The Waters of Sorrow [ Sequel Fic // Cookie Run: Kingdom AU ]

Recital VI: Friendly Notes

"We are going to do something interesting. We are in no way, going to worry about me, got it?" Custard grinned. Gingerbrave said, deadpan;
"No. I'm going to continue worrying."
"Aw, c'mon, can we just do something!" White Pawn groaned. "What even is going on anyways?! Why are we being worried for Custard?"
"Doesn't matter." All three snapped. White Pawn grinned nervously, flicking her eyes between her friend and the couple.
"O..kay.." She giggled. "This is boring without Pancake, Custards always busy!" She then kicked him in the leg, which got her a glare from her friend.
"Ow, you little shit-" She laughed as he sped up his steps in order to catch up to her, as she stumbled backwards to get away.
The moment they'd sped out of the room, Gingerbrave smiled. A sad sort of smile, reminiscent of the days before the danger, before Licorice Cookie and Poison Mushroom Cookie and Dark Enchantress and the war. Custard had never truly had that. Custard had grown up in that world. That was the the only world the Vanillian King knew.
It wasn't until Wizard had snapped her fingers in front of him that he realized he had been spacing out.
"Hey. You need to relax. We just need to be careful, ok?" Wizard said softly. There was one thing that wouldn't leave Braves mind though;
"Why only Custard?"
"What do you mean?" Wizard wasn't thinking far enough into this; why was Custard the only one she was following?
"Why not us, too? Has she been following us this whole time? Does she know? Does she know here when been this whole time? What-"
"Brave." Wizard said sternly. He gripped the others face in his gloved hands pressed their forehead to his. "Calm down."
Gingerbrave lifted his arms, gripping onto Wizards wrists. Not a moment later, he let his hands fall down, and wrapped his arms around Wizards torso. He collapsed onto him as Wizard placed his hands on the back of his fiancés head, stiffening slightly as the boys body began to shake. He could feel the warm tears soak into his cloak, but he didn't care.
His body only shook harder, his legs giving out, causing both of the to crumble to the ground. Wizard wrapped his arms around his neck, resting his head on top of the others.
"Shh..." Wizard whispered. "Just...let it all out..."
"I don't- I don't-.." Gingerbrave could barely breath. "Why.. why now.. why is she.. is she really..?"
"I don't..." They couldn't gather the words and sighed, their face scrunching up. "I don't know, Brave."
"Gods, don't... don't call me that." He pushed himself off of Wizard and rubbed his face with his hands, looking at him with such a face of disgust it made Wizard want to cry. "I'm not...I'm not brave. It's just...my name."
Wizard laughed quietly. "Isn't that what are names mean? They're what we are?"
"No." Gingerbrave spat. "At least not for me."
"Gingerbrave... aren't you supposed to be the brave cookie? Earthbreads hero?" Wizard tilted his head, confusion as clear as glass present on his face. He didn't get it.
"No. I'm not...I'm not brave." Gingerbrave hissed. "I'm just...at the moment? Completely useless. Apparently, someone we all assumed dead has been stalking my little brother." There was so much anger in those last two words it startled Wizard. Also- he saw Custard as a little brother? For how long?
"Gingerbrave..." Wizard said softly. He traced his cheek with his hand, wiping the tears off his face. He leaned forwards, kissing him on the forehead. "Listen to me."
Wizard hesitated, trying to form the words.
"You're so much more than brave, you got it?" He said finally. "You're a wonderful person."
"Gods, Wiz.." Gingerbrave laughed. "This is pathetic. Look at us. Look at me. This is a mess." He pushed himself off the ground, pulling Wizard up by the hand with him. Brushing the dust off his pants, he smiled at his partner, a sort of bittersweet grin. The only thing it did was make Wizards heart ache.
"Gingerbrave..." His heart skipped a beat as he blinked and the boy was grinning again, as if nothing had happened.
"Yeah?" He wore a large smile, but his eyes told a separate story. It was like the moment before bad never existed.
"Well, are you coming? Aren't we supposed to go do stuff with White Pawn and Custard?"
Wizard could no longer form words. It was as if Gingerbrave was forcing himself to avoid the feelings.

oh.

