And I Will Consume You

31

Waking up on a Monday morning was anything but easy. But that didn't matter. What mattered was that Vegas could wake up on a Monday morning beside the most perfect person in the world. Shuffling out of bed and being careful not to wake Pete in the process, Vegas took a shower, did his hair, and got dressed the same way he did every morning before heading down to make breakfast so Pete could sleep in a little longer. He was fortunate not to have a particularly busy day ahead of him, but that didn't mean he could sleep in too- as nice as it would be. And while Vegas would much rather be snuggling up to his lover under the warm blankets right about now, he did enjoy his first cup of coffee while he prepared the usual breakfast tray. Basil fried rice, bacon, eggs, toast, various fruits peeled and sliced, and of course a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice which Pete liked to enjoy before his coffee just to get those extra few vitamins in for the day. Somewhere along the process of which, the other had finally found his way downstairs. He was already bathed and dressed, but he still looked groggy as if he'd just crawled out from under the sheets. At the same time, Pete was absolutely glowing with a radiant happiness mu h like he did the day before which Vegas was quick to assume to be residual excitement and glee about their date. It hadn't anything particularly spectacular or thrilling, but as a first date, it wasn't half bad. Now Vegas just had to think up a way to spend their next date night that didn't include the usual and quite honestly stale stereotypes of what a date should be. Maybe he'd give Porsche a phone call and ask for some advice. Vegas wasn't exactly well versed in the dating scene after all. 

"Did you sleep well?" Vegas asked, noticing Pete was looking a little more tired than usual though he was unsure if it was due to a lack of sleep or because it had been interrupted. And this was supposed to be the same man that had made Pete confess to sleeping with him in front of his boss? Yeah right. It really was shocking how drastically Vegas' behavior could change if he wanted it to. The man was a perfect example of psycho at its peak, and Pete had to be the only one in the world to love it quite as much as he did. "I've never slept so soundly in my life, like a baby" Vegas chuckled, pleased to hear he hadn't accidentally disturbed the other "Oh right, I've been meaning to ask, I haven't seen Macau in a while...has he moved out?" Vegas perked up for a moment hearing the mention of his brothers name, but shaking his head. "No, He's just been on a trip with his senior friends to the sea for their graduation. He'll be back in a week or so" Pete nodded with a hum, though he was curious to why he'd both been invited to go with a bunch of seniors and why he'd been allowed to knowing how strict a person Vegas was. "Aren't you worried he'd drink or something?" Pete asked again, this time getting a chuckle out of Vegas. "The only alcohol they've got all the way up there in the mountains are herbal spirits, and I can assure you he will not like it. His senior friends arent the type to pressure him though. The only thing I'm worried about is that he finds out Porsche goes to the same school. If Macau starts bullying him, I'll never hear the end of it. Kinn's wife is fierce."

Just then, the doorbell rang, catching both of them off guard. "Are you expecting anyone?" Pete shook his head, getting up out of his seat at the breakfast bar to take a look around the corner to the front door. "I'll get it" he insisted, looking for some way to peak through the wooden barrier between himself and the visitor before giving up and opening the door anyway. But that's when everything stopped. The smile from Pete's face that had refused to budge since the morning prior had fallen in an instant, his eyes widened with confusion and fear and his lips sealed shut as if they'd been sewn together. "Who is it?" Vegas called from the other room, his voice catching the woman's attention more that it did Pete's. "Pete? Who is it?" Vegas called out again, but getting no response again. With the flick of a switch, the stovetop turned off and he left his place at the kitchen counter to go ahead a look for himself when he too froze. In that moment, Everything. Everything started to fall apart apart again. Vegas knew that face. He knew that hair and that frown and that beauty mark on her cheek. He knew those lips and those brows. It was all the same, but she looked like a different person. She looked like a corpse. Was this a ghost? A zombie or apparition or just some sort of sick joke? Why now? Why was it that when he'd finally started to be happy, it had to be taken away again?

Vegas felt like throwing up, like crying or screaming or anything. Anything to voice his writhing agony. But he just stayed quiet, taking a step back as his face too turned pale. Pete noticed this and grabbed his hand tightly, letting Vegas know he was right there, but this time his presence didn't seem to help ease the pain that much. "Vegas..." She started, and again the man wanted to puke. She was so skinny, almost starved, paper white skin and heavy bags under her eyes, but those scars. The scars on her arms made it all crystal clear. Flashes of the blood, the smell, it all came back to him, and if Pete wasn't there, he'd likely have crumbled already. "Why?" He asked finally, his voice hoarse and weak much like hers. "Why did you leave me? Why did you leave Macau?" Every word that pushed past his lips was fuled by the fires of a rage he'd nursed for decades. And it was just now that it was starting to surface again. "why did you leave us? You did you have us think you died? Why did I have to find you? Why did you leave?"

Vegas words had turned gotten progressively louder, but the woman seemed unphased. Like she knew exactly what she's done and had come to terms with her guilt long ago. "No..." Vegas said, taking a moment to calm himself "Why did you come back?" The woman didn't move closer, note did she take a step back or shift in her stance. She was stood perfectly Still, almost like a statue. "I don't have much time left Vegas. I would have spared you the pain of me coming back but... I have no one else to ask for help. I'm dying. I'm in the final stages of leukemia. I've got maybe a few weeks left... You don't owe me anything, But I heard how well you'd been taking care of Macau so... I'm sorry to ask you this" What was this? A curse? A punishment? Why now? Vegas was aware he had claimed to be fine with it just yesterday... But not like this. Those eyes. Those big sad eyes. The same big sad eyes he had to look into when he told Macau about their mothers death. Now they were staring up at him almost two decades later. It was the same thing all over again, like a broken record. This was wrong. Nothing about it, nothing at all was acceptable. But what could he do that wouldn't make him look like his father?

"Take care of Venice for me"

"You sick bitch. You evil woman. You're cruel. You're nothing but selfish. You left me and my brother with Pa all alone... All alone to fend for ourselves when you knew exactly what he was like. You left us. And now, now when you need help, you come begging at our feet." Vegas growled. That had been it. His last wits had been wasted on this selfish whore. Not only had she left him with the trauma of seeing his mother on the ground lifeless and bleeding. She had left him and Macau to run away and get pregnant all over again. Where was he? Where was the dumb bastard that got himself involved in this mess? Couldn't he take care of the stupid kid? Pete tugged at his arm, trying to hold him back and help recollect his thoughts knowing his anger was justified but it wouldn't help. "Yes. Yes I did, I left you. I left you with that evil man. I am every bit the cruel, selfish bitch you say I am. I know. But that's why I want you to take care of him... So I know he'll be safe. So I know he'll grow up strong and kind. I've been keeping an eye on you and Macau all these years Vegas... I didn't just disappear. Please... I'm begging you." Vegas could feel Pete's eyes staring up at him the same way that little boy did. He was clinging on to Hsi mother's dress so tightly, dried tears on his face though hed fought long and hard to keep the rest inside as he was stood in front of a pair of total strangers. He was so young, maybe the same age Macau was when she left, and judging by the look in his face, he knew exactly what was going on. He was as young as Macau then, but he looked just like Vegas. They had the same nose, the same lips, even the same hint of amber in his eyes.

"Please...I can't let another one of my children suffer"