Pursuit of diligence: Tea time edition

Having to turn back as soon as soon as he arrived to the Heavenly Embassy wasn't ideal considering what a hassle it was to get there. But, as it happened, Celestite was planning to swing by Dove and Jackal's apartment that day as it was. When Primrose handed him the package meant for Dove, it seemed almost too convenient. 

He came up onto their apartment a short while later, parcel of herbs in hand and a second delivery tucked away in his coat pocket. 

Dove opened the door moments after he knocked, and their eyes lit up as they met his. “Oh! Celeste! I didn't know you were coming by today,” they started, and dropped their attention to the neatly wrapped box in his hands. “Ohh! Oh I see, Primrose has you running errands for him now, huh?” They laughed as they spoke. The sound was light and melodic. 

“Who is it?” Jackal called from further inside.

“Celestite! He brought my herbs from the garden,” they called back. Dove gestured for him to follow them inside. “Come in! I just finished icing a cake, we were getting ready for afternoon tea and snacks.”

“Angel food?” Celestite asked as he closed the door behind him.

Dove looked over their shoulder and flashed a mischievous grin. “Devils food, actually.”

That put a small smile on his own face. 

In the kitchen, Jackal was setting an additional place and teacup at the table. When she looked up at him, he could see her attempt to communicate “did you bring it?” through her expression. Celestite gave a slight nod. That seemed to put her more at ease and she spoke aloud finally, “Good to have guests. I don't know what I would have done to this cake if they left me alone with it.”

The cake in question sat at the middle of the table, glistening from the chocolate ganache dripping down the sides of the fudged-iced layers. Swirls of the same fudge decorated a ring around the top of the cake, though they'd been added too soon and as the ganache settled, so too the swirls began tipping dangerously close to the edge. 

“Looks good. We might need to eat it all now to keep it from making a mess,” Celeste commented. There was a light tease to his voice—it wasn't as if he could have done a better job. 

He was about to sit when Jackal offered to take the parcel from his hands, setting it on one of the back countertops. Dove approached then, large knife and fork in hand. They flashed a sheepish grin. “I got a little impatient. I figured it'll taste good either way. We might just have to, ah, keep an eye on it.”

“It's not their fault, I was more impatient,” Jackal added, “You should have smelled this place when it came out. Fuck. It took everything not to start cramming that shit in my mouth.”

“I appreciate that you didn't. Now I can have some.” Celestite hummed.

Jackal took the cutting utensils from Dove so they could fetch the kettle on the stove. She thankfully had the sense to cut them all hardy pieces of the cake that oozed ganache onto their plates. Celeste restrained himself from digging in until Dove had sat, at least, but Jackal shared no such sentiment. She already had a large fork full in her mouth when tea had been served and Dove joined them.

There were no words needed for the next minute. Only the sounds of muffled delight around mouthfuls of cake, and nods shared between the three of them. 

Eventually Celestite had to wash some of the rich, dense cake down with the floral tea in his cup. “I'll gladly be Primrose’s errand boy if it means I get treats like this. Thank you for sharing it, Dove.” 

“My pleasure! Good food is best enjoyed with good company,” they replied with a sweet smile that was now slightly smeared with chocolate.

“How's that prick been treating you?” Jackal followed up. 

Again, he allowed a small smile of amusement. It made sense the two of them were already acquainted with Primrose enough to know his demeanor. 

“He is…uptight. I'd say this whole thing is just a ploy to get out having to garden, but he doesn't seem eager to have me doing it, either. Celestite mused over another, moderate bite of cake. “I haven't spoken to Beanny, much, but she seems much more suited to the Burrowgatory. I'm honestly not sure why Primrose is here.”

Dove leaned against their hand, seemingly to pick their words out carefully before they replied. “Primrose…I think wants to impress Melangel by bringing virtue to the Burrowgatory.”

“Uhuh. What was it you called him the other day? A ‘weasly kiss-ass’?” Jackal chimed in and laughed when Dove’s face flushed pink.

“That's—! Well. That's…true. I didn't want to speak so bluntly about him to someone else but. Yeah. I don't know if he really thinks he can convince any of the buns here to leave and live a life of righteous piety in the meadow. He just wants to tell Melangel that's what his plan is. Strictly in my opinion.”

Celestite nodded. That description certainly lined up with what little he knew about the golden bun. Golden child bun may have been a more accurate. 

“Guess it's my duty to do the opposite then. He seemed to like looking at my tits. Maybe I can help get him in the spirit of shit down here,” Celeste replied, half-joking. Actually getting him in bed would probably be a disappointing chore, but if he could do anything well, it was entice with his tits.

That got a chuckle out of both Dove and Jackal. 

Jackal shoved another large piece of cake in her mouth and spoke through it. “Well, let us know how that goes. I bet he's here ‘cause he wants to get fucked and doesn't want to admit it. I heard Oleander is dying for his ass.”

“Yet to be seen. I'll keep you posted.”

They made small talk as they finished up their mid-afternoon tea. Dove and Jackal told him about their goings ons, Dove showed Celestite what herbs they had gotten from the garden and explained what they all were like, even offering a few for him to take home (he declined the offer, he wasn't much for tea).

As their visit came to its natural end, Dove insisted on collecting their dishes and preemptively rinsing the chocolate off. Jackal took this opportunity to herd Celestite back into the living room and out of earshot.

“Can I see the—” before she finished speaking, Celeste had retrieved the statue that had remained nestled in his pocket up until then and held it out. 

In his palm sat a bird made of a smokey white quartz, some parts transparent crystal while the other was polished, opaque stone. The creature wasn't quite like anything in the Burrowgatory. Dove had told Jackal what their namesake looked like, and she had then passed that description onto Celestite to carve out of a chunk of crystal. 

Jackal's eyes seemed to sparkle as she gingerly picked the bird out of his hands. “Fuuuuck, this is perfect, man. They're gonna love it,” she said in a hushed tone.

“Good. I'm glad you like it. I think it came out well.” 

They weren't able to discuss it further as Dove approached them, holding a container in their hands. They didn't notice Jackal quickly stashing the statue, instead too intent on what they wanted to give to Celeste. 

“Here! As thanks for bringing the herbs, take a piece of cake home with you,” they said with a sweet smile. 

Jackal look a little dismayed to see him gladly accept the offering. “Don't mind if I do. Thank you for having me. I'll make sure to bring it back.” 

“Of course! You're welcome to come by any time.”

“Yeah, thanks again,” Jackal repeated, and he knew she meant for both deliveries. 

They finished their goodbyes and Celeste left from their apartment, beginning the long trek back home, debating the entire way if it was worth digging into the leftover cake with his bare hands before he got there.