#and macau having to be the head of the minor family

[paldogangsaan]

writing a macau-centric au where vegas dies during the coup and macau has to deal with it and at this point i feel like i’m never gonna finish it. like why do i have an 11.6k word outline

[calciumcryptid]

Does anyone else see the vision of an alternate universe where Vegas and Macau were adopted into the main family, so when Pete comes around Vegas and Tankhun are duking it out over who gets him as a bodyguard? Wait, give me a second:

In this universe, the uncle is slain and Vegas and Macau are brought into the main family. There could be any reason for this, I like making Mama Theerapanyakul alive and having her go "I can excuse emotional abuse, but I draw the line at physical abuse" (I have opinions about the former matriarch). It ultimately doesn't matter, this is just the set-up.

So Vegas and Macau grow up as main family members (while reminded of the difference), and they are around for everything. All the usual bodyguards joining, Tankhun's kidnapping, etc. Vegas is Kinn's little shadow and they have a better relationship (regular sibling rivalry rather than i want to kill you and usurp your throne cousin rivalry) and eventually Vegas is set to be the minor head to Kinn's major head and they are gucci.

At some point, Pete joins the bodyguard.

I imagine this would happen a little bit after Tankhun's kidnapping, and the only reason he is here is because Chan is covering up Pete murdering his abusive father and being a former boxer means Pete has some skills to shape into a bodyguard. Plus, Tankhun lost his usual rotation and they are having a hard time to get someone into his guard rotation because the former heir has PTSD so Pete can be groomed into the guard Tankhun needs.

It works, Tankhun likes Pete and goes "Mine".

The problem is Vegas had a nightmare flare-up, and happens to talk with Pete and they bond over shit dads and Vegas thinks Pete is so cool because he got to kill his dad and oh no there is the Theerapanyakul obsession. This will end well.

So the day comes where Pete is meant to get his official assignment, and he thinks it is going to be for Tankhun because that is the entire purpose he is there except suddenly Vegas wants Pete and sure Tankhun wants Pete but Vegas wants Pete, carnally.

Anyways, that is the basic plot idea.

Bonus points if there is some age fuckery, like Pete is about Kinn's age and Vegas is younger than Kinn so the showdown goes a little:

Tankhun, in his twenties traumatized and determined, yanking Pete in one direction: He is my bodyguard. Vegas, snot-nosed teenager with massive spoil brat energy, pulling Pete in the opposite direction: He is my husband. Pete, freshly eighteen just trying to see another day: What?

[lu-sn]

In the foyer of the minor family mansion, looming large and ominous against dark paneled wood, is a floor-to-ceiling portrait of Gun.

This is Pete’s first time seeing it. He must have walked by it earlier without realizing; he wouldn’t have noticed it on their way out either if Macau hadn’t come to a screeching halt in front of it.

In the portrait, Gun sits tall in an ornate chair, smoldering cigar hanging from his fingertips, expression brimming with arrogance. The narcissism of it — the centering of this house’s power on its patriarch, with his sons nowhere to be seen — is not unusual for a mafia mogul like Gun. Pete loathes him for it anyway.

Pete glances at Macau, whose gaze is fixed on his father’s face, and then down at where Macau is thumbing restlessly at the lighter in his palm. The gesture is familiar; the lighter is Vegas’s. It was the only item the doctors found tucked away in the tatters of Vegas’s clothing, and Macau has not relinquished it since. Pete has numbed himself to the sight and sound of it flicking open and shut, matching time with the beeping of Vegas’s heart monitor as he and Macau keep vigil on opposite sides of Vegas’s hospital bed.

The click of the lighter echoes in the cavernous foyer, now, sharp and eerie.

“Macau,” Pete blurts out. He hefts the box cradled in his arms. “I’ll go put your things in the car.” And when that earns him no response, he mumbles, “I’ll be back.”

He staggers out of the foyer and down the front steps to the car, leaving Macau to his thoughts.

Pete’s own mind, fractured and worn from weeks of poor sleep, swirls with thoughts of dead fathers. They leave themselves behind in empty houses and littered beer bottles, in stacks of yellowed photos and stacks of debt, in bruises, old and new. Their specters are impossible to shake, even without massive portraits to contend with.

Pete hopes Vegas won’t keep the portrait if he… when he wakes up. The love sons have for their bastard fathers is a curse, but Vegas will not see it that way, not for a long time. Vegas will want to keep the shadow of his father close. He will not be able to help himself after a lifetime of chasing Gun’s approval.

Better the shadow of his father than the real thing, Pete thinks darkly.

He slams the trunk of the car shut, turns back towards the mansion and then, even through his daze, the scent of it is thick enough to choke — smoke.

Fire.

“Macau?” Pete yells, sprinting up the steps and rushing back into the foyer. Alarms blare in his head: Macau is in danger. He has to keep Macau safe for Vegas. “Something’s wrong, we have to get out—”

He skids to a stop.

Macau looks over his shoulder at Pete, face inscrutable, silhouetted as he is by the burning, blazing portrait behind him. The lighter glints as he flips it round and round between his fingers.

The flames crawl up the portrait, eating away at its domineering presence, incinerating Gun into worthless ashes at his son’s feet.

-

#kpanniversary2024 episode 14 + prompt 14: legacy

[chalkrevelations]

Proposed:

Vegas and Porsche spend a whole bunch of time plotting to kill Korn, only for Macau and Chay to get there first.

Some intense questioning and emotional manipulation by his Hia finally get out of Macau that he lied when he initially told everyone that he stumbled into Korn and accidentally knocked him down the stairs when Korn grabbed his wrist during an argument, but he wanted to protect Chay. He says that the two of them didn't think people would believe Korn fell accidentally when Chay tried to push him away from Macau, after Korn grabbed Macau's wrist during an argument.

Some emotional manipulation by Porsche does not get anything out of Chay, who just looks at Porsche with big wet eyes from under his bangs and doesn't uncurl from the corner of the couch in Tankhun's rooms.

Some intense questioning by Kim does not get anything more than a "fuck off" out of Chay when Kim 1) calls bullshit on Macau's confession to Vegas and 2) accuses Chay of now taking the rap for Macau because they all know that no one would ever believe it was an accident when the displaced second son of the minor family pushed Korn Theerapanyakul down the stairs during an argument.

(Kim is not ... entirely correct. He's not entirely wrong, either, for all the good it does him.)

Kinn gets nothing out of anyone, because neither of these kids trusts him as far as they could spit. If Kinn was the least bit trustworthy, Vegas would be head of the minor family and Porsche would not - this is something both Macau and Chay have been in agreement on for a long time.

Tankhun takes one look at both of them in tears, Macau practically hyperventilating, just after they're pulled away from Korn's body in the stairwell - these two boys who previously have always been protected in one way or another from the dirty work of this family - and he KNOWS there was nothing accidental about it. He's just not sure who actually did the pushing, so he keeps his mouth shut because he doesn't really care about Vegas's brother, but no one is going to do anything to his baby chick Chay if he has anything to say - or not say - about it. (Pa shouldn't have given him a kid, if he didn't want something more important than Pa in Tankhun's life.)

Tankhun's right about one thing - it wasn't an accident.

Macau never - ever - admits to anyone that they did it together, 1-2-3-go, when Korn made the mistake of turning his back to them while he was at the top of the stairs to Nampheung's garret. Occasionally, Macau will catch Pete looking at him speculatively, head tilted just a bit, and Macau just stares back with the blandest look he can manage until Pete shakes his head and looks away. (These are, in fact, the only times Macau can manage to win a staredown against P'Pete. He doesn't realize how suspicious that is, in and of itself.)

(Macau never, ever, wants Vegas to know that their family - who Vegas tried so hard to protect him from - stained him enough that he could commit murder, even if it was in order to protect his Hia.)

Chay tells Porsche three years later during an argument right before Chay packs his things and moves out of the main family compound for the last time. He doesn't tell Porsche that Macau was the one to first send a significant look Chay's way when Korn dismissively turned his back on them at the top of the stairs. He does tell Porsche that he's the one who gave the final go-ahead nod to Macau.

