Fan Fiction Friday: Sgt. Rizzo is Awake...
Alton Brown fan fiction crossover index
[EXT. MESS TENT — EARLY EVENING]
A heavy pot sits over a steady flame. The smell is unmistakable—shrimp, spice, something toasted just short of burnt.
ALTON BROWN watches closely, wooden spoon in hand.
ALTON You don’t rush a roux.
(Rizzo steps in, arms crossed, already unimpressed.)
RIZZO You don’t need a stopwatch either.
(Alton stirs slowly. Deliberately.)
ALTON Low and slow keeps it from burning.
RIZZO Or you could just know when it’s ready.
(A few nearby soldiers glance up.) This might get interesting.
[THE ARGUMENT]
Rizzo reaches for the pot.
RIZZO You see this color? That’s the line.
ALTON (blocking gently) And you cross it, you start over.
RIZZO That’s wasteful.
ALTON So is guessing.
(Heat from the pot rises between them.)
[COLLABORATION]
Alton steps back half an inch.
ALTON Show me.
(Rizzo pauses. Then nods once.)
RIZZO Fine.
(Rizzo stirs. Confident. Controlled. Alton watches—not correcting, just observing.)
ALTON You’re listening to it.
RIZZO You’re watching it.
ALTON Same goal.
(They add shrimp together. Spice follows—measured by Alton, adjusted by Rizzo.)
[THE CEASEFIRE]
The gumbo simmers. Tension dissolves into aroma.
RIZZO (tasting, surprised) Huh.
ALTON Not bad?
RIZZO Don’t push it.
(Plates are filled. No one speaks much. They eat.)
[AFTERMATH]
Rizzo leans back, satisfied.
RIZZO I’ll admit it.
ALTON Which part?
RIZZO Doing it together worked.
ALTON Respect’s usually cooked that way.
RIZZO (Rizzo nods) No argument. I gotta say though, I didn't think that supply could come up with enough shrimp to feed this crew.
ALTON "Supply" didn’t.
[FADE OUT]
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