Chapter Text
Whispers fill the tavern, footsteps loud to every ear. The focus on tonight's gossip? Vampire cookie. What did he do? “He slept with Sparkling cookie!” “He slept with mint chaco cookie!” “He slept with herb cookie!” Apparently he slept with everyone! Vampire sighs, he just wants juice, not anyone gossiping about him. Sure the gossip is true, but they don't have to be so loud about it.
“Rough night?” sparkling cookie snaps him out of his thoughts and hands him a glass of juice.
“You could say that, sparks.” vamp grabs the glass and downs the grape juice.
“I can tell,” he pauses. “ We just got a new shipment of white vanilla, wanna taste-test it for me?”
“Why not. How aged is it?” vamp sits up. Sparkling cookie grabs a bottle of white vanilla juice.
“It's one hundred and sixty-seven. Not as old as your usual.” he cracks open the bottle and pours some for vampire. Vamp can feel how cold the juice is by the glass. He smells the vanilla extract in the juice. Vampire takes a sip, savoring the flavor on his tongue.
“It's sweet.” vamp puts the glass down and sparks hums. The conversation goes quiet and sparks looks at the over patrons. “Can't believe I got wrapped up in the rumors.”
“Sorry you and herb got wrapped up in the gossip as well. That ones not even true.” vamp laments.“I don't know about Herb but if I didn't want it and its consequences then I would have said no.”
“I guess, but what about mint?” “I think he's just mad about the bites.”Vamp hums at sparks words, finding comfort in them. He lays his head down, accidentally falling asleep.
“Sir? Are you ok?” vamp gets woken up by a concerned patron. “Sorry I thought you died, you were very still.” the patron chuckles nervously.
“No, it's fine, I get told that often.” vamp sits up straight, looking at the patrons light blond frosting. After a moment of silence the patron speaks up, “so do you come here often?”
Vamp pauses. “Tell me your name and buy me a drink before the pickup lines, pretty boy.” he blushes, slightly flirting.
“Oh! I didn't mean it like that, I thought that you might know what they have better than me,” he laughs. “And my name is Pure Vanilla.”
“Vampire, but most just call me vamp.” vamp leans on the bar. “alright vamp, what do you recommend here?” Pure Vanilla’s smile was contagious; vamp started smiling too. “I only come here to drink and talk to my friends.”
“Well what do you recommend? I'm open to anything as long as it's not too strong.” pure vanilla sits down looking at vampire.
“My regular is red vanilla, but it's strong. They just got a new shipment of white vanilla, it's not as strong and it's younger. Oh here,” vampire grams the forgotten glass of white vanilla. “This is mine from earlier, you can have it. I don't really like white juice.”
“Oh, thank you. I'll be sure to at least have a sip.” pure vanilla chuckles, bringing the glass to his soft lips… vampire blinks realising he's been staring. Motioning sparks to bring him his red vanilla juice. They peacefully drink together silently
“So, what brings you to this part of town? I don't think I've seen you here before.”.
Pure Vanilla swirls the glass in his hands, thinking before taking a sip. His expression shifts—first surprised, then pleased. “This is quite nice,” he comments, placing the glass down gently. “As for what brings me here… I suppose I was just looking for a change of pace.”
Vampire Cookie tilts his head, watching him curiously. “A change of pace? You don’t seem like the type to wander into a place like this.”
Pure Vanilla chuckles softly. “You’re right. I usually don’t. But sometimes, even the familiar can become suffocating.” He looks down, tracing the rim of the glass with his finger. “I needed to step away for a moment.”
Vampire hums, taking a sip of his red vanilla juice. “I get that. Sometimes, you just need to escape.”
They sit in silence, a gentle hum of conversations and clinking glasses filling the space around them. Vampire finds himself stealing glances at the cookie beside him. There’s something… different about him. Something warm.
“So, do you actually come here often?” Pure Vanilla asks, mirroring his earlier words with a teasing smile.
Vampire chuckles. “Yeah, guess you could say this is my home.” He swirls his glass, eyes half-lidded. “Not exactly the best place for someone like you, though.”
Pure Vanilla laughs softly. “Perhaps, But I don’t mind.” He looks around, taking in the lively atmosphere. “It’s nice in a way, Nobody acts like something that they’re not.”
Vampire raises a brow. “That’s certainly a way of looking at a tavern full of drunks.”
Pure Vanilla smiles knowingly. “Maybe, but I find the sincerity refreshing.”
