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Espresso and Madeleine have a pretty stark height difference. Everyone in the kingdom who has ever seen them together knows. Since they are always together despite Epresso’s constant disagreement and complaints with the claim, it is quite noticeable. Madeleine stood at a solid 6'3 but on the other hand with Espresso with a solid 5'5 when he wasn't slouching. But everyone’s is shorter compared to the giant hunk of a paladin that is Madeleine,right? So he shouldn't be teased right? Unfortunately even with that fact, it doesn’t stop the relentless teasing Espresso faces whenever even near Madeleine's vicinity. All lighthearted and playful but still gets on his nerves sometimes.
Right now is a great current example of said relentless teasing Espresso faces with Madeleine. He honestly should've known what would happen when he asked Madeleine to help him grab a jar of jam from the jammery's highest shelf. Seriously, who puts them so high that only two cookies in the entire kingdom can grab it without assistance!
"You?The great Espresso founder of the great coffee magic asked me, ``Oh so arrogant paladin knight to grab you a jar of jam from an itty bitty shelf?" Madeleine started.
"Yes,and if you won't, just say that so I won't have to spend time with you any longer than required," he grumbled out,lacking all the bite and aggressiveness he had when first meeting Madeleine.
"Oh Espresso you wound me!" Madeleine cried out dramatically,a hand on his chest. "And here I am thinking I was more than just a tool for you to get jam because your 5'2 height can't do it."
"I'm 5'5 for the last time you fool of a paladin,"He sneered.
"5'2 or 5'5, tamato or tomato,both are practically the same to me,shortie," He retorted,clearly looking proud, shown evident by his face.
Espresso flushed at the nickname,by embarrassment or something else he felt,he didn't know.
"Shut up, why don't you," Espresso sneered,a hand over his mouth as he looked away from Madeleine.
"Make me,shortie-" Madeleine was interrupted by a pull of his collar and a kiss on the lips. It was short and sweet that didn't give him enough time to process what on earth was happening as it ended as quickly as it started.
Looking at Espresso,he saw he was on a cloud of coffee fog he used to get on Madeleine's level and kissed him. His face flushed brighter and redder once he realised what he did, similar to his own face once Madeleine realised what happened.
"Oh my-" Madeleine tried to say but again was interrupted,not by a sweet short kiss this time to shush his lips but a panicked espresso apologising for what had happened.
"I'm so sorry Madel,I wasn't thinking about it when I- y'know…kissed-god I'm so sorry," Espresso rambled on about how he's sorry a bit more longer before deciding to just bolt out of the jammery from embarrassment and a bit of shame mixed in.
And the oh so lovestruck Madeleine just watched as his crush ran away. A bit stupidly,he wasn't thinking of what happened but how his heart fluttered like sweet snow butterflies at the nickname Espresso quickly gave him before bolting. He placed his hand over his lips where the Espresso kissed him, giddiness already quickly overcoming him.
Espresso on the other hand unfortunately wasn't have such a great time as he ran to his lab,quickly shutting his door. Shame rushed over him as he replayed what he did multiple times like one would watching a tv show. He honestly felt so stupid for pulling the stunt he did to *Madeleine* of all people. His crush,he likely hated him for doing such an unorthodox thing. He probably ruined his chances to ever pursue Madeleine.
He felt like he needed to take multiple shots of straight-up espresso despite his already rapid beating heart to just focus on anything else but this. He could work on research clearly forgetting that he needed jam for the experiments, but before he could even walk to his current vials and bottles on a small table,a doorbell rang.
Oh no.
Quickly trying to regain composure from his disheveled state in the few minutes he was alone in the lab. He quickly opened the door to no one's surprise,Madeleine,stood in all his glory with said jar of jam neatly in his arm. A smile plastered on his face to be polite despite wanting to crawl into his experiments and studies and simply die from starvation,he let Madeleine in and offered a seat for him and Espresso to talk.
Once he took a seat and placed the jam on the table when his composure had already started breaking as he rambled on apology after apology.
"Madeleine,I'm so sorry,that was completely inappropriate and I understand if you don't want to be friends but I truly am sorry for what I- ''
Oh…*oh*
Now it was Espresso's turn to be interrupted by a sweet kiss from Madeleine,stopping him from the amount of apologies flowing from his mouth. This time the kiss was a bit longer,letting Espresso have enough time to close his eyes and kiss back. It was soft,sweet, and tender and everything Espresso wanted from Madeleine.
He wanted it to never end,to just stay in a dreamy bliss like state while they kissed but after a bit Madeleine pulled away. Sparkles in his eyes as he looked at Espresso and said sweetly.
"That was payback,"
He smiled as he said that,not one from performing knightley activities,playing with kids or helping around the kingdom with whatever. Something only Espresso saw as they looked at each other with new found love and adoration for each other. If that didn't pull a small smile from Espresso's face and make him feel all warm and fuzzy like butterflies in his stomach then nothing else could.