Pink Coffee Beans

After another argument of quick words, snapped refusals and a defeated acceptance, Blush found himself trudging through the Heavenly Embassy to Paradise Café.

He was getting tired of Primrose sending him off on deliveries when the damned cherubun wouldn’t go with him, not that he thought he would enjoy hearing Primrose’s constant complaints about anything he thinks the other is doing wrong. For Blush, it was the principle of the matter and he figured if someone asked for coffee beans, then the one who agreed to grow them should have been the one walking them.

Blush knew it wasn’t exactly a far walk, given he had already been at the embassy but that also made him question once again why Primrose couldn’t have done it. Although any more grumbling he had was quick to leave him when he approached the café, taking a moment to appreciate the smell of coffee beans wafting through the closed door.

He was quick to walk inside, his nose twitching from the strong aroma. Blush did like the smell of coffee, but he didn’t often drink it unless someone else gifted him a cup. Being a priest was hard enough without a caffeine crash and too much coffee had him wired for the rest of the day.

He waited patiently for the barista, Beanny, as he believed Primrose told him, to notice him. He doubted many of the church priests or nuns made their way to the Heavenly Embassy for a cup of coffee at this time of day.

He didn’t have to wait long.

Beanny turned towards him, her eyes slightly widening before she grinned. “Good morning, have you decided what you want to drink?”

Blush was impressed by the cherubun’s ability to ignore her own curiosity by quickly hiding it behind a smile. He was more used to the cherubuns he met, few as they were, asking questions after questions about him and his appearance as a priest. “I’m actually here on business, Beanny.”

Beanny tilted her head, just in time for Blush to heave up the bag of coffee beans. Her eyes sparkled as she leaned over the counter, “Is that?”

Blush nodded, smiling kindly, “An entire bag of coffee beans from Primrose.” It was even double wrapped to make sure nothing happened to the beans, a kindness that should have surprised Blush but he knew Primrose cared about cherubuns. The package of tea leaves to Dove, despite living in the burrows, was proof enough of that.

Beanny reached for the bag, her fluffy tail wagging in small swishes. “About time! I’ve been asking Primrose when they would be done for weeks now.”

Blush laughed quietly, “I’m sure Primrose complained every time you asked him.” He paused, his back straightening as he realized he inadvertently insulted Primrose. He wouldn’t usually worry about that, but he didn’t know Beanny well enough to know what her reaction would be.

There was a moment of silence, before Beanny laughed, “He did, he had a whole lecture about how the burrows were making me too impatient.”

“That sure sounds like Primrose,” Blush scoffed, somewhat playfully, “He’s much too concerned about things here, but what can you do? He has a long way to go before understanding the burrows.”

Beamy made a small sound in agreement, already finding a place for the coffee beans as they spoke. “Say, since Primrose troubled you with dropping this off, would you like a drink on the house?”

Blush held up his hands, “Oh no, really that’s alright. I would hate to take any carats out of your pockets for something as simple as this delivery. I just had to walk out one building to the next.”

Beanny frowned, pointing one hand towards Blush, “But you are the priest that’s been helping out with the flowers right? Primrose mentioned it.” She dropped her hand and crossed her arms, “Which means you deserve at the very least a cup of coffee. Maybe more with what he has you doing.”

Blush had a moment to wonder what exactly Primrose was saying about him to other cherubuns, but he decided it was probably for the best that he didn’t know. “Well yes, I suppose I am helping Primrose with the flowers.” He dipped his head down in defeat, he knew what a bun with a stubborn personality looked like, “Fine then, let’s go with something decaf?”

Beanny quickly nodded, moving this way and that as she adjusted the settings on one of her coffee machines. The café was quiet, with a few cherubuns looking curiously at the priest before going back to their coffees. It was nearly perfect for conversions.

She looked at Blush and cleared her throat, “So you’re a priest of the Sulfur church right?”

“Last time I checked I was.” Blush teased gently, he was still getting used to tempering his jokes for cherubuns.

