Heart of Tarot (Shadow Milk Cookie x Disciple!YN)
Got massively inspired by a moment I had in CRK and wanted to write this while I still had the bag of inspiration! Hope you all Enjoy!
----------------- The games Shadow Milk liked to play when in your company were always wild cards. You never expected the same one twice, but there were always his favorites. Some were mere mischeif on his end, it's what endeared him to you to begin after all, but some were downright frustrating and he enjoyed every minute of your stubborn nature getting the best of you, especially if he offered a prize upon your less then likely victory.
More often times then not it also got you into more trouble then you'd care to admit. At least it wasn't dealing with Eternal Sugar at any capacity, especially after her cookie-napping stunt and using you like a mannequin.
The gleeful grin on his face didn't help matters as you looked over the Tarot Cards and the sizeable amount of gambling gems he had on his side of the table. You had your own modest sized pile of gems, but you lost more often then you won in this game. The clicking of your tongue against the roof of your mouth could be heard as you took a card facing down and flipped it before cursing under your breath.
"Moon." Twenty gems back over to his end of the table.
"You know you can always call it quits, right?" The smugness of the Beast's voice grated your nerves. There had to be something that'd put him in his place, right?
"I'm going to get something out of this, you sadistic prick!" You tried to make your voice sound like a growl, but the laughter from Shadow Milk only followed.
"Oh, that's a new one! I'll need to use that against that red oaf!" He grins, the enjoyment of your frustration well clear as the tarot cards were reshuffled and laid out.
"Hmph! Alright, since it's your turn to flip." You folded your arms and leaned back. "The Reversed Hermit."
"My my taking the risks I see!" He leans against the table. "You know that means that if I flip a Card that isn't it you lose this round again, right?"
"And I'll be owing you another prize of your choice." You leaned against the arm your chair.
The Rules of the game were as such. Shadow Milk would take a deck of Tarot Cards and either one of you two had to guess which ten cards were going to be flipped once they were laid out. The top row were "pure" cards, and the bottom row were reversed cards. Each Tarot Card also had a set amount of points. If one player called a card that wasn't in play or not selected, it was considered a loss to the caller. If a player called a card and it was in play, the called card's points were rewarded to the caller. Each card had different point values, running out of gems meant losing the round. Most of the time, called cards weren't picked, but it kept the game on equal standing when the gems of the cards were still given.
You watched with held breath as Shadow Milk looked over the ten cards closely, head resting on his hands. Witches, why was it this one? It was equally frustrating to you that this was the Cookie you fell so hard for. And you knew how many times you and him had these back and forths, starting with his performances and lies to try and switch you to his side or at least start the fall into Deceit. All in effort to tear you away from your Teacher, Pure Vanilla himself.
Well, he definitely started something. Looks not withstanding, there was just something about the Beast that drew you to him, akin to a sugar moth and the flame. He was dangerous, inmeasurably so. You knew deep down ever getting involved with him was a bad idea. But your teacher's words always seemed to change your judgments.
"He's a lonely Cookie at heart, Disciple, and he's terrified at any turn of being vulnerable with anyone."
Witches, that was an understatement. On more then one occassion it felt like you were trying to strangle the Beast into letting you understand him. How desperate-
"Wait. Shit." His voice snapped you back into reality as he had flipped his card. Reversed Hermit. You couldn't stop the corners of your mouth turn into a smile even if you tried.
"FUCK!" Fifty gems from Shadow Milk's pile, his smugness gone now that you had the more sizable amount of gems from your gambit.
"Wanna call it quits~?" The tone in your voice was laced with a mocking sing-song tone as you leaned in with your head on your hands. Oh the eye twitch was delicious.
"Absolutely FUCKING not!" He growled. "But, touche on that."
His arms would fold after flicking his wrist to reshuffle the cards as they were laid out for the both of you again.
"Alright then, little Disciple." Shadow Milk's grin returned. "Let's see if the Devil wants to come out and play~"
The Devil Card. A most fitting one for him indeed, giving it's notations of addiction and materialistic wealth, and he was most certainly playful when he wanted to be. You looked at the cards laid out with careful thought. The Devil Card was a low-point card, he was playing it safe with the little amount of gems he now had. But it made getting it still important, points were points. You were close to Winning this round at least, it meant you were going to get something, whether or not you got to choose didn't matter.
You took a deep breath and finally chose the card.
