A Thousand Bad Times (So What's Another Time to Me?) ~ A VegasPete AU

Chapter 1

    For as long as he could remember, Pete had one goal: to take down Vegas Theerapanyakul. Yaai had told him growing up that it was Vegas's fault his mom was dead. Vegas's father had killed her, so Pete had dedicated his life, his hours and hours of training, to destroying Vegas.

His first attempt had been in the third grade. Vegas had been on the playground of his private school and Pete had snuck out of his own school to get a look at the infamous boy who had ruined his life. Vegas looked... dull. While the other children screamed and played, Vegas sat alone with a book in his hand and a scowl. His hair was perfectly combed away from his face. He looks like a tit, Pete thought as he brushed his messy bangs to the side. With steady aim from the tree branch he clung to, Pete held his breath as he launched a lawn dart at Vegas. Just then, the boy lifted his book higher to turn the page, and Pete watched with horror as the dart embedded in the hardcover rather than Vegas's stupid face.

"Shit!" Pete hissed, scrambling to get away while Vegas began to look around for the source of the dart.

That night, over dinner, Yaai asked him how school had been.

"Fine. I saw that Theerapanyakul boy. Nearly had him, too, but now I know to take more than one weapon."

"Clearly, you ignored my lesson about that last year," Yaai fussed. "Did you remember to cover your face?"

Pete's silence gave her the answer and she sighed. "Pete, you mustn't let him see your face."

"What does it matter if he's dead?" Pete grumbled, pushing his food around his plate.

"Well, he isn't dead, is he?"

Pete groaned and rolled his eyes. "Nooooooo."

"Finish your dinner and do fifty in the tree before bed."

"Yes, Yaai," Pete answered robotically. He scarfed the rest of his food down and hurried outside to throw his dagger until he had hit his target over fifty times before getting ready for bed.