[What an awful time. It makes Sparkling feel strangely guilty, for not being there to help...though he isn't sure what he could have done. If Pure Vanilla's healing magic wasn't enough to quell it, then his own wouldn't have even touched it, weaker in comparison as it is.]
Mm...I'll do all that I can for him. If you need me, I'll be staying for a while.
[He means it, PV. If you need a break, let Sparkling take vigil for a shift.
From there, though, he'll step carefully and quietly further inside to where Clotted Cream is resting, though he can't help but feel a lingering sense of dread over the state he might find him in.]
[ Thankfully, the state that Clotted Cream is in isn't all that bad. He's on strict bed rest, but honestly he probably wouldn't be able to walk around all that well anyway. The best thing is that there are no visible wounds. The bite is hidden beneath blankets.
The most notable thing is... honestly, how disheveled he looks. His hair is always neat and tidy, but today it's ruffled as though he went swimming and let the salt dry in it, or he was sweating aggressively and the sweat stuck his hair in different directions. One of the two is true.
Luckily for Sparkling, he currently has his eyes closed! Resting is not the name for it, nor is sleeping, as his breath sounds the tiniest bit labored, but he is at least breathing and alive. Even if his expression briefly pinches a tiny bit. ]
[Ah...oh, Clotted Cream. He certainly does not look well, even if he is alive, thank the gods.
He approaches the Mer's beside carefully, wringing his hands as he goes. He's careful not to make too much noise as he finds a seat nearby, pulling his chair up until he's sitting reasonably close.]
Oh, Clotted Cream...I'm so sorry this happened to you. And that, I...
[ The faint noises are just enough to make his ear fins twitch, his breath coming in a little deeper. Though he's been flitting in and out of consciousness, Clotted Cream can at least subconsciously recognize when someone is nearby.
It's when Sparkling begins to speak that he truly rises to the surface, letting his eyes flutter open and adjust to the blur of being freshly awake. The hallucinations still linger, albeit not nearly as strong as they had been, but between that and the blurriness in his vision, his mind tells him that the fuzzy, golden, vaguely human-like shape next to the bed is-- ]
Pure... Pure Vanilla Cookie...?
[ ... but no. Mm. The voice isn't the same. His brow furrows, and he lets out a huff of breath, trying to push past the lingering effects of the venom. He knows that voice. ]
[Oh, what a relief it is to see Clotted Cream stir and actually wake. Sparkling would have stayed regardless of course, even if he just remained trapped in a hallucinatory slumber. Fortunately that isn't the case, even though he's still clearly struggling...]
It's me. I'm here.
[He pulls his chair just a little closer, and without thinking he reaches out to find one of Clotted Cream's hands. There's no hesitation there, he just does it. He thinks he, too, would want the grounding contact if he were stuck in a similar hell of his mind's own making.]
I heard what happened from Gnosis, and I came by as quickly as I could. Pure Vanilla told me you were resting in here.
[ Oh. It is Sparkling. Sparkling came to see him. Clotted Cream huffs out an incredibly weak laugh, just two beats of breathy sound, and very, very gently squeezes Sparkling's hand. ]
Thank you... for coming to see me. I'll be-- I'll be fine, now that you're here.
[ Occasional waves of sharp pain make his voice staggered, despite how hard he's trying to appear as though nothing is wrong. Briefly, for a moment, he attempts to sit further upright against the pillows, but this only makes him wince sharply as pain rolls through his muscles, making his breath catch in his throat. Okay. None of that, then. ]
I must offer my apologies... I am un-- unable to greet you properly.
No...you're lucky you can greet me at all, actually.
[And he would have (gently) coaxed him to lay back down, had he not done so himself. There's no need to push himself for his sake, no matter how he's feeling.]
