Commission for @virusdotsneeze for some Limbus Company pepper action.
*ALL CHARACTERS WRITTEN ARE DEPICTED AS 18+ Y/O. DO NOT USE THIS STORY FOR ANY AI TRAINING*
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“So…we have a kitchen now.”
“When the fuck did that happen?”
The question came barely even a moment after Dante finished their statement. Ellie’s tone drew the attention of Rodya who was also nearby and looked just as curious if not a tad more so.
“I don’t really know, but it’s there. I guess this bus just decided we needed one,” Dante replied.
“Are we ever gonna learn whether there’s a rhyme or reason as to how the backdoors in this place work?” Ellie wondered aloud.
“I think it’s better not to think about it, Ellie,” Rodya said as she got up and looked to Dante. “I assume there’s a reason you’re telling this to the two of us.”
“I am,” Dante nodded. “You know that all sinners have been trying our hands at cooking.”
“Yeah, and it’s been one plate of steaming shit after the next,” Ellie commented.
Dante just ignored her and kept talking.
“We’ve been on a rotation in the kitchen when it comes to meal prep. Today is yours and Ellie’s day to cook dinner, Rodya.”
Rodya’s eyes just widened and Ellie shot right the fuck up out of her seat and crossed her arms to form an X.
“No! No way! Uh-uh! Do not let this bitch anywhere near a kitchen!”
“Don’t ‘hey’ me! I’m pretty sure my nose still has some pepper lodged up it from the last time I was in there with you!”
“Regardless,” Dante drew back their attention. “,of what happened last time, dinner tonight is both of yours’ responsibility. The steaks you will be preparing are waiting for you.”
The clock-headed being gestured for the two girls to follow behind him, which they did, though Ellie was obviously hesitant. Rodya looked calm and cool like usual as they traversed the corridor of the bus and stopped at one of the many doors. Dante opened up, and lo and behold, there was indeed a kitchen, a pretty damn quality one too. This kitchen looked like it belonged in the back of a five star restaurant if the look of the appliances were anything to go by. There were knives, tongs, spatulas, thermometers, and then some. In the middle of the kitchen was a small island with a spice rack on the side, and sitting in the middle of it were the steaks Dante spoke of on their own individual plates.
Ellie walked in and took a closer look at the steaks, taking a sniff of them and noting their not so red color.
“Where did you get these things? The convenience store?”
Dante just sighed at Ellie for what felt like the millionth time. Yay. Another milestone not worth celebrating.
“I know not where they came from,” Dante answered. “All I know is the job to prepare them lies with you and Rodya tonight.”
“Not a problem,” Rodya took off her coat and hung it by the door before entering the kitchen proper and rolling up her sleeves. “The quality of the meat is only half of the work anyway. The other half is the proper marinate and seasoning.”
Ellie immediately stepped away from the island, much to Rodya’s annoyance.
“Let it go? Bitch, Donnie was sneezing for two days after that happened! Hell, just saying the word ‘pepper’ set her off!”
“And how would you know that?”
Ellie just flashed a shit eating grin.
“Because I followed her around saying it. A lot. It was hilarious watching her sneeze and blow her nose over and over again.”
“Of course it was,” Rodya sighed. “I promise it won’t happen again. Now can we please just get started? Looking at these things is making me hungry.”
“Looking at crappy convenience store steak makes you hungry? Damn, I didn’t know you craved meat that badly.”
After a swift bop on the head with a wooden spoon, Ellie promptly shut up and began doing as she was told, helping Rodya in the kitchen. As they two began tenderizing the steaks and adding in butter, herbs, and oils to give the meat flavor, the scent of it all mixing together began to permeate the room. Rodya was nearly drooling while Ellie looked like she was doing her damndest to hold back a compliment. As Ellie began to mince some garlic cloves, Rodya picked up a plate that held the thickest cut steak of the bunch.
“Dibs. I’m calling dibs on this one,” Rodya said with a bit of impatience in her voice.
“Hey, you can’t do that!” Ellie shouted with a knife still in her hand.
Rodya set the plate down and before Ellie or Dante could say anything else, Rodya reached for the spice rack and grabbed the black pepper shaker.
“Oh fuck no! Don’t you do it!”
Ellie’s warning went ignored and Rodya began shaking generous amounts of the black spice onto the steak she claimed.
And then the metal end of the shaker fell off the body of it entirely with a shake too rough.
A plume of black dust enveloped the air around the island and Rodya nor Ellie were fast enough to get clear of it before they breathed it in. Dante sighed as they prepared for what was inevitably going to be a repeat performance. They watched as the pepper flowed into their nostrils, which made all four of them immediately flare and wrinkle. Ellie’s eyes slammed shut and tears leaked as she tried to wave the spicy dust away from her face but it was all for naught now. Rodya didn’t move, as if resigning herself to her fate. Her eyes slowly fluttered shut and her chest heaved as she began to take in more air.
“Hhhhhhaaaaaahh……hhhhhh……..hhhhhhhaaaa….hah-TCHIAAAAHHH!!”
The first big sneeze from Rodya blew the cloud of pepper away from her face and mostly over to Ellie’s completely by accident.
“ACK! Rodya you fuckin dipshit! I’m gonna ah….I’m gonna….oh…f-fuckin…aahh…..g-gimme a minute! Hehtchu! HehTCUH! TCHUH!”
Three rapid sneezes did the trick of cleaning the air of the black clouds, unfortunately that did nothing to quell the work the grains of pepper already up the two girls' noses were doing.
“HAHTCHIAAAAH! Huh…..haah….o-one more….HATCHUIAAAAAHH!!!”
That third sneeze caused Rodya to double over and put her hands to her knees. As she stood back up straight, she sniffled hard and sucked the drip of snot leaking from her nostrils back in. Dante could swear they saw a few black specks in that snot drip, but they said nothing.
“Tchuh! HUHTCHUH! Huh…hu-huh…HUTCHUH!....*sniff*...ugh….Rodya?”
Rodya didn’t retort after that nor did Dante say anything afterwards. The clock faced being just walked forward and offered the two some tissues which they generously took.
“At least you both managed to aim your noses away from the food,” they commented. “These are the last two steaks we have after all. I’m sure everyone would hate if they were coated in your snot.”
After they blew their noses and threw away the sodden cloths, the two girls got right back to work prepping dinner. Ellie was giving Rodya the stinkeye the whole time and banned her from ever picking up a bottle of any type of spice ever again. Eventually the steaks were finished and served to the rest of the sinners.
Every one of them could note how the taste of pepper stinging their throats was exceptionally stronger than normal. Dante said nothing.