(Chay absolutely wants Porsche to know that the Theerapanyakul family - who Porsche exposed him to - stained him enough that he could commit murder in order to protect his Hia.)

Working title: Nobody Talks, Everybody Walks

[fromperdition4]

The Undermining of Kinn Theerapanyakul

Or: how Porsche acting out both threatens and strengthens Kinn's leadership

In episode 2, we see Porsche antagonize a minor, who turns out to be the son of Gun Theerapanyakul. And that, of course, sets Gun off --

He whines to Korn about the main family lowering their standards for the bodyguards, then turns to Kinn - implying that it's all his fault. That Kinn is too incompetent as a leader to keep his bodyguards in line.

But Korn puts a stop to it...

... by immediately undermining Kinn.

Although Korn is at the head of the table here, Kinn is supposed to be in charge - as we see in episode 1, he's the acting head of the main family, taking over for his father because of Korn's 'poor' health, and he was trying to give a report on the main family's business when Macau and Porsche burst in.

Korn's statement here is intrusive, but... it also gives Kinn an out for dealing with Gun.

Kinn keeps a strong, blank face when Gun is accusing him, but if you look at his hands (hidden from view behind his tablet) you'll see that he's fidgeting here.

Gun's anger makes Kinn nervous.

If this had been where the scene ended, Korn would have both helped and hurt Kinn - it would have stopped any further argument and saved him potential embarrassment, but it would have also cut Kinn's leadership to only a performative role. Telling everyone that the bodyguards are Korn's responsibility, not Kinn's.

But then here comes Porsche --

--ruining Korn's attempt at calm (just look how aghast he is) and dialing the tension up to 11!

This is where things take a turn for Kinn - because Korn can't (or won't) step in again.

It's up to Kinn to rescue Porsche, which he does by taking back control - he takes on the blame for Porsche's behaviour, while correcting his father: the bodyguards are his people.

And it's his responsibility to discipline Porsche, which he does in the most showy (and least damaging) way that he can to appease Gun.

The scene ends with Kinn firmly in control. He stares Gun down, takes a cool sip of his tea, and gets back to business.

Kinn is more clearly in-charge here than he was at the start of the scene. And it's thanks to Porsche.

[adanima]

you’re in a hospital room and your mother shows you the baby she’s holding and she tells you, “this is macau.” she tells you he’s your little brother and that means it’s your job to look out for him. you've been given jobs before but this is the first one mae has given you. she lets you hold the baby, your brother, and the new responsibility she’s laid at your feet feels more important than anything that has ever been bestowed upon you.

you're in an office and your father yells at you, telling you how you've messed up yet again. this has been happening more and more recently but it never gets easier to withstand. pa sneers and wonders whether you can do anything right. he jeers that certainly his other son can do better than you and you think good riddance, let him try because why should you be the only one to stain your hands and your body red when there are two sons of the minor family? but your mother's voice echoes in your head, it's your job to look out for him and the weight of those words settles hard and heavy in your stomach. and you know even before you leave that office that you'll keep trying to do things right so your brother doesn't have to know what happens when things go wrong.

you’re in your bedroom and your brother is making a nuisance of himself sprawled out on the bed. he’s moody and capricious in a way you recognize from being a teenager yourself. he’s not very pleasant to be around right now and you honestly have better things to do with your time but he came looking for you and you couldn’t find it in yourself to turn him away. besides, he mostly just wants to rant about idiots he's encountered at school and in his video games. the banality of his complaints makes the bitter taste of envy settle on your tongue, but you think if that’s his biggest grievance in life, maybe you’ve done something right.

[auseyre]

I'm way too lazy to copy that Marvel What If font rn but...what if

What if Korn took Nampheung, not out of obsession or some freaky desire to attic wife her, but to please his father? I think it’s pretty much a given that his recitation of the shooting events is a lie and that Gun’s is closer to the truth. 

In both versions, though, they are there trying to persuade Nampheung to come home again because their dad is insisting. I’m guessing that since Nampheung has yet another son, their father is ready for her to come back into the fold, bringing her kids with her. Korn kills her husband, obviously to get him out of the way. But I think that he didn’t want even more competition against his own sons for a place in the family. Vegas and Macau were enough. So he brings her and leaves Porsche and Chay behind. 

And then he tells his father the same story he told Gun, but in reverse. Gun freaked out. Gun killed Ted. Gun killed Porsche and Chay because he’s obsessed with Nampheung. Gun tried to rape her. Keep her locked away and safe from Gun. It’s enough to make Gun completely lose favor with his father. Nampheung either tries to kill herself because she thinks her sons are dead as well, or Korn just keeps her drugged up. Now he’s eliminated both rivals for the head of the family in one fell swoop. After his father dies, he keeps her because why not? She’s completely under his control and someday he might need her as a weapon/hostage (turns out he does). 

What if Porsche is actually Gun’s son? Gun doesn’t know it, Nampheung didn’t tell him — I’m thinking one night of passion and her realizing that is she was with him, she’d never escape the Mafia life, or they knew their dad would never allow it. So she just ran off with Pat, who married her to protect her and the baby (maybe he was already in love with her, maybe they fell in love later.) But Korn knows it or at least he’s pretty sure of it. It would explain his interest in Porsche but not Chay, who would presumably be more malleable for Korn’s needs. (I know people have explored this possibility in way more depth than I can).

Yes, I know that would make Porsche and Kinn actual cousins, but look, I’m watching a show where a severed head in a box is considered a gift, and a torture raincoat standard equipment. Every romantic relationship on this show is ignoring the guy on the ship waving blood-red semaphore flags in frantic “danger, Will Robinson” messages. I promise you, my line is not a consensual romantic relationship between two blood-related adults who didn’t even grow up together. 

TBH, I’m just throwing this out here because I want Porsche and Vegas and Macau and Chay to have to navigate an enemies-to-brothers relationship. Porsche and Vegas, two men conditioned to love and protect their brothers, having to deal with their super awkward relationship. Chay and Macau, both used to being the adored baby brother, unable to stifle their resentment and confusion. Heck, they’re still babies, so send them off to camp together so we can have a Parent Trap type bonding situation. Y’all I just want one of those cheesy 80s, defensive “that’s my brother!” moments.

What if Porsche becoming Tankhun’s bodyguard was meant to be a test by both Khun and Korn as well as taking Porsche off of the hot seat for a minute? Korn brings Porsche in, is delighted by his moxie, puts him on the board as an actual player, and then he’s just a disaster who almost gets himself killed by the Minor Family. So, letting him be Tankhun’s bodyguard got him out of the spotlight for a minute, long enough for the Minor family to move on to other grudges. And it was a test to see if he had any ambition, any edge at all. That’s why Korn does not want him to guard anybody else when Porsche suggests it. He passed the test and needs to stay in play. 

Khun sees Kinn’s interest in Porsche. After all, Kinn comes personally to rescue Porsche from his fish-killing punishment. Switching Pete and Porsche protects him from Minor family retaliation(because come on, do we really think that Vegas was gonna let that go? If he hadn’t wanted to use Porsche, he would absolutely have gotten revenge.) It also gives Khun a chance to study Porsche and see if he’s worthy of Kinn’s attention. When he decides he is, he nudges him back toward Kinn ...mentioning the meeting, telling him that Kinn said he was useless and would get killed, eventually “giving” him back to Kinn with the flimsiest excuse. 

@iamcon-fu-sion mentions some of these ideas about the bodyguard situation in their KP rewatch and I was so happy to see that because I constantly think I’m over analysing everything about this show(I mean I’m not gonna stop though). 

What if Ken wasn’t the original mole? What if it was a lower-level bodyguard, and he didn’t betray the main family until Porsche came onto the scene? Maybe he’d already turned down the offer before. Then Big gets hurt and Porsche comes along out of nowhere. By rights, Ken should have moved into Big’s spot, but Porsche stops that, humiliating them in the process. Porsche continually fucks up and yet still fails upward. Sure, they made fun of him being Tankhun’s bodyguard, but realistically, Tankhun has the best bodyguards they have other than Big and Ken. 