I. ...I have to apologize. Perhaps, if I had been closer, or...something, I could have helped you. All of you.
[ Those words come out completely unstaggered by pain - possibly because they're all exhaled in one breath, and he's doing his best not to try to shift anymore. Other than shaking his head, at any rate, which is a slow and sluggish movement. Sparkling's hand gets a firmer squeeze. ]
It happened so fast. I heard... s-someone scream, White Lily Cookie, I think. But before I could get there...
[ He pulls in a breath. His mouth feels so dry. ]
Could you-- [ A soft hitch. ] Hand me my water, please?
[Logically, Sparkling knows that if he had been there, he probably would have likely gotten hurt too. Maybe. He's not sure exactly how it went down, other than quickly...
He perks up the moment Clotted Cream asks after his water though, prompting him to quickly lean over and pick it up from the table.]
I have it here.
[He very gingerly places the glass into his free hand, though he's not above helping him if he's weak enough to need it. It's a delicate line he's toeing, not wanting to be patronizing, but also wanting to help him at the same time.]
If you need more, please let me know. I don't plan on going anywhere.
[ Sparkling doesn't plan on going anywhere. He's going to stay here... Clotted Cream laughs softly, letting his eyes close just for a moment. He doesn't have the energy to feel properly flustered over that. Sparkling is clearly concerned about him, and it only makes sense.
His hand gladly accepts the glass of water, and he lifts it up, pressing it to his lips. ]
Thank you.
[ A drink of water comes first, before anything else. The pull he takes from the glass is long, draining half of it in just a handful of seconds. Being a Mer, he's found that he relies on water more often than others seem to... Something about not being in the water, he suspects. When he's in it, he doesn't have such a strong desire to drink it.
Once he's taken a good, long drink, he coughs lightly to clear his throat, then moves to hand the glass back. Even that movement aches a bit, but he is trying hard not to express it. ]
I... have something for you. Inside my-- my drawer, here.
[ His fingers vaguely gesture to the nightstand next to his bed. ]
Please, take it. It came too late for me. But perhaps it will keep you safe.
[Clotted Cream can take all the time he needs. Sparkling is patient, waiting for him to drink as much as he will before taking the glass back and setting it nearby in easy reach for when he needs more. Perhaps he'll ask Pure Vanilla for a pitcher, before long.
He's half expecting for Clotted Cream to go silent from there, honestly. Maybe go back to sleep, which he wouldn't blame him for in the slightest after all he's been through. But then...]
For me?
[It's truly the most unexpected thing he could have said, but he will move to open it regardless, reaching in to pull out its contents...]
[ He would go back to sleep, but it would be fitful at best, and not at all restful. That's been his state for more or less the majority of the last couple of days, and he has Sparkling here, besides. He wants to be awake for this.
Clotted Cream watches as Sparkling opens the drawer. Inside the drawer is a small shell on a chain, opalescent and shimmering in the light as it's moved. He makes an attempt to shift himself more upright this time, and despite a couple of hitches in his breath, he actually succeeds. It helps that he's able to pull a pillow behind his back for support. Sitting up, it's easier to see that he, too, wears a similar shell around his own neck. ]
It's a charm. I asked the Serpent for it. Enough of them to protect everyone in this house, and you.
[ Which says something. Something he won't say out loud, not yet. That's for another gift. He smiles, very slight and soft, and lifts his fingers to his own shell. At least his voice seems to be getting stronger the more he talks. ]
The Serpent says that it should protect us from what the false sun tries to throw at us.
[Sparkling holds the shell delicately in his claws, turning it over to watch the way the light dances off its surface. It's not hard to see the significance, not to mention magic, contained in the shell. And when Clotted Cream informs him that it's not just for everyone in the house, but him too? He's left at a loss for words.
He knows he hasn't done the best job of socializing with the other cookies. It's been a bit difficult, comparatively, to pull himself from his work at Luca's bar, especially with the others all functioning as a unit since before his arrival. Least of all with each of them being either Ancient or of some high social standing...it leaves him feeling a bit like a fish out of water, to say the least.
So, to say he's touched by the gesture would be an understatement as he holds the shell close.]
