Chapter Text
- To escape the room, a kiss is required -
Shadow Milk stared in disbelief at the pure white door, from which hung a small, oblong sign.
"What is this terrible joke? It could not be a bigger cliché."
His voice held a mixture of disappointment and disbelief.
The line itself was absurd enough. A bad cliché - one he himself would never have thought of.
And that was despite the fact that he did not even consider clichés to be a bad thing!
Sometimes, that is exactly what the audience craves.
But when he considered who he was standing with on this poorly written stage, his stomach clenched, and he felt on the verge of retching up his last meal.
"That is... An unusual lock for a door..."
Spoke a gentle, warm voice.
Pure Vanilla's mismatched eyes were fixed first on the sign, before he turned his gaze to the door itself.
Never in his life had he encountered anything like thi. He did not even know exactly how he had ended up trapped in this room.
"Unusual? More like pathetic!"
The blond looked over at Shadow Milk.
At first, Pure Vanilla thought it was his fault - that this might simply be a new trick or stage of his, designed to seize his Soul Jam once again.
Naturally, he would never simply hand it over. Not as long as he know from the blue-haired man what plans he is pursuing.
Nor would he show any weakness to not fall into the other's hands. So that the man would not think he stood a chance.
However, deeper feelings stirred within Pure Vanilla.
Feelings that caused the mere thought of solving the room's puzzle to drive a suspicious, faint blush to his cheeks.
Therefore, he also had the thought that his counterpart might have realized this, and had locked him in this room for that very reason.
To toy with him, and to mock him.
Yet, it took less than a minute for Pure Vanilla to realize that the other man was strongly displeased to be there.
Especially with him.
"Tch, what a stubborn wall. Someone certainly went to the trouble of doing their assignment."
Shadow Milk placed one hand over his chest, while his other - holding his staff - was raised dramatically and euphorically into the air.
"Otherwise, no one would ever be able to repel my glorious powers! That, I must truly admit!"
Having spoken in a light, playful tone just moments before, his eyes now turned cold as he glared at the wall.
"And yet, how disrespectful to think that this would stop me."
Pure Vanilla watched as the other prepared to unleash one of his magical abilities. But the very moment Shadow Milk attempted to manifest it, the magic began to dissipate - fading away imperceptibly.
As if a gust of wind had simply blown it away.
Once again, an annoyed click of the tongue followed, echoing through the stark, white room.
"Perhaps we should simply focus on the task, rather than expending our energy."
Shadow Milk immediately abandoned his attempt to perform magic again and turned toward the blond man.
He said nothing, yet his mismatched blue eyes clearly showed just how much that statement displeased him.
Piercing and cold, they seemed to bore right through Pure Vanilla.
An unsettling sensation - a shiver - ran down Pure Vanilla's spine.
Yet, he did not flinch.
"We may have our differences. However, that would be preferable to simply remaining in a room like this."
The blond man gripped his staff with both hands. He attempted to conjure a glow, but even this was swept away, as if caught by the wind.
"You must surely sense it as well. Our magic is - miraculously - being suppressed." he continued.
Despite the words, grounded in fact, Shadow Milk remained unconvinced.
"Pah! You can go ahead and try playing by those idiotic rules."
His body floated upward, allowing him to look down upon his counterpart.
"But I have my own. No rules in this world could ever dictate to me how I ought to do things!"
A sigh escaped Pure Vanilla.
He had already suspected that the other would prove uncooperative. Especially considering the rules that applied in this room.
Yet, the blond saw no other way out.
Their magic was suppressed. The room itself was adorned in pure white.
Not even a chair or anything of the sort stood nearby.
Beside this, Pure Vanilla found no mechanisms that might open the door.
"Feel free to go rot in the corner while I carve a path out of here.~"
With these playful words, Shadow Milk turned away from Pure Vanilla and once again aimed his staff at both the wall and the door.
Pure Vanilla watched this for a brief moment before sitting down on the floor and leaning back against the wall.
His eyes observed the spectacle.
A spectacle that was, in truth, rather unspectacular.
Spell after spell seemed to fail. Signs of frustration were already beginning to appear on the other's face.
But Pure Vanilla remained silent, just as Shadow Milk said nothing.
Instead, the other remained focused on the door, attempting to force it open using various tricks, incantations, and elemental abilities.
And Pure Vanilla had to admit that it was interesting.
Never before had he been able to observe the other's abilities in such detail. Usually, they were directed straight at him, forcing him to react immediately rather than allowing him to analyze them properly.
