Half N' Half Choco Cookie is his name, copy pasting it is his game
and having his life connected to the Crystal Heart
but mostly the copy pasting thing
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Three knocks on the tower, sent Half N' Half Choco falling down the tower stairs, somehow landing on his feet, a few more knocks before the collector yelled out, slipping his jacket on.
"Hold on! I'm coming!"
Half N' Half Choco unlocked the tower door before swinging it open, managing to catch The Crystal Heart before it shot out of the door, forcing it back into his bag.
"I'm sorry about that I don't get visitors anymore-"
"It's alright,"
Half N' Half Choco looked up from the doorway, eyes widening at the Cookie that stood before him. He was dressed in an outfit that was obviously a worker of the king, a long robe, hair tied off in a brave off his shoulder. Pretty was the word that came to Half N' Half Choco's mind as he stood straight, smiling for the first time in awhile.
"Um- did the king send you? I usually get letters-"
"No, I'm here on my own volition- it's a long story, can I come in?"
"Um- y- yes! Come in!"
The man walked in past him, Half N' Half Choco closed the door as the smell of ice-cream and coffee hit his nose. The Crystal Heart flew out of his bag and started its way back upstairs to its resting place. Half N' Half Choco sighed and leaned against the door, coughing into his arm before turning to look at the man, who was idling looking at the antique books scattered around the room.
"Do you know about what's been going on at the Citadel?"
"Uh- no, I don't really care for all that, only ever learn stuff when people visit me, which isn't often cause... uh,"
Half N' Half Choco motioned out the window, to the treacherous badlands, as if on que a wolf howled, and lighting struck. The man looked up from the book he had picked up, smiling towards Half N' Half Choco, who quickly walked over.
"Um- w- what's your name by the way- i- if you don't mind me asking?"
"Affogato Cookie, I know your name, your name is written quite a lot in the King's papers,"
"Oh! Fun! ... In a good way?"
"... I didn't see much of it but I did catch the term 'Fool' and 'Valuable' once or twice,"
Half N' Half Choco nodded, picking up a few of the books on the couch to make some room to sit down, placing them stacked next to it. Affogato took the chance to sit down, visibly relaxing into the couch.
"Thank you, but are you alright? You seem rather tense,"
"Oh yeah! Just uh, haven't had contact with another person in... uh... what year is it?"
"... 2040?"
"... Holy crap, yeah I haven't seen another person in like, 20 years,"
"20 years? You barely look a day over 19,"
"Uh, yeah, it's a long story but I'm cursed, can't die unless by natural means, so no aging, disease, getting stabbed-"
"I would hardly call getting stabbed natural,"
"What are swords but fancy spikes,"
Affogato gave Half N' Half Choco a bewildered expression, before looking back at the book in his hands, flipping it open. Half N' Half Choco stood for a moment before coughing, taking a step back from the couch.
"I uh, don't know if any of my food is good but I can look, are you hungry?"
"Quite, yes, if you don't have anything edible then I'll just take some water,"
Half N' Half Choco gave a thumbs up, scurrying up the stairs to the dusty kitchen, cranking the handle of the sink, letting the water flow to wash off a bowl and a cup. After some searching, he managed to find a box of salvageable crackers, they expired in a week, Half N' Half Choco didn't think about what they could possibly have inside of them to make them last that long. He poured them into the bowl and filled the cup with water, carefully going back down the stairs. He pulled the table closer to Affogato and pushed some of the items on it aside in order to put the cup and bowl down.
"Those crackers somehow weren't expired! So yes I do have food here!"
Affogato looked up from the book, then over to Half N' Half Choco, smiling softly (He was even prettier when he smiled, Half N' Half Choco thought)
"Thank you, it wouldn't be a hassle if I spent the night, would it? I'll be gone by tomorrow morning, but it'll be dark soon,"
"Uh- Yeah of course! I um- I can clear off the couch or lend my bed- I only have one but I do need an excuse to clean up my things anyway, so uh- it's up to you,"
"I'll sleep up there if your offering, this is a good book by the way, where did you get it?"
Half N' Half Choco thought for a moment, rubbing the back of his head and shrugging.
"I dunno, most of my stuff comes from the idiots who try to take shortcuts through the badlands- they're already dead when I take it so it's not stealing- But most of the books belonged to the previous owner of the tower, whoever they were,"
Affogato nodded, standing up, putting the book back on the couch, dusting himself off.
"Well, I'm going to go to bed early, I have quite the journey ahead of me, assuming you don't fall asleep I'll say goodbye when I leave,"
"Mhm! See you then!"
