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Chapter Text

"Congratulations!"

Shadow milk... He was doing his routined performances again, which were built on deception and lies. There was a round of applause from the so-called 'audience' he made of puppets and pure delusion. There was a large grin on his face as he made a low bow to the 'audience' 

There was a rustle.

Or maybe there was an audience, a live one that actually reacted...?

The beast turned around sharply, giving the leaves a cold yet playful look. The smile widened in a smug manner. He came a little closer..

"Ohh... Isn't that White Lily Cookie herself!!"

After a small moment, she pulled herself out of the shadow, though still separating them with the bundles of bushes beneath her feet. White Lily held her staff close to her chest, tight in her grasp as she stared at the Beast of Deceit - she didn't even blink as he crumbled his fake crowd.

"It is, Shadow Milk."

She stepped over the foilage, the dead and dark ground seeping with lies purifying and blooming lilies beneath her feet. As Shadow Milk caught her before, it seemed as if she were watching him, hiding in the shadows she claimed to despise. 

The blue cookie watched as lilies sprouted one after the another around her, a small flicker of surprise crossing his face, his smirk fading slightly.

"Well, well, well... What an unexpected surprise, Lily. It seems I caught you!"

He chuckled, trying to regain his composure, his voice still retaining its playful mocking tone.

"Have you chose a different path from your oh so noble Ancient guardian duties? Switching to stalking and trying to sneak up on me?"

White Lily sighed ever so slightly as she moved closer, the trail of flowers and sugar butterflies following close behind. 

"Incorrect. I came to seek you out, perhaps you could accompany me in My Garden, perhaps we could... Discuss some things"

Shadow Milk couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at White Lily's words, curiosity and suspicion mixing together. He placed his hand on his hip and looked her up and down, his gaze lingering over her.

"Discuss, you say? In Your Garden?... How intriguing."

He couldn't quite tell if this was a genuine invitation or a clever trap, but the prospect of an interesting conversation was too tempting for him to refuse.

"Very well, I shall join you. But I hope this isn't another one of your heroic speeches, they make me gag in second-hand embarrassment."

White Lily shook her head, speaking up as she turned. It was a surprise to see that, she was usually not as foolish to turn her back on the beast and yet... He didn't seem to feel the urge to attack

"I have no reason to waste my breath on words you will not listen to"

Even if he could just attack and seize this opportunity and finally get rid of the cookie that trapped him in that damn tree, he held back, something about her calm demeanor catching his attention. He chuckled softly again, intrigued by her statement.

"Oh, you know me so well, Lily."

He floated closer, his coattails flowing in the wind as he studied her.

"You're right, I probably wouldn't listen anyway. But I'm still curious, why invite me to this little party at all?"

White Lily walked calmly, not looking back to even check if he was following - he could stop and turn away at any time and yet... He didn't...?

"Maybe I just wanted to speak another one of my speeches again? Perhaps I simply wanted tea with you? Maybe I wanted to see if you liked the small area I had prepared for you? We won't know until we get there, will we?"

Tch, she was copying him - only he spoke in riddles, and even he couldn't figure this one. It messed him up. Her words puzzled him, and he couldn't help but smirk as she imitated his own manner of speaking.

"You're full of surprises today, White Lily. Inviting me for tea, preparing an area for me, and even speaking in riddles? You're almost acting like me."

He chuckled, his arrogance evident in his tone.

"But I must admit, curiosity has piqued my interest. Let's see what this little tea party of yours has in store."

White Lily nodded, her staff held in a sort of lazy way - Shadow Milk had never seen the other Ancients and guardians act like this, she was... Different... In a way the he loved

"You amuse me, so perhaps it's time that I put aside my resentment for you, my dear"

The way she called him 'my dear' made something flip in him, the flowers he swore to step on and remove from his domain sprouting and growing without a single disturbance. He found himself both intrigued and a bit taken aback by White Lily's words. He had always been used to hostility and coldness from her, but this change in her demeanor caught him off guard. 

He couldn't help but let out a scoff, a mixture of disbelief and amusement in his tone.

"My dear, huh? You've certainly warmed up to me all of a sudden..."

White Lily hummed, glancing back briefly before looking ahead once more, the bush gates of Her Garden slowly sliding into view

"Do you not like 'my dear'? Shall I call you something else, love?"

