Forbidden Appetite (Rody × Vince)

Empty?

Vince led Rody up the stairs beside La Gueule de Saturne, handing the blue woven bag to him temporarily so he could unlock the door that led to his apartment. Vince went in first and flicked the lights on, then taking off his jacket and hanging it by the door before letting Rody in and taking the blue woven bag from him again.

Rody looked upon the furniture for a second "...As weird as the owner..." He muttered under his breath as he nudged the apartment door shut with his foot. Quickly, he caught up to Vince who had already disappeared into the kitchen.

"You won't do me any good in here, you can sit on the couch and read one of the books or magazines" Vince said in a slightly condescending tone as he took got all of his materials ready.

Rody mulled it over and sat on one of the counter stools. "I'll just stay here, I won't get in the way" He assured, though he just didn't want to be alone right now. Rody watched as Vince began to cook, making his own fettuccini pasta, boiling it and throwing it onto a pan with sauteed mushrooms and white wine, along with the truffle oil.

Rody's mouth began to water as he hastn't eaten anything since before his shift ended, Vince having not given him anything to take home that day. "It smells good" He commented.

"Mhm" Vince acknowledged, serving a bit onto a plate and sliding it in front of Rody. "Eat" He urged, practically demanding it as he crossed his arms again expectantly.

Taking a wary forkful into his mouth, Rody chewed on the pasta for a bit. Yet the same problem always arose from the food, it lacked life. None of Vince's food ever seemed to hold any emotion, it felt so wrong even if the flavors worked.

"It's good" Rody said half-heartedly as he half-smiled.

Vince raised a curious eyebrow "I'm not stupid, clearly something's wrong. Spit it out Rody" He replied, unamused.

"It's... Ugh, I don't know how to say this... It's just empty" Rody answered, feeling that was the best way to explain it.

"Empty? How on earth could food be empty? Are you even listening to yourself?" Vince asked, genuinely confused as to what that meant as he waved his left hand around, matching his gestures to his tone and words as his right hand rested on his hip.

Rody had to think of how to word the thing he said next without upsetting Vince further. "It's good, great even, but it lacks the feeling... Do you even actually like cooking, Vince?" He asked as he kept eating bit by bit and Vince turned to clean up his work area.

"I wouldn't have opened a restaurant if I didn't..." He said, wiping down the counters. "It's fine then. I'll tell the cooks to add it to the menu, it's not like I'll be the one cooking for the clients anyways" He added dismissively, though it was obvious he was a bit upset by the way his brows furrowed and lips tightened, turning away to do the dishes.

Rody picked at the last bit of food for a second before he ate it, picking up the plate and gingerly walking to Vince's side, just watching him washing the pan as he waited his turn to wash the plate. Vince finished quickly and held his hand out.

Rody tilted his head to the side slightly in confusion and put his free hand in Vince's.

"..." Vince stared at Rody's hand unamused and let out a sigh as he lifted his hard gaze to Rody's eyes. "The plate, Rody." He specified, watching as a rosy hue of embarrassment filled Rody's cheeks and he retracted his hand quickly.

"I can clean it myself!" Rody exclaimed.

"I'm not asking you to, besides, you're in my apartment and you'll do as I say. Now hand me your plate and go sit down again" Vince ordered, taking the dirty plate and washing it as Rody went to sit down again.

Vince put a kettle on the stove, letting it whistle before taking it off the heat and pouring two cups. "Sugar?" He asked. Rody being lost in thought again, didn't even hear the question. "Rody. How much sugar should I put in your tea?" Vince repeated, louder.

Tears fell into the counter as short sobs and sniffles were heard. "Sorry, yeah, two spoons of sugar, please" Rody replied, voice breaking slightly.

Vince sighed and put in the two spoons, stirring before taking both cups and sitting beside Rody, pushing one cup towards him. "Drink, it'll do you good" He said.

Rody nodded and took a sip of the warm chamomile tea, hands trembling as more tears ran down his cheeks. "I don't know what's happening, and it's clear you don't want to talk about it but you're not alone right now" Vince said, trying to bring Rody some comfort even though he wasn't used to it.

There was another simple nod in response and Rody let out all the tears. "Vince... Is the job offer still on the table? I... Hic... I need something to ground me" Rody asked.

Vince stood up and left through the corridor on the left, leaving Rody to think he was making Vince uncomfortable with his emotional display and didn't really mean those words he said, leaving them just as empty as his food.

Vince came back a few moments later, a folded beige colored blanket resting on his left arm while he held a tissue box in his right hand. He placed the tissue box by Rody's half drunk teacup before unfolding the blanket and draping it over his shoulders.

"It was cold outside, how are you going to keep working for me if you get sick because of personal neglect?" Vince commented as he sat back down and kept drinking his own tea.

Rody let out a sad chuckle and nodded. "Right." He replied, feeling a small warmth and sense of belonging. Without Manon he had no real reason for anything, but thinking that this work was something he had to continue made him eager to keep going, at least a day at a time.