Arm and Pete are constantly pulled into other missions because they’re so valuable and talented. Maybe no one wants the job, but it’s still one of the most high-ranking. Then, when Ken does get the head bodyguard job, it’s yanked back out from under him. He has no idea that Porsche is getting all kinds of nepo baby/sugar baby privileges, but whatever is going on is enough to leave him bitter, angry, and betrayed enough to go over to the minor family. 

editing this because where did I get Ted for the Kittisawasd dad? I ...have no idea.

[bentnotbroken1fanfiction]

When Vegas wakes up from his coma and finally has to face the repercussions of his actions, he finds that he doesn't really know who he is anymore. It's like there are two of him now. The Vegas from before and the Vegas after. 

The Vegas he was before the failed coup could somewhat handle his shit. Sure he'd been pretty fucking violent at times and let his anger get the best of him, but he could usually contain it. He could take the belittling comments and physical abuse from his father. He could take the scorn from the Main family’s business partners, the polite disappointed stares from his uncle, and even the angry virtrol thrown at him from Tankhun or Kinn.

He could handle all of that. Hiding his feelings was as easy as breathing most of the time. He could throw up a wall with zero effort. Nod his head.  Let the slap land.  Agree to whatever nasty things were said. Spit off a well timed quip. Swallow down the angry storm in his gut. Hide the vicious tears that wanted so badly to spill. He could shove it all down. Bottle it all up. Wait until he was alone, or at the very least until he was at the Minor compound where violence was a near daily occurrence. He could just hide it inside until it was safe.

He could just …wait. 

Wait until he was in his room where he could break down in peace. 

Wait until there was a prisoner to unleash all his unbridled fury upon.  

Wait until no one's eyes were on him except his most trusted guards, and even then, he would wait until they were gone.

Because they were only privy to his violence, never his vulnerability. 

The him before? 

He could handle his shit. 

The Vegas after the failed coup….the Vegas who was shot and almost killed for a cause he didn't even really believe in anymore?

He can't handle his shit at all. 

He can't handle what he's done. 

To Macau. To Porsche. To Pete. 

The overwhelming guilt almost smothers him the moment he can fully comprehend what has happened. 

So, it starts in the hospital when Pete doesn't leave. 

When the former bodyguard takes his hand and tells him that he quit and declares that he's Vegas’ problem now. 

He says he loves him…

As if Vegas deserves love. 

Especially from Pete. After what he'd fucking done to him…after leaving scars on his body and fucking up his head…Pete should hate Vegas. 

But for some reason, he doesn't, and the Vegas after is just as selfish as the Vegas before . So he eventually accepts that Pete isn't leaving. He accepts that his lover obviously has no self-preservation and wants to be tied to a broken shell of a man for the foreseeable future.

Whatever. 

He's not going to refuse him. 

He wants, no, he needs him too much. 

Besides, the Vegas he is now…in the after , is weak.

His healing is slow. 

His anger is quick. 

Despite Macau and Pete trying their hardest to help, there are just so many things they can't do. Because they don't understand.  

They don't understand what it means to be here now. 

In the hospital, he is so vulnerable . The whole time he is stuck in the bed with wires attached to him, he is riddled with anxiety and plagued by nightmares. He's worried that Uncle will send someone to kill him, or worse, kill Macau.

Or Pete . For daring to leave the Main family. 

Uncle Korn had said he'd take care of them, but he knows better than to believe a word that comes out of that man's mouth. If he really cared about Vegas he would have shut his Pa down when he'd suggested-when he'd thrown Vegas to the fucking wolves.

He wouldn't have let Vegas suffer like that. 

He wouldn't have let Vegas get fucking shot. 

So yeah, he doesn't trust his uncle with their safety. 

And he's too fucking weak, in too much pain, to protect them. 

He hates it. 

Hates himself. 

Hates having to depend on other people to do things...like help him take a fucking piss. 

It makes him want to scream.

Why couldn't he have just gone against his Pa just that once? 

Why couldn't he have been strong?

Why did he have to fuck everything up so much?

Why could he have stood up for what he actually thought? 

Like Pete?

When he chose Vegas...

Fuck…

Pete should have run when he had the chance. 

Vegas is not good to him like this. 

He's so fucking pathetic. 

Macau and Pete deserve better.

Vegas thinks maybe he shouldn't have woken up after all. 

He thinks maybe he should have fucking died. 

Then he sees Pete smile and ruffle Macau's hair and thinks maybe he’s wrong. 

If he had died he would have missed this. Pete and Macau acting like family. 

He would have missed the way Macau lights up when Pete asks about his interests. He would have missed Macau tease Pete about his clothes. He would have missed Pete's soft touches and quick kisses when no one’s looking. 

He would have missed the simplicity of his hospital stay. When it was just the three of them. Even with the anxiety and the tension of waiting for the other shoe to drop. 

Yeah. 

He would have missed these precious moments with the two most important people in his life. 

And he'd made a promise to Pete. 

So he had to get better. 

His boyfriend needs someone to take care of him. To feed him. 

Vegas after the coup may be weaker, but he refuses to let Pete down a second time. 

Things are different, even months later.

He knew they would be. Too much had happened for them to remain the same. 

He and Pete talked about things just like they did in the safehouse. Not about his Pa, not after he'd admitted he was glad he died, but they talk about Porsche. About the Auction. 

It brought things to the surface that Vegas wasn't expecting. Things that left him feeling slimy…

But he always pushed those feelings away before so he tried to do that again. He needed to focus on getting better. 

He needed to get strstronger.

So he pushed himself. 

He fought with the Doctors but still did all the PT like he was supposed to. Otherwise he wouldn't have been able to go home. 

Home. 

That's different now too. 

When he'd finally left the hospital, everyone assumed Vegas would be shitty about all the changes being made in his absence. 

With Porsche taking on the role that was meant for him, things were obviously being handled differently.  Porsche had given him the option of staying at the Minor Family compound with him, or moving into an apartment just around the corner. 

He had talked to Pete and Macau about it. After discussing all the pros and cons they'd decided that the apartment would be better for Vegas in the long run. It would be better for his healing. 

He could focus on his PT and not have to see Porsche and Kinn flipping everything he'd ever known inside out in front of him. 

But truthfully? He actually likes living in the apartment better than he thought he would. 

Perhaps it's because the ghosts of his past failures aren't lingering here. The ghost of his father isn't here either. There are no reminders of Pa’s heavy presence. Like the smell of his favorite cigars, or the sickening sweet perfume he was obsessed with. There are no slammed doors or shattering ceramic. No looming threat around every corner. 

No....desks that threaten pain or punishment. 

Here, in the two bedroom apartment that he shares with Pete and Macau, where the furniture is new and it smells like fresh paint, Pa’s shadow can't reach him here. 

At least not in the light of day.

At night, it's a different story. 

***

Vegas has trouble sleeping now. 

At first it was because of pain or discomfort from the wounds healing, and now the new scars pulling. 

Then it was the nightmares.

He knows some of them are because of the Coup. He dreams of running, of shooting, of fighting Kinn. He dreams that he shoots him. That he dies on the garage floor…That he loses everything anyways. 

He dreams of Porsche screaming and hitting him. Asking him if this is what he wanted. If he's happy now. 

Dream Vegas just lets him hit him and tells him no. He's not happy. He's sorry. 

He's so fucking sorry. 

He dreams of Pete. 

Of Pete dying. Bleeding out. His blood soaking Vegas's clothes, staining his hands. 

Pete gasping his name. Choking. Tears spilling. 

His blood spilling…spilling…

Red staining everything . 

He dreams he's falling. 

He dreams of hands on his body. Touching. Hurting. Holding him down. Fingers squeezing, squeezing, suffocating him. Someone on him, inside of him. 

He can't fucking breathe . 

He hates those dreams the most. 

The last time he'd struggled this bad was when he was fourteen and his Pa had-

No. 

He cant...

