Come out and Play

Chapter 18: Morgenstern

Vegas has always known he would kill for his own brother; the moment their own father almost slapped the then eight year old Macau for walking in on one of the meetings. Vegas always thought it would be his father he'd kill. Not anymore though. Now, it's his uncle–someone who Vegas had always known untouchable; with the loyalty of his sons and the web of networks, paired with his sadistic mind, Korn Theerapanyakul is simply sitting on top of Mount Olympus. Not anymore. Not when his own venom is becoming so deadly it's starting to kill him from the inside.

Vegas has always known who he is—the devil of Thailand, he heard them all say, and nothing is sweeter than hearing that from the lips of his family.

Family

The fallen angels were once brothers living in paradise, weren't they? They were once unbothered by the chaos God had started once He created the human beings. Humans. The alpha and omega of His own creation.

Pete once called him Lucifer; not in a scornful way, but because he had just learned the true story of the morning star. The first of his kind to fall. Pete had lovingly traced Vegas' feature with the pads of his calloused fingers, ever so lightly and lovingly, like Vegas is made of delicate China made to look at and not to be used. Yet, his lips touch those delicate features Pete ever lovingly so adore. No. Calling it a simple adoration is an insult in and of itself and Vegas would never do such a thing. That day, in the safety of their own bedroom that Pete worked hard to call haven, Pete had worshiped every inch of him. Forever engraving his love to Vegas' very essence of being. Right there and then, Vegas knew he would not just kill for Macau anymore. Right there and then, Vegas decided he would be whatever he has to be to keep this feeling burning inside him.

Vegas looks around the dining area where he sits across from Kinn on the other side of the elongated table and the rest of the family eats in both peaceful and somber quietness. The dysfunction and high functionality of their bunch still amazes him; he has always been good at reading people and so far, he has been correct:
Kinn who has always had his heart on his sleeve. The very person his father wanted him to beat, not knowing how Vegas could have easily manipulated his own cousin if he had just been given enough freedom. Kinn has always been suspicious, but he is sentimental; Vegas knew that's something he could use to make his cousin do his bidding. Alas, his father was never a master in neither chess nor poker.
Then there's Porsche, a different side of the same coin as his lover. There's something feral and brutal within that makes Vegas curious. Both are willing to die for eachother; Vegas decided a long time ago that this is their weakness. Kinn and Porsche are willing to die for eachother, which has always been the easier route. Vegas wonders what could push them to be willing to continue living for each other. He also wonders what really is the life that's meant for Kinn and Porsche then; certainly, they are for each other, a perfect equilibrium as he and Pete are, but he had always known Kinn had dreams and Porsche, Porsche has goals, and leading a family of crime ring is not it. Vegas has always known that it's only a matter of time before the minor family ring will return to its rightful owner, but it wasn't so bad to enjoy the peace of domestic life, right? No one would blame Vegas if one day he tells Porsche to keep it, right? Vegas gulps the remaining red wine in his glass with the thought.

He locks eyes with Kim and Vegas takes a pause before smirking at the younger. Vegas remembers Kim starting to play the piano, as it was also the time Vegas started accompanying his father to meetings in the main house. His own brother was merely five at the time and took a liking to listening to his cousin. Fortunately, Kim had cut the poisonous vine that creeps itself within them as they grow up and leaves the compound.
Vegas serves himself another glass of wine and thinks back that very first night Kim had come to him, shaking and covered with blood; none of it his own, thankfully. Vegas never knew the reason why and for a while thought that it had been a ploy concocted by the main family. However, as it had become more frequent, Vegas started understanding. Kim, like him, would kill for his brothers. No one knew the days when Vegas had to physically restrain his youngest cousin to keep him from the massacre of his own father and anyone who would come in between, or the moments they simply drink straight vodka just to make sure they're still alive as they're covered with blood, dirt, and filth, or the nights when they would rent out a boat, gets high and pretend they could escape the destiny that has been written for them before they even take their first breath. Vegas tips his glass towards Kim which the younger returned, corner of his lips slightly curling into a smile.