[ Soulmates. ]

Chapter 6.

"Can you stand up on your own?" Espresso looked at Madeleine. "I'm sure I'll be able to. Maybe I'll should only walk to the private room though.." Madeleine got out of the bed, standing up, wobbling a bit. "Alright, lets hurry then. I don't want you straining your legs." Espresso wrapped an arm around Madeleine, helping the man to the door, opening it. "Are we going to draw, then?" Madeleine looked at Espresso. "Yeah, the drawing supplies should already be there."
Espresso helped Madeleine down the hall, opening the door to the private room and stepping inside, sitting Madeleine down on the chair, closing the door afterwards.

"Alright, what would you like to draw?" Espresso pulled out the piece of paper, crossing off 'drawing together' and slipping it back into his pocket. "We should draw cats!" Madeleine grabbed a pencil and paper, smiling. "Alright." Espresso smiled back, grabbing a paper and pencil as well. "You have to actually try as well." Madeleine glanced up at Espresso, starting to draw the cat on his own paper. "Pssht, I try at everything I do." Espresso scoffed. "Yeah, yeah, sure~" Madeleine teased.

"I do! I can prove it." Espresso looked down at his paper, starting to draw. "We only have 20 minutes to draw then!" Madeleine smirked. "Challenge accepted." Espresso smiled, starting off with a sketch.

"Hardcore concentration.." Madeleine mumbled, causing Espresso to smile.

After a few minutes had passed, Espresso put down his pencil. "Done." Espresso stretched. "Staying in one position is so uncomfortable.." The brown haired man mumbled. "Huh-!? I'm no where near done!" Madeleine started to scribble at this point, trying to finish it quickly.

"Time's ticking, Madeleine~" Espresso teased, watching the man. "You're pressuring me at this point, tsk." Madeleine placed the pencil down as well, holding his drawing up. "Boom!" The blonde said proudly and confidently.
"That looks better than I expected." Espresso smiled, holding his up afterwards. "I know you said to try, but..ahah." Espresso nervously smiled, looking away.

"It looks amazing!" Madeleine smiled. "You don't have to lie to me." Espresso laughed, placing the drawing down on the table.
"Hey, could we get lunch together from the cafeteria? I'm starving.." Madeleine stood up. "Huh? Oh, yeah." Espresso stood up as well, going over to the door and opening it.

"I wonder what they're serving today. Maybe dumplings? Chicken and rice?" Madeleine fantasized about the food while walking out, his stomach growling in the process. Espresso couldn't help but laugh. "And you call me a dork.." Espresso shook his head with a smile, walking down the hallway while holding Madeleine's hand.
Madeleine looked away, embarrassed. "I'm allowed to fantasize about food.." The blonde mumbled. "Yeah, of course you are, dummy." Espresso kissed Madeleine's cheek. "Then don't harass me, I'm too smart for that." Madeleine crossed his arms, walking off.

Espresso couldn't help but let out a quiet giggle, walking after Madeleine. "Hey, wait up." Espresso grabbed Madeleine's hand. The blonde had stopped walking, covering his mouth, trying his hardest not to cough. "Madeleine? Are you alright? Shall we wait for food-?" Espresso looked at Madeleine with a worried expression. "..I'm.." Madeleine couldn't even finish his sentence before he started to cough harshly, keeping his mouth covered.
Espresso panicked, grabbing Madeleine's arm. "Madeleine-! Are you gonna be alright?!" Espresso felt his heart start to pound in fear. Madeleine just kept coughing and coughing, until eventually he coughed up blood. The blonde man pulled his hand away from his mouth, staring at his bloody palm.

"..Madeleine..-" Espresso placed a hand on Madeleine's back, frowning. "Let's go back to the room, food can wait.." Espresso escorted Madeleine back to the hospital room.

"Madeleine.." Espresso was sat on the edge of the bed, Madeleine next to him. "Yes?" Madeleine looked over at Espresso. "..I'm scared..I don't want to lose you yet..I still have so much that I planned for us.." Espresso could feel tears forming in his eyes as he looked down, trembling.
"Espresso..I'm always going to be with you no matter what happens. Don't worry, even if I'm not physically next to you, I will be as a spirit." Madeleine smiled, hugging Espresso.

