TW: emotional (I'm my opinion)
Espresso was screaming into his pillow again, Madeline's friends were so stupid. He repeatedly punched his pillow until it was flat, and after a while, he stopped. He fell down on his pillow and sighed.
"Mom, mom! What is wrong with me!? Why do I like him..?" Espresso groaned. Latte was taking a shower, so espresso basically had some alone time. He layed down on his back and stared at the ceiling.
"Gosh. I hate them. I hate them ALL." He said. But then again, if he hated everyone, why was he crushing on the one he ESPECIALLY hated? Espressos heart was telling him that he liked Madeline, but his brain was refusing to believe it. He couldn't admit to himself that he liked Madeline better than others. He then remembered it was his mom's birthday tomorrow and that shot bullets to his heart. He hasn't celebrated his mom's birthday in years. He sat up from his bed, heart aching. He then started to cry, becuase he felt like a horrible son. He didn't celebrate his mom's birthday becuase it hurts too much to remember her, let alone celebrate her birthday when she's not even alive. Even though it hurt too much to remember her, he still felt like a horrible son for not celebrating his mom's birthday all these years.
My poor baby. Don't bring back the memories, Mother hates to see her dearest boy cry.
Though Espresso hated the idea of crying on his mother's birthday, he still promised to celebrate it. His mother deserved a celebration after all she's been though with dad. Just then, Latte came out of the shower and espresso quickly wiped his tears away.
~
Madeliene sat in his room, also considering his feelings. He knew he liked espresso, but he also refused to believe it. He just couldn't admit it to himself that he liked a boy, especially ESPRESSO.
Why do I pick him out of all woman and men around the world?
He thought to himself. He started to think about espresso, and why he liked him. He realised, he basically liked everything about him except for one minor detail, he doesn't take care of himself. He hated when people aren't kind, especially to themselves. Just then, his mom came in his room.
"Darling, I need to have a discussion with you." Vanilla madeline said excitedly.
"What is it?" Madeline asked. She handed an envolope towards Madeline, it came from the pure vanilla kingdom, and he was currently in the hollyberry kingdom.
____________________________
'Dearest citizen of the hollyberry kingdom. We'd to ask you a favour, and please send us a letter whenever your ready to reply.
Would you like to travel to the pure vanilla kingdom to practice some sword attacks? The journey only goes on for 4 months, and you will be sent back to the hollyberry kingdom when trainings over. The hollyberry kingdom has really been needing some protection, and other people have been reporting to holly Berry that you are the perfect fit. Holly Berry requested for you to have some training lessons, so when you come back to the hollyberry kingdom you will be able to protect and defend others.
You have until next month to reply, and the training starts after next month.
-pure vanilla
____________________________
The note was written by pure vanilla himself. So the Queen of the land he lives on is sending madeline away for 4 months to train. Madeline didn't know what to say, he wanted to say no, but his mother was begging him.
"Darling, can you please accept? I hope for you to grow up and to be able to protect others. And an extra, hollyberry will reward us with a lot of money!" Vanilla madeline suggested.
"But mom, we don't need the money. I don't want to go." Madeline didn't want to go becuase he'd leave his friends and most of all, espresso.
"Yes, we don't need the money. But you know who does? Espresso. Can you please do this, for mum, for Latte, for espresso?." Vanilla madeline begged. Madeline instantly changed when she mentioned espresso, he didn't want to do it, but it would also mean espresso and Latte would be able to manage.
"Tell me when your ready dear, and we will send a message immidiately." Vanilla madeline said as she walked out of the room . Now madeline didn't know what to do. He wanted to decline, but he also wanted to help espresso. He had a really big think about it, and he couldn't really decide.
~
Madeline woke up in the early morning to get ready for school. He got dressed, and hopped into his mums car, with his mum already there waiting for him.
"So, have you decided?" Vanilla madeline asked as she started the car.
"No.." madeline said.
"Just tell me when your ready, my dearest!" She said as she started reversing her car.
*after 5 minute ride*
Madeliene stepped put of his mums car and immidiately ran inside to tell his friends.
"Guys! Guys! I have some really big news!" Madeline screamed.
"I wouldn't be shocked if you and espresso started dating." Vampire said.
"No! I swear it's much bigger! I got an offer from the pure vanilla kingdom that I can go train to become a protector! I'll be there for 4 months and after those months, I'll be back!" Madeline screamed. His friends stood still. They didn't want madeline to go.
"No! Don't go!" They all screamed at the same time.
"Yeah, but though I don't want to, I NEED to." Madeline said.
"Why!?" Mint asked.
"For espresso and Latte." Madeline said.
"But then you will be leaving us! And what do you even mean!?" Mint asked. By now, everyone was feelings sad and angry. They didn't know if Madeline was bluffing or not.
