InsaneJournal

Who: Eren Jaeger and Setsuna Mudou
What: Eren and Setsuna meet up to train at the cafe.
When: Somewhere in the beginning of July
Where: Cafe in Irvine
Rating/Warnings: PG-13? Setsuna usually cusses, if nothing else.
Status: Complete


It was his first job, so Setsuna thought he should be a bit more nervous, but what he was really nervous was about was being around people. Well, people not from the homeless shelter - they already left him alone.

Then there was Eren. He wasn’t persistent like some others had been, and still had managed to break through that flimsy shield Setsuna tried to put up. To Setsuna, it felt like it had taken so little. Just some conversation about adorable rabbits? That’s it. It was embarrassing! It set him on edge, shown in how his eyes kept flickering to the counter, and he fussed with the hem of his shirt as he waited for Eren to show up for training.

At the very least, he was truly grateful.

***

Eren was glad that the guy he’d talked to on the network looked into the job and got it. Not only would it help by finding someone to replace him on morning shift, but he seemed like he was really unsure of where to start looking. So this really helped both of them out. He walked into the bakery and waved when he saw the new face there waiting for him. “Hi, Mudo from the network, right?” he asked. He definitely looked nervous, but it was his first job, wasn’t it? “And don’t worry, you’re going to be fine. It’s really easy when you get the hang of it. The hardest thing to remember at first is what goes in what drink, and there’s a cheat sheet right above the espresso machine about the most common ones, anyway.”

***

“Yeah, Mudou,” Setsuna said, managed a smile and ran a hand through his hair. It was another indication of nerves, but he was starting to calm, finally. It had worked out for both, and Setsuna found out he could at least manage smiles for strangers without issues. Well, Eren was only slightly a stranger.

Pictures of rabbits changed things.

He listened intently to Eren, determined to make this work out. His eyes even trailed to the espresso machine to see the mentioned cheat sheet.


“Oh. So that’s why baristas always looked above them when they make drinks.” He was indifferent, sometimes, but he still noticed little things.

“I’ll be okay, yeah. This is just really new,” Setsuna admitted, looking away again.

***

Eren nodded. “I’m not sure about most places, but here and at Mom’s, yeah. So… it wouldn’t surprise me at all if most places were pretty similar. Especially about specialty drinks. Those would be a little harder to remember, plus not every cafe or bakery would have them.” He put his uniform hat on and pulled his phone out of his pocket to set it to vibrate before putting it back away.

“I get that. About it being new. But it’ll be alright. No one here will expect you on your first day to know everything. My first day at Mom’s store back home? I mixed up the full fat milk with the soy milk, and that really, really did not go well for the poor person that ordered it. In my defense, I feel the cartons shouldn’t have been so similar looking. Luckily here, the dairy is in jugs. So, not going to make that mistake again.” He hoped telling the other boy about that would help set his nerves at ease.

***

Setsuna’s phone went untouched, and he listened so intently, expression serious. Until the milk mix up story.

Face full of mirth, he laughed. He slapped his hands over his mouth trying to keep it under control. Perhaps, with his nerves as they were, the humor hit him harder than usual.

“That’s a terrible mistake,” Setsuna insisted, still trying not to laugh too much. “That would be horrible for someone lactose intolerant. But I can’t help it. I bet I’ll do something just bad, or more stupid.”

Not that he wanted to, but Setsuna had a pretty bad track record, and he didn’t sound too displeased by the idea. Just trying to keep the mood light, since it was there now.

“Was the customer okay?”

***

Eren ran his hand back through his hair, still a little embarrassed about the incident years later but at the same time glad he was able to help the other boy. “Oh yeah, it definitely wouldn’t be good for anyone who can’t have lactose. Or vegans. Apparently if you don’t eat animal products for so long, your body loses the ability to process them. I had no idea until then ...I don’t know which was their case, but they were okay, but definitely uncomfortable. I felt so bad about that.”

Eren shrugged and shook his head. “I’m not sure what would be a more stupid mistake, but if it does happen? Think of it this way. You’ve got a story to tell when it’s all over with. Whether it’s to your friends, the next person you train, or whoever. At least that’s the way I look at my stupid mistakes. ...Maybe part of that’s because I’m going into journalism. Writing about the dumb things I do is good practice for writing about things other people do.”

***

Setsuna’s original discomfort was entirely forgotten, movements and tone far more casual and open as their conversation went on. He cringed at the idea of not being able to digest animal products. He had heard enough of lactose intolerance getting a better idea of how bad of a screw up that story was, as the patron had confirmed issues in said story. A beat, then, “Remind me to never go vegan.”

Still smiling, strained or not, he said, “If I can avoid screwing up worse, I will. If I can’t, you’re right. I’ll take the story.” There was some thought given after, before he added, “Always thought journalism seemed kind of boring. Prefer hearing things to reading about them, myself. How did you end up on that path?”

