Chapter Text
A figure trudged up the dirt road, boots kicking up dust. A car was parked in the middle of the road, a man sitting inside. The figure stopped mid stride, pulling out his gun as the car door opened. The man slowly stepped out of the car, back to him, arms in the air.
Vegas knew he shouldn't have come. His cousin sends him a cryptic message asking for help, and like a fool he had responded to it. This was all too shady. Maybe the whispers were true, Kim was finally ready to take over the families. Maybe he would start by killing Vegas first.
The man just stood there, hands up, letting Vegas come closer. He was tall, muscular. Vegas could see tattoos running up and down his arms, and around his neck. Blue hair tied in a knot at the top of his head, earrings hanging off one ear.
Kim had sent a fucking thug to kill him. Vegas wanted to kick himself for being such a sucker. There were probably more men waiting in ambush. Vegas came closer. He might have a chance if he could use this man as a shield.
Once he was within arms reach, the man spoke up. "Long time no see, brother. Wish you weren't pointing a gun at me though."
Brother?
Vegas stopped. Who the fuck was this person?
"Where's Kim?" asked Vegas.
"He's watching us from that copse of trees over there," he said, nodding his head to the left towards a shadowy figure in the trees. "We had an idea you would act like this. I thought it would be better if maybe your brother was the one to greet you."
Again with the 'brother'. Vegas frowned. Macau? No, Macau was a skinny little twig, barely matching his height.
"Can't recognize me, hmm?" said the man, chuckling.
Vegas pressed the gun against the man's back.
"Whoa!" the man yelped. "Relax! I can turn around if you want. I bet you've missed my pretty face."
This man had a mouth on him. Vegas pressed the barrel of the gun harder.
"Who are you?" growled Vegas.
The man stood still. Thoughtfully, he said, "I'm just someone who is following their heart. I can't run off to anywhere."
Vegas stopped. Pete's words to him coming from this man's mouth. Words that only three people had heard. Himself, Pete, and.."Macau?" he asked
The man nodded. "The one and only."
Vegas reluctantly removed the gun from the man's back, still wondering if this was a setup. The man took this as consent to turn around, and slowly came around to face Vegas.
Vegas was shocked. Macau's face looked at him, from this grown man's body.
"WHAT THE FUCK," swore Vegas. Macau chuckled. He shrugged his shoulders apologetically as Vegas took him all in.
This was a mammoth of a man. He was taller, broader, muscular. And why did he have so many tattoos? They covered his neck, and his arms were it was not covered by his shirt. Vegas, no doubt, knew there would be more under there. And that hair. Why did he have blue hair?
"What the fuck happened to you?? Did you join a gang?!" asked Vegas flabbergasted. Where was his cute bratty baby brother? Jesus, what had happened to Macau to be like this? SHIT.
Macau laughed. "You don't change. I haven't seen you in five years, and you get all Vegas on me. Can I at least get a hug first?"
Vegas choked. Macau was right. He hadn't seen him in five years. He wrapped his brother in a hug, feeling uncomfortable in the knowledge that now Macau wrapped around him. He could probably break him in half with those beefy arms of his.
"I missed you, Vegas," murmured Macau. Vegas hugged him back, muttering the same sentiment. He had missed his baby brother too. He was still in shock to find out his baby brother had turned into this man.
Macau released Vegas, and called out, " You guys can come out now."
Four other figures emerged from different parts of the trees on both sides. Vegas recognized the bodyguard. "Cousin," he acknowledged Kim. A small woman, holding a gun, joined the group. And a man that looked just like Porsche, with soft chocolate eyes, came forward to stand next to Macau. This must be Porchay, Porsche's younger brother.
Vegas saw he had also grown. Tall and muscular, like his brother. Just as beautiful, too. Except for the eyes. Where Porsche's animated and excited eyes had been dimming as of lately, this man's eyes still looked soft, caring. It gave him a more ethereal look.
Vegas noticed Macau and Porchay stand together, shoulders rubbing. That's an unexpected development, he thought. He wondered how Porsche would react when he found out.
"Cousin," Kim's voice broke through his reverie. "We asked you here to request your help."
"Fucking cryptic message you sent. I almost didn't come," spat Vegas.
"There was no other way. I didn't want to risk interception," responded Kim solemnly.
Vegas shook his head. He hated this youngest cousin of his, always so aloof. Kinn was fun to fuck around with, always rose to the bait. But not Kim. Cold and impenetrable.
"We should head to the house," offered Kim.
"Lead the way," gestured Vegas.
Big and Miri moved back towards the trees, and moments later Vegas heard the roaring of bikes as they appeared from the trees and headed back up the drive. Chay and Macau took the backseat, and Kim the wheel, leaving Vegas to sit next to him.
"Who's the woman?" asked Vegas, as he situated himself.
