Sweeten My Coffee

Be honest

      It's almost 8 am, Espresso's house is just around the corner. You really can't miss it with how intense the coffee aroma around it has become. The blue eyed knight is following curiously behind the magician, wondering why his counterpart's fashion choices are always so dark. Perhaps it is to hide any coffee stains, although with how calculative and neat Espresso is, that sounds very unlikely.

Quietly, they head in through the iron, front gate. It is rather tall, but the Knight could still easily reach and touch the top. The entire house is surrounded by a long fence. Just a few steps in allow Madeleine to instantly understand why. A beautiful plethora of herbs and easily recognizable Coffea plants reside within his home's garden.

'Wow. Are you and Herb siblings?'

'Not even close.' Espresso answers flatly. 'I am simply growing these for my own work. Herb does it because he thinks they look cuddly. Even the dangerous ones.'

Madeleine smiles, bending over a cute white flower.

'This smells like vanilla.'

'That's because it is a Vanilla plant.' Once again, Espresso's voice falls flat. He doesn't put much effort in sounding more lively. Despite loving his work, he did not bring that man here to childishly show off his flowers.

'What a spectacle! I have never had the pleasure of tasting vanilla before. Everyone says that it is heavenly.' Madeleine grins and takes a long sniff. It looks almost as if he's about to suck the flower into his nose.

The Professor's eyes roll. 'Too sweet.' He mumbles and drags one of the chairs in his garden back. 'Don't get distracted. Take a seat.'

The Knight gladly approaches a small, round table and sits across Espresso. The patterns on the wooden furniture are interesting. They look hand made, flaunting even their most obvious flaws as if they were planned. Coffee beans and dark colored letters have been carved at the perimeter of the wooden table. Reading them, they say;

Coffee is the substance of awakening.

'Interested?' Espresso asks while fixing his pink tie.

'Did someone make this table for you?'

'It was gifted to me after I moved in. Quite a fancy addition.' He quickly explains, pausing only for a brief moment to catch his breath. 'No matter, let us begin.'

He settles his hands on the table but doesn't manage to utter a single word before excessive barking breaks out from afar. Madeleine notices the annoyance on the magician's face immediately after.

'This won't work.' The professor raises his left hand, a vibratingly large coffee bean appearing above it.

For a second the Knight thinks that his friend is legitimately going to send a fireball at the dogs, but he does nothing of the sort. Instead the magic oozes out of the coffee bean and attaches itself to the fence before shooting up to the sky and covering Espresso's property from above. The sounds come to a stop as the magic seemigly fades.

'A sound proof shield?'

'Indeed. I am honestly surprised as to why I haven't used that on you.'

The Knight smiles unbothered. 'There are better ways to silence me.'

'I am open to suggestions.' Espresso lays his chin on his right hand, resting the other in front of him. His sharp eyes seem to go right through Madeleine.

His left palm has darkened from the spell, leaving dust like particles to float in the air above it. The Knight's playful response is cut short because of this. He takes a hold of the professor's hand to inspect it until it gets snatched back.

'Are you trying to test my patience?' Espresso tightens his fist, a flustered expression on his face. 'Who am I kidding? Of course you are.'

'Apologies.' Madeleine says with a condescending tone.

'Ugh...You are not forgiven but I shall choose to ignore it.'

Once calm again, Espresso attempts to start the conversation over.

'After our meeting this morning, I got reminded of how much I dislike you.'

'But why-'

'Let me finish.' Espresso's dark eyes silence the Knight. 'You have always been loved by those around you and your actions speak for your greatness in combat and heroic deeds. However, I have a deeply rooted distaste for those who only do things for the sake of fame...for their ego. You, Madeleine, are no different than those people. You keep your sword polished nicely, even if that means that someone else has to pay for it. You have used your oblivious fans for their abilities, gaining whatever you aimed for without ever sharing what they rightfully earned by helping you. I can give you plenty of examples to support this. To keep it short however, I see you as a hypocrite, a manipulator, a liar. I do not wish to associate myself with you unless you are willing to change that part of yourself and to become an actual hero, one who does not act because he has a goal that requires good deeds, but one who helps because he must.'

Madeleine's armor feels heavy and unfamiliar. The air grows thick within the garden, even the flowers can tell the difference. He stares dumbfounded, the words still falling from the sky.

'I do not know why you said that you wanted to get to know me better. Am I another goal for your foul light magic hands to touch? Do not dare think of me so lowly.'

Madeleine can almost hear the words passing through the atmosphere now. So close...

'And, a word of advice, put an end to going around asking everyone to sign them your autograph. It is simply nonesensical, not to mention that it shows just how desperate you are for attention.'

The words blow over the Knight commander, sending a sharp, painful feeling right through his entire body.

So...bitter. So painful. My...My heart...

Espresso takes a deep breath and sighs, awaiting the other's response. It never arrives however. Madeleine pushes himself up from his chair, wide eyes reading the table's words over and over again as weak attempts at distracting him. Soon the wide eyes turn into a delicate, wet mess.

Oh...Oh no.

Is all Espresso can think of when he sees that sorry look. He has never seen anyone this sad before, only himself.

'Madeleine? I wanted you to take those words to heart but, in contrast to my original belief, it seems that you have-'

The Knight's trademark shield comes floating in front of him. Hiding his face and torso protectively.

'A-All is good no worries. I have to go.' He backs away, almost stumbling over the chair. His sword is radiating with light magic, a common response to when he feels emotional.

Espresso doesn't dare say anything else. He knew that for Madeleine, that was just how he lived life. Whether he understood if it was wrong doesn't matter as long as he tries to fix it. Eventually, people would grow sick of his acts, or even worse, nobody would ever try to approach him as if he was a person, but only as just a shiny Knight trained to smile and greet.

The gate is gently shut and because the shield had been pulled down by Espresso, he was left to listen to the distant clicking noises of Madeleine's golden boots.

'This...This feels like a miscalculation.' Espresso groans and buries his face between his palms. '...I need coffee.'