Chapter Text
It was drizzling by the time Vegas reached the street in front of Pete’s apartment. Tankhun was already fussing, his voice piercing the cool night air and the almost empty street. Pete only gazed at the lime green Volkswagen Beetle in amusement and Vegas was more than happy to see him looking well despite that tensed standoff with his father at the club which had ended with Pete crying profusely. Vegas did not even need for Pete to recount to him the events that happened while he was expressly forbidden to enter the dressing room as long as his father was inside it. He only prayed his father would not dare lay a finger on Pete, because if he ever did, there was no telling how he would react if he did.
His father had expectedly given him a stern warning about getting himself involved with ‘the whore from the nightclub ’ as he had taken to calling Pete, after that unprecedented confrontation, and Vegas only nodded.
To make it up to Pete, he had decided against traveling to Phang Nga with his father and Macau, citing that he would go by car because he had some business matters to attend to along the way. Thankfully, his father who would be traveling with his younger brother and their own entourage by train, had not protested.
Vegas knew better than to argue with his father about Pete. He had gotten very good at hiding his true emotions from the parent who had raised him. Not now when he had just gotten Pete back within his reach.
“I’ll be fine, Khun Noo.” Pete tried telling him for the umpteenth time. Pol had alighted from the driver’s seat with an umbrella. He had passed this to Pete before running to the back to open the trunk and begin placing all the luggage that had been set aside for the Christmas trip to Phang Nga.
“Yes Tankhun, I will take care of him.” Vegas extolled as he himself appeared from the passenger seat, chuffing on a cigarette. A luxurious fur coat was draped over his arm and he looked extremely debonair in the long dark trench coat with a fur-trimmed collar, hair combed back. Tankhun eyed Vegas with a sneer of disbelief. There had been some animosity between them which has slowly whittled down to this mutual contention of wanting to protect Pete as the months progressed, which has slowly forced them to be amicable to each other, but this was on their own terms, of course. Tankhun plainly hates Vegas’s guts and Vegas eyed the effeminate man with a smidgeon of jealousy, despite knowing that he was merely a fussy mother figure than a romantic rival around Pete.
“With you? That’s not a guarantee I’m willing to bet my money on.” Tankhun griped, eyes firing daggers as Vegas stood in front of Pete, assessing him with an appreciative eye. Pete looked dapper in a tweed suit in the shade of mouse gray with a matching newsboy cap which kept his bouncy hair tame.
To Pete’s surprise, Vegas draped the fur coat that had been on his arm around his shoulder.
“Put this on, baby. It’s going to be cold and rainy for the next three days of travel.” Vegas intoned solemnly, ignoring Tankhun’s comment smoothly. “Did you pack enough?” Vegas asked, eyeing the battery of suitcases Pol was currently arranging at the back of the car.
“I brought enough, I think. But this?” Pete indicated the fur coat which now seemed to swallow him whole, leaving almost only the top of his head exposed. He now looked more like an infant who had been swaddled too thickly by an overprotective mother and it seemed to amuse Vegas as he chuckled at the sight of his lover. “Don’t you think it’s a bit too much?” Pete added with distaste. The fur coat looked like something his alter ego would wear than he would on days he was not performing.
“No.” Vegas intoned. ”It will get colder as we drive further in.” He explained. “Come on, let’s get you inside where it’s warmer.” He quickly opened the front passenger seat for Pete and gestured him in.
“I’m sitting in front?” Pete queried.
“Cos’ I’ll be the one doing the driving, baby.” Vegas explained and there was no mistaking the whimsical twist of his smile that spoke of how he had planned the journey meticulously. Vegas was the one who always made plans for birthdays, anniversaries’ and getaways even back when they were together. “It’s just you and me in the three day drive, love.” He finally revealed as Pol nodded and stood beside Tankhun with an equally satisfied smile across his lips. Pol held out the umbrella for Tankhun, looking almost proud of himself. Tankhun tutted his tongue and Pol wiped the smile off his lips, looking solemn and guilty, almost.
“So you had it all planned?” Pete conjectured, narrowing his eyes at Vegas.
“Yes, baby. Leave it all to me.” Vegas assured him, pecking the bridge of Pete’s nose with his lips, smiling so brightly, it made the gloomy weather less so. “Now say goodbye to your mother.” Vegas teased, jerking his chin slightly in Tankhun’s direction. Pete turned to wave at Tankhun who only rolled his eyes. Pol had smiled sheepishly, waving back at them. Vegas only chuckled then saluted them before closing the door after Pete got in. He jogged over to the driver’s side a little too enthusiastically and after a while, they were driving down the empty street, leaving both Tankhun and Pol under a streetlight amidst a steadily heavy curtain of rain.