Shadow Milk's eyebrows raised in surprise, his smirk widening at her words. He wasn't used to such pet names, especially from White Lily.

"Well, well, my my. 'Love'?"

He chuckled, trying to maintain his usual composure despite the unfamiliar fluttery feeling in his chest.

"You're starting to sound quite affectionate, Lily. Careful, I might think you actually like me."

White Lily rolled her eyes, slowing ever so slightly to walk beside the floating jester. 

"I call everyone love - Silverbell, Mercurial Knight, Pure Vanilla - anyone. Though, if I use the same for you, it wouldn't be as special would it? Especially for such an extravagant cookie such as you"

She let out a small chuckle, but Shadow Milk's eyes narrowed at the mention of his Ancient counterpart, a hint of irritation crossing his face. He couldn't help but scoff at White Lily's words.

"Oh, please. Don't lump me in with that vanilla-scented pathetic cookie. I have no desire to be compared to that weakling."

He crossed his arms in a somewhat petulantly manner, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"And you call everyone 'love', do you? How very... inclusive of you."

White Lily hummed, glancing around to make sure no other cookies were around before casting a quick spell on the bushes that surrounded the garden, a soft glow emitting both her staff and the leaves as it opened up The Garden. 

"Ah right, I seemed to have forgotten your distain for Pure- well, him. And must I remind you that I am quite literally the embodiment of freedom? Such as you are with deceit, I wouldn't want to exclude any other cookie - leaving them in solitude"

Shadow Milk watched as White Lily cast her spell, the garden opening up to reveal a lush, flower-filled paradise. He let out a small scoff, his irritation with White Lily seemingly lessened by the beauty of the surroundings.

"Oh, spare me the preaching, White Lily. Freedom, love for all, blah blah blah. Your friendliness is insufferable."

He walked ahead, wandering among the flowers, his hand brushing over the blossoms as he spoke.

"I prefer to keep my circle small. Quality over quantity, you know."

White Lily nodded, leading Shadow Milk into the garden before returning the bushes to their original state. It was beautiful, flowers sprouting everywhere in a chaotic yet organised state and the large pond that held a multitude of blue and green fish with the lotuses atop the water bloomed fully. 

"Well, I fully believe that instead of 'you and me' it's 'we'"

Shadow Milk followed White Lily into the garden, his eyes taking in the beautiful scenery around him. He couldn't deny, the garden was breathtaking, even in its wild chaos.

As they approached the pond, he gave her a side-glance, raising an eyebrow at her choice of words.

"We, you say? How... poetic."

He crossed his arms, a hint of mockery in his tone.

"I assume you didn't bring me here just to admire the flora and fauna, did you?"

White Lily nodded, removing her shoes as she passed a small table, and subtly nodded towards it - silently asking for him to do the same

"Of course not, as much as a liar you are - I don't lie that often. So, it's just a small walk from here"

The jester hesitated for a moment, but eventually, he found himself complying with White Lily's silent request. Reluctantly, he removed his shoes and placed them neatly beside the table. He gave her a skeptical look, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"A small walk, you say? And just what, exactly, are we walking towards on this little stroll of ours?"

White Lily led him on the rocky path and Shadow Milk, instead of walking, floated beside her.

"I would tell you, but it's a small surprise for you"

Shadow Milk couldn't help but roll his eyes at her enigmatic response.

"A surprise? For me?"

He let out a soft scoff, feigning a disinterested tone despite his curiosity piqued by her words.

"Oh, I'm just thrilled to find out what you have in store for me, dearest."

She chuckled softly, shrugging ever so slightly

"Well you seem awful impatient for a jester who has prepared a number of surprises, many that take quite the long trip, dear"

Shadow Milk couldn't help but feel a pang of annoyance at White Lily's comment. She had a point, and he hated when that happened.

"Oh, impatient, am I? Forgive me for being eager to know what you have up your sleeve."

He huffed, crossing his arms and trying to appear nonchalant. Deep down, he was actually quite curious, but he'd never admit it.

"Just hurry up and reveal this little surprise of yours already. The suspense is killing me, really."

White Lily rolled her eyes. 