Shutting down that trail of thoughts. 

All it would take is a few minutes thinking about that day, about the desk...the body…about being shoved down…down… and he'd be violently spiraling. And he can't do that right now. 

He looks over at his boyfriend sleeping next to him. He really cant let himself think about it now. Not when he has an audience. 

Pete has already noticed. He's already seen him when he's lost in his thoughts. He's already asking him about…about the nightmares. 

And Vegas just….he can't talk to him about them. Because if he tells him about the nightmares, he might figure out what they're about. And then he'd ask more questions and Vegas….

Vegas doesn't want him to know . 

No one needs to know the most shameful parts of himself. No one needs to know the secret….the secrets he keeps hidden. He wishes he didn't have to look in the mirror and see them staring back at him. 

Why would he subject his boyfriend to them?

Besides, it wouldn't change anything. 

It's already happened.  

He's over it. 

Or the person he was before was over it. 

The person he is now…

He knows he should be over it too.

He's not a scared teenager anymore. 

He can handle it. 

And his Pa is dead. 

He's dead…

Fuck.

He's really dead…

He cant…he can't touch him anymore 

He can't hurt him anymore. 

Can't threaten to hurt his brother. 

He's fucking gone . 

Vegas is finally free .

So why does he still feel so fucking awful?

Read the rest on AO3

[peachym00]

A crack of thunder interrupted Pete’s thoughts, making him jump out of his skin.

“Fuck me, that was loud,” Pete flinched, his heart nearly beating out of his ribcage.

“Not out here; the pavement will be far too uncomfortable,” Vegas quipped, getting up from the floor and holding out a hand for Pete to take.

“You’re hilarious, you know that,” Pete said sarcastically, holding onto Vegas’s hand, which helped him up with far more force than Pete expected, pulling him straight into his chest.

“So I’ve been told.”

Vegas looked at Pete like he wanted to crack him open and see what was inside. It made him feel good and wanted. Brave.

“Why do you keep looking at me like that?” Pete questioned quietly, not wanting to disturb the charged atmosphere that had built up around them.

“I don’t know, there’s just something about you, Pete,” Vegas says unhurriedly, his eyes gazing all over Pete’s face like he’s searching for something, anything that will give him an answer, “every time I think I’ve figured you out, you do something else to surprise me.”

Vegas brings his hand up to the side of Pete’s cheek, the tips of his fingers grazing it just so, not bearing any weight but somehow burning their mark onto Pete’s skin.  

It was then, as he was wondering what it would be like to feel Vegas’s lips upon his own, that an extraordinarily untimely and out-of-place thought came to mind, blurting out of his mouth as he couldn’t believe he didn’t catch on at the time.

“Oh my god,” Pete exclaims, horrified, “Porsche and Kinn are fucking; they’re one hundred per cent fucking.”

That would explain everything that Pete had been so far confused about. The reason Porsche was so coy about answering questions about working for the main family, the reason he had nothing wrong to say about him. It would also explain the reason why Porsche wasn’t shot onsite for injuring Macau, why out of every single gun pointed at him, Kinn chose to choke Porsche into unconsciousness instead.

“You’ve only just figured it out?” Vegas asks incredulously, dropping his hand from Pete’s face.

“He didn’t tell me anything!” Pete was slightly miffed that he had been interrogated so brutally on life at the minor compound when they could have talked about how Porsche was hooking up with his boss.

Unbelievable.

“Is that really what you’re thinking about right now, Pete, about Kinn and Porsche and their sex life?”

“Yes, it is,” Pete says, his thoughts coming to a standstill as he realises the moment he has deprived himself of, the sinking feeling of coming to the realisation that he is his own cock-block, “why, what should I be thinking about?”

Vegas’s gaze darkens, the corners of his mouth turning up into a brilliantly evil smile, the sharp edges of it leaving no room for mercy. They’re still standing close together, yet he tries to bring Pete even closer, their proximity giving him no choice but to rest his hand on Vegas’s chest. His other hand is still enclosed in Vegas’s own, getting increasingly sweaty the more nervous he gets.

“Me,” he whispers, turning his head to the side to speak directly into Pete’s ear, his voice hot and tingly, “You should be thinking about me.”

Pete gulps.

They didn’t cover this in training.

[paldogangsaan]

i’m soooo normal abt theerapanyakul family dynamics. totally not chewing glass

[ae-azile]

Gossip After Death: Preview

Likely Chapter Count: ? Shorter chapters though

Noted Tags: Magic, Ghosts, Missing People, Past Character Death, Soul/Body Separation, Gossip, Spying, Mysteries, Reluctant Closeted Medium Vegas Theerapanyakul, Crack Treated Seriously, Angst, Grief/Mourning, Happy Ending

Characters: Porsche, Big, Chan, Kinn, Chay, Gun, Vegas, Pete, Macau, Tankhun, Arm, Ken, Korn, Namphueng, Pol and more

Pairings: KinnPorsche, future and posthumous ChanBig, secret ArmTankhun, angsty KimChay, VegasPete

Summary: When Porsche goes out shopping on his own, he expects his day to be routine. Get a few outfits, maybe some gifts for the people he loves, then go back home to seduce Kinn into a night out or a night in. But when he finds himself in a dingy basement next to his lifeless body and a woman who is clearly at fault but he can't make any physical contact with, he figures he is having one elaborate dream. Even when he gets back to the compound, he hopes to turn this rare lucid dream into a sex dream.

But Kinn can't see him. In fact, no one can. It isn't until he runs into two men who have been long dead and buried that he is finally acknowledged and informed that he must be dead too

Chay is going to be heartbroken. As for Kinn, he's going to burn the world down once he finds out about this. While Porsche is desperate to reach out and comfort them, their reactions are somewhat flattering. He knows he shouldn't think that, but Kinn bringing in people to torture just to gain more information about Porsche's whereabouts is hot to watch. With no one able to see him except for other ghosts, Porsche feels like he shouldn't be judged seeking out strange forms of entertainment.

Preview Below Cut:

Porsche sometimes likes to go out without his guards. While he has never faced consequences from the walks, errand runs, or shopping sprees, he has been made aware of them. He makes sure to evaluate his surroundings periodically, keep his location on, and keep a gun on him in case he does run into trouble. 

But ever since he became the head of the minor family, trouble has been hard to come by. In some ways, the job is much more boring than Porsche had expected. Part of him is grateful for it. The mundane tasks that he can often divvy up between himself and the administrative staff lets him be more present for his mother, who hasn’t spoken but at least seems more comfortable around him now. It also lets him be more present for Kinn and Chay. Nurturing all three of those relationships are important to him. It's the one task that keeps him from questioning the holes in Korn’s story. 

It's the one task that keeps him from turning his now rarely used gun into Korn. 

But today, he is trying his best not to think about that. He gets a latte with Yok, catches up with her, then parts ways to browse some of the higher end stores in hopes that something will catch his eye. Maybe high end paints for his mother, or new clothes for Chay, who unexpectedly hit a late growth spurt. 

A ring for Kinn. 

Maybe he should wait on that. He isn't sure if that's something Kinn wants. For the longest time, Porsche never entertained the notion, even when he primarily was interested in girls and the legalities of marriage weren't a concern. 

But that was before he met Kinn. Plus, it's finally legal now…

“Would you like me to pull anything out of the case, sir?” the man says behind the counter. Porsche quickly shakes his head and walks out. Maybe he should go to a store without a jewelry section. That sounds like a good plan to stick with for now. If he does get Kinn a ring, Porsche feels like he would like to design it himself. Something unique, classy, and one of a kind. 

It's something he doesn't need to think about right now. He has plenty of time. 

At least, he hopes he does. Once he walks outside, he feels something hit him on the back of the head. His vision goes black before he can even turn around.

—----------------------------------------------------------------

When Porsche wakes up, he doesn't recognize his surroundings. He knows he is not in either compound or at his old home, where he and Kinn occasionally stay to have some privacy. None of those places are this dark and dingy. None of the rooms have leaky pipes. But most of all, none of the rooms have an unconscious man on the floor who looks like him. 