“Do you believe in true love, Pol?” Tankhun whispered, shivering slightly from the cold. Arms, warm and comforting, drew around Tankhun’s slightly smaller frame.
“I can tell you what I know. I’ve looked after Khun Vegas for the past five years and I’ve never seen him this happy or calm.” Pol commented in that deep, droll voice Tankhun was used to since they struck this accidental friendship thanks to Vegas’s and Pete’s deep connection.
“If I didn’t see it, I wouldn’t have believed it.” Tankhun sighed. “Are you up for a mug of hot chocolate?” He offered after a momentary pause where Pol seemed to contemplate the offer seriously.
“Sounds like a good deal. Let’s get out of this rain.” Pol finally said, leading Tankhun back into the warm confines of the apartment.
Pete was humming as they reached the outskirts of Bangkok. The rain got steadily heavier when they finally drove into Chumphon. They had been in the car for what seemed like eternity but Vegas was almost silent throughout the drive, occasionally talking about the history of an area they were driving through or remarking on the road conditions. His hand barely left the steering wheel but the other was always grabbing something of Pete’s; his knee or his hand, gripping tightly as if he needed the assurance that Pete is really there with him. Pete had completely forgotten how soothing having Vegas by his side had been until now.
They had stopped for some sticky rice cake covered in peanuts at a street side stall before leaving the city but Pete knew his stomach was about to grumble soon.
“We need to get out of this rain and maybe get some hot, soupy noodles.” Pete suggested. Vegas did not look tired at all but Pete chalked it down to the excitement of having a long trip together.
“Just a few minutes more and we’ll reach our destination.” Vegas indicated, the small smile playing on his lips looking very suspicious. This was supposed to be a two or three day drive.
“What destination? Phang Nga is still a long way away.“ Pete questioned, eyes narrowing at Vegas in suspicion.
Five minutes later, Vegas turned into the driveway of what looked like a countryside home. It was two-storeyed, brick layered with warm orange lights glowing from every window that was opened. For some reason, despite the heavy rain, Pete felt warm just looking at the place.
“Welcome to my Shangri-La.” Vegas announced as he parked the Volkswagen with the Theerapanyakul sign marking it. An elderly man wearing a flannel shirt and pants, holding a giant parasol was there to greet them where Vegas had parked.
“Good evening, Khun Vegas. It is an honor to have you visit here again after so long.” He bowed profusely. His voice was filled with sincerity and as Vegas led Pete out of the car, the smile on his lips seemed to widen, “Welcome Khun Pete, it is nice to finally put a face to the name.” He waived and Pete blushed, bowing even lower and shaking his head at the formal greeting.
“Please, just call me Pete.” He quickly said.
“Pete, this is Adisak. He and his wife have taken care of this place since I was an infant.” Vegas explained and Pete bowed at the old man once more. Vegas barely talked about anyone else close to him other than his younger brother, Macau before and his father even less. He wondered what Vegas must have told Adisak about him to have garnered such a warm welcome. “Everything is ready?” Vegas asked the older man as he led Pete through the main entrance.
“Yes Khun. Chaem has prepared some food for you and Khun Pete at the dining room. Everything else has been laid as you requested. Chaem apologizes for not being here to greet you but she is happy that you have returned. One of our grandsons is running a fever so she has to care for him as Niran and his wife have gone to Chiang Mai for work.”
“How many children does Niran and Baifern have now?” Vegas enquired.
“Three, Khun. Two boys and a girl.” Adisak spoke in a low, modest tone although the light in his eyes shone proudly. “They are eight, six and three. The three year old played too long in the rain yesterday and now he’s not well.” He added.
“Do we need to call for a doctor? Can Chaem- mae handle the children by herself?” Vegas turned now, nodding for Pete to go in, but Pete remained where he was, just taking in the spacious living room, decorated like those English cottages Pete had only seen in magazines. The whole place glowed beautifully from the fire crackling within the brick lined fireplace which seemed to be the focal point of the room. Every piece of furniture in the room looked exclusive, as if they had been crafted by hand and meant to last a lifetime.