"Your so dramatic, dear"

Though, she waved it off with a small smile and brought him up a veil made of vines - though they were knotted together in such a way to resemble his own theatre curtains. 

Surpressing a giddy grin that Shadow Milk could easily catch, White Lily motioned towards it

"Would you do the honours, Shadow?"

He couldn't help but scoff at White Lily's comment about his dramatic tendencies. Shadow Milk couldn't deny his flair for theatrics, but he wouldn't let her know how pleased he was by the comparison to his own theatre curtains.

As they approached the makeshift curtain, he gave her a sly smirk. He knew she was trying to suppress a grin.

"Oh, it would be my pleasure, my dearest." 

He said in an overly dramatic manner, before quickly flinging the vines aside, eager to see what lay beyond.

Chapter Text

It opened up to a small area, decorated with Milkcrowns, adorned with bushes that whispered lies and the same dark flowers that grew in his own Domain of Deceit. In the middle was a pavilion, grown with blue vines and filled with card games and covered at the front with his own theatrical curtain. It was... Perfect! Made just to his likings, morphed in ways that he could slither around and seeping with shadows and open for whatever rumours he decided to create on a whim. 

As Shadow Milk looked around, White Lily spoke up, a small hint of uncertainty layered in her tone

"My dear... Do you like it...? It's specially made by me, no other cookie knows of it's existence"

Shadow Milk's eyes widened in genuine surprise as he took in the sight before him. This secret area, designed just for him, with elements that mirrored his own domain - it was as if White Lily had peered into his mind and brought his deepest desires to life.

For a moment, he was at a loss for words, his sarcastic and mocking tone abandoned. He simply stood there, his white and cyan eyes scanning the pavilion with a mixture of awe and disbelief.

"I don't like it..." 

Shadow Milk turned, catching White Lily's face drop for a single second before he finished his comment.

"I love it"

Her frown flipped and she smiled warmly at Shadow Milk

"I'm glad you like it, Shadow"

She stepped closer to him and touched a petal of a Milkcrown, admiring her own handiwork. 

"If you'd listen, I can teach you exactly how to enter and exit the garden at a simple flick of your wrist - think of it like one of your favourite tricks or spells" 

Shadow Milk smiled genuinely at her. No sarcasm, no mockery - just a genuine smile.

"You're quite the clever one, aren't you, my dear?"

He followed her lead, stepping closer to examine the flower she was touching and he listened intently as she spoke. 

"A flick of the wrist, you say? Sounds simple enough. Teach away, dearest."

White Lily nodded, pulling him to the side a tad bit to face a blank bush wall

"One you face a blank slate, place your hand slightly on one of the leaves - but be careful to not go too far, or you might remove your own dough in the process". 

He chuckled softly, amused by her warning. Shadow Milk appreciated her consideration, even if it was in a lighthearted manner.

"Very well, my dear. Let's hope my hand doesn't end up as part of the garden decor."

He placed his hand carefully on the leaves, being mindful not to press too hard.

"Like this? Am I doing it right?"

White Lily hummed, watching him intently. 

"Thats right, dear"

She held up her staff, exaggerating it so he could clearly see it

"Next, you think to yourself what you want to do - do you want to open it, close it, make the leaves denser? Anything, dear"

Shadow Milk listened closely to her instructions, his eyes following the movements of her staff intently. He nodded in understanding.

"Alright, anything I want... got it."

He closed his eyes, focusing on the task at hand. He imagined the leaves becoming denser, closing the area off from prying eyes. He felt a familiar tingling of magic in his fingertips, a subtle energy coursing through his hand.

"Now what? Should something happen?"

White Lily looked at him with a small hint of amusement, nodding her head to the bush

"Well, dear, you'd find out if you open your eyes and look at your work"

Looking to where he cast the spell, the bush had grown - though it seemed he needed to limit himself a tad bit more as his hand too was engulfed in the bush

"Do you need help getting it out?"

His eyes widened as he realized what had happened. Though, he couldn't help but let out a small chuckle at his own foolishness.

"Well... this is a predicament."

He tugged at his hand, trying to free himself from the dense bush, but to no avail. He looked at White Lily with a sheepish smirk.

"A little help would be appreciated, dearest."

