Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

As much as Shadow Milk despised Pure Vanilla—especially the fact that that damn healer ended up being his keeper and counterpart—the Beast of Deceit had to begrudgingly admit one thing: Pure Vanilla had given them almost everything they desired. Almost.

This year marked the Eternal Sugar update, and Pure Vanilla had been doting on her endlessly. Shadow Milk, though relieved to not have the ever-kindhearted cookie poking around his domain for once, wasn't used to the absence of attention. Pure Vanilla had unsealed all the beasts during the night and taken Eternal Sugar to her new domain, which, frankly, irritated the jester in blue.

It wasn’t like Shadow Milk didn’t get special treatment. He did. But this month? It was all about Eternal Sugar—gifts, praise, gentle smiles... It made Shadow Milk bristle.

One particularly vexing night, Shadow Milk slipped silently into Pure Vanilla’s chambers, fueled by a mix of jealousy and spite. The healer-king was already fast asleep—but, of course, not alone. To Shadow Milk's complete lack of surprise, Burning Spice lay curled around him like some smug dragon guarding treasure.

Of course, Pure Vanilla shared his bed with the Destroyer. Whether sealed or unsealed, the two were often found napping together.

Shadow Milk narrowed his eyes, climbed into the bed without hesitation, and pried Pure Vanilla from Burning Spice's arms. Once secured in his own, he wrapped himself around the healer, smirking at his small, unconscious win. Pure Vanilla, blissfully unaware, simply sighed and snuggled closer to the presence he assumed was familiar.

Morning came swiftly.

Pure Vanilla was the first to stir, as he always did before sunrise to reseal the beasts. But something was off.

Huh?…

He sat up, blinking blearily—only to realize blue-sleeved arms were wrapped tightly around his waist. A quick glance downward revealed another pair of arms tangled around his legs, clutching possessively.

What in the witches…?

Burning Spice, he expected. The fiery beast’s obsession was nothing new. But Shadow Milk? That one was a shock.

“Guys?” he said carefully, trying not to sigh. He shook Shadow Milk’s shoulder while gently stroking Burning Spice’s hair with his other hand. “Wake up…”

The moment both beasts awoke and locked eyes, it was over.

A furious growl from Burning Spice. A venomous hiss from Shadow Milk.

"Get. Off. Him," Burning Spice snarled.

"You get off. You’ve had your turn," Shadow Milk snapped back.

And just like that, chaos erupted in Pure Vanilla’s bedroom.

Two powerful beasts, each vying for the attention—and affection—of their shared keeper, bickering and wrestling like feral familiars. All while Pure Vanilla, rubbing the bridge of his nose, muttered:

“Not again…”

The two beasts remained locked in a tight grasp, a struggle for dominance playing out between them right in front of their shared partner. The air was thick with tension.

Pure Vanilla could only sigh. He tried to wriggle free. "Guys, come on. This is ridiculous."

Burning Spice growled, his grip on Pure Vanilla's waist tightening as he glared at Shadow Milk. "You’re the one infringing on my territory."

Shadow Milk scoffed, his grasp on Pure Vanilla's leg unyielding. "Your territory? Please. You've had plenty of alone time with him."

Burning Spice bristled, bristling at both the subtle jab at his possessiveness and the implication that Shadow Milk deserved just as much time with Pure Vanilla. "Says who? You think you're entitled to him just because he's your keeper?"

Shadow Milk rolled his eyes, not even attempting to deny his own possessiveness. "You act like you haven't been draped over him every night lately. I'm tired of being thrown to the wayside just because a new brat is running around."

Burning Spice's eyes narrowed at the audacity of that statement. "Oh, please. You’re just as clingy, if not more. You're just upset because you're not the sole center of his attention anymore."

Shadow Milk bristled at the accusation, tightening his grip on Pure Vanilla's leg. "Is there a problem with that, huh? Why should the spotlight always be on you anyway?"

Burning Spice leaned forward, almost touching noses with Shadow Milk as their argument continued. "Maybe because I actually earned it? You've done nothing but cause trouble since you were unsealed. You're just a nuisance."

"As if you're any better," Shadow Milk retorted, his eyes flashing with anger. "You're a danger. If it weren't for Pure Vanilla, you would've run amuck and destroyed the world by now."

Burning Spice sneered, not even attempting to deny the accusation. "At least I'm honest about it. You're nothing but a deceptive mastermind, always stirring the pot. You can't even be trusted."

"And you’re a destructive beast, always ready to burn everything to the ground. You’re a loose cannon. Unpredictable and dangerous." Shadow Milk shot back.

The healer sighed inwardly at the ongoing squabble, knowing neither beast was willing to back down until they had their way, and the bedsheets were already torn from their tussling.

Thank the gods, Lunaflare isn't here today.

Chapter Text

Furniture was knocked askew. Blankets were tangled across the floor. Somewhere in the mess, a pillow had been singed. And in the center of it all stood Pure Vanilla, holding back both beasts with his magic like a weary parent breaking up toddlers with elemental powers.

“Enough,” Pure Vanilla said firmly, golden magic glowing from his staff. His normally gentle voice took on a commanding edge. “If you break one more bedpost, I swear I will reseal both of you for a week.”

“But he climbed into your bed uninvited!” Burning Spice roared, flames licking off his shoulders.

Shadow Milk scoffed, arms crossed, eyes narrowed with venomous amusement. “And you act like a possessive mutt guarding a chew toy. As if you own him.”

“I don’t belong to either of you,” Pure Vanilla sighed, rubbing his temple. “You’re going to be sealed because of this kind of behavior.”