Even though all his spells dissipated shortly after being cast.
Still, he continued to watch with interest, letting the other have his way.
He study the abilities, as well as the other's handsome face - which, by now, appeared increasingly frustrated.
His eyes lingered on that face. Then, they flickered briefly down to the other's lips.
"...it would be easier to just try out the rules..."
Soft, longing words, spoken only to oneself.
Shadow Milk did not hear them, for he was too preoccupied with his own struggles.
Eventually, after attempting to cast nearly all his spells, exhaustion showed on his face.
"This- hah-, stupid door!" he began to pant, gripping his staff with both hands.
"I have to- admit, haah- this isn't a bad- prop."
Pure Vanilla began to feel pity, feeling the urge to restore the others' powers.
However, those powers were suppressed, which is why it was not possible anyway.
"My dearest Silly Vanilly~"
Shadow Milk's body lowered, hovering now just barely above the ground.
"Do you intend to make me do everything all by myself? How rude!"
He turned to face Pure Vanilla.
"And here you are, posing as a saint who wishes nothing but good for his friends and the world."
A sigh escaped his lips - disappointed and theatrical.
To the blond, it was abundantly clear that the other's words held little sincerity.
"I believe you mentioned that you wanted to handle this alone, which is why I intended to let you take the lead."
Pure Vanilla offered a gentle, friendly smile.
"But if you require assistance, I am, of course, ready to lend a hand and offer my support."
"I said no such thing!" Shadow Milk snapped at him.
Yet, his playful smirk quickly returned to his face.
"I do not need your help. Buuut how unfair would it be if I did all the work, only for you to reap the benefits in the end?"
The blue-haired figure aimed his staff at Pure Vanilla.
"This is an unfamiliar stage. So show a little more motivation to play along, instead of hiding in the corner~"
"But how, when our magical powers are not working? By now, surely you must-"
Pure Vanilla's words were cut short by a long, exaggerated sigh.
"What a hero. Leaving everything to the beast while he sits in the corner, weeping and hoping for salvation to arrive."
He shook his head in mock disappointment. Yet, immediately afterward, the corners of his mouth grew into an even wider grin.
"It seems you are lacking motivation. So, how about a little game?"
His mismatched blue eyes study the blond figure, who is still leaning against the wall.
Truth be told, he had no desire to speak with the other man, nor to interact with him in any way.
Had his powers not been so foolishly suppressed, he would have long since reclaimed his other half of his Soul Jam.
After all, this place was perfect. It held only the two of them, with no uninvited actors or mere unimportant side roles to disturb them.
"A game?" Pure Vanilla asked.
Shadow Milk's grin widened.
"Precisely! A game in which the two of us face off against one another."
A game in which the other, regardless of whether he won or lost, was destined to be the loser.
"What kind of game, exactly?" Curiosity plagued the blond, mixed with a dose of skepticism.
Uncertain of what the other man was plotting this time, he could only assume that whatever it was, it would be entirely to the other's advantage.
It was Shadow Milk he was speaking to, after all. Selfish and arrogant, the man cared for no one but himself.
Though, that was hardly his worst quality and Pure Vanilla was certain that he had his reasons for being that way.
For that very reason, he felt no shame regarding his feelings.
The belief that the other man could change for the better clung to him - steadfast and unwavering.
"As a little motivational boost, let's both go head-to-head to see who can get this door open first."
A smirk graced his face. One that had not lost its playful nature, yet now held a hint of danger as well.
"However, doing this without a reward would be boring. That is why we will put our Soul Jams on the line!~"
Spoken initially in an euphoric tone, the corners of his mouth then lowered slightly.
"In your case, of course, it would be your half." His tone sounded almost dismissive.
"However - as the original wielder of the Soul Jam - I cannot simply hand mine over like that. That would be far too irresponsible!"
He placed one hand over his heart and theatrically raised his other hand into the air once more.
"For that reason, the only thing I can regrettably offer you, is to spare you for the... next month, and to refrain from coveting my other Soul Jam half.~"
Pure Vanilla listened calmly.
He had already anticipated that something like this was coming. Naturally, that included the unfair wager - one that would cost him far more than it would the blue-haired figure before him.
Still, it was not a bad idea. Turning it into a game was a clever way to obtain something the other would never otherwise agree to.
However, he felt the terms of the wager were simply too unfair.
"I agree to the game. However, I would like to change the wager slightly."
"Tch. And what do you propose?" Shadow Milk replied with disinterest, making no attempt to hide just how annoyed he was by Pure Vanilla's objection.
