Work Text:
Macau was ten years old when he broke a priceless Ming vase.
He had been happily playing with his soccer ball one early afternoon in the courtyard. There were days where he could spend hours just kicking that ball around without a care in the world. The sun was beginning to set beyond the tiled roof of the house when he had decided that he wanted to find a snack. The problem was that Auntie Hom would never let him have anything sugary on her watch, so it was down to Macau to go searching himself.
Seeing no reason for the play to stop, he had not picked up his soccer ball, and instead opted to kick it through the halls of the family estate, scuffing up the polished hardwood as he went. He took a few steps left and a few steps right to dribble the ball between his feet. A few more paces, and he made a pass through the legs of one of the house staff, who almost tripped over as a result. Before he knew it, he had arrived at the main lobby. The heart of the house.
This was the moment Macau should’ve had the good sense to pick the ball up and continue to wherever he was going. That would’ve been the correct thing to do. It was unfortunate that this revelation came only in hindsight. Macau, with all the sense of a ten-year-old boy, had seen the large double fronted doorway of the centrum and mentally decided they made the perfect goalposts for his match winning penalty.
He set the ball down, lined it up to the centre, took a few steps back, and aimed right in the middle of the doorway. He didn’t know whether or not subconsciously he expected himself to miss, but the ball sailed through the air and straight into the main hall.
The next thing Macau heard was the shattering of ceramic.
The second he’d comprehended what the sound was, he felt his heart start to beat frantically in his chest and an ice-cold fear descended over him. Once he was able to move again, he ran into the hall hoping and praying he hadn’t done what he thought he’d just done. There was no such luck. There, in pieces on the floor, was his father’s Ming vase shattered beyond recognition.
The vase had been a staple of the centrum since Macau could remember. So much so, half the time he forgot it was there in the first place. It had been set on a plinth just adjacent to the main stairwell in pride of place. A vase like that did not deserve to be anywhere other than where people could see and admire it. It had sat there, unbothered and undisturbed until today. It never once wobbled or had anyone accidentally nudge it. It had been perfectly happy to simply be. But now Macau had disturbed the peace, and he had no clue what he was going to do.
He ran over to the mess and dropped to his knees, eyes frantically darting between all the broken pieces of pottery. He picked some of them up and tried to puzzle them back together to no avail. It was all too soon that realisation leapt to the very front of his mind. There was absolutely nothing he could do to fix this. No glue or tape was going to put the vase back together or make it whole again. He had broken something priceless, and he was going to face major consequences.
Macau’s heart dropped deep into his stomach when he heard the footsteps of someone entering the centrum, obviously wondering what all the commotion was about.
“Macau!” came a startled voice. Macau whipped his head up. Even without a mirror he knew he had the guiltiest look on his face, betraying the fact that everything had been his fault.
He felt only a momentary pulse of relief when he saw the voice hadn’t come from his father. It had come from his brother. Vegas stared at Macau with the same horrified expression. He looked at the broken vase before his attention turned to the soccer ball, which sat conspicuously to the left. The evidence and the crime. It took Vegas less than a second to realise what had happened.
“Macau!” he exclaimed again in that tone of disbelief. It wasn’t everyday his brother was lost for words, and it made Macau feel even worse.
“I’m sorry! It was an accident! I-“ Macau trailed off, not knowing what else to say. Vegas just stood there, stock still. He then looked around to see if anyone was coming, as though he was about to try and help. But before he could do anything, a new set of footsteps echoed around the open space of the lobby, reverberating off the walls and sealing Macau’s impending doom.
Macau knew those footfalls. Would know them anywhere. Vegas knew those footfalls just as well, if not better. They knew them from nights hiding under the covers, running away from their bellowing presence up the stairs. Knew them from the destruction they brought in their wake.
Macau recalled Vegas telling him a story once from a book he’d borrowed from school. It was the story of the titan, Kronos. Macau recalled the ancient tale and the way it detailed how Kronos stomped around the earth. Macau didn’t know why the story had stuck with him so much. He remembered Vegas telling him that in the end, Kronos found his sons and swallowed them whole. The story briefly passed through his mind at the sound of those footsteps. Macau thought in that moment that even the footsteps of Kronos couldn’t be as terrifying as his father’s.
Macau and Vegas stared at the lobby entrance.
There was father.
The reality of what he’d done fell on Macau like a ten-tonne weight. He imagined this is what Kronos’ sons felt like before being swallowed whole.
“What the fuck is this!?” His father shouted, pointing incredulously at the vase in bits on the floor. Macau cowered as he saw his father’s eyes flash with fury. It was one of those moments that made him realise just how fragile his body and existence were. How easily he could be destroyed if someone so chose. Macau was knelt at his father’s mercy, utterly frozen in fear.
His father’s eyes scanned the Ming vase, Macau, and then finally the soccer ball.
“Who did this?” he asked, and Macau practically quivered in place. It was one thing when his father shouted and screamed the house down. It was almost better that way, because it was another thing entirely when his voice became level and calm. When he sounded calm, that’s when Macau knew he was really mad. Macau knew he had to say something, but struggled to get the words out.
“Um.” He eventually managed, and his father’s head snapped to him. When Macau couldn’t muster any more words, his father’s eyebrows raised a little as if to say go on. Macau’s breathing started to come in short, sharp, uneven huffs.
“Um… I-“
“It was me, father.”
Macau didn’t need to guess who had just taken the blame for him. There was only one person it could be. He was the only one here, but even in a room full of people, Macau would still know.
All of a sudden, the crushing rage that had been directed at him changed course to zero in on Vegas. Macau watched as his brother moved to stand in front of him. Protecting him.
“Macau bet me that I couldn’t kick it to the top of the stairs.” Their father’s eyes narrowed.
“I see.” He said lowly. Dangerously. Macau could see the line of Vegas’ shoulders go tense. He was trying so hard to stand up straight and confident, but his posture betrayed him.
“You were the one that kicked the ball?”
“Yes, father.”
“And you didn’t think for one fucking second you could damage something irreplaceable?”
“No, father.”
“My Ming vase is in pieces, and it’s thanks to your decision.”
“I know, father.”
The smack came faster than Macau expected, and he winced when it happened. It came down harshly, and the sound crisply reverberated off the open walls of the lobby.
Vegas reeled from the force of it. Macau could see that he tried his best to stand his ground, but eventually the sheer power toppled him. Vegas collapsed onto his side, and Macau felt a new feeling of desperation overcome him. He wanted to run over and help. Why couldn’t he move? Why couldn’t he do something? Why was he such a coward?
Macau saw his father bear down over Vegas. The only thing Macau could think was: don’t eat him. I need him. I need him more than you.
Father grabbed a fistful of Vegas’ hair, and Vegas let out a small sound of discomfort.
“You need to learn that poor decisions have consequences, boy.” Macau could only watch as his father hauled his brother away by the hair, not caring that he was wincing and hissing in pain, stumbling to keep up.
Macau watched. He couldn’t do anything.
Later that night, Vegas came into Macau’s room with his face all swollen, mottled black and blue. Macau had thrown himself into his arms and sobbed that he was sorry.
“Don’t worry.” Vegas had said to him. “That’s what big brothers do.”
Macau was ten years old when he broke a priceless Ming vase.
He was also ten years old when he knew that he’d do absolutely anything for his brother.
Years had passed since then, but that memory stayed so clearly in Macau’s mind it was as if it happened yesterday. Sometimes, his brain liked to remind him of it before he went to sleep. To accuse him of all kinds of things. To call him a coward or a cry baby.
When their father was killed, Macau cried. He didn’t even know why. Perhaps it was the fact that their lives were about to change forever, or perhaps it was the relief that no vase or pretty object would ever turn Vegas’ face black and blue again. Or maybe, in some kind of way, Macau did actually love his father.
Whatever it was, it was just him and Vegas now… or so Macau had assumed. Assumed very wrongly.
He hadn’t in a million years been expecting to get a new brother slash nephew, and even a brother-in-law.
As Vegas recovered in hospital, Macau pretended to be asleep in the armchair. When Vegas had kissed Pete and poured his soul out to him, Macau knew that Pete was special. Macau’s heart leapt in joy for his brother. For finding someone he could just be himself with. If Pete was special to Vegas, he was special to Macau now too. Even with the introduction of Venice and their new roles in the family, Macau was happier than he’d ever been.
