Starstruck ( SparklingHerb )

Chapter 2

        Herb Cookie came in early the next day—and, to no surprise—so did Sparkling. He had done this every day, ever since he had started working here. Sparkling was very committed to his job, you'd think he was addicted to bartending. Something about serving drinks to the other cookies was satisfying to him, and the fact his father passed away made him feel even closer to his work.
     Herb gently touched Sparkling on the shoulder, to which the cookie responded with a quick jolt. He turned to look at the leaf-haired cookie, who was smiling softly at him.
"I'm sorry, Sparks, I didn't mean to scare you." He whispered softly. "But you're here so early...Did you sleep at all-?" He gently asked. Sparkling yawned and shook his head, and seemed to be dozing off on the spot. Herb sighed and grabbed the cookie's face with his hands, staring him in his beautiful, emerald eyes which were dimmed down in color by the exhaustion the cookie had been struggling with. "You need to rest now." Herb demanded in a nurturing voice. "I'll look after the bar for you while you're asleep, okay? Go home now." He insisted, smiling softly.
       Sparkling sleepily buried his face into Herb's chest, causing the cookie to start shaking from shock and gay panic. "But I wanna stay here.. with the bar... and-and- with you...." He groaned out, almost sounding like he was half-asleep. Herb hugged his head.
        "Alright. You can stay here, but you're still going to sleep. I'll stay here if you want."
        "Can we cuddle? Please...? I-I haven't cuddled with anyone since my mother left..."
        "Of course, Sparkling. Go lay down on one of the booths over there and I'll come cuddle with you as soon as I finish up getting the bar ready." He murmured, releasing his grip from Sparkling's head. He helped walk the exhausted, hard-working bartender over to one of the back booths, where none of the spotlights would be in his eyes while he tried to sleep. He stood there for a moment with Sparkling, before being sure he was going to stay there. Then, he walked off, grabbing a washcloth to finish off cleaning the counters.
        He was still shaking with shock, the butterflies in his stomach almost intense enough to make him throw up. But, then, a shock of realization hit him. What if he's just clingy today because he's sleepy and exhausted? There's no way he could love some boring old plant creep like me. The cookie felt sugary tears wad up in his eyes, before he quickly wiped them off and continued to wash off the counters. Just a friend. That's all I am to him. Just his employee and friend.
        When he finally finished wiping off the counters, he threw the dirty cloth into the basket in the back room where all of the dirty washcloths go. He felt a hesitation to go cuddle with the bartender, as he knew that these feelings were probably not reciprocated by him. All of it was fake. And yet, he needed this so badly. Puffing up his chest, he wandered back over to Sparkling, who still had his eyes halfway open.
       "You weren't asleep this whole time?" Herb frowned. "I wanted you to be asleep when I came over here...."
       Sparkling weakly smiled up at him. "I didn't want to until you came over. I wanted to be able to actually cuddle, you know? Not just you, cuddling me. I want to fall asleep in your arms." The charmer mumbled softly, letting out a long yawn afterwards. Herb's face was as red as Chili Pepper cookie's now, his butterflies becoming intense again. Without saying another word, he wriggled up close to Sparkling. The orange cookie sleepily wrapped an arm around him, laying his chin on Herb's head. He could feel the small cookie shaking with excitement, which made him smile. Herb grabbed one of Sparkling's stub hands and intertwined it with one of his own. What they both would give to make this moment last forever......
        Soon, Sparkling was finally asleep. And, before Herb knew it, he felt himself getting sleepy from the warmth of the tall bartender next to him, too. He snuggled up closer to Sparkling and fell asleep, just like that.