Beanny snickered, “Right, that should have been obvious.” She leaned against the counter, “Anyway, what’s that like?”

Blush seemed puzzled, “What’s what like?”

“Being a priest of the church.”

Blush snorted, shaking his head slightly, “It’s not as terribly interesting as someone might think. I spend most of my days speaking with my parish or doing sermons. Sometimes confessionals.”

Beanny tutted, almost as if she was expecting a different answer, “I see.”

Blush decided to take pity on her. “Especially thaf of the vices and how they improve the burrows.”

She raised an eyebrow, her curiosity back in full swing. “Really? Like your own vice?”

Blush reached a hand up to touch one of his heart-shaped horns in an almost smug manner. “Ah you mean of lust?”

There was a moment of hesitation before Beanny agreed, “Exactly.”

He tiled his head back to think, “Well I encourage the others of my vice to seek out the lust they enjoy. With themselves, with others, once even with me but that was a while ago.”

“You don’t do that anymore?”

Blush smiled, “I fell in love, a terribly crafty thing. Now all I think about is the man I love, I’m afraid I just don’t have the heart to show that side of myself to my parish anymore.”

Beanny seemed fascinated, not exactly interested, but instead just curious about succubun life. “And that doesn’t bother you?”

“Should it?”

Beanny grimaced, shaking her hands quickly, “I didn’t mean-”

Blush couldn’t help his laughter. “Oh you cherubuns are too easy at times, I’m not offended. By Murmur, I’ve been insulted with far worse from my own kind.” He choked then, reddening slightly, “Not to say cherubuns are not my kind either, the burrows are your home.”

Beanny didn’t seem to pay attention to that part about cherubuns, instead she seemed relieved to not have caused any insult. “Good, you succubuns are a fun sort. I wouldn’t have drinks to serve you if I didn’t want you to be here.”

Blush was touched by the sentiment, it was the kind of thing that also reminded him of Dove and their kindness towards succubuns. “See? Then we have no problem. I do know what you mean however, is my vice not stronger than my will to love. I know it must be confusing, but I can’t change who I love anymore than you can change the halo above your head.” His expression softened, “Everyone is so different to each other, even when they’re the same kind of bun. You never know what someone is thinking until you ask them.”

Beanny seemed happy with that answer. “I guess you really can’t until you ask.” She turned around them, holding out a coffee cup on a small plate. “Here we are, one decaf macchiato. I thought you might be a fan of this drink.”

Blush seemed surprised, “And here I thought you would assume I like sweet things.”

She shook her head. “See someone like you, Blush right?”

He nodded.

“Blush, you have this kind of aura around you. You’re not as sweet as everyone might think so you’re not after something sweet.”

Blush looked down at his cup of coffee, having taken it from Beanny, and smirked, “You guessed, didn’t you?”

Beanny’s grin was all teeth, “It was a good guess wasn’t it?”

“Spot on.” He raised the cup and took a sip, the hot burn of the coffee was nothing compared to the way he sighed contently. “Anything too sweet hurts my teeth if I’m being honest.”

“Then you’ve come to the right place.” Beanny muttered, her expression pleased as it always did when a customer was trying one of her drinks. She even had half a mind to ask Blush if he was interested in trying some of her more unique drinks, some experimental ones she needed a succubun taste tester for. But… she would save that for later, she had a feeling Blush was already tried of requests from cherubuns.

Blush set his coffee back on the small plate, looking aorund the café for a moment. “I’ll say, this is honestly some of the best coffee I’ve had in the burrows. No wonder you had Primrose growing coffee beans in these gardens.”

Beanny shook her head with a laugh, “I only did it for convenience and that Primrose is really good at gardening.”

Blush had to agree. “We don’t always see eye to eye, bur Primrose does seem to know what he’s doing. Now only if I could get him to smile more and learn the art of not saying anything if it’s about to be an insult.”

“Primrose isn’t that bad you know, he just cares too much,” Beanny sighed, “Sad thing too is I’m sure he would be a lot happier if he could let go more.”

