"Come on, it's a Monday!" Gabriel hadn't been feeling particularly argumentative, but the fact remained that he'd just been in line for the better part of an hour. That, and caffeine deprivation was a serious condition, as far as he was concerned. He had to be able to work, and to be able to work, he had to stay [i]focused[/i]. It was hard to maintain that focus when he hardly enjoyed three hours of sleep the previous night. One of the caveats regarding work as a medical professional was that emergencies could occur at practically any time, and with one straightforward call, you were expected to just drop whatever it was you were doing - a date, lunch with your parents, stay-at-home Netflix - and rush over. The barista fixed him with a glare so sharp, he thought he felt its point settle right between his eyes. 

[i]"I got it."[/i]

Gabe's attention shifted in surprise as in stepped an unexpected benefactor. The man shelled out the cash like he'd been doing charity work all his life, and the barista handed Gabe the receipt with a condescending stare before motioning the next customer forward. Was he embarrassed? Sure as hell. Was he [i]relieved[/i]? Definitely. The stranger had saved him the trouble of having to come back later, and even then he wasn't sure if he had time to. Rounds needed to be made, charts updated, residents tested. And V...he definitely needed to arrange a meeting. But not now. Later. The weight of responsibility pressed heavily upon his shoulders as he made his way to the far end of the counter, shrugging loosely as he turned to his deliverer. 

"Thanks, appreciate it." Gabriel inclined his head with a polite smile as he swiped his fresh brew from the countertop, relishing in the cup's radiating warmth. Nothing better than a hot cuppa on a cool morning. The guy who'd helped him seemed younger, upbeat, complete with jeans and a set of earbuds to drown out the noise. Gabe made a mental note to upgrade the ancient mp3 player currently taking residence in his apartment drawer, and to bring its replacement along the next time he had to deal with unwanted, relentless aural assault. Besides, the Rolling Stones would be a great start to his day, unlike the unfortunate circumstances surrounding the start of [i]this[/i] particular day. "Headed to work?" He questioned in an attempt at making casual conversation.

In retrospect, the answer was pretty obvious, but hey - he didn't see the harm in making friends.