i would low-key be blushing the second shadow milk shows any skin because in every outfit he's covered head to toe.😭 It's like that phrase "you only start appreciating something once you don't have it."
He'd definitely take advantage of that to tease in public, because showing a little bit of your wrist or neck doesn't raise suspicion but still would fluster me.
Oh ho, yes, if he figured out that just showing a bit of skin is enough to get to you, he will abuse that little piece of information as much as he can! As the Fount, I think he would on occasion deliberately shrug off his robes to show off his shoulders to flirt with you...he gets a little subtler, but somehow worse as Shadow Milk, Beast of Deceit.
In public, he'll tug at his sleeves, even roll them up to expose his wrists for short periods. He won't look at you directly, but the pupils in his hair will glance at you, and they'll squint in delight if they catch you looking flustered. If he's being especially bold, he'll pretend to dust off/adjust his top...incidentally tugging at his collar to expose more of his neck. Though he's more likely to do that when it's only you around, since I headcanon he has a scar there...you're one of the very Cookies he'll allow to know about that.
If he gets you flustered enough, he'll probably flirt a lot once you're alone...saying how he can tell you're just so eager to pounce and ravish him. He can read you like a book, you know! ...he says this as he slowly shows more skin, grinning at you, just goading you and waiting for you to make the very first move.
(small scenario, TW: slight yanderish(?, and a bit of blood)
You and Fount were walking down the road to the next village to preach the word of truth and settle some of the issues for which he'd been called, carrying with you some scrolls that he insisted were important to bring, although... Well, there are too many, and your arms are already getting tired...
As you reach a strangely desolate part of the road, you notice a snake blocking your path. It's sleek black and has blue patterns so they look like they have eyes looking in all directions, but the snake's real cyan eyes seem to be staring at just the two of you, and the pattern on its jaw and its long hissing tongue seem almost to form a mocking grimace. It was almost as if that snake possessed a self-consciousness that no other common animal in Earthbread had...
'A snake in the middle of nowhere? It doesn't seem that it could've come from the vicinity. Strange...'
"[Reader], get behind me. Something isn't right." Fount said in a cautious, firm tone, stepping forward and extending his arm protectively. But just as he was peeking out a bit to try to figure out what kind of animal this was, you feel a completely silent but malicious shadow beginning to manifest behind you and grow in size. If only you could have seen the two sharp cyan, blue eyes riveted on you like a feline about to attack.
Before you had time to react, you feel arms clinging to you from behind with a grip that is nothing if not decisive, "F-FOUNT!!" you manage to scream in instinct.
"What—" Fount's neck almost seems to twist with how quickly he turns around, "[READER]!! Quick, hold on to my hand!" the Virtue extends his delicate hand to you and you grip it so tightly that it reciprocates, his long nails biting your skin, "Don't let go, did you hear?!" Well, yeah, that was a little difficult knowing how physically weak your Fount is...
The beast behind you begins to pull you even harder, and the grip of your hands grows weak almost to the point of breaking, "let go of my disciple...!" Fount groans with effort and reaches with his free hand for his long staff holding his Souljam, raising it as he casts a luminiscience spell that seems to stun the manifestation behind you and let you go, while the latter lets out an annoyed and irritated growl that sounds strangely human, rubbing his eyes raw.
Inertia does its job and you slump against Fount, causing you both to stagger before he quickly composes himself and holds you firmly in place, his hand on the back of your head against his chest as he mutters a curse under his breath. The two of you are still taking a little deep breath from the shock and you notice that Fount's sweating a little, but even more, you get to notice and hear his heartbeat in this position. You almost mentally scold yourself for the blush that appears on your cheeks despite the situation you are in right now.
Fount, on the other hand, isn't paying attention to you and keeps his eyes narrowed at the blinded figure in front of him, 'damn it, how come I didn't notice his presence?!' His mind searches for solutions, it berates itself but wakes up enough to shake her head and focus on the present, her gaze focusing on yours, "[Reader], are you okay? Did you get hurt?"
"Y-yes thank you Fount, I'm f—"
A mocking laugh interrupts your answer, and the two of you quickly turn to watch as the entity takes on a more defined shape from the shadows as it speaks, "well, well, well... But if it's not my dear meee and my adorable disciple~! I'll let you know, I didn't like your dirty little trick... very predictable coming from such a boring Virtue!"
Shadow Milk finishes materializing from the ball of shadows that previously grabbed you, floating with a cruel and theatrical laugh. If it weren't for the adrenaline, you'd stop to observe his great resemblance to your Fount; if it weren't for the eyes in his hair taking the place of constellations.
Instead, Fount's jaw tightens with pressure "dirty trick? I suppose you were the one who left that distraction on the road while you were taking advantage of my disciple, weren't you?!" Fount leaves an annoyed growl and lets out an exasperated sigh as he loosens his hold on you, and shakes his head again, "Who even are you, jester? What do you want?"
Another mocking laugh. "Well, let's say I'm you... but MUCH better, you see! How come the 'Oh Great Fount of Knowledge' fell for a trick like that?!" Fount's almost mortified from the embarrassed blush that begins to cover his cheeks, his frown growing every second that his eyebrows must hurt. "Heck, I knew I used to be such a bitter and boring cookie, but not of this level! I'm sure [Reader] must be sick of you by now too, poor them~!" Even though you can't see well Fount's face in this position, you can feel something about him snapping as his heteroceomatic gaze becomes feral.
