malachite hates gardening, vol. 2

“…Anyone home?”

With a raised eyebrow, Malachite’s head peeks in through an open door, stood next to a small green mailbox labeled ‘Dove and Jackal’ on a piece of tape. Already left ajar, they kick their foot in between the opening of the door, keeping it propped open as they balance the couple boxes of tea stacked together on top of the palms of their hands.

Frowning at the lack of response, they push their head in further, eyes narrowed and eyebrows furrowed. Primrose said they’d be home… it hasn’t been that long since he’d sent me out to take the order. Really, those succubuns hanging around that he’d usually have sent out on errands like these tended to have a habit of getting lost on their way— but not them, ever-faithful to the punctuality Melangel had always expected of them.

They’d have believed that Dove was sworn to these same ideals, too, but by the looks of it…

“Hello?”

They call out again, trepidation setting in as they take another step forwards and allow the door to close behind them. It’s closed with a slam, and once the light source from the opened door is gone, the entrance to Dove and Jackal’s home is plunged into sheer and utter darkness. Shoulders tensing, they bite back the urge to shudder, arms tight around the tea they’ve been holding as they make their way down a dark, gloomy-looking hallway. It’s enough to make anybody’s hair raise, not to mention the creaking sound of the door behind them, swaying in the wind—

—A door that was supposed to be closed.

Eyes wide, they turn on their heel towards the now-opening door, letting out a panicked screech at the sound of someone else, who exclaims with a similar yelp at the sound of someone uninvited breaking into their home; meeting their eyes in the darkness, red-faced and bundled up for the winter weather, was Dove, with Jackal following them not far behind.

In the midst of the chaos, before the two of them have the chance to say anything towards one another, Malachite drops the carefully packed boxes of tea right onto their foot, grimacing in pain and shifting to rest their arm against the wall as their knees buckle underneath them.

“I— oh my goodness, are you alright?”, Dove exclaims, quick to fuss, although the paled nature of their shocked expression is quick to betray that they’re still scared. Jackal, on the other hand, now close enough to the point where she’s looming over their shoulder, seems much less worried about the health of someone who’s been sneaking around their home uninvited, although her piercing glare is enough to speak for a thousand words— she’s not happy with them. Groaning, Malachite kicks the boxes of tea off of their foot, toppling them further across the floor, hopefully unharmed, before pushing themselves further upright, trying to assuage the pain in their ankle.

“…Primrose,” they grumble underneath their breath, shoulders tensed, as they bite their tongue. If they were not bound by the heavenly tenets of Melangel, it’d help their pain a lot better if they were allowed to say something they might regret. Primrose said they were going to be there. Never said anything about the stupid dark. “Primrose… sent me. You ordered tea, right?”

It’s said with a pointed gesture towards their fellow cherubun, and Dove gestures to themselves, before glancing up at Jackal and nodding. “I… I-I did. I didn’t expect him to send it over this fast, though. We were only out for fifteen minutes.”

Scowling, Jackal sizes Malachite up with a cautious eye, arms crossed over her chest as she shakes her head. “How’d you even get in? Tea deliveries don’t exactly come prepared with a bobby pin. You could’ve just left them at the door.” Nose wrinkling, she glances down towards the boxes littering the floor, hopefully untouched— she’d be a lot more upset, should they spill all over her entranceway. “Good job you did of that, anyways. Would’ve saved you a bit of trouble to do some waiting. Doesn’t the Heavenly Embassy rant and rave all about about patience, anyways?”

“…Jackal,” Dove murmurs, shaking their head as they move a hand up to rest on Jackal’s shoulder, a careful attempt to convince her to back down. “They’re just trying to help. Primrose told me he’d make sure it was delivered faster this time, I just didn’t know he’d mean…”

Malachite shrugs their shoulders, still locking eyes with Jackal, neither of which appear all too happy with their respective positions. Dove, unfortunately, seems to be fighting a losing battle in trying to get the two of them to stand down. “—I’m a fast walker. Already in the area. Primrose trusts me to do something like that, since the rest of the embassy’s workers”, they scoff, although still leaning against the hallway, “—are clearly struggling with what he’s asking of them.”

“…You left your door open, though, if you’re so curious. I don’t exactly make it a habit of walking into someone else’s home uninvited— I’d just figured.” Dove, with a disappointed exhale, shoots Jackal another look. Clearly, one of them had been the last one out the door, and it hadn’t been them. Continuing to rub at her shoulders, they shake their head, speaking as if they’re scolding the both of them; although they’re still gentle, as always.

“It’s not really polite to walk in somewhere without knocking,” they murmur, eyelids fluttering closed, “If you’re Primrose’s friend, you should probably know that already. He’d be disappointed if you, if he heard.”

However, afterwards, they gently reach out to flick Jackal at the side of her temple.

“…You shouldn’t leave the door open, either, though! We’re probably lucky that we had someone else to watch over the home, while we’re gone… with the cold air like this, it’s going to make the place unlivable.”

Staying silent, Jackal and Malachite exchange awkward glances, before glancing towards the side with a small huff. It’s not until Dove walks forwards to take a box of tea into their hands that the door, once again, closes behind the three, and they’re proud to discover that the tea inside is still unharmed.

“Now that we’re all here, though… how about a cup together?”