[Video]

[lonered]

[This is new for Keith. He monitors the network, of course, too paranoid not to pay attention to everything that's going on around him, but actually posting something? It's out of his comfort zone. It's the vlog all over again.

So he looks awkward, like he can't believe he's actually doing this. But he is. He's still wearing the green apron that makes up his uniform (the Moonbucks logo just barely visible in frame), mullet tamed back into a little ponytail. He's got a coffee in his hands, and he's tucked himself at a table back in the far corner of the cafe he works in. He's on break.]

Is it really that bad if someone spells your name wrong on a coffee cup? I mean, the drink's right. I always get the drink right. Isn't that the important part?

[Someone has had a few complaints apparently.] It's loud and busy in here. How am I supposed to hear the difference between Bob and Bog? ...Bog could be a name. I know I've met a Bog.

[They were an alien, but that is not the point. He spreads his hands in a "see? a point!" gesture. And in this gesture he uncovers his own name written on his cup. Somehow he's left off the "h" and and scrawled the "t" in such a way that it looks more like a "f" and anyway, he's currently drinking a coffee that belongs to "Keif."

This problem goes deep.

Anyway.]

Sometimes I think this job isn't a great fit. Also I'm pretty sure I'm going to smell like pumpkin spice for the rest of my life. There's not even any pumpkin in it.

[Keith's having that kind of day.

Anyone who wants to catch him in person at work, feel free to find him brooding into his coffee on his break. And feel free to have been personally victimized by Keith's inability to get names right on coffee orders.]

Comments

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[girlybruiser]

[ There's soft giggling from Haru, who is not laughing at Keith's misery as much as finding the whole thing kind of funny in general. ]

Depending on the person, a name can be very important to them. It's something my parents chose for me, after all.

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[lonered]

[Hey. Hey! This is very serious. Except even Keith who is grumping about it knows that it isn't.]

Well yeah, names are important. My mom wanted to call me Yorak before my dad stepped in. [Thank you, Dad.]

But writing on a coffee cup is just... [Well. He sighs.] Do you know how many ways there are to spell "Katelyn?"

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[girlybruiser]

I suppose American names can be a bit strange... I saw a "Mackayla" and then "Michaela" the other week... two girls in one of my classes.

[ Yorak, though? Hm... ]

Maybe you can ask them to write their name on the cup before you make their drink?

[thetrueeve]

[Eve waves.] Hi Keith! [Enthusiastic as always.] Maybe you should look for a new job!

[lonered]

[And once again it's sort of hard not to smile?]

Hey Eve. And I'm thinking you might be right. I kind of miss the sky anyway.

[thetrueeve]

[Give in to the smiles, Keith. Everyone understands.]

Maybe you can be a pilot! It might take time, but it'd be worth it.

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[justaddh2o]

[ She makes a face at his issue, frowning a little with unpleasant memory of some of the worst of her customers back at the juice bar back home. ]

It's funny the sorts of things that people get hung up on in the service industry. I would be irritated if someone spelt my name wrong, but also spelling my name wrong would make it more masculine. That said, I wouldn't complain about it. The people behind the counter don't get paid enough to tolerate my whinging over stupid things like that.

Sorry you're having a bad day.

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[lonered]

Thanks.

[Like he means it. He appreciates the sentiment. And the honesty.] What's your name?

[So he can figure out how badly he'd butcher the spelling.]

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[justaddh2o]

Sure. I'm Rikki. I get loads of coffees with Ricky on them.

( She wrinkles her nose again with distaste. )

But that's not the end of the world and it's no reason to be nasty to a barista.

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[continuousgroaning]

[Tina has seen Keith using the network a few times, but as soon as it became evident that this wasn't the same Keith she'd become close to, she's just. avoided thinking about it. She's lost several people close to her, but one of them coming back and not remembering anything about this place was a special kind of hurt.

But she can reach out, she thinks. Maybe work toward building a friendship again.]

I feel like people could have more of a sense of humor about it. Especially if they're regulars.

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[lonered]

The regulars. Yeah. I really wish they would.

[He winces and glances back off in the general direction of the counter.] I'm pretty sure they think I'm doing it on purpose instead.

[The truth is he really isn't.]

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[continuousgroaning]

Looking at the internet, it seems like that's a popular theory. I mean, it's pretty harmless, all things considered.

Maybe do strange drawings next time. "Order up for... horse eating a taco."

