A Queer Romantasy Novella
Synopsis: Milo plans to meet his best friend Zick at his aunt’s coffee caravan in order to break the Vow he made to Milo when he was twelve years old. Milo doesn’t want to break the Vow and push Zick away, but he has no other choice. Zick’s life hangs in the balance.
Keywords: Summer Season, Coffee Caravan, Childhood Friends, Tree Sprout, Forest, Clearing, Lake, Nature, Magic, Spells, Coffee, Pastries, Customers, Business, Lanterns.
Genre: Queer Romantasy, LGBTQ+, Cozy Fantasy, Clean Romance, New Adult Literature (±30,000 words)
Release Date: December 15, 2022
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CHARACTERS
Milo Nightwood
Age: 22 years old
Birthday: Third Day of the Month when Wizard Berrybush Tumbled into the Never-Ending Pond and Never Reached the Bottom, Year 3122, Spooks-and-Hoots Season (Spooks-and-Hoots Season, Tumbling 3, 3122)
HeartScope: Malori
Occupation: Coffee Mage
Favorite Spell: The Spell that Replaces People’s Voice in One’s Ears by the Sound of the Wind
Zick Poppybloom
Age: 23 years old
Birthday: Fourteenth Day of the Month when a Gang of Tree Sprouts Conquered Leafview Village and Kicked People out of their Sweet Abode, Year 3121, Spring Season (Spring Season, Conquering 14, 3121)
HeartScope: Amori
Occupation: Stormstriker
Favorite Spell: The Spell that Animates a Pair of Socks and Compels them to Do a Puppet Show
THE STORY
Just like their personality, Milo and Zick’s taste in coffee was the complete opposite. And yet, they meshed perfectly together. Like apple and cinnamon.
When Milo was twelve years old, his best friend Zick made a Vow to always take care of him. And in the Woods of Wonders, where seasons hop in no logical order and where spells are used to accomplish every task, Vows act like a magical promise that can only be broken by the person to whom the Vow was made. And today, Milo plans to do just that.
To break Zick’s Vow before the Vow breaks him.
In order to accomplish this simple, yet heartbreaking task, Milo has arranged for Zick to meet him at his aunt’s coffee caravan before the start of his morning shift. The moment Zick shows up, Milo will recite the Vow Breaking Declaration. Then, he’ll push Zick away. Forever.
As easy as spooking a squirrel.
Unfortunately, the perfect plans always have a tendency to go awry, and this one is no exception to this rule. And yet, Milo can feel nothing but relief, because the truth is, Milo never wanted to break the Vow and be separated from Zick. He’d sooner stop feasting on almond croissants than breaking all ties with Zick. And trust him, that’s a big deal.
Zick is the cinnamon to his apple. He is the brother he never had and the best friend with whom everyone wishes to hang out.
But Zick’s life is in danger.
If Milo doesn’t break the Vow and push him away, Zick will suffer a terrible death.
Milo has to be a hero. He has to let Zick go.
READ CHAPTER ONE
EVERYDAY LIFE
The Morning After
After spending the night with Milo for the first time since they started dating, Zick woke up anxious and afraid that Milo might want, from now on, to keep things strictly platonic between them.
Change of Plans
It’s Feast Day morning, and Milo’s enjoying a quiet moment with Zick as they drank coffee outside in the cold of the Shivers-and-Chills Season. Everything’s perfect until Zick receives a wingnote.
Customer Service
Milo, who had to work alone on a busy Feast Day, started losing patience after a large number of customers visited One Cup a Day, the new coffee shop he opened in Pumpkin Plaza.