I...I don't know what to say. This is so kind of you...genuinely.
[ Clotted Cream's smile is weak, but fond nonetheless. He shakes his head, letting his eyes slip closed. ]
Please... think nothing of it. I wanted you to be safe.
[ He's too exhausted to truly feel flustered saying so. Sparkling is so very important to him, much like the others are. It's an arguably different reason, however, and he's well aware of it. Mm... Maybe now is the time, when he's too weak and tired to feel conflicted. ]
Though, I do have another gift for you. It's in a box on my dresser, if you'll retrieve it...?
Another? Clotted Cream, you realize you are going to be spoiling me at this rate, don't you?
[It's all said in jest of course as he lets the necklace fall naturally around his neck, deciding then and there that that is where it will stay. It won't leave him, not unless it's coming off of his corpse.
Well. His ACTUAL corpse.
Nevertheless, he'll make his way over to the dresser to retrieve said box, tilting his head a bit as he brings it back.]
Bear in mind, I planned this gift-- nnh-- --long before the protection charm came about.
[ The soft, pained hitch is due to him pulling himself more upright in bed. He's tired of laying down, and this gift requires he be at least a bit more presentable, aching muscles and bones be damned. ]
It isn't jewelry... though, it could certainly be, if you like.
[ There's no further explanation given, but it's only because none is needed. Once Sparkling opens the small box, he'll see a small, champagne-colored pearl. It isn't perfect, containing a couple of ripples in its surface, but if not for those, it would be. Clotted Cream watches on silently, fingers subtly worrying the edge of the blanket, and before Sparkling can say anything in response-- ]
It... felt important to give this to you. When I saw it, I knew that it was meant for you. Meant for me to give to you.
[ He takes a deep breath, mustering his energy, willing his muscles to hold off on aching just for a few moments. They can ache all they like later. ]
Sparkling, I-- I very nearly lost my life. But it made me realize that... if I had crumbled, I would have done so without speaking the words that I've been holding back. We return from death here, but not without consequence. I couldn't bear the thought that I might have returned not remembering those words - not remembering you.
We have not known each other for long, and yet I feel an indescribable pull toward you. As though we knew each other in another place, another time that neither of us can recall.
[ He pauses, just for a second, with a soft huff of breath as a stand-in for a laugh. ]
I realize that it sounds strange, perhaps even a bit silly... but it is the truth. And I would like to live without regrets. Therefore...
[ So far, so good. Another steadying breath. ]
Sparkling Cookie, would you allow me the honor of courting you?
[Sparkling is...speechless, even moreso than he was a moment prior, as Clotted Cream explains himself. Though he knows he can't fluster when his body isn't alive, he still feels like he must be, like his face is somehow growing hot despite lacking the ability to do so any longer. This isn't just a token of friendship or appreciation, oh no. It's something far more than that.
It's also a confirmation. Of something he's spent a long time wondering himself.]
You know, I...I had begun to wonder if I was just imagining things. You know? This...odd feeling, like we've known each other for a long time. I don't...remember it, and yet...
[He holds the pearl close, as if doing so will affix it to his neck just like the shell had been.]
...my unbeating heart recalls a life that I cannot.
[He looks up, gazing at Clotted Cream through blonde-white lashes.]
I would like nothing more, Clotted Cream. I daresay I would be quite happy to call you my boyfriend, as a matter of fact.
[ It's like the surface tension of a bubble suddenly breaking, hearing those words. Clotted Cream laughs, a soft staccato of breaths, and his expression lifts with the sound. Sparkling feels the same way... Feels the exact same way, apparently, right down to feeling as though they've known each other somewhere, sometime.
His ear fins flare, and his cheeks slowly grow a flushed and ruddy pink, offsetting the gold and white of his scales there. ]
Then I, too, would be quite happy to return the favor.
