Giant Dancing Hedgehogs are Nightmare Fuel

Chapter 6

Lowering Vegas’s dosage for his pain medication proves to be more complicated than they thought it would be. His doctors had decided to start the process earlier than planned due to Vegas’s low energy levels causing him to be unwilling to perform the exercises whenever the physical therapist came by. They also wanted to see how his behaviors and sensory issues changed, something Macau and Pete both felt was worth mentioning to his doctor while Vegas was sleeping. Lowering the dosage did nothing to help. His sensory issues have only gotten worse due to overwhelming pain. While Vegas is a little more like himself in terms of personality and behavior, that also means he is a fucking dick. 

“Get out, Pete,” Vegas says for the fourth time this morning. Despite Vegas’s sudden and sober need for Pete to get out of his sight telling Pete that Vegas doesn’t actually have romantic feelings for him or want him around, Pete just yawns and flips through one of the stupid wedding magazines.

“No,” Pete says from the couch, then doesn’t give Vegas anything else. Vegas hits the bed several times as hard as he can, a move that has Macau standing up and holding his hands out in case he needs to intervene and keep Vegas from hurting himself further purposely or accidentally. He stands there for a solid two minutes before lowering his hands and letting out a breath.

“Hia,” Macau says gently once Vegas settles down and pouts at his blanket, “Why don’t you try to explain to P’Pete why you want him to get out? Because both of us are confused. He’s helped you so much and barely leaves your side. At this point, you are wanting to hurt yourself by pushing him away. I don’t get it.”

Vegas breathes in and out, continuing to stare down at his bedding until lying back down, “I want to be back on the meds.”

Macau nods, “Okay. Maybe the doctors can figure out something that doesn’t make you so tired. I think you still need to be on a higher dosage or stronger pain medication too. But that’s not what we are talking about right now. We’re talking about you being a dickhead to Pete for no reason. You need to give me a reason or P’Pete and I are both leaving. I’ll send the most unexpected guard here to keep you company, but that’s all you will get. P’Pete and I will run away and he’ll buy a house for us that you’ll never find. P’Pete will finish raising me and enroll me in a new school. You won’t see me until you happen to run into me, my wife, and our twin girls at a restaurant fifteen years from now-”

“Wife?” Vegas questions, as if he can’t fathom anyone in his family being with a woman. But when Pete thinks about how overwhelmingly gay the Theerapanyakul family is, it sort of makes sense.

“I mean, maybe husband,” Macau say, seeming unsure, “I don’t know. It doesn’t really matter. My point is that P’Pete will be the one walking me down the aisle. Not you. Not if you don’t respect him and try to calmly explain what he did wrong enough to make you want him to leave.”

Vegas’s face screws up with frustration, “Nothing. He did nothing. He just needs to leave.”

“That’s what you keep saying, but I think you’re struggling with your words right now,” Macau says, “You aren’t elaborating. Try typing it. We got you the new phone, but if you want us all to get on Animal Crossing, we can talk that way too.”

Vegas breathes out through his nose, but yanks the phone out of Macau’s hands when it’s handed to him and begins to type.

Vegas: You need to get out.

Pete: So you’ve said. And as I’ve said: No.

Vegas: Fuck you 🖕

Macau: Hia, you’re being a jerk and for what? Do I need to go back and screen shot you trying to sext him in our group chat the other night?