Rise Of The Rightful Heir

A Taste Of Triumph

Laxus entered the kitchen and saw Drake sitting with his legs crossed, clearly ignoring the work that needed to be done. Laxus frowned slightly but decided to focus on his own tasks. He grabbed the ingredients and began prepping for the busy day ahead.

“Hey, Drake,” Laxus greeted, trying to keep things civil. Drake, however, didn’t respond. His eyes followed Laxus, but he made no move to help. Laxus sighed but kept working, arranging everything for the dishes they needed to prepare.

After a few minutes of silence, Laxus glanced at Drake again. ""You're going to help? We’ve got a lot to do before noon, and there’s no way I can handle all this alone.""

Drake leaned back in his chair, his expression unbothered. ""I’ll help when I’m ready. Stop trying to boss me around.""

“I’m not trying to boss you,” Laxus replied calmly. ""I just think we should get started before the rush hits. We’ve got the company staff coming in soon.""

Drake scoffed. ""You love to work hard, don’t you? Go ahead, do everything yourself, since that’s what you’re good at.""

Laxus didn’t respond. He knew Drake was trying to provoke him, to push him into an argument or worse. But Laxus wasn’t going to give him that satisfaction. He continued chopping vegetables, trying to focus on the task at hand.

A few moments later, Henry walked into the kitchen, the heavy door swinging behind him with a soft thud. Drake, who had been leaning against the prep table, immediately stood up. He moved to the counter, grabbing a knife and some vegetables, pretending to be busy. His movements were quick and slightly erratic as he chopped, clearly trying to avoid any interaction. Laxus, sitting by the sink with a towel in hand, noticed but didn’t say anything. The irony of Drake’s sudden diligence wasn’t lost on him. He smirked quietly but kept his focus on cleaning a set of pots.

""Great work, guys! I can already smell the food from out front,"" Henry said, his voice cheerful as ever. He walked in with a broad grin, completely oblivious to the tension hanging in the room. He slapped both Drake and Laxus on the back in his usual friendly manner, though the force was enough to make Drake’s knife slip a little. Drake quickly corrected himself, giving a nervous chuckle, while Laxus simply nodded.

"Keep it up!" Henry added before heading back out, whistling a tune as he disappeared through the door.

Once Henry was gone, the kitchen fell back into its familiar silence. The only sounds were the faint hum of the overhead lights and the clatter of utensils as Drake continued to slice. Laxus resumed scrubbing the pots at a slow, methodical pace. Nessy, the restaurant’s head server, popped in occasionally, her sharp eyes checking the orders lined up on the counter as customers started coming in. She gave quick glances around, nodding in approval before darting back out to the front.

Despite the steady stream of customers, the real test was still ahead. The company group, a large party of twenty, would arrive by one. The pressure hung in the air, unspoken but heavy, as both Drake and Laxus knew the rush was only just beginning. The calm before the storm was almost over.

Laxus glanced at the clock. It was noon. He finished up the side dishes, satisfied with how they turned out. Now, all that was left was the new burger recipe. He started assembling the ingredients when Drake suddenly spoke up.

“What are you doing?” Drake asked, his voice cold.

“It’s the new burger recipe I talked about,” Laxus explained. “Henry gave me the go-ahead to try it out today.”

“New recipe?” Drake sneered. ""Why mess with what works? People like the way we do things now. You’re just trying to impress my dad with this nonsense.""

Laxus sighed. ""It’s not about impressing anyone, Drake. It’s just a new idea. Something fresh.""

Drake’s eyes narrowed. ""You think you can just walk in here and start changing things? This is my restaurant. You don’t get to decide what’s on the menu.""

“I’m not trying to change anything,” Laxus said. “I just want to give the customers something new to enjoy.”

Before Drake could respond, Nessy walked in, having overheard their argument. “What’s going on?” she asked, looking between the two of them. “I’ve been calling you guys for a while now, but you’re both too busy arguing.”

“We’re not arguing,” Laxus said quickly.

Nessy raised an eyebrow. ""It sounded like arguing. Look, we’ve got customers to serve. We should focus on that.""

She paused, glancing at the new dish Laxus was working on. ""Actually, I think Laxus’s right. It wouldn’t hurt to try something new. If it doesn’t work, we’ll go back to the old recipe. But the variety is good. People get bored with the same thing all the time.""

Drake rolled his eyes but didn’t say anything. Nessy smiled at Laxus and then turned back to Drake. ""Let’s just finish this up, okay? The big clients will be here soon, and we need to be ready.""