“Mae is fine, Khun Vegas and the youngest boy =should be better by tomorrow. Please make yourselves at home, sirs. I will now take my leave.” Adisak insisted and because the older man seemed intent on leaving quickly, Vegas only nodded.
“You seem to know his family very well.” Pete remarked when the doors closed behind them.
“Yeah. Me and Macau spent our childhood here when our mother was still around. Their son was my tutor before I went to university.” Vegas explained, helping Pete ease himself out of the coat. “He said the food’s all laid out. You hungry?” He asked.
“Always.” Pete whispered, close to his ear and Vegas only drew Pete closer to him until their bodies were completely joined. The place was already toasty from the fire but the kiss that Vegas planted on Pete’s lips made him even warmer. Pete was breathless when Vegas released him.
“Food first, baby. Then you.” Vegas promised.
~~~~~
Pete found the upright piano before he even got to the fireplace. They had decided to take a quick wash before dinner got cold and had ended up having dinner at the marble island in the kitchen before Vegas excused himself to make a phone call to his father in the study, leaving Pete to explore the rest of the living room.
The upright piano looked well oiled and well maintained. Pete was seated on the stool even before he slid open the cover to reveal the shiny keys. His fingers ran over the ebony and ivory tabs in a fluid, almost singular motion, emitting a melody which bounced beautifully and softly off the walls.
You sigh, the
song begins/ You speak, and I hear violins
It’s magic
The stars desert the skies / And rush to nestle in your eyes
It’s magic
Without a golden wand / Or mystic charms
Fantastic things begin / When I am in your arms
When we walked hand in hand / The world becomes a wonderland
It’s magic
How else can I explain / Those rainbows when there is no rain
It’s magic
Why do I tell myself / These things that happen are all really true
When in my heart I know / The magic is my love for you
Warm, familiar hands glide over the dip of Pete’s shoulders and he stopped playing, turning slightly to look up at Vegas. He had a smoking jacket on, looking every bit the debonair rich boy his personality constantly oozed. The jacket was silk and a wonderful shade of maroon which stood out against the pallor of his ivory skin. Pete had been given the same material to wear only his was more of a night robe with a wide lapel design and paired with a sash and matching silk pants.
“That was beautiful. How come I did not know you played the piano and could sing so well back when we were together?” He asked genuinely, letting a finger tilt Pete’s chin up to him gently, caressing the soft arc of the smooth jawline, before finding the supple lips he could never get enough of. The dimples creased along Pete’s rosy cheeks so easily it was a miracle Vegas did not combust immediately when they made their sterling appearance.
“I learnt to do all that after… I left .” Pete faltered at those last two words, smile quickly disappearing. Pete moved his head away, looking down as if Vegas’s gaze was too intense for him to contain. It seemed as if he was still having trouble coming to terms with the memory.
Of the night he had packed quietly and left Vegas without a single word.
They had not truly sat down to discuss that lengthy period when they had been separated from each other and even though Vegas had expressed that he did not care to know, Pete was convinced he was still genuinely curious why Pete had left the apartment they had shared for close to two years and disappeared without a clue for six long years after.
The finger which had tilted Pete’s chin slowly became a palm which cupped the edge of Pete’s jaw in a mildly possessive grip.
“You left because you wanted to become a singer?” Vegas inquired, the mirth dancing in his eyes seemed to belie a darker hue, filled with a bitterness Pete had never seen before when they were together. You put that there, Pete, you gifted him that bitterness when you left . Hearing that voice filled Pete with a guilt he had no place to keep. Those years were as painful for him as it was for Vegas.
“No.” Pete whispered, standing up slowly and moving away from Vegas, as if he could push the topic aside. He walked towards the fireplace, staring at the wood crackling and burning merrily. Vegas flashed a brittle smile, walking towards the table where a bucket of ice had been placed. He pulled out the champagne bottle which had been buried in the bucket and poured out two glasses before planting himself onto the furry rug that had been spread in front of the fireplace, leaning against the battery of pillows Vegas had anchored along the brick wall, not too close to the fire but close enough to keep them warm.
“Come here, baby.” Vegas called out and Pete, startled from his reverie, turned, sighted Vegas on that lush white fur on the floor, walked over to join him, flashing the dimpled smile which had haunted Vegas’s memory for the past six years. Pete held out his hand and Vegas took it gently in his, plying the back of it with kisses that were warm and welcoming, drawing Pete down to sit beside him. “Let’s just toast this most fortuitous reunion?” He suggested as he passed Pete a wine glass. Pete nodded in agreement. They clinked their glasses and after a long sip, Vegas put their drinks aside.
