White Outside, Red Underneath [Vegaspete]

Chapter 5: Homecoming

 The whisper of the words must have done something to Vegas. Only a spell could make him follow someone like an obedient little dog. Yet here he was, going after Pete exactly like that.

 Pete led him down the stairs he came up on, going behind the stairs, to a door Vegas hasn't seen before. Which is understandable, because it wasn't in his angle of view when he came across the hallway.

 The key that Pete extracted from his pocket unlocked the lock. Another staircase appeared in sight. The atmosphere of the basement was all too familiar to Vegas.

 The smell of sweat and blood hit his nose when they reached the ground. Home. His mind screamed at him, to let his demons out, to unleash his worst, but no. It wasn't his time. He was here because Pete was here. Pete was the one in control, not him. And it was a hell of a heavy burden to carry.

 He was always the one who held power. Today, he has nothing. Today, Pete was the one who controls. And he already proved himself to Vegas. He is capable, - perhaps the only one capable of keeping Vegas's monsters on a leash.

 A man - honestly barely a human anymore - laid on the cold hard floor. He was chained up, some bloody bruises on his cheeks and chest. It was a sight to behold - Vegas had to admit it quietly in his head.

 There were two people guarding the prisoner, in the corners of the cage. Pete dismissed them, pushing the door open, to attend to the chained man. He pulled a chair behind himself, putting it a little closer to the prisoner than necessary. He settled himself and lit a cigarette, feeling completely tranquil.

 "I hope you don't mind the audience" Pete tilted his head towards Vegas, blowing out the smoke in his direction.

 "I...I don't understand" Came a broken sentence from the man's mouth. He looked around slightly, like he was searching for something, before his half closed eyes landed on Pete. "You were gone"

 Pete let out a dark chuckle, spreading his legs out, pretending to be comfortable. This was his game, Vegas noticed. Playing his cards like he has all the time in the world. Making the man in front of him believe that he is important, that he is not disposable. When in reality, Pete already had a plan in his head. Which will probably cause a lot more vicious death than Vegas could imagine.

 "You know what they say, Gear.'' He drew nearer to the prisoner, whispering in his ear, though Vegas could still make everything out perfectly. "Good things come back to you"

 The man, Gear started rattling in the chain, distress finally kicking in. It was probably the goal of this useless conversation. Regardless, Vegas enjoyed it maybe a little too much. Seeing his fiancé act so invincible, so fierce, when they knew exactly how much of a mess he was under Vegas. Just the mere thought of this made Vegas' pants tighten.

 "Let me tell you a little story then, so you'll understand" His voice was soft now, like he was talking to a child, explaining to him why the sky is blue. "When I left, I told you to take care of the business and you did exactly what I expected." He took a long drag of the cigarette still in his hands, creating a dramatic pause, before continuing what he had to say.

 "You betrayed me when the first chance presented itself, didn't you?" The cigarette landed on the ground, Pete's anger was much more conspicuous in the air. The male - Gear - whimpered, the ugly sound of chains moving again. Pete laughed, holding the man by the neck to keep him from wiggling. "Calm down, sweetie" He taunted, his smile almost reaching his ears.

 "It's been four years, why hold a grudge like that?" He assured the prisoner - clearly a move in his game, Vegas recognized. "Don't get me wrong, I'm not here to take my revenge on you." This statement surprised Vegas, however, he also knew not to accept Pete's words as true.