Chapter Text
Espresso and Madeleine had gone through and are still going through moments of conflict. It's just that now were about relationships. They been together for several months. That's what Espresso used to say to quickly get rid of other people's questions, but in fact they had been together for a year and three months. A lot. Despite the fact that he didn't want to admit it, even though it was pretty obvious that since he had admitted that he loves Madeleine, the blonde's moments of bragging in front of him had been rare and quieter. He was more.. peaceful. They lived together at Espresso. Madeleine had offered to stay with him, but the mage refused completely, saying that he did not feel comfortable. Too many people, big, white, bright house.. Not for him. The blonde had not been upset at all, even happy. As long as his boyfriend felt comfortable, that was all that mattered. And he really liked how intimacy sounded, away from all Light responsibilities on him and his home.
Madeleine had picked up the letters in the mail early in the morning, as usual. Some were for him, most were for him. A purple letter with a fine pattern of a white magnolia flower was among the simple white ones with a small, fine but simple golden pattern. The letter smelled strong but good, fragrant but cool. Madeleine looked at it more curiously, seeing that his boyfriend, Espresso, was predestined. He goes back into the house, still looking at the letters, more at the different one.
"Espresso..!"
"Ugh.. What, Madeleine?" The mage was in the bedroom.
"You received a letter."
"Put it next to the others! I bet it's from Éclair. Ugh... He and his history books."
"I don't think so.. It's purple. With a white flower pattern. With a really enticing smell for a letter if you ask me. I think- "
He heard footsteps running from the bedroom. Espresso had quickly appeared in front of Madeleine. His thin hands quickly took the mysterious envelope, looking at it, analyzed it, smelled it, then quickly opened it, reading what was on the sheet inside the envelope.
"Dear Espresso,
I'll be visiting you for.. the next few days.
I'm sure it won't be a problem.
We haven't seen each other in a while, dear brother. It would be nice to exchange some sweet and sweet words for a sweet coffee for me, and a bitter one for you. How you like it.
See you soon, Essi!~
- Affogato"
"Oh no..." Espresso took the handwritten sheet close to him.
"What is it, Es? What does it say? From whom is it?" Madeleine asked softly, curiously.
"...BROTHER..." He said in terror and worries in his voice.
The blonde was confused, still looking at his boyfriend. "Your brother?"
"Oh no no no no... You have to go!" He said quickly to Madeleine, leaving his blonde even more skeptical and confused.
"Why?! Why is it so bad to meet your brother I didn't know anything about him or that you have one?"
"Because it's with Black Magic! Not White like you!! Now shu!"
"But- You are too with Black Magic. Why is it so bad? You accepted me. I'm sure- "
"No! Shu Madeleine!!"
Espresso tried to push his boyfriend out. But without success, nothing new. He was not strong, being caught in Madeleine's arms, feeling like he couldn't free himself. His boyfriend's hand rested on Es's brown hair and the other hand on his back.
"Calm down. I'm sure he won't have a problem. He's your brother. And if he really cares about you, he'll accept me too. With small steps.. but I'm sure he will! You're stressing out a lot, Es."
"He's from the Dark Cocoa Kingdom, Madeleine..." He said with a sigh of mixed emotions.
"... I'm still sure he'll be understanding!" He was trying to see the full side of the glass. He ran his fingers through the dark brown hair with a light brown curly hair up his lover, feeling himself defeated in the arms.
"Maybe.. I mean, I accepted you. I accepted you because I love you. Otherwise.. I don't think so, no, not really."
Madeleine had smiled at these words, adoring them. Espresso was not the kind to express one's feelings, especially in the face of others. He did it a little more when they were alone. He was happy with every moment Espresso opened.
"But.. It's weird..." The Black Magic Mage said softly but seriously.
"What is it?"
"The letter he sent me. It's so short and it's like it was written in a hurry. It's not 'full' like he usually does it. I have a bad feeling, Mady... A feeling of uneasiness."
"I'm sure everything will be fine. And I'm here. With you."