"Should you succeed in getting the door open, I will give you my Soul Jam," he began.
He paused briefly to gather his thoughts before his gentle voice rang out once more.
"But should the door open through my efforts, I would like us to sit down together and have a proper conversation." A warm, gentle smile played upon his lips.
"And for a whole day, at that - in perfect tranquility, over a nice cup of tea."
Shadow Milk's features twisted almost immediately, revealing just how deeply this suggestion displeased him.
Pure Vanilla thought he detected, almost, an expression of disgust.
"You and your repulsive offers of friendship." he replied instantly.
"So, you will not accept?" Pure Vanilla asked.
A small, playful smile now graced his face, without losing any of its gentleness.
"I understand if you are afraid that I might open the door before you do and thereby win."
"Tch! Do not spout such ridiculous nonsense when you have not lifted a single finger yourself!"
Shadow Milk shot back immediately, a spark of anger flickering in his eyes.
"All you have to do is prove that you can do it before I do. If you manage that, I will even give you my Soul Jam."
The blond's smile grew warmer.
"You have my word on it. I set everything I hold dear upon this promise."
"Hah! How foolish! As if your words meant anything to me!"
The anger that had been visible just moments before vanished, and his expression shifted back to his typical playful demeanor.
"But go right ahead. I am curious to see just how you - you half-baked crumb - intend to pull this off.~" His voice dripped with condescension and arrogance.
He simply did not believe the other could possibly open the door. Not when even he himself had failed to do so.
The other was capable of nothing but healing and casting shields.
He was good for nothing else.
"So, is the wager officially set, then?" Pure Vanilla asked again, just to be sure.
"That is correct.~"
Pure Vanilla nodded tentatively before using his staff as a support to rise from the ground.
The blue-haired one was curious to see how the other intended to go about this, now that he finally possessed the necessary motivation.
Under normal circumstances, he never would have proposed such a thing. Of course, it would also be interesting and entertaining to observe how the other reacted should he fail to make good on his words.
To see that naive expression on his face turn to regret, as he began to regret the fact that he had ever trusted his words.
Truly fascinating!
And so, Shadow Milk watched with curiosity as the other moved toward him.
Slowly, and with an uncertainty that was clearly visible in his mismatched eyes.
Shadow Milk could not quite grasp why he wore that specific expression. But he assumed it must be due to his own incompetence.
After all, what could he do other than stand in the background and spout a few sugary-sweet, nauseating platitudes?
Sweet words - words Shadow Milk had no desire to hear. Just as he had no desire for that hand which had once reached out toward him.
And now, just as before, the blue-haired one watched as his lighter counterpart reached a hand out toward him once again.
Confused by the gesture, he was just about to give voice to his thoughts when, all at once, the other's face was right there - mere inches from his own.
A face with eyes closed, and lips that settled gently against his own.
Shadow Milk froze.
With wide eyes, he stared at the gentle face before him, feeling only a faint, distant pressure upon his lips.
Seconds seemed to stretch into an eternity - though in reality it was merely a fleeting moment - before Pure Vanilla finally pulled away.
For a brief instant, silence hung between them. The blond looked at the other with uncertainty, his cheeks flushed a faint pink.
But the other offered no reaction. He remained utterly frozen in his stupor.
Then, Pure Vanilla looked past him.
Just as he had suspected, the solution to the riddle really was exactly what was written on the sign.
"You-" came the delayed response from the blue-haired figure.
Pure Vanilla immediately put on a smile.
"It seems as if I have won."
He walked past Shadow Milk, heading toward the exit.
"YOU-"
Shadow Milk spun around to face the blond.
"YOU VILE-"
Pure Vanilla paused at the door and looked back at his counterpart.
"Please let me know whenever you would like to stop by for a quiet chat. I shall be expecting you with a cup of vanilla tea."
With one last friendly and warm smile, the blond walked away.
As he made his way down the empty white corridor, he could hear the other's agitated voice, hurling every manner of complaint against him into the air.
Pure Vanilla chuckled softly to himself.
Then he placed a hand over his heart to listen.
Beating in a fast, irregular rhythm, it pounded against his chest, causing his cheeks to glow once again with a rosy flush.
He closed his eyes, and with that, the sensation of that intimate moment returned. He took a deep, steadying breath, before he opened his eyes again.
Their next meeting might prove to be a litlle awkward. Pure Vanilla wasn't even sure if he would be able to look Shadow Milk in the eye at all.