Cookie Run x Reader [Oneshots]

[🌼] Ananas x Reader

Safe

Requested by otter_cookie

Reader is smol choild.

Both Reader and Ananas are they/them, so I'll capitalise dragon dude's pronouns because They're great-

-

It happened suddenly.

One moment they were walking down the market street, skipping on the cobblestone as they held their mother's hand.

The other, the earth was splitting.

It was so abrupt, the shock of it all left them frozen, ears ringing, staring ahead as cookies ran, or tripped and fell into the forming ravine. Their mother called to them, pulling at their arm, but they couldn't move. The noise. Oh, the noise. The land cried and groaned as it broke apart, shaking with the violence of a battlefield, drowning out the screams.

They were picked up. And that's when they came to their senses. Finally finding their voice, the child cried as their mother ran with them. Why was this happening? Did they do something wrong? Surely they must have, why else would this catastrophe strike on their birthday, of all days?

The ground shook harder. The woman tripped, twisting around to not fall on her cargo. The child screamed. It didn't stop. When would it stop? Their mother tried getting up, but couldn't. Her eyes widened in horror when she looked down. Her legs were broken. She yelled something at them. They couldn't understand. She pushed them away, yelling the same thing again. Did she want them to leave her there?

The few buildings still standing finally toppled over. She pushed them again. They shook their head. No. No, the couldn't just-

The earth yelled out a final dying cry. The cobblestone path gave way to the gaping maw of the ravine. They clawed at her hand to try and get her up. No use. With a final push, they were finally sent stumbling away. A scream.

"RUN!"

They ran.

They ran as fast as their legs could carry them, choking on their tears as the ground finally ceased it's shaking. They fell to their knees with the sudden lack of motion, their mother's scream still ringing in their head like a death knell. It was over. With trembling hands, they wiped at their eyes as they sobbed. It was over. It was...over...

...

They had fallen unconscious. When they awoke, dust still hung in the air like a fog, moonlight breaking through it in rays. Everything was deathly silent. With tears springing back into their eyes, the child stood with no resolve. They gulped as they turned their back to the town now in ruins, staring instead at the open horizon. The ocean.

Stumbling ahead, the child caught sight of a fishing home, now in pieces. The building has fallen into the boats that were kept at it's side, rendering them all useless. With a sense of desperation, the child dug through the planks and splinters in hope of finding, well, anything.

Their hand finally rested on the rim of a large basket. A few fish still lay in it, very dead, but only caught that morning. Hands shaking, they gently lifted the fish out of the basket and onto the ground one by one, giving them little pats afterwards.

The basket was woven, and just about as big as they were. Gripping at it's handle, they slowly dragged it towards the shore.

The waters were eerily calm. They pushed their self proclaimed boat into the water. They hesitated glancing behind. Their town, their life, their mother, level with the ground, buried under the pale haze of the dust in the air. They quickly climbed into the basket.

The child burried their face in their knees as they drifted away from shore. They didn't think about where the currents would take them. Or if it would take them anywhere at all. All that mattered, was that it was taking them away.

-

Ananas wasn't quite sure what They were looking at. See, at first They were ready to tear someone apart for littering on Their beach when They saw some old basket discarded on the shoreline, but now They were just confused. Inside the basket, honest to god, was a cookie. So very small and frail, curled up into a whimpering little ball.

The dragon leaned down with a huff. The small thing could definitely fit in Their palm. The child was asleep, but seemed to be having a case of night terrors.

Simply put, They were at a loss.

They couldn't cause the child any harm because they didn't actually do anything, but, They also couldn't just leave them there. The sun was setting and it was bound to get cold. They could do without a dead cookie disrupting the view of Their island.

With a sigh, the dragon's body shifted, kicking sand into the air as They took their secondary form. Now an appropriate size, They stepped closer to the basket. The child inside looked weak, even for one if their kind. How long were they in there? They prodded at their side with a claw. The child flinched slightly, but didn't wake up.

Confliction written clearly across Their face, Ananas lifted the basket – child included – up, and turned to fly back to Their nest.

...

They landed in silence. Slowly, the dragon placed the woven basket down, and awkwardly lifted the small cookie into Their arms. They were definitely not doing it right, but who was there to blame Them? It took but a few steps to reach Their throne. Sitting down, Ananas took a moment to look the child over: clothes damp with sea water, hair messy, and lips quivering with whatever horror they were dreaming about. In one word, pathetic.

...except it was a level of pathetic They couldn't even find amusing.

What in the Isles' name happened to this kid?

Pineapplemur abruptly perched on Their shoulder with a sense of curiosity. They spared it but a glance. Without question, the pet climbed down Their arm and cuddled up to the child, tail wrapping around their torso in an attempt to keep them warm. The whimpers subsided, if only a little. The dragon could only blink in silent astonishment.

Uncharacteristically uncertain, Ananas lifted a hand to tap the cookie's tear stained cheek. With a whimper, they slowly reached up, still unconscious, to grasp Their finger before falling silent.

The Great Golden Dragon felt a pang in Their chest.