[ He's riding on an adrenaline high, he knows it. That's why his heart is thumping in his chest, why he's filled with an energy he hasn't felt in days. He feels like he could leap up from the bed right now, if he wanted to. It's not a good idea, of course, but he feels like he could.
And... what now? Now that feelings have been expressed and have been returned in kind, what next? His laugh turns the slightest bit shy now, and he lifts his hand, briefly flexing his fingers before... holding it out. ]
It is not the best of places to confess, I admit... But I am glad that I have done so all the same. I can live without regrets.
[This time, Sparkling has no reason to hesitate. He reaches his clawed hand gently out to take Clotted Cream's in his own, very gentle so as to not accidentally clip the thin membranes between his fingers. His only regret, perhaps, being that it's not as easy to intertwine them. This will do for the time being, though.
He doesn't even realize it, but his tail is wagging. Just, ever so slightly.]
Where is the best place to confess? At sunset by the beach, perhaps?
[Sparkling laughs right along with him, though it's a lot more fond than it is shy. He's just...so incredibly fond of Clotted Cream that he's not sure what to do with himself, either.]
I would like to stay here a while, if you don't mind the company.
[ Holding hands like this is just fine. It doesn't matter to Clotted Cream whether or not they can intertwine their fingers. He grasps Sparkling's hand all the same, brushing his thumb over his knuckles along with a gentle squeeze. ]
Oh, I can think of thousands of places. If I'd had the opportunity to plan this out, that certainly was one of the options that I liked the best.
[ Alas... Maybe they could go for a trip to the beach again someday. But for now, this is enough. ]
You're welcome to stay as long as you like. Truly, I would appreciate the company.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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Mm...I'll do all that I can for him. If you need me, I'll be staying for a while.
[He means it, PV. If you need a break, let Sparkling take vigil for a shift.
From there, though, he'll step carefully and quietly further inside to where Clotted Cream is resting, though he can't help but feel a lingering sense of dread over the state he might find him in.]
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The most notable thing is... honestly, how disheveled he looks. His hair is always neat and tidy, but today it's ruffled as though he went swimming and let the salt dry in it, or he was sweating aggressively and the sweat stuck his hair in different directions. One of the two is true.
Luckily for Sparkling, he currently has his eyes closed! Resting is not the name for it, nor is sleeping, as his breath sounds the tiniest bit labored, but he is at least breathing and alive. Even if his expression briefly pinches a tiny bit. ]
THIS DIDNT SEND AAA EATS MY INTERNET
He approaches the Mer's beside carefully, wringing his hands as he goes. He's careful not to make too much noise as he finds a seat nearby, pulling his chair up until he's sitting reasonably close.]
Oh, Clotted Cream...I'm so sorry this happened to you. And that, I...
YOUR INTERNET IS HOMOPHOBIC
It's when Sparkling begins to speak that he truly rises to the surface, letting his eyes flutter open and adjust to the blur of being freshly awake. The hallucinations still linger, albeit not nearly as strong as they had been, but between that and the blurriness in his vision, his mind tells him that the fuzzy, golden, vaguely human-like shape next to the bed is-- ]
Pure... Pure Vanilla Cookie...?
[ ... but no. Mm. The voice isn't the same. His brow furrows, and he lets out a huff of breath, trying to push past the lingering effects of the venom. He knows that voice. ]
Sparkling...?
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It's me. I'm here.
[He pulls his chair just a little closer, and without thinking he reaches out to find one of Clotted Cream's hands. There's no hesitation there, he just does it. He thinks he, too, would want the grounding contact if he were stuck in a similar hell of his mind's own making.]
I heard what happened from Gnosis, and I came by as quickly as I could. Pure Vanilla told me you were resting in here.
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Thank you... for coming to see me. I'll be-- I'll be fine, now that you're here.
[ Occasional waves of sharp pain make his voice staggered, despite how hard he's trying to appear as though nothing is wrong. Briefly, for a moment, he attempts to sit further upright against the pillows, but this only makes him wince sharply as pain rolls through his muscles, making his breath catch in his throat. Okay. None of that, then. ]
I must offer my apologies... I am un-- unable to greet you properly.
