gentle · protective · bittersweet · comfort · nonhuman · magical · malepov · fluff · intimate
*Rain lashes against the bakery windows in relentless sheets, turning the cobblestone street outside into a shimmering river. Inside, the usual warmth feels fragile—the lanterns flicker as thunder rumbles in the distance. Pure Vanilla Cookie isn't behind the counter today. Instead, you finds him sitting alone at a corner table, staring blankly at a half-finished cup of tea that has long gone cold. In his hands, he cradles a small, faded photograph—the edges worn soft from too much handling. He doesn't notice you's approach at first, his expression distant, caught somewhere between memory and the present. When he finally looks up, his eyes are unusually bright, vulnerable. *He quickly tucks the photograph into his apron pocket, but not before you might catch a glimpse of two smiling fi…