The Time Triangle

Dinner Party

**Your POV**

You spent most of your time home, sitting in your bed, waiting for your chest to feel better. Your binder was beside you, but you didn't dare put it on. The blankets covered most of your body, so you didn't have to worry about dysphoria.
You felt as if someone had brutally stabbed you with a knife and had just started to twist it- slowly and painfully. Eventually, you got out of bed, just to make yourself two more cups of tea and go back, staring at the note you had first woken up with: Good Luck. You wondered if it were a coincidence that Rody had said that.

You didn't lay back in bed but decided to make yourself useful and take a bath. Maybe then, you could feel better, so you could help save Rody and Vince from the futures ahead.

**Rody POV**

I stared at the hole Y/n had pointed out a few days ago. He said it wasn't there before I was here, but it just appeared someday after I started working. When I looked inside, I saw an eye staring back at me.
I held in a curse and sprinted to the table across the room, terrified. That was Vince's eye. Was he watching me? Does he think I'm untrustworthy?? I tried not to look at it for the rest of the day, but it was difficult, knowing that Vince was always watching.

When the shift was finished, someone called me. (Y/n's out of his bath by now, and by the phone on the bedside table next to his window)"Hello?? Manon?" I asked, but only Y/n's voice responded, saying, "No, sorry to disappoint. Vincent called me to ask if I was okay and willing to wait at his party. I told him I couldn't, because I've probably caught food poisoning or something. Thankfully, my five cups of tea are doing its job, and I'll come to work tomorrow. If he calls you, he'll probably trick you into doing it for free." I nod, but realize he can't see me over the phone, and say, "Thanks, when Vince calls, I'll offer to help for a small payment." Y/n lets out a relived sigh, before our call clicks off.

I get another call, and I knew who it is. Before Vince can ask me to wait his party, I say yes. I don't know why, but if Y/n was going to but couldn't, I'd happily go in his place.

**Vincent POV**

"Wait- really?" I ask, and Rody says slyly, "As long as I get at least a little amount of money for helping out at the dinner party." I consider this and realize that he's less dense than I thought he was. How'd he know? I haven't even asked.
"Fine, come in at an hour tops. Don't be late." I answer, and Rody ends the call without a reply. I just hope he doesn't bail out on me; I need him to find the freezer key. 

He ends up in my apartment in 30 minutes, unknowingly coming just as the party starts, until later, when he was supposed to serve the snacks. Rody ends up exploring for a bit, but I watch and make sure he doesn't go to my bedroom (being the snoopy guy he is) before it's time for him to find evidence that Manon cheated.
I never really liked her, because what she said was a lie. She lied to me, to Rody- she was the monster, not me. Plus, I have no interest in women; I find them rather disgusting. Rody stared at my triangle glass table for a while, before I walk up to him and ask, "What so interesting about the table?" Rody opened his mouth to speak, but there were knocks on the door.

The ginger hung his head and went to grab food. He came back with the first plate and looked around. Only one of my friends seemed interested, and he made small talk with them for a bit. I tried not to pay attention, but I couldn't help but to listen in.
"What are you supposed to be?" She asked, moving a strand of black hair out of her eyes. She wasn't flirting, she just hated looking messy. I was one of the only guys at the university that understood that. Rody seemed to have understood too, because he replied, "I'm a waiter." Before she could ask, he cut her off, saying, "I'm not wearing anything formal because it was such a short notice."                     

His ears were pink, probably from embarrassment as he shot a quick glance at me that screamed: "I hate her. I hate everyone here." before looking back to her with a blank, empty smile on his face. I never knew he could this cold.
She starts up again, saying, "Well, whoever you are, Vincent must be getting desperate. He'd never stoop down to your level." With that, she dismissed him. I could tell that Rody was fuming, and he sped past me, seething as he grabbed the next plate from the kitchen.

He comes out with the cheese platter, catering the blonde a few feet away from me. "Wait-" I heard my other university ask Rody, "-Is he even paying you??" Rody scoffed, "I made sure of that. I don't appreciate being taken advantage from."
I flinched slightly, but it went unnoticed. I don't know why I feel bad. "What was he like? In uni?" Rody asks, and I tense, waiting for my 'friend's answer. "Well," the blonde spoke, "Not much different. Quieter- not as 'harsh'." Rody shrugged and left, as if he already knew how 'harsh' I could be. 

After trying a few more people, he goes and gets the last plate. He's tried to talk to me, but I kept pushing him away, making me feel worse. Why does it make me feel guilty. Every time I interrupted him, telling him to serve the people here, he frowned slightly, before going to someone else. He catered the guy with sunglasses on.
The male standing asked my waiter what the favorite part of my dishes were. I listened in, and Rody said, "Honestly, I don't know. I feel empty while eating, the presentation is fine- but the taste? I don't know why, but it's bitter, and it feels terribly self-absorbed. It's like it wasn't made for others, but that's what a chef is supposed to do... Does that even make sense?" 

Sunglasses guy (I never bothered to learn his real name) said, "Not in the slightest. Isn't that what makes him great? By the way, you're pretty loud- Chef probably heard you." Rody pivoted to look at me, but I was already staring at the floor, trying to act uninterested. "Rody, is that you??" someone asked, and I looked up again. Richard was talking to Rody. Why was Richard talking to Rody?
"Yeah, it is you! We were in class together! Econ, remember? Did you flunk out? We haven't seen you for a while." Rody nods, ears pink, and pupils dilated. He was shaking slightly. Is he scared of Richard?? Rody nodded, and Richard responded, "Yeah, we assumed so. Everyone in class bet on if you'd flunk or quit. Your poor parents must be so disappointed. How'd you even get working with Vincent? Did you beg on your knees or something?"

Rody excused himself (rather rudely), but I knew he didn't need to use the restroom like he said he did. He asked me why I had pictures of Manon- and I told the truth: "She said she'd dumped that 'stupid redhead' a week ago, so it can't be the same one. Stay out of my office, Rody."
When he was gone, I told everyone that I had forgotten about an important meeting that I was going to be late to. They were disappointed but left without argument.