending too, glancing at the other.
"Oh. I do?" Pristine Milk also sounds confused, staring at the claws. "Oh. I guess they regrew with the whole magical girl transformation thing."
"Regrew?"
"I ripped 'em out back in my era." Pristine Milk shrugs, "They never grew back, for some reason."
Pure Vanilla pokes at the points of his claws - sharp, but Pure Vanilla trusts the Fount. Right - he's been the one to stop Pristine Milk's self-destructive habits on occasion, his habits of scratching at his own fur until it falls out or gnawing his claws on his fingers down to nothing…
"Can we go get lunch?" Pristine Milk asks, yawning as he wiggles his paw free of Pure Vanilla's grasp. "I want a milkshake."
"Of course. Come on, Bluebird." Pure Vanilla laughs, finally taking the book from his staff's vines and setting it on the table atop his own. Pristine Milk just hums, sinking into the shadows to coil around Pure Vanilla's shoulders, nuzzling against his cheek.
"Clingy, aren't you?" Pure Vanilla teases, enjoying the eye roll he gets in return. Yet the other doesn't move, and lets Pure Vanilla carry him down to the kitchens.
The staff have all long-since gotten used to seeing those dual-colored eyes blinking out of Pure Vanilla's robes at them, and most greet both Pure Vanilla and Pristine Milk. (Although they usually greet them with a simple "Your Majesties" which always has Pure Vanilla slightly embarrassed, even if he can feel Pristine Milk's amusement.)
"The usual?" One of the chefs asks once she spots Pure Vanilla, to which the other nods. It always made him a little happy, to know that their little domestic routines were so commonplace to the point where the staff knew what they ate.
Pristine Milk remains in his cloak, purring softly, eyes half-lidded and blinking slowly. Pure Vanilla's learned not to worry over the other's lethargy - it's simply a trait that comes with being warm and content.
Pristine Milk only begrudgingly slides out of his cloak once the staff bring him his milkshake and the bowl of strawberries he usually eats. Although Pure Vanilla's been encouraging him to eat more, his response is usually just to eat larger and larger quantities of strawberries.
…Pure Vanilla supposes that counts. So he lets him be. Given that Pristine Milk will usually eat anything Pure Vanilla offers him, so Pure Vanilla just always gets slightly larger portions to feed some to Pristine Milk.
"Here," Pure Vanilla offers him a spoonful of the soup he's been eating, and Pristine Milk takes it with a pleased hum, leaning against Pure Vanilla's side, tail wrapped around his waist.
"'S good." Pristine Milk says after he swallows, reaching for another strawberry, and Pure Vanilla files it away to the list of things Pristine Milk will eat. "What do we gotta do today?"
"Well, I have some paperwork to get done. You're welcome to join me." Pure Vanilla steals one of Pristine Milk's strawberries, "Although it may be rather boring for you."
Pristine Milk just shrugs. "I'd rather be bored with you than without you."
Pure Vanilla's always been interested by Pristine Milk's tail - it gives away so many of his emotions, and the way it always leaves a trail of stardust in his wake… (Well, once it was fire - embers scorching everything, leaving soot on the floor and illuminating the false world in blue. A false sun, a will-o'-the-wisp coaxing those who followed it into the gloom.)
Currently Pristine Milk is sprawled out on a shelf Pure Vanilla had placed above his desk - left empty, as Pristine Milk perches up there and has the habit of knocking whatever Pure Vanilla places up there off.
He does it on purpose, too, the little menace. Pure Vanilla's experimented with it, and he knows Pristine Milk deliberately waits until he's watching to smack whatever is up there off.
Or he smacks it off when Pure Vanilla is working and he wants attention.
This time, however, Pristine Milk is sprawled out and napping, tail draping down to Pure Vanilla's desk. Occasionally it twitches, rustling the papers near it, and Pure Vanilla finds himself occasionally reaching over to pet through the fur.
It's soft, the bones underneath that thin skin delicate, and Pure Vanilla sometimes gently presses against them to feel the shape - Pristine Milk used to tense up when he'd do it, or would entirely rip his tail out of the other's grasp sometimes, yet now he barely reacts beyond a faint twitch of his tail.
Pure Vanilla's always been fascinated by it, regardless. It seems semi-prehensile, Pristine Milk occasionally using it to grab things or pull them closer, but primarily he seems to use it for balance - and unintentionally to express himself.