Laxus nodded, grateful for Nessy’s support. “We’re almost done,” he said. “Just a few more things to prep.”

Nessy smiled again. ""Great. Let me know if you need help.""

“We’re good,” Laxus replied. He didn’t want to involve her too much since she wasn’t experienced in the kitchen yet. “Thanks, though.”

As she left, Drake muttered under his breath, “You’re really something, you know that?”

Laxus ignored the comment. He knew Drake was bitter, but he wasn’t going to let it ruin the day. Instead, he focused on finishing the meal, determined to show that his new recipe could be a success.

Just then, Henry’s voice called from the front, “It’s time!”

Laxus glanced at Drake. “Let’s get this done, okay?”

Drake didn’t respond, but he grudgingly joined Laxus at the counter as they prepared for the rush.

As soon as Henry announced the arrival of their important guests, Nessy left the kitchen and rushed to the front of the restaurant. She needed to prepare for her role as the host, making sure everything was in order for their distinguished clients.

Meanwhile, Drake remained in the kitchen, still fuming. He looked at Laxus, who was working diligently. With a harsh tone, Drake barked, "Pass me the napkins!" His eyes were locked onto the serviette near Laxus, barely concealing his anger.

Laxus handed it over without a word, sensing Drake’s frustration. Drake yanked it from his hand with an irritated glare. "You won today," he muttered under his breath. ""But don't think you'll keep getting your way. I make the rules around here, not you.""

Laxus didn't respond. He had already done most of the work in the kitchen, and it was clear that Drake wasn’t interested in contributing. Instead, he focused on finishing the last of the preparations. With everything neatly arranged, Laxus whispered to himself, "Time to get this out there."

Just then, Nessy reappeared in the kitchen. "Laxus, I need these orders," she said, holding up a list for the guests.

"Are they here already?" he asked, feeling a wave of nervousness. Even though he was confident in the food he had prepared, the thought of serving it to such important clients made him uneasy.

""Yes, they’re seated and waiting. And trust me, they’ll love what you’ve made."" Nessy smiled at him before heading back out. "I'll come back for the food in a few minutes."

Laxus nodded and quickly started plating the dishes. He knew the presentation had to be perfect.

As he worked, Nessy’s words echoed in his mind, but he couldn’t shake the thought that Drake should be helping. "Drake should be here," he muttered to himself.

But Drake was nowhere to be found, likely cooling off in the dining area, pretending to be busy. Laxus decided he would finish everything himself and join the others in the dining room once the food was served. 

Out in the restaurant, the company staff had already filled three large tables. Nessy expertly handled the orders, her experience as a former waitress showing in her confident demeanor. She smiled at every guest, taking their orders and making sure they were comfortable. Her goal was to make them feel like royalty. The more satisfied they were, the better it would be for the restaurant’s reputation.

Drake, despite his earlier mood, was now at one of the tables, putting on a professional smile for the guests. His ability to switch between his personal frustrations and his public expression always amazed Nessy. But she knew it was just part of the job everyone had to play their part when it came to customer service.

Laxus eventually joined them, carrying out plates of food. The other staff seemed relieved to have the extra help. As the dishes were served, the clients began to smile and nod approvingly, clearly impressed with the flavors. Laxus couldn’t help but feel proud. His hard work was paying off.

As he moved between tables, he felt someone’s gaze on him. When he turned, he caught Nessy looking at him with a bright smile. He quickly looked away, focusing on the task at hand. He didn’t have time to get distracted now, especially with the boss watching.

By the time the company finished their meal, their compliments were flowing. "The food was amazing," one of the clients said, praising the new recipe Laxus had introduced.

Henry beamed with pride. He was unaware of the earlier tension between Laxus and Drake in the kitchen, but was pleased with how everything had turned out. The clients were satisfied, and that was all that mattered. After the guests left, he gathered everyone together.

"Well done, everyone!" Henry said, grinning widely. ""You all did an excellent job today. Nessy, you were fantastic with the customers.""

"Thank you, sir," Nessy said, her face glowing with pride.

Henry turned to Laxus and Drake. ""And our chefs' brilliant work. Laxus, your new recipe was a hit. I’m glad we decided to add it to the menu. Drake, I’m sure you’ll pick it up quickly so both of you can run the kitchen together smoothly.""

Drake clenched his jaw but said nothing, clearly still upset about Laxus’s success.

"And finally," Henry said with a dramatic pause, "tips for everyone!"

The room erupted in cheers, and for a moment, the tension between Laxus and Drake was forgotten as the team celebrated their success.