It was the most settled he’d felt in his entire life.
Nine months later…
#discordforsane_bois
ChayChay 18:45
ready 2 play scrubz
?
KimmyT 18:46
loading up now
Macau glanced down at the chat and hastily typed in his reply.
McCow 18:46
ye hang on fuckin internet
It had become somewhat of a ritual now. On a Friday night, it was time to play games. Macau enjoyed the little routine they’d gotten into. His uni classes were all over for the week, so he could kick back and relax, and there was no better way to kick back and relax than blowing some strangers’ heads off in a video game.
It wasn’t that he didn’t used to do that before on a Friday night, but this was the first time in his life he’d had some real friends to play with. Come to think of it, Macau had never really had close friends in person either. This newfound friendship with Kim and Chay was tentative and fresh, but since the dust had settled between the major and minor families, Macau had found an unlikely alliance in the pair. It had started when he’d visited the main compound and found Kim there, which was weird because he never saw Kim. He’d been even more surprised to see the shy kid from his math class there with him. They’d stared at each other for a bit before Kim shrugged and went “wanna play games?”.
Thus, the discordforsane_bois was born in honour of the only sane Theerapanyakuls. They had been friends for the best part of a year now and Macau was happy. Really happy. They played rounds of CS:GO together every Friday and it was Macau’s favourite night of the week.
Or at least, it would be if his damn internet would let him play. The buffering had been getting on his nerves ever since a monsoon knocked the house out of whack. Macau heard the ping of new messages come through.
ChayChay 18:47
its not fixed yet???
McCow 18:47
bro is stressing out atm cuz he’s taking pete away this weekend. no time for internet fixing
KimmyT 18:47
that’s rough buddy
ChayChay 18:47
cute hes taking pete away. makin the room now btw
KimmyT 18:48
I wanna be in ur room
ChayChay 18:48
oh yea. you know ur welcome any time
McCow 18:48
hey
hey guys
a room
get one
Macau rolled his eyes good naturedly, he was used to being the professional third wheel to the pair by now. Macau would have never put money on Kim and Chay being together, although now he knew them, he could see they complimented one another well. Then again, he would have never put money on his closest friendships coming in the form of his cousin and a classmate he’d barely exchanged two words with.
It was nice but still kind of weird, especially with the lingering intensity between the major and minor families. Growing up, Macau had been spared a lot of the drama. He remembered hearing his father go on and on to Vegas about how the major family hated them, and thought every single one of them were dogs. Macau hadn’t really been the recipient of those talks, though. Father had been priming Vegas to take over, not him. The heir and the spare. Macau was born for ‘just in case’ circumstances. Even now, he couldn’t really say he hated any of the major family. The only member he actually held a dislike for was Tankhun, and he knew that was very much mutual. They just rubbed each other entirely the wrong way.
Now he was older, he realised that for all his father’s gripes with the main family, Macau actually didn’t really have a problem with them, and especially not with Kim. Macau fully sympathised with the want to stay out of all the family bullshit. Sure, Kim was kind of aloof and a bit of a diva (what kind of creative genius came up with the alias ‘WIK’ anyway?) but at the end of the day, he was pretty chill.
Chay was cool too. Macau used to have math class with him and had seen him around school. They never really talked before now, but Macau vaguely recalls that he stole a pencil from him once. He appeared shy, but once you got to know him, he was a real laugh. Sweet and funny, and Macau could see why Kim adored him.
And above all else, with them Macau didn’t have to hide anything. The three of them knew all the nitty gritty details about the family business. They all knew everything. They knew who hated who, who everyone was and where they fit into the puzzle. It was just refreshing. Nothing to hide. Just three dudes, their consoles, and their brothers who either hated or screwed each other.
Normal. So very normal.
KimmyT 19:50
tell us when you’re set. i’m grabbing Chay and I some drinks
Macau liked the message and sighed in frustration, glaring daggers at his TV screen and the game loading popup. He leaned back against the footboard of his bed, feeling the beanbag he was sat on shift under him. He wondered what he could do.
Just then, there came a soft knock at the door. From that knock alone, Macau knew exactly who was here to see him.
“Can I come in?” chimed Pete’s voice from the other side of the door.
“Sure!” Macau called in response, removing his headset to rest around his neck.
Having a brother-in-law was cool. Having Pete as a brother-in-law was even cooler. In the early days of Pete living with them, Macau had tried to decipher what it was about Pete that was just so endearing. Macau had decided that firstly, he made Vegas happy, which put his brother in a good mood, which consequently made life better for everyone else too. Secondly, Macau had figured out that even though it was a small thing, it meant the world.
It was the fact Pete always knocked before he entered.
Macau hadn’t really realised growing up how much of his space wasn’t really his own. His father never knocked. He’d just barge in whenever he felt like it, like it was his God-given right. Sometimes he was drunk and violent after a meeting in the main compound. Other times he was dragging a beaten Vegas up to see Macau, like he wanted to show off what he’d done to him. He never knocked because he saw Macau’s room as something he owned. He demanded attention in what was meant to be Macau’s private space.
Pete however, couldn’t be more different. He asked for Macau’s time, but never demanded it. The impact on Macau’s piece of mind staggered even him. The knowledge that Pete wouldn’t just enter at his own leisure. He wouldn’t break things that were important to him, he wouldn’t drag him out of bed, and he wouldn’t yell.
When he knocked, Macau respected him and allowed him in every time. He didn’t need to walk on eggshells and predict the next intrusion.
Pete poked his head around the door, and Macau brightened when he saw that he had Venice gently balanced on his hip, chewing a teething ring and curiously taking everything in. He was so big now. Macau set his controller aside and held his arms out for Venice. Pete toed his way into the room and handed him over. As soon as he was received, Venice squealed and reached out for Macau’s face. Now he was older, he recognised his favourite people far more easily, and Macau never missed an opportunity to cuddle him. He was a social baby and everyone simply adored him. Pete laughed as Venice made a grab for the headset microphone, poking out enticingly from around Macau’s neck. Macau tilted his head back so it was out of reach.
“You can have a go later, I swear!” Macau promised, laying Venice to rest back against his bent knees so he could take off his headset completely. He’d had one too many items gnawed and slobbered on to not have learned his lesson by now. The word ‘babyproof’ was a lie and he and Pete both knew it.
Pete set himself down on the soft carpet beside Macau’s beanbag.
“You playing with Kim and Chay?” he asked, and Macau hummed in affirmation.
“Yeah. Chay and I just got done with our uni exams, The three of us were thinking about going away somewhere actually.” Pete’s eyebrows shot up in a pleasant kind of surprise.
“I didn’t know you got on that well. That’s great!” Macau shrugged.
“I’m the ultimate third wheel. I knew Chay from school and Kim is kind of cool, I guess. Don’t tell him I said that though.” Pete conspiratorially mimed zipping his lips shut.
Resting against Macau’s knees, Venice started to get the inkling he wasn’t the centre of attention and began to babble and flap his arms around, trying to grab anything he could get his hands on. Macau offered him up his index fingers. Venice instinctively held onto them, and Macau guided his arms around in a little dance, humming the tune of Baby Shark, which was, regrettably for everyone, Venice’s song of the moment. Having satisfied him, Macau turned to Pete again, who was making soft eyes at them both.
“Did you need anything?” Macau asked.
“Nothing serious. I just wanted you to know that we’re off soon. Vegas wants to talk to you before we head out of town.” Macau couldn’t help but grimace a little.
“Is he still in a mood?” Pete winced sympathetically.
“Be gentle with him. He hasn’t had the best of weeks and Kinn has been on his ass.”
Macau couldn’t stifle the groan in the back of his throat. He hated it when his brother got into one of his stress moods. Whenever work got heavy, he’d come down with an evil temper and he started to get snippy and defensive. To his credit, the moods were far fewer since he’d been with Pete. He’d grown infinitely more tolerant and patient, especially with Venice in the picture. Macau remembered a time when he’d lose his temper at the drop of a hat. Now he at least needed some build up. It was progress. It didn’t, however, make his moods any better when he got into them though.
