Espresseleine Week 2022 Shots

Day 4: Pets / Pride Parade

Pets
Summary: Madeleine and Espresso have a pest. Well, a cat.

Fluff

for legal reasons i name the cat Mouse otherwise LifeIsAGameiSuckAt will beat my ass and she thinks naming a cat something that it hunts is fucking hilarious (its not, please consider throwing yourself off the nearest cliff <3)

im physically trying to FORCE myself to keep this short
~

Madeleine stopped, looking to the right and into a secluded alleyway between a bar and a florist's shop. Espresso stopped with him, looking at the other confused as to why they had stopped. The two were currently walking home from an expedition, both exhausted and ready to retire to their bedroom and sleep.

"Hm? What is it?" Espresso tugged on his sleeve.

"I heard something," the paladin replied, squinting down the alleyway. "It sounded like a hurt animal."

Espresso groaned, rolling his eyes. He knew his boyfriend had a soft spot for animals. Espresso on the other hand could gladly live without having to worry about the noise, the dirtiness, the fur, etc.

"You might be hearing things, Madel. Let's go home," The mage turned to continue walking but was stopped by Madeleine grabbing his cape and tugging him back.

"Wait, there it is again!" he entered the alleyway, looking around for the source of the noise.

"Madeleine-- You..." Espresso trailed off, watching his child-like partner explore the dark area. He sighed, following him to make sure he didn't do anything stupid. "What are you doing?"

"Es, look," he was crouched over something, eyes wide and sparkling.

Espresso stood over him, peering over his mop of golden hair to see what he was pointing him to. He adjusted his glasses, eyes landing on a cardboard box. And inside the box, was a cat. A gorgeous black kitten covered with random splotches of white as if it had been dipped into paint. It was unfortunately frail too, like it hadn't been fed in a while.

Madeleine's eyes were sad. Sympathetic.

"It's so skinny," he breathed out, almost a whisper in fact.

The mage's mouth hung open, unsure what to say. He definitely wasn't expecting the expedition day to end in finding an abandoned cat in an alleyway.

Madeleine reached in and picked it up carefully, the tiny thing letting out the most heartbreaking weak meow. He turned to Espresso with a pleading look in his eyes..

"Can we keep him?" his voice was raised, high pitched almost as if he was trying hard not to start crying. Like the sap he is.

"Absolutely not." Espresso crossed his arms.

He wasn't about to just let some wild animal scamper around his house and use every piece of furniture as it's personal litter box! There is no way he would ever agree to something like that!

"Espressooo!!! Please?" The blond pleaded, cradling the small kitten as it fell asleep in his arms.

"I-- We're both way too busy! You have your job, I have mine," He argued.

Madeleine pouted, genuinely looking very heartbroken as he accepted the loss and began to set the sleeping cat back down into the box.

"..."

"Wait."

Madeleine lit up. Had he changed his mind?

"Fine.. I guess we could keep it. As long as you clean up it's mess because that thing is all your responsibility." Espresso grumbled.