Working in the kitchen during actual business hours was intense! Zachary had worked at random fast food restaurants when he was a little younger, but nothing compared to a fully functioning restaurant and bar. The drink glasses were taking a good amount of time, but each time he'd get those clean a load of dishes would come through. He wouldn't complain though, because he was getting paid and even though David bossed him around left and right, what he was told to do was simple and completed in a timely manner.

"Take ten, kid." David said as he finished wit a particularly large order. Zachary smiled and nodded, tossing his dish washing gloves aside and grabbing the plate David had made him while working on the big order. Yeah, he was using one of his free weekly meals already, but Xena said she would need him till early morning to help with cleaning the glasses at the bar, so he couldn't afford to be hungry and accidentally break any of the glass as he washed it.

Grabbing the big plate of chicken Parmesan, he sidled his way up onto a stool left in the kitchen specifically for quick food breaks. He was highly enjoying his, too. "You are a god cook!" Zachary said after finishing a mouthful of chicken.

"Finally someone who understands that I'm too awesome for this mortal realm."

Zachary chuckled along with David as he continued to work on his food. For the next five minutes that's all he was focused on, loving the flavors, and of course, filling his belly. He'd only asked for a half-portion, as he didn't want to accidentally forget his leftovers if he wasn't able to eat everything right away. Wasting food was definitely not okay. When he was just about finished the door to the kitchen swung open, drawing their attention to it. Zachary wasn't sure who the man was that came in, but after a quick glance toward David, he immediately realized who it likely was.

The large man, dressed in head-to-toe black leather, strode right over to David with a sinister smirk on his face. Before either of them could even get a word out the guy was fisting his hands in David's short hair. Judging from the look on David's face, he wasn't interested in the pain, even though the man now claiming his mouth didn't seem to care. What really worried Zachary though, was the flailing of David's hands as he tried to gain purchase somewhere. He's going to burn himself with the things on the stove!

Knowing that he wouldn't be of any use in the situation, considering the guy was easy twice his size, Zach bolted for the door and into a horde of people milling about. The main diners that came for dinner were already heading out or getting ready to party, so he had to be careful and dodge around person after person until he squeezed his way free of the crowd over by the entrance.

"George!"

The large, surly man turned his attention to Zachary with a slightly raised brow. "Yes, Zachary?"

"There's someone in the kitchen bothering David." He stammered out hurriedly, knowing that George didn't have much patience when it came to holding conversations.

"That is his dominant that just came in, Zachary. They are together and he enjoys being bothered."

With that George turned and began checking ID's again, but Zach knew he couldn't just let it go. "Please George, just go check! David didn't look happy when the guy grabbed his hair and his arms were flailing and he nearly grabbed the hot pans several times!"

Visually getting frustrated, George checked three more ID's before turning to Zachary with a glare. "Fine." He looked behind him and motioned for someone. A young guy who was carrying a platter of empty glasses hurried over. George took the tray and nodded to the line waiting just outside. "Check ID's. I'll be right back."

The guy seemed surprised, but didn't dare argue with the hulking man as he took his spot just outside and began working. That left George to stomp his way through the swarm of people he so highly detested most nights, Zachary hot on his heels. He wasn't a people person. He was a 'get the hell out of my face' person. Which made him perfect for his bouncer job. Pushing into the kitchen doors was a relief to the thundering music and sweaty bodies inside, but what he saw was not what he'd expected. Domino grabbing at David was expected, but when George lowered his gaze to the smaller guy's pant leg, noting the pot already spilled on the floor, he knew that this had already gone too far.

"Domino, leave, or I will make you. You have worn out your welcome for the night."

Both him and David looked up, and the pain on the smaller man's face hurt Zachary's heart. His entire face was red and sweat beaded on his brow, telling him that he was likely hurt, and not in a pleasurable way.

"What are you talking about? He's my submissive and he loves pain. All I'm doing is getting him ready for later tonight."

George remained standing tall, not even bothering to bat an eyelash at the man's words. "I could care less what the two of you do after closing, but because it is affecting his work, you need to leave, now."

Zachary held his breath, watching as David's face got paler and paler. He's really hurt.

"Tsk, fine! I'll be back to pick him up the second his shift ends." Domino growled before shoving David as he turned and left, not even realizing, or at least caring, that his boyfriend fell to the floor. Zach began to run toward him but George cut him off, grabbing his hand as he fished his phone out with the other and dialed. "Hello Xena? Yeah, we've had an accident in the kitchen and I need to take David to the hospital. He'll be fine, but I need someone to cover for him for the rest of the night. Dinner service should be over any minute now so just someone who can do apps will be fine."

There was a mumble on the other end, then he hung up and shoved the phone back in his pocket, releasing Zachary at the same time. "Go work on the dishes. You fluttering around him won't help. Save Xena's ass tonight and get those glasses and plates clean so that she can be sure the overnight crowd gets what they order fast."

"Oh, right! I'm on it!"

