Storms and craters

Chapter 4

"Oh, did the beauty bite his tongue?" the "daddy" continues simpering. "It won't work that way. And why did you come here, huh?"

Vegas finds Tankhun's manner of speaking and the situation itself not comical, but rather grotesque. Well, his image does not fit in with the one who could lead this wild pack. He turns his gaze to Pete, who removes his hands from Tankhun's neck and puts his right palm on his shoulder, and with his left — Vegas's thick eyebrows creep over his forehead — slides into the pocket of the ostentatious fashionista. And all this — with a bold look directed straight into Vegas' eyes. Splinter sort of advertises his skill.

Well. I will give you the opportunity to show it in all its glory.

Meanwhile, Vegas is closely following Pete's virtuoso work — his hand slips out of Tankhun's pocket just as slowly and imperceptibly.

Well. What did you steal from your "daddy" there, little cub... and he didn't notice, right? Or did he pretend not to notice?

Vegas turns his gaze to a cute smiling face. Pete winks: see what I can.Vegas grins and turns to Tankhun:

"Hello," he puts his palms together, "can I talk to your... ahem...  your ward," it's hard to think of a better word.

That causes restrained laughter from the rest of the company. Tankhun lifts his glasses again:

"With whom exactly, my beauty?"

Vegas nods towards Splinter. He's not sure if he should have introduced himself or at least called himself by any name that came to mind. Tankhun purses his lips, then abruptly throws Pete's hand off his shoulder, grumbling resentfully:

"Are you having hanky-panky stuff with this beauty, and I don't even know? Is this how you pay your daddy for all his kindness?"

Pete ingratiatingly caresses his cheek to his patron's shoulder.

"Aw, stop freaking out! Who is he and who are you? I will never let you down for anyone in my life!"

"I dunno believe it," Tankhun defiantly begins to examine his manicure, "you are so fickle and completely out of hand."

Pete is hanging around his neck again, and Vegas catches himself watching a cheap performance, which is being performed at the very front stage.

"Eh..." he coughs, drawing attention to his still presence here, "I don't want to interrupt you, but I have a really serious conversation. It won't take much time, I'll return your Splinter to you safe and sound."

Tankhun doesn't have time to react, as Pete condescendingly says:

"Okay, give us five minutes. Otherwise, he won't leave us till tomorrow. With his serious conversation."

Tankhun curls his lips and waves away: go wherever you want.

Splinter nods to Vegas and takes him to the last place.

"Well, what? Finally fucked up the noble cop game and came to take a favor? Or I need to return what you, like a dog bone, threw at my feet."

Mmm. So it really hurt? And you're more vulnerable than you try to seem.

"How old are you?" as if not noticing the usual rough treatment, the police officer, experienced in dealing with such people, changes the topic.

"If you decide to take a debt with a hookup, they won't put you in jail."

The main thing is not to succumb to provocations and follow my line.

"And yet? Is this some sort of a secret?"

Pete pulls back the cuff of his blue bomber jacket:

"Twenty-four. Will it suit you?""

As much as you... could be.

Shaking his shoulders, Vegas folds his arms over his chest:

"Hmm. Not little. And is pickpocketing your only way of getting money? Or rather, a part of it. After all, the rest, as far as I understand, goes to your overdressed... ahem... daddy? And does he have many like you?"

"None of your business! And don't touch Tankhun! If it wasn't him..." Pete stops, biting his lower lip, "in a nutshell, what are you doing here again? You gave me the wallet yourself. If you want to return it, I'll search around and find it. Are you going to remind me about that evening? Fuck what you're going to prove. But I'm not used to either lending or borrowing, so I can work it off."

Here Pete stops talking and quickly stands next to him, stretching his hands to the belt on Vegas jeans and already intending to get rid of the fly. Vegas firmly grabs the flexible wrist, causing the guy to hiss:

"D-damn!.. What a claw you have! Let me go, it hurts!"

Vegas loosens his grip, Pete pulls his hand away and takes a couple of steps back, looking at his abuser in disbelief.

"Well? You don't need sex, so what should we do?"

Vegas raises his eyebrows and says as calmly as possible:

"I want to offer you a job."

Ringing laughter cuts through the air gradually cooled by the evening.

"A job? You? For me? Huh, I wonder which one? Although no, you know, it's not fucking interesting!"

Pete waves him "bye-bye" and is about to leave, but Vegas grabs his hand again:

"Why is my offer so bad? You didn't even listen to me, did you?"

"An offer from a cop? No way. Thanks. I have no trust for people like you. And through the  lifetime, you always have to pay if you trust the wrong people."

"A sad experience?" The question comes out of Vegas' mouth more unintentionally than deliberately.

Pete clenches his jaw and jerks his hand violently, trying to escape again. But this time Vegas' is strong and reliable.

"What can I do to make you forget the way here once and for all, eh?!"

"Maybe you'll listen to what I want to tell you after all?"

Splinter squints, and then sharply bites into the hand holding him, which makes Vegas, with a short groan, let him go, and niw he's examining the bite site.

Damn you... a real wild wolf cub. Untamed. Vulnerable and rebellious.

The next thought that visits Vegas makes him blush slightly: it's for better that I didn't let you in my pants; who knows at what next moment you will want to show your teeth.

"Well. Okay I can be very patient. I am sure one day you will come to me."

Vegas combs his hair back with his fingers and leaves Splinter that accompanies him with an angry look.

And a week later, a smart pickpocket is caught red-handed in one of the shopping malls of the district. Obviously knowing that he managed to steal "small stuff", Pete behaves habitually rudely, dares the police accompanying him to the station and gawks his oninx eyes dumbfounded when he gets into the drug enforcement department.

"Did you get anything wrong there? I'm not a junkie and I don't mess with such people!"

Vegas appears in front of the kicking would-be pickpocket holding a tiny bag with a white powdery substance with his fingertips and answering Pete in a confident voice:

"We're not. But you got caught in a big way. Splinter."