***

“I’ll make sure to remind you if you ever think about trying it. Honestly, it seems like something you have to be crazy dedicated to do. You’d have to probably make most things from scratch, since you’d never know when there might be dairy or eggs in something.” Eren was sure it was probably worth it to the people that did it, but it seemed like a lot of work just to research things just to be able to eat.

“I’m sure you won’t screw up that badly. And anyway, it’s easier to tell here what’s what when you’re grabbing it.” Eren tried to reassure Mudou. “Because I want to help make a difference in the world. Things going unreported on is how people or companies get by with stuff they shouldn’t. And journalism brings that to light. I might not be able to right all the wrongs of the world, but I can write about them. Which… it’s even more important when we have a government that’s constantly trying to gaslight everyone and a president that really, really hates the press.”

***

“To some people, it’s more than worth it,” Setsuna told Eren, before looking away. “Not sure if I could ever be that dedicated to anything.” Not entirely true, but Setsuna was better at being dedicated to specific people than general causes.

A bit more confident, if for no other reason than to not ruin someone’s day with the wrong ingredients, Setsuna nodded to Eren, and decided he would just very close attention when he was instructed on how to make everything.

As for journalism, Setsuna listened intently, then managed a smile at the end.

“You sound really passionate. From that, it’s obvious you can be dedicated, it just has to be the right thing. If you’re able to do even a little bit of that, it’s an accomplishment. I think, anyway,” Setsuna said, hand on the back of his neck, a little abashed.

***

“Oh I’m sure it’s worth it to them.” Eren nodded. “Even if I don’t understand it myself. I can get vegetarians, but I don’t see how eggs hurt the chicken… but that’s their life to live how they want, at the same time.”

He grinned at that. “I’ve been told that. Well, I think the exact term Mom used was ‘bullheaded’, but I’m choosing to interpret it as passionate anyway. I think I was on a campaign to get her to stop using so much plastic at her shop.”

***

“I don’t see how eggs, or milk hurt animals, but I guess nothing from the animal means nothing,” Setsuna suggested with a shrug. “One of those, if you’re gonna do it, do it all the way things. Not the life for me, but I can admire it.” The indication was that he had considered it at one point, with the way he loved animals.

To Eren’s mother’s view, Setsuna snorted.

“Bullheaded describes me, too. Sometimes,” he said, almost as a warning. He wasn’t giving any issue now, due to his situation of learning, but he had his moments. “Anyway, how much more time do you have? We gotta be ready for orders soon, right?”

***

“I’ll make a note of that.” Eren promised, nodding at the warning. There was someone in his and Armin’s dream world that was just as bullheaded as he was, but hopefully he’d be getting along with his new coworker better than he did that guy.

He turned to look at the clock at Setsuna’s question and stood up. “Oh crap, we better clock in and start setting up for the day. We’re going to open soon… Did they already give you your sign on?”

***

Setsuna just gave a grin to Eren’s promise. Fortunately, Setsuna was usually more stubborn when it came to his own actions, but this one, without his dreams, still had a lot to learn, even about himself.

There was a nervous laugh when Eren said it was time to clock in, he immediately straightened up and nodded to his question. “Yeah. They made sure it worked, and everything.” He paused for a moment, quiet. He wanted to tell Eren how much he had appreciated all of this, but the words weren’t quite forming. It had been so long since he had trusted someone else with his true feelings, so he let it pass.

***

“Then let’s get clocked in and I’ll show you how to start setting up, and then we can run through the basics until we open.” There would be plenty of chances for him to learn more in depth as customers started coming in for their morning coffee and pastries. Some things it was easier to learn by doing it, after all. “Just watch me for the first few times and after that I’ll guide you through doing it yourself. And most of the drinks should be second nature by the end of the day.”

***

Another nod as Setsuna followed. Only after he was properly clocked, Setsuna stopped, hands behind his back, and managed to say, “Hey, Eren,” he paused while he tried to word himself, then gave up entirely and let his heart take over, “I really appreciate this. Getting me in here, and teaching me. It means a lot to me, as this is my first job. I mean, I got lucky and scored two at once, but still. I was kinda nervous about all of this, but you made it easier on me.”

***

Eren stopped when he heard his name and turned around to listen. He gave the other boy a smile as he thanked him. “It’s nothing, I’m really glad to help.” While he wasn’t sure of everything that he had been going through, it was clear that he had been having a rough time of it. “Maybe one day you’ll be able to pass it forward. And I’m really glad I could help your nerves.”

***

“I hope so, too,” Setsuna agreed, and gave Eren a bright, free smile. Truly, he wanted to help Eren in return, but for now, Setsuna felt the best he could do was take everything he learned from Eren and do the best job he could.