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As the final note is drawn out of his violin, Mint lets his shoulders relax, then slump as he takes his bow. The venue erupts into a roar of applause, making his ears ring. Mint Choco smiles gratefully, glad that his show went well. The bride shot him a toothy grin; similar to that of Sparkling’s charming smile.
Mint Choco gracefully steps off stage, waving goodbye and flashing a warm smile at the clapping guests. He stores his precious violin in its case, the same one from his street-playing days. Quite melancholy. Mint shakes those thoughts from his mind, pushing open the door and entering a much quieter hallway. Conversations fade away as the door clicks shut, and relief washes over the violinist.
He sits himself on a cushioned bench, leaning down to change his shoes into his casual pair. Mint discards the fancy pair into his duffel bag, and begins to loosen his bowtie. However, the violinist is interrupted by the sound of urgent clicking against the tile floor and a glimpse of a ray of sunlight. He snaps his head up, cocking a brow.
“Oh Mint Choco, that was amazing! I wanted to thank you before you left.” It was the bride; Blueberry Cookie. She claps her hand together, letting the white frills of her dress brush the ground. “Gosh, I wish you could stay here longer!” She exclaims, smiling brightly. Mint nods.
“It was an honor playing at your wedding. I wish you and Cranberry Cookie a fruitful marriage.” He replies, standing up from the bench. Mint slings the bag over his shoulder, bowing once again.
“Oh, thank you so much Mint Choco! I’ll be sure to recommend you to my friends!” Blueberry grins, before turning on her heel. “See you!” The bride raises her dress slightly, pattering towards the door to the venue again. Mint nods appreciatively, hearing the faint voice of Cranberry before the door completely closes. He turns around and starts walking towards the exit. He’d have to call a cab.
“So, where to?” A gruff voice asks as Mint clambers into the taxi. It smelled of dewy rain. He clicks his seatbelt over his torso, settling his case next to him.
“Oh, North Crumble Road. 4315.” He replies. The driver presses on the gas with a grunt, the speed gradually getting faster as he maneuvered his way through the bustling streets. Mint leans his chin on his hand, staring out the window. Even at the late hour, there were still plenty of cookies out and about. His fingers felt numb after playing for so long, a bit red even. The wedding organizers picked a ridiculously long song. He could use a good drink. Or maybe not, I have an important show for Cheesecake tomorrow..
Mint Choco yawns, resting his eyelids for a bit. All he wanted to do is curl up in a comforting warmth and drift away from reality. He couldn’t wait to see that familiar smile and the smell of sweet cocoa waft through the house as soon as he entered it. It makes Mint’s heart do a little flip just thinking about it. Witches, he really was still in his crushing phase. Getting all giddy just thinking about her. He hums quietly, bouncing his leg to keep himself from falling asleep completely. Mint Choco could hear the distant chirping from crickets and the sound of the tires eventually slowing to a stop.
“Here's your stop, stay safe.” The driver mutters, waving briefly. Mint nods, handing him some cash and a good tip. The cab driver whistles appreciatively. He clambers out of the car, and hurries towards the front door. He looks up briefly; seeing gray clouds starting to sprawl across the sky. His mood sours a bit. Cheesecake’s party is being held outside tomorrow.. Shoot. That wasn't supposed to happen..
He unlocks the door, turning the burnished knob and stepping inside. Almost instantly, Marshmallow, their pet, runs up to him and starts to paw at his leg. Mint Choco giggles, petting them and brushing past. He grins at the sight of his wife sitting on the couch, knitting while watching some cheesy romance show. Green wool is tangled in between her delicate fingers, threading back and forth.
“Mint!” Cocoa exclaims, putting her knitting needles to the side and getting up. She envelopes him in a warm hug, wrapping her arms around his neck and squeezing. Mint hugs her back, his grin getting wider.
“I missed you so much!”
“I missed you too! The house was so empty without you.”
Mint laughs, releasing her from the hug. “Whatcha making?” He gestures to her knitting needles, wrapped up in green yarn. Cocoa scratches her neck nervously, blush spreading across her cheeks.
“I started on a hat for you, you know, since the weather is getting colder and all that..” She explains, brushing her dress of fern-colored lint. Mint smiles warmly; taking off his white coat. “Cotton Cookie was kind enough to teach me how to make yarn from her sheep’s wool.”
“Awh, Cocoa..” Mint Choco gives her a light peck on the cheek. A flustered grin spreads across her face. “You didn’t have to do that.” Cocoa shrugs, still smiling.
“It's the least I could do. Afterall, you do a lot for me. I thought it was only natural.” Mint nods in appreciation, running his fingers through her hair before stealing another kiss. Cocoa raises her eyebrow, as if saying “Is that a challenge?” Mint chuckles in response, before being interrupted by a peck on his lips. Now the game has started.
The couple chases each other around, laughing filling the air. They try their best to steal a kiss from one another, while simultaneously trying to not be pecked on the lips. It was like a dance to both of them. A silly dance of course, but something that made their hearts flutter and stomach fill with butterflies. Many cookies referred to Cocoa and Mint still being in their “Honeymoon” phase, which was spot on. Despite them being married for a few months now, they still acted as if they were still crushing on each other in highschool.
