Chapter Text
The labour was annoyingly painful. Shadow Milk Cookie lay back against the pillows, utterly spent. His body trembled faintly with the aftershocks of exhaustion, every breath shallow and strained. A sharp cry pierced the chamber, high, strong and alive. The audacity of babies to cry after it's the parents who go through hell and back...Nevertheless, relief flickered through him. His baby was finally here. Then he realised. There should have been two cries. Another sound followed, but not a cry. Just hurried footsteps. Overlapping whispers. A sharp command from one of the healers. Shadow Milk forced his eyes open. One infant lay briefly against his chest, warm, squirming, furious at the world. His tiny fists waved in the air as he wailed with surprising strength. The second child...Was silent. Too silent. The healers had already lifted him away."Why-" Shadow Milk's voice cracked, weak and dry. "Why are they not both with me?" No one answered. The crying infant remained pressed against him for only a moment longer before even he was gently transferred to a waiting nurse so the healers could move freely. The silent baby was swaddled tightly, far too still, and carried toward the door. "Wait-!" Shadow Milk tried to rise, but dainty yet firm hands pressed him back down. "Please rest. I will explain," the midwife murmured. "What's wrong with my baby?” he demanded, panic slicing through the haze of pain. "Why isn’t he crying?" The midwife hesitated, only for a heartbeat. "He is alive,” she said carefully. “But weak. He is struggling to breathe. The healers are tending to him. Pure Vanilla Cookie is with them. Don't worry. He would be okay." Her tone sounded reassuring. But once upon a time, Shadow Milk had been the Master of Deceit. He knew when someone wasn't entirely sure of something. Struggling to breathe. The words echoed. His gaze flicked frantically to the other infant across the room, the one who had cried. The nurse was rocking him gently. He was red-faced, indignant, very much alive. So one was strong. And one was slipping away. Shadow Milk clutched the sheets with one hand. His other drifted instinctively to his stomach. Nine months. Had his body failed one of them at the very last moment? His loyal servants, Black Sapphire Cookie and Candy Apple Cookie, had entered at some point. He hadn’t noticed. Black Sapphire looked stricken. Candy Apple held a bouquet of Queen Milk’s Lace, and a blue balloon that read "CONGRATULATIONS!!" The cheerful letters were so ironic it felt cruel. "Atleast one of them is alive-" Candy Apple started, but Black Sapphire stepped on her foot making her squeal. Shadow Milk just looked down at the sheets. Outside the chamber, life continued. Laughter drifted faintly through the castle corridors. Somewhere, children were playing. Cookies were going with their mundane daily lives. Inside, time had collapsed into something thin and unbearable. Eventually, the crying infant was brought back to him. The nurse placed him gently into Shadow Milk's arms. He was warm. Solid. His cries softened into hiccuping breaths as he nestled instinctively closer. Shadow Milk stared down at him. "You're strong…" he whispered faintly. He had tan skin and small strands of pale yellow hair. How did the other infant look like...? Were the identical or did he have more features of Shadow Milk...? The midwife tried to make him eat something, and he did. But he hardly remembered chewing and swallowing the food. Minutes passed. Or hours. The door opened.
Shadow Milk's breath caught when Pure Vanilla Cookie entered. He looked drained, shoulders slumped, complexion pale. Shadow Milk's mind raced ahead. "Where is he?" he asked, voice barely holding together. Pure Vanilla opened his mouth, but before he could speak, an older healer (at least in appearance) stepped in behind him. She carried a small bundle. Shadow Milk gulped. It was...still.
But not still enough. He saw it, the faintest rise and fall beneath the swaddle.
