Delivery

Once again, Vanna was back at the greenhouse for work. This time around, Primrose called him in for another delivery and didn’t bother elaborating… Another batch of tea for Dove, maybe? But it had been so soon since the first harvest, and he doubted that Dove went through tea that fast. Maybe this tea was for someone else.

As the young cherubun made his way into the greenhouse, he was hit with the vaguely familiar, yet seemingly out-of-place scent of coffee beans. Wrinkling his nose, Vanna took another cautionary sniff to confirm. It was earthier than what one would smell wafting from a coffee shop, definitely more dirt-like than anything that’s been properly roasted. The smell was so different in fact that Vanna was somewhat convinced that he might be mistaken. Maybe there was just a plant in bloom that had a very coffee-like scent… Thankfully, Primrose wasn’t too far into the greenhouse, and when Vanna saw him he waved.

“Good evening, Primrose! Is it just me, or does it smell a little like coffee in here…?”

Primrose had been quietly loading up a box with smaller bags before Vanna entered, and the pinch of his brows showed that he was either concentrating hard, extremely annoyed…or both. He stopped after Vanna’s greeting and turned to face him, revealing a mess of strange white beans littering a work table.

“We grow coffee beans here too, unfortunately.” Okay, so that pinch in his brow was definitely one of annoyance, Vanna concluded. “It probably smells weird to you because the beans aren’t roasted. Look here.” As Vanna approached the table, Primrose gestured to the shiny white beans on the table. They looked a little like white chocolate, and the younger cherubun was sorely tempted to risk invoking Primrose’s ire by plucking one up to have a taste. Thankfully he refrained from doing so in the end; however, as if reading his thoughts, Primrose picked one up instead, holding it between gloved fingers as he spoke, “this is called parchment coffee. Coffee beans go through a somewhat lengthy process before they’re drinkable—parchment coffee has only been milled and heat-dried.”

“Right…and are you leaving it like that? Are these for…oh! These are for Beanny, aren’t they?”

Primrose let out a tired sigh. “Yes. She asked that we reserve some space within the gardens for coffee beans, so we grow some for her little cafe here.”

“Weird, I don’t remember seeing any coffee trees in the greenhouse while I did my chores around the place…”

“That’s because they’re particular about their requirements for growth, and I’m not willing to let just anyone waltz in and jeopardize what we have going so far. Coffee trees can take years to bear fruit, and I…” Primrose trailed off, looking flustered as he caught himself going off on a tangent. Vanna thought the display was rather funny and probably Beanny-related, so he didn’t push for more details. “Anyways. Parchment coffee is the best form to store coffee for later, and I’m no coffee expert. This gets sent to Beanny as-is, and she gets to do whatever experimenting she wants to the beans for her brews. All we have to do is grow it and send it off to her, and I’d like to keep the garden’s involvement strictly at that.”

“Okay, that makes sense.” Vanna nodded. “So, I’m just delivering this box to Beanny?”

“Correct. Let me pack up the last of these beans, and you’ll be good to go.”

---

Once Primrose was a bit less flustered, he was able to finish packing up the parchment coffee for delivery. After making sure the bags were sealed tight and the box was taped up securely, he left it in Vanna’s hands and muttered something about taking a break before he left the greenhouse. Testing the weight of the box, Vanna figured it wouldn’t hurt to get a hand truck for the delivery, and in no time at all he had the box loaded up and ready for its little journey.

Thankfully this time around, the delivery didn’t require him to actually leave the Heavenly Embassy’s grounds. While he was always happy to walk around Burrowgatory and talk to new succubuns, he wasn’t too pleased with getting held up when there was a task on his list that needed to be done quickly. While there were succubuns currently in the embassy—either sightseeing or ogling the new cherubuns, who shyly entertained them and tried to make friends—Vanna wasn’t the only cherubun walking around the area, so not many paid him much mind as he carted the box of coffee beans to their destination. It was a peaceful trip where his mind wandered; first, on Primrose’s relationship with Beanny and how cute he must be with her when nobody was looking (since he’s come to the conclusion that there has to be something going on between those two, if Beanny can convince Primrose of all people to grow coffee trees in the gardens like that…), then on Beanny herself. He’s heard talk of how amazing her coffee is and how she’s never disappointed with her brews, but Vanna wasn’t too familiar with coffee, so he wasn’t a customer of hers. He liked the smell of it, but when it was offered alongside tea…how could he ever say no to tea? Maybe this trip would change his mind.

In no time at all, Paradise Cafe had finally come into view. A “closed” sign hung on the front door, but the cafe’s lights were on, signaling that Beanny should still be around. Carting the box to the front, Vanna rapped his knuckles against the door and peeked inside to check for any movement. 

Beanny didn’t keep him waiting for long, and was at the door in a flash. She opened it, but didn’t bother to greet Vanna or wait for him to greet her. “Sorry, but we’re closed now. I’m just tidying up the place before I head home for the night. How about you—” The barista’s eyes landed on the box and she stopped, pausing only briefly before regarding Vanna with a lopsided smile. “Oh, running an errand for Primrose, are you? I’m guessing this is the latest delivery of coffee beans from the gardens?”

Stupefied, Vanna nodded in reply. “Th-that’s right. Do you want me to…—”

“Put it up for me? That’s alright, I’ve got it.” Beanny took a hold of the hand truck with practiced ease and looked at Vanna again, cocking her head. “Thanks for the delivery, I’ll return the hand truck to Primrose tomorrow. You should head home for the night, it’s getting late. Stop by tomorrow morning and I’ll treat you to some coffee.”

“Oh, um, thanks? Have a good night…”

“Same to you, good night!” And just like that, Beanny was gone with his delivery. Well, at least the whole process was quick and painless. It did leave Vanna wondering just how Beanny spoke to her customers during the day, though.

Guess he’d find out tomorrow morning…