#whisky and tequila are a hell of a combo

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Being drunk is so wild, like wow, I didn't know I was this funny

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Be My Player 2? Ch. 22

I meant to have this chapter up last week, but I was on break and being lazy. 

Also on AO3!

Keith yawned as he pushed through the back door of his work. He swung around to the employee lockers and sluggishly put in his combo before pulling the metallic door open and throwing his jacket and wallet inside. He sighed and let it fall shut before running a hand through his hair and slipping down the hall past the door to the kitchen. He punched his number into the time clock and headed out to the floor.

The sounds of dishes and silverware tapping against each other and the soft murmurs of conversation blended together in the background with the soft classical music playing over the speakers. He could see George hard at work making drinks, lips turned down in concentration and he made it behind the counter before he took notice of him.

“Need help?” Keith asked, crossing his arms and leaning his hip against the counter.

George’s head snapped up after he dumped a tumbler of liquor into the glass he was prepping. A wide grin stretched across his face.

“Heyyyyy, look who’s back!” He quickly finished up the drink and set it on the tray with the drink receipt. “How was your week of vacation?” he asked, draping his hand towel over his shoulder.

Keith glanced to the side as the corner of his lips ticked up at the memory of Shiro. “It was great,” he murmured.

“Oh?”

Keith looked up to find George had moved closer and was eyeing him.

“What’s that look for?” he asked.

Keith shrugged and felt his face heat up. “Nothing.” He cleared his throat and skirted around George. “We should get these drink orders taken care of.”

“Not so fast,” George said, taking the next drink order after Keith. “You look like you got the best Christmas present. You never look like that.”

“Well…” Keith said as he turned to grab the bottle of whisky behind them.

George gasped and when he turned around found him with a hand over his chest. Keith rolled his eyes at his dramatics and pulled a small glass from the rack underneath the counter.

“What’s that look for?” he asked.

“What Christmas present did you get?” he asked, leaning forward.

Keith shoved him away. “Don’t just stand there. We have a pile of drinks to get through.”

George raised an eyebrow and made a show of pulling out the glass and alcohol he needed. “I am clearly working. Now continue. I want to know about this present you got. What was it?”

“Not so much an it as a who,” Keith offered.

“You didn’t get a mail order bride did you?”

Keith spluttered and nearly spilled the bottle of whisky he was holding. He breathed a sigh of relief when he got the lid back on. It was one of the more expensive brands and he wasn’t sure Linda would let him off easy for spilling it and he wasn’t prepared to pay her back for it. Not when he needed to save up for spring break.

“What the hell, George?” Keith asked, holding the bottle of whisky close to his chest. “Why would you ask something like that?”

He shrugged and put the finishing touches on his drink, setting it on one of the trays before picking up the next slip in the pile. “Hey, you never know. And you haven’t exactly been in the most sharing mood. If you don’t tell me anything I’m going to assume the worst.”

Keith grumbled and stuck the whisky under the counter. He set the drink on a tray and looked around to make sure none of the other wait staff were nearby. He was already the concern of a lot of the employees since he was living on his own and paying for school. The last thing he needed was for them to be worried he was dating a serial killer.

“You promise to keep this quiet?” he asked.

George leveled him with a look. “You seriously can’t trust me with this?”

“I just don’t want it getting around when it doesn’t need to.”

George’s disbelief and exasperation morphed into determination. “Of course, man. I’ve got your back.”

Keith let out a breath. “Okay,” he said, fiddling with the bottles of alcohol. “My…boyfriend came to visit last week.”

He was expecting to hear glass shattering in the kind of dramatic fashion George embodied, but when he turned to look, George was staring at him, mouth wide open, and tequila held firmly in his hand.

“When the hell did you,” he started too loud. Checking himself, he added, “Get a boyfriend?”

Keith scratched the back of his head and measured out the first alcohol for his next drink. “A few months ago I think? It’s been long distance and I haven’t really told anyone besides Pidge and Hunk.”

“Wait, wait, wait…long distance. So you met this guy online?”

Keith raised an eyebrow and nodded. “Yeah, I did. Just like all the people who use dating sites do.”

George opened his mouth to say something, but paused and nodded. “Keith Kogane did you use a dating site?”

Keith scoffed. “Of course not.”

“Then how did you two meet?” he asked, finally turning back to his work and completing the drink orders in earnest.

“We ended up teaming up one night while playing Voltron. We kind of became regulars at that and a few weeks went by and we got closer before getting together.”

“Aww,” George crooned. “You’re both nerds.”

“Shut up,” Keith said, elbowing him in the side even as he grinned. “Shiro’s a bigger nerd than I am.”

“So his name’s Shiro huh?” George asked.

Keith flushed and turned away.

