Cookie Run - The Calling Card

Chapter Eight - FINALE

Roguefort walked silently, wearing a long black robe over their body so as not to draw any attention. It would take them some getting used to living like this, as a normal civilian with Almond, as all Roguefort's life they had been the center of attention, whether it was from their wealth, or their crimes. And now they didn't have much of either. And yet, it would seem that Roguefort didn't mind it that way. It had not been long since Almond and Roguefort began dating, and yet Roguefort had already learned so much about living normally, with other people, and real relationships instead of fans. It felt far more genuine, far more enjoyable.

So why was it that Roguefort was outside like this?

They glanced behind, staring at the city in all of its glory, taking a moment to take it all in— and to check that nobody was watching them. They wanted to see the Blue Cheese manor one more time, in all of its glory, the once renowned and famous heirloom now nothing but a memory auctioned away to time. Truthfully so, just a glance of the mansion gave them shivers to think back to all of the painful memories that the building held. And now, now that they had mostly relieved themself of this fear, Roguefort had to go back— just one last time to see what had become of the mansion, and what memories it still retained. For what felt like years, they had been desperate to recover the mansion, to save it from what it became, and live in its fame and wealth once more.

But now, Roguefort wanted the exact opposite; to live in the moment and accept the mansion's loss, and to live among the common people with their dearly beloved Almond Cookie. They'd fought so hard to get over the loss of everything they once loved in the mansion— doing everything they possibly could to try and save it before they lost the mansion and the people in it. And yet, they realized now that the harder Roguefort tried to save the past... the more that all memories of it were lost ever further.

Finally, after a chilling walk through the harsh midnight breeze, they were there once again, at the Blue Cheese Manor; now weathered away terribly and lost to time. Fear spiraled throughout Roguefort, hardly able to comprehend going back to the place that they once called home. They wouldn't be able to make their way inside of the locked-up building, but with the mansion now abandoned, the gates had been lost to time so much so that the hinges were destroyed, and the gate opened with nothing more than a touch.

The air felt even chillier within the gates perimeter, as snowflakes well from the sky in harsh icy fragments that caught on Roguefort's face. Softly, they sighed, looking through the frost-covered windows and remembering what each room meant to them before it was all sold to be abandoned. Roguefort could remember all of the times that this now desolate place was once bustling with life and joy, with the weather as icy as it was now. Roguefort remembered the stacks of presents on Christmas day years ago, just for them, with each present carefully wrapped by their family. A family that once loved them and guided them.

Tears pricked Roguefort's eyes at the thought now.

"Family." Roguefort no longer understood the word. Was it a pair of loving parents? Or siblings that would help in times of need? What did it mean?

"Freeze! This is Blue Cheese manor; private property. Put your hands up, or I'll make you!" Roguefort's mind was snapped from their thoughts only to turn around and see a very familiar cop.

"Almond?"

"...Roguefort. What are you doing here? I mistook you for a threat," in truth, it was illegal for Roguefort to trespass on the manor regardless; it had been sold. But Almond knew well how just anxiety this place filled the typically charismatic cookie with, and would have to let it slide.

"I, ah..." Roguefort looked down ashamed. Their attempt to face their fears of the path was far from successful; they had cold tears falling down their face as they looked at Almond, "I wanted to... relive a few past memories?"

"And how is that going?"

"Not so well," Roguefort admitted, their voice shaky and close to a whimper. In response, Almond approached them, to which they buried their face on him, their hands clinging tightly to lapels of the trenchcoat Almond wore to feel something familiar to them-- something safer than the chill of the outside manor.

"Hey... It's okay. Not everything has to go the greatest, Roguefort... I was wondering where you were around this time of night anyhow."

"...Okay."

"And... Well, I don't know. If you want, maybe you can tell me what you were thinking about before I got here?"

Roguefort bit their lip nervously but only knew that they would regret lying about it if they did.
"Family," Roguefort sighed, "I was thinking about my family. Ah... In the past, at least."

"I see. Anything particular about them?"

"I... Don't know. We used to have so many presents every year, and the whole family would get together, and record me opening them..." Roguefort smiled briefly at the thought, only for that smile to fade as quickly as it came, as they realized just how long ago these memories were, "I enjoyed it so much... I wish to relive it," it was hard for Roguefort to realize just how much of their childhood was stripped away, how many more Christmases they could've had if their manor was never sold.

"I see. Well..."

"Well?"

"Well, who's to say we can't have a Christmas of our own, Roguefort? I... I mean, it won't be as grand as you're used to, I'm sure, but... You, me, and Walnut... that'd be nice, don't you think?"

A smile, although small, perked up at the edges of Roguefort's cheeks, "I'd love nothing more than that. A Christmas together... Can we do that? Please?"

"I wouldn't offer it just to take it back," Almond chuckled, picking up Roguefort and prompting them to wrap an arm around his shoulders, "Of course we can. You said we're like a family, didn't you?"

Roguefort's smile grew wider and wider until they were practically beaming. Perhaps family was more than just the parents you were given. After all, Roguefort's biological family left them at their most vulnerable, selling the manor with none of the profits for them to inherit. Perhaps family was the people most near and dear to you, loving and listening unconditionally, only asking for the same from you in return. Roguefort may have tried to isolate themselves from love for longer than they would've liked to admit, but it would seem that's where they went wrong all along. The world was scary for sure, but perhaps reaching out and finding others can make the difference.

"We most certainly are, Almond. A happy family, no matter how big or how grand."

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That's all, folks! No, seriously. That's all. You read the chapter name correctly! I even remade the cover as a goodbye. Thanks for all the support. It seriously means the world. I wanted to try to stretch this fanfiction to ten chapters, but... gee, there's not much to add! Unless I were to make angst. Just kidding, just kidding... Unless?

I've just put out a new chapter of another Cookie Run series involving Roguefort and Almond on here as well, so if you're a fan of that, go ahead and give it a gander.