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

Chapter 16

A/N: I turned an overnight crowded bus ride into a private car train ride. Just... accept it. I know it's wrong. 

    Vegas needed time to think. Luckily, there was plenty of time to think between a couple hours in the air before an overnight train ride. Kinn had scrambled to get Pete and Vegas moving, throwing a bag of clothes and money at them. Pete had demanded to know how Porsche had packed him a bag along with his passport and gotten it to Kinn so quickly, but Kinn had brushed the comment aside. He said there wasn't time to argue. He was handling the negotiations, and Chay and Macau were safe, but they needed Vegas and Pete to pick them up while Kinn and Porsche handled the ransom payment.

Vegas's arm was sore from where Pete had cut him, but he didn't have time to worry about that. He had negotiated a temporary truce with Pete before they boarded the plane, but Pete had been keeping a close eye on Vegas as they traveled.

"We have a long journey to the cabin on Jade Dragon Mountain, so I suggest we get some sleep."

Pete scoffed. "Nice try. Like I'm going to close my eyes and let you kill me."

Vegas sighed. It was like talking to a brick wall. "You and I don't have weapons. I could kill you with my bare hands, but you would wake up right away. Besides, I don't want to kill you. I want to get my brother back, and then you and I need to talk."

Vegas settled in to close his eyes for a few hours. It was remarkable he was able to relax, but for some reason, having his would-be assassin unmasked and near him made him feel like he didn't have to worry. The time not spent worrying about Macau was devoted to confronting his cognitive dissonance about Pete. Now that he knew who he was, he couldn't understand how he didn't put it together faster. If anything, it made him a little more terrified and a lot more enamored of Pete. The fact that the man who had moaned so sweetly in the library was the same one who had almost killed Vegas time and time again was strangely hot.

"Just relax," Vegas murmured, peeking at Pete again.

Pete scowled at him. "So you can try something?"

With an exaggerated sigh, Vegas got up and stood next to where Pete was sitting up on his sleeper cot. The bed was narrow, but Vegas knew they could fit if they were close.

"What are you doing?" Pete demanded, eyes wide. His arms were already raised to block access to his neck, but Vegas only stared at him sleepily.

Pete couldn't help but relax just a little as Vegas leaned closer to him, despite the voice in his head telling him he couldn't let his guard down around Vegas. Vegas was his enemy, after all. His nemesis. His-

Pete sucked in a quick breath as Vegas moved close enough that their lips were almost touching, hovering over him as Pete lay down on the edge of the cot.

A mischievous smirk lit up Vegas's face. Leaning closer, he brushed his cheek along Pete's to mouth at his ear, "You seem skittish like you've been caught in a trap, but then you make the cutest faces like you just want me to kiss you."

Pete shoved at Vegas, rolling him the rest of the way over so he was squeezed between him and the wall.

"You have your own bed," Pete complained.

When Vegas made no attempt to move or acknowledge what Pete had said, Pete huffed and started to roll off the cot. Vegas was faster than he expected, snaking his arm around Pete's waist and pulling him closer until they were flush, head to toe.

Pete squirmed and grunted but Vegas only tightened his grip.

"Careful or you'll give me a boner. Now, hold still and get to sleep. This way you will know if I move at all. I can't attack you or snoop through your stuff, not that I was going to anyway. But now you can just relax."

Pete cursed under his breath again but saw the logic in what Vegas was saying.

Pete closed his eyes finally and thought, at least I'm a light sleeper.