Beautiful Disaster
Disclaimer: Don't own Voltron or Avengers.
A/N: Modern life AU with some twists. Asgard is a city like Seattle, and Daibazaal is like a foreign country.
Prologue
The sound of grinding beans mingled with the scent of freshly brewed shots to create the caffeinating aroma that permeated the air of the Stark Street Cafe. Customers formed a line that nearly extended out of the front door, desperate for their morning fix before they had to endure work or school. Baristas shuffled as quickly as they could, weaving around one another to fill orders, complete with shouting out the names that were scribbled on each cup.
A heavy sigh fled the lips of one platinum blond as he stood tiredly in line, shifting his weight back and forth in order to keep from falling asleep upright. His work had kept him up late, and he had awoken with just enough time for a shower and a cup of the best coffee in Asgard before he was due to meet with his next client.
"What can I get you?"
A silky voice brought the blond back to reality. His amethyst eyes blinked once or twice to focus on the raven-haired beauty that stood before him.
"Sorry," he murmured. "Lost in right. Can I get an iced white coffee latte, in your largest size with an extra shot?"
The man nodded while scribbling the details onto the cup. He read the order in his head before his emerald eyes settled on the man's face once more, and his thin brow lifted into a skeptical arch. "An extra shot of white coffee? You must really need to stay awake."
The blond nodded. "I'm on my way to work and I got horrid sleep last night."
The barista nodded sympathetically. "Can I get your name?"
"Lotor."
"Coming right up."
Lotor paid for his beverage before shuffling off to the side, standing by the counter beneath the hanging sign that read, "Pick Up." His slender fingers drummed on the countertop as his eyes lazily skimmed the other patrons in the cafe.
"Lotor!"
The blond snapped his head up. He nodded in thanks to the girl who slid his drink across the counter before picking it up. As he went to take a sip, he noticed more writing scrawled beneath his name.
Text me next time you can't sleep.
Loki.
Beneath the message was a phone number. Lotor glanced up, catching a familiar emerald eye as he headed for the door. Loki shot a wink at him, and Lotor felt the corners of his mouth twitch upwards. He nodded to the barista before pushing open the door and sauntering out of the cafe, sucking down his latte as he got into his car.
By five o'clock, Lotor was beyond exhausted. All of his clients had been international, so the time difference allowed him to work mostly during the day and have the evening hours to himself. Living alone, he didn't have anyone to spend his free time with, but he'd long since grown accustomed to being a bachelor. Besides - he interacted with so many people in his line of work that he was grateful to have time to unwind.
Exhaling a yawn, the blond closed the lid to his laptop and set it on the coffee table before him. He rose from the couch with a stretch, his back popping as it adjusted to the new position. His socked feet shuffled across the carpeted floor as he made his way to the kitchen, filling his kettle with water before setting it on the stove and clicking on a burner.
A soft meow turned Lotor's attention to the doorway. A silver tabby cat expectantly on the linoleum, tilting his head as he awaited affection.
Lotor chuckled softly. "Come here, Shiro." He knelt down as the cat padded up to him. His slender fingers carded through the striped fur, earning a purr of approval from the cat's throat.
The kettle whistled, and Lotor stood. He fetched a mug from the cupboard and poured the boiling water into it before digging through another cupboard for his favorite flavor of tea. An unknown tune hummed in his throat as he dropped his preferred number of sugar cubes into the tea and stirred.
With a sigh of content, he plucked up his mug and sauntered back into the living room. He set the tea on the table and sauntered over to the far wall where his bookshelf stood. His eyes scanned the numerous titled before he smiled to himself, picking up his well-loved copy of The Mortal Instruments. Book in hand, he crossed the room and dropped his weight onto the couch.
As the sun set outside, the only adjustment Lotor made was to flip on the living room light and brew some more tea.
As the time neared midnight, Loki had already showered and changed into a pair of green plaid pajama bottoms, preparing for bed. His dishes from after work had been washed and the book he'd been reading while he ate dinner was sitting neatly atop his dresser. His solid black cat was sleeping soundly in the corner of his bedroom, where she'd made a bed inside his laundry hamper, and Loki himself was growing rather tired.
His mouth stretched to accommodate a yawn as he shuffled from the bathroom to his bedroom. He switched off the light and plugged a charger into his phone before crawling beneath his large fleece blankets.
Just as he lied down, his phone chirped, alerting him of a new text message. Raising a brow, he plucked up his phone and unlocked the screen. Who would be texting him this late?
An unsaved number was displayed above the message.
Hey, is this Loki? This is Lotor from the cafe this morning.