Earlier in the week, Vegas had snapped at the pair of them for leaving the laundry basket full, even though they had staff coming to do it literally within the hour. For the entire duration of the week, the minute he’d gotten off work, he zeroed in on one of Venice’s baby cupboards. He obsessively cleaned out all the stray stuff that had accumulated in the past few months. He cleared everything from clothes Venice had grown out of to empty tins of formula to medicine for six months and under.
Macau and Pete both lived with it and accepted that it was one of the things Vegas did to regain his control. Stress cleaning. The two of them had just hunkered down and stayed out of his way. Heavens help the poor soul that got between Vegas and his cleaning.
Macau took a moment to dread seeing his brother to ‘have a chat’. He adored him and would do anything for him, but sometimes he just wasn’t a pleasant person to be around.
“We’ll be out soon. There’s a Chinese delegation flying in from Shanghai to close a deal about the casinos next week, so he and Kinn have been under a lot of pressure.” Pete explained before his attention turned to Macau’s buffering loading screen.
“I’ll have someone take a look at the internet for you before we go. Fair deal?” That instantly brightened Macau’s spirits.
“You’re the best. The lag is killing me. Chay is merciless when I keep missing shots.” Pete chuckled, and Macau wasn’t kidding. He’d seen grown men reduced to tears from Chay’s criticism.
“Think Kim and Chay can hold on for a bit? Best get the conversation with Vegas over with.”
“Hang on.”
Macau slipped his headphones on and went into the voice channel for a brief second. He heard the unmistakable sound of kissing over the microphone and immediately exited.
“Yeah, they’ll be fine.”
“Okay, let’s not keep your brother waiting.” Pete stood up and scooped Venice out of Macau’s lap with a practiced ease. He then offered a hand to Macau and hauled him out the beanbag. Macau was just about to set his headphones aside before he remembered his promise.
He looked at Venice and slipped the headset over his ears. The image was comical. The headphones were almost the size of Venice’s entire head. Pete looked down at him and couldn’t help but laugh. Macau whipped his phone out to snap a picture before Venice got fussy and started to pull them off. The last thing that would improve Vegas’ mood was Venice’s crying. If Venice cried, Pete was upset, when Pete was upset, Vegas was upset, and when Vegas was upset, it became everyone else’s problem. Macau quickly sent the photo to the chat.
McCow 20:03
[image.jpg]
just sorting out stuff with bro and fixing internet. be back soon
ChayChay 20:03
so cuuuutteeeee
KimmyT 20:03
probs plays better than you too
McCow 20:03
🖕🖕🖕
Macau snorted before tucking his phone in his pocket.
“Alright, let’s get this over with.” he said, and followed Pete out his room and down the long corridors to the master suite.
.
Macau and Pete walked side by side through the hallways. Technically this wasn’t even considered the ‘minor household’ anymore. Now it was just home, as it always had been to Macau. He knew every floorboard and door like the back of his hand. He had spent too much of his childhood running and hiding from Auntie Hom and generally causing a bucket load of mischief and inconvenience for the house staff.
All in all, Macau was grateful they’d gotten to keep the house after the dust had settled. Kinn, in the aftermath of the great Theerapanyakul falling out (understatement of the century), had designated them to remain in the house and even keep the staff. Something about ‘good faith’ and ‘starting afresh’ in their new business arrangement. Macau didn’t really know or care. He didn’t have to move out, he still got people to cook for him, and he got to keep all his happier childhood memories. In fact, if someone were to ask, Macau would say he actually preferred things the way they were now to the way they had been.
They still dealt with the underworld, but with Kinn in charge, there were less people pulling strings and less ulterior motives. They just felt like a business family. Things felt as though they were just a little bit normal.
Pete and Macau soon made their way to the sectioned off wing of the house designated as the private suite. Pete balanced Venice in one arm as he entered the door code to allow them to pass. Limited staff were allowed access here to preserve privacy and prevent infiltrations for things like information. Since a spy was caught planting listening devices in Venice’s room, Pete had upped the security and clearance for this part of the house, taking absolutely no chances. Macau recalled Pete ‘speaking’ to that spy and returning absolutely drenched in blood. It was needless to say he got the information he’d wanted.
Once they’d cleared the passcode areas, they came to a small open space. It was decorated slightly differently to the rest of the house. It had muted colours and tasteful décor in a intertwining of Pete and Vegas. The efficient tidiness and straight lines of Vegas’ personality, and the intricate patterning here and there indicative of Pete. It felt more homely. On a desk to the side was Macau’s favourite photo of the four of them on the day they visited the beach a few months back. Vegas with his arm around Pete actually smiling for the camera and Macau holding Venice, whose eyes were wide with fascination at feeling the sand on his feet for the first time.
To the left of the small lobby was Venice’s nursery. It used to be a lounge, but the proximity and through door made it perfect for the transformation into a creche. To the right, was the way to Vegas and Pete’s master bedroom.
Pete knocked on the bedroom door before entering, more of a warning he was coming in than an invitation. He didn’t wait for the okay, he knew that Vegas was probably in the zone of whatever the fuck he was stropping about.
Upon initial inspection, the first thought Macau had was that the room looked like a bomb had hit it. Everywhere he looked there were articles of clothing, baby stuff and toiletries all spread out in a cacophony of mess centred around one medium sized travel bag that couldn’t possibly fit all that stuff in it. The second thing Macau noticed was his brother sat on the bed, back against the headboard and legs outstretched. His socked feet were crossed at the ankle. Macau knew immediately that ‘delicate’ was and understatement for the mood he was in.
Vegas typed furiously on his laptop, clicking the keys with far more force than necessary, and on the bedside table, his work phone pinged every few seconds with the sickening tone Macau recognised as Microsoft Teams. His mouth was set in a straight line, and his shoulders were fraught with tension. Macau knew to avoid him when he got like this, lest he wanted to get his head bitten off. The environment couldn’t have been helping. Vegas infamously hated this kind of stuff mess. More akin to untidy. His baby-induced sleep deprivation had forced him to compromise some of his hatred for untidiness, but even with Venice’s influence, every single thing that wasn’t in its rightful place was becoming one straw closer to breaking the camel’s back.
“Macau is here for you.” Pete said gently. Vegas hummed noncommittally in acknowledgement. To anyone else it would have seemed rude or dismissive, but Macau knew that Pete could practically read Vegas’ mind and knew his intentions weren’t conveying hostility, but focus.
Macau thought about their relationship sometimes. How they seemed so mismatched when they were apart, but complimented each other so well when they were together. Pete was Vegas’ perfect fit, even if it was hard to see at first. Pete carefully tiptoed his way around all the stuff on the floor to perch beside Vegas on the bed. He glanced over at the laptop screen. Vegas paid him no mind and continued to type. Macau smiled as he saw Venice go wide eyed watching how fast his fingers moved.
“Everything okay?” Pete asked, and damn, he was braver than Macau was. One look at Vegas with that face and he knew to not even breathe too loud.
“Kinn wants me to attend a meeting with the Chinese Zhang family. We’re not sure when they’re arriving.” Pete looked visibly unimpressed.
“They’re arriving Monday. Porsche told me.”
“They could get here before then. I need to be there to greet them. It’d be an insult not to. The Zhang family are known to be ruthless.” Vegas replied, and Pete frowned. He stood up and shifted Venice on his hip.
“Well, you can’t. We’re leaving tonight.” Pete said, matter-of-factly in the tone that meant this wasn’t up for negotiation. Vegas scowled.
“Tell Kinn that. Fucker won’t let it go.”
Pete sighed in frustration. He leaned down to pass Venice to Vegas, who took him with an unconscious ease that warmed Macau’s heart a little. It looked to be almost muscle memory now. Macau remembered a time not so long ago when Vegas wanted absolutely nothing to do with Venice. How he’d go all green-eyed at him stealing away Pete’s attention. Since then, he seemed to have reconciled with his thoughts and was far more hands on than he’d ever been. He helped Pete out around the house, put Venice to bed some nights, and even took him into his office to keep an eye on him. The change was remarkable, and Macau thought it was only for the best.
With his hands now free, Pete reached into his back pocket for his phone.
“Give me a moment.” He said with a strange kind of determination before he made his way out into the hall. Vegas watched him go and closed his laptop, setting it aside before adjusting Venice to sit in his lap. Macau took this as his opportunity.
