Mean Cuisine
Author's Note: Set immediately after episode 6. I claim first for the Chase x Albert pairing, as well as the first slash fic in the Fighting Foodons fandom! Enjoy the story and R&R.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to or of Fighting Foodons.
Pairing: One-sided Albert x Chase.
Summary:
Albert will do anything to meet his hero, Chef Jack. But until then, he'll have to settle for the closest person: the legendary insurgent's son, Chase.
Rogue waves buffeted the S.S. FoodFight as Albert approached the vessel's mess hall, causing a break in the blond's diligently prepared, cooler than thou poise.
I can't show any sign of weakness!
Stabilizing himself on a cabin door, he querulously pulled himself along the wall the rest of the way. It was the second time today he'd slipped up and made a fool of himself, and despite nobody being around to see his ungraceful dive towards the deck, he couldn't let go of sour grapes.
Until now, he'd been undefeated. Respected. Famous. The boy "everyone loved to love," as the tournament emcee accurately introduced. This competition was supposed to have been a footnote on his quest to becoming an Elite Master Chef. By prevailing over his challenger during the Championship Finals, he would move on to face King Gorge's Big 4, the most feared names in all cookingdom, and make mincemeat out of them, just like his hero, Chef Jack.
Yet the prodigy did not anticipate the debut of a young travelling apprentice named Chase, who blew the lid off expectations and epically ended Albert's winning streak. A single loss in a practice match! That's all it took for Chase to re-evaluate and adapt his style, then fricassee Albert's three-course Foodon lineup of Cowboyritto, Spaghettabout-It, and Crab Quake.
Who was this side dish? This loser creator of inutile Burnt Meatballs, with an unruly penchant for yelling "The kitchen is open!" in the middle of the night, while everybody aboard the ship tried to get some shut-eye?
Chef Jack is also my father! Chase's voice reverberated in Albert's mind.
Unbelievable! Life was either conferring the greatest benediction, giving Albert the opportunity to be closer to his idol via his son, or unconscionably rotten, making him eat humble pie.
Between these servings, it was obvious both orders were up; otherwise, he wouldn't be heading to meet his new team member.
Chase was flipping diced carrots when Albert came in. He wok'd like a zombie. Used cutting boards, steak knives, chopped rutabaga, and unfinished entrées cluttered the kitchen countertops.
"Don't you ever sleep?"
"Can't sleep! Gotta train!"
Avast! A fleeting incarnation of his culinary god! Albert leaned over the stove, taking a whiff of Chase's two-coloured hair.
"What are you doing?" Chase shuddered nervously.
"This must be what Chef Jack's hair smells like! How fabulous!"
Chase unhitched the frying pan off his back, whapping it across Albert's pretty boy mug.
"Ouch! Stop being jerky, buddy!"
"Me? You're the one acting weird! I oughta drop you in the deep fryer!"
"Oh, put a crust on it! It's not like I took a bite out of you or anything!"
"You have issues."
Albert considered replying "You have answers," but decided against it. Chase still had his frying pan handy.
"Could you at least ask your dad to sign autographs for me and a few hundred friends when you see him next?"
He's bananas! I think I preferred Albert when he looked down on me!
Avoiding his posse's latest addition's advances, Chase rechannelled his efforts into his work. "Tomorrow is the elimination round! I have to be ready!"
"This isn't Clawdia we're talking about here!" Albert muted his fanboying. "Beating the Big 4 is gonna require more than Fried Ricer and Hot Doggone-It! Regular Power Toppings and the same staple Meal Tickets won't cut the mustard!"
"Piece of cake! Not to put the MAC Cart before the horse, but with Kayla, Pie Tin, Oslo, Omelet, and Sir Dumpling on my side, I'll send the Gluttons straight to the garbage disposal!"
Such confidence in himself, his sister, half-pint companion, sorcerer mentor, and their Foodons! Was that the radical spirit Chef Jack roused inspiring the Rebel Chefs?
"So…" Albert interrupted Chase's outburst.
"Hmm?"
"About those autographs!"