Diligence Chap 2 - Makoto
Wordcount: 1,053
There was a certain smell in the air that Makoto could recognize anywhere. The smell of dry leaves and an herbal scent that lingered. He was quick to realize that the tea leaves in front of him were something special. While he had always enjoyed a good cup of tea, seeing something like this at the Embassy meant that they were not only high quality but that more than likely they were made here. In the back of his mind he recalls Primrose muttering something about having to plant other seeds in a different part of the garden but he hadn't quite understood why they would be kept separate at first. Maybe they had been a different breed of flower, he supposed, but now it was easy to understand that these were tea leaves specially grown here in the Embassy.
They were carefully packaged away in small brown bags with labels attached to each and sorted accordingly. Primrose stood by them and began packing them with the utmost care. It wasn't unlike him to do something like this, secretly put little bits of effort into everything he did in ways that felt a bit more caring than purely productive. Whoever was getting the tea was someone who was unknowingly being given the same care. Makoto smiled at the thought and walked over.
“Good afternoon Primrose. Is there anything I can help you with today?”
Primrose paused, body jolting just a little bit before turning and looking Makoto up and down with a disapproving stare, no doubt caused by the sudden interruption. Soon enough though the look was off his face and he hummed and thought before picking up the box and setting it on a table. “That depends, are you well versed enough in the city to find an apartment on your own?”
“An apartment?” It wasn't like Primrose to request anything of him outside of the Embassy, but he was willing to travel nonetheless.
“I can do that. Where did you have in mind?”
“There's a bun here named Dove. Dove and their partner Jackal live a little ways off. I can give you the address. What I need right now is for these to be delivered by the end of today. With all the preparations for Cherubmas going on I didn't realize how low their stock had become and I figured that the delivery could be a present of sorts. As much as I'd love to deliver it myself, there are a few things around here that need tending to.”
“That shouldn't be a problem. Just let me know where you need it to go and I'll make sure it gets there safely.” Primrose hums and nods, quickly finding a pen and paper and scribbling down the address before handing it to Makoto. Makoto takes it and the box is well, glancing over the address before recognizing it, at least the general area, before bidding a farewell to Primrose and heading out.
The distance wasn't too far between the Embassy and the other cherubun’s apartment, most of the journey was spent quietly enjoying the scent of tea wafting through the air. If he were honest he wishes he could have kept some of the tea for himself but he fully understood that it had a special place in some other buns heart.
Once he had arrived, he knocked on the door and waited patiently as the bun inside seemed to shuffle around and make their way closer before opening the door. “Hello! How can I help you?”
“Good afternoon, my name’s Makoto. I am here delivering tea on behalf of Primrose.” He shifts the box for Dove to get a proper look and smiles.
“All of this? This is more than I was expecting.” Dove says with surprise.
“He said to consider it an early character of this present. It smells quite delightful, you're in for quite the treat.” Makoto says with a smile.
Dove smiles at that and nods, reaching for the box before pausing. “Would you like to try some? I mean, right now it's just me. Jackals out at the moment and I prefer sharing a cup with some company.”
Makoto blinks in surprise and raises his hands to protest. “Oh no, I couldn't possibly impose.”
“It's no imposition at all actually! I love having company over, especially over a nice pot of tea.”
“Well if you're sure it's alright, I'd love to join you.” Dove smiles and nods, holding the door open for him to walk in. They show him to the dining table before putting the kettle on and going to sit with him. “So you’re volunteering at the Embassy?”
“Yes, in fact. For the past few weeks I've been helping grow flowers in the gardens. It’s been quite the challenge, butI’ve enjoyed it a lot. But since Primrose was a bit busy today, he asked me to bring the tea to you. To be honest, I didn't even know there were tea leaves being grown in the garden. If I had known, I may have actually tried to get a little bit closer to that section of the garden myself. I'm quite a fan of different varieties of tea.”
Dove smiles and nods, clapping their hands happily as they share in the enthusiasm. “And the tea from the Embassy is so wonderful. I've tried some of the different blends here in Burrowgatory, but honestly I haven't had as much luck finding something I like as much as what's grown in the Heavenly Meadow. I'm glad that I get to share it with someone new.”
Makoto and Dove idly chat about different tea blends and flavors before the kettle steams. They talk about tea pets and proper steeping time as the tea is made, sharing their own preferences as they drink, bonding over their different techniques with tea making. It was nice to make a friend like this. While he had been at the Embassy for a few weeks now, it was nice to get an interaction like this one. Idle chatter and casual conversation were one thing but this felt more natural, more light. He was thankful for that. After all, there is no better way to spend a chilly day than with a warm cup of tea with a new friend by your side.
Submitted By Mama-Choco
for Pursuit of Diligence: Chapter 2
Submitted: 1 week and 6 days ago ・
Last Updated: 1 week and 4 days ago