rest under the stars

[purevanillacookie]

Who: Peepaw + You cause lbr he's inviting everyone
What: Sleepover! In an outside blanket fort!
When: Time is wobbly
Where: Outside Peepaw's Place
Warnings: It's gonna be cute and loving

[ Life's been rough, come hang out at Pure Vanilla's in a blanket fort, which is what the little jot in the journal says. The quest was for loved ones, but Pure Vanilla loves all of them? So, blanket offering.

Literally. ]

Please come visit tonight and spend a moment of rest and relaxation with me, my dears! This month has been rough, and I feel we can all use it.

[ Those who show up will find one side of his Cookie Cottage absolutely turned into the largest blanket fort he can make it. Most of it is made up of wool blankets, but when he ran out of those, he's stolen extra blankets from the Inn, as well as stripped his house of them. Pillows and furs line the ground, and small shards of light that seem almost ethereal litter around the area. Some float in the air like small gleaming prisms, some are attached to the ceiling of the blankets like their own stars, while others sparkle gentle amongst the furs. Touching one for any length of time will make it fade into the person who touched it, and give them a sense of warmth and peace.

And there's food. Lots of it. Drinks too, carefully marked that they will aid you into sleep. Peepaw spent the entire day busy. And a bunch of various things to do to unwind with. Books to read, marshmallows to roast over carefully shielded fire pits (there's little magic circles around them to keep the fires magically going and safe), a record player with various records he borrowed. If you really want to fall asleep, he even had his things to make yarn dragged out, just be sure not to fall asleep mid-spin. And a little telescope or two set up from the School.

It really does look like a school camping trip...

There's also a larger shield around it all, near invisible in the moon and starlight, but it shimmers occasionally. People gathering in one spot is always a prime target, and he's not going to let his loved ones be hurt.

Vanilla will greet every one with a wide, happy smile and a hug. Get loved. ]

Thank you for coming!

Comments

Telescope

[winterfrosting]

[ not wanting to fight with other Ancients? Probably assuming by now the joyless block of beans was asleep? Surprise, no.

Or well, he was. But Cacao has always slept light.

Even so, when he approaches most of that murderous aura from their introduction is gone. Truthless was restored, and Cacao now knows taking the Jam would have been pointless.

Not that the energy now is friendly, of course. But the terse:]

Shadow Milk Cookie.

[ is closer to a greeting than not]

[jesterlies]

[He is addressed by the very ancient he has been trying to avoid. The one who really would cleave him in two if he looked wrong, and so when he is addressed he does not jump, but he does become tense. The hair shifts, the movements become more purposeful. The shadows around them react in kind, becoming still, waiting. The eyes in his hair turn to look at him whole Shadow Milk continues working like nothing has changed.]

[The air is not hostile, but it is cautious and guarded. Waiting.]

Dark Cacao Cookie, what a pleasant surpriiiiise. Come to check up on me? I assure you I’ve been on my very best behavior.

[He jots something down, looks back at the telescope. The eyes blink expectantly.]

[winterfrosting]

Hm... yes, I suppose I am. You should not be surprised, considering.

[he stares down the eyes staring at him, uncowed]

But I have been meaning to speak to you outside the current circumstances as well.

[jesterlies]

Hm.

[Outside the circumstances? Well, well, well.]

[Color him curious. The shadows recede back juuust a touch and Shadow Milk finally looks away from his telescope to look at him properly. He gleans first for any Deceit in his words. When he finds nothing-]

Very well! What can this humble jester do for you? Ask carefully, I am a Deceitful creature after all.

[winterfrosting]

That I know- I expect anything you tell me to be half tale at best. Regardless...

[He ponders, eyes closed. How to word his thoughts and concerns in a way Shadow Milk might actually answer? Perhaps he should just be as blunt as always]

What is the nature of your relationship with Pure Vanilla Cookie?

[ MAYBE NOT THAT BLUNT, GEEZUS]

[jesterlies]

[The question gets a bark of laughter out of him, somewhat surprised but oh, so very amused. It's not the question he was expecting, honestly, considering. After all, asking him something beyond current circumstances could mean a lot of things with context to what's happening on Earthbread.]

[But here we are.]

[He tilts his head to the side, leaning forward.]

My you really don't beat around the bush, do you? Has he not explained it to you yet? Or perhaps you want to see if our stories match up?

It's really very simple. He and I have joined our very souls together. There is no he withou I, and there is no I, without he.

[winterfrosting]

He has explained to a degree.

[But yes, he wants to compare. There is no doubt in Vanilla's honesty... but also he knows Vanilla is just one perspective. And there is no topic he finds more important then his family.

There is a bit of jealousy, as well. Not at Vanilla having others his heart is tied to- if it was going to be that he would have more reason to feel that towards Lily rather than Milk. But a longing for such a connection. A curiosity that nothing even close to that feeling was there with him and Flour.

Of course, what Vanilla told him he went through and what Cacao himself went through... were both similar and extremely different]

So you can not hurt him without hurting yourself, now.

[jesterlies]

[Of course, Shadow Milk has his own thoughts on that. What a shot that apathy and resolution are simply too stubborn to come together. He adores Misty, but he knows what she’s like.]

[Of course, her downfall had been particularly cruel, and he thinks she’s more than allowed to disintegrate her enemies as she sees fit. He would never stand in her way, even now.]

And you cannot hurt me without hurting him. A nice and tidy way to ensure no one steps out of line. Truly, it’s fortunate you didn’t succeed in taking my head when we first met. Not even I knew how tied together we still were. That could have ended pretty terribly.

[He had some idea, but his goading Lily had been an attempt to find out. Back then he was so willing to destroy himself he did not care.]

Fear not. I’ve no ill intentions towards what belongs to him.

[winterfrosting]

[They are Volition, after all. Stubbornness and a strong sense of self just comes with it.]

Oh, I will fear plenty. But I trust Vanilla to know what he is doing.

[jesterlies]

[And oh, so dreadfully boring. Truly, they were made for each other.]

Then, there is little else to be worried about, right? Unless there is something else you’d like to ask?

[winterfrosting]

Hm.

[There is a flicker of curiosity there for a moment. There is much he could learn about the other Beasts and Dark Enchantress' plans if Shadow Milk was willing to talk.

But it doesn't last long]

No. Nothing else.