Ambrosia’s Blessing

      The day slowly creeps towards afternoon, and the gardens sway peacefully underneath the misting fans of the Heavenly Embassy greenhouse. White “snowflakes” hang in the air, as if suspended by invisible strings. Though, these snowflakes aren’t cold to the touch; they are the seeds of the recently harvest winter’s tears flowers. Sparkling in the light drifting through the matte glass of the greenhouse, the scene is one out of a picture book.

      Halcyon and Primrose are leaving this splendor behind. With their baskets of newly separated flower parts, the process of ambrosia making is about to commence. More importantly, the feelings laid unspoken between the two will finally have time to usher forth a new relationship for them. Primrose leading the way to the wooden door of the greenhouse, while Halcyon and their uniqor Woodland follow, baskets in tow by all. This isn’t a time for jealousy, or worry: the time for soothing truths, a rarity as it is, is now.

      Primrose reaches the door first and props it open for Halcyon and Woodland to pass through, a quiet “thank you” murmured by the former. They pass through the long, winding hall and take a left turn down another. Passing several doors to rooms of both grandeur and humility, they reach a door on the right side emblazoned with silver trim and a small push bar. Primrose opens it with his back, and the trio enter into the workshop.

      The equipment carefully arranged throughout the room looks like a scientific catalogue for buns buying Erlenmeyer flasks in bulk. Cabinets full of beakers, pipettes, Bunsen burners, pH test strips, and every sort of laboratory equipment you could ever need surround the white, sterile-looking room. Distillery equipment with various tubes and apparatuses are lined up in neat rows across the many tables in the room. Both cherubuns feel right at home in this room meant for crafting the life essence of their species.

      Carefully setting down their baskets onto a table, Halcyon and Primrose both grab stools to make the processing more comfortable. Frosty ambrosia is easy enough to make with the winter’s tears: a zest of peppermint, sprinkle of starshine flower, and somehow even a crisp hint of evergreen complete the brew, along with each of their signature techniques and secret ingredients. Halcyon likes to add in a little candy floss for a whimsical twist, and they spin their ambrosia while it heats and cools to create a gorgeous magical look. Primrose, well… despite how close the two have always been, prefers to keep his tips secret. His ambrosia is popular enough to warrant most of the requests however, keeping his already busy schedule nearly always full. The two flit about the workshop, gathering all of the usual ingredients from cabinets, pantries, and a small fridge for particularly delicate specimen. They bring everything to the counter and arrange them in neat piles in the middle of the two workstations.

      Woodland prances around the workshop, looking for some way to help. They spot a few loose ingredients and carefully balance them on their back, bringing them to the buns beginning to work away. Halcyon gathers them and gives Woodland a quizzical look.

      “Why have you brought us these, Woodland? This is… chocolate, sea salt, cardamom, and holy holly?” Halcyon asks. The uniqor gives a cheerful whinny and jumps up and down a few times. Primrose tilts his head at the offerings.

      “I’ve never considered using holy holly in frosty ambrosia before… maybe these are particularly fresh?” Primrose says. He takes one of the small white berries and pops it into his mouth, chewing delicately. Immediately it’s spat out, with copious “blergh!” sounds from Primrose. Halcyon can’t help but stifle a snicker. Primrose sticks out his tongue and wipes it on his hooves. “Never again…!”

      Halcyon looks back to his own workstation, giving Woodland an absentminded pet. What about… a sort of winter-themed lollipop? Surely, that’s where these plants were headed. He begins boiling the sap from the stems of the flower, carefully stirring the pot when needed. Primrose seems to be gathering his supplies and deciding on what to brew. Strange, he’s not one to deviate from the formula (that he wrote, of course). The tension between the two, though calmer now, still shoots the occasional pang of anxiety into Halcyon’s gut. If he keeps his hooves busy, maybe… everything will just naturally work out.

      A faint, crisp aroma wafts up from the boiling pot in front of Halcyon. They stir it, before turning the burner off and taking the pot to the counter. Letting it cool before adding some of the more delicate ingredients is paramount. A quick glance at Primrose, who is scratching his head, knee-deep inside of the formula binder. But he has all of the formulas memorized, doesn’t he…? The pot’s calmed down considerably now. Halcyon reaches for the delicate petals of the starshine flower in a small jar, and they brush against Primrose's hoof reaching for the same thing. A beat passes, where the two remain in contact, Halcyon looks to meet Primrose's eyes but he's staring down at his equipment, blush tinting his cheeks.

      "Primrose...?" Halcyon says.

      The white cherubun withdraws his hoof. "G-go ahead." He gestures to the starshine jar, still averting his gaze from the black cherubun. Halcyon tilts their head, then opens the jar and retrieves petals for their mortar. They begin to hum a tune, a traditional Cherubmas carol as they work grinding the petals into powder. Once the powder is sufficiently fine, Halcyon pours it into the pot and puts it back onto the burner. Woodland settles down at their stool for a nap. The pot simmers once more, and in the peppermind extract goes, along with a few evergreen needles. Thanks to the innate magic of the plants, the needles fully dissolve somehow adding that extra bit of wintery cheer to the ambrosia. Halcyon retrieves a mini-wheel spinner and moves the hot pot to it, spinning it around. This is their favorite part of making ambrosia; it takes a delicate hand to not overspin and have the liquid slosh out, but a tempered mind so it spins consistently and doesn't burn. They've had years of practice to truly make the ambrosia their own.

      "Woodland, would you be a dear and fetch the candy floss from my cupboard, please?" Halcyon nudges their imp. The uniqor wakes and blinks several times, before stretching, a yawn eminating from their head.