“You wanted to talk to me, bro?”
Vegas hummed.
“Yeah.” He said, and unconsciously allowed Venice to gnaw on his finger. Macau loved watching Vegas play with Venice. It was hilarious. Vegas talked to him like a business partner and not an actual baby. It was all made much funnier now Venice had made it out of the ‘boring baby’ stage and actually babbled back. At nine months old, he could do a whole lot more than just lay there and try to pick his head up. Macau had caught Vegas on more than one occasion having full on conversations with Venice about the best economic solutions for the bargaining hypothesis. He’d stand there cooking and then he’d pause, and Venice would babble back as if he were giving his own opinion.
Vegas waved Macau over to sit down beside him. He swung his feet to the floor, now sitting upright. Macau obeyed and sat down next to him only to feel the clap of his brother’s hand across his shoulder. A familiar gesture of warm brotherly acceptance Macau had come to recognise over the years.
“You all set for the weekend?” Vegas asked. Macau rolled his eyes with a huff.
“Pete’s only gone over the schedule with me like, a hundred times. I’ll be fine.” Vegas hummed, but Macau could tell something was off. Vegas gave Venice his teething ring before slithering in close to squeeze Macau’s shoulder a little harder.
“Now listen, bro. We’re going to leave in the next hour or so, so I have some things to let you know.” Macau knew this was coming sooner or later.
When Vegas had discussed wanting to take Pete away for the weekend, he’d initially wanted Venice to stay with Auntie Hom. It was the natural solution. However, Macau had volunteered to take the role of babysitter, claiming that as Venice’s supreme uncle, he should get to spend more time with him. It took some convincing on Vegas and Macau’s part, but Pete agreed to let Macau take care of him with the knowledge the Aunties would be nearby if anything went wrong. Macau had said he wanted to bond with Venice more. Have some one-on-one time for the two of them.
That did mean, however, he was going to be the proverbial head of the house while Vegas and Pete were gone. Macau sympathised and understood that he didn’t have the best track record when it came to being unsupervised in the house. While The Great Macau Theerapanyakul Rave had been spectacular, the aftermath had him banned from any and all things fun for literally half a year. Vegas and Pete did have reason to be cautious.
“Sure.” Macau offered, and gulped when he felt the grip on his shoulder tighten. He was definitely about to be gently threatened. He could just tell. Whether it was turning a blind eye to seeing Vegas steal a cookie when he was six, to keeping quiet about certain missing persons when he was eighteen, Macau knew that tone of sibling coercion. In that oh-so-charming big brother manner, Vegas’ voice dropped in the way that was lowkey terrifying.
“If I come back to this house in a tip and a load of drunk students on the floor, you’re dead.”
“Okay.”
“If I come back here and Kinn is waiting at the door to micromanage my ass, you’re dead.”
“Okay.”
“And Macau, this is the most important one.” Vegas chimed in a faux honeylike voice.
“At some point in the next hour, Pete will tell you that if anything goes wrong or you have ‘concerns’…” He punctuated that with one-handed air quotes. “…you can call him on his cell.” Vegas paused to make sure Macau was listening before he continued. “If you so much as look at that phone this weekend, you’re dead.”
Macau nodded quickly. Yeah, that was fair.
“Okay, okay, I get it.” Vegas smiled contently and squeezed his shoulder one more time for good measure.
“Good. Consider this us getting even for that time I didn’t tell Pete about your little fight at school.” Macau groaned.
“That was one time! That prick deserved it!” Vegas shrugged. When Venice started to fuss, he patted him gently on the stomach.
“As long as you won, I don’t give a shit. I trust your judgement. It’s Pete that would’ve had our heads for it.”
It was true. Pete was kind of terrifying when he was angry. Although it was, more often than not, Vegas who ruled the roost, Macau had never seen anyone put his brother in his place like Pete could. Macau had long since learned not to ask questions about the dynamics of their relationship. He knew enough from household gossip to keep in the loop, and even that was far too much. Noticing the conspicuous D-rings on the headboard and footboard of their bed had been traumatising. The less he knew about what his brother and brother-in-law were getting up to, the better. Macau was happy to watch Venice while they enjoyed a break to be with one another. They looked… pent up.
It would all be fine anyhow. Macau reassured himself that it couldn’t be that hard taking care of Venice. He didn’t really do anything except eat and try to talk. Macau could give him to Auntie Hom for changing. Piece of cake. The two of them could sit back, play video games, and it’d all be cool.
Underneath the stress, Macau could tell that his brother was excited. He’d told Macau all about the hotel suite he’d booked. Penthouse with a view of the city. He’d kept everything a secret from Pete. To anyone else, Vegas would’ve looked like his normal self, but Macau knew his brother far too well. He was eager to get away for a bit, and it was really nice.
“Don’t have parties, don’t let Kinn in, don’t call you. Got it.” Macau sounded off as confirmation he’d got the message, and Vegas nodded in affirmation.
“Good. Oh, and don’t you dare eat that cake in the fridge, it’s mine.” Macau would have shoved his brother harder if not for Venice.
“What!? No way! You’ve left it for ages, it’s fair game!”
“Since fucking when!? It’s always been mine, and it’s still mine. That doesn’t change when I leave for a weekend.” As they started to argue, Vegas rubbed his knuckles across Macau’s scalp. Venice began to laugh loudly between them. His head turned back and forth to watch the exchange, almost as if he were witnessing a tennis match. He clapped his hands together in glee until Vegas and Macau broke into laughter and looked down at him fondly.
Before they could return to their argument, Pete opened the door to the bedroom with a smug look on his face.
“It’s sorted.” He declared, and Vegas raised an eyebrow.
“What is?” Pete coolly walked over and picked Venice up. He kissed his cheek and Venice attempted to kiss back by smushing his face into Pete’s. He was more smearing his mouth across his cheek, but the adorable intention was there.
“You’re out the meeting. They’re due to arrive Monday. You’ll be back by then.” Vegas smiled conspiratorially, the stress releasing from his frame. He stood up and threaded his fingers through Pete’s beltloops to pull him as close as he could with Venice in the way.
“How did you swindle that, you minx?” Pete’s eyes went dark, and he leaned forward to peck Vegas’ lips.
“You’re lucky Tankhun loves me.” Vegas rolled his eyes and took Pete’s lips again, this time longer. Deeper.
Macau feigned disgust.
“Gross. Wait like, literally half an hour then you can kiss all you want. I get enough of it from Kim and Chay.” Pete chuckled and Vegas covered Venice’s eyes as he gave Macau a playful middle finger.
“It’ll be you one day.” Pete joked good naturedly.
“Yeah, well, right now you can all go suck face somewhere else.” Vegas huffed.
“Brat.”
.
The next half hour was a mad scramble to throw together the essentials for the weekend away. In hindsight this should’ve been done earlier, but with Vegas’ worries about the Chinese Zhang family and Pete drafting security reports for Kinn and Porsche, it just hadn’t happened.
Trickier than choosing what went with them was tidying up the rest of the mess they’d left behind before Vegas could have a total meltdown. For half an hour, Pete simultaneously was figuring out how many pairs of socks to bring and going over Venice’s timetable with Macau again. Vegas had even shot Macau a sympathetic look and a telepathic: sucks to be you, bro. On what must have been the thousandth time Pete had repeated himself, Vegas had taken pity on him and stepped in to gently remind Pete that they weren’t just abandoning Macau with the baby. There was an entire house worth of staff at his beck and call should they need anything.
Auntie Hom had survived raising two Theerapanyakul brothers, she’d be fine with one more.
Once the bag had been packed, they were ready to make a move. Vegas carried everything down the corridor towards the main entrance, resting his other hand on the small of Pete’s back. Macau held Venice as Pete prepared to say goodbye, double and triple checking the last details.
Waiting for them on the main driveway was Vegas’ two-seater Bugatti. The one with just enough space to fit their singular weekend bag while still being sleek and stylish. There were few and far between moments they could use the flash cars these days. With Venice and all the stuff that came with a baby, it was usually a four by four or nothing. Macau could tell his brother was pulling out all the stops to enjoy the weekend.