Espresso let out a smile. The blonde's hand lightly touched the mage's face, causing him to look up into his eyes. Those eyes that were different from all the ones he'd seen in his entire life. Gorgeous browns like autumn chestnuts, pupil like a cat.. like coffee beans. Madeleine took Espresso in a short kiss, calming and loving.
"And when will your brother come?" Made asked him after breaking the kiss, still holding him close.
"In the next few days.." He replied, almost in a whisper.
"What's his name?"
"Affogato. He's my older brother.."
"Why didn't you tell me? You and him don't have a good relationship?"
"No, no. We're fine. We've always been fine. Just a few minor family issues.. That's all. But we're communicating through letters. Unfortunately, it stopped after a while.. After it reappeared. I'm not sure why.. He never told me why there was such a break between us."
"I'm sure it wasn't serious."
"I hope so.."
"So he's from the Dark Cocoa Kingdom." Madeleine said almost in a serious tone and even irritated by the discomfort.
"Yeah.. Is there a problem with that?" Espresso stared at him intently.
"No. Not for me. Just curious. I've heard very little about that Kingdom."
"You're telling me.. How about we eat something? It's still morning." He really wanted to change the subject and resume his day.
Madeleine just chuckled softly and cheerfully. "Of course."
Another quiet morning. There was a strong smell of coffee throughout the kitchen. Sunlight coming in through medium-sized windows. For one this would be fantastic, for another it would have been more pleasant in the dark. Espresso and Madeleine had heard a knock on the door this morning. The blonde got up from the chair to open the door. He had been stopped by his lover's hand around his wrist. Espresso stared at him pleadingly. Eyes you can rarely see on his face.
"Please, Madeleine.. If it's Affogato, please... At least stay hidden for the next few hours! Please." Espresso begged him. "I don't want to made a mistake. At least until I find out what's going on. Please. For me.."
Madeleine approves with a sigh and a reluctance. He couldn't resist it, especially the way he looked at him and sounded. "I'll be in our bedroom." Made gave him a short kiss, feeling the strong coffee on the lips as he walked away.
The Black Magic Mage smiled that he had succeeded in convincing Madeleine at least a little. Hearing the knock again, he got up to open it.
He looked at his older brother, who hadn't seen in years. His eyes are as pale as vanilla ice cream, with his pupil like coffee beans like his, but much more catlike if we take it animalistically. The hair style had not changed: dark chestnut, with milk-white hairs frozen, trapped or loose. The clothes..yes. One in purple, black and white. Espresso always had the feeling that purple with black represented Black Magic, evil, with a bit of white not to look so depressing and monotonous. And now Affogato looks different, brown hair, with white highlights tied in a bun and a braid on the left side. Black cape on the left, white on the right and lavender in the middle. A black feathered boa with a purple bead. He was holding a black stick with a magic purple light bulb on top. Still, something was off. Affogato wasn't really.. Affogato.
"Hi.. uh, Espresso." Aff greets him with a smile.
"Hello, Affogato." Es looked at him for a moment, out of control. He took his brother in his arms, which he rarely did, but he felt that his brother needed one. He too. They hadn't seen each other in years. They had not heard their voices, they had not seen each other. "Nice to see you, Aff..."
"So do I..." When he was released, he smiled affectionately at the magician. "Can I come in?"
Espresso approved, letting him in. He noticed that his brother had no luggage with him. One more reason. His older brother looked around at the scenery. It was mixed.
"Kind of.. enlightened, dear brother. It's not your style."
Espresso mutes for a second or two after speaking:
"Latte's fault. You know how she is."
"Oh. Yes. Latte. How can I forget.. And yet- "
There was a bang in the main bedroom of the house, panicking Affogato and making Espresso frown.
"What was that?!"
"I'm sure nothing, Affogato! How about we make and serve that coffee you were talking about in the letter!? Hehe."
The sweet coffee worshiper just frowned at the bitter coffee one, walking resolutely toward the room where the rumble had been heard.