Mint Choco smiles sheepishly, defeated. Dark red lipstick stains his face, sprawled across his jaw and peckered all of his cheeks. Cocoa giggles in delight, rubbing her thumb against one of the stains. It smudges, leaving residue on her thumb.
“Let's get you cleaned up.”
And that’s how every night went. Cocoa and Mint would flirt with each other, then eventually get ready for bed. Mint changed into a plain white t-shirt with black pants and Cocoa would appear in some sweatpants and a deep red shirt. They would nestle into each other’s warmth and fall asleep in each other’s arms. Marshmallow usually snuggled next to Cocoa or Mint, depending on how they were positioned.
Then, they would wake up, give some sleepy kisses, and get ready for the long day ahead of them. Mint Choco would be dressed in his usual fancy attire; with a neat red bowtie and combed green hair. Cocoa dawns on her white dress, not a single stain of her favorite drink despite drinking it all the time. It was routine.
Routine.
It never changed, perhaps that was the comforting factor Mint enjoyed. The violinist wasn’t a very spontaneous man, not like Cocoa. He had to stick to a schedule or else he might get too anxious to play. On the other hand, Cocoa often spent her days doing whatever she liked unless she had an event to get to. Hanging out with Latte, chatting with Cotton, or singing with Carol. Mint could never understand it.
Maybe he needed a change.
“By the way, Mint, I saw a few clips from Blueberry and Cranberry’s wedding. Oh sugar swan, it was amazing!” Cocoa mentions while slipping on a red sweater. “I even started dancing a little.”
“I’m glad you appreciate my music. I can always count on you, Cocoa.” Mint replies, pulling the sheets over his body and resting against his pillow. Cocoa nods, closing her eyes. The moonlight reflects just right off of her white eyelashes, and it makes Mint flush. Gosh, she was still so pretty. Mint’s heart does a little flip, and he settles his legs tangled with Cocoa’s. His arms are wrapped around her torso, and their quiet breaths are mingled.
Mint still can’t believe he married this woman. She was so perfect, so beautiful. Such a kind soul and always patient whenever the violinist had a few frustrated fits. Cocoa had been there since the beginning; his first fan and regular to his music. Cocoa served as his first dancing partner, teaching him how to gracefully waltz against glowing tiles of gold. Mint Choco knew everything would always be okay whenever Cocoa was around.
But what would happen if he couldn’t count on Cocoa?
Cocoa served as his anchor. She was able to break him from his anxious pandering and thoughts. She always reminded him to focus on the present, and not worry about the future or past. Always saying “The past is behind us, and the future is ahead of us. You can’t control the future, and you can’t change the past, silly.”
But when she wasn’t around.. Mint tended to panic. He almost screwed up one of his performances from his worries. And his fix? Routines, of course. Lately, he stuck to the routine of waking up, hanging out with Cocoa for a few hours, playing at a couple of venues, then going home and sleeping. Bland, sure, but it helped have some control in his life. Cocoa always sighed whenever he spoke about it, muttering about how much he relied on them.
Mint finally fell asleep after some time looking longingly at the ceiling. He nestled his head in Cocoa’s chest. He could hear the rhythmic beats of her heart, slow and calm. Maybe he could make a musical piece of it, for her birthday or something similar.
The violinist is stirred awake, rubbing his eyes and sitting up. Was it 8 AM already? Witches, he felt like he slept for 2 hours. Mint looks to his right, gaze flickering to the clock. 2:47 am. Odd. He shouldn’t be awake at this hour. He should be asleep, recharging for Cheesecake’s party tomorrow. Her parties were always intense; Mint having to play piece after requested piece. Not that he didn’t mind, it was just a bit.. Overwhelming when you have several pieces in queue.
Mint looks over to the other side of the bed. The usual messy brown hair and red sweater was absent. He cocks a brow, concern starting to cloud his mind. Where did his wife go? Mint glances around his bedroom once more, the only thing he could see was inky blackness and the faint outline of furniture. Usually, Cocoa never left the bed during the night unless for something important like taking Marshmallow out or going to the bathroom.
Yeah. Maybe that was it. Cocoa was probably taking Marshmallow out or in the bathroom. Though, Mint couldn’t hear the rush of water or her quiet humming. The violinist sinks back into the mattress, clasping his hands over his chest. The cloud of worry never left his mind, despite brushing it off.
Mint feels a warm, furry animal rub up against him. It’s Marshmallow. A small ounce of comfort eases his mind for a bit, and he starts to stroke the hamster. They purr appreciatively, their red nose starting to glow softly. Mint chuckles. How peculiar. He remembered when Marshmallow’s nose first glowed, and he freaked out. Mint called Cocoa frantically, and she laughed so hard. His cheeks flush from embarrassment from thinking about it. Oh well.
The violinist’s heart drops at the sound of a loud clang! From the hallway. Marshmallow is startled, hiding under the blankets and whimpering. His heart rate quickens. Mint carefully gets out of bed, frowning at the friction of cold air against his formly warm body. Witches, he hoped that Cocoa was okay..
