For The Rats (One-Shots)

(2-3) Was This Over Before It Ever Began?

The Gap Between Us 

(2)  Was This Over Before It Ever Began 

Who the fuck cares about corporate 

Deios pulls his apron over his head and ties it around his waist, mentally preparing for another hot, no AC, shift. He makes his way up to the front of the small building, greeting his coworkers with smiles and finding the time sheet on a back counter in front of the ordering window. His eyes scan the sheet, going down the list of names until.. "Iero, Sofia-- 12:30-19:30". Deios's chest tightens, one of the store leads coming around the corner to greet him. 

"Hey Deios," he greets, but Deios's mind is a whirlwind. Had everyone seen it already? Did they know? 

Deios returns the greeting, briefly taking his eyes off the sheet to smile at Leo, his lead. But his eyes fall back to the paper, and he quickly scribbles over "Sofia", writing "Deios" next to it. Usually, one of the supervisors would correct it before he got there. It was usually Roman, the only outwardly gay supervisor in the whole chain of buildings. Deios loved Roman, they were besties. But Roman wasn't here today, and no one saved him. He presses his mouth into a line, unable to stop staring at the scribbled out name. Who had seen it? Had everyone seen it? What if they were talking about it? They weren't supposed to know.. 

It was no secret that Deios was trans. He joked about it with another trans coworker and with Roman, and it was great. But the name.. no one was supposed to know it. Hearing it, seeing it, triggered something deep inside him. Not angry, but suicidal. This had been happening every day since he got here almost four months ago. And every time, it took a little bit out of Deios. It hurt to force himself back into a good mood after seeing it, it was exhausting. And really, it shouldn't be happening. It was probably Narina, a transphobic woman who was a supervisor. She was more present in the building than the others. Fucking Narina. 

Deios draws a small frowny face next to his name (as he always did), before dragging his eyes back up to his coworkers. There was no line, it seemed like today would be slow again. 

Smiling awkwardly, Deios moves to the back, the others' eyes on him. He liked his coworkers, but they were maybe a little too curious. It made him want to die. They weren't supposed to know... 

Maybe he could talk to Daniel about it. But talking to Daniel was also... he felt like he couldn't breathe around him. Like shut up and let me kiss you? 

But nothing happens, and Deios moves back to his place in the kitchen, behind the fryers. The fryers couldn't misgender him. The salt didn't call him "Sofia". The fish? The fish didn't give a single fuck, they were busy floating. The kitchen didn't make him want to shoot himself in the employee parking lot on the fourth of July. 

Time passes, the kitchen slowly but surely heating up to Satan's finest sauna. It was 100 degrees outside, and sure as hell hotter in the unit. Further, the kitchen. Deios leaves the empty fry baskets and his kitchen coworker, walking around the wall to the front. The pavement out front was perfectly vacant, the cashiers leaning against the walls and talking with each other. Deios smiles at them as he grabs a small cup, filling it with water from the soda fountain. 

It's only a few moments later that Daniel walks in, another supervisor trailing him and engaging in friendly composure while Daniel greets everyone. He moves further to the front, and then he sees Deios. Deios smiles at him, waving briefly at him and the other supervisor. 

"Deios," Daniel says, moving closer to the younger employee. Deios's heart panics, but he contains himself. 

"Heyy," he returns. But Daniel seems to have more to say than just a friendly greeting.