Work Text:
🧊
Melting
- Expressoz
"Es! Es! Espresso!!—"
Loud rapping from the window snapped the mage out of his everlasting trance. He did not have the need to glance over at the glass pane to figure out who exactly took his focus away from his valuable work.
He knew it was the same goddamn paladin who would pay a visit to Espresso every week without a single fail. Said paladin admitted that the reasoning for it was because of his 'unhealthy' habits of not sleeping. And now that it was winter, he did not once miss a single day.
Why did he care so much anyway? No one else had any care for the amount of time he would lock himself inside the comforts of his tower; so why should he give a damn?
It truly did vex him with the number of times that Madeleine would make himself present throughout the days and weeks. Thinking about it now even, he could recall the last converation they had about this same topic.
"Good evening, dear Espresso!" The light user's booming voice sounded throughout the tower as he cheerfully greeted the chemist. He had been waiting to visit his cold-hearted friend every since he left just the other night to get his beauty sleep; it was like he was on his mind at every breathing moment.
"Madeleine," He acknowledged, trying to fix the irritating mistake he created by the abrupt entrance mere seconds beforehand.
"How is your research going? Wait no!— Have you eaten today?!" Madeleine quickly changed his question; his energy only became larger at that last question as the other looked back with a rather irked expression plastered on his face.
The knight's never-ending smile beamed brightly, being just as bright as the sun rays on a summer day. It was just about as lukewarm enough to make the dark mage's face fade into a dark maroon just because of that unavoidable grin. He hated it, but at the same time, he loved it so fucking much. He would do anything to see that living simper at every waking moment but alas, he could not. Why should he feel the same about someone of lowly power just like that?
Espresso flinched as his mind snapped back into reality once his pointed ears picked up the sounds of the tower's front enterance slamming shut. Looking behind himself, he was able to notice the faint tones of pink in the shade of a bleeding heart flower adorning the tip of Madeleine's nose and ears; the sweet shade of a much more brighter pink shedded along his soft cheeks.
He also, of course, could not ignore the fact that the knight had began to wear a ridiculous amount of layers as of recently—though he wasn't sure why, wasn't it the middle of autumn? It's not that cold...— He could even joke about him coming to close resemblance to an eskimo for the multiple coats piled on to his figure
"How... did you get in...?" Espresso raised a brow as he stared at Madeleine who was currently ridding his boots of something; Espresso could not see because of the large sofa covering the feet of the man.He looked it up and down a few times before glancing back up to its face.
It gave a wide smile that reached from ear to ear before holding up a vintage key in front of its face. It shook the keys with enthusiam to emphasize how he exactly got in as if he were very well proud of himself for having so.
The mage shook his head whilst he rubbed the sides of his temples, trying to figure out why he he did not think or remember why he even thought he give that oaf a spare key. "When did you even get that...?"
Madeleine tilted his head to the side like a confused puppy. "Remember? You have me a key to your tower! Y'know? So I can check on you and make sure you don't pass out cold on the floor!" He beamed widely, his smile growing wider as he reminded the chemist. "Can't beleive you love me so much you gave me the key to your humble abode!!" Madeleine hovered his gloved hand underneath the hanging keys to show off the tool proudly.
"Just tell me why you're here, Knight Commander." Espresso finally stopped rubbing his temples and placed his hand back to his side. He placed his hand around the handle of his coffee mug to take a long sip of the warm black coffee.
"I— Well— Uhm..." The light user's head wings fluttered anxiously; giving a very clear indication he was overwrought at that moment.
"Well, since it is snowing at the moment and the— I just— uhm... wantedtoknowifyouwouldcaretogoouticeskatingwithme.. just for a bit!!" Madeleine stressed, his wings closing and unclosing whilst he nervously cracked all his knuckles from doubt.
He was glancing off to the other side of the room when he he heard a small muffled noise.
"You don't have to if you don't want to though! You're allowed no say no, I'll just have to find something else to do.. haha..." His wings puffed outward in alert before blurting out his correction. "Wait! That sounded 'guilt-trippy'. Forget what I said at the end!" He waved his arms in front of him frantically.
The sounds of muffled laughter is what caused the knight to finally shut up. It looked up at the professor; his mouth covered whilst his shoulders shook from trying to keep in his laughs. A few snorts even came made themselves present every few laughs, shockingly he did not try to even cover them up. Madeleine stopped and thought: He was laughing. He was actually laughing—a small yet genuine side of laughter.— Madeleine moved his arms back down to his sides as he began to watch in awe.