“Nah, it’s nice,” he continued. “I’m glad that you found someone. Honestly, I didn’t even think you were interested in dating, but you seem happy with him. Next time he’s in town you should bring him around and let me meet him. I’ll fix him up a nice drink on the house.”

Keith’s lips ticked up. “Thanks, George. I really appreciate it.”

The two of them fell back into work next to each other, a companionable silence hanging over their heads as they filled the remainder of the rush orders that had piled up before Keith had made it in.

~~

As Keith swung past Linda’s office on his way out she spoke up inside and stopped him.

“Wait, Keith!”

He backtracked and stuck his head around the door, finding her already halfway out of her desk chair.

“What’s up?” he asked.

“I’ve got the open slots for the next few weeks that you’re on break. I’m giving you first pick of the extra shifts that you want. I’ll let you take up to three extra shifts each week, but you’re already pretty booked here so don’t overdo it and there are plenty of other people who would be more than willing to take the extra shifts, too.”

Keith took the spreadsheet from her hands and looked over the list, sitting in one of the armchairs in front of her desk as he looked things over. Since he didn’t have obligations with school at the moment, he had more than enough time to take on three extra shifts without having to worry about losing sleep and he could probably find time to spend with Shiro outside of that since his schedule would no doubt be flexible too.

“Do you have a pen so I can mark these?” he asked.

Linda held out a blue fountain pen and he took it, bracing the sheets of paper on his legs as he marked off the extra shifts he wanted to take.

“The changes will be uploaded to the employee scheduling system, right?” he asked, passing the papers and pens across the table.

She nodded. “I’m going to update your schedule right now and I’ll post the extra shifts for everyone else to pick and choose as they please. When you can get it to me, I’m going to need a copy of your schedule and updated availability for next semester so I know when I’m going to be able to schedule your hours.”

Keith nodded. “Do you want a physical copy or is email okay?”

“Either’s fine. Just make sure it’s as a timetable.”

“Sure thing,” he said, pushing out of his chair and turning to leave.

“One last thing,” she said, stopping him.

He raised an eyebrow and turned back around.

“Don’t give me that look, it’s nothing bad. I just wanted to know how your break last week was. You’re normally so focused on school and work that you don’t give yourself much time off.”

Keith smiled. “It was nice. I actually managed to enjoy the week and having the chance to spend time with my friends without struggling to work it around everything else.”

Linda smiled and nodded. “That’s good. And you’re always welcome to take more time if you need it.”

“I know, but that probably won’t happen until spring break. I’m hoping to go somewhere so I’m going to need the extra shifts to save up for it.”

“That’s wonderful! I’m glad you’re taking the chance to enjoy some time for yourself. I’ll keep you in mind for extra shifts as always and let me know if there’s anything else you need from me. Enjoy the rest of your night.”

“Yeah, thanks,” Keith said with a smile before he slipped out of her office and headed towards the employee lockers. He pulled his jacket and wallet free, slipping his arms through the sleeves of his coat. He pulled out his phone as he headed towards the back door and smiled at the message he had from Shiro.

Shiro: It’s so lonely without you, babyyyyyy

Keith’s smile turned to a grimace as he pushed the back door open and was met with a gust of chilling wind that ruffled his hair. He ducked his head against it and pulled his jacket tighter around him, wishing he had a hat or a scarf to keep him warm. Or even a car that he could blast the heat in as he drove back to his apartment.

He grit his teeth as he hit the sidewalk and kept his head down, typing out a quick message to Shiro as he fought against the cutting wind.

Keith: I think it got colder now that you’re gone.

Keith: Why did you have to take all the warmth with you?

He clutched his phone tightly in his hand and crossed his arms to try and keep some semblance of warmth trapped in his body. He was definitely going to jump into bed as soon as he got back and wrap himself in a thousand blankets to keep warm.

His phone buzzed in his hand but he waited until he was safely around the corner to his street and out of the direct force of the wind to check it.

Shiro: It’s not my fault you decided to live where it’s cold.

Keith: I didn’t ‘decide’ to live here. This is where I grew up. Not like I could do much else when I was applying for colleges and couldn’t legally move anywhere yet.

Shiro: Well now that you can move anywhere you like you can move somewhere warmer so you don’t have to deal with the cold.

Keith shook his head and pulled his keys from his pocket, fumbling them in the lock to his building before he managed to shove the door open and step into the warmth. He sighed as the door fell shut behind him and blocked out the cold, making him shiver at the sudden temperature change.

Keith: After I graduate.

Keith: There’s no use transferring for my last semester of school

Shiro: You disappoint me

Keith rolled his eyes as he stepped off the landing to his floor.

