The Longest Night (VegasPete) ✔️Completed

Chapter 22 - Like The Ocean

{⚠️TW: Bullying between kids / child abuse is a topic, but doesn't actually happens in this chapter⚠️}

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[Flashback; 3rd Person POV; Vegas is ten years old; at this time Tankhun is still the heir of the Main Family]

"Why do I have to go alone with uncle and big brother, Pa?"

"Don't bother, Vegas. I have no time for your sensitivities!" Gun snapped back.

Vegas winced like his father had slapped him, fortunately he wouldn't do this easily now, since Korn would pick Vegas up soon and he didn't want him to recognized a bruise on his son's cheek. However, it hurt like a slap anyway.

Weakness wasn't allowed in this family. The weak wouldn't survive.

"Yes, Pa."

"I demand your best behavior. I asked your uncle to take you along, since this is something big. He will take Tankhun with him and so you will go too. You are the heir of the Minor Clan, at least as long as it takes until it becomes clear whether Macau is just as much of a failure as you are."

Vegas bit the inside of his cheek, hard. Soon he tasted copper in his mouth. He never wanted Macau to be in his position. His baby brother was four years old and still so pure. Happy. He was everything his mother had left behind and he would protect him with fangs and claws. Macau shouldn't grow up like Vegas. As long as he breathed Vegas would always stand between Macau and his father and shield his little brother from Gun's wrath. Even though it meant it would hit Vegas with full force – figuratively and literally.

"But if it's such a big deal, why aren't you going with me?" Vegas tried, it was pointless, but Vegas was still a kid. There was still some hope his father would help him. The following years would change that though. Turning hope into despair and eventually in hate and cruelty.

The orbs of his father were suddenly burning with disdain and Vegas knew he would have been in for punishment, if he wasn't about to leave soon.

"It was ensured that I would be occupied elsewhere." Gun snarled angrily. "Believe me, Vegas, I would rather take matters in my own hands than send you."

Vegas gulped there was enough poison in the last word to kill a full-grown bear. His father had been pissed off since days, because Kinn had pass the final exams at school with the highest score and even if Vegas wasn't in the same grade as him, he only made it to the second range. Actually, he shared the 'first' range with another student, with the same score, but that wasn't a win in Gun Theerapanyakul's eyes. Not. At. All.

So Vegas spent the last few weeks tip-toing around his father's mood swings, trying to please him as much as he could. What wasn't an easy task at all. Vegas was angry with himself. Only one more point and he would have been the best. Maybe that wouldn't have been enough as well, but at least Vegas would have been the first. That was what mattered. It didn't matter that Vegas was better than Kim, or that Tankhun wasn't in the top 5 at all in his grade. As long as Vegas didn't succeeded to beat all of them with one hand bound on his back, there was no appreciation from his dad at all.

"I understand, Pa. I will not disappoint you."

"Just try not to screw it up this time." He made a dismissive gesture and Vegas walked out of the room. He didn't know why Korn had even agreed to take Vegas with him as he went to negotiate with the villagers of this tiny island. All Gun wanted from Vegas was that he was his ears and eyes and reported him back everything that would happen. Actually he expected him to intervene if he could, but honestly how should Vegas even do that. He was fucking ten years old, but he needed to try. He would. Like he always did. The day would come when Vegas would show Gun that he could count on him. The day he would be proud of his son.