Sweeten My Coffee

Acute need of caffeine

Concentrate...Concentrate on the book. The writing. The words. Even the color of the page. Concentrate. Do not give in.

His hands are barely holding onto the rough page as he flips it over. There is obvious struggle in his rapidly blinking eyes as they fight the urge to close.

I have to stay awake. He must not see me in such a vulnerable state.

He breathes in but suddenly his lungs refuse to fill up fully. With a sigh, he tries again but the struggle still lingers. Annoyed and tired, the Professor burrows his face against his palms, body leaned towards the table. The chair under him feels hard and uncomfortable despite it having a little pillow embed against the wood. It is not the same feeling as sitting on a bed, or laying on it, or being wrapped in a blanket with your head against a pillow.

He rubs and pulls back the edges of his skin near the eyes, making them look thin. With blurry vision, he tries to inhale fully once more and finally gets it done. The satisfaction is immense. It is not the first time he had Dyspnea due to losing sleep. Saying that he is used to it would be an understatement.

Unaware that a few seconds passed when his eyes had ended up closing, he ended up missing it when someone calls out to him from afar.

'-presso?'

The sound is closer. His heart suddenly speeds up and he jolts awake.

'Espresso? Are you okay?'

Next to one of the Holy library's white bookshelves stands their owner. Madeleine. He looks ready to throw out some consoling words for the professor. Say that it is okay for him to feel tired or that he should get some sleep. But to Espresso's surprise, he just stands there for what seems to be a long time. Something does not seem right.

'What?' Espresso asks groggily. His heart is still pounding, this time the rhythm is unpredictable.

'What?' A faint voice repeats behind him like an echo. He blinks for a long moment. Madeleine is no longer there.

What is...happening? It has been seven days only, correct? How long have I been awake for? Are these hallucinations?

The coffee mage is starting to doubt his own beliefs. The magic within him could have heightened the effects of sleep deprivation to an extreme level.

Focus. Keep your mind clear.

He sinks against the book, glancing at the words on it.

What was I reading again? The history of...ugh.

Then, a large hand gently meets his shoulder. He no longer has the energy to feel startled. As a quiet voice tries to ask if he is okay, he closes his eyes again and attempts to relive his closest memories.

He requested my attendance at his house's library, which I went along with. However, I only did it because I burnt some coffee.

Something bright is seen moving behind his eyelids. It is quiet, the concerned voice is no longer there to keep him company.

He walked me all the way to his place, then the rest happened. I feel exhausted...

It was just an hour ago when Madeleine walked him through the door. The Professor was yawning quite often, but he still had the energy to function as expected. Seeing that Madeleine took his sweet time when he was doing his insignificant tour, boasting about the house's decorations and its beauty, professor Espresso only got more and more tired. It was all just too bright and hopeful. One part of his vivid memories recalls the Knight saying that he looked like a brown bear in the snow due to his attire and the house's bright coloring. That comment was ultimately ignored.