The valet took the bag and rushed off to pack it into the car. A few staff had come out the front to bid them a safe and happy weekend and ask some final questions here and there. After everything was sorted, it was finally time to say goodbye. Pete turned his attention to Macau and Venice. He leaned down to kiss both of Venice’s chubby cheeks with an exaggerated ‘mwah’. Venice reached up for his face and Pete pressed one more kiss to his nose, to which Venice giggled. His eyes turning to little crescents.
“I’ll miss you both so much!” Pete exclaimed, being sure to give Macau a friendly pat on the arm too. Vegas reached forward for Venice’s tiny hand, giving it a very gentle squeeze.
“Be good, demon.” He said with more affection than Macau had thought possible. Vegas brought his focus upwards. “Hang tight, bro.” Macau smirked.
“Enjoy.”
It was then the fateful moment came. Pete looked for a second as if he were about to go to the car but turned back sharply, as if he wasn’t able to help himself.
“Listen, Macau, if there’s anything even slightly wrong, even if it’s nothing, you can call me on my cell, okay?” Macau didn’t even need to look at his brother to sense the poisonous don’t you dare energy radiating off of him. Macau groaned.
“Pete, come on! I’ll be fine! I have an army of aunties on my back and good internet now. Go, have your mini vacation, and I can’t wait to hear literally nothing about it when you get back.”
Satisfied he was just being paranoid, Pete nodded.
“Okay. Just making sure.” Beside him, Vegas raised an eyebrow in a look that came across as vaguely impressed.
Nicely done, little brother.
Macau’s lips twitched.
I learned from the best.
“Master Vegas, Master Pete, everything is ready for your departure.” The valet tossed Vegas the keys, and Macau pretended not to notice when Pete grabbed Vegas’ ass on the way to the car. Vegas opened the door for Pete, as he always did, before making his way to the driver’s side. Venice flapped his arms and stared in astonishment at the car’s scissor doors. Macau just hoped and prayed Venice hadn’t put two and two together that they were leaving yet. Macau mentally begged him to hold off on the crying until they were on the road. If Pete saw him tearing up now, it’d be hard for him to leave.
Vegas revved the engine obnoxiously, making Venice jump in Macau’s arms and Macau fought down the brotherly instinct to give him the middle finger for being a cocky asshole.
Macau took Venice’s arm to wave Pete and Vegas out the driveway and onto the main road. Macau then turned Venice around to hold him face to face. Venice looked up at him with his big brown eyes all wide and taking in his every expression. It really was disconcerting how alike Venice looked to Vegas. Their baby photos were practically indistinguishable. It felt like Macau had gone back in time and stolen a baby Vegas out his crib.
In many ways, Macau wished he could have done just that. It would have spared him so much of what he protected Macau from. What would he be like if he’d had someone to love him? If their mother hadn’t died…
“Okay, buddy. Just you and Uncle Macau.” Venice smiled and babbled happily. Macau kissed his head. “Let’s have the best weekend ever!”
.
The thing about Venice was that on his good days, he was really easy to please. He laughed and smiled at absolutely everything. Today seemed to be one of those days. Macau didn’t know what all the fuss was about. There were mornings when Macau would wake up and be greeted by Pete and Vegas all bleary eyed from where Venice hadn’t slept the whole night. After taking care of him for all of half an hour, it just seemed like they were amateurs, because Macau, in his own humble opinion, had the magic touch. Eat your heart out, Mary Poppins.
After Vegas and Pete had left, Macau settled back into his gaming beanbag and put Venice in his bouncer. He adjusted him so he could see the TV and bear witness to the masterclass in CS:GO Macau was putting on with Kim and Chay. Venice watched with rapt attention as Macau blew the heads off the opposition team. He laughed every time a flashbang lit up and clapped his hands together. Even through his headphones, Macau could hear his joyful squeals and out the corner of his eye, see him bounce in excitement. Macau had even stopped playing for a minute to take a video. He got knifed in the process, but it was totally worth it.
That was the way it continued for the next hour, with Macau chatting with Kim and Chay and Venice watching the action with adorable focus. Macau wondered if one day he and Venice could play together. Over his headset, Kim’s voice cut above the music of the loading screen.
“Alright, Chay and I have to shoot now.” Macau glanced at the clock on his phone. Usually, they played well into the small hours of the morning.
“That’s early.” Chay hummed through the mic.
“I’m sorry. Tankhun wants to watch the Conjuring movies for Friday frights. We skipped out on sitcom Saturday last week because we were in Hong Kong.”
Macau forgot that Tankhun demanded their attention for movie nights. Macau would’ve been saltier about it, but it was one of the things he actually couldn’t blame his eccentric cousin for. Macau and Pete had secretly been watching Bridgerton together but would die before they told Vegas that.
“I can’t believe you’re abandoning me with a baby. That’s cruel guys, even for you!” Kim chuckled at the dramatics.
“Sorry, cuz. Tankhun duty calls. If you’re that pissed about it, Pete can tell you what he’s like when you miss movie night.” Macau didn’t have to imagine. The mental image was clear all on its own.
“Alright, alright. Catch you guys later.”
“See you, cuz.”
“Bye Macau! Have a good night with Venice!”
After shutting down his console and removing his headphones, Macau turned to Venice and sighed. Venice smiled wider now he had Macau’s undivided attention.
“So now what?” Macau asked, and Venice stared at him like he was actually considering suggesting something. He was very much in the uncanny valley between knowing nothing and starting to understand language. It was the same face he gave Vegas when he was talking about economics or the nerdy book he’d just read. Vegas was actually a massive bookworm, which, by proxy, made him a massive nerd too.
“Movie?” Macau suggested. Venice remained quiet, so Macau took that as a no.
“Game?” Venice was too young for games. Snakes and ladders was only so fun when Macau had to roll for him. Besides, he’d probably try to eat the dice the same way he tried to eat everything he got his hands on. Pete would genuinely massacre him if Venice choked, and Vegas would watch and know he deserved it.
Macau thought about what he’d usually do on a Friday night apart from playing games with Kim and Chay. Their family owned loads of clubs. In fact, at the beginning of the semester Macau, Kim and Chay had all gone on a night out at one of the Theerapanyakul establishments where they could have the VIP section to themselves. That had been a spectacular night with a very rough hangover the next morning. All of them drank far too much. So much so, that when Macau had tried to sneak back into the house, he had fallen through Auntie Hom’s window instead of his own. Needless to say, she had immediately ratted on him.
Macau would’ve been fine if he’d been snitched on to Vegas, but no. He had been snitched on to Pete, and he was ten times as terrifying as his brother. Pete was infamous in their household for not being a morning person. When he woke up at 9am he was grumpy and in need of a smoothie. Seeing him being woken at 3am when Venice was sleeping through the night had put the fear of God into Macau. The venom in Pete’s expression could’ve killed a hundred men.
From what he heard, Kim and Chay hadn’t come away unscathed either. Chay was a massive lightweight who took sips from both Macau and Kim’s drinks. The mixing had gotten him drunk fast, so he had spent the majority of his night in Kim’s lap with his tongue down his throat. Macau vaguely remembered the bodyguards getting them home before it all got too handsy for public. Macau could still hear the embarrassment on Chay’s voice when he told him that Porsche had, quite literally, caught them with their pants down. Chay was still mortified.
The night had been messy, drama-filled and embarrassing to the nth degree.
…It was awesome.
Macau briefly considered taking Venice to that same club, but thought perhaps it would be a bit much. Besides, no one would be there at this time, so it would be no fun. Half the enjoyment of a club was the party atmosphere everyone brought, and Macau couldn’t let Venice’s first club experience be boring.
He needed somewhere lively and exciting. Somewhere with lots to see and do.
That was when Macau had his next brilliant idea of the night. Their family also owned a lot of casinos. He and his brother weren’t called Vegas and Macau for nothing. Security could follow them just in case. If anything, it was educational above all else. Macau could introduce Venice to the family business and maybe they could even count cards with blackjack. Twenty-one was a great number to start with.
Sold on the idea, Macau stood up and lifted Venice from his bouncer, balancing him against his shoulder. He spoke sneakily into his head of hair.
“So, what do you say to a night in the casino?” Venice opened his mouth to bite down on Macau’s shirt, slobbering over him a little. Macau patted his back. He held him away slightly by his underarms and spoke at him excitedly.