Dammit all. Resigned to a night of babysitting, George grabbed David and hurried out the door, holding him whether he liked it or not. Either way, the guy seemed to be in too much pain to really bother with words anyways. Good.

After getting him situated in his black Honda, George slid into the driver's side and sped toward the hospital ten blocks away. He could tell that David was trying to hold back cries of pain, and he was grateful. He didn't do tears, and he sure as hell didn't do comfort. When he pulled into the parking lot he wasted no time in getting David back out of the car, then carried him right into the emergency room.

"W-wait," David begged in a hushed tone... which George ignored. The emergency room was thankfully quiet so he had no trouble getting a room and the promise of a doctor within a few minutes.

"George, please, I need to go!"

Can't you just go back to being quietly in pain?

"No, you need to be seen by a doctor. Unless you forgot, you just had boiling water dumped on your leg."

He was going to dismiss anything else the guy said, but then he noticed him trying to hide something in his lap.

Dammit. Creepy subs and their pain.

Grumbling under his breath, George tugged off his large leather jacket and tossed it to David. At first he seemed confused, but then a light came on in his eyes and he quickly jerked the jacket around his shoulders and over his lap. Just in time, too, because the doctor strolled in seconds later.

"Hello, David?"

David nodded, swallowing as he shifted the jacket a little more, getting his arms in the sleeves.

"Your friend said that you got burned pretty badly from boiling water. So, let's take a look."

The doctor pulled over a stool on wheels and sat down, a pair of scissors in his hand. "Can I cut these pants? I can roll them up or have you remove them, but I can see the burn from the revealed part at your ankle and can tell you that It's going to hurt much worse with the second or third option."

"Cut the pants," David tried not to hiss, shaking a little from the pain.

"Alright, just take a deep breath, I'll go fast."

He did just that, holding his breath as the doctor hurried to cut away his lower pant leg. "There we go." The man murmured before he whistled quietly and looked up at David. "Did you soak this in cool water, or do anything else after it happened? It doesn't seem like it..."

David shook his head as a bead of sweat rolled down his forehead to meld and fall with a tear.

"Alright, it looks like it's close to second degree in some places, so I'm going to wrap it with cool cloth for a few minutes so it can cool your skin," the man said as he got out some blue bandages and wet them in the sink, then squeezed out any excess water. As he began wrapping the burn David forced himself to stay quiet, his hands gripping the sheets until his knuckles were white. "We'll leave these on for a few minutes, then I'll remove them and add a salve to help keep infection away and also begin the healing. It will need to be reapplied every eight to twelve hours, and you will need to keep it out of the shower when you bathe."

Since David seemed preoccupied trying not to scream as the doctor's fingers moved around his leg, George answered. "Okay. He'll be careful of that."

"Good. You're all wrapped up, so just sit here and try not to move your leg for a few minutes. I'll be back soon."

Once the doctor was gone David fell back onto the bed and groaned loudly, flinging his arm over his mouth to stifle a sob. For once, George wasn't annoyed by someone else's tears. Mainly because David's were truthful, as he had been burned before doing simple things and knew it stung for awhile. He couldn't imagine having half his leg boiled and not crying out. That's the only reason he bothered to reach over and slide his hand into the one David had clutching the sheets on the bed. His grip was surprisingly strong but George didn't mind.

The doctor returned a couple minutes later with a container George figured was the burn salve. He quickly unwrapped the wet cloth and then warned David before beginning to apply the medicine. George allowed David to keep holding his hand throughout the whole process until his leg was rebandaged and he was ready to go.

"You're all done. Would you like me to get you crutches?"

George eyed David, noticing his body shaking and the exhaustion in his eyes. "Yes, but I'll carry them and him out."

The doctor nodded and told them to go ahead and pay at the front desk. George thanked him, then carefully got David into his arms and walked up to the receptionist's counter. He already knew what David had for insurance because Xena provided it through their job, so he gave the woman the name, then got the number of his plan from David.

"Alright, your deductible will be two-hundred."

David tried to reach for his wallet, but George already had his own out and was handing it to the woman. "I've got two hundreds in there, grab them please."

She did as told, removing the money since his hands were full, then gave him back the wallet so he could put it back in his back pocket. "Here's your receipt, thank you and I hope things go well."

He took the item and added it to his pocket, thanked the woman, then walked out with David's crutches and medicine in one hand, and David balance in his other arm.

"I'll pay you back..." David mumbled near his ear, making George shake his head. "Xena will pay us back, kid. Workman's comp, remember?"

He felt David chuckle weakly and let a slight grin slip onto his lips for a second before it vanished. Since he didn't hear anything else from David, George carefully got him into his seat and buckled in, then started driving back to the club. He managed to get caught at nearly every red light on the way there, eventually making his eyes wander over to check on David.

Oh boy.

The guy was completely out cold snuggled in his jacket. He wasn't surprised, the doctor had given him some strong painkillers and David had taken two after settling in his seat. They're probably starting to work and the relief knocked him out.

