Storms and craters

Chapter 16

"Why are you here?"

"I came to see you, Pete. And I can't just go away."

"Mhm. Well, yes. I won't even ask you what you need from me again. You can threaten me with anything... I won't agree anymore. And Tankhun won't let me go either."

Short-tempered. Reckless. Terribly reckless. This is how this wolf cub seemed to Vegas when first meeting him. And now he looks at the pale cheeks, the drooping corners of the mouth and the faded look... and curses his vanity, which pushed him to drag the boy into this abomination.

"No, Pete. Nothing is necessary. But everyone is very worried about you. You need..."

"Everyone?" Splinter interrupts, "seriously?"

Vegas takes the hint. Pete doesn't trust his sincere care.

"Pete. Eat something. Tankhun said you've hardly swallowed a spoonful for several days. If you hate me for everything... then soon there will be no strength left for this hatred."

Pete sits up, swinging his legs off the bed. Panoramically looks around bypassing Vegas and stopping on a tray with food. Purses his lips and slightly wrinkles his nose:

"It doesn't look fresh."

Vegas mentally chuckles: no, he's still the same wayward wolf cub. But outwardly the captain is restrained. Squinting, he suggests in a neutral tone:

"Get up. Wash up. And take a walk. Let's have some takeout."

He would have finished with "let's have a talk." But this is according to the circumstances.

Pete shakes his head. Then Vegas gets to his feet, just touching the guy's knee with his palm:

"Okay. Stay here."

Pete raises his head and looks straight into his eyes:

"You won't start singing again, I hope?"

Splinter!

"I won't. Shall we go?"

Vegas holds out his hand, but Pete snorts to the side and stands up himself. Ten minutes later they are walking down the street. A couple more people could fit between them. Then Vegas buys a wok-box. They come into the park and sit down right on the grass. Pete unpacks a couple of chopsticks and, picking up rice noodles with them, with a look of pleasure on his face, begins to eat it all, smacking his lips a little. Vegas looks at him thoughtfully for a while. Perhaps subconsciously, but he is trying to "remember", even in the manner of eating, he is looking for similarities with Build. But, of course, he barely remembers such moments. And manners could change with age.

He believes. And still has doubts. That's the trouble. And that's the real reason for his coming. In any case, he convinces himself of this.

"So?" Pete sucks in the last rice string.

"So?"

"What do you want from me? Or is it that you crave for 'details'?"

Vegas stirs the sauce with a plastic fork:

"Pete... I'm sorry, I've already regretted many times that...

"Fuck it all, okay? Shut up and don't go on! Like a spider from the ass, you start pulling this web with 'I didn't mean to, I'm sorry that it happened'. Better not. Then it's better not to say this shit at all!"

Vegas' heart aches. A terrible feeling of guilt and hopelessness. At any other time, he would have stopped the flow of abusive speech, but not today. So he just nods, guiltily looking away. Then they eat in silence. But after a while, Pete quietly tells him: