It Was Only A Cut In Another Universe

Rody Is Acting Different

Trigger Warning: Dead body, and mentions of murder

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The bistro was dark. Nobody else was around. Chills ran up his spine, and he wasn't sure if it was from the restaurant or the chills from the past few days. Once cold metal had warmed after being in his hands for a while. He held it back up and looked down at it. The small key was made to fit in the lock of the large door. Vincent took in a deep shaky breath as he held the key out to the freezer.

It all started the day Manon went missing. He had brushed off his comment about Manon hiding away because of shame, but other things were off about Rody. A few days later Rody had closed the bistro. He brought up the idea of closing the bistro once a day. Though something else was off. He had brought this up while in the kitchen of the bistro. He had been there most of the day. 

"I got some meat from a new supplier. And while I get it's almost the same except for how they were raised. I still want to see how it works with different styles." It was incredibly odd. Especially with how small he was using the portions. Not to mention adding different vegetables in. 

"What's that for?" Vincent asked as he helped chop up the food he was doing to help Rody. 

"Texture. I know you can't taste, so I want to start adding more texture to the food. Plus who knows maybe it will make business more interesting." Vincent chuckled, and while he was thankful for it. Things felt odd. He could understand testing out his new creation by himself. Yet it was odd they worked in the bistro kitchen, and not in Rody's kitchen.

The next odd behavior had happened the next day. Rody had made them dinner as usual. Ever since he learned Vincent could also cook, he had him help. 

"Are you using the new meat in this?" Vincent asked as he stirred the pot with meat and vegetables. 

"Not today. Maybe later." Rody replied as he continued to cut into the chicken. It had confused Vincent. He should be continuing to work on it. Yet he hadn't. Food wasn't the only odd thing happening.

Later than evening Vincent had another nightmare. He was stuck. Couldn't move no matter how hard he tried. His breath fogged up above him, and it confused him. Until a light appeared above him, and he could see why. He was covered in plastic wrap. On a platter for 2.99. Unable to do anything but watch as a hand reached to grab him. Vincent woke up in a cold sweat. Shooting up out of bed breathing rapidly. He let out a sigh before looking over to see no sign of Rody. That was until the door opened. Rody was in his pajamas and looked at him confused. 

"Is everything alright?" Rody asked as Vincent ran a hand through his hair. 

"Yeah, I just had a nightmare. What are you doing up?" Rody shrugged as he walked over. 

"Woke up randomly and I had to pee." Rody explained as he crawled back into bed. 

"Do you want to talk about it?" Rody asked as he put a hand on his shoulder. Vincent shook his head. He didn't want Rody to think the kitchen was scaring him. No matter how stupid the thought was. Rody hugged him tightly. Giving Vincent comfort as they crashed back into the bed. Rody pressed sweet kisses on his face, and lips. Vincent couldn't help but give a small chuckle. Rody slipped his hands under his shirt. Gracing over his skin. That's when Vincent how oddly cold he was. As if his hands had touched straight up ice. 

He was able to excuse it as the bathroom was probably really cold. That was until Rody's hands trailed lower down to his hips. Fingers started to slip over his ass all while he started nibbling on parts of Vincent's neck. Vincent had frozen out of shock. He could tell Rody was trying to get some started, yet he had known how much of a struggle the past few days were. He was in no mood, and certainly not right now. What in Rody's right mind made him think that. 

"Rody, not right now please." Vincent said as he lightly shoved him. Rody quickly realized his mistake. 

"Sorry." He muttered as he pulled Vincent close once again. Keeping his hands above his clothes. 

"It was the reason I woke up. I should've asked first." Vincent nodded though something told him Rody wasn't entirely sorry. However he did stop, and didn't try anything else. Just softly cradling him before the two fell back asleep. Though for the past weeks Rody had been more sexually aggressive towards him. Always trying to get a ball rolling. Not to mention several nights Vincent would wake, and he would notice Rody was not in the bed. 

He always thought he was in the bathroom, and usually fell back asleep. That was until one night when he woke he decided to go see. Only for the lights to be off, and Rody nowhere to be seen. Vincent remained up, and it wasn't until midnight did Rody return to bed. Vincent pretended to be asleep when he returned. He could hear the sound of Rody pushing fabric under the bed before grabbing his waist. Pulling him closer before kissing his lips. 

"Good night love." He whispered all while Vincent was questioning where he was. That was the final straw. When Rody wasn't looking Vincent had looked under the bed he saw warm looking clothes under it. In the pocket of the pants was a key, and Vincent knew exactly where it was a lock to.

Rody was upstairs. Vincent had promised to close up, and now he needed to know what was in the freezer. He turned the key in the lock. A click rang out through the echoey empty restaurant before Vincent opened the door. Cold air rushed to meet him as he noticed some of the frost covering the areas in the freezer. He walked inside. Each step was slow and anxious as he wanted to seem less than suspicious. 

As expected, the freezer held all of the meat. Two extremely large sacks were at the back of the room. Likely a torso of a cow. A saw on the table was right next to it. Sharp shinny blades that reflected the very little light in the room. The one other thing below it reflected it as well. Out of curiosity Vincent crouched down to pick it up. Holding it up to see it better and almost immediately he dropped it. It was a beaded pearl bracelet. A small charm placed on the end. A ruby heart with the initial M in the center. Vincent couldn't believe it. This couldn't be Manon's Surely. 

Though he noticed something else by the saw table. A slightly dark stain. While he was willing to brush it off at first. Considering Rody likely cut meat in here. Yet this stain appeared to go under. Out of curiosity Vincent leaned down and immediately regretted it. There wasn't much room under it, which made what was done to her all the more horrifying. Manon's head looked flatten. As if it was crushed over and over again until it could fit under it. Her jaw was barely hanging on, and several teeth were missing. Blood was dripping down the center of her face, and onto the floor. Alongside the wound from her neck. 

The most horrifying thing was her eyes. They popped out their sockets, and both were facing him. Bright brown eyes he had once admired. Staring at him, all knowingly. As if angry at him in the same way as her killer. Vincent felt like he was going to vomit because the only person who could do this was the only person who had the freezer key. 

"Rody- Manon..." Vincent couldn't speak as his hands shook as his eyes looked down at the bracelet. His throat tightened as he couldn't find words. THUMP. A harsh impact hit the back of his head as in an instant everything went black.