Once he began to calmm the chemist wiped his stray tears away. He took deep breaths to further calm himself better and looked back up at the starstruck Madeleine standing before him.
"Hah! Apologies! Did not mean to start laughing at you." The chemist took another deep breath as he walked to the clueless man. "You didn't have to do all that. I would have accepted, you moron." He said almost casually.
Madeleine let a nervous laugh slip from his lips, causing Espresso to grimace at the reaction. He then turned to the icey windows, peering outside for him to see blindly white snow.
Was it already winter? When did that happen? What day even was it today? How long did he keep himself locked away for?
"Madeleine," He called whilst he continued to stare out the frozen window in disbelief. "What day is it today?"
"Hm? Oh! It's December 12th!!" It smiled. Espresso knew it adored the winter time, though he did not much care for it himself. He would only stay inside for most of it anyway; so why would he need to?
~ A Few Minutes Later ~
🌼
The old wooden stairs creaked under the weight of Espresso. He had decided to wear a few extra laters for the cold. He knew it wouldn't do much since he was always warm due to his relations to the Coffee Tribe, but he did not want Madeleine to worry- did not want to get stares for the lack of protection from the chills of winter.
He looked up to his living room to see a curled up Madeleine napping on the dark leather sofa. He must've curled into himself warmth and fell asleep. The mage quietly walked over to the resting angel and kneeled in front of him and pushed back the long wavy blonde hair behind his ear to keep it out of the way.
"Madeleine, you must wake up now. I have finished dressing and soon enough it will be dark. I don't want to be out for too long." He said, tone quiet like he was afraid of spooking him.
The angel sturred awake and looked up at the other who who had a soft gaze in his pale pink eyes. It blinked like a frog, trying to not fall back sleep and to not grow blind from the shining sun that creeped through the paper blinds.
Once realizing who was in front of him, Madeleine smiled stupid. It was a genuine one. The one that was softer and was only reserved to those who meant to him most. Though this time, it looked more like a drunken smile.
"Hi, Essy!~" He cooed before yawning loudly, clenching the throw blanket closer to his body as he did.
"Greetings to you too, love." he greeted back without thought. His cheeks blew dark from embarrassment, not aying too much mind to it once he realized the paladin was too dreary to realize the pet name. Said paladin then sat up from the thick cushions of the sofa.
He lifted his arms all the way above his head. affectively stretching his body, and waking himself. It woke up fast every time it wose from its slumber. People never thought during the mornings that he had awoken hours before-hand.
Upon heating his joints pop, he lowered his arms back down to the hems of the covers. "Does this mean we're ready to go out now?" Madeleine questioned, the four of his wings fluttered altogether joyfully.
Espresso hummed. "Well, unless there is something else we need: I would assume we are good to be on our way about now."
They both turned and glanced at the grandfather close at the other side of it room: It rang '17:13'. They had enough time, surely, or at least they hoped. Then, walking out the old vintage door, Espresso was immediately assaulted by the harsh, freezing wind.
He would have been fine if the cold wind didn't go straight into his dark eyes; 'but life has its surprises' he assumed. His eyes began tto tear up from the pressure as the angel came out behind him. Espresso then looked around the kindom that was wrapped around the uncomfortable blanket that was snow.
He saw a few people: including Cocoa walking slowly as her arm was locked firmly around Mint Choco's. They were talking softly to one another and began laughing to each other when the violinist nearly slipped onto the iced concrete. He would've fit the floor if it wasn't for the other's quick reflexes. They looked horrified but quickly recovered as they both began laughing with one another once again.
Looking elsewhere, he watched as Cotton, Pumpkin Pie, and Pompon working on setting up new lanterns for the upcoming holiday. They would replace about every lantern in the kingdom every few weeks to base them around the next upcoming holiday. It was tedious, yes, but it would worth the beauty by the end of it.
Loud sipping broke the mage away from the loss of thought. He glanced behind himself to see Madeleine nose-deep in some leftover coffee from just an hour ago. It surely was cold by now... gross.
"Is that my coffee?" Espresso asked. He looked the latter straight in the eyes before pointing to the mug.
