Taste of Iron

Twenty Seven: Failed The Vibe Check

Twenty Seven: Failed The Vibe Check

Atlas woke up with a smile on his face, excited for his day to start. He hadn't done an early morning shift ever since Emil raised his pay and decreased his hours.

He did like cooking breakfast food, but at the same time he was grateful for the extra hours of sleep. He needed the rest, and in the past few weeks his focus and energy had visibly gotten better. The bags under his eyes were lighter too, and he had a good morning routine of eating a healthy breakfast, doing some reading and then going to the gym before finally heading to work.

Atlas didn't know whether he was ecstatic to do the breakfast service, or to see Emil again...

I haven't even been up for a whole minute and I'm already thinking about him. Goddamnit, the chef said to himself.

The transit to the restaurant felt longer than ever before, and the blue-haired man was itching to get to work. Once he was finally in the building, he went to the kitchen, hoping to see Emil there. But the man was nowhere to be seen. He decided to check the employee's lounge and Shawn's office, but once again, the gangster wasn't there.

Of course, with Atlas not working mornings anymore, Emil too had stopped showing up early. He came around the same time Atlas did, and that was before lunch. So maybe he was going to come in then? Maybe Atlas was getting in over his head by assuming that Emil would come early just because he was.

Atlas got to work, trying to focus on the food even though the crime boss kept plaguing his mind. Flashes of last night...of their kiss...well, kisses, to be exact, kept appearing each time he closed his eyes.

Fuck, Atlas cursed internally, we didn't even decide how we're going to act at work.

Things might get a little complicated if they started dating, considering Emil wasn't only his boss but the owner of the restaurant. Though it wasn't a corporate and there weren't any explicit rules against dating other staff but...still. It would just be awkward.

"Hey, Roy?" Atlas spoke up, trying to get his colleague's attention.

"Yes, chef?"

"Hypothetically, if two people that worked together in a restaurant started dating...what would you think about it?" Atlas asked.

"Huh? Oh," Roy hummed, rubbing his goatee. "If they're both chefs then it might be a shitshow if they break up."

"What if only one of them is a chef?"

"So, like a chef and a waitress?" Roy clarified.

"Sure," Atlas shrugged.

"You idiot," Jimmy sighed as he walked in and slapped the back of Roy's head playfully. "He means himself and the boss."

"Huh?" Roy blinked. "Oh. Yeah. That would make a lot of sense."

"What? No! That wouldn't, uh, that wouldn't make any sense," Atlas fumbled on his words as he shook his head. "Emil and I are not dating!"

"Right..." Jimmy muttered.

"Yeah, sure!" Yelled out Katie, one of the line cooks.

"Come on, chef, we all have eyes," added Emmett, the head waiter.

"They're finally going out? Denise owes me fifty bucks!"

"We're not...get to work all of you!" Atlas ordered. Katie and Jimmy nodded, going back to their stations. Emmett chuckled but listened to the executive chef too, whereas Roy still stood there, looking at Atlas.

"So you and Emil are—" Roy began, but was cut off by the new sous chef.

"Chef? The provisions are here," Leo said, glancing at Roy and giving him a look as if telling him to leave. Roy shrugged, but got the hint and left the blue-haired man alone.