Pursuit of Diligence: Chapter 4

The scent of fresh earth and delicate florals still lingered on Hyacinth’s gloves as he stepped out of the embassy gardens, a small cloth sack of coffee beans tucked securely under his arm. Unlike the ambrosia flowers, which shimmered with radiance, these beans appeared… deceptively ordinary to say the least, if he had to describe them—small, dark, and unassuming.

And yet, the moment they had been harvested from the rich, enchanted soil, they had carried a distinct, almost invigorating aroma. Even now, through the fabric of the sack, that scent was warm and inviting, like the promise of a perfect brew.

He’d personally never seen actual coffee beans before—he was more of a tea aficionado than anything—so it had been really very interesting when Primrose had shown him to them, especially with Hyacinth’s love for plants. He drank coffee, naturally, but had never imagined that such a robust flavor could come from roasted seeds.

It was a bit of a longer walk to Beanny’s café than it had been to Dove’s apartment, but Hyacinth didn’t mind. The streets of Burrowgatory were bustling, filled with the hum of conversation, the laughter of couples on dates for Matentines, and general hullabaloo of other buns getting along with their day.

The café itself was nestled in a quiet corner of the district, small and unassuming, but no less lively for it. From the outside, upon approaching the door, he could see a few scattered customers inside, and was thankful that there appeared to be less than usual. It was just as he liked it; not busy enough for his presence to be a nuisance but not so empty that he couldn’t eavesdrop on gossip, which meant it would be perfect to order himself coffee afterward.

The moment Hyacinth stepped inside, a familiar, delighted voice rang out.

“Hyacinth! My favorite customer with my favorite delivery!”

Beanny practically bounced toward him from behind the counter, their light purple apron was smudged with coffee stains—evidence of having to deal with an undoubtedly chaotic morning rush, though the countertops and tables were spotless. Despite the disarray, her soft, pink eyes gleamed with unmistakable excitement as they zeroed in on the bag Hyacinth held.

Hyacinth smiled, already well accustomed to her seemingly boundless energy after many mornings of dropping by for coffee. “I’ll bet you anything you say that to everyone who comes in, Miss Beanny,” he chuckled, and shifted the bag of coffee beans a little higher to adjust his grip. “But I appreciate the sentiment.”

“I do not,” she protested, her grin widening. “Only to customers I like, so therefore not everyone.”

The latter gave a polite laugh and shook his head in mock disbelief as he lifted the sack in offering. “Fresh from the embassy’s gardens. Primrose insisted I tell you that if you attempt anything ‘too eccentric’ with these, he will revoke your supply privileges.”

Beanny scoffed, taking the bag with both hands. “Pfft, he says that every time. What he doesn’t know is that ‘too eccentric’ is subjective considering his tastes. And anyway, what’s the point of heavenly coffee beans if we don’t push the boundaries of what coffee can be?”

Hyacinth gave her a bemused look as she hurried behind the counter, already untying the sack and inhaling deeply. Their expression melted into one of bliss.

“Ahhh. That’s the stuff.” She turned back to Hyacinth, tapping a finger against her chin. “You’re staying for a cup, right? I already know your order, of course, but today I have a new variation. More depth, more body, slightly smoother finish.”

Hyacinth tilted his head, the corners of his lips quirking up in curious intrigue. “And what precisely will you have done to it to make it oh-so smoother with more depth and body?” He asked, more to provoke her into another delighted explanation that he knew they would love to provide.

She grinned wider at that. “Nuh-uh! Trade secret! That’s top tier classified information!”

“Not even for employees?” Hyacinth challenged, in a good-natured, humorous sort of way, and raised one eyebrow.

“I’m the one who has to be making the best cups of coffee here,” Beanny said, motioning to themselves for emphasis. “If I went around blabbing about everything I do in here, people would be making their own competitor shops left and right!”

“Touché!” Hyacinth conceded, nodding his head. “Totally classified—understood loud and clear. I trust your expert craftsmanship.”

There was no winning against Beanny’s enthusiasm, and truthfully, Hyacinth had never had a reason to complain about her drinks, and he did enjoy trying new coffees on occasion, so he didn’t mind any spontaneous experimentation.

“Music to my ears!” She spun on her heel and got to work, moving with an energy that was both chaotic and precise.

Hyacinth took his usual seat by the window, the light from outside slanting in just enough to give the café a warm glow. A part of him wished that he would have invited Conall or Lyall to come with him for some additional company—the both of them absolutely loved coffee—but he was almost certain that if Primrose got wind of him having anyone tag along on his errands, he wouldn’t exactly be happy.

It wasn’t long before Beanny returned from behind the counter, placing a steaming cup in front of him with a flourish.

“There you go! You can’t beat a flavor like that—oh, oh!” They pointed towards the top of the cup, which had a little bit of cocoa powder dusted over the top in the shape of a flower. “Thought you might like that. It’s, uh, simple, but—”

“It looks wonderful,” Hyacinth said softly. “Thank you.”

Hyacinth lifted the cup, inhaling the rich, aromatic steam flowing up into the air around him. It was, as always, perfect. He took a slow sip, letting the taste settle on his tongue before giving her an approving nod. “Excellent, as expected.”

Beanny clapped their hands together triumphantly. “See? And they say I’m eccentric.”

“They’re not wrong,” Hyacinth said lightly, taking another sip. “But that’s just part of your charm, Miss Beanny.”

Beanny winked, already turning back to her counter. “Damn right it is," they said. "And hey—thanks again for the delivery."

Hyacinth offered them a winning smile. "My pleasure."