Espresso closes his eyes. After a few minutes, he goes back inside.
He grabs the lantern and goes back down to Madeleine.
He extinguishes the flame, setting the lantern on the table. He walks over to the pillow crate.
He panics when he can't immediately see Madeleine.
Then he realizes Madeleine is buried under pillows. He pulls Madeleine out of the pillows.
Madeleine wakes up, gasping. "Oh! Es.. Espresso!"
"You sank into the pillows."
"Ah."
Espresso kicks off his boots, then climbs into the crate. He gently hugs Madeleine around the waist.
Madeleine hugs back, smiling. "I love you."
Espresso quietly responds without thinking. "Love you too."
Madeleine looks at Espresso's face. "You said it back!"
"No? I said I love you t-"
He heats up. "Waitwaitwait- No! I-"
Madeleine giggles, snuggling closer. "You said it twice."
"No I was just- I was stating a fact the second time! Wait- Nonono-"
"We are the only two here. It is ok for you to say 'I love you.'"
Espresso stays quiet.
Madeleine yawns and closes his eyes. He isn't asleep yet though. Espresso starts petting Madeleine's hair.
Not thinking Madeleine can hear, Espresso whispers "I love you, Madeleine."
Madeleine smiles, thinking to himself "I know. I love you too, Espresso."
They stay snuggled together for the rest of the night.
*+*The next morning*+*
The city is crawling with guards, all working for Madeleine's family.
Espresso and Madeleine are still in the old clock tower, trying to think of a way to get home.
"The biggest issue is getting out of the city. We can worry about a boat to get back to the cookie kingdom later."
Madeleine nods, then asks "Could we send a message to the kingdom? Maybe we could ask for a few cookies to bring the hot air balloon to the port we left from."
"We might not be able to make it that far before they get there."
"We can ask them to wait?"
"I don't want them to get in trouble with your family."
Espresso hides his face with his hands. "There's too many guards. If either of us leave the tower, we'll be caught. It's inevitable."
YOU ARE READING
Falling (repeatedly)
FanfictionI swear the cover is temporary unless i forget to change it- (This was written before the Cookie Odyssey was out, this note will make sense later) *+*Summary (?)*+* Espresso is trying to ignore Madeleine but unfortunately it doesn't really work. Esp...
