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The gentle morning light spread through the room, barely contained by the curtains that swayed slightly with an escaping breeze. It was calm, chill, and unhurried.
Neither had any pressing matters to worry about, nor did they have any duties to attend to; they had a free day for the both of them.
Shadow Milk had been awake long before the ancient, who was technically oversleeping due to yesterday's errands.
The way his chest slowly rose and fell, how his long hair draped over his body perfectly even in sleep, the beast felt no desire to leave the bed or disrupt the serenity he'd finally been able to truly feel.
A hand tenderly carded through Pure Vanilla's hair, the strands themselves seeming to engulf his fingers impeccably.
He shifted himself closer, taking a deep breath of his scent. Sweet and warm, and notes that reminded him slightly of chocolate; almost nice enough to take a bite and taste.
Nothing else had ever felt so ideal, even the moment itself felt like it was out of a dream, a dream he never wanted to wake up from.
When he had accepted the ancient's offer, he would've never guessed it'd turn into this, a lovely version of what he had originally planned for them both.
His hand travelled from the other's hair to the side of his face, his thumb caressing the curve of his cheek. He placed a kiss on his forehead, his lips lingering longer than they usually did.
To this, however, was no response, barely a stir.
Shadow Milk laid still for a moment before kissing him again on his cheek. And then his nose, his forehead again, and then his lips.
On the fourth kiss was when Pure Vanilla's eyes fluttered, consciousness appearing slowly. His eyelids parted, catching a glimpse of the cookie before him while he readjusted his head on the pillow. "Mm... good morning, my bluebird..."
The way his words hit him was different this time, but Shadow Milk still kept up his signature tone. "Morning, 'Nilla."
His hand went back to his hair, twirling small strands around his finger. "You sleep pretty hard; it took so many kisses to wake you up."
Pure Vanilla's expression was one of confusion before he chuckled, a small smirk on his face. "What are you doing kissing me so much?... Thought that was my thing."
Shadow Milk rolled onto his back, sliding arms under his head and staring up towards the ceiling. "An actor always has to try out new methods," his gaze snapped back to the ancient, smiling widely. "How else can one improve?~"
"So you kissing me was just acting?..." Pure Vanilla held a hand to his chest, playing along with the beast's words. "That's quite wounding, my dear."
Shadow Milk rolled his eyes, rolling back on his side and placing a finger over his mouth. "That's not what I was trying to imply, you silly cookie." His voice tilted on playful condescension. "Of course you wouldn't get it, though, you're still way too tired."
Pure Vanilla grabbed the beast's hand, moving it out of the way. "If actors are always trying out new things... isn't there something else new you could be doing?"
"I can't read minds, 'Nilly. That's one thing I cannot do out of the many things I can do."
The air around them settled for a moment, almost in anticipation of what the ancient was about to say. His words came out slowly, carefully. "You know, a simple three words I've been using for many weeks, despite your refusal to reciprocate."
Shadow Milk propped himself up on his elbow, pushing himself back with just enough space to have him wave a dismissive hand. "'Nilly! Don't be a forceful director now, actors never work well in demanding environments~"
Pure Vanilla shrugged. "It's always up to you, my dearest." He held out a finger, tone comparable to a lecturing teacher. "However, don't go pushing an idea if you're not going to stand behind it."
The beast laid back down on his back. "Aw, you're so boring." Before the ancient could respond, a form that took up half of the bed now took up only an eighth, a violet cloud of smoke appearing around him as he shapeshifted into a cat.
It crawled closer to Pure Vanilla, who remained on his side and his head still resting against his pillow, rubbing its head into his chest. The ancient sighed before he started to pet it, quiet purrs still felt because of their vibrations.
He went to scratch under its chin, an action that was happily received before the cat sank its fangs into one of his fingers, its bite quick but still painful.
"Ow!" Pure Vanilla retracted his hand, clutching it close to his torso. "What was that about?"
The familiar smoke circled the cat, the beast returning to his original form. He nuzzled close, their faces barely inches away. "You smelled so nice, I was just wondering what you taste like, is all."
His hand travelled back up to the ancient's face, pulling them both together for a quick kiss. He smiled, his tone honey-sweet. "I love you and your chocolatey taste."
Pure Vanilla's eyes widened. "Ah..."
He returned the warmth, his eyes glossy as he smiled with unbridled joy. "I love you, my bluebird."