Exactly like him. Same exact features, same exact clothes. When Porsche examines him more closely, he even sees the body has the same faint hickey from the other night. The only difference is that when Porsche touches the other Porsche, his hand goes right through him. 

He's clearly a hallucination. That should be more of a concern - it is one - but Porsche can't help but feel slight relief because at least that makes a little bit of sense. He wonders if it is drugs, a head injury, a sudden and severe mental illness, or-

“You won't be able to touch your body. You are not corporeal.” 

Porsche jumps to his feet and stands in a defensive stance. The woman in front of him is small and petite. He won't bother with fighting her. He just needs to scare her. 

“I don't think you realize who you are messing with,” Porsche tells her, “If you want to put this incident behind us and remain unharmed, you will need to release me.” 

The woman looks at him, seeming unbothered, “I'm not interested in your spirit. I need your body. You can go wherever you'd like.” 

Porsche glances down at the other Porsche again. He seems slightly off. When he focuses on him, there are no signs of breathing. 

He's clearly a doll. A hyper realistic doll. 

“Unlock the door,” Porsche says, walking closer to her. The woman remains unbothered. Even when there are just inches between them, she smirks. 

“Like I stated, my business isn't with your spirit. You are free to do as you wish.” 

Fine. He’ll get rough. He was hoping to avoid it, but it's self-defense at this point. His gun isn't on him, but his set of hands are sufficient enough. Or they would be, if they didn't go right through her. 

“Are you finished?” she asks him as he feels himself go rigid, “I have places to be. I don't need an amateur spirit following me around-” 

“What did you DO to me?!” Porsche spits out, “Why are you doing this?! How-”

“Go on. Leave. I have work to do.” 

“No! Tell me what you did! Who are you?!” 

The woman says nothing. She just draws a circle on the desk with chalk, pours powder in the middle, and lights the powder on fire. As it puffs up, Porsche feels his core being pulled in a completely different direction before finding himself outside of the compound. 

What was that? Was it some strange dream? When he attempts to touch the brick wall and his hand goes through it, it tells him that isn't definitely not a dream. 

Or that he is still dreaming. That seems like a more reasonable answer. Maybe this is where he becomes lucid and can control it. He needs to find Kinn so he can turn it into a sex dream. This is about to get so good. He barely ever lucid dreams. When he does, he usually flies down the staircase and then gets distracted by something enough to lose the lucidity. This time, it will be different. He will stay lucid and fuck mid-air with dream Kinn. Maybe dream Kinn will let him top. If he's just a figment of Porsche’s imagination, he definitely will. It isn’t as if Kinn never lets him top. He does occasionally. But Porsche can tell his boyfriend gets uncharacteristically nervous about it. He doesn't understand why. Kinn seems to genuinely enjoy it. Maybe when Porsche wakes up, he will set up a time to talk about it, see if there is a deeper and more serious reason. 

But until then, he's fucking dream Kinn. 

“Pardon me, boys,” Porsche says, knowing for sure it's a dream as he lets himself levitate and fly up the main steps, “You are mere side characters in this dream. But next time, I will give you both juicer roles, you hear me?” 

Alan and Chol say nothing. They don't even acknowledge him. It's probably because of Porsche's lucidity. Their presence in his dream has now been reduced to mere decor. They are here to provide some realism to the environment Porsche has built in his head. Part of him wonders what they would have done if Porsche hadn't become lucid, how their presence would have played out in a scene Porsche didn't have control over. 

There is no reason to question the what-ifs. He's having dream sex with Kinn. That is his main goal. He needs to focus on his mission. With that resolve, he flies faster through the compound. When he realizes he can't fly through the ceiling, he flies through the walls of the elevator and tries to press the button to the floor Kinn's office is on. His hand goes through the panel.

Strange. 

He’ll just fly up the stairs then. It doesn't take long, not with his flying powers in this otherwise realistic dream realm. He arrives in front of Kinn’s office door in a few minutes. When he sees Kinn sitting at his desk, focused on skimming through a stack of papers, Porsche struts over and leans over the desk seductively, only to fall through it. When dream Kinn doesn't respond to that, he tries the same pose but hovers instead. 

“Such a surprise seeing you here,” he says, a smirk playing his lips, “Why don't you save the work for later and make yourself comfortable?” 

Ideally, he expects Kinn to enthusiastically agree, pull his pants down, and bend over the desk. If dream Kinn decides to be more stubborn and realistic, maybe he will bend Porsche over the desk instead. That is something Porsche will NOT complain about. Some of his fondest moments were spent bent over this desk. 

But he does not expect dream Kinn not to respond at all. He continues focusing on his work, jotting down notes, and not giving Porsche the time of day. 

“Kinn,” Porsche says, waving a hand in front of his face, “I want to have sex. Come on. We can do it in mid air here. I know it. Let's go outside so we can levitate to the sky and fuck on a cloud. It will be fun.” 

But Kinn doesn't break character. He doesn't even crack a smile. He continues blatantly ignoring Porsche before pulling out his phone. When Porsche looks over his shoulder, he watches Kinn type out a text to him.

Kinn: Miss you 🥺 Can I take you out later? We can go somewhere nice to eat, do something fun, and bring dessert back to the suite. I want it to be just the two of us.

“I am offering to be a dessert right now!” Porsche snaps, but something feels off. In dreams, he usually can't read more than a couple of words before they become a jumbled mess and he can't focus on them anymore. But he just read Kinn's text clearly. Even when he starts reading the lengthy contract Kinn has in front of him, Porsche has no issues understanding what it says. He may find it dull and a bore to read, but he can still comprehend every word. 

This is such a weird dream. It's annoying, and dream Kinn is annoying. When Porsche swats the back of Kinn’s head, his hand goes right through it. 

He's starting to get a strange feeling. 

“Kinn, I am giving you one last chance to have some of this,” Porsche says seriously, coming back around the desk to stand in front of him before taking off all his clothes,”You want this, right? I know you do.” 

As Porsche shimmies around and makes sure all dangling parts wiggle, Kinn continues to ignore him. 

“Fuck this! I hate this dream!” Porsche says, storming through the door as he leaves his clothes on the floor. It doesn't even matter if he has clothes. No one is acknowledging him, CLEARLY. He would rather have a dream where everyone is gawking at him being naked in public, so maybe this will trigger the dream to move on because this is the worst dream he has ever had. When he wakes up, he is giving Kinn an earful-

“Oh. He's walking around the compound without clothes. That's…I never thought he would be this bold, even with the promotion.” 

“Neither did I.” 

Porsche recognizes those voices, but they are voices he hasn't heard in over a year. Even though he wanted this to be a lucid sex dream, he suddenly doesn't mind it becoming a dream where he reunites with people he has lost. 

When he spins around, he sees Big and Chan standing there, looking free of bullet holes and healthy. Even though he had his differences with both of them at times, they were good men and didn't deserve what happened to them. 

Especially Big. Even though Big was such a bitch to him, he still gave his life for him. Porsche knows he did it for Kinn, that there were likely one-sided feelings there. But instead of frustration when he thinks about that, Porsche always feels sadness. Big proved he had a big heart that day, and Porsche wished he could have lived and found someone who reciprocated romantic feelings and loved Big in the way he deserved. 

“Why is he tearing up?” Big asks Chan, wrinkling his nose. 

“Maybe he is having a mental health crisis,” Chan theorizes, “Walking around naked in the compound while crying doesn't seem like something he would do.” 

“You should run through him,” Big advises, “Give him a cold chill. It might snap him out of it and make him want to put some clothes on.” 

“Why don't you do it?” 

“You're better at it than I am.” 

“Practice makes perfect,” Chan smirks. It strangely makes Big bite his lip and look away. 

“We’ll do it together,” Big says, “On the count of three. If we tag team him, he’ll get really cold.” 

Chan studies Big for a moment then holds out his hand. Big stares down at it before hesitantly taking it and giving Chan a smile. 

“One,” Big starts. 

“Two,” Chan adds. 