Keith: Whatever, Shiro. Are you busy tonight? I just got off work and don’t have to go in again until tomorrow afternoon. I have all kinds of free time without having to worry about classes.

His phone vibrated as he shoved his keys into his apartment door and pushed it open, letting it fall shut behind him as he toed off his boots.

Shiro: I’m always free for you. Movie or gaming?

Keith: Are Lance and Allura free too? We could do one of the harder missions and get that done.

Shiro: Let me text them and I’ll let you know.

Keith slipped into his bedroom and tossed his phone onto his bed as he undid the buttons on his work shirt, exchanging it for something more comfortable and his pants for a pair of sweats. He settled down against the headboard and opened his laptop.

He felt his phone vibrate and reached across the comforter for it.

Shiro: Both of them are free and ready to game. Apparently they’re mad the four of us haven’t gotten together more often.

Keith: Cool. I’m about to log into my account so I’ll meet you in there.

Keith pulled his headphones from the bedside table and plugged them into his computer before slipping them on his head. He adjusted the mic in front of his mouth and logged into his Voltron account. He watched as he appeared in the middle of the Castle and he took the chance to scroll through the available missions for a four-player team while he waited for Shiro and the others to get online.

He grinned at the sound of a notification and opened the call.

“Hey, baby,” Shiro said making Keith roll his eyes.

“Hey, Shiro. Your friends on yet?”

“Nope, but they’ll be on soon. Both of them weren’t exactly ready to start right away.”

“Sorry.”

“Not your fault,” he said easily. “You have any ideas for what mission you want to do?”

“Yeah, I was actually looking through them and I think I found one that might be pretty interesting.”

“Oh? What did you find?”

“It’s the one on the sand planet or whatever. Takes four players and it looks like we have to retrieve something for the king or the royal family.”

Shiro hummed and Keith could hear him clicking over to it. “Yeah, that one looks good. I think it’ll prove to be a challenge for us.”

“Shiiirooooooo!”

Keith blinked at the new voice sounding through his headphones.

“Finally joining us, Lance,” Shiro said.

“Hey, I’m not last. Allura’s still getting set up.”

“I know. We were just looking at missions and found one to do.”

“Which one?”

“The one on the sand planet,” Keith said, breaking in. “It’s a four-player. Should be cool.”

“Sup, Keith?” Lance said, brightening. “How was it having Shiro up there with you? Shiro’s been keeping pretty tight-lipped so I’m not getting any of the-“

“Lance,” Allura said, breaking in. “Leave them alone.”

“Ooooh,” he shot back. “Look who finally decided to join us.”

“Careful,” Allura warned, “or the next time I see you, you’re going to get a nice slap across your cheek.”

“You’re no fun,” he whined.

“You only say that because Allura’s got better scores than you,” Keith said, clicking on their mission to calibrate it with their group.

The line when dead silent and Keith froze, thinking he’d overstepped his boundaries. But then Shiro’s booming laughter filled the silence and Allura started to giggle. He could hear Lance mutter something, but it didn’t come through the line clearly.

“He’s got a point,” Shiro said, making Keith grin.

“You only say that because he’s your boyfriend,” Lance muttered.

“You do have good attack accuracy, though,” Keith conceded, feeling a little guilty over having singled him out.

“Damn right, I do,” Lance scoffed. “Someone has to have all of your backs when your attacks fall short half the time.”

“It’s not that bad,” Shiro said as their screens switched over to the video before their new mission.

“It kind of is. You and Keith are lucky that you’ve specialized your characters in hand-to-hand because there’s less room for error when you’re going directly against one of the enemy fighters and only have to worry about dodging their counterattacks. Throwing objects or using guns would decrease your accuracy by a lot,” Lance rattled off.

“But…” Shiro tried.

“I mean,” Keith said, “he’s got a point. I always preferred going hand-to-hand or using a sword and dagger with my fights because I always felt guns were too bulky and didn’t offer the fast turnaround I wanted. So if you threw a gun or blaster at me for a mission I wouldn’t halfway know what to do with it, let alone be able to aim and neutralize our opponents easily.”

There was silence for a moment and Keith looked down at his screen, making sure he was still connected thinking it had dropped, but all four of them were blinking strongly.

“Did I say something wrong?”

“You agreed with me,” Lance said, sounding confused more than anything.

Keith frowned. “Yeah? Is that a problem?”

“No?”

“Well now that we’ve got that settled,” Keith muttered with a role of his eyes. “How about we actually get to this mission? I think there might be some good rewards and an opportunity to level up. After all this talk, I want to gain more experience and increase my attack points.”

Everyone else made sounds of agreement and Keith smiled, watching as their characters appeared on the planet their mission was on. As much as he was already missing having Shiro around, it was nice having the chance to relax without worrying about everything else.

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