"Becuase I'll be rewarded a huge amount of money, and I'd like to give it to espresso, Or even split it with you guys." Madeline said.
"B-but madeline, please think about it. You will be leaving for 4 months, we can't handle that!" Herb said.
"Yeah, well, you and sparkling will have some alone time without me third wheeling, right?" Madeline said. Sparkling and herb blushed.
"We- I- were not dating!" Sparkling said.
"Okay okay. If you want or need to go, you can go. Just please keep in contact with us." Herb said.
"Well, how will you tell espresso when he's avoiding you?" Vampire asked.
"I won't." Madeline said.
"Your not?" Vampire asked again.
"No. If he doesn't want to talk to me, then I'll go unannounced." Madeline said. Just then, espresso came in. Their eyes met, and espresso immidiately picked up the speed of his legs.
"GO! Go tell him!" Sparkling said while pointing his finger at Espresso.
"No! It's too awkward to tell him!" Madeline said. Meanwhile madeline was talking with his friends, espresso walked past everyone. He wanted to get into the janitors closet as soon a possible. He opened the door to the janitors closet, but he saw raspberry cookie already there.
"Get out, this is my spot!" Espresso said.
"Geez, someone's moody." Raspberry said while rolling her eyes.
"Well what are you doing here anyway?" Espresso asked.
"Studying." Raspberry replied simply.
"Are you going to study here EVERYDAY now?" Espresso asked, feeling annoyed.
"Well, yeah. You wanna join me?" Raspberry asked.
"No."
"Okay then bye 👋 "
"No, YOU go away." Espresso screamed.
"Its either you study with me OR you go somewhere else. I'm not going anywhere." Raspberry said. Espresso was getting really angry with her, becuase that was his signature spot!
"Please, I just need a place to be alone." Espresso begged.
"Then be alone with me!" Raspberry replied.
"What I ment is that I need a place to express my fee- you know what, nevermind." Espresso almost blurred out the fact that he needed to pray to his mom. After all, it was her birthday. He slammed the door on her face and walked through the hallways, apologising to his mother that he couldn't find a spot where he could wish her a happy birthday alone. Eventually, the bell rang and espresso was disappointed that he didn't have a chance to catch his mum alone to make a mini celebration. Mother and son bonding time only. Too bad he was in school, there's no privacy there unless your in the bathroom. But boys are always bullying other boys in the bathroom, so there wasn't much privacy there either.
~
Latte was doing some paper work in the staff room, with Almond next to her. She was writing on some paper until her pocket started vibrating. She checked it out and her phone was ringing, from madeline. She pressed accept and put the phone to her ear.
"Yes?" She asked.
"Well, espresso doesn't want to talk to me, so I thought I'd tell you." Madeline said.
"Tell me what..?" Latte said, feeling alerted.
"I got invited to go train in the pure vanilla kingdom, which you know is really far." Madeline said. Latte didn't even let him finish his sentance.
"Oh great! You should acce-"
"But I'll be staying there for 4 months. If I accept, I will be rewarded a huge amount of money." Madeline said. Latte instantly changed her reply and begged him not to go.
"What!? If your going to be there for 4 months, Then no! Don't go! And you dont even need the money, your rich!" Latte pleaded.
"But you know who isn't? You. You have been through a lot for espresso and you deserve the money, latte." Madeline said. Though that touched lattes heart, she denied madelines offer.
"No! What if you don't come back alive?" She asked.
"Its only training, latte. I'm not going to fight actual monsters." Madeline said.
"But-" the bell interupted latte.
"Sorry latte, I gotta go. But I think im going to accept the offer, for your sake." Madeline said before hanging up. Now latte was panicked, she was worried that Madeline wouldn't make it back alive from all the exhaustion, and she thinks madeline will have to battle actual living things. She tried calling madeline multiple times, but madeline would decline each time.
"Professor latte, mabye you should calm down a bit." Officer Almond said.
"Calm down? You want me to calm down when my best friend may not make it alive!?" Latte snapped.
"Its only training, he won't actually be fighting living things. I'm sure he will he fine." Almond said, feeling a bit annoyed with Lattes panicked behaviour. She expresses her feelings a bit too much.
"And how would you know Huh? You've never been there!" Latte screamed.
"Sure I have, why else am I a cop?" Almond said. As usual, latte didn't have any comebacks to that. Almond was always right.
"Almond, just stop getting into my personal buisness!" Latte screamed. Almond rolled his eyes and latte scrunched her fists. Her anger washed away when she remembered it was her mom's birthday. Her eyes widened and she instantly sped walked to the staff bathroom to have some alone time with her mom. Of course, almond stood by the bathroom door to hear if she was doing any illegal magic. Latte sat in a stall, with her elbows resting on her knees. Her hands pressing on to her cheeks as she looked down.