“Three.” 

Porsche knows he should tell them to stop, but the bizarre situation has him feeling frozen. Maybe that's why he doesn’t feel cold when Big and Chan run into him. However, they don't run through him like they said they would. Instead, Big hits him first and it is a head on collision, causing Big to stumble back and fall into Chan, who looks worried and disbelieving, but catches Big anyway. 

“Why are you two the only ones who can see me in my dream?” Porsche asks, putting his hands on his hips, “The guards out front ignored me, Kinn ignored me when I propositioned him for sex, and the only two people who acknowledge me want to knock me over and have been dead for over a year! What the fuck? Wake up wake up wake up-” 

Porsche stops pinching himself for a moment before giving both of them a soft, kind look, “Not that it isn't nice to see you both. I…I was really sad about what happened to both of you. You didn't deserve that. And Big, thank you. I know you are just part of a dream, but this is probably the only opportunity I will have to say that and…” 

Porsche trails off before rushing forward to wrap his arms around Big. Big stays stiff in his hold as Porsche feels his face slightly crumple before he lets go. 

“Sorry,” Porsche says, then rolls his eyes, “Why am I apologizing? You're part of my fucking dream. Wake up wake up wake up wake up-” 

“Porsche,” Chan says, causing Porsche to stand at attention and stop his chant, “You can see us?” 

Porsche blinks, then waves his hand, “Stop fucking with my head. I don't feel like getting sucked into whatever storyline my mind is trying to play out. I'm not saying that because I don't respect you. I do. I really do. But-” 

Before Porsche can finish explaining his reasoning to Chan, his clothes rush through the door of Kinn's office, fly over to him, and somehow make it back onto his body. As Porsche looks down at them in disbelief, Chan and Big look at each other. 

“This is the weirdest dream I have ever had,” Porsche decides.

As he attempts to slap himself, Big reaches over to catch his hand. 

“How dare you stop me from waking myself-” 

“Porsche,” Chan says, his expression withdrawn and somewhat sad as he lets out a sigh, “It isn't a dream. I'm sorry, but it's not.” 

Porsche stares at him then purses his lips, “It actually is. I uh…I hate to break it to you, but if I am able to stand here and talk with you, then that proves it's a dream. You're both dead-” 

“We’re well aware,” Big says sarcastically. Chan briefly reaches over to rub Big’s back to get his attention. 

“Be nice.” 

“I'm being perfectly nice.” 

“Uh huh,” Chan says, raising an eyebrow before fixing his expression and focusing on Porsche again, “Big is right. We are aware of our passing.” 

Porsche nods, “So you see my point-” 

“And now you’ll listen to mine,” Chan cuts in calmly, “Big and I are both dead. Other than some of the livings occasionally sensing a presence, we have yet to be able to talk with them, touch them, or be seen by them. However, we can talk with, touch, and be seen by other ghosts in the building, or ones who visit. Your ability to see us isn't due to a vivid dream. If it was, you would have woken up from the pinches you have given yourself. Are you walking through walls and getting ignored by everyone you pass?” 

Porsche says nothing, but it's apparently enough of an answer for Chan. 

“If you are doing that and you are able to talk to us, then that only proves you are dead too.” 

[i-sveikata]

Hi, author! Super excited for the upcoming chapter. I've been re-reading the last chapter and was wondering why Korn didn't take the minor family ring from pete while he was knocked out? I mean it must have pissed him to see a body guard like pete wearing a family ring right?

ooooooh good question!!!! the simplest way i can describe that is that Korn is playing the long game- where he wants to appear like the wise, clever, fair mafia leader.

so snatching the ring off of pete when everyone can very clearly see that it was willingly given to him would have only made him look bad. and it would have been an obvious move against vegas/discrediting his judgement and korn doesnt want it to look like hes trying to deprive vegas of his own power to others.

because then it becomes even more obvious that hes destroying the branch of the minor family and trying to absorb it into something only he has direct control over. so basically it doesnt look good and korn is still pretending that hes concerned about his missing nephews, that he wants to take them under his wing and teach them the ways of their business in the absence of their father until vegas is ready to inherit someday (notice kinn is in the exact same state of limbo and korn still hasnt stepped aside for him- and likely never will unless hes forced to)

so yeah he was definitely pissed to see that ring on pete's finger but knew better than to openly react to it. but i think what hes mostly pissed off about is assuming pete will step in line or wouldnt be a problem for them after he sat him down and they spoke for a while and korn used that time to assess him. he regrets not taking seriously how much influence pete has on vegas and will continue to have on the minor family now that hes quit being a bodyguard.

korn is kicking himself for not properly understanding what kind of threat pete was- and its too late now to extricate him in a way that would keep vegas and macau still under his wing. and without affecting a lot of people's opinions/loyalty towards him. pete isnt like porsche (new and undetermined) he's well known and respected amongst the main family guards and even the minor family guards have perked their ears up and started paying attention to him since hes put vegas in his place. pete is one of them. if korn had him killed now they would all take notice. it would be detrimental to his continuing power.

so korn knows he missed his shot for cleaning the situation up before it got out of hand and now hes got a no name man wearing the minor family's future on his finger and even less options for getting rid of him. he knows he can't put a wedge between pete and vegas' relationship (not when vegas is so openly devoted and they seem to at least be able to keep up the bare minimum of reasonable communication to avoid misunderstandings), he cant turn vegas against pete like he might be able to turn kinn against porsche (using his own jealousy etc) and he doesn't understand pete well enough yet to know how to pit him against vegas.

korn can declare all he likes that porsche is the new head but he understands the importance of symbolism in power and he's very aware that he's at a disadvantage with the ring being with pete still and the rumour mill being as it is. that ring being on pete's finger spread faster than the knowledge that kinn was sleeping with a bodyguard when it first came out. everyone knows that pete has been elevated to an impossible status and korn cant cut him down without openly declaring war against all of the bodyguards, and giving ammunition to the other heads in the business who are waiting for any opportunity now to try and unseat him.

korn may have wanted to snatch the ring off pete's finger but it would have been a damning move for him, a foolish one setting him up as the villain and korn is still doing everything he can to avoid that comparison (even after having murdered his brother lol). so basically he's stuck until he can figure out a way around pete and time will only tell if hes able to succeed! but essentially he has set his sights on pete now that pete has moved against him and openly challenged him- and korn is already realising hes dealing with an entirely new opponent.

[kissporsche]

Hello, I would like to know your theory. Why does Gun beats and apparently hates Vegas, his son, so much. I get that he is harsh mafia boss, used to cruel things but why does he keep Vegas (and Macau) around if he clearly dislikes them? He could have killed them or send them abroad or something. But he keeps hitting Vegas for no reason. I would like to know your thoughts on Gun. I haven´t seen many metas about it in this fandom.

*walks in 2 and a bit months late with starbucks* hi anon 🥲

Okay so! Why does Gun hate/beat Vegas. I mean I think the crux is what was given to us in the show: hurt people hurt people. It's a cycle of abuse. Gun has always been made to feel second best in comparison to Korn, and Grandpa Theerapanyakul almost certainly encouraged their rivalry to make them both work harder, Korn and Gun pass this legacy on to Kinn and Vegas.

Gun is projecting his own insecurity on to Vegas. He's disgusted and ashamed of Vegas's inability to surpass Kinn because he could never surpass Korn. He is, in some ways, not seeing Vegas as his own person, but rather as an extension of his own continued failings.

If we want to get into headcanon territory (and you know I do), Gun's hatred for Vegas also ties in to his hatred of Vegas's mother.

And why does he hate Vegas's mother so much? Because she wasn't who he wanted. Because she wasn't Namphueng.

And what really seals that element for me is this moment in episode 14:

As soon as he's figured out that Porsche is Namphueng's son, he offers him mercy. He shows kindness the likes of which we've never seen him extend to Vegas. Because Porsche is the son of the woman he loves, and Vegas is the son of the woman who came after her. A necessity to produce hiers, nothing more.