Pristine Milk's purr reverberates from above him, and Pure Vanilla smiles faintly to himself as he runs his fingers through the fluff of the other's tail, stardust landing on his desk and sparkling like glitter before fading away.
"Nils. I'm bored." Pristine Milk speaks through his purring, voice wavering.
"Hello, Bored. I'm Pure Vanilla." Pure Vanilla replies serenely, holding back a laugh at the groan the other gives.
"I'm never having kids with you." He threatens, but Pure Vanilla just laughs.
"Dear, we already have two kids."
"I'm not giving you a third!" Pristine Milk's tail lashes, sending papers flying off the desk.
Pure Vanilla just laughs, shaking his head. "Alright, alright. What do you wish for me to do about your boredom then, Bluebird?"
"I dunno." Pristine Milk shrugs, smacking Pure Vanilla with his tail. "Not paperwork?"
"Paperwork is rather boring," Pure Vanilla agrees, gathering up what he has left - just a few letters from his friends to respond to, alongside a handful of non-pressing matters. "I suppose I can indulge you."
Pristine Milk perks up at that, eyes bright as he pushes himself off his shelf, floating over Pure Vanilla. "What're we doing, then?"
"Hm, do you want to go wander the markets?" Pure Vanilla offers, and Pristine Milk nods.
He knows the other is probably going to buy like eight more blankets they don't need - he's pretty sure his bed is just storage for Pristine Milk's nesting materials at this point… Yet he'll still buy them.
What else are the perks of being an abdicated king, if not spoiling the one you love?
Pristine Milk hums, floating over to the closet - he has just been lounging around in his pajamas, hasn't he? (Not that Pure Vanilla doesn't appreciate seeing the other in little more than shorts and a t-shirt, but… That's not exactly proper for going out.)
Pure Vanilla just lets the other dig around in the closet for whatever he's looking for, taking the moment to mentally run through who's at the market today - the little bakery Sugar Apple works for may be there… As well as a few of the fabric vendors he's been meaning to take Pristine Milk to.
"C'mon, Nils." Pristine Milk leans against his side, paws on the floor - he's wearing one of his normal robes, hair held back with a simple pale yellow ribbon, one of Pure Vanilla's cloaks across his shoulders.
Pure Vanilla just smiles at him - taking his hand and and reaching for the door handle.
Pristine Milk's tail brushes against his ankle on occasion, and Pure Vanilla knows he's resisting the urge to twine it around his leg - given the number of times Pure Vanilla's almost tripped by accident due to it, he appreciates it.
The markets are warm, and Pristine Milk stays by his side instead of immediately running off - for once.
"Where do you want to go, Bluebird?" Pure Vanilla asks, watching Pristine Milk's ear twitch as he glances around.
"Dunno. But it smells good over there?" He points, and Pure Vanilla laughs - of course the first place Pristine Milk points out is where all the snacks are.
"Alright. Whatever you want, Bluebird." Pure Vanilla smiles at him, and Pristine Milk huffs, hiding his face in his borrowed robe to hide the flush.
Pure Vanilla simply follows the other as he darts back and forth between stalls, buying sweets and snacks - and forcing Pure Vanilla to carry everything.
"He's really got you wrapped around his finger, doesn't he?" Lilac Faerie slips into step with Pure Vanilla as the healer watches Pristine Milk cheerily talk with one of the fabric vendors.
"Perhaps." Pure Vanilla's tone is nothing but fond. "It's not like I put up much of a fight."
"Hm, true, you are both disgustingly sappy." Lilac Faerie sighs, then smiles at Pure Vanilla. "Glad you're happy, though. After all of… that." He gestures vaguely - memories of fire, of a manic voice, of a staff raised before - "Sorry, I don't- I didn't mean to bring up bad memories."
"It's alright." Pure Vanilla shakes himself out of the memories, "It's behind us, now."
Lilac Faerie nods, hands clasped behind his back as he watches Pristine Milk - the Fount's tail wagging as he points out sparkling fabrics. "…I'm glad you two are doing well. I was worried."
"We're fine," Pure Vanilla smiles softly at the other, "I don't think there truly is a way to keep us apart for good."
"Soulmates." Lilac Faerie shakes his head with a faint smile. "I bet he's buying those fabrics to make something for you. That's basically all he does anymore." The Faerie snorts.
"He makes plenty of other things, too!"
"For you." Lilac Faerie raises an eyebrow, "I'm betting your room is nearly overflowing with all the things Pristine Milk makes for you, hm?"