Action

[spaceforged]

[He can tell what kind of day Keith is having from his tone. It doesn’t take much to order some burritos to go and show up at Moonbucks. He takes a moment to look for him but Keith is always easy to spot.

He’s got that memorable kind of face. Shiro slides into the chair across from Keith. He sets the bag of burritos on the table in front of him.]

Thought you wouldn’t even have time to go grab lunch so I covered it. [Today is casual day at work. So he’s in jeans and a plain Perfect paws cate cafe shirt. Little paw prints and cats grace the front and back around the logo.]

I’d have brought Black with me but the cats really like their new perch friend.

Action

[lonered]

[Keith looks up once he notices someone approaching him. Once he sees who it is, his entire expression changes. There's a moment when Shiro sets down lunch in front of him that Keith looks at the other man like he hung the moon and the stars. ...not the first time, not the last time that looks been on his face where Shiro is concerned.

But the burritos smell delicious.]

Thanks.

[He's reaching to open the bag, offering a smile.] Like he's their robot king. Cute.

Action

[spaceforged]

I'll show you the pictures, later. [There it is again, that look on Keith's face. It tugs at something inside his chest every time Keith's eyes seem to reflect the vastness of space. It can't just be for the burritos. He's seen it other times since he got here.

And...even before that.]

You should stop by sometime and see. Before we both become test pilots for the air force. [It will be in their skill level and what they both know how to do.] ...you shouldn't be so hard on yourself about this job. I know its your first paying job, but you have a specific skill set and you're extremely good at what you were trained for.

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[ambasciatore]

People get really picky about names. Bog is a new one for me. Were they cool?

[ A pause. ]

I mean, you could just quit your job you know.

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[lonered]

Pretty cool, yeah. Little alien guy with horns.

[They didn't once try to murder Keith or his friends so that earns them points.]

I guess I could. I might be looking for new options soon. It's just this is... sort of my first job. I did odd jobs and stuff after the Garrison, but then there was the war and being a Paladin and a Blade. I thought it might be a good idea to try to figure out this normal thing.

Action

[pidgewidgeon]

[ Pidge had been contemplating a nap when Keith's face appears on the network and the sight of coffee had her shifting directions.

Caffeine. Glorious caffeine.

It takes her about 10 minutes to get to Moonbucks and she beelines for Keith's table, sitting and trying to steal the coffee out of his hands before even greeting him. Green settles by their chairs, looking as inconspicuous as a robotic lion can. ]

Coffee. Gimme.

Action

[lonered]

[Attacked. Attacked by something small and quick. And familiar. Keith finds himself blinking at Pidge and very... slowly... sliding over his coffee.

She needs it more. Clearly. She can be Keif now.]

You good, Pidge?

[Did he just feed a gremlin after midnight or something?]

[ACTION]

[patchricide]

[So, Allura's standing across from the counter. She's holding up her cup. It looks exactly the way she ordered it — a frozen drink, pumped full of vanilla, with a mountain of whipped cream on top, dusted with cinnamon...]

[The only problem is the name scrawled on the side.]

['LAURA'.]

... Keith, tell me this was supposed to go to someone else.

[ACTION]

[lonered]

[Well. Shit.]

Uh...

[He has no excuse for this one really. Zero excuses. ...at least it's an actual name though? Still not a good excuse] All the letters are sort of there?

[This is where Keith will just very slowly reach over to take the cup from her hands. Let him just... jam an A at the beginning and try to turn that second A into an L... and there. He holds it out. Ta...da?]

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[deadthing]

[Using the network is also way out of Noah's comfort zone, especially in video mode, but. He has a question. So here goes.

He's not actually visible in frame - he has the comm laying flat on a table - but he's making an effort.]

--Wait, if it's not actually pumpkin, what is it?

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[lonered]

Lies.

[Keith nods gravely, even if he isn't sure he can be seen at this point given the camera angle and all.]

But aside from the lies, mostly cinnamon and nutmeg. Cloves and something called "allspice" which sounds like a lazy way of saying miscellaneous. But I looked it up and it's actually a thing.

[Somewhere, in the reality he's supposed to be in, his very culinary friend Hunk is probably twitching and has no idea why.]

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[bifroster]

Oh man, that bad of a day?

I'm sure that some people don't mind too much, as long as the drink is right.

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[lonered]

Yeah, not a great one.

[He sags a bit more in his chair. He's really not cut out for the service industry.]

Right? That'd be my priority anyway.