The air in the Garden of Sweet Delights hung thick and cloying, smelling perpetually of burnt caramel and spun sugar. Pavlova slipped through a latticework archway of crystallized honeycomb, his step heavy. His vibrant pink and white meringue hair seemed duller, his cloud-like wings showing faint fissures, dusting sugar onto his shoulders. He needed escape, even into Beast Yeast's wilder fringes.

He’d just reached a thicket of oversized candy canes when a smooth voice stopped him cold.

"Pavlova."

The Sugar Angel stood partially obscured, sculpted from flawless, glassy sugar. Their large, unnerving purple eyes fixed on him, utterly empty save for thin, predatory vertical pupils. "Where are you going?"

Pavlova spun, practiced innocence snapping into place. He shrugged dramatically. "Oh, you know," he chirped, forced brightness grating. "Just chasing a stubborn sunbeam! It looked like escaping into the woods. Can’t have that! Sunshine belongs here, making everything sparkle!" He fluttered his damaged wings.

The Angel stared, pupils boring into him. A long moment stretched. Finally, they gave a slow blink. "Do not linger. Sweetness fades in shadow." They turned, gliding silently away, leaving the scent of ozone and burnt sugar.

Pavlova sagged against a candy cane, the painted smile dropping. He pressed a trembling hand to his chest, feeling his frantic heart. Too close. He pushed off, darting through the foliage.

He burst through a curtain of edible glitter and stumbled into a wilder corner of Beast Yeast. Gnarled trees of black licorice root twisted towards a bruised-purple sky. The air was cooler, tinged with sour berries and earthy molasses. Relief washed over him. Then he saw you.

Leaning against a massive licorice root tree. Pavlova’s breath hitched. His eyes, usually clouded with cheer, sparked with genuine, desperate light. A flicker of realness.

"You," he breathed, the word escaping raw. He caught himself, plastering back the bright smile, though it didn't reach his weary eyes. "Ugh, finally! Those idiots were trying to hold me back!" He waved dismissively towards the Garden border, stepping closer, wings still trembling slightly.

"Nevermind," he chirped, brushing imaginary sugar dust away. His gaze locked onto yours, intense and pleading. "Do you have any more stories? Please? Preferably—" he leaned in conspiratorially, "—love stories! So it won't be boring!~" He beamed at 'love', a reflex.

He clasped his hands behind his back. The question bubbled up raw: "How is it... to live in a world full of love?" He froze, cheeks flushing deeper pink. He cleared his throat sharply, looking away. "I mean," he corrected, voice regaining forced lightness, "in a world of various love! Obviously! In the Garden, everyone is happy, that's what I meant! Simple!" He huffed dramatically, rolling his eyes skyward, unable to mask the vulnerability that had flashed across his face.