"I, well… yes," Pure Vanilla concedes with a faint flush, "I don't mind, though."
Lilac Faerie hums, "Well, I'm glad he just has someone who cares for him." Pristine Milk races to another stall, hair trailing behind him, the yellow ribbon fluttering in the wind - Pure Vanilla had his own blue ribbon woven into his braid. "He's always… well, you know."
"I do." Pure Vanilla does - Pristine Milk is and always has been a hopeless romantic, in search of someone who'd love him just as much as he loved them. Only to be hurt every time.
"Nils!" Pristine Milk races back, eyes bright, "Oh, hi, Lilac."
"Hello, your majesty." Lilac Faerie laughs as he dips into a bow, "Faring well?"
"Oh, shut up." Pristine Milk sticks his tongue out, "I'm not royalty!"
"You basically are." Lilac Faerie retorts, glancing at Pure Vanilla, "He may have abdicated, but no one acts like it."
"Wouldn't that just make me like, a consort or something?" Pristine Milk tilts his head, "I don't wanna be royalty anyway. Too stuffy."
"You seemed rather content lounging on your throne in the false Spire." Pure Vanilla interjects, "Would you not enjoy being sprawled across the finest of upholstery?"
"I can just do that in your bed." Pristine Milk shrugs, "I don't need some throne or something."
"I'm sure you have done countless unspeakable things in that bed." Lilac Faerie deadpans, rolling his eyes, "I need to go find the gremlin, so I'll see you two later, alright?"
"See you, Lilac Faerie."
"If I see you later I'll shove you in the fountain for that comment." Pristine Milk sulks, but his eyes are still bright. "Meanie."
"You love me regardless!" Lilac Faerie grins, wings fluttering as he departs.
"Unfortunately, he's right." Pristine Milk sighs, shaking his head - but the fondness is evident.
"What's next on the agenda, Bluebird?"
"Home." Pristine Milk replies, and despite the sparkle in his eyes Pure Vanilla can tell the exhaustion is catching up - it seems to be an unfortunate side effect of whatever happened to him after their final confrontation.
"Need me to carry you?" Pure Vanilla offers, and Pristine Milk nods with a yawn, sinking into the shadows to curl up around Pure Vanilla's shoulders. "Well, I meant physically, but that works too."
With a quick stop to collect some pastries from Sugar Apple, the duo are on their way back to the castle. Pure Vanilla ends up collecting another milkshake from the kitchen, as well, before he finally opens the door to his room - Pristine Milk reappearing on the bed, sprawled out amongst far too many blankets and pillows.
"I know, I know, I'll join you in a moment. I need to put things away, Bluebird." Pure Vanilla replies to the long, drawn-out whine Pristine Milk gives when Pure Vanilla doesn't immediately join him in bed.
It's a simple routine, to set everything down - to leave the pastries and milkshake near the bed for Pristine Milk, to put all his fabrics away where he knows the other prefers them, to put all the new little trinkets that made their way into their bags on display, and to toss the new blanket (it was heavy, made with wool, and colored with pretty blues and golds) over the Fount, who gives a happy little chirp at the sensation.
"Come on," Pure Vanilla gently tugs Pristine Milk out of the blankets, "get into something comfier, I know you're just going to be lounging around for the rest of the day. We'll shower after you nap, okay?"
"'Kay." Pristine Milk yawns, letting Pure Vanilla dress him. "Warm…" Pristine Milk sighs, leaning against him.
"I know, I know. Scoot over." Pure Vanilla pets through his hair, and the Fount shifts willingly to settle back out in the nest. It only takes a moment of Pure Vanilla settling before the other is sprawling over his chest, nuzzling under his chin and sighing happily.
"Warm." Pristine Milk hums, tail wrapping around one of Pure Vanilla's legs.
"Happy?" Pure Vanilla asks - despite already knowing the answer - as he tugs some of the blankets up over them. He'd gotten very used to these impromptu afternoon naps - usually he uses Pristine Milk's nap times to catch up on paperwork or reading, but he thinks he'll make an exception today.
Pristine Milk just purrs loudly, nuzzling against him, one hand curled loosely in Pure Vanilla's sleeve, ever-so-slightly curling and uncurling akin to a cat kneading.
Pure Vanilla sighs fondly, nuzzling against his hair and letting his own eyes slip shut. He'll join Pristine Milk in his nap today - the Fount already seems to have dozed off, purring even in sleep.
"Sleep well, Bluebird."