Work Text:
“Ma’am I already told you, the sales tax was returned to you on your prior visit when we did a price adjustment on your items.”
Keith had his best customer service voice on and that fake smile he perfected when he started his job at The Garrison, it was a popular clothing store in the city of Altea; and honestly Keith was lucky to even have this job as he had just moved the area a few months ago. But being friends with the Children’s department lead helped him out quite a bit in landing this job.
“But that doesn’t make sense, on this return the sales tax was returned, and I paid the same amount for all the dresses so I should get the same amount in sales tax back.”
Keith had to mentally take a deep breath before he started explaining yet again.
“Yes ma’am, on this purchase you got all the dresses at 20% off. You then brought back this dress after as you paid full price, but as it was within 14 days we were able to price adjust to the current selling price. When you received the price adjust you also received the sales tax in that partial refund.”
30 minutes, Keith had been talking to this lady for. 30. Freaking. Minutes. Over an issue that he believed he already settled, but this customer was not having it.
“I don’t believe that, is there a manager I can talk to about this?”
Keith looked to Pidge for help, who sighed before picking up the phone and paging the office.
“Hey Allura, Keith has a question for you.”
They spoke quickly before passing the phone to the taller male. Keith mentally sighed before taking the phone and explaining to Allura the situation.
“Mmm, I see. Well I can’t leave the office as I am counting cash drawers, why don’t you bring back the two receipts and I can look over them and try and figure this out.”
“Mm, okay. Thanks Allura.”
Keith passed the phone back over and Pidge hung it up without a single look as they were busy ringing up another guest.
“Okay ma’am, my manger is in the back but if it’s okay with you I am going to take the receipts back to her and go over the situation with her and try and figure out what is going on.”
“Oh, well, I guess that is okay. Thank you.”
With a smile Keith grabbed the two receipts and quickly walked towards the back, punching in the key code and entering the back room. The office was locked, but he quickly knocked and waited for the door to open.
“Come on in Keith. So what is going on?”
Keith entered and sat in the chair opposite of where Allura was counting the safe, he handed her the receipts and quickly explained the situation.
“Hmm, I see. Well, if you look here on the price adjust receipt she has already been given the sales tax back. But if she is going to argue about it this much just figure out what the sales tax is going to be on the item and just take it out of your drawer, I’ll make a note of it.”
Keith nodded and quickly grabbed the calculator to figure out what the sales tax was on the dress.
“Allura. . . The sales tax is 24 cents. This customer is freaking out over 24 cents.”
Keith looked at his manager, and friend, with a deadpan face. Allura simply rolled her eyes and handed him a key to the register.
“Look, just explain the whole she already got her money back thing. If she still wants to argue it, just give her 24 cents and send her home. We close in 45 minutes and I am sure everyone is ready to go home.”
Keith nodded and quickly made his way back out to the sales floor and to the customer he was helping.
“Okay ma’am, so I wanted to show you this. Here on the price adjust sheet it shows that you have already gotten the sales tax returned to you when the adjust occurred. However, I can give you the sales tax now in cash, but it’s only 24 cents for the tax for the dress, and I can’t return that on your card, it would be in change.”
“Oh, no. That’s okay, I don’t need 24 cents. Have a great night!”
Keith stood there dumb founded as the customer walked out of the store. . . he couldn’t believe that just happened. He spent 30 minutes explaining this to the customer but she wouldn’t believe him, but coming from his manager of course she would believe him now! Keith took a deep breath before turning towards the registers. All the current guests had been helped and Pidge was leaning about the counter staring at Keith
“You look like you are going to punch something.”
Keith couldn’t help but laugh, his friend wasn’t far from off.
“I’m going to go and sit down for a minute, I need a sec to chill out.”
Pidge nodded before they turned to the customer who approached the cash register.
Keith found himself sitting in one of the uncomfortable chairs in the breakroom and starting at his phone. He didn’t want to bother Lance today, he was off work and hanging with his family. He didn’t need to know about this right? But Lance was always telling him to message him if something happened and he need to talk. With a sigh Keith sent a quick text to him:
FireLord
“I swear I almost punched someone in the face today, and the only reason I didn’t was because Pidge was next to me” Sent 17:35
Merman
“What happened!? And thank Pidge for me.” Received 17:36
FireLord
“Ask me again when I’m not still stuck at work. Ugh, we are going to be here way past 7 tonight. I just know it.” Sent 17:36
Merman
“We close at 6, why would you be there any later than 6:30 at the latest?” Received 17:37
FireLord
“Dude, like everyone and their mother are here today. It’s a freaking mad house.” Sent 17:37
“I gotta get back on the floor.” Sent 17:37
Keith locked his phone before sliding it back in his pocket, taking a deep breath and going back out on the floor. Allura had beat him out there, but as soon as she saw him she walked over to him.
