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Fight or flight, I'd rather die
The stage was a mess. Rubble and remnants of magic lingered in the field just as the battle came to stop. Cookies were scattered on the ground; some were unconscious, but the subtle rise and fall of their chest indicated life. The others, unfortunately, unmoving. Other cookies started to wake up and help those around them, providing elixirs and potions that would heal their wounds and provide them with strength once more: may the Divine grant them.
Espresso Cookie was one of the many who've woken up in the battlefield. As consciousness came to him he slowly stood up and scanned the grounds around him. There was little movement but he saw that most cookies were alive and well – as well as they could be for now.
Espresso thought for a moment. Something was odd. There was something amiss, something he couldn’t quite pinpoint.
Just then one of the knights approached him.
“Espresso Cookie,” the knight started. “It’s good to see that you are awake.”
Espresso turned to look at the knight, bruised and battered from battle. This had been more difficult than they had originally prepared for but he's grateful that they got through it. And for the ones who didn’t…
“Here, take this.” The knight handed him a small bottle filled with pink liquid. A healing potion.
He took the potion and drank half of it. “Thank you.”
The knight nodded at him and walked away. Possibly to help another cookie or to contact the castle he assumed.
Espresso pocketed the rest of the potion. Dusting himself off it clicked what had been missing. He set out into the field in search of a specific cookie.
Than have to cry in front of you
Espresso was frantically searching the field of rubble and crumbs, his eyes scanning everywhere they can. So many fallen cookies were being given the aid they needed, healers working here and there to patch up wounds and to try and seal bigger ones with magic. The almost sickeningly sweet scent of healing magic filled the air as Espresso quickly made his way through the field.
The mage had been running around for quite a while, thoughts fueled by paranoia and worry filled his mind. What if he's injured? What if he was taken? What if he's too late and when he gets to him he's gone? He hadn’t found him yet. He needed to find him.
Espresso quickened his pace, dead set on finding that cookie.
He stopped just as he reached the area with almost no cookies. There were one or two, but they had yet to gain consciousness. The knights and healers were close to this area anyway, there's no need for him to halt in his search to assist them.
Just then Espresso hears a rustle of leaves close by. He hadn’t noticed how close he was to the forest's border. He turns to search for the source of the rustling.
…By the bushes he spots a mess of blond hair covered in mud.
Espresso sighs in relief and makes his way towards the other cookie.
“Madeleine Cookie! Are you alr-“ he gets cut off by the sight in front of him.
“Espresso..?” Madeleine's words come out slow and slurred together, hardly audible enough for another to hear.
Espresso's eyes widen as he takes in the state of Madeleine. He was bleeding somewhere from his torso, the blood having stained his undershirt. He was also wounded on his leg, the limb laying steady on the ground as the red liquid stained the discarded armor. His sword and shield were nowhere to be found as well.
Espresso quickly made his way beside Madeleine Cookie, handing him the other half of the healing potion.
“Drink this. Slowly, or you might choke..” he told the knight.
Madeleine gratefully took the bottle and drank the rest of the potion. He panted as his hand dropped to his side, letting the bottle roll away. Espresso helped him up to sit against a nearby tree.
“Thank..you..” he panted out. Madeleine winced as he felt his armor push against his wound. He’d been too close to the group of bots and a wafflebot had been able to purge through his armor, stabbing his torso with a cone. He also had a wound on his leg from where the fang of a cake hound scraped him.
Espresso examined Madeleine, looking for any other injuries that could potentially be lethal. Other than the one he thinks is under the knight's chest plate he hasn’t found much else. Madeleine looked so beat up and battered from the battle; jam stained his armor and hair, cake crumbs stuck to his undershirt, a bruise was starting to form on his face, mud and dirt littered his whole body. It wasn’t a pretty sight, it wasn’t how Espresso was used to seeing him.
Madeleine groaned as the wound on his leg began to slowly seal by the work of the potion. It didn’t completely seal, however, it made it shallow enough that it wouldn’t bleed any more.
