Show's Over (AO3)

Show's Over (AO3)

Fandom: Cookie Run

Relationship: Black Sapphire/Silverbell

Sent by Shadow Milk to plant a lie, Black Sapphire sneaks into the Faerie Kingdom, disguised as one of their own. He meets a certain silver knight, and in a moment of emotional weakness, diverts from the carefully constructed script he'd spent a considerable amount of time crafting for his lord to be allowed to go on this mission. Silverbell was not on the script. And Black Sapphire is tired of lying to him. (At the same time, he doesn't want to let him go.)

WC: 2,742 | M/M | Identity Reveal, Ambiguous/Open Ending, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Mid-Canon, Not a Bad Ending, Pre-Canon

"Tell me it isn't true."

Silver moonlight beamed in scattered rays through the trees above. It fell over the two winged figures, both of them standing on a mossy silver bridge that overlooked a giant, silver tree. One was turned away from the other, posed by the edge with one hand on the railing. It was the perfect spotlight to deliver a well crafted speech, to perform, to entertain. The stage was set, the lighting perfect, the actors in place, the tension built, the drama just waiting, begging, to unfold.

He tightened his grip on the silver rail.

For once, Black Sapphire didn't feel like performing.

He turned his head away from the view of the Silver Tree. Silverbell stepped closer, silver lilyvine wings fluttering against his back, gentle chiming bells ringing softly through the air. Tremulous words fell from trembling lips.

"Please tell me it's not true," the faerie pleaded again. "Grapevine Faerie, please."

"And just what is it you're asking about?" Black Sapphire asked, flat and bored. It was a far cry from his usual showmanship. It made Silverbell balk, hesitate, something fragile in his eyes slowly unraveling.

"I heard," Silverbell started, "that you…"

The faerie trailed off, choked up, unable to get the words out.

Black Sapphire sighed. Maybe it was too cruel to make the other say it. He knew very well what Silverbell was talking about.

He'd spread the rumor himself.

"That I am a spy?" Black Sapphire said, the ugly truth hovering in the air between them. Silverbell flinched, and then, with the most imperceptible of movements, gave a tiny nod.

Black Sapphire turned away again, facing the Silver Tree that had once held his master captive. This was why he hated the truth. There was no meaningful flair, no dazzling pizzazz, no way to dress it up and make it sound sweet.

So he didn't.

"It's true," he stated. "I was sent here on behalf of my lord, Shadow Milk Cookie."

"But-" Silverbell made a low noise, pained and dismayed. "But you can't be- What about-? Why?"

The faerie took a step back, stricken with panic. Black Sapphire couldn't bring himself to look. The other had always looked close to tears, but he'd never actually seen the faerie cry, and he wasn't sure he ever wanted to.

"For my lord," he muttered, the words bittersweet on his tongue.

Again, the truth stained the air, stinking and foul. It was true. He'd only come to the faerie kingdom on orders to do so by Shadow Milk himself.

Falling in love with Silverbell had not been on the script.

"How could you-?" Silverbell stifled a sob, choked and strained. The faerie sniffled, and there was a soft rustle of fabric, before the other spoke again, his low, trembling, angry tone sending a chill through the night. "Was any of it real? Did I mean anything to you?"

Black Sapphire's faerie disguise melted away, slow and deliberate. This wasn't on the script either, an uncomfortable twitch rolling through his now exposed leather wings of black and purple. Soft nature, leaves and fruit were replaced by glittering gemstones and sleek black fabric. He turned his true face towards the other.

"You did," he said, the truth, once again, leaving his mouth. "You do. It was real."

Silverbell stared at him, the pale, silvery blue of his eyes darting across his form. Anger tightened the faerie's glare, bold and harsh, but it was fragile, shimmering in his eyes like thin glass.

"How do I know you're not lying about this too?" Silverbell accused, those delicate silver lilyvine wings twitching upward with the soft shimmer of bells. "Just to hurt me more?"

Black Sapphire stayed silent, still for a beat far too much longer than he meant to be.

If he told Silverbell the truth, it would only complicate things, as the truth was wont to do. It was better to lie, to insist that this love had only ever been a trick. The truth would hurt Silverbell more in the long run, knowing it had been real and that Black Sapphire had decided to betray him anyways. If the faerie believed he'd been played for a fool, perhaps he would fare better after Black Sapphire was gone from this place.

So, Black Sapphire lied.

"Congratulations!" he announced, pulling on his show host persona as quickly as he could. His voice, devastatingly, cracked. He cleared his throat, twirling his microphone staff and speaking into it. "You're right! It was a trick, all of it. We have a winner, folks!"

Silverbell flinched back, and the dam broke.

