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This late shift was his preference really. Vance preferred the quiet, and there was plenty to clean up even if there were only a few orders coming in. Counters to wipe down, floors to sweep and mop, the pots and pans that it had been too busy to properly clean during the bigger rush of dinner and dessert crowds. While some might complain about having to clean up, especially when it technically should have been the previous shift's job, Vance didn't mind. The work was soothing, and it wasn't as though he were overwhelmed with dishes and cookware to wash at this hour.

Vance ran the dishrag over the counter top, methodically scrubbing at the stains from a busy day of rushed orders. The sleeves of his clean, white shirt were rolled up past his elbows, and the apron he wore was barely spotted at all. He liked to keep things neat and clean. It wasn't a difficult task, just one a lot of people were too lazy and disgusting to bother accomplishing. Washing dishes at the always-open Benny's restaurant was not a dream job, and there were other things he would have preferred to do with his time, but this job wasn't a bad one. He did like it. It was quiet and people seldom bothered him, in fact, he was generally expected to keep to himself and keep busy. Being busy was good, being left alone was better, and the hours he kept worked well to give him time to take care of things at home.

With one final run of the cloth, Vance felt that the counter had been satisfactorily cleaned. It didn't matter that the customers never saw inside the kitchen, he wouldn't have wanted to eat anything prepared in a messy place whether he knew about the mess or not. It was only sanitary to make sure everything was spick and span, as the saying went. He was fairly certain that it meant perfectly clean, from the way his mother used to use it, but where sayings came from wasn't something he cared about enough to ask someone at random.

He brought the cloth back over to the sink, rinsing it in the lukewarm water before turning his attention to the handful of coffee mugs that had found their way into the kitchen while he was wiping counters. There were plenty more of them in the cabinets, but there really was no reason to let them sit and get crusty. Grabbing a bit more soap, Vance turned his attention to the dishes once again.

The bell's jingle wasn't usual for this hour, but occasionally things happened. Vance ignored it, but he did eventually cringe slightly when it jangled and clanged a few more times. Cripes, they had a crowd. Well, that wasn't his problem, just meant more dishes to clean in an hour or so. No big deal, but he had better keep up the pace if he didn't want to be behind come the end of his shift. He liked to leave the kitchen perfectly clean when he was done.

He proceeded to tune out the rest of what was happening, instead tackling some of the larger pots and pans that had been left over from earlier. A big group would probably need a whole lot of something, so it was better to get the big stuff done first in case it was needed. Vance managed to continue to ignore the goings on, sidestepping briefly out of the way of the servers as the pair came to grab glasses and mugs, right up until Lex called his name. It took him a few seconds to go back and remember what it was the blonde server had said, and then his previously mildly tired expression narrowed into a scowl.

What.

What.

“No,” Vance replied, his tone calm and even. “That would fall under your job description. I do my job, you do your job. Unless you have a sudden desire to clean out the grease traps don't try to switch things up.” Still calm. It might even pass for polite, but it slid a little closer to condescension than Vance had really intended. He just wanted to get his point across was all. He was not going to be dealing with those people and he had a valid and respectable reason. Several reasons actually, the primary being he didn't like people to begin with, but none of those were as likely to go over quite so well as explaining that it was not his job. Lex probably didn't want to wash the dishes any more than Vance wanted to go smile and make nice and play the good doggie in hopes of getting a treat tip.

Seriously?

“You're an a**,” Vance informed Lex as he dried his hands, his tone still calm and pitched low. There was no mistaking that Lex had been intended to hear it, Vance didn't mutter, but it was unlikely that anyone else might have caught it. He doubted there was much in the way of tips on this shift, but if Lex was already threatening with that Vance wasn't interested in arguing with him over this. It would be less of a nuisance to just do it than to have to deal with Lex prodding him about it all night.

