The Only Heartbreaker

ii.

If you would just make one mistake
What a relief that would be
But I think for as long as we're together
I'll be the only heartbreaker.

"I love you, Vegas." Pete muttered one night, sounding unsure.

He had stayed up waiting for Vegas. Despite the man going home extremely late most nights, he stayed awake tonight because he realised it's been a while since they said that to each other. 

Usually, Pete would say he loves Vegas with all his heart. Proud. Like it was the only thing he knew and felt. Vegas had never heard Pete sound this unsure before.

"...Me too, Pete." Vegas hesitantly uttered, the three words sounding like a lie past his downturned lips.

Fortunately for him, Pete hadn't noticed in his fatigued haze. Pete only wanted to tell Vegas he loves him, he didn't even bother to stay awake enough to hear him say it back.

Vegas runs a hand through his own hair as he looks at Pete; he stares harder and longer, willing himself to feel something for the other man. 

Yet no matter how long and how hard he stared, he realised the longer he sees Pete on the other side of his bed, the more put off he feels.

Vegas doesn't love Pete.

I'll be the only heartbreaker.

Vegas is an action-oriented person. He was raised to be stoic and stern, be straight-laced and unemotional . He is not a man of many words, his actions speak louder than them.

He tries to use this to his advantage on multiple occasions, purposefully treating Pete like shit and giving him the cold shoulder more often than not. He silently ogles Porsche in front of Pete. He leaves Pete to take care of Venice for Porsche. 

"Porsche needs me." He'd often say.

He does all of this so Pete would notice. So he would just bring it up, curse at Vegas and hate him forever.

But Pete never brought it up. He never once complained besides that one time Vegas stood him up on their date. He obliged to Vegas' every will like a good pet, and he never expressed hate towards Vegas. If they weren't sharing the same bed, Vegas would've never known that Pete cries himself to sleep every night. He pretends he doesn't hear him, he just lets him cry. Sometimes it lasts for hours, and in the morning Pete would excuse the puffiness of his eyes as some sort of allergic reaction or that he had eaten too much curry the night before.

But Vegas knows the truth, and yet he lets Pete lie. He's almost a hundred percent sure that Pete knows that he knows and that breaks the latter's heart even more.

Every night when he hears Pete cry the wicked part of Vegas' heart feels triumphant every time.

So I'll be the loser in this game
I'll be the bad guy in the play.

Pete is obedient and kind. He understands Vegas more than anyone else and he should be everything Vegas looks for in a partner.

They should be perfect for each otherー Pete is attractive and he has redeeming qualities that Vegas likes. But he still can't bring himself to be in love with him.

Why did I choose you? Vegas often wonders.

Despite the strain in their relationship, Pete never made a move to bring it up at least once. He hopelessly holds on; he just chooses to put up with it. But every time Vegas pulls away, any semblance of hope he had slowly drifts away. 

Why can't you just realise it?

Porsche was the one for Vegas. Even if the former already had someone else, Vegas would still rather choose him than play house with Pete forever.