A Good Test Of Truth

(1)Are there secrets?

(still under edits, due for illustrations from yours truly)

Pure vanilla shuddered at the brisk, chilly wind; promptly pulling his cloak closer around himself to conserve what precious heat he had left. He looked over the balcony onto the roads of the rather grey, yet serene dark chocolate kingdom. On the outside it was harsh and relatively lifeless, though on the inside while it was harsh winter for most of the year, it's denizens were full of life and culture.

The kingdom was different than what pure vanilla was used to, him not fully accustomed to his own quite yet- as the grand lifestyle was comfortable, but almost as if it was ironically for his own greed, even if that was the farthest thing from the truth. He sat deep in thought,

*am I really as kind and good as I show myself to be? Am I... fake?*

"Vanilla-"

*Gasp!*

A crackling shatter sounded off the quiet balcony as pure vanilla jumped a mile out of his seat, dropping his tea. It was his favorite kind too, he felt his heart sink a little as he watched the spilled herbal water froze within the five seconds of contact it made with the ground.

"I-Im sorry... I'm so sorry- I.. don't know what came over me"

".. vanilla it's ok."

"?"

"Your fine."

Pure vanilla looked over at the tall man, vanilla was tall but he wasn't as tall as dark cacao cookie. Or anywhere as strong for that matter. It'd been only a few months ago when vanilla asked to meet alone with cacao to tell him something important, the poor vanilla bean practically shaking enough to give his staff virtigo-if it'd even been able to get it. He was covered in cold sweat, the most stressed he'd ever been especially in front of dark cacao, who at first glance seemed like a lifeless corpse just walking around no matter how stressed he might be on the inside. Vanilla remembered how closed his throat felt, how it burned and how fast his heart began to beat when cacao had looked at him out of concern for his friend. Eventually came the love confession that vanilla had been harboring for what felt like eons. A ticking time bomb as dark cacao likes to call it. He considered himself very lucky to have had dark cacao return the feelings.

And while cacao was indeed cold and reclusive, if he let you get close he was rather warm and intimate although not sexually, which was great to pure vanilla since he was pretty sure he would be disgusted by the thought of himself engaging in such an act so soon. Especially for his reputation as a "pure" cookie, if he didn't know any better he'd say he was actually a little scared to do it, and cacao never pushed anything that he didn't like onto him.

Cacao placed a cold but gentle hand on vanillas cheek letting him know that his mistake didn't matter, that he was fine and that he was still loved even if it was the third teacup that week. "...I love you cao..." Pure vanilla placed his smaller, soft hand on cacaos larger, much more rough one. "I love you too nilla.."

there was a slight pause of pure vanilla just leaning into the touch before dark cacao spoke.

"Your so cold vanilla, I think it's time you went back inside before you get sick!"

"But I like it out here, besides I'm fine.. I have layers!"

"Layers or not I know you get sick easily. Now come on, before I have to pick you up and drop you on my bed!"