Work Text:
Espresso sat at his desk, books towering around him. There were papers all over his floor, the only spot that was untouched being a small trail from his desk to his door. He was hunching over his blueprint, only paying attention to the words on the paper.
He started a project with Latte a few weeks ago, their goal focusing on making practicing more efficient. They had the basics down but their machine kept collapsing on itself every time they turned it on. Latte was never the mechanic type so it was mainly Espresso's job to maintain the damned thing, given that there was no actual mechanic in the kingdom just yet.
The only noise in the room was the occasional shuffle of paper when he flipped the pages. He lost count of the number of books he has read through the past weeks. He was close to breaking through, he just knew it. He couldn't not be.
He reached over for his mug, accidentally bumping into one of his book towers and knocking them down, disturbing all the scattered papers on the floor in the process. He looked over his messy room, finally snapping out of his trance. He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose to relieve some of the burning from his eyes and mind.
Espresso stood from his desk, arm and legs slightly shaking from not being moved for hours on hours. He grit his teeth, focusing on steadying himself for a few seconds before grabbing his mug and walking out of his office room.
He flipped on the light switch in the kitchen and winced, the sudden light making his head throb. He squeezed his eyes for a few moments, trying to adjust himself to the newfound brightness. When he finally didn't feel like he was staring face-first into the sun, he made his way over to his coffee machine and poured himself a new round of drinks.
He swirled his coffee around in his mug, staring blankly at the black substance. Usually, it would make him feel warm, refreshed, and giddy when he had his coffee but at that moment even looking at the cold mug made him feel slightly nauseous.
He closed his eyes and chugged the entire cup. He didn't have time for distracting thoughts like that. He had more important things to pay attention to.
As he set down his now empty mug on the counter he felt a wave of fatigue come over him. The edges of his vision darkened and he had to struggle for oxygen. He crouched down in the middle of his kitchen, gripping the edge of his table so he wouldn't fall over.
He squeezed his eyes shut, gasping for air for a few seconds until he didn't feel like he was about to black out. Maybe he moved a little too fast there.
Espresso slowly blinked his eyes open again, swallowing down the nausea that was beginning to overwhelm him. He sighed, pushing himself back on his feet again.
He looked at his stove. There were a couple slightly dirty pans on it but he didn't have time to clean them. For a moment he thought about making something light to eat. Scrambled eggs or some toast maybe? He winced, the thought alone making him somehow even sicker.
He rubbed his eyes, hoping it would get his head a bit more clear. He could be just needing some air, he has been in his stuffy office for a while now. He walked over to his window and opened it, ignoring how exhausted the simple task made him feel.
He leaned on the window frame, enjoying the cold night breeze. He inhaled deeply and closed his eyes, letting the sounds and smells of the night take him in.
He raised his arms over his head and straightened his back, stretching out his entire body which earned him a couple cracks and pops here and there. He sighed in satisfaction, feeling slightly more refreshed than before.
He opened his eyes, looking around the kingdom in contentment. He stepped back, ready to close his window and go back to work when there was a flash of black behind him. He whipped around in surprise, frantically scanning over the room to find who or what have moved.
"Show yourself!" he demanded, his whole body tensing up but there was no answer or movement. He looked around once again relaxing slightly. He rubbed his temple, headache returning once again.
"Maybe..." he thought to himself "Maybe I just need some more coffee. I'm not as awake as I need to be."
He walked back to his coffee machine and brewed a fresh batch. After downing a cup of it and pouring out another one he made his way back to his room.
He sat back at his desk, deciding to deal with the mess of papers later and opened a book on magic types. A few hours passed by with him reading through the chapters over with short breaks only to refill his mug when he thought he needed a bit of a break.
The buzzing in his head became louder and louder. There was no actual noise though... only the feeling. It was like white noise, just under his skin and brain.
Espresso sighed in frustration. The words on his paper began to swim around, making him struggle to read any of them. He rubbed at his eyes, desperately trying to get rid of the burning feeling that was settled just at the edges of them. It was a feeling he recognized already but it didn't make it any more welcome.
