a͟m͟b͟i͟v͟a͟l͟e͟n͟c͟e͟ - espresseleine au

arrival part 2 electric boogaloo

The door shut behind us. "So, do you have an opinion about where we go, or can I pick?"

I rolled my eyes. "I have already established that I do not like you," - lying again, Espresso the voice in my head said - "so how about we go our separate ways and pretend we 'bonded' on some ridiculous trip."

He gasped. "But.. but that would be lying to Ricotta! He's my charge! The knight's code of honor establishes that I cannot lie unless it would protect the safety of my charge, you know." he preened.

I growled and lowered my voice. "Do you think I care a whit about the possible repercussions of lying to a man I've just met?"

The door creaked open again. "Espresso, I asked you to go on this outing, and you will go on this outing if I have to place a tracking spell on you. Understood?" Ricotta asked me.

I nodded reluctantly. and the door swung shut for the second time in as many minutes.

"Uh... do you want to go to the plaza? Farmer's markets' today. We could pick something up? Do you have a relative you want to get a gift from the capital city for?"

His question made me think of Latte, and how many strings she had pulled and the long nights she'd worked to land me this job. "Alright, the plaza it is then."

We strolled to the plaza far too slowly for my liking. Madeleine kept trying to start small talk, but seeing my stony silence, he eventually stopped. I momentarily felt bad, but that feeling died the moment I considered the possible consequences of a relationship between us.

The market was packed. I couldn't move for bumping into someone. I was afraid to join the crowd, like a child at the pool.

Madeleine, seeing me frozen, grabbed my arm and pulled me into the throng, somehow expertly navigating the crowd. And the feeling from before was back. Hooray.

"There's a certain shop here that I think you'd like. Let's see if we can find it." he called over  his shoulder as he kept dragging me around.

After ten minutes of that, I was, frankly, exhausted. Madeleine saw my condition and forced me to sit down at a table, promising he'd continue looking for me.

I sat there for ten more minutes. Who wants to go our separate ways now? I thought ruefully. I was about to get up and leave when Madeleine reappeared, panting.

"I found it! And I even memorized the way back, so don't worry." I stood up and he grabbed my hand again and pulled me all the way to the shop.

When I saw the stall, it absolutely (for lack of a better word) knocked my socks off.

It was a gourmet coffee shop.

I stood there and laid a hand on my chest as my heart sped up. Only Latte had done such nice things for me before, so it was... unsettling to have another person be as kind to me as she is.

Ah! I snapped my fingers, breaking out of my trance. I should get something for her, to thank her for being so positive all the time.

I browsed for a little bit, until I saw a caramel latte that I knew my sister would love. I purchased it, and told Madeleine that I was ready to leave. 

On the way back, believe it or not, I actually chatted with Madeleine.

"I noticed you did not make any purchases. Why is that? Surely you are not lacking for money," I asked, possibly a tad more coldly than I intended.

"Oh, I didn't see anything that caught my fancy. That stall isn't really my thing anyway. I just brought us there since I thought you would like it!" He smiled.

 I turned away so he didn't see the faint blush tainting my mocha cheeks. Madeleine, who I thought was trying to float away with his ego-inflation tactics, had gone out of his way to do something for me?

I gritted my teeth as I tried to logically explain to my brain that he would probably do this for any cookie that came along with a problem, but my brain wasn't having it. It seemed logic held no sway here.

I forced myself to walk forward, head held high as I ignored the blood rushing in my ears. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Madeleine smile fondly as he looked at me, which only made it worse.

Witches, what was I going to do with this feeling?

espresso's attitude at the start of the chapter could've applied frost to frost queen cookie