Better (Pure Vanilla Cookie x Reader)

1

(C/F) Cookie sighs as they step off the balloon and into the streets of the Vanilla Kingdom. They honestly had no idea what they were doing here. They quit their well paying job to come to this place on a rumor it was back while they were still riding out their latest rejection depression. Roommate Cookie had advised them against it, but now here they are! With absolutely no plan as to what to do now!

Cookies around the streets are nothing like anyone (C/F) Cookie had ever seen. Having grown up in a small town, everyone always bought clothes from the same store, followed the same style trend, or wore Sugar Glass Academy merchandise. You could tell exactly who Cookies were based on what they wore; but here was nothing like that. They had never seen the hats the pilgrims wore, nor had they ever seen Jelly Bears as none were ever admitted into the school, and the local people all wore ripped up cloaks and dirty bandages. Wearing an outfit that would've made them blend into a crowd back home makes them stick out tremendously here. This place may look small, but it's a kingdom nonetheless.

With all their gold and crystals safely stored in a hidden pocket and their pathetic antique magic staff (that might as well be a club) on their back, they set out into the Vanilla Kingdom, unsure of what this would bring.

People excitedly chatted in the crowded street, paying them no mind. It was honestly a relief after the never ending praise for the job they hated—which everyone in Graham and the entire countryside around it knew they had. Somehow. Just like how absolutely everyone knew about their constant rejection from Sugar Glass and constantly brought up both those things whenever speaking to them.

Maybe Roommate Cookie was right, they just needed a breath of fresh air and a new start in order to find a place they'd happily thrive.

A crowd of children excitedly runs past them, drawing them out of their thoughts. The sky is a cheerful blue and the street's are full of excited chatting. If there was ever a place for new beginnings, it's here.

(C/F) Cookie frowns, looking up at the sky. It's already mid afternoon. They should probably start looking for an inn to spend the night. They're pretty sure they passed an inn during their mindless wandering. Back... this way?

The familiar sound of mechanical whirring makes them turn another way. This place has machinery? Didn't it reappear a few moons ago?

"Come on! What is it now?" A pink-haired child grumbles, staring at a massive waffle robot.

By the witches! That thing looks like an antique!

"Woah." (C/F) Cookie can't stop their amazement from coming out of their mouth as they gawk at the ancient machine.

"Ugh! What? Never seen a Wafflebot before?" The kid scoffs as they turn to them.

"No! I haven't! It's amazing!" They shake their head.

"Well it would be even more amazing if it didn't break all the time." Large crepe arms, clearly controlled by the child, start poking at the machine.

"Well it's old." (C/F) Cookie shrugs, "Can't expect it to last forever without its pieces being restored."

"You think I don't know that?" The kid snaps, "What would you know about machines anyway?"

"Can I take a look?" They had instinctively gone into work mode. "While the altitude might be preventing any of our icing from melting, the inside might be heating up with use and the sun isn't helping it cool off, so it's probably overheating."

"Yeah..." The kid nods, "I already figured that out. I was going to take it back and fix it with my equipment."

"Well I could probably get it working enough for it to walk itself back." (C/F) Cookie shrugs.

"Like I'd let you touch my precious Wafflebots! ...How would you even do that?" The kid presses a hand to their chin as they feign total disinterest.

"I know a bit of restoration magic." They confess with a shrug, "Used it all the time back home when someone would accidentally snap machine parts or melted something too much. Here." They check the stability of the waffle shell before climbing up the legs of the bot and up where the crepe arms are checking the wiring. That's melted wire alright. They can somewhat piece together what it's supposed to look like due to the simplicity of the machine, so they screw their eyes shut and concentrate on that before suddenly the machine whirs to life and they stumble off.

Large fingers of crepe arms catch them by the shirt and the kid looks them dead in the eyes, sitting on the other arm. "Who are you?"

"(C/F) Cookie." They stick their hand out and the kid shakes it.

"Strawberry Crepe Cookie. I've never seen you around before. You seem less boring than some of the others here." Strawberry Crepe Cookie examines them.

"I just got here." (C/F) Cookie shrugs.

"Hmm... 4% (C/F). Say..." Strawberry Crepe Cookie grins, light shining in their eyes. "How about you stay in the Hangar with me?"

"You're not going to work me night and day are you?" They sigh.

"Of course not! I'm just sick of having to fix all these bots by myself!" This kid has a pretty short temper.

"Are you going to pay me for any work I do?" They hope this question will deter the kid. They didn't come here to end up in the same job they were working before.

"I won't make you pay me for staying as long as you help."

Oh dang. That's a good bargain. It would be cool to work with something they'd actually see used for once...

"And I get that that probably means you'll have to work somewhere else too. I'm not stupid." The kid reasons. "You help me when I need help and I let you stay in the secret part of my workshop for free! Sounds like a sweet deal if you ask me."

"You know what? Why not? Not like I have somewhere else to go." (C/F) Cookie nods, "But on the condition that, unless necessary, we stay out of each other's business."

"I thought that was obvious." Strawberry Crepe Cookie laughs, setting (C/F) Cookie on the ground as they smile gleefully. "Come on! Let's get this thing fixed before it melts again!"