"What did you just say, you little..!"
Suddenly, a snap sounds from Shadow Milk's fingers and you are teleported right to his side with a gasp muffled in shock, his arms (now considerably gentler than before but not enough to let his grip slip away) intertwine around your neck, and blue strings wrap tightly around your body as well. He floats past you with an almost sweet but also smug and defiant smile, as if HE is the one teaching your Fount something obvious. "Since you obviously don't know how to take care of -much less entertain may I add- my dear pookie bear, I guess it's time for us to—"
The beast stops dead with his words as the large, golden, sharp tip on the back of Fount's staff lunges so quickly and decisively at his Adam's apple uncovered from his ruff, burying itself in his skin just enough to let a trail of blood slowly run down below.
"I've already told you to release my disciple. Do not make me repeat myself."
Shadow Milk's small, open mouth gradually shifts into a playful, almost innocent smile, and his hands and strings let go of your body and rise up in the air in a mocking sign of defeat that tells you that's not all of it. "...Tough audience, huh..?"
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- I think you all might notice it's my first time writing a fic LMAO 😭 pls pls criticize me
Anyways I was actually going to draw this at first but it was too much and got lazy. Anyways Fount appreciation
Okkk maybe not so cute take but I personally think he can't bring himself to completely, wholeheartedly trust in people, even his partner (in case they were a common cookie). Part because of his god complex (he IS a virtue and not made like the rest, designed to be a leader and live for eons), part because of his ego (not as big as his corrupted counterpart's but still...) and lastly because, well, no mind of cookie can truly comprehend or endure ALL the things he knows or feels
Don't get me wrong, he's still a kind and patient partner (still a bit embittered), but there IS a power imbalance unspoken yet obvious between you two. He doesn't mean to underestimate you and knows what you're capable of, he does trust you, really! buuut there's simply some things he prefers to deal with alone...
I hope you're the persistent type because man's getting emotionally closed the moment he feels more vulnerable than his liking (which is little). GOOD part is though, now you've got an overprotective Fount constantly fussing over you and keeping you secure at all costs, which could be pretty hot if you ask me
Actually, more when he became corrupted. I think one of his breaking points was being executed publicly on the guillotine. He didn't die, as he's immortal (pretty much able to survive anything as long as it doesn't affect his souljam), but the resentment towards those ungrateful cookies he'd spent his life helping, and being repaid in this way, caused him to explode. I could see him then at that moment starting to play around with his strings and also kill them, already as pre-corrupted SMC
He has a scar around his neck and can rip off his head at will like in his idle animation, but only does it when he's og Shadow Milk. Also, he doesn't like showing his scar and always uses high collars
In case he somehow managed to stay overall sane even after the execution (mostly because of you or you helping/defending him) he still doesn't like showing his scar, but if your relationship is THAT deep and he actually wholeheartedly trusts you, he might reluctantly let you see and trace it, even kissing but just a bit before he gets grumpy and embarrassed (not so secretly likes it though)
Once he becomes Sage though, he's a bit more open about it and will actually melt and giggle a bit bashfully if you kiss it all over. Pretty much the only variant of Shadow Milk who's not as insecure and more open about being vulnerable
random Fount (and Sage) headcanon as a daily Fount appreciation
He sneezes sparkles. And if you brush his hair your hands will also be a bit covered in tiny stars/sparkles. He gets embarrassed if you point it out loud
Poor pure vanilla cookie, even when its in the modern witch, he cannot catch a break with the fount. Fount may not hate him like Shadow Milk, but he may not like him either, especially when it comes to witch reader. I drabble would be nice to see this interaction and their jealously
"Just what are your intentions with my—our Witch?"
Pure Vanilla paused from the houseplant he was inspecting, turning to face the Fount of Knowledge. The Fount frowned, keeping his arms crossed and eyes narrowed...even if the new Cookie couldn't see them. "What do you mean?" he asked, tilting his head.
"Don't be a fool," the Fount scoffed, shaking his head. "You've been very friendly with them...ever since they brought you and your little friends here!"
"Of course! I'm happy they were able to help us, after all," Pure Vanilla said, smiling sweetly. As though it came so effortlessly to him...like smiling at day didn't tire him out.
The Fount huffed. "Well! Just how close of a 'friend' are you planning to be, hmmmm?" He leaned closer, watching Pure Vanilla carefully for any sort of "tell".
"I...would like to get to know them better?" Pure Vanilla said. "I'd...be happy to be their friend, but I'm not sure I can be as close to them as you are..."
The Fount let out a stammering laugh, shaking his head. "Wha—I—I mean, we're close of course, but I don't see what that has to do with you and them!"
Pure Vanilla just smiled at him. The Fount took an instinctive step back. "You seem to be special to them...even if I haven't been here for long, I can see it," Pure Vanilla said. "I'm sure that will continue, even it—"
"Okay, good, that's great!" the Fount said, feeling his face heat up, heart pounding. Was...was he really that obvious!? "I need to check on them and talk to all the other Cookies you dragged in with you, farewell!"
"Goodbye!" Pure Vanilla said. The Fount turned and zipped away, Pure Vanilla calling after him, "I hope...that we can be friends, too!"
Ha! As though he'd want to get closer to a Cookie who saw right through him already...! Though...at least he was able to verify that he didn't seem to have any romantic ideas about you. That was a good sign, at least.