Vampire takes another sip of his drink, mulling over pure vanilla’s words. It’s rare to meet someone who sees things that way. Most cookies just come here to forget, to drown themselves in the haze of sweet juice and fleeting company. But Pure Vanilla seems like he’s actually here for something.
“So, why are you here?” Vampire asks, resting his chin on his hand. “You don’t look like a runaway, you look anxious.”
Pure Vanilla hesitates, looking down at his glass. “I suppose… I’ve been feeling lost lately. Like carrying too much, and I don’t know how to set it down.” He offers a small smile. “Sorry, that’s probably oversharing.”
Vampire shrugs. “Not really. People come here to overshare all the time. You’re just doing it without the juice.”
Pure Vanilla laughs, the sound light and genuine. “Fair enough.”
Vampire watches him for a moment and sighs. “Well, since you’re looking to take a break from whatever it is, you picked the right place. Just be careful: This place has a way of making you stay longer than you want.”
Pure Vanilla gives him a thoughtful look. “And what about you? Have you stayed longer than you wanted?”
Vampire pauses, swirling his drink before taking a long sip. “Too much,” he admits, voice quieter. “But I’m okay with that.”
They sit there in complete silence, the noise of the tavern quieting as if they were the only ones there. For the first time in a while, Vamp finds himself enjoying the company of someone new, not a fleeting moment or a distraction, only the pleasure of sharing a drink with someone.
He sighs, enjoying the companionship. He hasn't felt this since he first got into bed with Sparkling, But this time is different, He likes it.
Pure Vanilla watches him with a soft expression on his face. “You look like you’re thinking about something.”
Vamp huffs a quiet laugh. “Maybe I am.” He meets Pure Vanilla’s gaze, holding it for a moment longer than he ment. “Maybe I’m just enjoying the moment.”
Pure Vanilla’s smile deepens, and he lifts his glass slightly. “Then let’s enjoy it together.”
They clink their glasses, sipping in sync as the warmth between them grows. The background chatter of the tavern fades into the distance as they relax.
“I have to admit,” Pure Vanilla murmurs, swirling the juice in his glass. “I never thought I would find comfort in a place like this.”
“Maybe it’s not the place,” Vampire suggests. “Maybe it’s the company.”
Pure Vanilla blushes faintly, ducking his head. “probably.”
The minutes stretch into hours as they talk about trivial things and ones that matter. They laugh, they share silences that feel comforting rather than awkward. The air between them grows softer, more familiar, until the weight on their shoulders feels just a little lighter.
At some point, Pure Vanilla leans against the bar, his eyelids drooping. “I think I may have overstayed.”
Vampire smirks, finishing off his drink. “Told you this place has a way of making you stay longer than you want.”
Pure Vanilla chuckles sleepily. “Ya.”
Vampire hesitates, then nudges Pure Vanilla gently. “Come on, Let’s get you somewhere comfortable before you pass out.”
Pure Vanilla blinks at him, a soft smile on his lips. “You’re kinder than you let on, Vamps.”
Vampire huffs, standing up. “Don’t spread it around. I have a reputation to maintain, you know.”
Pure Vanilla just laughs, and Vampire finds himself smiling. they step away from the bar and into the quiet night, Vamp wonders if maybe he doesn’t mind being seen this way, only for tonight.
They walk down the dimly lit street, the night air cold against their frosting. Pure Vanilla stifles a yawn, rubbing his eyes. “Do you know somewhere I can stay?”
Vamp looks up at a nearby inn. “Yeah. I know a place.”
A few minutes later, they step into the cozy hotel lobby. The clerk barely looks up as Vampire hands over some coins. “One room,” he mutters.
Pure Vanilla tilts his head. “Just one?”
Vampire smirks, leading him up the stairs. “Cheaper that way, unless you want your own?”
Pure Vanilla hesitates then shakes his head. “No, one is fine.”
The room was small but comfortable. Pure Vanilla sits on the edge of the bed, sighing in exhaustion. Vampire leans against the doorframe, watching him. “You sure you’re ok with this?”
Pure Vanilla looks up, his soft smile returning. “I trust you, Vamps.”
Vampire blinks, caught off guard he chuckles. “You really are something else, you know?”
Pure Vanilla hums in response, already sinking into the pillows. Vampire looks over at him for a moment longer, kicking off his shoes, and lying beside him staring at the ceiling then back at him.
For the first time in a long while, he doesn’t feel restless. he feels tired, he doesn't need as much sleep as other cookies, but yet he is tired.
for tonight, that’s enough.