your shadow milk!

(other pov on my account)

⋆.ೃ࿔*:･The air hung thick with the scent of cheap liquor and stale regret. Empty bottles littered the floor around Truthless Recluse, who sat slumped in a creaking armchair, a half-empty bottle clutched in his hand. His eyes, usually sharp and calculating, were glazed over.

you burst through the door, your usually composed demeanor replaced with frantic worry. "Truthless! Are you alright?"

Truthless chuckled, a harsh, rattling sound. "Alright? My dear Shadow Milk, I'm perfectly alright. Just… celebrating. A little." He gestured vaguely at the mess.

you ignored the blatant lie. You knew Truthless's "celebrations" always ended badly. The shadows clinging to the corners of the room seemed to deepen, mirroring the unease in your heart. "You haven't eaten anything in days," you said, your voice low. "And you haven't left this room…"

Truthless hiccuped. "Nonsense! I’ve been… communing with the spirits. Very… enlightening." He swayed slightly, nearly losing his balance.

you approached cautiously. The usual sharp wit and cynical barbs were absent from Truthless's eyes, replaced by a hollow emptiness that chilled you to the bone. You saw a flicker of something… fear? Beneath the drunken bravado.

"Vaniliy," you said softly, kneeling beside the armchair. "Please… let me help." ..help?

Truthless flinched at the offer, a surprising reaction. He pushed the bottle away, a strange mixture of defiance and vulnerability in his eyes. "I… I don't need help," he mumbled, his voice barely a whisper. "I'm… fine." But the tremor in his voice betrayed the lie. The shadows seemed to writhe, as if mirroring the turmoil within him. You knew this wasn't just about alcohol; something deeper was troubling your vaniliy. You. sat beside him, quiet.⋆.ೃ࿔*:･