Mixed Messages

2: Let's get things straight!

Madeleine finally got a vacation. Sure it was quite short, but he didn't mind. He understood his duties were important.

"Alright, I'll ask Latte where Espresso is! Surely she'd know, both of them were sat together at the puppet show!"

Of course, he didn't know what he was talking about. He just relied on luck for this confrontation.

As he knew his 'fool-proof' plan would probably be a 50/50, he finally found Latte near the gate of parfaedia, watching over Creampuff perfect her msgic.

"Hi Madeleine! How's work been?" Clasping her hands together cheerily, Madeleine felt too nervous to ask..

"Sorry to bother you.. I'm just wondering if you know where Espresso is?" Still nervous, he started picking at the sleeve of his shirt.

"Poor guy, does he really wanna make it up to Espresso that badly?" Latte snickered slightly, she shouldn't pry. Looking to the floor most coffee classes are handled, she scanned all the windows.

And of course, Espresso was in atleast one room.

"He's on the 3rd floor, first door to your left, can't miss it!" Another cheery smile. Madeleine idolized how optimistic Latte was.

"Thank you Professor Latte!" Madeleine waved as he joked. Creampuff tried not to laugh in the background.

Step by step on the stairs, reassuring words after the other and one too many nervous sighs were interrupted when he realized he was lost. He'd completely zoned out.

He'd went to the right, and had been walking in circles for 10 minutes.

"Uh.. just retrace my steps right?" He turned around, walking in the eerily long hallways of parfaedia.

He looked towards the stairs, "if it were supposed to be left when I entered then I should just walk straight ahead. Right?"

"Excuse me?" Espresso overheard Madeleine doubting himself from inside the room.

Irritated, he went towards the door to find a messy haired Madeleine smiling nervously.

"I'm sorry.." He whimpered like a kicked puppy. Espresso sighed. He pitied Madeleine for apologizing over getting lost.

"Come in." Nobody was inside the room. What day is it? Friday? No that can't be.. Sunday?

"Why'd you visit?" Just when Madeleine thought he could catch a breath, he was being interrogated by Espresso.

"Eh- to uh.. apologize and make it up to you?"

A puzzled expression was on Espresso's face when he turned to face Madeleine. "What?"

"I wanted to treat you- to uh.." peeking a glance at the clock overhead the white board, 5:27.

"Dinner..!" Making eye contact with Espresso, who had a soft smile. He cheered in his mind, maybe he will accept this as an apology!

"Alright, just give me a moment." Turning back towards the whiteboard and writing just a bit more, before flipping it and organizing the desk.

"Let's go?" Espresso picked up his suitcase, Madeleine nodded as they both walked out of the room.

"Was that your office?" The clicking of their shoes echoed through the hall. Both were whispering.

"Yeah, though I tutor a lot of students, so it's basically a classroom" Espresso did genuinely care for his students, though sometimes strict, he helps a lot of them.

"Ooh, was what you were writing on the board one of their lessons?" The equation looked hard though.. something about balance over coffee magic?

"No, I also work for discoveries on new coffee magic. I'm more on tutoring anyways." He scoffed, the Knight had no idea what the equation was about, didn't he?

(My writing style kinda changed a bit)

Once they got to the gate of parfaedia Latte and Creampuff had left, probably went back inside the building to finish off some notes before going home.

"So, where do you want to eat?" Madeleine cheerily asked, looking at the plant abundant gate.

"I'm not sure, there was a recent opening near here.. though, I'm not sure you'd like fast food take out as what you treat me to?" Espresso looked at the streets, most, if not all, were fast food chains, granted, they were exiting an academy.

"If that's what you want, I'm all for it!" Madeleine tried to distinguish which of the many lit up restaurants it was that Espresso described.

He spotted a flashy one at the distance, practically answering his questions once he saw the "new opening!" Sign, it was a sweet little burger joint.

"Hey, there's a cafe there as well! Me and my past friends would drink coffee till midnight and talk for hours! Wanna do that after dinner-?" Madeleine lead the way, not seeing Espresso perk up hearing cafe.

It seemed.. pretty cheesy from what Espresso would say, but, he can't turn down a free espresso.

They made their way to the restaurant, and Espresso couldn't stand how messy Madeleine's hair was.

As Madeleine checked the menu from outside, Espresso looked at his hair, before promptly brushing off some of the tangles and loose hairs.

"Ah- is something wrong?" Madeleine continued to read the menu, feeling Espresso's hands pass through his hair gently... It was really soft.

"Just your hair. It's messy." Espresso monotonously explains, Madeleine's hair reminded him of Latte's cat. Just as fluffy as it's fur.

Madeleine was flustered as looked at Espresso, he finally got a copy of the menu. Espresso was oddly combing his hair after it was neat. Is he zoning out?

"You okay? I think you're.. blanking out..?" Madeleine grinned, slowly turning his head, menu in hand.

Espresso comes back to reality, realizing he'd been brushing off a few tangled strands of hair from Madeleine's hair. "Ah. Apologies." He pulled his hand back, closing it in embarrassment.

886 words

Did u guys miss me 💞💞? Kidding, yes hi my writing style had changed so sorry for disappearing.