“If you don’t cry at all, I’ll let you pull the lever on the slot machine!” Venice let out a squeal of delight, kicking his legs against the air. Sensing Macau’s excitement and returning the energy. Macau liked that. His efforts were not going unappreciated.
He and Venice were in for a great night.
Macau picked up the house phone on the nearby stand and called down to reception.
“Hello, it’s Macau. Yeah, everything’s fine, Venice and I are just going on a little trip. Get my brother’s Ferrari ready for us.”
.
Macau liked to think that looking after Venice entitled him to certain uncle privileges he didn’t have access to on other days. Vegas never let him drive the Ferrari, claiming it as a hard off-limits car…but now he wasn’t here, Macau was going to grab the opportunity by the prancing horse and abuse this newfound baby freedom. Besides, an educational field trip was worth busting out the good cars for.
Or it would be if Macau could figure out what witchcraft was needed to fit this fucking car seat. The car was a two-seater, but Macau figured it’d be fine. There was only two of them. That’s exactly the right number of seats. He fidgeted and wriggled the seat before having his eureka moment.
It took an embarrassingly long time for him to recall that the seat should be facing backwards. He’d spent the best part of twenty minutes cussing up a storm trying to get the damn thing in. But now he knew, it was a piece of cake. Macau situated Venice comfortably in the passenger seat and Macau didn’t know why the valets all looked so horrified. Macau had told the bodyguards to convoy in front and behind them, just in case anything were to go wrong.
Sliding into the driver’s side, Macau grinned at the feeling of the plush leather seat and felt excitement at the shine of the display buttons all waiting to be fiddled with. Macau knew the car was expensive because there was a button to start the engine and not a key. Ferraris didn’t need car keys apparently. Macau didn’t mind. Just one less thing for him to lose.
“You okay, bud?” Macau asked over at Venice in the passenger seat. He seemed to be too busy chewing on his teething ring to respond. Macau hooked his phone up to the Bluetooth and stuck on his most cultured playlist for the occasion.
“Here we go!” He exclaimed, a smirk making its way onto his face. He was probably more excited than Venice was.
The car purred to life and they were off to the casino.
It took them around half an hour to get to the very specific one Macau wanted. If it was going to be Venice’s first time at a casino, he wanted to make it a good one. He liked this specific location for its opulence and vibrant energy. Everywhere you looked there were slot machines, croupiers, roulette wheels and money flying around. It was the epitome of the minor family Theerapanyakul. It was the habitat where they thrived.
Arriving at the casino wasn’t anything new for Macau, he’d been here so many times already, the first time being when he was around five with his father and brother. He remembered it vividly. The sights, sounds, smells. It had been so exciting, and he wanted Venice to have the exact same feeling.
He pulled up to the entrance and smirked as he saw the valets immediately stiffen upon recognising the car and number plate. The doorman rushed forward the second the car stopped. He opened the door and Macau hopped out confidently.
“Master Macau! We weren’t expecting you this evening!” He exclaimed, his voice holding just a slight edge of panic. Macau shrugged and gestured to the valet to take the car.
“Well, I’m here.” He said with a comfortable swagger. He made his way around to the other side and gently extracted Venice from his car seat to settle on his hip. Venice must have fallen asleep at some point in the ride because he blinked blearily and rubbed at his eyes. The doorman’s panic increased just a fraction.
“You brought Master Venice too! Sir, if we’d have known-“ Macau held a hand out to quiet him the way he’d seen his brother do a million times.
“Not to worry, I just thought I’d show him what he’s inheriting.”
“An excellent idea, Master Macau.”
In his arms, Venice, now awake, marvelled at the lit sign outside the large double doors, entranced at watching the letters light up and disappear again. Macau chuckled and clipped the string of his teething ring to his onesie to stop him from dropping it. Having Venice cry would really ruin the whole bad boy persona he’s got going on, not to mention put an end to both their positive evenings.
“Ready, Ven?” Macau asked, and Venice chewed enthusiastically, still transfixed on the lights. Macau took that as a yes. Glancing behind him, Macau gave his bodyguards a nod in a gesture to follow. He walked up to the double doors of the entrance, and the doormen opened them wide to announce his arrival to those inside.
The internal décor of the casino was a complete masterpiece. The carpets of the game floor were a rich scarlet, making way for delicate floorboards in the bar area. The pillars were solid marble. All around, there were men in suits and ladies in floor length dresses. There were croupiers dressed to the nines. The cards were flying, the slot machines blinking, the money pouring in.
Macau descended the stairs onto the gaming floor, taking a moment to watch Venice take in his new surroundings. He saw Venice’s gaze stop on a nearby roulette wheel. Macau took him over to where the game was very much underway. Venice’s mouth dropped open when the croupier spun the wheel. Of course, not just anyone could take a baby into a casino, so the table knew immediately they were important. Instead of asking questions, they opted to coo at how cute Venice was. An excellent idea in Macau’s opinion.
It only took a minute or so before they were approached by staff, although not in the way Macau had expected. He’d been anticipating a welcome and perhaps the offer of a drink. What he was met with instead was a female employee rushing over, looking very stressed. Her face was tense and her hair becoming mussed up at the running around. She looked frantic.
She hurried up to Macau and stopped just before him. She sighed in what seemed to be relief.
“Oh, Master Macau, thank goodness you’re here! Where’s Master Vegas?! They were expecting him two hours ago!” Macau struggled to take in what she’d said because of the sheer pace she said it. He just blinked at her stupidly and adjusted Venice on his hip.
“Uhh, what?” The confident persona he’d entered the building with was quickly evaporating to make way for the gawky university student he actually was.
The woman pretended she didn’t hear him and continued talking.
“Sir, they’re threatening to pull out of the deal, and what’s worse, they haven’t taken kindly to the tardiness. They’re treating it as a major sign of disrespect. I think your brother may be in danger!” That sobered Macau up quickly. Why was Vegas in danger? What even was this?
“Wait, hold up. Who are we talking about?” Macau could see the woman physically stopping herself from calling him an idiot.
“The Chinese Zhang family, Master Macau. They’ve arrived early. I assumed what with you and Master Venice being here, Master Vegas would also be here to give them the formal welcome?” Oh shit. This was bad. Macau’s expression dropped, and he could only shake his head dumbly.
“He’s not here.”
At that revelation, the woman paled and looked as if she were about to faint.
“We tried calling Master Kinn, but there was no answer.”
“This is bad, isn’t it?” Macau asked, just to confirm.
“Sir, they’ve been here for hours without an official welcome from the Theerapanyakul family. They’re starting to assume your brother is deliberately sending them a message. This is, if you don’t mind my saying-“
“Fucked.”
“Precisely, Master Macau.”
All excitement and positivity drained from his body, and Macau could only stand still trying not to drop Venice. He glanced behind the woman to where a bunch of staff were all tentatively looking at him. Waiting for his word. Awaiting further instruction. Waiting for him to do something.
Anything.
Macau felt the pressure mount on his shoulders, pressing down with an increasingly crushing weight. He was part of the Theerapanyakul family. This meant the business was also his responsibility. Macau wished in that moment he had Vegas here. Vegas wouldn’t be standing in fear like Macau was. He’d know exactly what to do. He’d command the room and take charge so everyone felt secure.
Macau wasn’t like Vegas. He’d never been like Vegas. He wasn’t strong or brave or smart. He couldn’t fix this situation exactly the same way he couldn’t fix that Ming vase all those years ago. Shame bubbled up from within him.
It was then that Macau became acutely aware of Venice shifting in his arms, innocently teething on his ring. Macau spared a second to look down at him. If things got worse with the Zhang family, he could very well be in danger. Worse yet, Vegas and Pete, the closest thing Venice had to parents would be in danger too. Macau thought about how Venice looked so much like Vegas, and Macau was reminded of that feeling of relief when his brother had stepped in to defend him.
“It was me, father.”
He had looked out for him when he was at his most vulnerable because “that’s what big brothers do.”
Looking at Venice right now was almost like getting a second chance. Like getting the chance to stand up where he didn’t all those years ago. A chance to repay Vegas for his sacrifice and atone for the guilt Macau carried at letting him take the blame. Macau was waiting for the day Venice could understand him properly. He wanted to tell him that while Vegas may not be the best father, there was no big brother better than he was.
