Cookie Run - The Calling Card

Chapter Seven

Was Roguefort happy?

The night was cold, and silence danced throughout the house. The livelihoods of the day were over, and Almond slept soundly, curled up under the blankets with a content, almost peaceful expression. Roguefort would've expected themselves to be asleep right beside him, tucked away under Almond's arm in a gentle, but secure grasp. This was what Roguefort had wanted.

And yet, instead of enjoying a peaceful night, Roguefort sat on the mattress that Almond lay in, stifling their sobs of terror as flashbacks of the past played back to them, over and over again like a broken record. Roguefort could never cry, not in front of a single cookie. And yet, the more they tried to stop, the more they trembled at the end of the bed, clutching tightly onto a pillow.

The present never scared Roguefort. They were confident at all times, ready to find their way out of an unpleasant situation, one way or another. And so what mortified Roguefort the most would be the past, filled with one dreadful memory after another, with mistakes and painful reminders that Roguefort couldn't run from.

At such a young age in the past, Roguefort could not remember how the Blue Cheese manor fell from grace. They could not remember its financial value as it was sold, and they could not remember who it was sold to. This was all trivial knowledge. Instead, Roguefort could only remember their parents selling the manor, how distraught they were, and how lonely every day was after that one.

Naturally, living in such a lush manor meant no friends. It meant no public education, no peers, no connection at all to the outside world, and hardly any interactions with anyone, apart from the housekeepers. The only time Roguefort could have the chance to meet other people would be during parties and balls hosted by the manor, and even then, the pressure on Roguefort would be far too great to make any friends.

So when the heirloom of the manor was sold, Roguefort had nothing. No money to support themselves, no friends or loved ones to live with, and no family that cared about Roguefort enough to help them.

Sooner rather than later, stealing became the only option for survival.

And so in the present, several years after the manor was lost to time, Roguefort's past had finally caught up with them far quicker than they would have anticipated. Having no one in their life in the past, Roguefort had grown bitter with every jewel they stole. They were finally gaining attention once more, and this time, it would be for the foul crimes they committed. And yet, this attention only fed Roguefort. Seeing so many people care about them for the first time in years again only fueled their desire to steal. Once again, they felt rich in popularity, well-known by all. Roguefort had thought that this was the life they were meant to lead. A life of crime and drama, watched by hundreds who were enticed by the exciting chase of Roguefort, time and time again. And with no friends or family to discourage them, Roguefort found the audience to be their only motivation for stealing— and for living, too.

And now, in the present, Roguefort finally had someone. Not just a friend, but a partner that they loved passionately, and who loved them just as much so. The feeling of being cared about was bittersweet— naturally, the feeling was enjoyable, but Roguefort felt more guilty by the second— were they truly worthy of so much affection? After all, they had stolen relentlessly for years, not understanding the true weight of their actions, with no one to teach them right from wrong. And as they now understood just a fraction of their wrongdoings, it hurt them heavily just to imagine the past. They understood perfectly now just how much their crude actions had affected Almond day by day, and yet he still loved them. Roguefort wanted to treat him as best as they possibly could, but even so, guilt poured in their heart, wishing they could take all of their crimes back, seeing the amount of stress and fatigue it brought to Almond's life, day by day...