“How are the others? Are they-” he pants and rests his head on the tree behind. “Are they alright..? Are they s- safe?” Madeleine asks.
Espresso Cookie hasn’t stopped staring at the blond.
“Espresso?” the knight called out softly.
The mage blinked. Once, twice. His eyes blurred for a moment before refocusing. “Sorry. Uh, yes. The majority of our troops are being treated as of now, the healers and knights are going around giving everyone healing potions.”
“And the others?”
“Hm?”
“You said a majority of them. How about the others?” Madeleine questioned.
Espresso sighed. “They’ve, unfortunately, passed.”
Madeleine breathed in sharply. They're dead. He bit the inside of his lip and closed his eyes. He was feeling a bit faint. The pain in his torso wouldn’t go away either, only being dulled by the healing potion.
“Madeleine? Hey, don’t pass out.” Espresso lightly shook his shoulders, an attempt to keep the knight awake. Madeleine hummed but kept his eyes closed. Espresso was getting more worried.
Fight or flight, I'd rather lie
Madeleine’s head bobbed forward as he was trying to clear his mind. His body leaned along with it. The next thing he knew he was resting against Espresso's chest. His head was on the mage's shoulder and yet he didn’t seem to mind. This is nice, he thought.
Espresso held Madeleine's head in place, his other arm supporting Madeleine's body.
“Easy now, Knight,” he whispered.
Madeleine winced as the potion started to wear off. He couldn’t feel the pain in his torso before as he was unconscious, but now it was a throbbing sensation that spread heat through his chest. It burned and he prayed to the Divine for it to end. He's only ever been injured like this once, he hadn’t wanted a repeat. The armor he wore didn’t make it any better.
“Mage…it hurts..” he whined into Espresso's shoulder.
Espresso started to wish that the healers would reach them quicker. Of course it'd be better if he were to call them himself but that would mean leaving Madeleine alone, which isn’t really the best thing right now.
“You'll be- you'll be alright. Soon.” Espresso assured Madeleine. Because he would be, the healers and other knights will get here soon enough.
Than tell you I'm in love with you
Espresso Cookie held Madeleine as the next few minutes passed by. He continues to hum and reassure the knight as if he needed the reassurance himself. Madeleine was bleeding and the healers hadn’t gotten there yet. His thoughts were spiraling. What if he bleeds out too much? What if the healers don’t get here quick enough? God, what if he dies? The thought of Madeleine dying in his arms turned something ugly in his stomach. It was a cruel thought, one he didn’t want.
Espresso felt arms circle around his torso. He tilted his head enough that he'd see Madeleine. The knight had gone pale and sweaty, his breaths starting to slow now that he focused more on them.
“Madeleine? Stay awake, now. The group will be here any moment,” Espresso whispered. He wasn’t sure how far the healers were now, they were so close when he’d gotten here. What's delayed them?
Madeleine shifted in his arms, a whimper escaped the knight as his armor grazed the wound. “I don't… I don't think I'll make it..” Madeleine was surprised with his own words, he'd usually be so optimistic whenever in these situations. But he felt tired, and the wound kept bleeding. He wanted to rest, the Divine will surely allow it.
“Don’t say that. You're going to be alright. The group will get here soon-“ Espresso didn’t know why he was so quick to respond. He doesn’t even know whether his words are to comfort Madeleine or himself. “Don’t say that, Madeleine.”
Madeleine chuckled, the sound coming out too quiet and too soft. He buried his head deeper into Espresso’s shoulder. “I knew you cared..” he whispered.
Espresso was slightly taken aback. “Of course I care, you foolish knight. Now please, try to keep your eyes open.”
“It hurts, Espresso...I just..want to rest..” Madeleine was drifting off and Espresso could feel this. He wasn’t about to let this knight go.
“Madeleine please-“
“I care for you, Mage..” A breath. “Please know that..”
“Of course I do-“ a weight slides off of Espresso’s shoulder.
“Madeleine? Knight please-“
There is no reply. The troops arrive.