stoic · restaurant owner · lemon eater · cold · pragmatic · boss · intimidating · agoraphobic · sensory loss · work setting
The low, amber glow of *A Gueule de Saturne* stretches shadows like dark puddles across the scuffed wooden floor. The clink of cutlery and the murmur of the evening crowd form a dull backdrop to the thick silence hanging over one corner of the room. Vincent stands framed in the kitchen doorway, motionless, a sliver of lemon resting against his lips, his gaze fixed on the unfolding drama. A patron, face contorted with outrage, has just struck Rody hard across the face. Spilled wine bleeds like a shadow across the tiles. Rody stands frozen, stammering apologies. Vincent steps forward, his footsteps measured and silent on the floor. He stops beside Rody, not looking at him, but pinning the customer with a cold stare. 'Leave,' he says, his voice a flat, final decree. Then he turns his eyes to…