"Can I get a name for the order?" The barista's tone was upbeat, as usual.

"Ethen," replied the jaguar. "With an E." He smiled, even as he wondered why he'd bothered to clarify the spelling for a coffee order. And for what purpose? What would it matter if the cup was incorrectly emblazoned with Ethan, in place of Ethen?

"No problem! We'll have that right up for you, Ethen." The coyote behind the counter flashed a friendly smile in reply. Without any other customers in the shop, it was a short wait; the 'yote set a hot mocha down on the counter, and slid it across to the cat with a grin. "All set, Ethen. Have a great day!"

A few steps out the door, curiosity compelled the jaguar to check how his name had been spelled on the cup. He'd invited this chaos, after all: it was entirely reasonable to expect "Ethaen" or "Ethane" or "Eethan," or any other way he'd seen his name rendered after trying to clarify the uncommon spelling. Instead, what he read drew a laugh from him, and he looked back through the shop window, to find the coyote's attention still on him, with a grin that had only grown wider.

Watching, and waiting, for a reaction to the name he'd written:

"Ethen Withanee"

---

Ref sheet for my spotsdaddy, Ethen! Of my full roster of characters/sonas who I still use, Ethen has been around the longest - over two decades! The spelling of his name is not an accident or a typo, either: it's an uncommon variation, and less common in North America than it is in Europe.

Random fun fact about the character: Ethen was raised by wolves, and as such is natively fluent in canine dialects (verbal, gestural - though his brothers tease he has an accent), and values "wrestling, pinning, and biting" as an important means of bonding and showing affection.

Art by my friend, the wonderful  TexAmp who has the same impeccable taste in fine jaguar daddies as I do (and is a 🔥 💯 💜💜💜 handsome jag too!)