[Comm] Darling's Apprenticeship

It wasn’t often that Darling found herself away from her bakery. When she did of course, she was usually at home, resting up until she managed to find her groove to get back into the rhythm of her work. It wasn’t an issue of course, she could handle herself well enough, but today she decided she would take a little detour to the Rabbit Hole and order herself something refreshing to sip on. With longer nights under the crystalline caverns and colder than usual temperatures, Darling hoped to find the perfect boozy drinks to pair with her delectable treats. That way, she could entertain any end of the year gatherings and beloved friends of her own.

She entered through the entrance of the Rabbit Hole and approached the counter where Hops was. The purple-pink Gluttony bun turned and gave Darling a bright smile, waving her greetings before taking a tray to a table just a little bit away.

“Hi Darling! Just wait a moment, I’ll help you in a bit!” Hops called out before handing off her drinks to the patrons before her. She took their empty glasses and returned to the counter, putting them aside to pull out a fresh cocktail glass. “Welcome in! What can I get you?”

The pink sloth bun smiled back and peered over the counter at the workstation that Hops seemed to have.

“I haven’t the faintest idea…well, I am a fan of your Smooch Hooch but what do you think would go best with pastries? I’d be happy to learn from your expertise to really enhance my customers’ experiences!” Darling explained, a blush spreading over her pink fur.

Hops laughed warmly and nodded, beckoning the Sloth bun to come around behind the counter. Confused but willing, Darling obliged and met Hops behind the counter, looking from the neatly placed glasses and cups to the bottles of liquor that lined the shelves behind them.

“I’ll do you one better. I’ll show you how to make a couple and then you can practice at home. If you’re so good at baking, mixing drinks is basically the same concept! Just gotta make sure your ratios are all right and you got yourself a yummy drink. I think though, can’t go wrong with an Iris Coffee and one of your sweet treats! Here, let me show you.” Hops offered, pulling a glass onto the counter to begin her demonstration.

Darling watched in delighted curiosity, following along with relative ease. When it was her turn to make the drink, she hesitated briefly but poured just enough cream liqueur as she would pour cream into any mixture she baked. Hops gave her a thumbs up and then showed her another easy drink before checking back in with her after.

“Not too bad right? I think this’ll go well with your plans. Let me know how it goes!”

The pink sloth bun nodded, taking this newfound wisdom with her as she took a small sip of the Iris coffee, delighted at the bold yet sweet flavor that greeted her taste buds.

“Promise you’ll be the first to know Hops. Thank you for this lesson!” Darling giggled and made her way over the other side of the bar. She remained there for a little while longer, enjoying the Gluttony bun’s company before she returned back to her bakery, writing down all that she learned to enact her plans for the upcoming season.