White Lily nodded, walking closer and brushing her finger over the leaf closest to Shadow Milk's wrist. She unwrapped his hand and pulled a slight worried expression before gently pulling it out

"Oh deary, you foolish jester - it seemed your thoughts grew thorns in the bush, you've been pricked a number of times, Shadow"

Shadow Milk winced slightly as White Lily pulled his hand free. He examined his wrist, seeing the numerous small cuts and scratches left behind by the thorns. He couldn't help but scoff at himself

"You're right, my dearest. My thoughts got a bit too... prickly, I suppose."

He attempted to sound unaffected, trying to downplay the pain, but there was a hint of discomfort in his voice.

White Lily, staring intently at his expression, poked his hand ever so slightly just to test his reaction. It was small, just a miniscule twitch that he easily covered up - for most cookies, of course White Lily noticed it immediately

She sighed

"Shadow Milk Cookie, despite being a cookie of deceit you seem to have some trouble lying to me - I know your hurt"

Her gaze was unwavering, her voice stern and stubborn. His eyes widened briefly at her sudden shift in demeanor. 

Shadow Milk was used to putting up a facade, hiding behind his sarcasm and deceit to conceal any vulnerabilities, but White Lily's observant and unyielding gaze made it difficult for him to maintain his usual composure. He wanted to brush it off, to act nonchalant and play it cool, but that stern tone in her voice had him feeling uncharacteristically... compliant.

He let out a soft sigh, his gaze dropping to the ground. He mumbled almost sheepishly.

"Fine, fine. I'll admit it... it hurts a little."

White Lily sighed, kneeling down unexpectedly and hooking an arm beneath his legs and back - sweeping him off his feet in a swift movement

"I know it hurts alot, especially if you actually admit to it. Thats enough for me to handle you like this"

She adjusted him in her grip, holding him in a bridal style

"You are awfully light dear, have you been alright these past few years?"

He tried to protest, to maintain some semblance of his dignity, but found himself strangely... comfortable. He felt oddly secure in her arms, and the sudden concern in her voice caught him off guard.

He was used to being seen as strong, powerful, and untouchable. He was a beast, after all. But here he was, being carried like some damn damsel in distress. It made him feel weirdly vulnerable... and perhaps a bit cared for.

He didn't answer the question this time. 

White Lily, despite getting no reply, simply let his stay quiet about it and set him down in the pavilion. In the bottom drawer of a bookshelf, she pulled out a small bag - a first aid kit

"I put this in here, just in case"

She unboxed the bandages and wipes before sliding the bag back into the drawer. She sat beside him and lifted up his hand, cleaning it thoroughly

"It might sting a little, dear"

Shadow Milk sat there, feeling a mix of embarrassment and confusion as White Lily tended to his hand. He was used to taking care of himself, even if it meant dealing with pain, but her gentle touch and caring demeanor made it hard for him to protest.

He winced slightly as she cleaned the cuts, the antiseptic stinging against the open wounds.

"I... I could have done this myself, you know."

He muttered stubbornly, his tone still retaining a hint of defiance.

She chuckled briefly, patting his hand gently

"I like to pamper other cookies, I suppose it's something that comes up whenever they get hurt"

White Lily skillfully wrapped his hand, the bandages forming a snug but comfortable fit. He found himself almost soothed as the melodic sound of her humming came to his ears, the whispering bushes echoing her voice like an accompanying choir. He couldn't deny the fact that he found it... pleasant.

He let out a huff, trying to sound dismissive.

"Hmph, pampering me, huh? I'm a beast, not your pet cakehound you can coddle and pamper whenever you feel like it."

White Lily looked up at him, a small glint of knowing in her eyes

"A beast you say? Then why are you calling me your dear, letting me pamper you and be oh so close with? You are letting your beastly act drop ever so slightly, I don't mind"

She spoke in that same tone he used when he was teasing her - now she flipped it around! He was supposed to be messing with her head, not her making him rethink what he did! 

He felt strangely exposed, like his carefully constructed persona was being peeled away by her words. He was a beast, dammit - the beast of deceit! He was supposed to be the one in control, the one doing the teasing and manipulating. But here he was, being called out by none other than the peaceful, kind White Lily.

He opened his mouth to protest, then closed it again. He hated to admit it, but she had a point. Dammit, why did she have to be so perceptive?