"Happy birthday mom! I'm sorry, this is the only quiet place in here. I'm sorry I had to have a mini celebration in a dirty teachers bathroom." Latte apologised. It went silent for a bit, and she sighed.
"I trueley wish you were here to help me with my struggles. My biggest struggle is that your aren't alive." Latte started to choke on her tears.
"I can't really be crying at work. Mabye ill celebrate your birthday when I get home, with espresso. So we can have some time together, like a family except one person's missing..dad." Latte said. She went out of the stall and looked at herself in the mirror, her eyes were a bit red. She sighed and wiped her tears away. She went out of the bathroom door, trying not to look like she was crying. Of course, almond noticed, it was quite obvious.
"Professor latte, have you been sulking in the bathroom? Your eyes look a bit red." Almond asked.
"Your not even going to ask me if I'm okay? your just going to ask if I've been crying and make fun of me for it, aren't you?" Latte said, not bothing to even turn around and face almond.
"Why would I make fun of you? I'm a COP, I'm not supposed to be saying those stuff about others." Almond said, a bit angry with Lattes sudden assume.
"Becuase you HATE me." Latte said as she sat back down, avoiding eye contant.
"OK, mabye I may dislike you, a litt-"
"A lot."
"Okay fine, a lot. But that doesn't give me the right to be judgemental about your feelings. everyone has cried before." Almond said. Of course latte didn't have a reply. It was awkward and silent, Latte tried her best not to drop her tears on her page. Just the thought of her mom makes her cry.
*sniff* latte couldn't hold it much longer. Though her tears weren't dropping, her nose was doing the crying. Almond realised, and even though it was awkward and he hated her, he went over to comfort her. He sat down in the seat next to her and stroked her back awkwardly. She jolted in surprise and looked him in the eyes. She immidiately looked away, feeling both sad and..flustered? She was surprised that Almond was actually being nice. She turned her head the opposite side almond was, and almond could see she was obviously avoiding eye contact. Almond rolled his eyes and grunted a little.
"Latte, I know your avoiding eye contact." Almond said. Latte didn't say anything.
~
Espresso was sitting on the couch, waiting for Latte at home. He was waiting for her to arrive so they could spend mom's birthday together, like a family. Just then, he heard keys rustelling and the door opening, latte had arrived.
"Hey Espresso! How was school?" Latte asked.
"Not bad, I guess." Espresso said.
"Still feeling awkward around your future boyfriend?~" Latte teased.
"Latte just shut up!" Espresso snapped.
"Alright, calm down, mother probably doesn't want us to argue on her birthday." Latte said. Latte sat down next to espresso, and it was silent, until latte started talking.
"Happy birthday mom!.." Latte said, trying to seem happy. But how could she when her mom couldn't be there to celebrate with her beloved children. Espresso was holding back tears, he didn't want to cry infront of latte.
"Aren't you going to wish mom a happy birthday, espresso?" Latte asked. Espresso didn't reply.
"This is far too painful." Espresso said as he stood up and went to his room. As soon as he closed the door, his legs collapsed and he started balling his eyes out.
"Mom, mom, im so sorry." Espresso apologised.
"I'm so sorry mom, this is much too painful. I don't want to remember all the nights latte put headphones on my head to keep me from hearing you and dads fights. It's much too painful to remember you leaving me, mom." Espresso whispered, not wanting latte to hear his crys.
My baby. My dearest baby. Don't cry, mother hates to see you suffer. Mother understands if it's too painful to bring back the sorrow memories, don't celebrate my birthday if it hurts my baby this much.
Latte, who was now alone, also started to cry for the same reason. Though it hurt, she still wanted to celebrate her birthday becuase she didn't want to seem like a horrible daughter. She buried her hands in her face and let all her emotions out.
"Its hurts mom. It stings so bad. Did I not do enough to protect you? Was I a bad daughter? Was I the reason dad came back to ruin our family?" Latte asked her mother. Of course she didn't hear a reply, which hurt her more. The fact that she didn't know if her mother was actually listening to her was heartbreaking.
"Sometimes I want to strangle myself until I die, so I can spend some time with you up But I can't, becuase I can't leave espresso. I can't break our promise." Latte said, choking on her tears.
My poor baby, my poor baby. You are not the reason. Please, mother hates to see her children being so upset, mother hates to see her children blaming themselves for my death. I'm the one to say sorry, I've brought so much pressure one you two.
"So, what's your wish, mom?" Both espresso and Latte asked.
My baby's, my wish is for my beloved darlings to be happy.
Hey 👋 I hope I made yall cry 😈.