"Please, hold your applause now," he continued, trying to sweep himself away into the familiarity of showmanship, if only to avoid the consequences. "The show's not over yet-"

The tip of a silver arrow was shoved in his face, and he fell abruptly silent. Silverbell's face was streaked with glimmering tears, startlingly beautiful in the light of the moon.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't turn you in," the faerie snapped, the string of his bow drawn back and held by his cheek. Black Sapphire had forgotten, for a moment, that the other was a knight. "One good reason why I shouldn't… why I shouldn't…"

"You wouldn't want to ruin my big moment, would you?" Black Sapphire whispered, afraid that if he spoke any louder, his voice would crack open his chest and spill his heart out into some bloody mess on the mossy silver bridge. Carefully, he pushed the arrow away from his face, stepping aside. Silverbell let him go.

"That's not good enough," the faerie muttered, but let the arrow disappear in a soft chime of magic, the bowstring gently lowered to rest. "Grapevine Faerie… should I even call you that anymore? I feel like such a fool."

Silverbell's wings lowered in defeat. Black Sapphire leaned back against the silver rail of the bridge, watching emotions flit across the other's face.

"Why did you come here?" the silver knight asked, his delicate voice now demanding, but still soft with resignation.

Black Sapphire hesitated. "To cause chaos and sow confusion in the name of my master, of course," he finally settled on, sharp teeth bared in a grin.

"But why me?" Silverbell pressed, the distress in his pale moonlit eyes growing brighter by the second. "If- if that was really your goal this whole time, then why would you-… with me…?"

Black Sapphire stayed silent. Unbidden came memories of the knight's presence by his side, of a warm hand in his, of gentle chiming bells and the shyly stolen touch of soft lips lingering against his. He wanted to linger. He wanted so badly.

"For the drama, of course!" he all but purred instead. He pulled his sharp smile tight, bowing with a grand flourish. "The audience loves some good drama. Who doesn't? Ah, what a show!"

"But- but-" Silverbell stammered. Black Sapphire shook his head, tsking to himself and sighing.

"Show's over, Silverbell," he said, softer and fainter than he meant to say it, turning away from the faerie. "Go home."

He stepped away, bowing his head as he began to walk across the bridge. What a fool he'd been, what a joke. And now, he'd have to return to the spire a failure. If he'd just stuck to the script-

"No," Silverbell burst out. "No, this can't be right- I don't believe you!"

Hands landed on his shoulders. He stiffened up, yelping in an undignified manner when he was spun around and wrapped up close in the embrace of the faerie. Silverbell hugged him, close and firm, his delicate silver lilyvine wings fluttering up the way Black Sapphire knew they did when he was particularly determined about something.

"I don't believe you," Silverbell whispered, almost desperately. "You weren't faking it. You couldn't have been."

"Get off me," Black Sapphire almost growled, pushing half heartedly at Silverbell's chest. "Didn't you hear me? I said, show's over!"

"And I think you're not as good an actor as you think you are," Silverbell argued back. The words were like hot iron through the chest, but despite the hurt they caused, he knew their intentions weren't malicious. "You're lying to me, right now, which means-"

Black Sapphire's face twisted up. "I serve the master of deceit!" he cried, interrupting the faerie before the truth could be spoken. "You're a fool! Why would anything I do ever-?"

His throat closed up, suddenly tight with emotion. Silverbell said nothing, waiting quietly as he choked over intentions that had always been easy to get out.

"Why would anything I do ever be real?" Black Sapphire whispered, still tense and pushing weakly at the faerie. But Silverbell had him in his hold, and he finally slumped in the faerie's embrace, raising his arms to hug the other in return.

Silverbell pulled him closer, gentle and undemanding. The night breeze overhead disturbed the silver-bathed leaves above, the soft whirl and rustle the only sounds in this part of the Faerie Kingdom.

Black Sapphire pushed himself away, and Silverbell let him go. He straightened up, brushing out the wrinkles of his suit coat and adjusting the gem that pinned his cravat in place, all to give himself something to do while the possibilities of things he could say whirled through his mind.

He wiped discreetly at his eyes, sighing, composing himself.

"I suggest forgetting I ever existed," he muttered, unable to look at the face of the faerie. "It will be easier for us both."

"It… It may be easier," Silverbell agreed, before shaking his head. "But I… I don't think I can forget you."

"Silverbell-" Black Sapphire started to say, only to be cut off.

"I can't forget, but I can act like this never happened. I won't turn you in. I-I won't tell anybody you were here."

He looked up. Silverbell's soft face, carved out by moonlight and framed with gentle pale white hair, was hard with determination.

"And why wouldn't you do that?" Black Sapphire asked, baffled. "I- I handed you the perfect opportunity to-"

"Because I love you," Silverbell said, his cheeks darkening under the moonlight from the declaration. He twisted his hands together, averting his gaze. "And… I want to believe that you love me, too."

"I think your naivety is showing," Black Sapphire muttered, but didn't refute it. He wiped at his face again, hoping he at least didn't look like the mess he sounded like. "If you knew what was good for you, you'd turn me in. But hey! I'm not here to tell you what to do!"

"You wouldn't…" Silverbell hesitated. "If you didn't really love me, you wouldn't have told me who you really are. You wouldn't have tried to push me away like that. But you… did. And… maybe some of what was between us wasn't all real, but most of it was. I still… see you."