Reversed Devil. A Card that was in play but in the opposite position meant halved points. Five gems to the pile.
"Dammit." He suddenly looked thoughtful at his predicament, before letting the cards be reshuffled. A face of contemplation meant one of many things. You suddenly sat up at his expression, more alert that he might be planning something to turn this around for himself. Shadow Milk was playing fair so far, but the ability to cheat was not something you'd put past him. It was time for you to play it safe in hopes to not losing too many gems.
"Wheel of Fortune." You chose. Shadow Milk's brow raised at your choice, before his face turning into another grin.
"Oh now you're on the defensive, hmmmm~?"
"I said I was going to get something out of this." The counter was quick as the corners of his mouth raised higher in response. It could only ever raise your suspicion.
"You juuuuust might~" He looks over the cards, his hand tapping against the table for a moment as his head rested on the other. It was a fun game to be fair, if for the witty banters and bouts of frustration you were getting from him. This was a game where conversation was a part of the fun. He finally raises his hand to take a card.
The Emperor. You blew out a small raspberry as ten gems went back over to Shadow Milk's side for the loss. But playing small now wasn't going to get either of you anywhere, you were sure he also knew this. Then again, him dragging out a game wasn't out of the possibility either before he flipped the cards to see if it was in play before reshuffling them.
"Let's liven things up before they get boring~" It was as if he was reading your thoughts. "Every Emperor needs an Empress, right~?"
You felt your cheeks redden suddenly at the statement, looking away hurriedly regardless if he was taking notice or not. That was the card, the Empress. But…..the tone in his voice….
"Kings and Queens, Sultans and Sultanas~" Shadow Milk was suddenly at your side, your little cookie heart beating rapidly in your chest at him being so close. Dammit, dammit dammit dammit!
"Same concept, different titles~" His voice was low, almost a mur in your ears as your breath quickened and failing miserably to try and tampen down your reaction to whatever the hell this was! It was working to say the least!
"Isn't that what makes the fairytale complete? Doesn't the throne feel less Empty….." His voice was practically in your ear.
".…When there's someone to share it with?"
SLAM!
Your hand suddenly moved on it's own, taking a random card and flipping it in your fervent effort to make it end while Shadow's Milk eyes went wide.
The Empress.
"Wait…What the fuck!?" Shadow Milk's gaze settled on his pile of gems as the rest of them went over to your side, other words caught in his throat realizing his on the spot set up was thwarted by random chance.
But any satisfaction to be had over your victory was not there, not with your heartbeat in your ears and your face feeling like it was on fire. Who cares if he was doing that so he'd pull a last-ditch win? You certainly didn't. Much less caring if you actually won or not, in a way, you still lost after that stunt, didn't you?
The next few moments were a long silence as Shadow Milk's own mind was catching up to him, and your own mind playing the moment over and over again. The low, sensual tone in his voice, how close he was to you….Beast of Deceit or not, getting your heart to race the way it was could only really happen with him. After all…
He was the Cookie you were at your happiest with, isn't he?
"Well shit." Shadow Milk's arms cross when he finally said something, rather pouty. "So much for that gambit. Well, it is what it is!"
His grin finally returns, seemingly accepting the loss as he was close to you again, arms behind his back.
"So….What's your prize?"
You couldn't even make a sound in response. You couldn't feel angry about his stunt.
'Doesn't the throne feel less empty…
When there's someone to share it with?'
What sentimental words. Yet….one can't help but cling to them.
"Hellooooo, Earthbread to the Discipleee~" You felt a friendly poke at your cheek as Shadow Milk's voice snapped you back into reality.
"C'mon cmon, what's your prize? You know, you could ask me for anythiiing~ Only fair, given the prizes I've gotten from you~"
Prize….? You weren't sure anymore. Originally you wanted a new staff, the one Pure Vanilla gave you when you first started under his mentoring wasn't enough for the bigger spells he was going to teach you. But…..one made from Shadow Milk would still suffice, wouldn't it?
"Mmmmmm…I need a new staff for my Magic." You finally answered, settling on your original desire. "One I can use for more powerful spells."
"Hmmmm….." There was a light to the Beast of Deceit's eyes at your Prize claim.
"Oh this is gonna be fun~ Until then!" He poked your forehead in playful teasing. "Tell that pest of your teacher to start teaching you more useful stuff!"
You couldn't help but sigh with a small smile. The audacity of this Cookie was something else.
