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The dog yipped and with the twirls and small hops it was displaying, Vegas smiled as he snugly fit the collar around his neck and attached the leash. “Let’s go, White.”
They followed obediently, slightly trailing ahead of the man, treading with small and quick steps. Vegas chuckled and the walk continued in silence.
They passed the remote houses around the countryside and Vegas chuckled as the pure white-furred creature staggered around with his small legs, curiously sniffing the surroundings. He gave it a few pats here and there, oftentimes a happy crooning coming from the canine.
But like most things…
Everything good must eventually come to an end.
Vegas’ vision had always been surprisingly good despite the fact he had to occasionally wear glasses, so spotting the sprinting figure came naturally to him.
The only issue was that it was coming for White and not him.
Immediately catching onto the situation, he covered the dog’s body with his own. He hissed at the biting that followed, but he didn’t move from his spot. He used his right hand to slam the other dog away, continuing to use his body to block White from any more harm and injuries. His ears were still slightly ringing from loud barking, only vaguely hearing the supposed owners of the dog running out the front door.
The pressure was taken off; he got up from his spot, ignoring the blood running down parts of his body, his fists trembled and pupils shook, eyes relaying an emotion full of pure spite and rage. He stared down at the owners and noticed them flinch.
They stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity.
There was no apology.
He didn’t care.
He was absolutely furious.
“Are you stupid?” He shouted. “It’s common courtesy to have your dog leashed up when they’re outside without clear barriers between them and others! You don’t just…leave them out with no supervision! I can and will sue your asses if this happens.”
The couple scoffed, and Vegas growled and stormed off, arms cradling the snow-white dog in his arms. Completely ignoring the blood running down his elbows, torso, and back, he swiftly returned to the shared manor, rushing to the area with the disinfecting kit. He got one of the maids to call for any other person. Kinn came hurrying out of a room, letting out a small and quiet gasp. “What the hell?” He uttered.
Vegas lifted up his shirt and clicked his tongue. “Fuck, that damn dog bit me too.”
“Vegas, you have exactly five seconds to explain what happened, or I’m calling in N’Macau.”
Vegas huffed. “No need for that. Just, a dog off its leash in the front yard came running at White. Naturally, I had to do something.” He shrugged as if the blood staining and still leaking out from the puncture marks on his skin, were not alarming in the slightest.
Kinn let out an uncharacteristic growl and grabbed the younger by the wrist, dragging him to another room with multiple medkits. “Of course, you get in the middle of something like that. You were always the kindest out of us five.”
Vegas snorted.
“I’m being serious. Before our fathers forced us to start training to take up their mantle, you were always the kindest one. The one with a heart of gold who loved to make new friends and create jewelry as gifts for others. I still have the first silver ring you made for me, y’know.” Kinn pulled out from under his shirt, a stainless steel chain looping through a ring, the ring engraved with ‘P’Kinn.’
“I never forgot your kind heart, N’Vegas. It killed me to see the man you were forced, molded, to become as you grew up. It hurt me when you did anything our family didn’t like because I know you did it to make your father happy. I never have believed in the rumors about you. Uncle Kan…he never deserved you, Vegas.”
“Everything nice I touch…I destroy it. I destroy them, Kinn. I hate it. No wonder ‘Pa called me a failure,” he snorted in self-deprecation. “I mean, fucking White. That was never supposed to happen.” His fingernails dug into his skin, and with a gentle touch, Kinn lifted them from his now flush skin.
Looking up from the ground, Vegas was greeted by the sight of soft and sympathetic eyes. His cousin’s soft skin gently laid itself gingerly on his own. Kinn’s eyes sparkled with something akin to compassion and a sense of lingering regret.
Vegas got the feeling he knew what for, but he ignored it.
He ignored the fact that his older cousin — his family — seemed to care about him.
Because after all…
Everyone he learns to love…
Eventually leaves him.
Vegas learned his lesson many times over; it was one that he experienced many times, over and over again. He didn’t want to suffer through that again.
He grabbed Kinn’s arm and shoved it off. “ Leave, Kinn. I don’t want to talk about anything,” he hissed.
Kinn didn’t let him leave. He forced the younger to stare at his own dark orbs. “Khun Kan… I will make sure he breathes his last breath.”
“Fuck off, Kinn,” Vegas snapped. “I don’t want your damn pity.”
“Vegas. Have you known me to do or say such things that I have, out of pity? You’re an absolute fool if you think so—” Kinn held out a hand to cut off what Vegas was about to say in protest. “—You are my cousin. My relative, my family. That means you mean everything to me, and I will not tolerate the fact that Uncle Kan has mistreated you and Macau for the past twenty-something years. My own father has his flaws, yes, but he has never raised a hand against us because even he has his own set of morals. Uncle Kan… he needs to be rid of, for he has hurt someone I love. ”
Vegas was left speechless.
“I know that my sudden attitude is suspicious, and you have all the right to be so. However, no matter what you think of me, you are my younger sibling, and I have a duty and a desire to protect you. Even if it’s from my own despicable relatives.”
“Y-You… fine. I don’t care what happens to me, but you better keep Macau safe, or else I will destroy you.”
“I know. I know that exact feeling. I’ll make sure both of you get the closure you two deserve. ”
Vegas felt himself breaking apart at the seams; felt himself slowly cracking, the walls sluggishly crumbling down.
Vegas hated Kinn for many things, but at this moment, he hated Kinn for how observant and knowing he was. He knew his older cousin understood the number of conflicting emotions he was feeling all at once. He hated how his body went slack as Kinn gently wrapped his delicate and pale arms around his figure. He absolutely despised how much he had been wanting comfort from someone — from anyone — to assure him that, he was alright, that what happened to him since he was a child, was not his fault.
His breath labored; he hiccupped, voice cracking. His voice was quiet and hoarse as the tears ran down his face with the small amount of sunlight shimmering through the windows.
He cried.
He sobbed.
The tears would not stop.
Everything over the course of his twenty-six years of living a life of chains and shackles, came crashing down. Kinn clicked his tongue in a comforting sound of white noise.
“It’s alright, Vegas,” he quietly whispered.
There was no response, but everything was conveyed in the way that Vegas nestled up closer to Kinn as opposed to the opposite.
Kinn ran his hands through his younger cousin’s hair. “Go sleep, little Firefly. I will be here when you awaken.”
That afternoon, Vegas’ sleep is dreamless and peaceful.