Right now, Macau knew that he needed to be the brother Vegas was for him. It was Macau’s turn to step up and take some blame.
Venice needed him.
Vegas needed him.
Pete needed him.
It was all down to Macau.
If this situation wasn’t sorted, there could be threats placed on their happiness. The Chinese Zhang conglomerate were, and always had been, difficult customers. They were incessantly demanding and insistent on respect and abiding by tradition. There had been stories of bodies in harbours and gunshots for the slightest inkling of disrespect or a particularly poor choice of words. Never mind making them wait hours for a proper greeting. Literally the bare minimum of etiquette. To make matters worse, they were potentially enormous business partners the Theerapanyakul family had been trying to woo for years into investing. Before, they had always been too skittish and cautious, but here they were after finally opening up to the idea.
And now the success of the partnership rested on Macau’s woefully inexperienced shoulders.
“Okay. Take me to them.” Macau said, trying desperately to put on an air of absolute confidence. Vegas had told him once that he didn’t have to actually own the room, as long as he looked like he did people would follow. Put on the mask and let them see what you want them to.
To Macau’s shock, at his words the employees immediately looked more at ease and nodded with determination, leading him immediately along a corridor off the main gaming area to what seemed to be a banquet space. Macau could feel the nerves rise in his stomach, and Venice must have sensed them too. Macau held him tighter, and it may have been his imagination, but he could have sworn that Venice pushed closer too to comfort him.
As he reached the door, Macau took a deep breath, and the employees nodded to him in reassurance as the entrance to the room was opened.
The second Macau stepped beyond the threshold; he sensed the atmosphere was hostile. It reeked of outrage. The Zhang delegation were sat at the long banquet table drumming impatient fingers and throwing around Mandarin phrases that didn’t sound to be anything nice. As soon as the door closed behind him, Macau was very soon made the centre of attention. There were six or so representatives of the Zhang, with the man Macau recognised as the head of the family being about the same age as Uncle Korn. He wore an immaculately tailored suit and had his grey- black hair styled efficiently. His face was serious and screamed ‘no nonsense’.
The delegation comprised entirely of older men, so Macau knew they were sticklers for tradition. They wasted no time in pointing incredulous fingers at him, making Macau feel about two feet tall.
“You! Are you a representative of the Theerapanyakul?! This disrespect is outrageous!”
“Do you know how long we’ve been waiting!?”
“Where is Master Vegas!?”
Macau held out an apologetic hand, and simultaneously tried to rock Venice a little from where he was growing noticeably uncomfortable at the hostility. The shouting had made him tense up, and Macau could hear his tiny whimpers.
“I apologise for the wait. You understand that-“ Macau was immediately, and very rudely interrupted.
“We have half a mind to withdraw our backing if we will not be treated as valued business partners!” Macau made the mistake of speaking before his brain caught up.
“Well, we didn’t really know you were coming.”
Oh fuck, that was definitely the wrong thing to say. Macau saw the nostrils of the men flare, and the brow of the head Zhang furrow in what looked to be disgust. It was then Macau knew he was in over his head. The master of the Zhang family stood from his chair.
“Well, if this is the way Master Vegas wishes to greet us, he has made his message quite clear.” He said darkly.
Ooooh shit.
Macau tried his best to think of something to say, but settled on the fact he was just not cut out for this kind of negotiation. He didn’t have the power or experience. At this point, there was only one thing to do. He had to call Pete. Macau tried his best to make a graceful exit.
“Can you excuse me for-“ He was cut off again by a different man shouting seemingly as loudly as his voice could go.
“You can tell that family Theerapanyakul to watch their backs!”
From Macau’s arms, Venice’s quiet discomfort had reeled at the volume of the representative’s shouting. He dropped his teething ring and burst into wailing tears at all the noise and commotion. Macau had been about to make his hasty retreat, but at the sound of Venice’s upset he felt the anger boil inside of him. He couldn’t leave without saying something. How entitled could one delegation get?! When Venice started to cry, he sometimes did so for hours. It was the last thing Macau wanted on top of this entire mess of an evening.
“Excuse me, sir, I am family Theerapanyakul, and you have upset our youngest family member! It’ll take me forever to calm him now!” Macau gritted out over Venice’s screaming. He knew he had a face like thunder as he laid Venice on his shoulder. He started to pace around with him in the way he’d seen Pete do when Venice was upset.
Macau was so wound up he hadn’t even really noticed that the Chinese delegation had stepped back in their anger to look at them with something akin to curiosity.
“You are family Theerapanyakul?” The head Zhang asked. Macau rolled his eyes, forgoing all nicety.
“Yes!” He exclaimed. If they’d stopped interrupting him for two seconds they’d know that. The Zhang family representatives winced as Venice’s crying got even louder. They watched as he snuffled into the fabric of Macau’s shirt.
“Aren’t you a little young to have a child?”
Macau abruptly stopped pacing.
A horrific idea struck his mind like a bolt of lightning.
A wonderfully horrific idea that, if he played it right, could just about get them out of this mess.
The Zhang wanted to be sticklers for tradition? Fine. Macau would throw it back in their damn faces.
He patted Venice’s back and made soft ‘shh’ sounds. Slowly, but surely, Venice began to quiet and take in the soft cooing shushes being whispered in his ear. Macau pulled the teething ring from its clipped-on string and popped it in Venice’s mouth. It seemed to do the trick.
“Oh?” Macau looked up at the Chinese delegation and noted in delight that their faces now had a whiff of cautious intrigue. He would have to play this carefully, but it was now or never. “We assumed you were aware. We relayed correspondence to your family about the birth of the new minor family heir, but unfortunately, we received no word of response from the Zhang family.” The room fell dead silent except for Venice’s slight sniffles. Macau wanted to tell him to keep it up for maximum effect. Macau fought down the widest, shit-eating grin as he watched the faces of the Chinese blanche.
“You must refresh our memories, Master…”
“Macau. I’m Vegas’ younger brother.”
Their faces went white.
Venice was not public knowledge outside of the Theerapanyakul main circle. He would have to appear to the wider family business and associates sooner or later, but for now the Chinese didn’t need to know that. All they needed to think was that they had missed the birth of a very important person. Macau shrugged and motioned towards the baby.
“This is Venice. He’s my brother’s son. The heir to our business.” Well, it technically wasn’t a lie. Sure, he was another brother, but Vegas was certainly raising him like a son, and currently, until Kinn had kids, he was the next generation heir to the business.
The Chinese stood in shock and horror, not even attempting to hide it on their faces.
“Y-You say we were sent correspondence of his birth?” Macau nodded noncommittally.
“Yes. We would never neglect to mention it to such valuable partners, but as I said, we received nothing from the Zhang family.”
On his shoulder, Venice had mostly calmed, completely unaware he was being used to save their asses. He didn’t need to know. He just needed to look cute and not throw up on Macau’s shoulder. Piece of cake.
The six businessmen looked at the baby, taking in all the new information. Within a second, they were immediately diving for their pockets. The head of the Zhang, now on high alert, snapped his fingers impatiently in the direction of his bodyguard, who passed him his chequebook and a pen. To miss the birth of an heir was a grave, grave faux pas. To not send a congratulations was absolutely unthinkable. Macau knew Kinn kept a spreadsheet of things like this exactly for that reason. To not send a gift or money could very easily be taken as a sign of hostility in their circle’s unwritten rule book. Even without that, it was incredibly rude.
The businessmen each pulled out a chequebook from their pockets.
“You must forgive us, Master Macau! We had not been relayed the news that Master Vegas had welcomed a son!” Macau shifted Venice to lay in the crook of his arm, deliberately exposing his adorable face all shiny with tears and rosy cheeked. Venice blinked up unknowingly at the delegation.
One businessman took a closer look at him only to exclaim, “my goodness, might I say, there is no mistaking his parentage. He looks exactly like his father. A strong boy!” Macau wanted to howl with laughter at how well he’d deceived them, but he couldn’t give himself away. He took the opportunity to lay the guilt trip on thick.
“Oh yes. He was born nine months ago and seems to be growing every day. My brother was utterly thrilled.” Macau glanced around, and cheques were being written left, right, and centre.
