Milk Cookie x Reader : By My Side

Pitaya Dragon Cookie

(This is probably gonna be a long one. Bear with me. I'm still going through my finals just so you know. I still write, but I might suddenly stop updating the story if my assignments get overwhelming.)

"Y/N~... Y/N~..." Milk Cookie's voice gently pulled me out of my sleep.

"Huh..." I said, refusing to open my eyes.

"Look what I found~..." I heard him move something closer to me, and managed to catch the hot scent of... cocoa? 

My eyes shot open so I could look at what the bowl of steaming chocolate milk he was holding. "What-... Where did you get that??..."

He was smiling excitedly. "I was taking a morning walk- everyone else is still asleep... I don't know why. I did tell Purple Yam Cookie to rest sooner... But anyway, I stumbled upon a formation of chocolate lava cakes! Some of them had their molten chocolate flowing out! So naturally, I picked a few marshmallows growing on sticks nearby and made breakfast."

"Oh... cool!..." I felt so hungry looking at it... Didn't eat much yesterday, the food was just.. so spicy.

"This is your bowl." He specified with an amused smile.

"Oh!! Oh thank you!!" Hot cocoa in a blazing weather didn't hit the same as drinking cocoa in the cold, but hey, cocoa is cocoa!

"Be careful though! it's very hot!"

"I'm fine! I've got this!...~" I carefully held the bowl, and slowly blew on my lava-infused breakfast.

"Ah..." He smiled a bit, looking at me fondly. "...How are you feeling for today's journey?"

"..." I took a moment to ask myself the same question... "...Actually... I feel surprisingly okay about it!... Even a little bit excited!..."

He beamed with one of his happiest-looking smiles yet. "Oh, that's so great to hear!... I have to say, It brings me much joy that you're enjoying our journey together, Y/N." He ended that sentence with a blush.

I stared at him with a smile, definitely blushing back. "...Well I'm... really  happy you like it! I mean- that you like me enjoying you-- uh-... your... companionship...?"

He chuckled with amusement. "Indeed I do!..." He hesitated a little bit. "...I love traveling with someone who enjoys my stories!... Purple Yam Cookie is a good friend, but... sometimes I feel like my stories bother him a little bit..." He sighed, frowning a little for a moment, then stood up. "Anyway. Drink up! I'll wake up the others." He gave me a smile to end the conversation and left. 

"...Your stories are great!..." I managed to blurt out just as he exited, but I'm sure he heard... I smiled and took a good sip of hot cocoa... it was still burning a little bit, but that was okay... This stuff was like coffee, the hotter it is, the more alive it makes you feel inside.

~~~

The trip was painful! What a surprise. The heat and climbing of out previous adventure, tripled. Milk Cookie was eventually carrying me over his shoulder, and surprisingly, I didn't even feel that guilty about it anymore. After all, he didn't sound tired, he still acted as optimistic as ever... Maybe my companion was actually strong enough to help me without inconveniencing himself... I was just grateful I could take a break.

But finally, we found it. Or at least we knew it had to be 'it'. 

Giant gates of stone, decorated with the carving of a dragon spreading its wings and a ruby crowned by emeralds in the center, resembling the frame of the stone gates themselves, which was red and surrounded by flame-like green leaves... It felt surreal that the only greenery in all of the Dragon's Valley was on top of... a volcano.