Vegas symbolises not only Gun's own failures, but also the loss of Namphueng (could absolutely be argued as another failure, in his mind, another loss to Korn).

If he hates Vegas and Macau so much, why not send them away?

Because Vegas is useful. Vegas is good at what he does, he's good at his job, he's good at doing all the messy bits of minor family work that the main family tend to look down on. Which likely only annoys Gun further- Vegas's competency in comparison to his own failings and the fact that his competency is in something Gun feels is beneath him. See, for example, Gun angrily wiping blood off his face in disgust when he kills Ken, compared to Vegas not even noticing being splattered with blood in the episode 7 interrogation.

He finds their work distasteful so he fashions his son into the perfect tool to carry it out and then resents him for that competency.

Yes, he could have sent them away. It might even be that that was his plan for Macau, the largely ignored spare, once he reached university. But that wouldn't have helped him futher his aims. He wants Vegas close so he can control him, use him. He's made Vegas both ruthlessly capable at his job and utterly desperate for Gun's approval, a perfect weapon. Gun may hate him for what he represents, but that doesn't matter so long as he's of use.

Rather than lead the charge against the main family, Gun hands the reins over to Vegas. With just the tiniest hint of approval, of trust in Vegas's abilities, he convinces him to go marching to what could very well be his death while Gun hangs back in relative safety. That is the power he has managed to establish over him.

What Gun wants, more than anything, is to beat Korn and take his position as head of the family, and he will use every asset he has at his disposal to get it. So, as fucked up as it is, he doesn't hit Vegas "for no reason". Even if he hates him, that comes in a distant second to using Vegas to get what he wants.

[lily292]

So I love time travel fics and all the ones I can find are ones where the time travelers are Porsche or Kinn or both (which makes sense since they’re the main characters) or Vegas (which also makes sense since he’s the main instigator) or Kim (which makes sense if your main focus is on Kimchay or you want to play up Kimlock Holmes).

But (this has been floating in my head since I read a Kinn and Porsche time traveler fic) what if it was actually Pete and Vegas?

Let’s have VegasPete years post canon get hit by a Truck. They wake up years in the past, let’s say’s pre canon. Probably they spend the first few days completely lost and confused. For Vegas, it would probably only take the first time Kan hits him for him to snap out of it. He starts plotting murder.

This Vegas is not Vegas of this time. This Vegas has years of actual love and validation from Pete. He’s learned that if his dad ever did care about him, it was only a fraction of how much Pete loved him. Let’s be realistic: Vegas removed from his abusive environment and years to recover from the abuse damage to his mental health and self esteem has accepted that everything his dad blamed him for wasn’t his fault and probably resents him. Even if he still loves him to some extent, once he realizes Kan would not allow him to be with Pete and would actually be a burden to wooing him, well Pete or his dad I think ultimately would come down to no contest.

Vegas is cunning. He’s smart enough to realize he can’t outright murder his father. He plans to make it look like an accident: probably some sort of planned car malfunction, maybe some sort of slow acting poison so he dies in his sleep. Once Kan’s dead, he can focus on Macau and Pete.

Meanwhile, Pete woke up at the same time. It’s been years since he played bodyguard for the Main Family and he’s scrambling to try to remember to act certain ways. He has no idea if it was time travel or a dream and he calls in sick and cries once he realizes either way he doesn’t have Vegas. Tankhun absolutely takes pity and tries to cheer him up the first time Pete comes down with red rimmed eyes and a sniffly nose. Pete continues in a daze until Porsche is recruited.

Once Porsche arrives, Pete realizes that this is it: either he’s traveled through time and reliving things or it was prophetic and he’ll end up with Vegas eventually (not looking forward to the torture but he can endure if he’ll have Vegas). He cheers up. (Tankhun hates Porsche for Elizabeth and Sebastian but since he brought back happy Pete, he’ll forgive him this time)

The time comes for the first time the Minor Family visits since Porsche arrived. It takes very little time for Vegas to realize Pete is staring at him longingly. It takes very little time for Pete to realize Vegas is actually looking at him instead of through him the way he did for so many years before the safehouse. Both independently come to the same conclusion.

It’s Pete who remembers first. His sudden shock and mad dash leaves the others in confusion. Tankhun decides that Pete might have recovered recently but he’s still delicate and should be allowed a little more leeway and decides to overlook it. Arm and Pol are getting increasingly more worried about Pete but resolve to question him later.

Vegas remembers when Macau stumbles in bleeding with Porsche on his heels. It plays out exactly the same way it did in the past. He takes Macau out for treatment and almost runs into Pete who looks absolutely horrified. Macau has no idea why his brother is suddenly grabbing this random bodyguard and dragging him along.

Once he hands Macau over for treatment, Vegas only has eyes for Pete who he still hasn’t let go of. He doesn’t know what to say. He’s pretty sure it’s his Pete but what does he say? Pete has had enough of staring at Vegas’ pretty face and absolutely grabs him and devours his mouth.

Macau is taken for first aid. He comes back to Vegas pressing the bodyguard against the wall, the two of them enthusiastically making out. There is a lot of groping and filthy sounds. He is absolutely traumatized. It’s his strangled noises that have the two jumping apart. Macau doesn’t want to know. He walks out and decides he’s going to forget this ever happened. Vegas has seduced a lot of bodyguards or anyone affiliated with Kinn what’s one more anyway.

Anyway, Vegas absolutely murders his dad first opportunity. Unlike in canon, Korn has no excuse not to make Vegas head of the Minor Family and he can’t not appoint him without losing that piece on the chessboard. Vegas takes this promotion and does…absolutely nothing.

Korn is baffled and unable to process that his chess board is not functioning the way it should. Kinn has no idea what’s happening. The Minor Family is maintaining its place without trying to expand because Vegas is too busy being at the Main Family Compound trying to woo Pete. His rivalry with Kinn becomes nonexistent because now he’s too busy fighting with Tankhun for Pete. He’s absolutely determined that this time, he’ll do better by Pete.

Pete meanwhile thinks this whole thing is ridiculous. He’s absolutely ready to elope and marry Vegas right now and Vegas’ insistence that they actually properly date this time is driving him nuts. (No Porsche he will not admit that all the pretty things Vegas keeps gifting him are sweet shut up)

Pol has no idea what to think of this but comes to accept it once he mentally connects them to Romeo and Juliet and sees how sweet Vegas is to Pete. Arm is way over this and would like Vegas to stop accosting Pete randomly to make out and grope him, this is not the activity he’s monitoring the security cameras for. Porsche meanwhile thinks they’re cute and is determined that any guy that makes his new best friend so happy and dreamy is alright. He’s down to listen to Pete moon over whatever latest sweet thing Vegas has done for him.

Macau has no idea what to do about this, Vegas has never actually introduced him to a significant other before but he’s realized Pete’s gonna stick around and he better get used to it (P’Pete isn’t bad he’s willing to admit and he very obviously loves Vegas so he’ll get used to it)

Kim has shelved his investigation into Chay and Porsche because Vegas is a bigger concern. What this does to Kimchay I have no idea.

Kinn is lost but without Vegas’ interference there is a lot less drama involved in his relationship with Porsche. Does Porsche still get the week off without the drugging at the auction? Do the two still get together when lost in the forest or do they dance around each other forever? Who knows

Tankhun hates Vegas to new heights for daring to try to steal his Pete but sometimes he can see Pete so happy and content to be held by Vegas and finds it hard not to let him go.

Korn meanwhile is going mad. Kan has suddenly been knocked off the chessboard. He could handle that. But now, Vegas has no interest in competition. Competition is meant to make Kinn stronger what is he supposed to do now? (I hope he has a stroke and dies of stress)

Meanwhile Vegas and Pete absolutely do not care and live their best domestic happily married lives with Macau.

