Chapter Text
Lotor was, to be quite honest, tired.
He didn't show it, of course - ever since his father went in a coma, he had to take over his position for him, and that left him with no choices: he couldn't show weakness.
So he didn't. He was charming to everyone, he was smart, he was a quick thinker, he prepared for all occasions -- he restrained himself whenever he got the urge to tell someone off when he was pissed. That took a lot of restraint for sure, but he did it, and everyone around him was none the wiser.
But he was terribly tired as a result, without a doubt. He needed someplace to recharge, someplace where he could do some quiet work without running into another of his father's - or his, technically - associates.
He shot a text to Acxa, and it didn't take long to get an answer.
[Acxa: There's a café on the other side of town if you don't mind the walk. I'll send you the directions. - 9:48am]
He stared at the shop sign with a curious interest. "Voltron," it read, and Lotor almost laughed then and there. What an interesting twist of fate, almost amusing, and he took a few moments to examine the place his father had been so adamant about getting. Was this a movie or something of the sort, he would think fate had led him for a specific reason.
But as he opened the door, an exquisite aroma of coffee reached him, and he decided fate could very well wait for its plans.
The place wasn't particularly big, but definitely cozy. There were splashes of different colours here and there, and somehow it looked more harmonious than messy. He could spot a server taking the orders of a couple seated near the front of the shop, with a green apron, and a cashier with a blue apron. There was probably a person or two in the kitchen too, although he wasn't able to see back - it didn't seem like many people either way. The other customers, though, were all happy as could be, like two people in the front were able to handle everything perfectly. It was a quieter place than he was used to, but it was still quite interesting.
Satisfied, Lotor walked up to the cashier, who lit up and smiled at him as soon as he approached.
«New face! Welcome to Voltron, what can I get ya?» He leaned on the counter, looking at him like the most interesting thing that had happened to him all day. Perhaps new customers were rare, but he wondered if he'd be as friendly if he knew his father was the one that had been causing them trouble up until his hospitalization.
But then again the boy - Lance, he noted, stealing a glance at his name tag - seemed interested in a... different way. This could be fun.
«I'll have a pumpkin spice latte.» He smiled back, looking at how his eyes barely left him to get a cup.
«That's gonna be $4.50. Got a name to go with the good looks to give me?» He almost rolled his eyes at the lack of subtlety, but he kept himself together, busying himself in taking out the money instead.
«And where would be the fun in that?» He actually got a laugh out of him, but he couldn't see what he scribbled on the cup instead... a fair bargain, he'd say.
«You can get settled down at a table if you want and I'll bring out your drink as soon as it's done.» He took his payment and gave him one last smile before turning to get his order done.
The boy was definitely interesting to him, but the laptop in his messenger bag suddenly seemed heavier in the silence, and he had to accept he had work to do. Getting a free table wasn't particularly hard, the place wasn't really crowded, and as soon as he placed the computer on the table and opened it to see the work he should be getting done, he felt an instant headache coming. He set to work anyway.
He hadn't worked more than a couple minutes, probably looking like he might murder someone (and probably thinking about it), when Lance himself brought him his drink. He almost didn't acknowledge him, focused as he was, but his eye fell onto the cup as soon as he took ahold of it. 'Hot stuff'. That actually got a smirk out of him.
«Here you go.» He looked up at him in time to see him wink, before going back to his place at the till, but he definitely took his attention away from his screen. He'd consider coming back.
He took a sip, before noticing something written on the other side of the cup too. Curious, he turned it around.
"What do you call a sad coffee? A despresso!"
Lotor actually snorted.