Chapter Text
Gabriel couldn't believe it. Another head chef besides him? Unspeakable, illogical, unbelievable that they didn't think he was good enough on his own. He was betrayed, mourning the loss of his trust in those whom he depended on, ready to prove himself.
He clocked into work early, for once, to help with the preparations and cleaning that didn't get done before everyone's shifts ended the night before. Being as delicate as he could with putting the pastries in the display as if they were rare jewels ready to meet their new buyers. Wrapping up the pre-prepared portions of fruits for in milkshakes and other fruity drinks as if he was handling an infant about to be wrapped up in its softest blanket. Cleaning the oven rosters and ridding them of even their most stubborn grime as if Gods would eat from it.
"You're good at cleaning." His superiors said, more meaning it as an observation, but Gabriel, being Gabriel, saw it as a compliment.
It was tiring, but as soon as his rival walked in, he knew his determination to the company would be worth it. No matter what it did to prove itself worthy of the title, Gabriel would prevail above. He had worked hard for his title after the previous holder of it was fired and demoted to dishwasher he did the same as now. The title was his, and no one could be able to rip it from him, not even from his cold dead hands.
The day began, and so did Gabriel's sabotaging of his new co-worker, V1. He overheard most of its tasks and questions.
"Salt the fries." And Gabriel would do it before it, making the fries too salty for anyone to like.
"Make a strawberry milkshake." And Gabriel would put bananas in the blender. Making the yellow phallic fruit overpower all else that mixed with it.
"Where is the lamb sauce?" And Gabriel would drink it all in one gluttonous gulp. Forcing V1 to start from scratch and without correct measurements.
He wasn't spotted, managing to get away with his acts of envy and wrath by simply being out of the watchful eye of his bosses. Managing to avoid their all-seeing eyes. He knew their routines.
Check in on them and yell out some demands, go upstairs to check for clean towels, bring the trash outside, and return to repeat the cycle. It went like that and they only appeared every 5 minutes. Perfect for Gabriel's foul acts.
The day went on as did Gabriel's trickery. And at the end of the day, a shift he worked unpaid overtime for, one he stayed for just to hear the words of praise being sung upon him by those above him, yet only in position. As he had hoped, those who had stayed the unpaid time, were called together at the end of the day under the guise of something important. He waited eagerly to hear how his sabotaging of V1 had worked out, how it was fired due to its failure to maintain the usual balance and satisfaction of its customers.
"Team, we have something to announce," Gabriel smirked.
"Today was different than our standard. A starting point all the same to previous days, yet dishes so different, customers asked for the manager of this establishment." Gabriel's smirk grew wider.
"We have one person to thank for today's salvation." Gabriel couldn't wait. He was now grinning from ear to ear, eagerly waiting for the calling of his name. The praise, the honor. Oh so pleasant he felt like he would burst and-
"V1."
...What.
His smile faded and turned into horror as his co-workers clapped for it. Watching as it, it who had been sabotaged all day, was showered in the praise he deserved to hear.
"The fries were flavorful, the milkshakes had a nice smooth texture, and the sauce, the sauce!" Gabriel watched as his co-worker smiled at the compliments it received. He could not tell them it was him, they were not his tasks to do, and interfering was forbidden. Yet, something inside him gnawed at his heart, told him he deserved better, told him to speak up and make them give him the recognition he damn right earned.
"Anything else?"He questioned, trying to make his tone reflect as little of the jealousy and anger as he felt boiling in his heart.
"Ah yes, of course. How could we forget you, Gabriel?" His smile faded back a little, hope washing over him, and soon-to-be praise.
"Your work today was appreciated greatly. Your food was excellent as always." Small praise, he wanted more, he wanted greater things than V1.
"Yet it could not compare to that of V1. So we have decided that you, with your amazing cleaning skills, will become our second dishwasher. To keep Sisyphus company, and to speed up the process."
"Oh." Was all Gabriel could muster up out of his mouth at the realization.
"Your first shift starts tomorrow. Please, hand me your apron."
He obliged, too defeated as of now to fight back against their will. He let it happen.
But it was not over.