Chapter Text
Working in retail is the worst fucking curse on the planet. This is the mantra Isa repeats in his head, completely and totally drowning out the hourly traffic report droning through the radio of his 1999 Prius. Regardless of the lack of attention Isa serves him, the man in the radio waves keeps going.
“98℉ and rising, it’s a hot one today, folks! No clouds in the sky and no way to cool off, make sure you stay hydrated and coated in that sunscreen. Thanks for checking in with us at noontime here, we’ll let you get back to the music you love.” Drums kick on when the weatherman wraps up. Isa taps his fingers along to the beat, encouraging the minivan ahead of him in line to move out of his way. He needs the caffeine more, has undoubtedly had less hours of sleep than anyone in a thousand foot radius. He needs this.
Lea can’t stop running his finger over his nametag. The little chalkboard rectangle, what once pronounced him as “Sharon” to the world unknown, now only holds a long, wet smudge of orange chalk. He’s humming the latest summer pop hit under his breath, headset muted while he replaces every third word with a euphemism. Over his shoulder, he can hear Roxas aerating milk for the doofus sitting outside the drive-thru window. He reaches out and flicks the short kid in the side, earning himself a probably well-deserved kick to the back of his shin.
Kairi twirls around at the window, having just grabbed the card out of the hand of the schmuck waiting for whatever terrible six-shot drink Roxas was muttering about under his breath. Just the idea of something that bitter makes an awful taste in Lea’s mouth. He looks around the dining area. Not a single person in sight, which is pretty par for the course for a Tuesday at the worst Starbucks in Close Pines, Oklahoma. Roxas kicks him again, a little less hard this time, and sprays whipped cream in his face.
Honestly, the little shit’s lucky that Lea’s the manager. Years of babysitting or not, there’s so many things that could get him fired, Lea’s new mustache notwithstanding.
Finally, he’s up to order. Even just leaning out the window towards the microphone box, Isa can feel his hair start to frizz up. Fucking humidity.
“Hey there! What can we get started for you today?” He sighs, softly so it’s not picked up by the person working the drive-thru. The headache pounding between his eyes recedes ever-so-slightly at the knowledge that he’s about to get his morning caffeine. He scans the menu quickly, trying to pick out the nastiest thing he can find.
“Tall black, no room, and... “ Frappucinos. Ice cream, right? “The largest green tea milkshake you can make.” Exactly what his closer for the day deserves.
“So that’s a tall black coffee with no room and,” if Isa were a lesser man, he’d have to hold back a giggle, “a venti green tea Frappuccino, is that right?”
“Yeah.” God, it’s always awkward ordering at drive-thrus. He’s glad he got out of working in the food industry when he was still young.
“Thank you sir, that’s $7.52! You can go right ahead and pull around to the window.” So he goes.
The kid leans out with the cheeriest smile he’s ever seen. Isa thinks this every time this summer that he repeats this trip before work, because so far, it’s always been the same teenager taking his card out of his hand. She promises him that his drinks are coming up soon, so he turns the radio back up to listen to whatever seasonal pop song started playing while he was asking for his life-saving bean juice.
Lea likes to think he has a fun job. They don’t get complaints, mostly because they function mostly via their drive-thru customers, so he and his staff get to goof off when they’re not prepping, cleaning, or making nasty drinks. He’s taking his time to be an idiot and using it wisely.
Kairi is trustworthy and filled with sunshine, and that’s pretty much what got her the job. That, and the fact that Lea’s her older cousin. Lea has always had a soft-spot for kids, anyway, and it’s not like she’s been any trouble so far. He watches her for just a moment, handling the drive-thru window with grace.
When he turns, and sees the ugly look on Roxas’ face while he stirs up a giant cup of melted snot, he figures he can act up just a little .
Without making eye contact with either of them, he makes a grab for the caramel syrup bottle. Roxas only just misses slapping it out of his hand, and earns himself a pinch for trying. Lea spins himself away from the little bundle of joy and starts knocking back the bottle in his hand. It’s a miracle he’s not gagging, but considering he does this all the time, he’s an expert by now. He’s even extra sure not to touch the little spout to his lips.
It tastes a little like burning rubber and a lot like he needs a trip to the dentist, but hey? What’s life without the little pleasures?
The girl at the window carefully passes over the coffee and the bastard-drink Isa gleefully ordered. But...Something’s just a little bit wrong. He hears yelling, and it’s coming from over her shoulder.
“You’re gonna end up with gut rot, you dumbass!” The hollering isn’t angry, from what he can tell, but it does draw his eye.
Just barely can Isa see the tall man with clown-red hair drinking -- he gags a little.
It’s important to note that Isa considers himself pretty stoic. He can keep a straight face at the funniest jokes and the scariest horror movies. There’s very little that can break his concentration, when he’s really focused. It’s equally true of a statement to say that Isa hates sugar. Can’t stand candy or dessert, even as a kid. He’s a fan of a rare steak and lots of peppers, maybe, and anything that’s vinegar flavored.
But the most important fact about our darling, dearest boy?
Isa loves watching people fuck up. Call him cocky or even arrogant, but he’s always been a little bit of a know-it-all, and he takes enjoyment in proving others wrong. He equally enjoys seeing people act like fools when they don’t think anyone else is watching. (Because Isa is always watching.)
He makes direct eye contact with the man who has somehow not stopped his guzzling, just in time for the guy to choke.
Even if he’s a fucking idiot, he has pretty eyes.
Oh, Lea is so fucked.