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[And he would have (gently) coaxed him to lay back down, had he not done so himself. There's no need to push himself for his sake, no matter how he's feeling.]
I. ...I have to apologize. Perhaps, if I had been closer, or...something, I could have helped you. All of you.
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[ Those words come out completely unstaggered by pain - possibly because they're all exhaled in one breath, and he's doing his best not to try to shift anymore. Other than shaking his head, at any rate, which is a slow and sluggish movement. Sparkling's hand gets a firmer squeeze. ]
It happened so fast. I heard... s-someone scream, White Lily Cookie, I think. But before I could get there...
[ He pulls in a breath. His mouth feels so dry. ]
Could you-- [ A soft hitch. ] Hand me my water, please?
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He perks up the moment Clotted Cream asks after his water though, prompting him to quickly lean over and pick it up from the table.]
I have it here.
[He very gingerly places the glass into his free hand, though he's not above helping him if he's weak enough to need it. It's a delicate line he's toeing, not wanting to be patronizing, but also wanting to help him at the same time.]
If you need more, please let me know. I don't plan on going anywhere.
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His hand gladly accepts the glass of water, and he lifts it up, pressing it to his lips. ]
Thank you.
[ A drink of water comes first, before anything else. The pull he takes from the glass is long, draining half of it in just a handful of seconds. Being a Mer, he's found that he relies on water more often than others seem to... Something about not being in the water, he suspects. When he's in it, he doesn't have such a strong desire to drink it.
Once he's taken a good, long drink, he coughs lightly to clear his throat, then moves to hand the glass back. Even that movement aches a bit, but he is trying hard not to express it. ]
I... have something for you. Inside my-- my drawer, here.
[ His fingers vaguely gesture to the nightstand next to his bed. ]
Please, take it. It came too late for me. But perhaps it will keep you safe.
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He's half expecting for Clotted Cream to go silent from there, honestly. Maybe go back to sleep, which he wouldn't blame him for in the slightest after all he's been through. But then...]
For me?
[It's truly the most unexpected thing he could have said, but he will move to open it regardless, reaching in to pull out its contents...]
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Clotted Cream watches as Sparkling opens the drawer. Inside the drawer is a small shell on a chain, opalescent and shimmering in the light as it's moved. He makes an attempt to shift himself more upright this time, and despite a couple of hitches in his breath, he actually succeeds. It helps that he's able to pull a pillow behind his back for support. Sitting up, it's easier to see that he, too, wears a similar shell around his own neck. ]
It's a charm. I asked the Serpent for it. Enough of them to protect everyone in this house, and you.
[ Which says something. Something he won't say out loud, not yet. That's for another gift. He smiles, very slight and soft, and lifts his fingers to his own shell. At least his voice seems to be getting stronger the more he talks. ]
The Serpent says that it should protect us from what the false sun tries to throw at us.
no subject
He knows he hasn't done the best job of socializing with the other cookies. It's been a bit difficult, comparatively, to pull himself from his work at Luca's bar, especially with the others all functioning as a unit since before his arrival. Least of all with each of them being either Ancient or of some high social standing...it leaves him feeling a bit like a fish out of water, to say the least.
So, to say he's touched by the gesture would be an understatement as he holds the shell close.]
I...I don't know what to say. This is so kind of you...genuinely.
no subject
Please... think nothing of it. I wanted you to be safe.
[ He's too exhausted to truly feel flustered saying so. Sparkling is so very important to him, much like the others are. It's an arguably different reason, however, and he's well aware of it. Mm... Maybe now is the time, when he's too weak and tired to feel conflicted. ]
Though, I do have another gift for you. It's in a box on my dresser, if you'll retrieve it...?
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[It's all said in jest of course as he lets the necklace fall naturally around his neck, deciding then and there that that is where it will stay. It won't leave him, not unless it's coming off of his corpse.