(I can see why no one writes Vegas and Pete as time travelers: it would derail the entire plot because their utter obsession with each other means they would not care at all about the entirety of canon and just fall together immediately)

[firefliesintheskyline]

Okay but like I have this idea of a KinnPorsche fic that starts with Gun disappearing pretty much when Pete was supposed to infiltrate the minor family

So that never happens and neither does the torture

And everyone is very wary cause they don't know what's happening, just that Gun seems to have vanished into thin air

Weeks go by

Months go by

Some (or most) of the bodyguards of the minor family just bolt, leaving Vegas and Macau exposed

While Korn is deciding if this is just an elaborate plan of his brother, a woman shows up and leaves a baby at the minor family compound, saying that he's Gun's child

They immediately run a DNA test and of course it's true

Korn decides that he's gonna grant the minor children protection in exchange of Vegas keeping Venice safe (Korn knows bodyguards talk and the baby is a Theerapanyakun and must be kept safe)

Vegas is furious, especially because Korn granting them protection pretty much means lending them the less competent bodyguards

So he refuses to take the deal unless Korn gives him at least one of his best men to be in charge of Venice's security

...enter Pete.

....LMAO YOU THOUGHT, OF COURSE THERE'S MORE

Vegas and Pete being an absolute disaster, like, the two people less qualified to be in charge of a kid

It's so bad that every single day a different Theerapanyakun, one of their significant others, one of their very close friends or one of the bodyguards is being summoned to help out

TanKhun flat out refuses the moment he steps in the house and the kid is crying, so he just walks out and promises to send cute fashionable outfits

Chay tries his best, but really, he's only ever been equipped to be a younger brother, so he ends up matching Venice's cries before Pete saves them both from their misery

Arm and Pol come together the first time, but while Arm gives it a try, once the baby is in his arms he gives him back immediately, feeling a surge of anxiety creeping in his body at the thought of being in charge of this very tiny human being. Ant then, the moment Pol takes the kid in his arms...Venice instantly falls asleep like he has finally found the place where he belongs in the world (Pete is impossibly jealous of his power, especially when Vegas mentions how much sleep he would be getting now if only Pol had been Korn's choice of Venice's head security)

Ken is called up by a desperate Pete who's been left alone for almost two days - Vegas is out in the field - and desperately needs a shower and a nap; the minute Ken steps in, Pete shoves the kid in his arms and disappears. A very confused Ken leaves the kid unattended for exactly fifteen seconds - he was checking that his gun had the safety on - and when he turns he sees Venice putting something in his mouth and he realizes right now and then that Vegas will have his head by the end of the day (it does not happen, but just because a very amused Macau puts him out of his misery after SOME time and informs him that his baby brother had just brought his empty fist to his mouth)

On one memorable occasion, even Chan is summoned to help out, and upon seeing Venice in the arms of the older bodyguard Pete just whispers a "daddy" with eyes full of devotion (Vegas is furious and shouts "I THOUGHT YOU DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO SPEAK ENGLISH" before storming out, leaving Pete very curious about the whole reaction but also feeling vindicated after the Pol comment)

(Chan is never called again, despite being by far the best babysitter)

Big and Tay show up at the same time one day, having being called separately by Pete and Vegas. Their strategy is "divide and conquer", so while one is in charge of the food, the other is in charge of the diapers. By the time they're leaving, Pete and Vegas are eyeing them curiously when noticing how they're distractingly stealing glances at each other.

When Vegas is the one left alone with Venice, he doesn't even last 24 hrs before loosing it and going at Yok's, leaving the baby in the - fortunately - capable hands of the bar owner before he gets smashed. When an annoyed Porsche shows up to pick both Vegas and the baby up, Vegas makes him promise to not tell anything to Pete, "I don't want him to think I'm not responsible enough when one day we're gonna get kids of our own" and Porsche is just like "... WHAT" but there's no way he can get Vegas to elaborate when he's like that so he just leaves it (for now)

Unfortunately the next day Pete ends up finding out (but not because of Porsche...bodyguards talk) and he and Vegas enter a screaming match, which prompts Macau to call the only person they would have never called. When Khun Kinn shows up, they both are so stunned that they instantly shut up. Kinn picks up Venice, tells them he's gonna take him out for a couple of hours, which is all the time they are allowed to get their s*it together, and he walks out. (He regrets it instantly. Venice cries for the whole time, even when Kinn desperately calls for help and Kim shows up. They end up being both really, really bad).

In the end, when Gun shows up again to take the baby away with him, he finds that he won't be able to. A whole squad of babysitters, led by Vegas, with Pete and Macau by his sides, are ready to give him Hell if he even thinks about approaching Venice (who's safely sleeping in Pol's arms).

[adanima]

Yeah, so another thing about VegasMacau as *the* brothers in KP

The thing that will never stop getting me is how visible Vegas’s care for Macau is. Like from an audience perspective, what evidence do we have that makes us so certain Vegas genuinely cares about Macau?

Vegas fussing over Macau's head injury in ep 2.

Vegas taking the time to just casually hang out with Macau in ep 6, seemingly with no plotting or other intentions than just spending time with his brother (the second biggest evidence imo).

Vegas asking about Macau's day when they sit to eat in ep 7.

Pete bringing up Macau as someone who Vegas loves that hasn't left him in ep 12 (and what has Pete seen, who we know is very perceptive, prior to this that makes him so sure in saying this).

Macau being so sure/comfortable in demanding a hug from Vegas in ep 14 post-credits scene, meaning Vegas has shown him easy affection in the past. And Vegas so quick to fold Macau into his arms and kiss him (the biggest evidence for me)

And what's crazy about this is how open Vegas is about his genuine affection towards Macau, despite his status as someone who will backstab others and gain enemies. If this is how Vegas acts around Macau in public, and we the audience can infer that he greatly cares about Macau, I'm certain any of Vegas's rivals/enemies would be able to infer the same. Vegas's love for his little brother is a very obvious emotional weakness that he just has on display for others to pick up on. If someone wanted to hurt Vegas, going after Macau must seem like an obvious pain point.

And this is probably why Tankhun/Kinn/Kim seem so disconnected to each other. Korn would not have allowed such open emotional weakness from his sons. At best, such emotion gives people a weakness to exploit. At worst, his sons might care about each other more than the family business, or even him. Korn would have spotted any open display of brotherly affection from any of them and manipulated/forced them to close that down. Notice that none of the 3 main family bros are shown to casually enjoy or seek out each other's company with no one else around them. Contrast that with VegasMacau shopping trip in ep 6 or even PorscheChay bonding in ep 5.

So, Korn was able to successfully strip his sons from showing brotherly affection. Why couldn't Kan? Because I'm sure Kan would have tried to snuff it out of Vegas, either through verbal scolding or physical beating. Kan would not be happy with having an obvious weakness on display. (In fact, you could argue that part of what feeds into Kan's disdain towards his sons is his idea of love=weakness, but that's a completely separate discussion.) And not just Kan. Vegas definitely knows his love for Macau is a weakness that enemies can exploit and it's probably better that he hide it. The fact that he doesn’t??

I would say it's partly for himself, but it's mostly for Macau. Vegas refuses to deprive Macau of yet another source of love and care. So even though it'd probably be safer for both Vegas and Macau if Vegas didn't show he cared so much, Vegas still continues to do so.

And this would piss Kan off so much. First of all, because Vegas doesn't bow to his demands and stop caring about Macau. But secondly, and perhaps more infuriating for Kan, is that Vegas cares about his little brother, where Korn doesn't. Vegas is willing to shoulder the dirty work to prevent Macau from doing so himself. And Korn? Deliberately sends the minor family (and thus Kan) to do the dirty work.

I bet this eats at Kan so much. He's never beaten Korn. Vegas's never really beaten Kinn, either. But you know what Vegas has beaten Korn (and Kinn) at? Caring about his younger brother. And just like Pete's father kept hitting him when he won a fight, Kan keeps hitting Vegas for this.

And despite all this, through all the beatings and shouts, Vegas still cares about Macau. One of the only things he doesn't let his father dictate is maintaining his love for Macau and showing it. Showing it so much that we can pick it up so easily, even before the safehouse episodes, when Vegas is only presented as sly asshole. The one thing that Vegas doesn't hide through all his scheming and his masks, is his love for his little brother.