Prissy and Pristine

Aster didn't think much about these "new" cherubuns. He was new to Burrowgatory too, where was his fanfare? Where was his praise and reverence? It didn't seem fair. The bun pops another white chocolate truffle into his mouth, returning to fixing his hair in the vanity mirror. Despite perfecting his locks, a pout adorned his face.

It also wasn't fair that he was alone today, prettied up for no one but himself.

Maybe that was why he found himself visiting the Embassy that afternoon.

----- ----- -----

The elevator doors open to a grand lobby, filled with succubuns and cherubuns alike, mingling. After a quick scan, he decides it shouldn't be too hard to find something to do, someone to impress, and perhaps if he wasn't so picky, someone to accompany him for the night. He was always too picky. However, something else across the room catches his fancy; the entryway to a beautiful garden. Without realizing it, he had crossed the distance between the elevator and the greenhouses and begins to enter the gardens. 

"Excuse me!" A hand grabs him by the wrist, whirling him around.

As Aster catches his balance, just as indignant as the bun that dared touch him, he rips his arm away. "Yeah, excuse you -"

"Me?" 

Rubbing his wrist excessively, Aster looks up and can now see his assailant is - of course - a cherubun. Not just any cherubun, it was the head of the Embassy, Primrose. This might be a problem. 

Stubbornly standing his ground, the purple and white bun crosses his arms, frowning back. "Yeah, you. Even succubuns know to keep their hands to themselves; you'd think the head of the Heavenly Embassy would too." 

Aster's frown twists up into a smirk as he watches the haloed bun silently fuming, far too polite to start anything.

"I apologize, I was also under the assumption succubuns could read the sign -" Primrose indeed points to a sign, so elaborate it passed as a decoration. "You need a chaperone."

Scowling at being one upped, Aster holds out his arm, "then chaperone me."

"No." The angel bun is quick to answer. 

Aster's jaw hangs open, "what? Why not? It's just a bunch of flowers -"

"Clearly, you aren't ready to enter the gardens if that's all you think of them," Primrose explains, but stands expectantly. 

The starry bunny pouts again, but there's a real look of disappointment in his face at being denied access to the greenhouses. Still, he persists, now focused on gaining entrance anyway he can. "What do I have to do to change your mind?"

----- ----- -----

"This is the maid's uniform?" Aster asks incredulously as he exits an employee bathroom. Primrose, who was waiting outside, frowns at his reaction.

"What's wrong with it?" he asks. 

Did Aster detect a hint of hurt? More importantly, did he really care?

"Nothing, I guess, it's just, uh a lot of layers. When I think of maid outfits they're more...y'know," Aster pulls up the skirts to his uniform to help get the meaning across to the cherubun.

Primrose in turn flashes a shade of pink, shaking his head, "I'm sure I don't know what you mean!"

"Oh, you don't?" Aster flashes a smile, slowly pulling the hem further up his leg. The angel grew redder, and just as he was about to protest, the purple bun drops the skirts with a laugh, "I think you know exactly what I mean. Look how red you are -"

"That's it!" Fuming, he turns away, retreating into another room, before returning quickly with a thick book. Primrose shoves the tome into his hands and crosses his arms defensively. 

"Etiquette?" Aster looks from the book to the steaming cherubun.

"Oh, so you can read," Primrose quips. "Evidently, we need to start with the basics, like polite topics of conversation."

The starry earred bun places his hands on his hips, Primrose was witty, he'd give him that, but he didn't like being bested. Even if he was having some fun messing with the other bun. Beats spending the day alone at any rate. "Alright, Rosie, teach me."

"Primrose," he corrects the succubun, cheeks pink again. "We are not on those terms."

"We aren't?" Aster asks, feigning surprise. "But you saw my ankles!"

The cherubun stays silent a moment, giving him an annoyed look as the colour stays in his cheeks. Aster, still amused, sits politely with his textbook, opening it up to a random page and waiting for further instruction.

Primrose approaches, arms still held firmly over his chest. "Are you done with this nonsense? I thought you wanted access to the gardens, surely you know this isn't the way to accomplish that?"

Aster's smile fades. The angel bun had a point. "Yes, I'm done, please, teach me?"

The cherubun unfolds his arms, frown evening out into a small, hopeful smile. "Very well, let's begin."

----- ----- -----

For another night alone, Aster couldn't say it was a terrible one. He had something to keep him occupied - one very large etiquette book, and the lessons that came with it. More importantly, he made a new connection, and soon would be able to go to the gardens. Yet, as he closed up for the night, he couldn't help but catch the scent of a certain bun coming from the pages. It was oddly comforting.

Maybe the gardens wouldn't be his only reason for returning to The Embassy.