Well. His ACTUAL corpse.
Nevertheless, he'll make his way over to the dresser to retrieve said box, tilting his head a bit as he brings it back.]
Don't tell me it's more jewelry.
no subject
Bear in mind, I planned this gift-- nnh-- --long before the protection charm came about.
[ The soft, pained hitch is due to him pulling himself more upright in bed. He's tired of laying down, and this gift requires he be at least a bit more presentable, aching muscles and bones be damned. ]
It isn't jewelry... though, it could certainly be, if you like.
[ There's no further explanation given, but it's only because none is needed. Once Sparkling opens the small box, he'll see a small, champagne-colored pearl. It isn't perfect, containing a couple of ripples in its surface, but if not for those, it would be. Clotted Cream watches on silently, fingers subtly worrying the edge of the blanket, and before Sparkling can say anything in response-- ]
It... felt important to give this to you. When I saw it, I knew that it was meant for you. Meant for me to give to you.
[ He takes a deep breath, mustering his energy, willing his muscles to hold off on aching just for a few moments. They can ache all they like later. ]
Sparkling, I-- I very nearly lost my life. But it made me realize that... if I had crumbled, I would have done so without speaking the words that I've been holding back. We return from death here, but not without consequence. I couldn't bear the thought that I might have returned not remembering those words - not remembering you.
We have not known each other for long, and yet I feel an indescribable pull toward you. As though we knew each other in another place, another time that neither of us can recall.
[ He pauses, just for a second, with a soft huff of breath as a stand-in for a laugh. ]
I realize that it sounds strange, perhaps even a bit silly... but it is the truth. And I would like to live without regrets. Therefore...
[ So far, so good. Another steadying breath. ]
Sparkling Cookie, would you allow me the honor of courting you?
no subject
It's also a confirmation. Of something he's spent a long time wondering himself.]
You know, I...I had begun to wonder if I was just imagining things. You know? This...odd feeling, like we've known each other for a long time. I don't...remember it, and yet...
[He holds the pearl close, as if doing so will affix it to his neck just like the shell had been.]
...my unbeating heart recalls a life that I cannot.
[He looks up, gazing at Clotted Cream through blonde-white lashes.]
I would like nothing more, Clotted Cream. I daresay I would be quite happy to call you my boyfriend, as a matter of fact.
no subject
His ear fins flare, and his cheeks slowly grow a flushed and ruddy pink, offsetting the gold and white of his scales there. ]
Then I, too, would be quite happy to return the favor.
[ He's riding on an adrenaline high, he knows it. That's why his heart is thumping in his chest, why he's filled with an energy he hasn't felt in days. He feels like he could leap up from the bed right now, if he wanted to. It's not a good idea, of course, but he feels like he could.
And... what now? Now that feelings have been expressed and have been returned in kind, what next? His laugh turns the slightest bit shy now, and he lifts his hand, briefly flexing his fingers before... holding it out. ]
It is not the best of places to confess, I admit... But I am glad that I have done so all the same. I can live without regrets.
no subject
He doesn't even realize it, but his tail is wagging. Just, ever so slightly.]
Where is the best place to confess? At sunset by the beach, perhaps?
[Sparkling laughs right along with him, though it's a lot more fond than it is shy. He's just...so incredibly fond of Clotted Cream that he's not sure what to do with himself, either.]
I would like to stay here a while, if you don't mind the company.
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Oh, I can think of thousands of places. If I'd had the opportunity to plan this out, that certainly was one of the options that I liked the best.
[ Alas... Maybe they could go for a trip to the beach again someday. But for now, this is enough. ]
You're welcome to stay as long as you like. Truly, I would appreciate the company.
no subject
[Sparkling is dramatic and corny enough to want to "renew their vows" even though they've been dating for all of two minutes.]
But in that case...is there anything I can get you while I'm here? Some more water, perhaps?