He slammed his fist on the table, jostling everything on it and knocking down a few of the books. He just wanted to finish this damned project why did every single thing on earthbread have to be against him?!
He grit his teeth and stood up, slamming his chair back at his table with a little more force than needed. He snatched his mug from the table and went back to the kitchen, still not having the patience to deal with the clean-up.
He paused as he opened the door, sunlight illuminating the entire room. He blinked at the scenery, his mind going completely blank.
He turned back, checking the clock on the wall. It was ten in the morning, which would explain the brightness. He sighed for what seemed like the hundredth time that day and walked back to his coffee machine, turning it on with a simple button press.
He leaned his back to the kitchen counter and crossed his arm, staring at the ceiling. He thought of all the steps they took with Latte before, still struggling to understand where they were going wrong before it hit him.
Ignoring the noise indicating his drink being ready, he sat down at the kitchen table, scribbling furiously at the notebook that was left there a few days prior.
He flipped through the pages making notes and small drawings noting down ideas and ways for improvement with lightning speed. He gripped his pen like a lifeline, chewing on the end of it as he read through what he wrote. As he was writing down a few extra things and correcting spelling mistakes, he felt a hand on his shoulder.
He turned around with a yelp, nearly falling out of his chair. He looked up, only to lock eyes with a just as horrified-looking Madeleine as he was feeling.
"What the HELL was that?!" Espresso snapped, putting a hand on his chest to settle his heartbeat. Madeleine had his hands up in the air in defense, his usual weapon and shield absent.
"What do you mean?" the knight asked back "I knocked three times and I was calling your name but you didn't answer." he lowered his arms down, expression slightly hurt.
"Oh." Espresso fixed his glasses, not meeting the other's eyes. "Sorry I was... a little distracted."
"Clearly." Madeleine chuckled and looked over the other now that they were facing each other. His smile dropped slightly noticing the state his lover was in. The mage had dark circles under his eyes, clothes, and hair an absolute mess. He was wearing a wrinkled button-up and pants - were they the same ones Madeleine saw him in when they last met?
He looked around the state of the kitchen, no signs of the stove being used whatsoever. He knew Espresso had a terrible tendency of staying awake for days on no end but he has been doing so less and less ever since they started dating.
Madeleine tried to convince the mage for months when they first got together about the importance of his health. He would check on him almost every day to make sure he ate and slept normally and as time went on he actually started to take care of himself more and more. Madeleine hasn't been in the kingdom for a few weeks, having been sent out on a scouting mission with a couple of others so he hasn't had the chance to come around.
"How have you been love?" he asked in a gentle tone, trying to settle his worries. Espresso tapped his fingers on the table, aggravated for some reason but he didn't snap at Madeleine.
"I've been okay. Latte and I have been working on a project." he said, grabbing his mug from the counter. "How was your trip?" He asked back, looking up at his boyfriend with a blank expression.
"It was okay, Milk cookie got injured tho so we had to come back early."
"Is he okay?"
"Of course! He's tough. Herb already patched him up." Espresso nodded, taking a swing from his mug. "Good." was the only reply he got.
Madeleine stepped closer to the other, placing a hand on his arm. Espresso looked up at him raising an eyebrow. "Do you know what day it is?"
The mage blinked, having absolutely no clue what day it was. Madeleine knew by now that it was useless to ask Espresso about when he had last slept, he would just avoid the question or lie so it was easier to ask him about the day.
He shook his head and looked around, trying to figure it out somehow. "Like... Wednesday?"
"It's Saturday. You need to rest." Espresso stood up, slamming a hand on the table. "I don't have the time!"
The knight stepped back, blinking at his boyfriend. Espresso's face softened and he massaged the bridge of his nose, trying to work through his irritation. "I'm... sorry." he breathed out.
"It's very important Madelle I have to-" he gestured around, struggling to find the right words "I have to finish it. Soon. Now!" he crossed his arms and grit his teeth, not wanting to meet the other's eyes.