As annoyed as his stiff posture promised he was, Vance's hands were still careful as he picked up the tray of waters. He was irritated, yes, but that didn't mean he was going to start smashing dishes or anything. A brief glance from the tray to the table indicated that there were fewer waters than patrons, and he had no idea who ordered anything. What he did know was that they were all being loud, and even before he had to say anything the lot was grating on his nerves.

“Waters for whoever wanted 'em,” he managed to say neutrally, carefully moving the drinks off the tray and onto the table. “Rest should be out soon.” He ignored the complaint that one of their customers' had regarding the drink being too far away, but did make a valiant effort to catch the glass knocked over by the person sitting next to them. He managed to not let the thing break, but now there was water all over the table. Right then. He'd just let Lex know more napkins would be needed. Probably a whole lot of them before the night was over. Taking the half-rescued glass Vance turned to go and do just that as another complaint reached his ears, this time regarding the service at this place. “Yep,” he told the man who'd said it 'sucked' mildly as he walked away. After all, if the server didn't 'suck' he wouldn't have someone else doing his job now would he?

“Spill,” Vance told Lex as he came back into the kitchen. “That table probably needs extra napkins anyway.”

“They knocked it... whatever,” Vance snapped, gritting his teeth for a second before exhaling through his nose and moving to add the glass to the dirty dishes. He'd caught it at the rim, and while his hands had been in soapy water most of the night he'd still rather it was properly cleaned. No one ever complained of dirty spots when he was on- “Hey!” Vance yelped, whirling to glare at Lex's back. It was difficult to swallow the rest of that sentence, but he managed it. Either Lex was stupidly clumsy, or the blonde had just tried to trip him. Seriously?!

He did not slam the glass into the sink, even though he rather wanted to. Instead, he tried to focus on washing the grit and grime off of things. Relax. It was soothing, it was supposed to be soothing, wash away the bad feelings and leave everything shiny and like new.

Unfortunately, Vance had only just relaxed back into the rhythm of things when Lex's voice jarred him from his mild state again. He continued for a moment as the other man snarled about getting the table water, and then had an abrupt and annoyed realization. There wasn't anyone else back here. Vance swore, wiping the soapy water off his hands and digging in the cabinet for a pair of pitchers. He'd just bring a whole lot of water out, that should save a few trips. They could pour their own glasses, Lex had probably brought them the napkins by now anyway.

“There ya go, plenty of water,” he told the table as he set them down, one on each side of the mash of tables, and left without another word. There, they were even spaced out to be mostly in reach of everyone. You're welcome Lex. And with that he should be left alone for a while to do his freaking job that he picked because he didn't want to be a server!

Vance shot Lex a venomous glare at his comment but said nothing. There wasn't really anything appropriate to say, and while snarling at Lex might make him feel slightly better there was the risk that it would encourage Lex to keep talking to or at him. It just wasn't worth the trade off. Or at least, it wasn't before he saw the blonde head outside.

He knew it would probably be smarter to just keep his mouth shut and quietly do his job, he'd already considered the pros and cons and he knew better. Nevermind about Lex slacking off.  Both hard work and laziness had their own rewards, it shouldn't be his problem if Lex wanted to loaf around and wound up fired or something.  But it seemed like Lex was making it Vance's problem, namely by making Vance pick up his slack.  Where was the other server, what was his name, Jeremy?  Did his shift end?  Not that Jeremy really needed to do Lex's work for him either, but at least Jeremy was a server too. Jeremy had signed up for this job. Vance had very carefully insisted that he did not want to be a server.

"Are you serious?" Vance snarled out the door at Lex, only half aware of his decision to do so. He knew he'd only prolong the conversation by talking again, but he was just fed up enough with everything, tonight included, to just go ahead and let it continue. "You needed help doing your job so you could come out here and smoke?" Not only was it a totally disgusting habit, Lex's having someone else do his job for him so he could indulge in it was bringing Vance's opinion of people in general to a whole new low.  Especially Lex.  He didn't need to be sent to do someone else's job! Nor did he appreciate the threats if he didn't help, it wasn't as though the money to be had washing dishes was amazing and even if it was a slow night being tipped out would still be a big help.

