The Devil, the Beauty, and the Beast (short story)

Chapter 9

Vegas is sitting by his desk when the door opens, long legs casually stretched out as he thumbs through a stack of papers. He flashes Rain a welcoming smile, and the Omega bounces into his office with a happy squeak.

"Vegas!"

He literally launches himself across the desk and right at the Alpha, and Vegas has to brace himself to not let the chair tip over when Rain's weight drops into his lap.

"Oof, little one- careful!" he laughs and ruffles the young Omega's hair. "There you are! How was class today?"

"It was boring, but I'm happy to be staying over!" Rain sings and nuzzles his nose against Vegas'.

"That's good to hear, then. Why don't you go upstairs already and I'll be there soon once I finish up this paperwork here, hm? Macau is watching TV, I think. Chay will be home soon, too, so you can join them until I'm done."

Rain nods eagerly and jumps back to his feet - but then he seems to remember something and turns around with a little frown.

"Where's Pete?" he demands, almost pouting.

With a distinct air of dominance, Vegas raises one eyebrow at him, and Rain steps back, a little abashed at being wordlessly reprimanded like this. Vegas is never straightforward with his disciplining, but it's an unspoken law in their household that the everyday rules are to be followed - and those include no pouting, and using his words to explain he's upset when he is.

"I mean... is Pete not here?" he tries again, almost shy this time.

"He is," Vegas replies and goes back to his work, more relaxed now that Rain has corrected himself, "but he's in our room."

Oh.

Rain flushes a little. If Pete is in his and Vegas' room, that means he and Vegas are playing right now. Maybe Pete is being punished, or rewarded, and Vegas is just making him wait a little for the sake of it. Phayu tends to do the same to him - if Rain has been especially bad (or good), he'll send him to wait for him in their room and then takes his sweet time getting ready until he joins Rain at last, but no matter the wait, he always makes it worth Rain's while. Those nights are the best, in the Omega's humble opinion. Waiting for a punishment or a reward, feeling that nervous buzz in every inch of his body, trembling in anticipation for a touch, a hit, a praising or scolding word is the best feeling in the world to Rain. It's when he feels safest with Daddy - not knowing what's to come yet still aware that he's so sweetly sheltered, that a single word will have Phayu cradling him, kissing him, holding him, loving him.

"Okay," he replies shyly and retreats towards the door. "Please tell him I love him very much!"

Vegas smiles up at him with a hungry glint in his eyes, one Rain knows from video calls with Phayu when he teases his Alpha a little too much, making sure he'll arrive home all riled up and ready to tackle Rain down for a good, thorough breeding wherever he finds him.

"I will. Now off with you, sweetheart."

Rain escapes out into the staircase again and takes the last two flights with giddy little bounces. Phayu and Prapai are working late today, and since his little breakdown last time, Rain spends those afternoons in exchange at the minor or main compound, whoever is able to host him at the moment. Both Kinn and Vegas are more than happy to have him over as often as they can, absolutely besotted with their sons' Omega.

"Rain!"

As soon as Rain steps into the living room upstairs, Macau holds out his arms where he's lying on the couch, and Rain throws himself on top of him with a laugh. They roll over and Macau tickles his sides for a moment before he lovingly noses at Rain's cheek, making the Omega giggle like a pup.