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It was a quiet, peaceful morning at the cleaners HQ. A drowsy Zanka lay in bed staring at the stains on the ceiling listening to the sounds around him such as the clinking of cutlery from the other cleaners breakfast, the distant cawing of the crows outside the window, the multiple irritatingly loud footsteps thumping in the hal- wait what the hell!?
“Give it back asshole!!” yelled Rudo. “Nope,” Guita replied, popping the p. “You'll have to catch me first!” she sang.
The pair had been chasing each other over a stolen waffle.
Zanka decided to open his door and investigate. “Hey, what's goin’ on out he–” BANG. An absolute mockery. Just as Zanka was opening the door Rudo slammed straight into it knocking himself down. The door swung back smacking into Zanka, sending the teen crashing into the floor.
“Thanks a lot turd face,now how am I gonna get my waffle?” Rudo grumbled. Guita was well gone by then. “THANKS A LOT!!???, YOU'RE THE ONE WHO RAN INTO THE FUCKIN’ DOOR, IDIOT!!” screeched Zanka as he held his bloody nose.
“What happened here?”It was Riyo. “Zanka, why are you all bloody, you lost a fight with your door or something?”
That was the last straw.
“OH MY GOD CAN YOU GUYS TAKE ANYTHING SERIOUSL—"
“Yo who's waffle is this?”
Enjin picked up the waffle Guita had dropped before getting distracted by a game Dear was playing, took out syrup he just so happened to have in his pocket, drizzled it over the waffle and fucking ate it, all while Zanka and Rudo watched him dumbfounded.
It was like a fire had ignited in Rudo's eyes and he went feral.
“THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT ZANKA!” he screamed as if Zanka had stabbed his adoptive father through the stomach or something.
“HOW IS THIS MY FAULT I LITERALLY JUS’ WOKE UP LIKE TEN MINUTES AGO!?!” yelled Zanka.
“STOP ACTING LIKE THE VICTIM WHEN I'M THE ONE WHO JUST WATCHED MY WAFFLE BE VACUUMED UP BY A BLACK HOLE!”
“I SWEAR, I'LL TAKE YOUR ASSISTSAFF AND SHOVE IT UP YOUR A–”
“WOAH, Rudo I think you've made your point.” Enjin chuckled with the stupidest dad grin ever.
“Look I'm sure Zanka will make up for his sins with one of his waffles.” he reasoned as if he wasn't the one to eat it in the first place.
“Well he better” Rudo snarled.
“I can't even argue at this point.” sighed a defeated Zanka.
“But there ain't no way ima jus’ let ya have it that easy.”
And with that he took off to the mess hall with nothing but a bloody nose and determination.
“H-huh, h-w-WHAT, GET BACK HERE!” cried out Rudo who then proceeded to sprint down the hallway in pursuit of the older teen who was leaving a faint trail of blood in his haste.
The pair noisily sprinted down flights of stairs and hallways eager to get their hands on a delicious fluffy waffle. Their heavy footfalls could be heard throughout the entire building.
Just as Zanka was about to win the race, just as he was outside the doors of the mess hall, when victory was so close he could almost taste the sweetness of a nice warm tasty waffle, Gris opened the door and Zanka got completely floored.
“Oh Rudo wha-” Gris started then got brutally ignored and shoved out of the way by a ferocious sugarholic.
Rudo ran to the table, mouth watering, eyes locked onto the last waffle. He hurriedly scooped up the sweet treat, grabbed the conveniently placed chocolate drizzle, lathered it up and started to messily devour it.
Just then Zanka got up and trudged into the mess hall, head hung in defeat, blood now gushing from his poor nose and so much anger and bitterness he was basically simmering in it.
“Oh, Zanka, what happened to you?”, “And what's with Rudo?” Gris, the mother hen he is asked so kindly, but kindness can only do so much against the wrath of Zanka's annoyance, the deadly malice filled death glare he received was almost enough to send the older man to his grave there and then.
And that's just when Riyo and Enjin decided to waltz in after finally catching up to the two teens.
“Looks like Rudo got to the waffle first.” Riyo commented.
“Ouch, Zanka your nose bleed looks wayyy worse.” remarked an amused Enjin.
“Ohhh that's what they're all worked up over.”Gris sighed then asked “you do know I can just make more waffles right?”
Zanka rubbed his nose with his sleeve “yeah I know bu–”
Rudo paused, this was a lot of information to take in.
“YOU CAN JUST MAKE WAFFLES?!” he shouted, eyes no longer holding that animalistic tint but instead sparkling with wonder and curiosity.
To Rudo, this was a completely foreign concept. When he was on the Sphere there weren't as many scrumptious food options, not to mention both himself and Regto were just horrible cooks… The thought that something so delicious could ‘just be made’ was so strange. Does this mean Gris is some kind of baker prodigy or something?
“Ya went an’ devoured my waffle cause ya thought it was some sacred ground food or sumthin’?” Zanka exhaled slowly, “unbelievable, jus’ unbelievable”
Enjin couldn't help himself “pfftt, BAHAHAH! Y-ya didn't k-know how ta m-make waffles!?” he struggled out gasping between words heaving for breath as tears pricked at the corners of his eyes.
“S-SHUT UP!” Rudo furiously picked up the bottle of chocolate syrup and chucked it at Enjin to get the elder to shut up.
“If I knew you liked my cooking so much I woulda offered ta make you more” Gris laughed out clearly amused by the teens hysterics.
“Can you really?” Rudo asked, unsure of himself.
“Sure I can kiddo” Gris teasingly ruffled Rudo's soft hair.
Gris then proceeded to make extra waffles for the teens while Zanka was getting his nose checked by Eishia, making sure to go through the steps carefully so even someone who fails at making sandwiches like Rudo could understand.
Not too long later the waffles were ready, they were warm and steamy, incredibly fluffy and in the eyes of Rudo, absolute masterpieces.
“So it's really that easy?” a chocolate mouthed Rudo asked in between mouthfuls of pure bliss once him and Zanka were finally content eating at the table.
“Yup,” Gris sang.
“Dang I should really try to make these sometime.” Rudo replied.
(The very next day he was banned from ever entering the kitchen again)