The knight took another sip of the beverage and looked to the side, clearly trying to avoid eye contact with the caffeine addict; thought he knew that would immediately blow his cover and give him away that yes, this was Espresso's coffee.
"Maybe..." It mumbled, chugging the rest of the black coffee and causing the other to wince from utter revulsion.
Espresso then hurried to walk away from the door once he realized how long he had been sitting there doing nothing. The other stepped out from the door frame and stretched its wings, coffee no longer in hand and gone to whoever knows.
"That was really starting to hurt my wings, y'know! Such a tight space for my precious gift from the Divine!" Madeleine lifted one of his hands to his forehead and forced his face to look distraught for a dramatic act.
"Har har... let's get on with this already." the professor playfully rolled his eyes and began leading the other away from the door.
~ Later ~
🌼
Madeleine held tightly onto Espresso's hand to keep him held up from falling to the cold sheet of ice. Espresso, in return, mutually held back his hand just as tightly. He watched the razor blades suited tightly on his feet, glide acorss the icey sheet.
"Just try!" The angel cheered, his smile beaming widely at the other whilst he softened his grip. Said other's hand held even tighter as his legs shifted forwards and then back again.
"I don't want to fall Madeleine!" He sneered, his eyes did not once look back up at the man, continously keeping an eye on his feet.
Madeleine laughed. "You won't fall! I will protect you from the foul ice, my dear.. friend!!" His chest puffed out proudly; his wings then circled around Espresso's frame, strengthening his stability.
It then sharply skated back by a few inches, making the professor's steps stutter from the sudden large movement.
Madeleine laughed again and earned himself a glare from the mage in front of him. "Do not laugh at me!" Espresso shrieked in embarrassment.
"Sorry! Sorry! Here, let us try again. I'll warn you next time I do that, promise." Madeleine smiled softly.
Espresso's lip twitched as he attempted to hide away his ongoing smile and the paladin's long, wavy hair blew in the chilly winds of winter.
The professer knew he could've been inside of his tower. He could've been studying, working, but now, him and his long-time crush the one he loathed most were in the middle of a lake, dancingaround each other and enjoying the fact they were alone by themselves.
Eventually, however, Madeleine hid away the large wings on his back; they had growned quite cold from the chilly atmosphere. He wished he did not need to cover his wings, but he would rather not lose the beauties to hypothermia.And thought he was more used to hiding them out of fear of disapproval, he grew to be much more proud of them.
Now, Espresso had gotten the hang of the basics. His arms were still wrapped around the paladin's however to make sure Madeleine wasn't growing too cold in the weather he still had his stability.
"I'm not surprised you've gotten the hang of this so quickly now." Madeleine suddenly commented, looking down at Espresso's feet to make sure he was continuing to do well.
"And why is that?" Espresso looked into Madeleine's sapphire eyes once he looked back up into his.
The angel let out a dry but pleasant laugh, looking at the dark grey clouds before he continued. "It's just— you're perfect Essy. Everything about you is perfect. You're so talented at everything without even trying or putting effort into it; it's admirable, really."
The chemist's eytes shot wide as he heard those affectionate compliments come from the younger's mouth. He looked away as his blush grew red on his dark skin.
He then laughed humorlessly and shook his head. "You're a fool, Madeleine."
Madeleine's hoarse laugh sounded along, placing his hand on Espresso's thin waist; he really needed to eat more. "But isn't any man who falls in love?"
Time stopped. The mage looked deeper into the man's eyes.
"What did you just say?" He asked breathlessly, to which Madeleine smirked, but Espresso could notice the small drop of sweat roll down his temples.
It then pulled away from him, taking his hand and leading him further along the ice. Espresso could just barely see his face in the angle he was now in. He was able to see, however, the faint snowflakes that rested on the ends of the paladin's long, thick eyelashes.
"Madelle?" He called again, but to no avail, he got no response. Everything felt off; he needed to make sure he heard those words right. He needed to hear them now.
Madeleine's smile grew as he turned to face Espresso's worried yet confused expression. His intense sapphire eyes stared back into curious pink ones. He knew what he was thinking, he was damn sure of how he felt about it too.
It hummed. "We'll talk about it later, how about that? Now, may I have this dance?" It held out its hand, smirking again at Espresso.