Before another flare of elemental chaos could spark, the ornate doors to the room creaked open.

“Um… Keeper?” came a syrup-sweet voice, lined with mischief. Eternal Sugar peeked in with a basket of fresh sweets. Her pink pastel colors and perfectly curled hair contrasted jarringly with the warzone in the room. “I came to bring you your morning tea and… oh dear.”

Her eyes sparkled with amusement as they drifted from the scorched curtains to the pair of growling beasts and then finally to Pure Vanilla, who stood between them like a teacher on the verge of a breakdown.

“…I see the beasts are up early,” she said, biting back a smirk.

Pure Vanilla gave her a long look.

“They are never sleeping over again.”

Eternal Sugar floated in like a ballerina, unbothered, and placed the tea down gently. “Well, at least now I know why you didn’t make it to our stroll this morning~” she teased.

“I overslept because of this,” he said flatly, gesturing toward the scuffle still trying to resume behind him.

Shadow Milk gave her a glare. “If you weren’t monopolizing him all month—”

“Oh, are we counting attention now?” Eternal Sugar said sweetly, not missing a beat. “Then shouldn’t I remind you both who actually respects boundaries?”

“Enough,” Pure Vanilla groaned.

He turned to the two beasts and finally snapped, “If either of you pulls this again, I’ll reseal you in separate realms. For a month. And I will not visit.”

That silenced them.

Burning Spice looked away, still seething but quiet. Shadow Milk huffed, arms folded, but relented.

Eternal Sugar sipped her tea, smiling. “You really should write a parenting book.”

There was a moment of tentative truce.

Burning Spice leaned against the wall, arms crossed, trying hard not to glance at the bed where Shadow Milk lounged casually.

Shadow Milk, meanwhile, was curled atop the sheets, his tail lashing with irritation. He surveyed the room with a critical gaze, doing his best not to look outright disgusted by the overwhelming… pink. There was this weird thing about Eternal Sugar—when she wasn’t in her own domain, everything around her still turned pink.

How ironically, uniquely weird. And utterly annoying.

Worse, she could control it when she wanted to… and yet somehow made it even more unbearable.

Pure Vanilla finally sighed and collapsed into a chair. This was a disaster—and there was still one more day left in this so-called “guest week.”

“Do I even want to know what happened?” Eternal Sugar asked casually, sipping her tea.

“You really don’t,” Pure Vanilla said, rubbing the bridge of his nose. He’d just had new furniture made. Now the foot of the bed was burned, the curtains were ragged, the floorboards were scuffed, and some pillows were scorched.

Eternal Sugar couldn’t help but smile. “I wouldn’t expect anything less. They treat your room like a wrestling ring.”

“They treat my room like a battlefield,” Pure Vanilla corrected wearily. “And they treat me like a territory.”

Behind him, both Shadow Milk and Burning Spice simultaneously bristled at those words, silently resenting being labeled like territorial predators.

Eternal Sugar stifled a laugh. “You say that as though you’re not leading them on.”

“When did I—what?” Pure Vanilla’s eyes widened.

Eternal Sugar set down her tea, eyes sparkling. “Oh come on, you are the most oblivious being on earth. You really don’t see the way they look at you?”

Burning Spice was glaring at her now too, face darkening, though there was more than anger in his gaze.

Shadow Milk, however, was watching Pure Vanilla’s reaction with a calculated expression, trying to hide a smirk.

"I'm not dealing with this."

Without hesitation, Pure Vanilla summoned his main staff and the three beasts froze. Even Eternal Sugar flinched at the sight of it.

Oh sh-

Chapter Text

The seals glowed with golden light, slowly encasing the two sulking beasts back into their respective domains.

"Wait—"
"You're seriously—"
"Unbelievable."

Burning Spice grumbled something about unfairness while vanishing in a spark of fire. Shadow Milk simply sneered, muttering, "Traitorous keeper," as the shadows swallowed him whole.

With the room finally silent, Pure Vanilla sagged into a chair, burying his face in his hands. “This is why I drink tea with you every morning,” he murmured.

Eternal Sugar giggled behind a gloved hand. “Oh please, you know you spoil them.”

“I seal them for a reason,” Pure Vanilla muttered. “They’re not supposed to be this clingy.”

“And yet, they are. Wonder why~” she said playfully, twirling a sugar spoon between her fingers. "But I'm flattered."

A little while later, the two sat beneath a crystal sugar maple in Eternal Sugar’s domain—sunlight filtering through the candy-glass leaves, with tea cups in hand and a spread of delicate pastries between them.

Pure Vanilla finally relaxed. No flames. No shadows. No territorial fighting over who got to hug him longer.

“Thank you,” he said, sipping lavender rose tea. “For the peace.”

Eternal Sugar smiled, her eyes closing in contentment. “You’re welcome, Keeper. Next time, let me handle the jealous beasts.”

“I might take you up on that,” he said dryly. “You seem to handle them better than I ever could.”

She tilted her head, thoughtful. “Maybe because I don’t try to fix them. Just let them sulk, like overgrown toddlers in pretty packaging.”

They both laughed quietly.

Meanwhile, deep in their domains…

Shadow Milk sat on his bed, arms crossed, scowling at nothing. “He didn’t even say goodbye.” While Candy Apple and Black Sapphire looked at him, confused as they sets out a board game for the three to play.

As for Burning Spice, who  brooded beside a lavafall, muttering, “I would’ve given him better tea.”

The silence for both sides stretched long and miserable.

And somewhere, they both cursed the tastefully perfect Eternal Sugar in sync.