As the light turned green George got the car going again, his mind moving onto what would be happening later that night. Domino was going to come back for David, but hell if he thought the guy deserved to call himself his boyfriend after burning him so badly and then just ignoring it. He still wasn't exactly sure what he was going to do about it, if anything, but when he pulled into his parking spot, he could see Domino standing by the entrance, waiting.

This is gonna be good. And by good, I mean annoying.

Deciding not to worry about the inevitable, he got David's crutches out of the back along with his bag of medicine, then lifted him up and kicked the door shut. It locked automatically after a few seconds, one function of his car that he greatly appreciated.

"There you are, geez. Took you long enough, give him here." Domino said as he stalked over, reaching for David like one would a stuffed animal.

"Fuck off."

He wasn't someone who normally cursed, or got involved in anyone else's issues that didn't involve him dragging them outside when they've had too much to drink, but the look on Domino's face just pissed him off.

"What did you just say, bastard?"

Rolling his eyes, George spotted one of his friends standing in the line waiting to get in and walked over, handing David to him with a slight grin. "Hold this for me?" He asked as the man took David and George set the medicine and crutches down on the sidewalk.

"Uh oh, you're smiling. Don't break too many of his bones man, don't need an ambulance coming around before I even get drunk."

George grunted and turned, catching a punch he knew would be heading for his head as soon as he was facing Domino. The guy was predictable, as most assholes were. So, when the next punch came George side-stepped, yanking the guy's hand he still held to the side and forcing him to spin.

"Such a pretty ballerina," he mused as the growing line waiting to get inside laughed.

"Fuck you, dumb ass ape!"

Xena's going to get mad if I let him keep throwing punches outside of the club.

Shaking his head, George ducked another incoming punch, then nonchalantly landed one to the guy's middle, stepping back just in time to avoid getting vomit all over his shoes. "Leave now, and if I see you anywhere near this establishment again, I will get the cops involved."

The guy's eyes widened with worry, and after another decent amount of heaving, he staggered to his feet and literally fell into his beaten-up grey truck. Not bothering to watch him speed away, George walked back over and took David from his friend, then grabbed the medicine bag and crutches and thanked him before going inside. The guy still working the door seemed fine, so he just walked past and straight back to the kitchen. Xena was at the friers, making chicken wings judging from the smells coming from the room.

"I brought your chef back." George mumbled, drawing the woman's attention and getting an excited scream that made him wince in response.

"Oh my god! David, are you okay?" She squealed as she ran over, her hands fluttering everywhere and making George frustrated. "He'll be fine but he needs to stay off his leg for at least a few days. The doctor said he's got some second degree burns and won't be walking well for awhile."

Xena sighed and nodded, realizing that David wasn't waking up no matter how much she fussed. That at least had her stopping, which George was grateful for.

"Alright. I'll take over the kitchen until he's healed up. Thank god Orion's boy is amazing with dishes and prep, we're not even behind. Can you call Domino and have him pick him up?"

No.

"I beat him up outside when he tried to take David. He was the reason the boiling water spilled on him in the first place. I've also barred him from the club, so if you see him again, please kindly warn him that I will break his ribs if he does not leave immediately."

Xena's face deadpanned for several long, silent moments before she burst out laughing and gave him a strong pat on the shoulder.

"God I love you, George. Good job. Do you have a receipt for the hospital bill?"

George nodded and handed her the receipt.

"Sweet, that's not bad. I'll add the two-hundred you spent to your next check, that alright?"

He nodded. "Can I retire early for the night? David will likely be awake again within the next few hours as the medicine's effect wears down, so I'd like to get some sleep so that I can wake up and get him re-dosed when needed so that his injuries can heal fast."

She nodded, waving with a grin. "No problemo, go get him to bed. And take good care of my chef, I need his butt back cooking as soon as possible!"

"Yes ma'am, thank you and have a good night."

Xena nodded, turning back to the friers to continue on with the simple orders she was getting. Understanding that he was dismissed, George ducked out of the kitchen and headed upstairs to his room. Orion and himself were the only two that lived on the premises. Orion was there for his own reasons but he was there for security purposes. It was free rent for the simple task of keeping an eye on the business, so a win-win for both him and Xena.

After two flights of stairs George stepped into his small room and let the crutches fall from his arms to the carpeted floor. He set the medicine down on his nightstand, then finally set David down on his bed. The guy was still wearing his jacket, but eh, he had a few others so it didn't bother him. What did, however, was the need to shower. He'd worked a double yesterday and passed out before showering, then woke up too late to do it. Since David was good for the time being, he quickly stripped off his clothing and headed for the small bathroom. It was nowhere near the size of Orion's, but he could care less. He didn't need a lot of space and the less he had the less he had to keep clean.

Time to scrub myself to the bone, then catch a few hours of sleep before my new pet human wakes me up for more meds.

Sounded like sooo much fun... not.