White Lily was quiet for a moment, patiently waiting for his answer before he came to the conclusion that he simply couldn't.

"You don't have to reply to that one, you know that I already have your answer, don't you?"

Shadow Milk grumbled in frustration. He hated it when she was right. Which was, unfortunately, almost all the time. It reminded him of a certain Vanilla cookie that was a darn pest to him and yet, she didn't annoy him even in the slightest 

He let out a small huff, mumbling under his breath.

"Yeah, yeah, I get it. You know everything, you can see right through me, and so on and so forth."

He crossed his arms, trying to maintain his air of nonchalance despite feeling exposed.

White Lily huffed slightly, reaching a hand up slowly to pat his head

"You overestimate me, dear, those truths are for him. I'm sure you know who I'm talking about"

Shadow Milk froze for a brief moment, the unexpected touch making him feel strangely flustered. He quickly regained his composure, trying to appear nonchalant again.

"Of course I do, dearest.”

He replied sarcastically, his voice a tinge higher pitched - whether it was from the touch or not, he wasn't sure himself. He mentally cursed himself for responding like some kind of touch-starved maniac.

White Lily was silent for a few moments, running her hand through his hair as a sort of drippy substance came off of it

"Uhm, dear, when have you last washed your hair? Well actually, when have last had a bath? You stink..."

Shadow-Milk was taken aback by her question. He hadn't expected her to comment on his personal hygiene - or lack thereof. He instinctively tried to brush it off with sarcasm.

"Well, excuse me for not smelling like a basket of lilies all the time. I've been busy plotting and scheming and, you know, deceitful stuff. A nice bubble bath isn't exactly on the top of my priority list."

White Lily gave him a blank stare, pulling him closer as she dug through his mess of long hair

"And yet you have enough time to slick it back with this sort of goo?? What even is this? Lies so thick even Pure Vanilla can't dig through them?"

Shadow Milk tensed up slightly as she pulled him closer, her slender fingers digging through his unruly mane. He tried to keep up his usual facade, shrugging with a roll of his eyes.

"This 'goo', as you call it, is called styling gel. And it's necessary to keep my hair looking as fabulous and flawless as it always does."

He tried to sound dismissive, but there was a slight hint of defensiveness in his voice.

White Lily hummed with a slight gruff tone 

"'as it always does' - looking like a hat that you can easily pull off? I thought you had short hair at first, the style is horrendous"

Shadow Milk bristled at her comment, feeling a mix of annoyance and a hint of insecurity.

"Horrendous, really? I'll have you know this hairstyle is signature! Iconic! Iconic, I tell you!" 

He protested, his ego wounded by her assessment of his carefully crafted appearance.

White Lily sighed, kneeling down next to him as she tried to untangle and drag the goo out.

"Your wining like a child now, are you afraid of baths or something? Some of the little cookies I had to wrangle into baths acted like this"

Shadow Milk's cheeks flushed slightly, feeling embarrassed by her comparison.

"Afraid of baths? Don't be ridiculous. I'm a grown cookie, a beast for Witches sake! I'm not afraid of a little water."

He muttered stubbornly, refusing to admit that his aversion to bathing was, in fact, a childish fear - he hadn't grown out of it from when he was virtue.

White Lily hummed, glancing up at him

"You aren't actually afraid of baths are you?"

Shadow Milk huffed, avoiding eye contact and looking down at the ground defiantly.

"Please, that would be... ridiculous. A fearsome beast like me, afraid of a little water? Absurd."

He tried to sound convincing, but there was a hint of nervousness in his voice that betrayed his words.

Shaking the goo off her hands, she spoke up as she ran a hand through her own hair

"I suppose I too have been needing a wash, perhaps we should have a bath together? I'm sure the pond in my area will be able to fit us both"

Shadow Milk's eyes widened at her proposition, his heart rate quickening slightly.

"Together? As in... sharing the same water? With... you?"

He sounded taken aback, flustered even. The mere thought of being so... exposed and vulnerable was making his heart quiver. He quickly tried to compose himself, clearing his throat.

"Well, I mean, it wouldn't be the worst idea, I suppose... but why do you suddenly want us to bathe together? Couldn't we just, you know, wash separately?"