He focused his vision, but his fiancé was gone.
"Oh, Brave.." They whispered. "You always were stubborn."
They sighed, striding out of the room. They would deal with this later, when they weren't being expected by anyone. For now, nothing happened.
Before she knew it, she was standing next to Custard, who was watching White Pawn practice their mothers tactic; the way Latte flew on her, ah, spoon. They watched their younger sibling spin around on the staff- the wooden object resembled a toy horse, one a child would ride that was only a head and stick. She was waving in their direction, but it wasn't directed towards them; it was directed towards Custard, who smiled uncomfortably. White Pawns smile still was large and happy, so he assumed she hadn't seen the shift in Custards demeanor. The second she'd waved, the smile dropped, only to return a moment later in a less energetic manner.
It ticked him off.
"Custard, what was that?" He hissed. Custards face distorted with confusion.
"What?"
"..that." Wizard waved his hands vaguely. "The whole...looking weirded out when she waved."
"Oh. Um." Custard wrung his hands together. "Um. I keep overthinking things, is all. Um. Pancake asked if I liked your sibling and I obviously denied it because I don't and I think this is a weird conversation to have with you and I keep thinking that what if she likes me and it kind of weird as me out and-"
"Custard." Wizard said sternly. "I don't care if you like her."
"I don't!" He groaned. "I just keep thinking that what if she does and I think that would be weird because we're friends and I-"
He cut off, reddening.
"Nevermind."
"You what?"
"Nevermind."
"Alright, alright." Wizard held his hands up, chuckling. "But I know a crush when I see one."
Custard frowned. He focused his gaze on Wizard, looking at him as if he'd grown a third arm. Wizard stared, the gears turning into his head. Then it clicked.
"Don't look at me like that." He said dryly.
"Are you implying you don't believe me when I say I don't like her?"
"No, I just mean that the 'Nevermind' there seemed a little panicky. You lookin a bit too warm there, Custard."
"What is that supposed to mean?" It came out too quickly, a bit too angrily. Wizard snickered.
"Yeah, what's it supposed to mean." He rolled his eyes before focusing on Gingerbrave.
He was sitting across the field, on a bench. He seemed to to be staring at the ground in silence.
It worried him. He wasn't usually quiet when they were younger; he'd changed drastically across the years.

Maybe he hadn't, really. Maybe this is what he was like before the reset. They'd never know, as they didn't have their memories of before. Gingerbrave did. He knew Strawberry did, and everyone who had returned did, as well as maybe...Snow Sugar? He wasn't sure.
But they didn't have their memories, and that was all that mattered. Did he even know Gingerbrave and the others?
"Are you alright there?" Custard asked. He frowned, trying to get Wizards attention.
"...yeah. Just thinking." He muttered.
"About?"
"Stuff. and things."
"Lame."
"For a ruler of an entire kingdom, you sure are childish." Wizard snickered. Custard sighed.
"I'll have you know the subjects feared me until recently." He said bitterly.
"Uh-huh."
"It's true!" White Pawn popped up in front of them, startling her friend and her sibling. "He was annoyingly freaky."
"..what."
"Yeah! He was mean."
"Why do you still talk like you're five." Wizard teased. White Pawn made a face, jabbing her sibling in the chest.
"You talk like an old man!"
"I talk like a normal damned person, White Pawn." Wizard retaliated.
Wizard really was going to argue with anyone, huh?
Somethings never change.

"Hey, you've got some letter thing, Pancake." Peppermint handed the envelope to their friend, which had been handed to them via crow.
"Uh...thanks." His eyes flicked to the name written on the paper; Custard had sent it.
Peppermint noticed the boys eyes light up the second he'd noticed the name. At least he and Custard were friends.
Pancake ripped the paper package open, pulling a yellowed piece of paper out. The paper itself looked rather old; the writing was fresh, new. He wondered when he'd had time to write this.

Pancake,
How are you guys doing so far??? I'm really bad at writing letters but I wanted to find some way of communication I don't know why, it's kinda silly haha. Anyways how are you?? Me, I've been pretty good.. I plan to tell Brave and Wizard about the watching thing. I've figured it's probably Pomegranate but that's not important the letter is supposed to be happy!!!!
I̶ ̶l̶o̶v̶e̶ I hope you're doing well!!! Kinda wish I could see you it's weird it's only been like three or four days haha.

Pancake didn't really laugh, it was a breath through his nose, but he smiled. The rest of the letter was Custard talking about White Pawn, Gingerbrave and Wizard.
What a dork.
He folded the paper up, shoving it in his pocket. He didn't know what he'd do with it; but it made him feel nice. He couldn't quite explain it.
"What was it about?" Peppermint stepped in front of their friend. He looked up, smiling awkwardly.
"Oh, he was just saying hi, really. Wondering how I was doing. Do you like, have a pen an' paper, maybe?"
"Yeah." Peppermint grinned. Of course he was going to ask.
"Thanks."