“So you and Macau had some beautiful memories with your mom here, huh?” Pete asked as he nestled closer into Vegas’s arms.
“Yes.” Vegas admitted, kissing the top of Pete’s head. “She turned this place into our safe space whenever things got too rough at the compound. I don’t think Macau remembers much though. I used to fly kites and climb trees with their only son, Ning. You could say he was like an older brother to me.” He added in reminiscent.
“It’s nice to know you’ve kept in touch with them over the years.” Pete shared, gazing at the fire burning away in the hearth. The place seemed truly untouched from everywhere else on earth.
“Not as much as I’m allowed to.” Vegas admitted with a sigh. There was something sorrowful that resonated deeply in the way he heaved that sigh, the way his chest caved in and out.
“Why not?” Pete asked, turning his body into Vegas’s, resting his cheek against the smooth, warm wall of chest that peeked between the robe.
“When I was eight, just a few months after my mother passed, my father came here to drag me and Macau back to the city. Macau was only four at the time so he did not understand why we had to leave what he saw as home to go back to the compound. He just kept crying and I didn’t know how to shut him up.” Pete held Vegas tighter. Even after six long years, finding out just how much Vegas suffered at the hands of his father, even now, was something he had trouble absorbing.
The mental and emotional damage it had caused him, the people he loved that was inevitably, directly or indirectly affected by it. It was not something Pete did not experience personally. Knowing that Vegas was continually hurt in his absence hit him harder than he had expected.
“Poor Macau.” Pete cried softly, holding Vegas close to him, feeling protective.
“He wouldn’t stop, on the drive back and Pa…” Vegas’s voice broke in the stillness of the room, stifled only by the glow of the light and the steady patter of rain from outside. Pete glanced up, sorrow filling him at the sight of Vegas in the semi-darkness of the room.
In the fire’s light, the shadows of rain falling from the windows outside reflected on his face and seem to mimic tears he must have had to hold back over all the years; an accumulation of being his father’s son, of always having to put up a brave front, of taking every slap, punch or kick directed at him for being a constant source of disappointment as the eldest son. Pete’s breath hitched at the thought that Vegas might have suffered more than he ever did in the aftermath of his leaving.
“Baby.” Pete soothed, cupping Vegas’s face with one hand.
“He got to you, didn’t he? That night you left.” Vegas suddenly turned the attention to him and Pete could only gape at him in surprise. “I’m not as clueless as you think I am.” He sighed again. “Did you know what he almost did to Macau that day when he won’t stop crying in the car?”
“Vegas.” Pete did not want to know, not if it meant that he would have to see the broken parts of Vegas once more. The parts that he knew no one would ever be able to put back together, not even him, the love of his life.
“He almost threw Macau into a ravine.” Vegas said into the softness of the firelight and Pete had Vegas in his arms out of instinct more than anything else. “He stopped the car by the roadside and wanted to throw his own son into the valley because he couldn’t stand the boy crying.” He added without any emotion and Pete hugged him tighter, just wanting Vegas to feel the comfort from his hold even if he had built a wall between himself and every trauma his father had pulled him into.
“Baby, I’m so…sorry.” Pete whispered softly, tears glistening in his eyes and falling by the time he tucked Vegas’s head under his chin and ran his hand over the back of that thick black hair slowly.
“I knew eventually he would get around to you.” Vegas whispered in a voice so soft, Pete had not heard him at first. After a moment, Pete began to shift away only to have Vegas hold him tightly in place. “I understand if you don’t want to talk about this, baby. I’m just telling you what I know. I looked for you. For a year, I went everywhere to find you. The family farm, the neighboring villages. I asked around. The temples where the neighbors said your yaai used to pray at. Always hoping I’d catch sight of her or you.”
Pete held his breath, trying not to break from Vegas’s words even though his tears had barely tapered off with each statement Vegas made. It had been hard staying away from the places he knew would have been easy for Vegas to find him. Knowing Vegas had earnestly searched for him at places that were supposed to be familiar for him when he had purposely stayed away from, only began to fill him with a guilt he is certain he would never recover from.
“In the end he got me to return to him.” Vegas husked in exasperation. “He used Macau as an excuse, of course. Said if I didn’t come back and help him with the business, he’s going to drag Macau into all the family bullshit.”
“I’m sorry, Vegas.” Pete managed, shoulders quivering slightly from all that silent crying.
