Chapter Text
Pete’s POV
Pete was panicking.
No no no, that was an understatement; Pete was fucking terrified. Because last time he checked, the time was coming and he knew it, but he didn’t do anything about it! At first, it was understandable, he had more pressing matters at hand such as trying to save Porshe’s stupid ass, getting kidnapped, then tortured... You know, just a casual Thursday.
Nonetheless, the time was coming and he could feel that he was fucked. It was like a constant pressure that was making it harder to breathe, like there were weights wrapped around his ankles, heavier than the chains around his ankles, slowing him down.
The truth is that after he made the deal ten (10) years ago, he hadn’t really expected it to be carried out; he thought that it was just another empty promise. It was almost surreal when it happened, when his wish was fulfilled. Now, he had to pay the price.
That’s what he thought, sitting on Vegas’ bed with his hands handcuffed. Even if they were getting along, even if they shared a rather...passionate night, he was still a prisoner, still a kidnappee. Their mutual feelings and understanding didn’t seem to be enough to release his hands, for Pete to gain his freedom... If he thought about it more, he knew he would spiral down dangerous territories of his mind, the ones that kept screaming at him how stupid he was for being a trauma dumpster.
He shook his head around in an attempt to clear his mind and focus on his more serious problems. He couldn’t escape now; he had his chance and he threw it away, buried it if he was being more accurate. They will come for him. They will come for him here.
Vegas was not home yet, he was probab- wait, did he just think home? Oh no, that was bad, that was really bad! This is the sign that he has officially lost his mind. Pete saw it coming, really, he had been working for Khun Tankhun for way too long, his craziness must have rubbed off on him... Anyways, Vegas is not at his home yet and Pete knows because, for the past few days, he has focused all his energy on his ears. Every time a door opens or closes, he hears it. When they come, he will hear it.
One (1) hour later, he was still in the same position, with the same thoughts boiling in his head which were abruptly stopped by a knock on the door. He didn’t answer, it wasn’t his room after all, but the owner of the room, or his head to be exact, entered slowly.
~🌙~
Vegas’ POV
When Vegas came home, his steps unconsciously led him to Pet- to his room, yeah his room because, you know, he was tired and all that... Yeah, he thought, that’s a good enough explanation and not an excuse at all...
Who was he kidding exactly? It was getting ridiculous! This was his own head, his own thoughts. Why was he trying to convince himself about something he knew was false? He caught feelings, okay? Here, he said it! Satisfied?! He knew his chances of reciprocations were next to nonexistent but still. Here he was, having feelings for his captive, his personal punching bag. ‘He has a name’ his brain provided ‘a very beautiful one’, not helpful but thanks I guess...
His outlet, uhm, Pete, was a bit jumpy these days, Vegas had noticed. It was weird because that nervousness didn’t seem directed at him. No, something was bothering Pete and Vegas was...curious to say the least. So, he had gotten it upon himself to knock before he came into the room. Such a small gesture and yet, Pete seemed to relax immensely the moment he saw Vegas come in. He didn’t know if he had to be flattered by such a reaction or offended. Was what got Pete on edge that much greater than Vegas, that his own presence brought peace? ‘Jealous much?’ his brain provided. Again, not helpful.
Back to the present, focus brain, he knocked and entered the room without waiting for permission, it was still his room after all, and was met with the sight of Pete sitting on his bed and biting his bottom lip. His heart did not flutter and a sense of calm did not wash over him, okay? He casually walked in and stripped, and without waiting to see Pete’s reaction, he went to take a shower. When the dirt of the outside world was off of his body, he went back into the bedroom with just a towel tossed over his shoulder, again not waiting for a reaction, to get some casual clothes on.
As soon as he was dressed, he sat on the bed next to Pete and picked up a book from the nightstand, trying to read the damn words. If you asked him in which language the book was written, he wouldn’t be able to answer and the cause of his momentary illiteracy was the almost vibrating body by his side. Pete was fidgeting, not being able to sit still for more than a moment, and Vegas couldn’t really blame him. The atmosphere was charged, and the air between them had changed after...oh well. The sound of the handcuffs rattling around was starting to get on his nerves, though, and he couldn’t pretend to ignore it anymore. He gripped Pete’s hands in one of his own and his jaw with the other, not roughly, just turning his head to look at him. The direct eye contact did not take his breath away, the room was just hot. Wasn’t the AC on? Why is it so hot in here? ‘Drop the act, you convince nobody’ Shut up brain.
“What’s wrong?” The question seemed to make Pete focus on his eyes and not his lips and it did not make Vegas feel smug as fuck.
“Haha what? Nothing is wrong, I’m fine.” Pete’s answer was accompanied by the not-cutest but also fake smile he always plastered on his not-cute face.
“I thought I told you not to lie to me, there is no point. Did I not make myself clear already?” Vegas knew that his voice was not dripping with threat as he wanted it to, but it would do for now.
Pete seemed to hesitate before he opened his mouth to talk again but was interrupted by a knock on the door. Vegas stood up, ready to shoot the person at the other side of the door, but stopped himself when he saw his head bodyguard, Nop, stand there with a pensive look on his face.
“What is it?”
“This came in the mail for you.” he said while handing him a letter after he bowed respectfully. “There is no address, no sender, and when we checked the surveillance cameras, we couldn’t find who dropped it, there was no one. The guards on duty didn’t see anyone either.” His face was downcast, as if ashamed of the lack of information that he provided. “We checked it” he continued “but there was nothing suspicious about it, no hidden mechanism or anything else. It appears to be just a letter with your name on it as the recipient.”
“Okay, thanks, you’re free to go” Vegas dismissed him and immediately turned back to sit on the bed with the letter in his hands. With the door closed by Nop, he turned his attention to the letter. The white envelope was simple, with no decoration or extravagance, which meant that it did not come from someone important. Or it was from someone so important that they didn’t need any décor. He guessed he would find out soon enough. Once he opened the envelope and took the letter out, he noticed that its contents were in English, just like his name on the envelope. It read:
Hello Vegas, read me out loud.
Good boy! Now, be a sweetheart and give it to Pete.
Yes, yes, we know that he is with you but don’t worry, we won’t tell a soul! Pinky promise!
It was creepy, to say the least. It was like the sender knew exactly what he was doing and thinking. He was not proud to admit that he really read it out loud. How did they know that Pete was with him? Who were they? It couldn’t be the Main Family, they wouldn’t send a letter; they would kill Vegas the moment he was spotted and take Pete away. No, he shouldn’t think about that because then he would want to strangle somebody, and now was not the time. He turned to Pete to obediently and grudgingly give him the letter and what he saw surprised him. Pete’s eyes were two circles, they were so wide he was worried they were going to pop out of their sockets! He didn’t seem to relax at the knowledge that somebody knew about his whereabouts, he looked absolutely terrified.
He took the letter with trembling hands and started reading out loud as well.
Hello love, how have you been? We heard that you were in a kind of a tight spot and we are sorry to inform you that it is time. Ten (10) years have passed and it is time to pay the price. If you cannot come here, then we will come. Just say the word!
There was no signature but if he judged from the horrified expression on Pete’s face, he knew who sent it. Which leads to the question...what the fuck is this? Is someone fucking with them? Like, what the actual fuck? The audacity of that person! Who did they think they were dealing with? He was Vegas fucking Theerapanyakun and they called him sweetheart? Good boy? Do they have a death wish?!
On second thought though, the most important thing was not his wounded ego. What price are they talking about? What did Pete do ten (10) years ago?