White Lily nodded, standing up and searching through the drawers for the towels

"We could, but as I saw how anxious you were I rethought it - since the pond is quite deep"

Chapter Text

Shadow Milk felt a bit flustered at her perceptiveness, annoyed yet secretly grateful for her thoughtfulness. He tried to maintain his composure as he stood up, his voice betraying a hint of annoyance.

"I wasn't anxious. I was just... caught off guard, is all."

He scoffed, crossing his arms defensively.

"But I suppose sharing a bath with you wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. Just, don't stare, got it?"

White Lily rolled her eyes, standing up and leading him out of his area and into hers, guiding him to the pond

"I won't, i promise, dear"

She sat on the edge, her feet in the water as she undid her braid

Shadow Milk followed her lead, trying to feign nonchalance as he stood next to the pond. He glanced at her, watching as she undid her braid, and tried to ignore the unknown feeling in his stomach.

He couldn't believe he was actually agreeing to take a bath with her. It was such an intimate, vulnerable thing to do, and yet here he was, about to strip down with a cookie he had a... complicated relationship with.

She glanced back, just to speak up in a tone that wasn't as confident as before

"Well, uhm, turn around for a second. I'll tell you when I get in"

She held one hand onto her dress, her crown already discarded on the side with her ties and the two flowers that bloomed and adorned her hair

Shadow Milk felt his cheeks heat up slightly at the request, but he did as he was told. He turned around, facing away from her and trying to compose himself. He could hear the sound of fabric rustling and shifting behind him. 

"Alright, I'm not looking. You can... you can tell me when you're ready."

He muttered, trying to keep his voice steady.

He heard a small splash of water and then heard White Lily's voice, returning to when it was soft as always

"You can turn around, I'll do the same so you can get in too"

Shadow Milk took a deep breath and then slowly turned around, his eyes widening momentarily at the sight before him. There was White Lily, floating in the middle of the pond, the water and her long flowing hair just covering her chest. He tried not to let his gaze linger too long.

"Alright, I'm... I'm going in now."

He muttered, his heart racing as he started to undress.

She was still facing away, averting her gaze as she spoke

"M'kay, tell me when I can turn around, since I need to get the soap and all"

Shadow Milk had to force himself to focus on her words, rather than the depth of the seemingly bottomless pond. He quickly undressed, folding his clothes as neatly as he could before stepping into the water.

"Alright, I'm in. You can turn around now."

He spoke, his voice a bit hoarser than he intended. His cheeks flushed as he waited for her to face him.

White Lily nodded and turned, not sparing him a single disgusted or unhappy look as he had thought - she simply looked at his hair and floated closer, bringing over two bottles of what seemed to be shampoo and conditioner

"Pfft, even in the water it seems that goo-gel or whatever it is keeps your hair in those awful spikes"

Shadow Milk tried to suppress a smile as she made that comment. He had expected her to make some snarky remark or express disgust, but instead, she was... actually being oddly pleasant. He tried to appear unaffected, though a tinge of self-consciousness was evident in his voice.

"Must I repeat myself? It's styling gel, not goo-gel. And shut up, it makes my hair look fabulous."

She rolled her eyes, holding his shoulders to spin him around so his back faced her

"By the looks of it you can't wash your hair properly, so I'll do it. Also, even though we're pretty close to the edge it's pretty deep so if you ever start sinking just hold on the edge and pull yourself up, okay dear?"

She squeezed the bottle, rubbing her hands together as soap suds began to form and grow in her hands

Shadow Milk tensed up slightly as she held him by the shoulders, but he relaxed as she started to rub the soap in her hands. He nodded, feeling strangely at ease as she washed his hair for him.

"Yeah, yeah, got it."

He muttered, a small sigh escaping his lips as she massaged the soap into his scalp. It was oddly soothing and almost... intimate. He found himself leaning into her touch, trying to ignore the fluttering feeling in his chest.

White Lily lathered the shampoo on his scalp, thoroughly brushing through his hair as she tried to rid its strands of the layers of gel he refused to wash out. It was hard at first, but eventually she broke through and ran her hands through it carefully. She made sure she hadn't created any knots before tapping his shoulder

"Lean your head back, I need to wash all the soap out"

She dipped her hands in the water, washing the soap off her own hands before reaching over the edge to where a small wooden bucket was. She filled it with water and held it behind him. 

