Better (Pure Vanilla Cookie x Reader)

7

Oh crumbs. Why are they doing this? Why are they doing this?!

Strawberry Crepe Cookie had kicked (C/F) Cookie out while they were reading the magic textbook—"Your expression is making me nervous!" The kid had said as they shooed them out of the Hangar, "Go find somewhere else to read!"—so now here they are, standing in front of the tiny academy, once again staring up at its sign (which they now understand is a reference to Pure Vanilla Cookie's staff).

"This should not feel as daunting as it does." They say out loud to no one in particular. Thankfully this is a fairly empty part of town, so no one is looking at them weird for staring at the (probably currently empty) school building.

With every crumb of their body telling them this is a terrible idea, they push open the door and step inside, book in hand. Making their way through deserted hallways and nervously peering into empty classrooms, they make their way to an cluttered room that appears to be intended to use as a classroom, but is currently nothing more than a place to store unused desks.

This should be the kind of privacy they need! Who would come back here anyway?

They open the book up the levitation spell. This shouldn't be too hard. It's not like they haven't managed it before. Granted their concentration on doing it gave them a headache, but that's not the point! They have a better guide on doing it now!

Retrieving a pen from their pocket, they set it on the desk and look over the spell. Attempt number one! Here they go! On second thought they shouldn't keep track of their attempts, it will only dishearten them.

Reading over the familiar spell, they position the stick that is their staff as indicated in the book. They remembered the spell without even having to look over it again and their first few failures of the day made their focus start to wander.

How many years ago did they first try this spell? It's been such a long time... They could remember the piercing headache that came with trying it. They thought their head was going to break in half. They don't feel comfortable doing this. They feel awkward even being here; that's setting them on edge, which the book says is exactly how you don't want to feel when mastering basic magic.

Finally deciding this isn't going to work, they sigh and sit down on the floor, setting their stick beside them. Maybe this just won't work out for them after all...

"(C/F) Cookie?"

They look up, terror clenching in their chest as they see Pure Vanilla Cookie standing in the doorway.

He steps into the room spying the book on a desk with their pen, "Are you here to practice?"

"...Yeah." (C/F) Cookie admits. Not that it went well...

He glances between them and the book, "Would you like help?"

"..." At the moment they're so emotionally drained that they aren't even sure what they want. Probably to go crawl in a hole and die.

Their silence does not deter Pure Vanilla Cookie. He sits down in front of them, a soft smile on his face, his staff gently laid on the floor in front of him but still held in his hands. He's probably done something like this before. At a different time, with someone else. Of course he has. Why wouldn't he have?

"Here." He offers them his hand.

They don't understand what he means to offer them. They stare at him blankly, looking him up and down.

That gentle smile remains on his face and they understand why this Cookie is such a powerful healer, why the Vanilla Kingdom is called the Land of Peace and Healing. He has no secondary motives, no political moves to make. He is just a Cookie with a desire to help.