The Death of Our Innocence (Dead Plate Swap AU)

Just Look At Me The Same

"What is this?"

Chef Lamoree's voice echoes throughout the four walls of the kitchen, boisterous as ever. The guy wasn't in his right mind recently, and his extreme behavior was only making it all the more obvious.

One cook had the misfortune of undercooking a piece of steak and attempted passing it off as simply not well done. Now, normally, that kind of thing would be easy to get away with in the past, when Rody wasn't around the kitchen for the entire shift to inspect how everything is going.

But ever since Rody hired the new waiter, he simply couldn't stand staying at home-- not when he knew Vincent would be going back and forth in his own establishment.

He knows Vincent will make mistakes, and wants to be there ro rectify them. He's more so there to make him feel like shit for those same mistakes, to take out all the pent up anger he feels on him, but he doesn't tell anyone that.

Much to his annoyance, Vincent has made very few errors while working, despite his inexperience. He's well groomed and kind and poised, not giving anything away. He probably knows that Rody is watching him like a hawk the entire time, awaiting that time he messes up majorly.

Thankfully, that time hasn't come yet. And it only made Rody all the more upset.

"Do you think this is edible? Look at it! It's fucking raw!" He is livid, yelling at the cook with an inexcusable amount of rage, as though the poor guy had killed his entire family. He knows it's wrong. But he cannot suppress the poison oozing from within his heart. "Do you think this is acceptable to serve to customers? Would you eat this?"

"N-No, chef." The cook stammers, eyes quivering in their sockets as he looks up at Rody like some kind of injured puppy.

The fact Rody is physically big, with broad shoulders and quite a few extra pounds on his body only makes his looming frame all the more intimidating. He could slap someone, and they would probably pass out.

"Then why did you cook it?" He practically hisses out, barely restraining himself from lunging forward and taking a bite out of his employee's throat.

"I-I'm sorry, chef."

The cook's pitiful sniveling both tugs at whatever is left of his sympathy and infuriates him further all at the same. He's like a ticking bomb, ready to implode at any given moment and leave nothing but ashes behind. His fingers curl into tight fists, his knuckles growing numb from the strain on the muscles.

"Sorry? You're sorry? You--"

Rody stops himself before he absolutely loses his mind. He sucks in a shaky breath, suddenly very aware of the other staff members' terrified eyes on him, of the oppressive tension he has created with his hostile demeanor.

Vincent being there, quietly standing by the door the separates the kitchen from the rest of the bistro does little to help.

Rody exhales slowly, doing his best to keep his wits about him.

"Just don't let it happen again. Get back to work. I need a break.."

He is keenly made aware of all the incisive gazes upon him as he turns on his heel and heads toward his office, slamming the door behind him.

This sudden alteration in behavior is a surprise to everyone. Particularly to Vincent.

The Rody he once used to know would never act out like this. He had always been a troubled soul, sure, but he was always kind and compassionate, striving to resolve conflict without having to use any kind of ill means.