"I want to be able to hug you though..and kiss you, and marry you.." Espresso started crying, hugging Madeleine back. "I'm gonna miss you.." The brown haired man sobbed.

"I'm scared too, but..I know that you love me, so that's enough to make me live peacefully in the afterlife. Meeting you was the luckiest day of my life.." Madeleine kissed Espresso's cheek.

Espresso smiled, still crying. "I'm..I'm happy but I'm crying.." Espresso mumbled. "Happy tears." Madeleine pulled away, smiling as he wiped Espresso's tears. "I love you, Madeleine." Espresso looked into Madeleine's eyes.

"I love you too, dork." Madeleine cupped Espresso's cheek, leaning in and kissing the man. Espresso didn't hesitate to kiss back, closing his eyes. "..I'll always be by your side no matter what.." Madeleine pulled away, looking into Espresso's eyes. The brown haired man nodded in response, taking a deep breath.

"Thank you.." Espresso stood up, looking over at the roses, frowning a bit. "They've wilted even more.." Espresso huffed, wiping his cheeks of all the tears. "What time is it?" Madeleine looked at Espresso. "..7:19 PM. It's getting late, you should head to bed soon after dinner." Espresso checked his watch.

"Well, let's go to the cafeteria then." Madeleine stood up, dragging Espresso out of the room. "Stop dragging me-! I can walk normally!" Espresso complained. "Shhh, it's a hospital." Madeleine laughed, pulling Espresso into the cafeteria.

"It's still open, so we can get food. Hurry." Madeleine made his way over to the front counter, ordering his food, Espresso following afterwards and ordering his.
"So, what was the most embarrassing moment from your childhood?" Espresso looked over at Madeleine, trying to pass time while they waited. "Hmm..well, I got pantsed at my own birthday party in front of 200 kids, that was when I was..6?" Madeleine smiled, rubbing the back of his neck.

Espresso couldn't help but laugh, covering his mouth and looking away while he cleared his throat. "Ahem.." Espresso coughed dryly. "It's not funny-! I was so upset that day, tch." Madeleine rolled his eyes, crossing his arms.
"It was slightly funny, you have to admit.." Espresso smiled at Madeleine. "..Maybe only a little.." Madeleine smiled a bit as well. "What is the most embarrassing thing from your childhood?" Madeleine looked at Espresso, grabbing his food from the counter.

"Hm..lets see..I don't remember much from my childhood, but I was mostly bullied. I guess- someone threw my school stuff in the toilet and forced me to pull it out, it was disgusting water." Espresso shrugged.
".." Madeleine went silent, looking away. "Right." Madeleine then walked over to one of the tables, sitting down.

Espresso grabbed his food as well, going to the table and sitting next to Madeleine. "I remember that one time when we watched the stars together.." Espresso mumbled. "Me too. That was fun..we should do it again some time." Madeleine smiled, eating his food.

"Yeah, we should. Speaking of which, the festival is in two days." Espresso ate his food as well, occasionally wiping his mouth with a napkin. "Two days..okay! We're going then." Madeleine got up, wiping his mouth and throwing the plastic plate away.
"You better not die on me before then, idiot." Espresso stood up, grabbing Madeleine's hand and pulling the male to the trash bin, throwing his plate away. "I won't. I made a promise..remember?" Madeleine chuckled, walking beside Espresso and looking at the man.

"..Thank you." Espresso gave Madeleine a warm smile, gripping the blonde's hand tightly. "Of course." Madeleine looked in front of himself again. The two didn't exchange words until they got to the room. Madeleine crawled onto the bed.

"Espresso, could you sleep with me tonight? It's cold." Madeleine looked over at Espresso, who was closing the door and sliding off his shoes, nodding. "Of course." Espresso smiled, walking over to Madeleine and getting onto the bed. Madeleine pulled the covers over them, wrapping an arm around Espresso and pulling the man closer to himself.
"Goodnight Espresso..I love you." Madeleine kissed Espresso's cheek, closing his eyes.

"I love you too, Madeleine."

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1388 words.