heavenly embass-tea

Meridian had been diligently attending to the ambrosia that he and Dove had planted a few weeks back. It was a slow process, of course, and it took a good bit of time in the Heavenly Embassy. Dove didn’t join him for more visits, and he didn’t tend to ask them. Mostly because he didn’t want to impose the time sink for the lovely ambrosia onto them as well, when it was already taking of his own time. He would go up, listen to the extensive advice from the cherubun at the entrance, Primrose, and do his best to upkeep the plants. It seemed to be going well, he thinks.

But yesterday, Primrose had stopped him at the entrance. Not because he was doing something wrong, as it seems it often was, but because he had a question. He had seen Meridian traveling with Dove his first time on the Embassy, and was wondering if he could do him a delivery favor.

So Meridian stands there, arms full of bundled leaves, staring at the door to the apartment Dove shares with Jackal. He still hasn’t really met the roommate, but Dove says that she’s wonderful, and Meridian is one to take the words of his close friends.

Which, he supposes, is what the two of them are now. Close friends. Allies, even. They’ve been having tea still, even as Meridian’s free time off work has dwindled a bit from having to attend to these plants. And the fact that he had lost the job at Taco Hell (due to his various enemies and their rumormongering about him ‘disturbing the customers’ to his employers) and had to pick up a new one at IHop. He’s enjoyed their tea times a great deal, getting to dive into the strange behaviors of buns who have adapted far better to Burrowgatory than Meridian and Dove seem to have.

The door in front of him swings open, and a bun that is not Dove is standing in it, staring daggers at him.

“And who are you?” she says, tilting her head.

“Oh! You must be the diplomat and roommate Dove had spoken so highly about!” Meridan says excitedly. A few leaves drift from the bundle to the floor with the stark movements he tends to make. “Jackal, yes? It is a true pleasure to make your acquaintance. I am Meridian, an ally of Dove and today a humble vessel of deliverance!”

“…. Deliverance.” Jackal says, unimpressed. “So you’re the magic-crazy one?”

“Some may cast their doubts on my craft, but it is only a matter of opening your true eye to see the world beyond the world,” Meridian states. “By looking beyond the veil of what is initially seen, you will gain access to great boons. But you have to be willing to dedicate yourself to it, as I have. Magic does not skew my judgement, it only enhances it.”

“Right,” Jackal’s expression does not change. “Well, you certainly are as they described. I’ll go grab them.”

“Excellent. Thank you for this boon, Jackal.”

“Don’t mention it, dude.”

Jackal shuts the door as she shuffles off to get Dove, and Meridian turns to try and scoop all the fallen leaves back into the bundle. He’s pretty good at packing dry ingredients together for his elixirs, but these leaves are bright and springy and hard to handle. Some of them even glow a bit, which Dove did tell him about when they were speaking of different tea flavors.

After a few minutes, the door swung open again to a much shorter bun.

“Hello, Meridian,” Dove says with a big grin. “What do you have here?”

“Ah! Good morning to you, Dove.” Meridian lifts the bundle, showing the glowing leaves. “I have brought a parcel on behalf of the Heavenly Embassy. Primrose informed me that these had been set aside for you, and I wished to save you the trip of trekking up there once again.”

“Primrose had you come all the way down here?” They ask as they reach up and take the bundle of leaves to inspect. “I didn’t know he had you running errands.”

“Well! In this particular case, it was entirely my own volition that I strode down from the Heavens to ensure you got your brewing items!” Meridian says proudly. “However, I have been running some errands for him. He says it is essential to learn how all the aspects of cultivating ambrosia works! Something about a diligent mind makes diligent crops.”

“I’m not sure about that… but I appreciate the tea leaves.” Dove says, and steps aside to let Meridian inside. “I was near running out. Would you like a cup, now that I have some to restock with?”

“I would be honored,” Meridian follows them inside. “You’ve told me much about the quality of this tea, but I do not believe I have ever been in the presence of it’s glory.”

Dove steps over several knocked over items with the practice of someone who lives with many of these. Meridian follows their steps into the kitchen. It’s cozy, despite the apartment trying it’s best to not be. There’s various jars of dried leaves everywhere, and things all seem to have their place. The kitchen table is a ragged looking wooden thing with a beautiful tablecloth thrown over the worst parts of it. The chairs are mismatched, but they look comfortable. Meridian is reminded of his own apartment with Vytal. Time was put into making it their own, but it absolutely did not start as nice as it is now.

“Take a seat, I’ll put these to dry out and start the kettle boiling!” Dove says. They visible brighten as they fuss over containers and hot water, pulling out a tea set which is without a doubt the nicest thing in the entire apartment. Meridian sits politely, watching the process with fascination. Dove pulls a few homemade teabags and fills them with the last of some old heavenly tea leaves.

“Have you always been so in tune with tea?” Meridian asks.

“I believe so! Ever since I was very young, even when the other cherubuns were complaining about the bitterness,” Dove says, setting the kettle to boil.

“Interesting… you had access to tea from a young age in the Heavenly Meadow, then?”

“All of us had some manner of training in the etiquette of a tea party, as well.” Their face goes slightly sour for a moment. “I always enjoyed the social part of the tea party itself more than the formal parts of it. Don’t get me wrong, I think a traditional tea experience is good! But…” They trail off, tapping their fingers on the side of the ratty counter. “But I think it matters more that you enjoy having that tea. And sometimes it felt like the rules mattered more than the person across the table with you.”

“Ah, I see,” Meridian nods. “The bun experience should be breaking bread as a show of comradery and alliance! The rules are important to know, yes, but should not take precedent over connection shared by a good cup of tea… I agree wholeheartedly, Dove.”

Dove smiles softly. The kettle lets out a ghost of a whisper, and they’re already whirling into action. Before Meridian can even blink, there is a piping hot cup of slightly-glowing tea in front of him. Somehow, there’s even a small plate of biscuits on the table as well.

Dove takes their seat across from him, grinning now as they hold the cup of tea in their hands. Meridian picks his up as well, glad again that he can hide any outward sign of it slightly burning his hands.

“Well, if that’s true,” Dove says. “We should make the most of our social cup of tea here. Tell me, how is the new job going?”

And the two of them had a splendid tea party, with tea leaves from the Heavenly Embassy itself.