“And Vegas’ wife, is she faring well? I know my wife struggled to bounce back after our first.” Macau thought he’d been pretty good at holding it together so far, but that comment alone was so, so close to being the last thread that snapped his composure. It almost had Macau absolutely hysterical on the spot. If only they knew how fucking wrong they were.
With Macau seriously almost losing it right then and there, Venice must have picked up on it as well. He started to giggle around his pacifier, prompting adoring chuckles from the Zhang men. Macau kept himself together just enough to reply.
“It was difficult, as I’m sure you understand. This is why Vegas couldn’t be here tonight. He’s simply so devoted to his…” Macau very nearly cracked. “…wife.”
It was soon after Macau was being handed cheque upon cheque of eye-watering figures like they were nothing. The head of the Zhang handed over his cheque and slipped Macau a piece of paper with a phone number written on it.
“This is our puiyuet. My wife swears by her as a miracle worker. I’m sure Master Vegas will appreciate the best care.” The delegation nodded seriously, as if they were any sort of experts in the matter, and Macau graciously took the number.
A silence fell over the room, and the Zhang had the good sense to look just a little sheepish.
“Master Macau, we must offer our sincerest apologies.”
Macau wished for a moment that his brother could actually be here to see this. Macau was fighting down a smile. He quickly disguised it by looking at Venice to make it seem like he was being fond. He played the part of doting uncle on the regular. No need for acting. Venice reached up to take a hold of his finger, still chewing on his ring.
“Not to worry, gentlemen. We understand that mistakes happen. I propose that we enjoy the facilities, and the deal can be finalised on Monday when my brother is able to join you. May I also offer my cousin, Kinn Theerapanyakul’s well wishes too. As a sign of good faith between our families, he will join the negotiation on Monday as a sign we take your interest in our business with the upmost sincerity.”
There came hums of agreement and approval. The head Zhang walked over to shake Macau’s free hand, all too eager to move past their faux pas.
“We quite concur. Allow us to forget these silly misunderstandings. We will meet with your brother and cousin on Monday. This deal will be a symbol of a new alliance. Might I say, Master Macau, you are exceptionally well spoken for such a young man.”
Macau preened under the attention. He gestured to the doors that led towards the playing floors.
“You are simply too kind. As you were, gentlemen. A croupier will join you in a moment.”
One by one, the six Zhang family representatives filed out the room, each bidding their farewell to Macau. It was only when the door was firmly shut and Macau was sure they were gone did he burst into hysterical and disbelieving laughter. He surprised Venice with the outburst, but held him up high afterwards to beam at him.
“You little genius!” He didn’t even know if he meant Venice or himself at this point. He thought they both deserved some of the credit. Venice’s little legs kicked the air as he soaked up the infectious optimism. He smiled widely at Macau’s silliness.
“Vegas is gonna be so proud of us!”
.
It was Sunday night when Vegas and Pete returned to the house. Macau had lowkey been waiting on them to get back all day. As soon as he got the call they were arriving, he picked Venice up out of his highchair (ignoring his protests to leave him eating his smashed bananas) and raced off to the main entrance.
Macau got there just in time to see the car pull up the driveway. Once it was stationary, Vegas was the first to hop out, and Macau noticed with disdain how horrifically satisfied he looked. Vegas waved to Macau before opening Pete’s door for him. Pete was the next to step out and… honestly, he looked like he’d been mauled. Macau tried not to dwell on it too much.
All was forgotten when Venice caught sight of them and squealed in excitement, making grabby hands at the pair. Pete quickly made his way over.
“Hello, my baby!” He took Venice and planted loads of little kisses over his cheeks, which Venice mimicked and tried to return. Vegas threw a friendly arm around his brother.
“How did you hold up?” he asked. Macau shrugged.
“I don’t know why you complain so much. Taking care of Ven is awesome.” Vegas tutted in annoyance. He took Venice from Pete to talk to him in a faux conspiratorial tone, as if they’d been planning something.
“We agreed you were meant to scream the house down, demon. Why are you only good when we’re not there?” Venice babbled, still smiling, and buried his face into Vegas’ neck. Pete accompanied Macau into the house, Vegas and Venice trailing behind them.
“I see everything is still in one piece.” Pete joked good naturedly. Macau had the gall to look a little annoyed.
“You have such little faith in me!” Pete shook his head.
“Of course we have faith in you, but even you have to agree it is sometimes misplaced.” Okay, Macau thought, that was fair enough.
They had yet to have dinner, so the first stop was the kitchen. Vegas set Venice back down to enjoy his bananas. Macau returned to his cereal, now gone a good amount of soggy with the milk turning to chocolate. He glanced up at Vegas and Pete, who were rooting through the cupboards for something to eat. Macau smirked a little before bringing his expression under control.
“Oh yeah, the Chinese got here after you left.” It took all of about half a second for Vegas to whip around in alarm.
“What!?” he shouted. Macau hummed as if it wasn’t a big deal. Next to Vegas, the colour had drained almost entirely from Pete’s face.
“Was anyone here to greet them!?” Macau shook his head as if he didn’t care.
“Nah. You guys were away, and they couldn’t get through to Kinn.”
Macau saw Vegas’ breathing pick up and panic overtake his features. A million different thoughts must have been racing through his head.
“Lock this entire house down.” He demanded, and Pete ran over to pick up Venice and practically shoved him at Macau.
“Go to the safe room and do not come out until we say.” Pete spoke with a tone of authority, fishing into his belt to pull out his gun.
“You go to the saferoom with them. I’m calling Kinn.” Vegas ordered, and Pete stared back at him almost insulted.
“Absolutely not! If they want a fight, I’ll be here with you.” Vegas shook his head. Macau could tell he was going to be putting his foot down when he reached underneath the counter for one of the shotguns placed out of sight. There were many of them around the house.
Sensing the beginnings of an argument, Macau chose to put them out of their misery.
“Would you two relax? It’s fine. I sorted it.” The panicked aura of the room stilled. Vegas and Pete both stared at Macau quizzically, the adrenaline calming for a moment but still very much present.
“You… sorted it?” Pete asked. Macau nodded and put Venice back in his highchair. He returned to his cereal.
“Yeah.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out the wad of cheques he’d received, placing them down on the counter. Vegas wasted no time snatching them up to inspect them.
“…What the fuck is this?” Macau smirked.
“That, my dear brother, is over five million US dollars worth of pure guilt money. Oh, and I rescheduled the negotiation for Monday, and Kinn has to come too.” Vegas and Pete could do nothing but stand speechless. “You’re welcome!” Macau smiled.
Pete looked over Vegas’ shoulder at the cheques, putting away his gun.
“But… how?” Macau’s mouth twitched upwards.
“Good old fashion business with the mastermind here!” Macau gently pinched Venice’s banana-filled cheek. “Just remind me to fill you and Kinn in on the details before going to the deal.” Vegas was still staring down at the cheques and Macau could practically see the smoke rising from his head with how hard he was thinking. Pete was the first to break the tension when he started to laugh in disbelief.
“Macau, I’m not sure what you’ve done or how you’ve done it, but I must say, I’m impressed!” Macau mimed taking a bow.
“Oh, I almost forgot.” He said, clearly indicating he hadn’t forgotten a thing, but was just being smug. He took the number the Zhang family head had given him and passed it to Pete, who looked even more confused.
“What’s this?”
“The number of the best post-natal confinement nanny this side of the continent.” Pete’s confusion only deepened.
Vegas glanced up, suspicious.
“So you met with the Zhang family with Venice, swindled them out of their money, secured the deal on Monday and…” his eyes flicked to the number. “…talked about some kind of post-natal care?” Macau sat back in his chair and crossed his arms, throwing a smirk over at Venice, his partner in crime. He sat there and all he could feel was satisfaction. His little family was safe.
“All in a night’s work.”
Vegas stood in silence for a few seconds before a grin made its way across his face. He started to laugh. Soon, Pete followed him, and Macau and Venice joined in. Shock, adrenaline, disbelief and maybe a slight bit of pride too.
Macau was ten years old when he broke a priceless Ming vase. He was nineteen years old when he finally got the chance to have his brother’s back. That’s what it was about. The give and take.
Macau watched Venice eat his smashed bananas and saw the relief come over Vegas and Pete’s faces, the smiles settling back in at the ridiculousness of it all. It didn’t matter what came to pass, those people were Macau’s family, and he’d do anything for them.