      "Let them sleep Hal, I've prepared some for you in the spirit of the season." Primrose says. He reaches into a nearby cabinet and brings out a gorgeous piece of candy floss. It's perfectly fluffy with an intricate spun design of gold, red, and green. Shimmering sparkles dot it, looking like a piece of the Heavenly Meadow itself. Halcyon's breath hitches in their throat.

      "It's... gorgeous. Thank you Prim." Halcyon says, watching Primrose's reaction. The cherubun freezes in place, his entire head turning bright red. He draws in a shaky breath, and then stamps his hooves onto the counter, causing Halcyon and Woodland to both jump.

      "I can't keep doing this anymore!" Primrose says, halfway between a gutteral moan and a shout. He turns to face Halcyon, this time making deep eye contact with them. "I love you, Hal."

      Time freezes between them, with only huffing from Primrose being audible alongside the bubbling of the pot before Halcyon. It jogs their mind, as they frantically continue spinning the pot, a bit of liquid splashing out. Woodland whinnies with excitement as a bit of the ambrosia drips onto them. After the ambrosia settles (along with the candy floss carefully woven into it), Halcyon returns their full attention to Primrose, who seems to have composed himself, if just barely.

      "Is... is this what you've been trying to say all day?" Halcyon asks. Primrose nods vigorously. "Why...?" Halcyon trails off.

      "I was going to finish the speech I'd prepared, but now I'd rather speak straight from the heart." Primrose gathers his thoughts. "We've been through so much together. In the meadow, we stood by as Melangel imparted their teachings onto us. I've always been one to respect authority, but you... you listened, and it weighed on you. I could tell, it hurt you." Primrose's gaze shifts to his hooves. "When you fell down here to Burrowgatory after Dove, I… I was worried I’d never see you again.” Primrose shifts on his stool. “I couldn’t live with that. If… if Melangel truly cared about us, they would let us pursue our own interests. And I was — am — interested in you.”

      Primrose pauses for a moment, letting Halcyon absorb his words. Halcyon pays small mind to the ambrosia that’s cooling on the spinner, the shimmering light blue liquid morphing beautifully inside the pot.

      “Coming down here was a challenge I thought I’d never have to face. Building the Embassy, tending to new plants, and helping the arriving cherubuns… it was all so much to bear. But, I’ve had you the entire time to lean on.” Primrose gulps. “In the meadow… I always longed for more, companionship. R-romantically, I mean. Not just… finding someone to be a perfect partner for, forever. To live out happy little domestic lives. I thought that’s what I wanted, but really that was what Melangel wanted. And seeing all of the succubuns here… I felt so jealous. I wanted what they have, and I feel like I shouldn’t. But that’s the shackles of virtue plaguing me once more.”

      Primrose takes Halcyon’s hooves into his own. “Halcyon, you’ve meant nothing short of everything to me. I’ve felt like this for ages, and it goes beyond the platitudes of friendship. When I see you, I think… they’re the bun I’m meant to be with, of my own volition and choice. Not because someone else told me you’re who I should want, but because, in my soul… I know we’re meant to share this sort of love. Romantic love. M-maybe even… never mind.” Blush spreads across Primrose’s face, along with a smile. “Only if you… only if you want to, of course.”

      Halcyon can’t help but smile. Not a small sort of half-contained instance of his emotion, but a full, ear-to-ear smile that hurts his cheeks. Tears once again well at the corners of his eyes. “I love you too, Prim.”

      A loud gasp rings from Primrose, as he laughs, tears of joy streak down his face. “I… I can’t believe it. I mean, I can, but I never thought we’d have this opportunity to share, with no expectations of what we’re meant to live up to.” Primrose reaches across his stool and embraces Halcyon, the two buns sharing a deep hug. The warmth passes between them for a few moments, Halcyon nuzzling into Primrose’s cheek and Primrose in return nuzzling Halcyon’s fluffy neck fur. Once they break apart, they beam at each other.

      “I’ve never seen you smile like this before.” Primrose says.

      “I’ve… never had a reason to.” Halcyon admits. He looks down at the ambrosia in the pot and steps off his stool, going to the cabinet housing ambrosia bottles. He grabs one frosty bottle and two smaller tasting cups, returning. He pours out most of the ambrosia into the frosty bottle and stoppers it, the chilly magic spreading across the glass. The remainder is poured into the cups, and he passes one to Primrose. “To our future.”

      “Amen.” Primrose toasts alongside Halcyon, and they each take a large swig of the ambrosia. It cools their throats and leaves notes of winter in their stomachs, with Halcyon’s candy floss signature style adding a touch of sweetness. “As delicious as always Hal.”

      Halcyon blushes. “T-thank you, Prim.” It’ll be a while for the buns to become used to each other’s pet names. “Are you going to concoct a new brew of ambrosia? I couldn’t tell what variety you’re making.” Halcyon motions to the equipment in front of Primrose, scattered but still unused.

      The white cherubun turns to look, and sheepishly grins. “Yeah… I wasn’t sure what to make, I was so nervous about confessing.” Halcyon chuckles and leans forward to give Primrose a soft kiss on the cheek. Primrose is so startled he falls off his stool, stammering.

      “Are you okay?” Halcyon rushes over to cradle the fallen bun. Primrose merely laughs instead as Woodland rises to poke at him with their horn.

      “I’ve never been better, thanks.” Primrose looks at Halcyon and smiles. He leans forward fully and plants an even sweeter kiss on Halcyon’s mouth. Surprised, it takes a few seconds for Halcyon to realize what’s happening, and once he does, he closes his eyes and gives into the new bond the two are sharing. Things have come so far, and still farther they shall come. Whether the rest of the night involves finishing brewing more ambrosia, sharing feelings even further, or something more unexpected and indulgent, Halcyon and Primrose are going to share it together.