“Keith, can you go around and tell everyone we close in 20 minutes. I really want to try and be out of here somewhat on time.”
Keith nodded, he could tell Allura was tired. They both been here since 8 this morning, he was sure she was ready to go home and see her husband, and Keith’s brother, Shiro. So he walked up to every customer, explained they would be closing at 6pm, and they need to make their final selections and go to the cash registers to pay. Just as Keith was about to folding a table in a women’s department Allura approached him.
“I need you to hop on a register, only take credit or debit and get this line down. I have a feeling we won’t be out of here till at least 7 because I swear more people keep coming in.”
Keith quickly nodded and headed up front, taking his place alongside Pidge and the other cashiers, Coran and Hunk. It wasn’t until 6:30 that the final customers finally left the building and as Allura was trying to lock the doors more customers tried to enter. But he heard her kindly tell them they were closed and they had to leave. Honestly, he was happy Allura told them to leave, he probably would have told them to kindly ‘fuck off.’
“Alright team, Keith I need you to do a quick fold in womens, we need it decent for tomorrows sales. Hunk, please fill up the coolers, we were wiped out today. Coran, start clearing all the clothes from the registers. Let us try and give the morning crew an easy start.”
Keith almost laughed at that as he and Allura were the morning crew, coming in at 7am on the dot. But she was right, tomorrow was a ‘one day wonder’ and a certain style of tank tops were going to be $10 instead of their normal $25. Ugh, Keith hated sales, he hated one day wonders. . . he hated retail. The only reason he liked his job was because of his coworkers, and his amazing managers. And the fact they promoted him to Women’s department lead with only being there a few months. Why women’s? Because for some reason everyone always came up to him about questions in the department, so he just quickly learned all he could to answer them all accordingly.
It was past 7:00pm when they finally were able to leave the store, and Keith was tired. He didn’t even look at this phone because he hopped on his bike, a Ducati, and quickly sped to his apartment a few miles away. Another reason he loved this job, the close proximity to his apartment and his school. It wasn’t long before Keith was laying on the couch in living room when he remembered he hadn’t checked his phone.
Merman
“Babe please don’t do anything stupid.” Received 17:38
“So you are off, what happened?” Received 19:00
“Are you that mad you don’t want to talk?” Received 19:05
“Okay, you have to be pretty mad.” Received 19:09
“So I am on my way over with ice cream and wine. Be prepared to be blown away.” Received 19:14
FireLord
“I just got home. Why are you coming over? Don’t? Aren’t you spending the weekend with your family?” Sent 19:25
Merman
“You can’t tell me to not visit…besides I’m outside your complex…Technically outside your door.” Received 19:32
Keith started at the phone for a solid minute before he heard the knocking at his door.
“Baaaabbbee.”
Yup, that was Lance. Keith sighed before he stood up and stretched, it was then he realised he was still wearing his jacket. He quickly took it off, hanging it at the door just before he opened it. And low and behold, there was Lance, with a bag full of ice cream in one hand and a bottle of wine in the other.
“Aren’t you supposed to be with your family?”
“Aren’t you supposed to be happy to see your boyfriend, who lovingly stopped and got you vegan ice cream. This stuff is expensive dude, but only the best for you.”
Lance spoke with a smile on his face and in his voice as he handed the bag of ice cream over to the shorter boy as he stepped inside the apartment, taking off his shoes as he did.
“Besides, mama saw your text over my shoulder and basically chased me out of the house to come and make sure you were okay. She loves you, you know? She said you need to come over and visit again.”
Keith couldn’t help the smile that came to his face as Lance spoke. It was weird to Keith to receive the love of a mother as he spent most of his life in foster care until the Shirogane family took him in, but even then it was just Shiro and their dad. But Keith loved the Mcclain family, Lance’s mother was the sweetest lady ever and Keith loved it when Lance dragged him to his family’s house.
“Maybe next time? I would love to see your mom again.”
Keith responded as he followed Lance into the kitchen. Lance had managed to open the wine and started pouring it into two glasses when Keith finally entered. A smile grew on his face as Lance handed him a glass.
“So, you gonna tell me what happened?”
Keith took a sip of his wine before he leaned forward into Lance.
“Maybe after you kiss me.”
Keith saw the immediate effect on Lance’s face after he spoke.
“I can do that.”