[Trade] Pursuit of Diligence: II

One week later, Ashes finds himself back at the Heavenly Embassy much to Primrose’s dismay. Apparently the Cherubun isn’t happy to see him again but then again, he doesn’t think Primrose likes seeing anyone.

“You always make it look like you hate seeing Succubuns here as if we don’t help you run errands,” he points out rather unhelpfully.

Primrose scoffs. “I told you that some of you are tolerable. And yes, this time I do need you to run an errand for one. One that you probably won’t mind.”

“Oh so you’re saying the last time with the flowers was done willingly.”

“It felt that way.”

Ashes doesn’t quite have an argument against that, not really. He was nosy about Cherubuns! Instead what he got was knowledge about flowers! Hopefully this time it’s different, he sure hopes that it’s different. May a demon hear his prayers.

A demon does hear his prayers.

“I need you to deliver some tea to Dove,” Primrose eventually says. “They live in Burrowgatory and usually at this time of the month, they’re running low so perhaps you could help out.”

Except there’s a small problem, just a tiny problem for Ashes.

“I have no idea where they live,” Ashes replies, immensely awkward and entirely embarrassed. “In fact I don’t know where any Cherubun resides in Burrowgatory, I thought you all lived here.”

He may live in Burrowgatory but it’s not like he knows every residence well, nor does he talk with Cherubuns as much as he likes. There’s only so many in Burrowgatory in the first place. Really, Ashes thinks he can count the amount of Cherubuns he’s seen on one singular doll hand.

Primrose looks at him as if he’s grown a second head. “Burrowgatory isn’t that big,” the Cherubun eventually remarks. Which really means nothing to Ashes at the end of the day.

“Regardless,” Primrose then states as if part of this conversation didn’t just happen in front of him. “I can give you the address and you can deliver the tea leaves to them. I hope you don’t get lost.”

Ashes shrugs as he takes the tea that’s all kept in a small basket and a card with Dove’s address. Huh, interesting, Ashes actually knows the general location. “Maybe you should try going down there to do it yourself.”

“I’ll get lost.”

“You’ll be fine!”

And that’s how he finds himself delivering tea to Dove on a fine afternoon. Hopefully he’ll get more information about how Cherubuns act throughout this experience compared to the last one. He’s heard good things about Dove, hopefully they’re more conversational than Primrose is.

Still, he’s got ways to go before arriving at the location and this will be a trip that’s worth it.

–--

He’s walking through the streets of Burrowgatory when it finally hits him why the address is familiar. Jackal lives there. Dove and Jackal live together. It’s not something that Ashes would expect but it’s also understandable that something like this would happen.

After all, Cherubuns are still a minority in Burrowgatory and living together usually saves on expenses though this is still a first that he’s heard. Though he doubts they’re the only ones.

He makes another turn onto the next street on instinct and it’s honestly quite comforting to see the sights of Burrowgatory staring back at him rather than the seemingly cold Heavenly Embassy. There’s a soft glow in the lights, warm and beautiful.

Ashes loves his home and he’s glad that Dove has found a home here. Hopefully other Cherubuns do too (and maybe he can study them, with their permission.)

All in all, before he notices it, he’s in front of the small house that Dove lives in. He rings the bell at the front and waits.

This is for the experience of getting to know Cherubuns better, he tells himself. It will be worth it even if Primrose is being a stick in the mud about his thirst for knowledge. And here he thought that the one thing everyone loves talking about is themselves!

Just when he’s attempting to better understand how Cherubuns think, Dove opens the door. The tea basket nearly tumbles out of his hands when the door screeches open.

“Ah- uh- I got a delivery here for you,” he manages to say. “Primrose said that you could be running out of tea and wanted some to be delivered to you by yours truly.”

Dove gives him a soft smile. Ashes know understands why some Succubuns are dead set on getting to know Cherubuns better now, himself included. There’s a glow around Dove that’s soft, comforting like a blanket.

They take the basket and open the door a bit broader. “You could join me, if you’d like,” Dove says. “These days I have been getting a bit too much tea to finish.”

“Oh?” He didn’t think that was possible. Do all tea drinkers end up with too much tea? Is that a normal occurrence? Maybe he ought to ask around these days.

“I’ve been trying the tea in Burrowgatory,” Dove explains. “It’s not quite the same as the one made by the Heavenly Embassy but there’s a certain charm to it. A certain flavour if you will.”

Ashes is not well read in tea to understand what Dove is saying about tea. He’s more of a coffee drinker but this isn’t the spot to have a discussion about the differences in the two drinks. Nor is it the place to get into an argument about the superior drink.

He’s not going to throw away his opportunity to better understand Cherubuns over tea of all things.

“I’m afraid I’m not that well read on tea,” he eventually answers. “All I know is that there’s tea of different colours.”

Dove laughs, the sound echoing around like the bell around their neck. “I’ve heard that quite a bit. But really, come on in and stay a while. Jackal won’t mind.”

Ashes blinks. “I may ask some very ridiculous questions that Primrose refused to answer me last week.”

“Then I’ll try my best to give you a straightforward answer. You know what Primrose is like.”

“A stick in the mud?”

“More or less.”

This, Ashes concludes, is a trip that’s far more worth his first one even if he’s inept in regards to tea. Hopefully this time, he’ll get some more answers in regards to how Cherubuns have been living and their preferences. It’s all good research – this is a primary source after all! Then one day, he can write a paper about Cherubuns thanks to these trips to the Heavenly Embassy. Maybe Ashes will get published if the paper is well written enough.

Maybe running errands for the various Cherubuns isn’t such a bad thing if this is the final outcome.