Black Sapphire's expression twisted up, his wings tense, fingers curling tightly around the staff of his microphone, recoiling from that surprisingly piercing gaze.

"I'll let you go, and I won't tell a soul," Silverbell offered, "if you promise to come back on your own terms someday."

Black Sapphire's wings fell slack with shock.

"That's it?" he asked, incredulous. The faerie nodded.

"That's it." Silverbell stayed standing there, eyes glimmering with hope. Another night breeze passed by, ruffling his pale hair and white knight clothes. The gentle chiming of soft silver bells rang through the air. "Because I want you to choose this time."

"That is a terrible idea," Black Sapphire protested, feeling almost lightheaded. "This is a terrible idea! You would really, truly, throw away the security of the kingdom you serve just to see me again? I am your enemy! I hate this place! I was sent here to tear it down!"

But Silverbell only shook his head.

"Do it or don't," the faerie said, turning away. The lilyvine silver wings on his back fluttered, flicking, nervous but set. "But you wouldn't be trying so hard to push me away for no reason. So… Goodbye, Grapevine Faerie. I… hope we get to see each other again."

"Black Sapphire."

His own name was hissed, spat between gritted teeth. Fury and grief welled up in him, contradicting each other and tearing him apart.

Silverbell glanced over his shoulder, before nodded in acknowledgement.

"Black Sapphire," Silverbell murmured, turning and beginning to walk away. "It suits you."

--

"Oooh, Black Sapphiiiire~!"

Hands landed on his shoulders, and the click of his heels on white, pale blue tile ceased.

"Greetings, my lord," the cookie said, careful to keep his voice steady and even. Shadow Milk peered over his shoulder with mismatched eyes and a sharp grin on his face.

"Did you do it?" the Beast almost purred. Were Black Sapphire not so focused on keeping himself so composed, he might have noticed or even become unnerved by his master's overly gleeful behavior. He'd never known the Beast to be the giddy type.

Black Sapphire shook his head. "There was… an unexpected complication in my mission," he reported, forcing himself not to tense when the Beast's claws dug into his shoulders. "But worry not my lord. Candy Apple is doing now what I was unable to. We should see results in a day or two."

"Ugh, finally!" Shadow Milk groaned, removing his hands from Black Sapphire's shoulders. The cookie had to force himself not to wilt in relief, the Beast successfully pacified for now. "I was wondering what was taking you so long! You were in the faerie kingdom for forever!"

"As I mentioned, my lord, it was an unexpected complication," Black Sapphire assured the Beast. "It won't happen again."

Shadow Milk hovered around to face him, a contemplative look on his face. He almost looked as though he wanted to crack something open, some kind of primal hunger in his eyes that always settled a deep pit of fear in Black Sapphire's chest whenever he saw it.

"You're omitting a crucial detail or two, Black Sapphire Cookie," Shadow Milk said bluntly, amusement flickering across his face. "Deceiving deceit?"

Cold dread pooled in Black Sapphire's stomach. "My lord," he tried, only barely managing to keep his voice composed before the Beast laughed in genuine glee. It made Black Sapphire stop, staring.

"I knew there was a reason I kept you around!" Shadow Milk giggled to himself, before reaching out and patting Black Sapphire's head like one would pet a dog. "Good boy!"

"Thank- thank you, my lord…?" Baffled by the praise, but not one to turn away from it, Black Sapphire enjoyed the touch, brief as it was.

The Beast's expression sharpened.

"You'd better hope Candy Apple's results are pleasing to me," Shadow Milk stated, all of the glee gone from his face.

Recognizing the threat for what it was, Black Sapphire bowed his head. "Yes, my lord."

"Because if they aren't, it won't be her fault. It'll be yours."

"Yes, my lord." Tentatively, he took a risk, opening his mouth to speak more, his faith in the Beast unwavering. "I have full faith in Candy Apple to plant the misinformation we need straight into that cookie's hands. It will be done."

Shadow Milk gave him a long look, one that narrowed into slits, sharp pupils raking over him and prying every last secret from the stitches of his dough. Then, the Beast smiled.

"Good!" he nearly sang, twirling around in midair with a whirl of flowing fabric. "Wouldn't want me to make a personal visit to the faerie kingdom to go see just what prevented you from doing what I asked you to, now would we?"

The dread rose, but Black Sapphire ignored it, bowing his head so that perhaps the Beast wouldn't see the incriminating expression on his face. "Whatever my lord desires."

"Ha!" Shadow Milk laughed, pretending to wipe a tear from his cyan eye. "Ahaha! You're funny. Let's hope it goes your way, mhm? I'm curious to see how exactly this'll play out."

Without giving Black Sapphire a chance to respond, the Beast melted into shadow, zipping away down the hall. Black Sapphire sighed, raising a hand to clutch at his heart.

Shadow Milk knew. Of course he knew. His master knew all, twisting everything into lies and deceit. He had been expecting to receive some kind of punishment upon his return to the spire, but this?

This was as good a blessing as any.