And I Will Consume You

21

Not a word had left either of their mouths since they'd gotten in the car and ahd driven off to the safehouse. It wasn't as much tension in the air as it was Pete trying to find the right words to say and Vegas too lost in thought to bother trying. Once they finally did arrive, Pete was in awe of how big the safe house actually was. He was well aware of the rather expensive taste the minor family had, as well as all the money they seemed to make from drug operations, assassinations, and of course, targeted strikes allied with or occasionally plotted against the main family. Even so, Pete had half expected it to be a little cabin in a secluded area in the woods with little to no free storage space, electricity, or even running water, but it was quite the opposite. The safehouse was in fact a modestly sized mansion wedged in the centre of a wrap-around lake, a dock beaching out at either side, and even an impressive driveway. While it was secluded in a part of the woods rather far from any other houses, it wasn't half an hour away from the nearest suburban town and one from the nearest city. Pulling up into the driveway, two men watched expectantly as Vegas and Pete stepped out of the car, greeting their boss before one of them took the keys to the vehicle to park it in the garage properly.

"Is there anything else you need from us, Mr Vegas? Feel free to call anytime" the other man said, the faint shimmer of sweat on his forehead. He obviously hadn't done this before. That or he'd caught Vegas at the wrong time previously and got the shit kicked out of him, either of the two being entirely plausible scenarios though the ladder seemed slightly more unlikely as Vegas wasn't often the type to lose his cool with his own men. "That won't be necessary" Vegas said simply, not bothering to spare a glance though he had always made a point to show kindness to his workers - as long as they obeyed and we're well behaved that is. Pete remained quiet still, following Vegas' steps closely behind when he found himself in what he could only assume was to be their shared bedroom for now, though the presence of a live hedgehog was rather peculiar. Then again, Vegas did say he was particularly fond of his 'Pets'. That and the everlasting trail of whips, chains, and leather that seemed to follow him wherever he went.

"Vegas?" Pete spoke gently, laying down on the bed, his head at the foot end and resting on his crossed arms. "Yes?" Vegas replied simply, his tone still aggregated and depressed, but less so than before they had left. "You'll never be able to please him... Even if you win against Mr. Kinn, even if you overthrow the main family. You could be crowned king and it still wouldn't be enough. You know why? Because your dad is unhappy with himself. Has he ever beaten Boss Korn? Everything he blames himself for, he takes out on you. You could rule the world, you could be the perfect son, he would still hate himself too much to love you the way he should"

Those big, sad eyes came back, though just for a moment before Vegas looked away, admiring the beauty of the world outside and the waters perfect reflection of it all. "You don't know anything" Vegas scoffed, though his voice too was gentle. Someone like Pete, someone so kind and optimistic and wonderful. Someone so happy could never possibly fathom what Vegas had gone through dealing with his father. "I know more than think. My dad forced me into boxing as a kid. I hated it. I hated punching people more than I hated getting hit. So I lost. I lost all the time, and every time I did, my dad would beat me. Until one day... I won. But still beat me. I found out later that he had been a boxer too. The only difference was that he never won. He kept that pain with him and took it out on me because it was easier to do that than face the truth about himself." The older man paced for a moment before kneeling down to sit in the floor beside the bed, listening to Pete. He didn't want to admit it, but his words were comforting, even if they weren't entirely believe yet. "Maybe, but I'm still a failure to the family"

"Vegas, don't kill yourself fighting for something that won't happen... Instead, you should embrace what you can. You have Macau, you have loyal followers... You have me. And for what it's worth... You're not a failure to me" Hearing that, those rare words of affirmation, they made Vegas want to cry. He'd tried so hard his entire life to be perfect for his dad... He tried so hard to do everything for him, he robbed, manipulated, tortured, killed, all for his father's love. But instead, he got something way better. Yes, it might have taken twenty eight years to come, but he had finally found something worth fighting for. Pete. And as much as he knew it would hurt, he couldn't help but fall. Surely, if this was what happiness was, the pain couldn't couldn't compare to anything he'd ever experienced, but if this was what happiness was, that pain just might be worth it. 

Looking over his shoulder, he let the sight of those perfectly clear caramel eyes sink in, taking time to memorize every last freckle on Pete's face, the arch of his brows, the pink of his lips, and the honey of his perfect porcelain skin. Before he knew it, their lips were connected, locked together in a soft, passionate kiss drastically different from the lustful ones they'd shared thus far. It was also the first time Vegas was the first to pull away without the Intention of going further, simply to see the sliver of gold in those almond eyes again. The longer he stared, the more he noticed just how perfect a specimen Pete was. So this was what love felt like... It really was as magical as people described it to be.

"From you, Pete... It's worth more than you could ever possibly imagine"