"Aff!"
"No! I have to.. I have to see what it is." He was paranoid.
Espresso couldn't stop his own brother, frowning at the bedroom door. He was going to scold Madeleine for that. He promised- Affogato put his hand on the doorknob, opening it quickly, ready to defend himself for anything or anyone behind that door. With a trembling hand he opened the door, eyes widening when he saw blue eyes as a diamond, the hair halfway down the thigh, a light blond, the clothes were normal, but white as light. Affogato frowned at Madeleine, his staff in front of the intruder. He had no idea who he was, shaking his soul much harder. But one thing he knew...
"What- What is he doing here, Espresso!"
"A-Affogato! He- "
"It's White Magic!" Aff was about to use his toxins on the blonde, but Espresso went between them.
"Affogato!! Madeleine is my boyfriend!" He screamed, leaving his older brother frozen, and his boyfriend smiling and softening on the inside. Espresso breathes, taking the blonde's hand in his. "We're together, Affogato. I love him even though.. he's White Magic."
Affogato looked down in disorientation, grabbing the staff with both hands, clutching it for support. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. He did this for a minute, a minute when he was quiet and Espresso was looking at him worriedly.
"Aff- "
"Okay." Affogato interrupted gently, looking at them both. He move the staff in his right hand, straightening his posture. Stepping forward, closer to his brother and the boyfriend. He stared at Madeleine. "Affogato, I'm glad meeting you." He bowed briefly to the blonde, as he had been taught.
The couple was speechless. Madeleine quickly smiled briefly at Affogato.
"Madeleine. I'm glad to meet you too, Affogato. Espresso didn't tell me about you. Very little."
"O-oh.. huh.. He doesn't even need to tell you or or to someone about my existence. So he. So the other one can't be in danger."
"Yes.." Espresso approves his older brother's words. "Affogato, what's the reason for your visit?"
"Oh Espresso! Can't I visit my dear and only brother? And now I can meet your boyfriend that you hid it from me."
Espresso looked at him skeptically, worriedly. He wanted to continue with the same question, but he felt Madeleine's hand on his waist. Es looked him in the eyes, but was annihilated by Madeleine's gentle, bright smile. One that only Espresso had the right to see it.
"Okay.. We can talk over by a cup of coffee." He let himself be defeated. Defeated by his own boyfriend.
Espresso analyzed his brother throughout the discussion. They may not have seen and talked for years, but he still knew his reactions and behavior. Something had happened. He wouldn't have come to visit suddenly if something hadn't happened. Espresso notices the three tired yawns coming from his boyfriend.
"Madeleine, go and rest. I'll be back soon. I just want to talk a little more with my brother. Oh, Affogato, you're staying overnight, aren't you?" Espresso watched Affogato sink into his thoughts, as he slowly approved. "Good. It's not a problem that he's staying, is it, Mady?"
Madeleine blushed, approving that it was no problem. "He can stay as long as he needs and wants. He's just part of your family, Espresso."
"Thank you very much. Now go." The last part was said authoritatively, the blonde following the order with a bright but tired smile. But he didn't left till he kisses him.
"I'm glad you found someone, dear brother..." Affogato said softly, smiling weakly.
"Me too. ... What happened?" The question was serious but gentle at the same time. He wanted to help him. "Something is definitely going on."
"Espresso.. I... I'm sorry about everything."
He was confused. "Why are you apologizing? You didn't do anything to me. And I'm not upset that we didn't communicate for months..years. It's okay, Affogato."
"No- No- Not for that! I- I conquered- I had conquered.. the kingdom of Dark Cocoa..."
Espresso froze, looking at his older brother in shock and disbelief.
"I- I saw the fall of Dark Cacao as an opportunity to be respected! Not to be laughed at by everyone.. But he came back and..."
"Is he after you?" Espresso asked slowly, still in shock, what he had just learned. He didn't think Affogato could do that. That he would like to conquer an entire kingdom. To be on the throne of a kingdom. It was something.. huge.
