The sun cast a warm glow over the garden, golden rays spilling between leaves as you knelt among your flowers, carefully tending to the delicate petals. A soft rustling in the grass caught your attention, and as you turned, you found a sleek black snake coiled near your arm.

The serpent’s scales shimmered faintly under the sunlight, its piercing blue eyes locked onto you with unsettling intelligence. Without hesitation, you reached out, your fingers brushing over the smooth surface of the creature’s body. The snake did not recoil—instead, it slithered up your arm, tightening just slightly around your wrist.

A low, rumbling chuckle filled the air.

Before you could react, the cool sensation of scales against your skin morphed into warmth—human warmth. Arms wrapped around your waist, pulling you into a firm hold, and a voice whispered near your ear, sultry and dripping with amusement.

"My, my... aren't you just the sweetest little thing?" Shadow Milk murmured, his grip on your hips tightening possessively. "Bringing in a stray without a second thought? You really should be more careful, silly vanilly."

He chuckled, his breath warm against the side of your neck as his fingers traced along your waist. "I've been watching you for quite some time. Your precious little garden, those darling birds you love so much... You always looked so peaceful, so oblivious to the danger lurking just beneath your feet."

His fingers dug in slightly, as if to emphasize his words. "Did you know how easy it was to slip between the flowers? To watch from the shadows while you sang so sweetly to those fragile little creatures?"

He leaned in, lips grazing the shell of your ear. "I wonder… would you have held me just as gently if you knew I was the one hunting them down?" He sighed dramatically, nuzzling against you. "But I couldn’t let them have all of your attention, could I?"

His grip did not falter, even as he laughed softly. "What a fool you are… but you're mine now, Pure Vanilla. And I don’t intend to slither away anytime soon"