"Miri," came Macau's reply from the back, voice allowing no other questions. Macau loved his brother, but he hadn't seen him in five years. He didn't know how much information to provide his brother, if it was safe. The whole group had agreed that they would first start with Vegas, gauge if he could help, but that did not mean disclosing everything.
Vegas heard the tone in Macau's voice. He was discomfited by this. Again, it shocked him that this man was Macau. Macau used to be easily led, he thought, remembering how he had talked him into helping him with Porsche so long ago. This man didn't look like one who was a pushover.
From the side of his eye, he saw Kim smirk. Vegas raised an eyebrow. Kim actually had emotional expressions? What had happened these past few years? Why was Kim even here? With Macau? Vegas had many questions, keeping them in the back of his mind, to find the answer to at a later time.
He sat back as they drove along the winding road, following the dust of the bikes. He saw how the bikes moved in sync with each other, ensuring their safety as they followed. This new person moved like a bodyguard, but Macau hadn't spoken about her like one. Vegas was becoming more curious.
They finally arrived at the location. Vegas stepped out and looked at the house. It was one floor, with a wraparound porch. Trees and wild shrubbery surrounded it. He hesitated for a moment, wondering if stepping inside was safe. He shook his head, knowing that if they had wanted to kill him, they would have done so already.
Big led the way, leading them to a kitchen inside. The woman went ahead and busied herself in the kitchen. Kim sat next to him, while Chay, Macau and the bodyguard all moved with the woman, busying themselves, everyone taking a task.
Vegas sat silent, bemused, watching how they moved quietly and efficiently to prepare a meal.
“Strange, isn’t it?” said Kim.
The woman set a cup of coffee in front of Vegas. “Khun Vegas.”
Vegas was now feeling completely flabbergasted. His mind was reeling from seeing his brother, the drive here, the atmosphere, and all the questions that kept rising up.
“You should see them in action. They are unstoppable,” Kim’s voice interrupted. Vegas turned to look at his cousin, who was now full on grinning. “What do you mean,’in action’?” asked Vegas dangerously.
Kim sighed. He debated how to start the conversation. He glanced at the others, who were all looking back. Vegas didn’t miss all their glances between them, and his eyes narrowed.
Getting a silent approval from everyone, Kim began telling Vegas of the events that had led them all there. Vegas listened, eyes moving back to the others as Kim went over their concerns. He hadn’t missed how Kim had glossed over the fact that he had followed Chay and Macau, or how he even KNEW about them. Everyone had been under the impression Kim was oblivious to all Major and Minor family dealings. It looked like it was not so. Vegas became wary of this. He wasn’t even going to question how Kim knew of it all; no doubt he had moles everywhere like he had in Korn’s. Vegas had some serious home cleaning to do upon his return.
Vegas kept watching everyone even after Kim had finished his recounting. He turned back to Kim. “So you need my help hiding?”
Kim nodded. Vegas’ gaze turned back to his brother. “I'm insulted that you’d think I wouldn’t help my brother.”
Macau stopped. He looked up at Vegas. His eyes serious, he responded, “No offense, Phi, but we haven't seen each other in five years. We have missed a lot of each other’s lives. I was under the impression that when you sent me away, it was to never see me again. I didn’t know if I’d be welcomed back.” Behind him, Vegas saw Chay’s head nod slightly at what Macau had said.
Is that what his brother had thought of him? Vegas felt a pang of guilt, but didn’t allow himself to dwell on it. He knew he had done what was best, and he was unapologetic about it. Macau would have continued to live a quiet and peaceful life if the families hadn’t tried to reach out with greedy fingers.
Vegas sighed. “Of course I will help. I didn’t send you away to die. I wanted you to live, to live a normal life.” Turning back to Kim, he said, “We need to go to Pete.”
Miri started placing plates in front of everyone, the boys helping clear the kitchen, the bodyguard helping with dishes. Vegas saw how his brother easily smiled and moved among these people, doing the tasks they gave him. His brother had always been easygoing, but he had been a brat as a kid. Now, he did menial tasks without so much as a pout. Vegas again felt guilt, this time thinking that being away from the families had proved to be a good influence on Macau.
Everyone sat around the tall counter to eat, Vegas again watching everyone around him. He saw Porsche's brother give Macau all his extra vegetables, and Macau silently eating them without protest. The woman was like a fussy mother hen, watching over them, everyone not daring to cross her.
And his cousin Kim and the bodyguard. That wasn’t what he had expected. He kept watching them all throughout dinner, as everyone spoke around him, Macau asking questions about Pete and Venice, Kim keeping him updated.
There hadn’t been a definite thing that caused Vegas to keep observing them. They hadn’t said anything, nor touched each other. They had barely spoken a word to each other all afternoon. But it was a moment where Vegas had caught Kim look at the bodyguard, the bodyguard looking back at his cousin. They had shared the type of look that he often found himself sharing with Pete.
“It looks like the Theerapanyakuns have acquired a taste for their bodyguards,” Vegas smirked.