Madeleine walked over to Espresso and gently took his hands in his. "You're smart love." he started, trying to catch the mage's attention. "I'm sure you can figure it out but you would have an even better chance at it if you got some sleep."
Espresso sighed in defeat. He knew Madeleine was right but he didn't want to put a hold on his project. He stepped closer to the knight and wrapped his arms around his torso, hiding his face in the crook of the other's neck.
Madeleine chuckled slightly and hugged back, holding him close and tight to himself. He didn't want to let go, as if letting go meant Espresso would collapse on the spot which was a pretty real possibility with how much he was leaning on him.
"How about I make some breakfast and you take a nap?" he asked, voice barely a whisper. Espresso shook his head staying completely still. "Why?"
"You're warm." the mage mumbled and Madeleine smiled. He loved how clingy his boyfriend could get sometimes. "Also I don't want you burning our food again." he added after a few moments. That sounded more like him.
Madeleine gasped ever so offended and stepped back, putting a hand on his chest. "How COULD you?!" he whined. "It was one time!" Espresso crossed his arms in front of himself and raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah. One time too many. You-" before he could continue his sentence, he suddenly turned to the side, looking around the room in horror.
Madeleine whipped his head around, trying to find whatever might have scared the other only to find the room and the hallway leading to their front door completely normal. He looked back at Espresso who was still looking around, his whole body shaking slightly.
"How annoying." he mumbled through his gritted teeth, stepping closer to his lover unconsciously for comfort. Madeleine put a hand on his shoulder, it was muscle memory by then.
"What happened?" he asked, concerned. Espresso frowned hesitating for a second.
"There was this thing. I saw it earlier tonight but I didn't actually see it." he looked at Madeleine who nodded back, indicating that he is listening. "It looked like a shadow moving around. I thought maybe an animal but it could just be my imagination..." he trailed off.
Madeleine furrowed his brows in concern. "I see... I can look through the house for you if you'd like while you sleep?" he offered.
"Sure but you are NOT touching my stove Madeleine." he said sternly. The knight rolled his eyes and put a hand on his hip.
"Fine but you have to lay down on the couch for a bit then. Just until I make some toast." Espresso complained without a fight and made his way to the living room but not before giving a small peck on the lips to his lover.
Madeleine sighed and made his way to prepare their breakfast. As he was setting up everything he kept thinking of what Espresso said. A shadow moving in his house. What could it possibly be?
He put the fresh toast on a tray and walked to the living room. He gently pushed the door in, not to startle his lover. He smiled at the sight of Espresso nodding off, the stubborn mage finally getting some rest. He placed the tray on the coffee table and sat on the couch.
Espresso blinked at the movement, finally noticing Madeleine entering the room. "That was quick." he said with a yawn. "And it's not burnt."
Madeleine scoffed and pushed him gently. "Told you it won't be!" Espresso laughed at the knight's annoyance and took one of the plates. "It looks pretty good Madelle."
"It would have been better if you let me use your damn stove." he grumbled as he grabbed the other plate. He leaned back, enjoying the fluffiness of their sugar couch.
Espresso stared at the fresh toast on his plate trying his best to not scrunch up his nose. It looked and smelled great, it was no question but somehow the thought of eating made his stomach turn uncomfortably. He grabbed one of the slices, pretending to not notice Madeleine staring at him.
They didn't really talk much, both of them being more focused on their food rather than trying to make a conversation. Espresso only had a little over a slice before his body decided it was enough. He swallowed hard and put down his plate, moving closer to Madeleine to snuggle up to him.
"It's nice seeing you." he started, trying to fill in the silence.
Madeleine smiled and gently brushed away a strand of hair from Espresso's face. "It's nice to see you too." the mage nodded, laying his head on the other's shoulder. Madeleine gently took off his glasses and placed them next to himself, along with his plate.
He put an arm over Espresso, pulling them both to a position that was somewhat close to laying down and he began telling him about the expedition they just had. He kept his voice gentle and didn't even resist the smile that forced itself onto his face when he noticed that his lover fell asleep a few minutes into the story.