He soon complied, letting out a soft sigh as he tipped his head back. White Lily cupped a hand at his hairline, so it didn't run all over his eyes and face, before pouring it. The warm water cascaded over his head, washing away the layers of gel and leaving his hair feeling surprisingly soft.

He closed his eyes, taking a moment to appreciate the sensations. The feeling of her slender fingers running through his hair, the warm water gently rinsing out the soap. It felt... nice. He almost let out a purr of satisfaction, but he managed to hold it back, not wanting to sound like a damn cat.

After she emptied the bucket for the third time, she put it back and looked down at his hair. It was silky and spread out satisfyingly, the shadows of his dark hair contrasting with the light colours of the pond.

"It looks much better now, dear. Your hair is beautiful!"

Shadow Milk's heart skipped a beat as she complimented his hair. He felt strangely flustered by her simple words, but he tried to maintain some semblance of composure.

"Pfft, beautiful? It's just hair."

He muttered nonchalantly, trying to brush off her compliment. But inside, he was secretly preening at her words, a small sense of pride welling up in his chest. No one had ever called his hair "beautiful" before - it was almost embarrassing how much it affected him.

White Lily huffed, floating around to the other side of him to brush through his bangs

"Dont downplay yourself dear, where's that overconfident and ecstatic showman I know?"

Shadow Milk huffed softly, trying to maintain his nonchalant demeanor, but the sight of her floating beside him, so effortlessly graceful and elegant, made his heart skip a beat. He leaned into her touch as she brushed through his bangs, a reluctant smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"Oh, that overconfident showman is still here, you know. He's just... Charging up, hell be back in a bit. Give me a break every once in a while, Lily" 

White Lily was quiet for a second before humming

"I suppose, maybe today we can relax then? By the time my jester returns I'll be right here to always watch his shows"

She smiled at him, a soft smile that was void of any harmful intent or even a single ugly thought just... A smile, that dug deep into his heart with genuine, genuine kindness

He felt a strange fluttering in his chest. The way she smiled warmly at him, her kind eyes and genuine affection almost melting his heart right there. It was a feeling he had rarely experienced in recent years - a sense of... peace, of comfort and safety.

His cocky facade melted away, replaced by a rare genuine smile.

"You know what? Yeah, I could use a day off from all the tricks and schemes..."

White Lily nodded, pressing a quick kiss on his forehead

"Of course, dear"

She pulled back with a slight chuckle before humming and reaching over for whatever bottle was next - she seemed to be saying something to him, by the way her mouth was moving, but Shadow Milk's mind had short-circuited and he wasn't listening to a single thing

He was suddenly hyper-aware of the spot on his forehead where her lips had just met, and he found himself involuntarily reaching up to touch it. His brain was stuck on that brief moment of contact, and his heart was racing. He was a villain, dammit - he was not used to... affection. Especially not this kind of casual affection. He suddenly felt flustered and tongue-tied.

"Uh... Huh... what did you say?"

He managed to blurt out as he snapped out of his thoughts.

White Lily tilted her head, her eyes following his hands briefly before chuckling.

"Did a single kiss mess you up that badly? Haha, it was nothing entirely important - just that I was gonna wash my hair next, then you could float around for a bit" 

Shadow Milk's face flushed bright red as he realized how flustered he was over a simple kiss on the forehead.

"Pfft, what? Me? Messed up by a kiss? Not at all, of course not. I just... I was just, uh..."

He trailed off, trying desperately to come up with a plausible excuse as to why he suddenly forgot how to function properly. He cursed himself inwardly for being so flustered by her.

"Uh, nevermind... go ahead and wash your hair."

White Lily nodded, leaving him with a small giggle that echoed in his ears as she turned away. She began to wash her hair, just as she did with Shadow Milk, but he was focusing on that at the moment

Shadow Milk tried to compose himself, but he couldn't seem to shake off the flustered feeling inside him. He watched as she lathered her hair, his mind still replaying the moment of her lips on his forehead. He tried to shake off the feeling, telling himself that it was just a casual peck, nothing special, nothing important...

But deep down, he knew that it was more than that. The feeling of her lips on his skin, the gentle touch, the brief brush of her breath against his forehead - it was all seared into his memory.