“I can try my best to help him with that, unfortunately so much time together makes me annoyingly fond of him,” Blush scoffed, “He’s still an ass, but I understand him a lot more than I used to.”

“Good, he needs a succubun friend. He needs to see you lot are really not that different to us. Sure you have the horns and the tails, but some of you are even kinder than a few cherubuns I know.”

Blush laughed, a little too loudly as some heads turned and he was quick to cover it with a cough, “That’s true, everyone can be as good as they can be bad.” He looked out towards the café window, his eyes softening. “But the burrows is a good place despite all that, wouldn’t be a priest if I didn’t believe in it as much as I do.”

“You do seem like you’re dedicated, I hear you didn’t get much choice in being the bun to help Primrose with the flowers.”

“Ugh damn gossips at the church, don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind helping, but I didn’t think I’d be much help.”

Beanny looked a little confused, encouraging Blush to sit at a nearby table to the counter. “Why’s that?”

Blush leaned back against his chair. “Well I didn’t really understand much about cherubuns and when I heard about your vices, I thought we might never be able to get along.”

“A firm believer in your vices?”

“Something like that sure, but I might have also worried that cherubuns wouldn’t belong here.” He sighed heavily, “I worried for the ones that fall because what if this isn’t what they wanted after all? So much confusion and regret, it’s the same worry I have envy buns. I just don’t want anyone to suffer but there’s no way of preventing that.”

Beanny paused, maybe taken back by the honesty, but also intrigued by everything Blush said. “Maybe you’re overthinking it? We can’t prevent things that are going to happen from happening, but we can change the aftermath. Make everyone happy in the end and pump them full of coffee.” She snickered, “Okay maybe not that, but you get what I mean right?”

“Yeah I think I do,” He looked up at Beanny, meeting her gaze, “You know you would make a great bartender, listening to rambling and even giving advice.”

“Are you rambling?”

“Maybe, maybe not. It seems like a lot to drop on you randomly.”

“Well yeah that was a lot to take in, but you know Primrose and so do I, the friend of my friend is also my friend. Or something like that.” She waved her hand carelessly, “I’ll listen to whatever you have to say about the burrows and the buns inside of it.”

Blush half smirked as he looked at his cup, quick to take another sip. “I’ll keep that in mind, but I think for now, I better wrap this up and go find Primrose. If I have to be lectured about taking too long to come back, I’ll be throwing him off these clouds.”

Beanny laughed, “You wouldn’t but I can understand the appeal. Primrose can be a lot when he has his mind on something, there’s almost no changing it.”

“So you see my predicament hmm? A pity, this seems like a nice café to waste away the day in.”

“Wasting time here?”

“Not what I meant, it’s just, you how is the kind of place you want to stay in. I almost want to find a book to curl up with as I sip on my coffee, if I had more time that is.”

Beanny snorted as she turned around to mess around with her coffee machines again, no doubt getting ready for any other customers that might walk through the doors. “Thank you, I really did take my time with this place. Making it my own.”

“It’s a good place,” he stood up then, bringing his now empty coffee cup to the counter. “I’ll be sure to come back, maybe even try some orders to go for the other priests and nuns.”

“You’re more than welcome too, although I think the church is quite the walk from here.”

“I can manage just fine, although really, I have to go now or Primrose might try hunting me down.” Which was a lot more amusing of a thought than he meant it.

Beanny took his cup and nodded, giving Blush one more smile. “Say hey to Primrose for me and even a thank you.” She did really appreciate the fact she was able to get her own coffee beans from the gardens instead of searching elsewhere.

“I will.” Or something like that, he might just end up teasing Primrose instead. It was too easy getting under that bun’s skin.

The pair of buns said their goodbyes and soon Blush found himself outside of the café.

He took a deep breath and walked towards the other building again. Blush was still annoyed by this errand, but he had to admit, he did like each cherubun that Primrose seemed to be friends with. Maybe he had been too focused on the differences between cherubuns and succubuns, it seemed to him that they were all very similar.

But that was a worry for another day, he had to find Primrose.