Espresso chuckled, shaking his head and seemingly having his questions forgotten as he took the angel's hand. "You big oaf." Madeleine pulled him closer to its body and carefully wrapped one of its arms around Espresso's waist, the other gripping itself between his fingers. The professor got the hint as he gripped his hand back tightly and held his left hand on the broad shoulders of Madeleine.
"You're lucky that there's no one here," He commented, trying to find the rhythm of the dance that was seemingly just them moving around in circles at this point as his cheeks were a darker shade on his cheeks.
The knight laughed loudly. "Whatever do you mean?" It teased as it spun his around slowly.
"You know what I mean... I'm supposed to hate you,"
"Do you?"
Espresso paused, his was mouth ajar while he stared into those sad puppy eyes. "No Maddie," He confessed breathlessly. "I could never hate you."
He moved one of his warm right hand to Madeleine's cold cheek, carressing them slowly. The paladin instantly melted and leaned wholely into the warm and affectionate touch.
They both stopped dancing, staring into each other's eyes for what felt like the millionth time.
"I—"
PGHFF!
"Hah! Gotcha this time!" The woman cheered, pointing a finger at her older brother.
Espresso scoffed and rolled his eyes as Madeleine began to clean off the excess snow on his stole. "Good evening, Latte,"
Latte laughed along, breathing on her chilled hands. "Sooo... Whatch'y'all doin'?" She looked between the two men with a suspicious eyebrow raised and a knowing smirk plastered on her face.
"We were... uh—"
"Nothing! We were just ice skate, you see? We weren't really doing anything, Latte, so—
"So no need to worry that nosy ass little head of yours!"
They talked over each other before Espresso finally interuppted and answered for the two of them.
Latte stayed quiet before squinting her eyes at the two. She was clearly in denial until she smiled widely after a few seconds of silence. She took a sip of coffee from ancients know where.
"Okay! Well, I needed to ask you for a favor, but seeing that you're busy with your little boyyfrieennddd~! I'll leave you two lovebirds be!"
"He's not!—"
"Okay? Okay, byyyeeeeee!~" Latte waved to the duo again before briskly skipped away to a clueless Eclair.
Espresso spat incoherent words and inaudible swears towards the witch before he turned back to Madeleine. What the mage didn't expect to see was the angel looking similarly close to a tomato; his entire face was dark red from becoming flustered.
He sighed and shook his head in disapproval. "Ignore her, please..."
The angel snapped back into reality, looking down at the other. "Are you sure? I really didn't mind it," He smiled at Espresso. "Anyway, what were you trying to say earlier before we were interrupted?"
Espresso slid over to the end of the lake. "It doesn't matter anymore, don't worry..."
Madeleine's smile faded into a frown in an instant while he watched Espresso lean again the railing, hitting the backside of himself against the wall.
"Are you sure you don't want me to know? I feel like it was important..." He tried pushing the words out of the professor's head.
Espresso didn't look back up at the taller as he asked that question. "Maybe stop thinking about it then. It's not important and it never will be important." He snapped, slipping his feet into his classic dress shoes as quick as he possibly could so he could leave and avoid the question.
Madeleine gripped the professor's wrist tightly, stopping him from leaving competely as they looked at each other. "Try me,"
Espresso's eyebrows arched. "Pardon?" He was breathless yet again, looking at the rare serious expression painted onto the paladin's face.
"Everything that comes out of your mouth, Espresso, is important to me. Everything. I may not understand everything you say, but it is important. YOU are important, Es. So don't you fucking dare say that it isn't important and shut me out again." Madeleine sneered, holding tighter onto Espresso.
"So, please... tell me what you were going to say." His voice calmed just above a whisper, his expression now cecoming desperate as he looked into the other's deep pink eyes.
"I...—" Espresso stopped, looking away from the man and to the side in utter shame. "I can't tell you. It's too dangerous."
"What do you mean 'it's dangerous'?" The angel asked, his frown coming back along with fear.
"I mean it can ruined everything we have Madeleine, don't you get it?" Espresso laughed humorlessly, his eyes beginning to grow puffy.
"Whatever it is, Espresso, I will never let something ruin us, ruin our bond. I love you, Espresso, and nothing will ever convince me not to." It shook from the cold or perhaps the emotions he was feeling? The mage didn't know himself.
"You what?" Espresso breathed out, not believing for a second about what he had just heard.