So yes. Wiser to keep his sour temper to himself and just sort everything out quietly. But he didn't feel like being 'wise' right now, he felt like making Lex leave him be for good.

kyrieko

Just so you know, I didn't miss the 'thanks', Vance did.

What the heck was that sound at his- dog.

Big big dog. Holy sh...

Vance tensed and went very still as Tiberius sniffed him, the alarm in his expression very rapidly twisting into a furious glare directed at Lex. For the blonde to be this nonchalant about a beast like this wandering around meant odds were good it belonged to him. Why did he bring his pet to work? It didn't even have a lead or anything! And it was too close, it was way too close. Vance didn't move as Lex spoke, hearing the other's words through the sudden speed of his heart in his ears. For a wild moment he almost thought the dog might go after him for snarling at Lex, its ears had gone back, but then it walked away and left Vance feeling slightly shaky and deeply pissed. He'd started out annoyed and determined to keep Lex from bothering him, and now he was flat-out angry with the other man and his dog too for that matter.

“I'm not a server. I don't want to be a server,” Vance hissed as Lex brushed past him to go back inside. He turned to follow back to the kitchen, glad to get a door between himself and Lex's freaking monster-dog. “If you keep needing help from the dishwasher so you can grab a cigarette break I can't imagine you'll be a server much longer,” he added caustically as he returned to his job. Which he did. By himself. Properly. He didn't want any interruptions, he wanted to be left alone to do it. Lex had pushed him and threatened him and Vance didn't appreciate it. He also didn't like that dog getting so close to him, ears laid back, and Lex not doing a thing but filling the air with his noxious habit. He didn't want to stop snarling at Lex now, but he did want the server to leave him alone slightly more than he wanted to hit something for his being so startled. He didn't like dogs...

Grabbing one of the dirty dishes, he scrubbed it hard, scowling angrily into the sudsy water as he did. Tonight should have been boring. His job was supposed to be boring and quiet.

Kyrieko

It's fine Kyrie, you know how slow I can be >.>;

Vance had started out annoyed at being pestered, he didn't like to be bothered.  He didn't like to talk to other people.  He wanted to be left alone, he'd chosen a 'career' that ensured he had minimal conversation with anyone else.  Lex's insisting that he help do the blonde's job had started out annoying, especially as Lex had quickly threatened not to tip him out as a means of making Vance do it.  Then the smoke break after he was 'overwhelmed' enough to require aid, followed by that dog... Now Vance was convinced Lex was just trying to give him a hard time.  Why he wasn't entirely sure, probably revenge for snapping at him at some point.  But why else would the server demand Vance help again imediately after what had just happened?

Looking back at the tray loaded up on the counter, Vance was briefly tempted to walk out and then flat-out drop the tray. Maybe it would finally get through to Lex to stop bothering him to do things. He could always say it was an accident. Or maybe he could just not do what the blonde was telling him. That could be an option, technically. Dropping the tray wasn't though, not really. It was the cook who would be most put out, not Lex. Wiping his wet hands on his apron, Vance picked up the tray as he'd been instructed to, since when did Lex have that authority, and walked out of the kitchen in stony silence.

The look he gave Lex spoke volumes in bloody, violent murder but he kept his mouth shut.  Vance did not smash the tray, though he did place it a little too roughly on a neighboring table.  A few things jostled and there might have been a few drips but nothing spilled or broke. He didn't look at anyone else or say anything, instead turning stiffly and walking back into the kitchen and out of sight.  Even as angry as he was at Lex, Vance knew better than to snarl at customers.  Or yell at someone in front of them.  Or curse.  But even though he knew better, he didn't quite trust his temper right now.  Better to leave. Maybe he was getting too heated up over this, but Lex just wouldn't freaking quit. Vance wasn't buying happenstance anymore, and he was not going to let Lex, or anyone else, push him around.