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The low humming of still-plugged-in coffee machines made up for the silence filling an overworked scientist and a loud knight commander's living room.
Birds chirped outside their windows, wind quietly rustled trees' leaves, and the pair sat on their couch. More precisely, Espresso on the couch and Madeleine on the ground in front of him, lazing about.
Despite it all, mornings together were usually quiet. No loud commentary, no bitterness other than their coffees': one nearly drowned in sugar, the other darker than the abyss itself, both neatly resting on a small wooden table in front of them.
Slowly, ever-so gently, Espresso brushed through his lover's soft hair. Strand by strand, he worked through various knots and tangles earned by his tossing and turning during the night. He would always toss and turn —and kick the blanket— whenever he wasn't holding something in his arms. Usually, it was a very long pillow that Espresso bought for him.
As much as he loved Madeleine, he simply couldn't spend his nights in bed. Where the knight commander needed at the very least a quarter of his day spent in Morpheus' embrace, two hours or so were more than enough to get Espresso by.
A comfortable weight settled against his lower stomach. Think of the devil.
Looking down, he caught sight of Madeleine drifting in and out of sleep, much too relaxed from Espresso's hair-brushing. Eyes shut and lips slightly parted, he'd apparently decided this was the most opportune time to take a rest between his partner's knees, with half-done hair and the sun poking its head out from beneath the ocean's waves.
Espresso admired the way his long lashes reposed on his cheeks; the way his peachy lips tempted him to rest his own upon them, but only for a moment. He then remembered he didn't have all day to brush a grown man's hair.
"Madeleine ?"
No answer.
"Madeleine, I know you're awake."
"No I'm not..." The former mumbled, half-asleep with half-lidded eyes and only half-a-resolve.
"Yes you are. Come on, I need to finish brushing your hair." He sighed, pushing his head up with much struggle due to the incredible lack of effort from his partner.
A huff, a puff and a childish pout on his face later (Espresso found his pout adorable, not that he would ever say it out loud), Madeleine held his own head-weight and let the scientist resume his work.
"Thank you."
He replied with a hum, letting himself focus on his lover's gentle touch once more.
Hairs were brushed, clothes were clothed in, coffees were drank and the weariness of early mornings had passed by.
As the great knight commander busied himself with the finishing touches of his impeccable armor, the renowned scientist had started his own work. Machines were now steaming and oozing with life, already producing strong coffee for their owner to experiment on, engulfing the house in its savory aroma.
With his armor taken care of, Madeleine was ready to head off to work. He made his way behind his beloved scientist with a theatrical whirl of his cloak, who was sat filling papers and bookmarking several ouvrages in a much less exaggerated manner.
Placing a tender kiss on the crown of his head, he lingered there with his hands atop his shoulders for a moment, unable to break his sights away from his lover.
Espresso truly was beautiful. Inside, out, from his sides; everywhere and all of the time. An angel sent by the Divines themselves. He was the smartest, most interesting individual Madeleine ever came to know; the most loveable cookie of all.
An impossibly adoring warmth bloomed in his chest, and he knew exactly just how to let him know how much he treasured him. To think this deep and oh-so complicated emotion could be expressed with three mere words.
"Espresso."
"Hm ?"
"I love you."
He would never get tired of uttering them.
Espresso shook his head with an affectionate smile. No matter how many times Madeleine would say these words, they would never lose the meaning behind them: and goodness, would he say them often.
"Good on you for realizing that."
"Say it back." he whined, and Espresso could make out the (adorable) pout adorning his face.
"Why should I ?"
"Because you love me too."
"Do I ?"
A gasp and a scoff more dramatic than drama itself escaped Madeleine, who's jaw could've dropped to the ground from the preposterous words his lover spoke. Him, not being head over heels for, not the knight commander, but Madeleine ! Out of all the cookies on Earthbread ! Impossible, simply impossible.
While Espresso admired the result of his banter's work with a much-too amused smirk, Madeleine started listing all of the arguments as to why he did, in fact, love him, with much vigor and particularity; their missions, their (awkward) flirts, their hang-outs that later became their dates, their house —the patient hair-brushing in the morning ! His sublime hair was known for being a hassle hassle-er than hassles to detangle. Yet he would do it with utmost care and precision, not leaving even a single jumble of silky strands behind.
If that wasn't love, then he didn't know what love was to begin with !
He had made his case, and now stared hard at his very entertained lover. If he'd dare challenge the sincerity of his own love again, Madeleine would have no choice but to prove the devotion they had for one another ! In what way he didn't know yet, but he would find it in due time.
Snickering, Espresso laid a reassuring hand on his arm. Although he didn't look up from his papers, he uttered words that filled Madeleine's heart up with so much love it could've overflowed then burst right then and there.
"I love you too."
Perhaps he was the one head over heels for Espresso.