Pursuit of Diligence 4 - Coffee Run

The smell of coffee was quite a rich aroma. It was something deeper than tea, bitter, but not entirely unpleasant to the nose. Though, its taste left much to be desired unless creams and milks were added. If she was entirely honest, Ellie preferred hot cocoa above all else. Maybe one day she could convince someone to infuse some coffee into the cocoa in a way that wasn't too distasteful so that she could do her daily tasks with a little pep in her step and a sweet taste in her mouth instead of something bitter. In fact, she was headed to just the bun who would know how.

The weather was getting colder now and Primrose seemed a bit more rushed than usual, something about a holiday season. It was something that she didn't quite understand but was more than happy to participate in. He seemed happier recently and for that she was grateful. For someone like him, the transition must have hit hard. Maybe a taste of home was just what he needed. It was probably because of that that the other bun had no time to deliver his latest batch. He was still reluctant to give her this new task however, despite how well she had been doing with delivering tea and taking care of the small blooms and the soil.

At this point his hesitancy didn't surprise her, not nearly as much as it should have. It didn't hurt either, she just learned that he was particular about things and as a result needed to make sure that she was up to the task. Though deep down she wondered if there was something a little more personal related to why he was hesitant to let her deliver the beans herself. “Normally I would take on this task myself, but with the Cherubmas holiday occurring I’ve had little to no time to prepare.” 

He showed her to the bags and gestured to two large bags of beans, carefully prepared and ready to be delivered to a certain bean loving bun in the town. Ellie had met Beanny before, their bright demeanor and go-getter attitude were well-known, especially when you're someone who can make drinks for both cherubuns and succubuns alike. She'd been in there before curious about the new shop and more than happy to try out the different drinks that were offered. Just like all life’s delights they left her wallet much lighter than she preferred, but the drinks were definitely worth the taste and they're unique flavors but the only one that she could say truly spoke to her was the affogatail. 

She assured Primrose that she would be fine. “Don’t worry, I know my way. Do you want me to deliver a message for you while I’m there? I’m sure that they’d love to hear from you~” 

Primrose flushed at the implication and sputtered for a second. “Just deliver them to Beanny quickly and…” He paused and huffed, glancing away and crossing his arms. “Just…tell them I look forward to enjoying the festivities with them this month.”

With that in mind she was more than happy to make her way to the shop, holding tight to the bags on her shoulders and making sure not a bean was left behind. After all, she wouldn't want to leave anything behind and ruin all of everyone’s hard work. It didn't take long to come to the Paradise Cafe, it wasn’t too far from the Embassy and stood out nicely among the towering buildings of Burrowgatory. Not too many pieces weren't multi-story and imposing in the city, so more than anything the cafe was comfy and welcoming. 

She nudged open the door and smiled as she inhaled the scent, even stronger than the smell wafting off of the bags she shouldered. The smell of coffee still wasn't exactly to her taste but she couldn't deny that the smell was strong and to her it was nice enough. How her nose and taste buds disagreed she'd never understand. At first she didn't know where to go, looking around to see if there was any place to set the bags, but the tables were full with buns enjoying their drinks. For now it looked like the best decision was to wait for the other bun to notice her. Ellie shuffled for a second, readjusting the weight on her shoulders before settling on standing in line awkwardly until she got closer to the front. 

Beanie must have noticed her pretty quickly though as after only one customer had come and gone, they looked up at Ellie and gestured for her to come closer to the counter. "You can put those in the back, I'll be with you in just a second!" Ellie provided a nod in understanding before heading around the counter and pushing her way into the back of the establishment. She looked around before finding a room that seemed to be a storage area and setting down the bags there. She rolled her shoulders and sighed. The bags had been heavier than she was expecting them to be and she was relieved when she finally got the load off her shoulders. 

It took about 5 more minutes before Beanny was able to make their way back into the back room, smiling and wiping their hands with their apron. “You must be Ellie, Primrose told me you were on your way.” There was a pause and they seemed to assess her for a moment, “You've been here before right? I think I remember your order, affogatail?” Ellie nods with a laugh. 

“I’m surprised you remember!”

“Yeah, I'm pretty good at that. Hey, I know that you're volunteering at the Embassy but I'd love to send you off for the drink as payment” 

Ellie smiled and waved a hand, “Oh there's no need for that!” she tried to insist, but it seemed as though the other bun had different ideas. 

“Nonsense, come with me, I can even show you how to make it if you like! Affogatail is pretty simple, all things considered. I've even heard of some buns taking some earspresso home to "booze it up" with their favorite ice cream.” Ok now that was something she'd be interested in. Beanny seemed quick to pick up on Ellie’s interest and smiled, a little bit of wickedness behind it. “A little bit of experimenting never hurt anybody.” Ellie wondered just how true the sentiment was for them, though the establishment they were in probably spoke to it more than anything. 

Ellie excitedly watches the other work, listening as they explain the different types of coffee and potency of the beans. It was actually relaxing, despite how fast paced things seemed to get behind the counter. In moments like this she could see the appeal. It wasn’t long before the drink was passed off to her and Beanny smiled. “There you go!” The bell on the door dinged and Beanny shot a welcome to the newcomers. “I have to get back to work, but you should come by sometime.” 

Ellie agrees and is sent off with a happy wave and a newfound respect for the art of coffee. She sips her drink happily as she heads back to the Embassy with a pep in her step only to pause and stare at her drink. She forgot to ask about the cocoa…”Damn it!”