“There’s nothing to be sorry for. Everything happens for a reason and if the reason is my Pa, well, there’s nothing much that can be done to stop it.” Vegas slid down onto the pillows, rubbing Pete’s back with some sort of assurance. Pete, who was crying with his face turned towards the fire. “I knew somewhere along the way he would get to you. He had a way with things like that, my Pa.” He sighed with resignation.
“There’s a reason why you brought me here.” Pete intoned softly when his tears finally tapered off a while later. He finally turned and Vegas thought no one in the world looked more beautiful and vulnerable than a Pete, who had just finished crying for someone he truly loved. He nodded as Pete settled to lie down beside him.
“Whatever happens from here on, I want you to know I left this place to you.” Pete began to stir in protest but Vegas turned and hugged him from the side before he could. “I do not know what the future holds but if anything ever happens to me, I will need someone to be there for Macau the same way I assume you would want someone to be there for your yaai .” Vegas explained and that alone was enough to silence Pete. “I do not want to make the same mistakes I did six years ago.”
“It was not your mistake to make.” Pete said, voice choking with emotion.
“I know. But I no longer want to be unprepared. At least know that there is a place here for you, your yaai and my brother if anything ever happens to me.” Vegas further added.
“I don’t like you talking like this.” Pete turned, resting on his elbows before cupping Vegas' jaw with one hand and gazing into his eyes, his dark amber eyes reflecting a love Vegas had hungered to witness the past six years. “Nothing bad is ever going to happen now that we are together again, you understand?” Pete whispered earnestly, flinging those arms around him and holding him closer, tighter until Vegas felt he could breathe easy again.
“Okay.” Vegas whispered back although there was no conviction in both his voice and his gaze. He still held Pete though, tight enough to hurt in a good way.
“Vegas.” Pete insisted, looking down this time at Vegas.
“Okay.” Vegas repeated, this time with the kind of steely conviction which reminded Pete of the sharp end on the blade of a sword. Pete smiled, nodding with satisfaction.
“Have I told you I love you today?” Vegas whispered, his dark eyes glittery under the firelight as they danced across Pete’s face, taking in the dimples, the rosy cheeks still bearing tracks of his crying, and how flared and red his nose was post tears.
“No.” Pete pouted, lips grazing along that jawline tenderly, planting kisses, slow and sweet along cheekbones, the line of Vegas’ nose before settling on the forehead already upturned in his direction.
“Well, I love you, Pete.” Vegas declared, heaving Pete’s body easily atop his own. Pete shifted, adjusting and allowing Vegas to sit up against the pillows before allowing those hands to pull his hips so he was straddling Vegas’ thighs, close enough to feel the ridge of Vegas’s arousal against his own. His robe had splayed open from all the moving and a sleeve slid below the curve of one shoulder. Vegas took in the exposed half of Pete’s sternum with wonderment which had simply grown since they reunited.
Even after all these years, Pete still stirred the same feelings he had the first time they met. Of meadows dotted with blooms, bathed in the endless beams of the golden sun. Loving Pete had always given him what he never thought he could ever possess in this lifetime. Hope. And Pete reciprocating his love had in turn given him something he thought was impossible for him to dream of; happiness that was unconditional and beautiful.
“Well,” Pete replied with a chuckle, “I love you too, Vegas.” He declared, shifting ever closer until there was no longer anything separating them, as he closed his lips over Vegas’s.
Tonight was somehow different from all the other nights they have spent together. Their copulation since being reunited were always hurried, overtly passionate, almost displaced; as if they were about to run out of time or interrupted by its placement. Here, in this secluded countryside, this Shangri-la, bathed in the soft orange light of the fire that emanated warmth and space with a languid glow, time seemed to have forgotten its path and the world was isolated from them. It was, of course, a temporary respite from all the turmoil which had surrounded them in the city, but this is welcome. This is comforting.
Their robes and pants would gradually be stricken off their bodies and Vegas would gaze upon the temple that is Pete’s body, once again marveling at how he had remain untouched by anyone else, waiting only for Vegas’ mouth, fingers and cock for all of those years, just waiting to be worshiped by one devotee.
And as he prayed, Vegas murmured supplications on the wonder Pete had transformed into, the skin crafted to be creamier, the flesh made more supple to mark, the beckoning softness of his whole body. Vegas promised undying loyalty, a universe which beheld only Pete as its divine ruler and the both of them the sole inhabitants of such a kingdom, where Vegas was its only subject.