Mint opens the door, and the door replies with a loud groan from its hinges. “Stay safe, Marshmallow..” He whispers to the hamster, trying to calm himself. There were two options. One, Cocoa was making a racket while going to the bathroom.. Somehow. And second, there was something or someone in the house. He hoped that it wasn’t the latter.
Another loud clang rings through the house, followed by a quiet “Whoops..”. The violinist’s heart drops. He really hoped it wasn’t the latter. His steps are unsteady and his legs want to give out. Mint refuses, fueled purely by the fact that his wife might be in danger. He grabs a nearby broom for a weapon. He grips the green handle tightly, carefully making his way towards the kitchen.
As Mint makes his way through the seemingly endless corridor, the faint sound of pitter-pattering echoes against the drywall. He snaps his head backwards, stopping in his tracks. Witches, why didn’t he get a better weapon? He looks regretfully down at the plastic broom, souring his already petrified mood.
“Hello?” He whispers. It meant to come out more threatening and loud, but unfortunately he didn’t have the courage to find his voice. He feels his palms start to sweat, and his grasp on the broom starts to loosen.
“..Mint?”
“AH!” Mint Choco yelps, swinging the broom and almost hitting Cocoa in the face. She ducks just in time, the handle barely scraping past her hair. Mint’s paranoia slowly starts to morph into confusion, wondering why his wife is up at this hour. And most of all, why was it so loud?
“Oh, sorry Cocoa..” Mint smiles sheepishly, and Cocoa giggles in response. “You gave me a heart attack, with all that clanging.”
“Did I wake you up? I’m sorry.” Cocoa’s mood dips at his statement, embarrassment spreading across her face. She scratches her neck awkwardly as Mint stores the broom away and rubs his eyes.
“What are you doing up at this hour?” Mint inquires, raising a brow. “It’s awfully late, y’know.”
“Making Cocoa, of course.” She explains, shrugging. In her hands, she holds a red mug full of the steaming hot brown liquid. Mint Choco sighs in relief. “My question is, why did you almost hit me in the face with a broom?” She frowns and Mint freezes up.
“Uh..” Cocoa’s brows furrow, and her eyes reduce to slits. Mint sighs in defeat and embarrassment.
“I thought there was an intruder in the house.”
“...An intruder?”
Mint waits in trepidation. Then, a small giggle is emitted from Cocoa. Mint chuckles softly too, and soon the couple is both laughing aloud. At the end, Cocoa is in tears. All of Mint Choco’s paranoia is washed away.
“An intruder?! Oh Mint..” She exclaimed. “You never fail to make me laugh.”
“That’s what I actually thought!” He protests. “And in retrospect, it is pretty stupid..”
Cocoa threads her fingers through Mint’s hair, her laughing being reduced to a chuckle. “You’re such a worrywart, y’know.” She says, though without any malice. “I’m always concerned for your mental health.”
Mint shrugs in response. “I can’t help it. So many things go wrong.. It’s just a habit at this point.” Her gaze softens, and she takes Mint’s hands into hers. She hums, and Mint recognizes it as an old timey romance song- “Love is You”. They slowly start to begin their dance at the dead of night. Cocoa’s eyes are closed and the white lashes contrast with her deep brown skin. Mint briefly wonders how lucky he was to be married to a soul like hers.
The steps are natural to both of them. They had done it together so many times; whether it be in a fancy ballroom illuminated by sparkling lights, or in the simplicity of a living room dimly lit. Even if they weren’t dressed in their precise and fancy attire, it still felt special. Cocoa’s humming serves as the music, and Mint can imagine themselves waltzing in the ballroom elegantly. They step around each other like clockwork, one going after the other.
Mint briefly wonders about tomorrow. He’d be pretty exhausted tomorrow, from all the dancing and lack of sleep. Cocoa seems to notice his expression, and she lovingly ruffles his hair. “You’ll be okay. Don’t worry about any of that right now, just focus on the now.” Cocoa kisses him, and Mint melts into the kiss.
“Shouldn’t we go to bed?” Mint murmurs some time later, spinning Cocoa around. Their dance pauses, and Cocoa sighs in sadness.
“I suppose so.” She speaks, stretching her arms above her head. “But, I’m glad we got to spend a little time together.”
Mint Choco shoots her a sympathetic smile, and they start walking towards the bedroom. Cocoa hums happily, taking a sip of her drink. The couple settles themselves back into bed, and Mint holds her close.
“Hey Mint?”
“Yeah?”
“Do you wanna go to Latte’s Cafe tomorrow? I heard she had some new Cocoa flavors.”
In the past, Mint would’ve declined politely and thought nothing of it. But, maybe he could make an exception.
“Sure, we can go after Cheesecake’s party.”
Mint slept peacefully that night, no longer plagued with worries and “what ifs”.
The next morning, sure enough, Mint was pretty tired. Even with the morning grogginess clinging to him longer than usual; he felt as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. His mind wasn’t so foggy anymore, and he felt.. Peaceful.
Perhaps breaking routine was okay.