"I think- Yes... I heard Caramel wanting to follow me.. I'm scared, Espresso. I haven't felt that in a few years.. I.. I just wanted to be respected at least. Everyone had taken me as a joke.. making fun and not sweet jokes about me, how they see me in their eyes.. His downfall and disappearance..the departure of the prince, I saw them.. as my chance. My chance to be respected by those who laughed and made fun of me."
A tear followed by several on the table.
"But I lost... I lost everything... Again. I couldn't keep the throne and their respect for me.. how I couldn't keep some of our parents love for me..." He whispered, covering his mouth with the hand. "Sorry..."
Espresso looked at his brother with a heavy heart.
Affogato didn't had a pleasant childhood. Not at all. Their parents had paid a lot of attention to Espresso, only to Espresso. Telling him that he was their light, intelligent, worthy of everything and everything. Ignoring Affogato, almost kicking him out of the house. Affogato never said anything. He didn't even envy Espresso, he was just sad that he was so different from him. His eyes were much weirder than his younger brother's, his hair was different than his younger brother's, some of his behavior was different from that of his younger brother. Everything was different. In the eyes of their parents, Affogato was the wrong of the family.
Every time he looked in the mirror he wanted to break it. He hated the eyes that filled with tears every time he gave up mentally. He hated that it couldn't be the same as Espresso. The child adored and respected by all. And he, a joke to the world. He didn't even know how he managed to stay alive. So much crying and hurting. So many comparisons. Until he found an escape. He had met someone in the depths of the dark plant forests. A lone woman named Matcha. She wasn't very talkative. Just.. little giggles back and forth. But he's glad she let him sit there. They had discovered many plants. They had discovered a plant that should not have been discovered. It was a poisonous flower, blessed with curses. The eyes sparkled when he saw it, wanting to have it for him and only for him. It was funny that he didn't know at first that the flower was bad. Finding out when someone wanted to steal it from him. Other people disregarded him. Affogato thought he was empty again, but when he saw that the flower removed a magnificent purple scent, you could see it. How that person had begun to cough violently. Eyes watering uncontrollably. The skin became as pale as snow. Weak body weak..weak. Falling to the ground like a cut down tree. Affogato looked at the breathless body with small flashes of astonishment. He wasn't scared. He wasn't worried. He was fascinating. He loved what he had just seen, what he had just learned. He took the cursed flower slowly. Looking at it with a smile. In time, he managed to plant many more, making an entire garden with them. They were his life. On other days, months, he did some experiments on them. Resulting in Sweet Scheme. Lethal, beautiful, unimaginable to the rest of the souls that He created them. He kept it all to himself. He didn't want it to be taken away from him. They were his life... And he wasn't going to let anyone steal it.
Affogato wiped away the tears, feeling the blackness on his face as tears. He looked Espresso in the eyes.
"Espresso, I only want one thing. Even if you don't accept it, I'm not upset and I'm not condemn you."
The mage said nothing, did not move, just waited.
"Do you know where I can stay? I don't want to invade your house and steal your time with your boyfriend."
"Affogato.." It was his turn to speak. "You're not invading anything. You can stay here, really."
"Espresso."
"I don't want to hear any excuses from you. I want you to stay here." Espresso took Aff's hand in his, squeezing it slowly. "You're my brother. I know how much you hid those tears. Sadness, loneliness. And I don't want to let you face it alone anymore. I'm with you. Please, Aff."
Affogato looked down, smiling.
"That's why you're the family's golden child."
"That's too much to say."
"You know it's true. You're their treasure."
"Affogato, stop."
"Okay, okay. ... Where will I sleep tonight?"
"Madeleine and I have a free room in case of this. And not just for a night."
"Heh..yes, yes. ... How did you end up with.. Him. He has a very.. strong, bright and optimistic personality."
"I know. It's a long story, Aff. Very..long. Even I'm surprised by my choice."
Affogato just chuckled softly, following his golden brother to the place where he would sleep more than one night.