PURSUIT OF DILIGENCE: CHAPTER 1

Viktor fixed his goggles on his head as he walked toward the Heavenly Embassy. He hadn’t been here before, but Beanny had invited him to help them in the garden, and suddenly the scientist regretted it. 

He loved coffee, coffee was the fuel that kept him going. 

Viktor wasn’t much of an alcohol drinker, so when a new coffee shop opened in town, he had to check it out, regardless of who owned it. 

He’d listened to Jackal go on about cherubuns, and of course, he’d met Dove quite briefly, but Beanny had been…incredibly easy to talk to. So, after his third or fourth coffee, and a stack of paperwork, Viktor had been too tired to realise what he was even agreeing to. 

The scientist sighed again as he walked through the pearly gates of the Heavenly Embassy and looked around. He spotted Primrose wandering around, nose stuck up in the air. He could think of a few things to say to him, but none of them were polite, so he just avoided his gaze as he went about his work in the Heavenly Embassy. 

Primrose was a bit, too…how could he put it that was nice…prim, and proper for Viktor’s tastes. 

Viktor shook the thought of the cherubun out of his mind and continued on to find Beanny at the greenhouse, already tending to the plants that bloomed so beautifully amongst the holy soil. 

Intriguing. 

“Viktor,” Beanny exclaimed as she noticed the scientist standing in the entrance to the greenhouse gardens. He had been standing there for a while. Too awkward to go in and announce his presence. He always thought it was best to just wait and be recognised and then to reveal yourself. 

“Good afternoon Beanny, is this what you wanted help with then, the tending to the garden, it looks quite lush,” Viktor commented as he walked further inside. He watched as Beanny stood up and dusted themself off before glancing back at the man of science. 

“Oh, it’s getting there, but I’m excited for you to help, it’ll be fun, trust me,” they said as they grabbed his gloved hand and pulled him further into the greenhouse. Viktor looked displeased at the touching and the pulling, but he didn’t say anything and went along with whatever it was Beanny wanted him to do. 

Beanny told him to remove his lab coat, which he did and was then given a pair of gardening gloves in a gaudy bright pink and green - not his style at all. But he politely wore them along with some overalls that protected his clothes from the mud. 

“Thanks,” he said to Beanny as they handed him a trowel and some seeds. 

“Come on Vik, you can start on that row,” Beanie instructed and pointed to the row behind her. Viktor frowned, Vik, were they on nickname terms now? Oh well it was fine. He simply nodded and pottered off to begin planting the seeds. 

It didn’t seem too hard. If he could create monstrous creations and ludicrous solutions in his lab - then he could plant some fucking seeds. 

Viktor started on one end, digging a small hole with the trowel and popping in a seed. He covered it and then watered it quickly before moving onto the next. He repeated the process until he had a whole row planted and watered. 

“Hmft, this is pretty relaxing,” he thought to himself before moving on to the next row. He was a couple of seeds in when Beanny came over to check on him. 

“Hows it going Vik?” they asked in such a peppy, can-do voice. It was low-key sickening but for some reason, Viktor didn’t comment or make any sly, nasty remarks. 

“It’s fine, and just Viktor is fine, I don’t really do nicknames,” he told them and she laughed and nodded. 

“Righteo, Vik, you look like you’ve got the hang of it anyway, do you want to take a small break with me?” she asked him and Viktor looked around. A break? Why were they breaking there was still work to do. 

“Oh, um, sure,” Viktor replied. Maybe this was a cherubun custom…breaks. 

Viktor followed Beanny to the back of the greenhouse where they’d set up a small coffee station. She quickly made Viktor his usual caramel latte with an extra shot of coffee and some whipped cream. 

“I didn’t think succubuns would love sweet things so much,” Beanny said honestly as she handed Viktor his drink and he happily took it and sipped on it. Delicious. 

“Mmm, I mean some don’t, just like cherubuns I suppose, we all have different tastes because we’re all individual, something like that,” Viktor replied, keeping his straight face and monotone voice as he spoke. His tail flicked happily though as he drank the coffee. It was delicious. 

Beanny just laughed at him and nodded. 

“Mmm, I think you’re right about that, Viktor,” they said and made themself a coffee too. The pair chatted for a little bit, well Beanny chatted and Viktor listened, before heading back out to plant the rest of the seeds. 

They worked until late in the evening, getting through all of the seeds and fully stocking the new plots of soil. 

“Phew, that was hard work, but a lot easier with you here, Viktor, thank you for the help,” Beanny said as they removed their overalls and gardening equipment. Viktor slipped his lab coat back on and nodded. 

“Yes, well, happy to help, now, I must go to my lab, thank you for this, er, day, Beanny,” Viktor said simply and the other smiled. 

“Don’t you ever stop working Viktor?” she asked. 

“No,” he replied simply. 

“Alright then, well I’ll be at the café in the morning, I know you’ll need that coffee,” Beanny told him with a soft laugh. Viktor half smiled and nodded. 

“See you then so,” he replied and quickly made his exit, once again avoiding the eyes of Primrose as he darted out of the heavenly embassy.