Flashback If You Play With Fire (Part 1)

[Orion Michaels]

70th Day of Summer, 507 AV Rearing Stallion 5th Bell Another early day in the back of the Rearing Stallion, another day making food for the masses. Orion was a relatively new employee at the location, only there thanks to Lyla and her enthusiastic recommendation. They were quite confused that a doctor would want to come work as a cook, but they weren't going to argue with Lyla when she was so adamant about bringing him on. Orion was enjoying his new work, spending each day with Lyla and free from his father's control. He was by no means an amazing cook, but he hadn't started a fire, and as far as Orion was concerned, that was a victory. Cooking was somewhat therapeutic for the young man. It was only him, the food, the cutlery, and a rather noisy head chef. Peace at last. "Ri-Ri," Lyla said, calling out for him by her favored name. Orion had found it to be one thing to have pet names in private. The looks he received from his fellow chefs let him know quite obviously that it was another thing all together to share them in public. The jokes always waited until the beautiful barmaid was out of sight and earshot, but when that happened, the teasing 'Ri-Ri's sang out through out the bar. He didn't really mind, though. It wasn't like he wouldn't bust on them given the chance. "Have a good day at work. I'll see you around, so make some scrumptious food for our customers, 'kay!" The blue eyed girl leaned up on her tip toes to give Orion a peck on the check before turning and slowly making her way out of the kitchen. The young woman paused at the door, glancing back over her shoulder to give Orion one last grin before disappearing from sight. Everything had been so much better since he'd moved out with her. The stresses, the expectations, they were all gone. It was somewhat amusing, though. He was always showing up to work for his father at this same time, but it still felt so very different. He was here because he wanted to be, not because he was obligated to by family. He had freedom, and for the first time in his life he was making his own choices. It was all so.. "Ri-Ri~" There it was. "Make us a scrumptious meal, Ri-Ri~." One of his co workers couldn't wait a moment longer to bring on the mocking tones. "Go petch yourself," Orion laughed, making his way over to the prep table. They would be making a dish Orion quite enjoyed as their main breakfast food. Fried everything. Potatoes, green and red peppers, onions, spices, meats, and eggs. To top it off, the meal was to bebe smothered with gravy, too. If he didn't mind looking like Kale Belmont, he could eat it every day for the rest of his considerably shortened life. Not wanting to weigh four hundred pounds was certainly an effective deterrent. They were shorthanded that day, so Orion was being called upon to do more of the prep work than was the norm. "Orion, start with the potatoes, I'll go and take care of Lyla, I mean, I'll make sure everything is in order out front." Raul was a childish man. He had a thing for Lyla and he was less than enthused when Orion made his appearance. He was mostly harmless, but it could get annoying. "Go ahead and keep proving that you've been rendered obsolete. May when they fire you they'll tack part of your salary onto mine." Orion shook his head, turning his gaze from the man after his retort. Raul wasn't a friend, and he was certainly not a rival. What he was, was stupid. At least the man could cook. When he wasn't messing with Orion or chasing Lyla, of course. Orion faced the stack of potatoes, taking the first of what was to be many diced up foods. The prep work was the worst part, well, after cleaning up, naturally, but it allowed for him to enjoy the actual cooking of the food. Orion gave the spud a dunk in a barrel of water and picked up a scrub brush with his free hand. He then took the starchy vegetable and began to give it a good cleaning. No one wanted their food to taste like dirt after all. Up and down he ran the bristles, removing any impurities he could find on its surface. Once he was satisfied, he set it aside and grabbed another. It was tedious work, but it was something which had to be done. If he was going to do this job, he was going to have to do it right. The young cook spent a good fifteen chimes making sure they were clean before moving onto his next step. The rest of the vegetables were simple enough. All they required was a quick cleaning in the water. They weren't as dirty as the potatoes, so all that was needed was a quick dip and then onto the next one. Again and again he dunked the various vegetables, and thankfully, it wouldn't take him nearly as long as the potatoes had. With piles of clean food before him, and no Raul to be found, Orion could finally begin to practice his knife work, an area in which he needed to spend lots of time.