He swallowed dryly. "I love you, Es. I have loved you for years." He didn't once break eye contact with the professor. "You don't have to feel the same about me either. I just want you to know." Madeleine backed away, letting go of the wrist he had in his fist and began walking off.
"Maddie! Wait!" Espresso called desperately whilst he slipped on his shoes.
~ Dawn ~
🌼
Espresso had finally caught up to it y time the sky was a dark blue with accents of blue and underlines of purple in the fluffy clouds that adorned Earthbread. A full moon was starting to gleam throughout the atmospheric sheet and shone upon the world.
Madeleine leaving led him to a forest, thick with different types of trees, primarily pine as best, that crowded around the area to make it harder to see. Espresso turned the corner Madeleine finally stopping. The mage paused for a minute to catch his breath.
"Was all that running really that neccessary, Knight Commander?" He gathered a snowball and threw it to its head.
The paladin looked back to the mage with a tired look, but quickly replaced it with a smile. "I didn't think you cared enough to chase me throughout the entirety town." He commented, balling up his snow to throw back at the other.
"Of course I did," Espresso rolled his eyes playfully.
PPFGH
Snow splattered onto the professfor's coat. "Do you think I'm that much of a monster, enough to leave you alone with your feelings after what you confessed to me?" He joked and gathered more snow for Madeleine.
"Oh, Divines, no, I just think you didn't think you cared and hated me after I confessed... y'know." He chuckled nervously.
Espresso picked up his large snowball and hit Madeleine's face with it. "I told you that there's nothing that could make me say no to you," He threw the snowball. "And I love you too, you oaf."
The light user laughed as the snow hit him, only stopping when he realized what he said. "You what...?" He snowball he had was now completely forgotten about as he dropped it back into its origins.
Espresso walked up to the other, placing his hands on his rosy cheeks. "I love you."
Madeleine's eye widened and he hesitantly leaned into the chemist's touch.
"Wait... Can I...?"
"Please."
Its smile then grew larger, head wings fluttered excitedly as it wrapped his arms around the mage and their lips met in a loving embrace.
For what felt lke lasted hours, they both finally pulled back and away to catch their breaths. The older made an expression of utter disgust, wiping away the stray line of saliva that connected their lips.
"Disgusting," He complained silently, but the paladin still heard and had a hearty laugh over it.
"Ow!— Ow!— Your hand is too cold!" Madeleine whined, stopping his laughing to pull away from the comforts of Espresso's hands.
Espresso pulled away his slim hands and let out a few small giggles at the latter.
~ After A Long Walk To The Tower ~
🌼
Espresso swiftly slotted his keys into the lock of tower's front enterance. He turned the key a few times before he let himself in while Madeleine followed shortly.
The fire place in the living room was already lit aflamed, its warm heat circled around the building. He knew that it was unsafe to keep a fire going for so long while you're unpresent, but Espresso being Espresso was much too busy to actually care about it.
The two men each shook off their stoles and hung them atop the wooden rack by the front door. Madeleine groaned while he stretched his arms and wings. He looked back as he heard the opening and closing of a cabinet.
He snifled and yawned before he walked into the kitchen and wrapped his arms around Espresso's waist from behind.
He gently and carefully placed graham crackers, chocolate, and marshmellows ontop of one another. The knight placed the bottom of his chin of the mage's shoulder. It quietly watched him work, humming along to a random tune that crossed his mind.
"Are you always this clingy?" Espresso asked suddenly, not looking back at the other as he prepared more s'mores for the microwave.
Madeleine laughed at that. "With you? Yes," His voice was yet again quiet. He let go of the professor's waist to place the completed treats into the kitchen appliance.
After a few quick minutes, the desserts and all that was left for them to do was eat. They seated themselves on that leather couch. They cyddled up close, trying to ignore that burning sensation rising to their faces as they watched some shitty Christman movie one of them picked it.
It was bad. Really bad.
The two of them still continued to watch it however. Espresso did not even notice when he was beginning to fall asleep, his vision fading in and out a few times before finally finally into a deep slumper on Madeleine's chest.
The angel looked down, smiling stupidly as he watched the well-known sleep deprived Espresso sleeping comfortably while cuddled up to him.
He grabbed the throw blanket he napped with earlier that day and wrapped it around the both of them. It then leaned in, pressing a quick kiss to Espresso's forehead before losing himself to the world of slumber.
"I love you."A whisper left from his lips one last time.
Fin.