After a while, she returned and dumped the bucket over her own head and fixed her bangs. She floated back over to him where he was still near the edge and put all the bottles and whatever back on the ground. Though, she kept one bottle and handed it to Shadow Milk

"Shadow, wash your body now - I'll go next too" 

Shadow Milk took the bottle from her, his fingers lingering on hers for a moment longer than necessary. He cleared his throat, trying to sound nonchalant as he spoke.

"Alright, I'll wash myself now. But you promise not to watch, right?"

He suddenly felt oddly self-conscious about his body, despite the fact that he had no problem strutting around shirtless before White Lily came onto the stage. He quickly dismissed the thought, mentally berating himself for suddenly feeling so... vulnerable.

White Lily nodded, swimming away so that she floated near the middle of the pond. Shadow Milk envied her slightly, damn it all for him focusing on all his knowledge stuff as a virtue instead of learning something as simple as swimming

Shadow Milk watched her swim away, feeling a pang of self-consciousness as he watched her move so effortlessly through the water.

He was suddenly aware of every little flaw on his body, every little scar, every little imperfection. The thought was silly - he was a damn beast, he was supposed to be confident in himself, damn it. He tried to shake off the feeling, focusing on the task at hand. He poured some of the soap onto his hands and began to work it over his body.

A few times, White Lily called back just to make sure he was alright and he replied each time with the same 'I'm fine' but his tone changed each time as he dug more and more into himself. The scars on his thighs, the marks of chains on his wrists and ankles, the dents on his hips... He curled up on himself, the last call from White Lily not getting a single response

Shadow Milk's mind was swirling with a torrent of conflicting thoughts and feelings. The scars on his body, the marks of his past failures and hardships... they seemed to burn against his skin, a painful reminder of how... How pathetic he was... 

He tried to ignore the pain, tried to focus on the task at hand, but the memories and feelings were too overwhelming. He hugged his knees to his chest, his whole body tensing up as he tried to push it all away, trying to force himself to think about something, anything else.

As he did, he had let go of the edge, slowly sinking down as White Lily peered past the lotus that hid him before.

That's when she noticed he was...

Gone. 

She panicked and swam over quickly, scanning the waters. As fast as she could, she dove down and grabbed his arms, pulling him to the surface. In one swift movement, she hauled him over the edge and onto the ground, averting her eyes and grabbing the towel to cover him as she leaned on the edge.

"Shadow! What were you doing? Are you alright!?"

She pushed herself up, sitting beside him as she lay a towel over her to cover herself

"Dearest, don't do that again please..."

Shadow Milk gasped for air, his head still spinning from the sudden movement. He tried to respond, to brush off her concern, but the words got caught in his throat. His body still felt... exposed, vulnerable, and the way she had suddenly covered both herself and him with the towel just made him feel even more self-conscious.

"I... I'm fine. I just... I was just..."

He trailed off, unable to come up with a convincing lie.

But White Lily wasn't having any of that as she shook her head, tears brimming her eyes as she pulled and hugged him closer

"I don't care what lie you come up with right now! I just-!"

She held the back of his head, holding his chin to her shoulder

"Dear, we should... I think we should get out now..." 

Shadow Milk let out a shaky breath as she embraced him, his own emotions threatening to overwhelm him. The way she held him, the gentleness and compassion in her voice, it was all too much for him to handle. He wrapped his arms around her, burying his face in the crook of her neck, gripping her tightly.

"Yeah... let's... let's get out now."

He murmured softly, his voice muffled against her shoulder.

White Lily nodded and let go, grabbing a towel and wrapping herself before standing up, adjusting it as she looked down to him

"You can get dressed here, I'll go behind those bushes or something" 

Shadow Milk nodded silently, grabbing the towel and wrapping it around himself. He took a moment to compose himself, taking deep breaths and trying to push down tears. 

"Alright... I'll get dressed here, then. You... go do what you need to do."

He muttered, his voice still a bit shaky. He watched as she headed towards a clump of bushes, feeling strangely vulnerable without her near him.

...(a few minutes later)... 

After he got dressed, he sat where he was and simply didn't move. Sure he was arrogant and stuff before but without and audience, without her, he simply... Didn't know what to do

She took quite a while getting ready...