The Longest Night (VegasPete) ✔️Completed

Chapter 23 (1/3) - I Will Never Not Be At Home Anymore

(Word-count: 9525)

*Pic-credit to owner, sorry I don't remember who made the edit 😓
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[Vegas' POV]

I lay on one of the wooden benches on the ferry which took us to Pete's hometown on the little island in Chumphon. My arm covered my eyes as I tried hard to will away the nausea building up inside me.

Macau and Pete were standing at the railing, while Pete spoke about his grandparents, the people in town and how he grew up in the little idyll. I had somehow managed to sneak away without getting caught. Anyway, I already heard most of what Pete was telling Macau anyway, but in a different setting, with Pete curled up against me in bed. It made me smile to remember those moments. I loved the closeness after sex and those were moments where Pete was most open and vulnerable for me. It was like not only our bodies, but also our souls were stripped bare then. We became closer every day and I also told him about my past. My parents, my experiences in the Mafia and in life, but still sometimes I became insecure and sex offered the both of us a way to gradually destruct the walls we had both built up for years.

The ferry was hit by a wave and rocked me out of my comfortable thoughts. My stomach made an unhappy twist and I groaned. Weakly, I raised my left arm and lifted the other from my eyes to check the time on my watch.

Only ten minutes had passed since we started, so there would still be thirty-five left until we would arrive. I dropped my arm in despair and grunted. Why the fuck was Pete's home on a fucking island?!

"Hey, what's wrong Vegas?" I looked up to see Pete's concerned face.

"I'm tired." I lied bluntly. It was embarrassing to admit getting sea sick like a wimp. Although I knew we were in love I still had a hard time admitting my weaknesses to Pete sometimes. I was aware this was unreasonable, but old habits die hard and there was a tiny part of my heart which still feared Pete would maybe wake up one day and find he didn't want to be with a pathetic man like me after all. I didn't want to lose him.

"Mhm." Pete hesitated, but then said: "Alright." And went away. I was a little surprised my answer had satisfied him so easily. There was a little pinch in my chest. Probably I was a little more than surprised, almost a bit...

No, idiot. I admonished harshly in my head. I hadn't become so pathetic that something like this would actually hurt me! I told him I was fine. I wanted him to believe I was fine! He went away. That was alright! Totally alright! No reason to feel-

"Head up." I heard Pete order softly but firmly and before I could lift my arm from my eyes to look at him, I felt his hand gently lifting my head up, so he could sit and let it rest in his lap. I blinked up, but couldn't really see his face, since the midday sun was shining brightly. No fucking cloud in sight. It was so hot and I felt so sick it was terrible.

But then all of a sudden the sun dimmed and I was able to see Pete smiling down on me. I looked past him and noticed that something like a solar sail was stretched over us.

Pete briefly turned his head to the side where a man was standing, probably a few years older than Pete and me.

"Thank you, P'Wave." Pete bowed his head slightly to thank the man and gave him a friendly smile while he started to scratch my scalp.

"You're welcome, N'Pete." Said the man, also with a smile and disappeared into the steering cabin. Pete stroked my hair out of my forehead. There were some items in his other hand.

"Open." Pete ordered cheerfully, smiling brightly. Others would probably not recognize, but this smile was different from those Pete granted for others. It always used to make my heart flip-flop.