His breath broke into a shaky gasp. "He fought," the healer said quietly. "It was a miracle he survived." The silent infant was placed into his arms beside his brother. For a moment, Shadow Milk could only stare. This one was lighter. Fragile. His breathing shallow but steady now. His tiny fingers twitched weakly. He also had tan skin but he had blue strands of hair. The other twin, still cradled against his side, let out a soft protest at being jostled. Two lives. So different in their first moments. Tears blurred Shadow Milk's vision. "They are both mine…" he whispered. Black Sapphire leaned toward Candy Apple. “Let's go, they deserve to have their moment." Candy Apple hesitated, she was curious about the twins, but she set the bouquet down, tied the balloon to a chair, and followed him out. Silence settled. Shadow Milk adjusted his hold carefully, one arm supporting each child. One strong heartbeat beneath his right hand. One fragile, precious breath beneath his left. He swallowed. "It was a miracle he survived…” he repeated the healer's words softly. His gaze dropped to the weaker twin. "Then his name shall be Miracle. Miracle Cream Cookie." The stronger infant stirred, as if offended at not being addressed.
Shadow Milk let out a faint, exhausted huff of something that might have been a laugh. "And you…" he murmured, brushing a finger gently against the crying twin’s cheek. "You arrived bright and loud, announcing yourself to the world without hesitation." His voice steadied. "Bright Cream Cookie." Pure Vanilla's expression softened. "They suit them," he said quietly. "Both of them." He stepped closer, his voice lowering. "I am so sorry I was not by your side. I panicked. I should have been there...for you..." That hardly mattered now.
Shadow Milk pressed his cheek lightly against the twins' swaddles. They were warm. They were breathing. They were here. Everything else could wait.
A few weeks later…
The room was quiet. Shadow Milk lay face-down in his pillows, dramatically limp. Every muscle in him ached. His back hurt. His shoulders hurt. His pride hurt. More importantly...The twins were not in the room. His servants were present. He lifted his head slowly, like a ghost rising from a grave. "…Where are they." Black Sapphire Cookie stiffened. Candy Apple Cookie froze mid bite of a chocolate covered strawberry. "The nanny likely took them to be changed, My Lord," Black Sapphire replied carefully. "Likely?" Shadow Milk echoed, voice thin. Candy Apple nodded too quickly. "Yes! Diapers! Very urgent diaper matters!" Shadow Milk pushed himself upright in bed with visible effort, wincing. "I carried them for nine months," he said slowly, dangerously calm. "Nine. Months. I believe I am capable of handling their matters. Just because I fell asleep does NOT mean anyone can just take my babies and-" Black Sapphire cleared his throat before the former could go into a full ballad. “You are still recovering.” he said. Shadow Milk flopped back dramatically against the pillows, and muttered something which was totally logical, for example, "Recovery is a myth some bastard invented to keep me away from my children." Candy Apple tried to hold in a giggle. "What if...what if Miracle Cream is unable to breathe again...?!" Shadow Milk said suddenly. The laughter instantly died down in her throat. “They are safe,” Black Sapphire said soothingly. Before the conversation could deepen further, the door opened. Pure Vanilla walked in carrying one twin in each arm. Shadow Milk immediately stretched his arms out. "Give them to me." he demanded. Pure Vanilla obliged, carefully placing Miracle into one arm and Bright into the other. The transformation was instant. Shoulders relaxed. Breathing steadied. Bright grabbed at Shadow Milk's sleeve with surprising strength and let out a triumphant noise. Miracle shifted slightly, his breathing soft but steady. Shadow Milk subconsciously put his finger on the baby's chest to feel it. Still there. Still rising. Still falling. Pure Vanilla nodded at Black Sapphire and Candy Apple, who bowed (a little too low in Candy Apple's case and she nearly lost her balance) and they raced for the exit. "You shouldn't take your frustration out on them, Bluebird..." Pure Vanilla said gently. Shadow Milk sighed. "I know...I know...I just...can't bear the twins being away from me..." The former sat down next to the latter. "They are okay...It is all okay..." he said softly. Shadow Milk rested his head against Pure Vanilla's chest. Miracle Cream whimpered, as if he agreed with his dad.