"Not everyone wants..." Riley sighed a bit and shook his head. "No, I don't want to talk about how things are going with Baiyi. It sucks and I just want to think about good stuff."
So instead, he forced a smile and sat back in his seat. "I'm just gonna keep being brave and being me."
"I get it," he mutters somberly. Oh, did he get it. His dad never approved him: his plans never met his approval, his sexuality was a disgrace unless Gun would use it to his benefit, he was a disappointment as a son. He definitely got what it's like to have to mold and adapt yourself to meet others' expectations; what it was like for who you were to never be enough.
He didn't know Vegas' full story and yet he didn't have to. He could tell that the man had been through similar. With who? That didn't matter. All that did matter was that it had happened at all. So he reached out to take his hand and give it a squeeze. "For what it's worth, I think you're really great and I'm happy that I get to know you and be your family."
"We've all got stuff we're not that proud of in our pasts. Some of it worse than others." Riley gave his hand another squeeze then added some idle little detail to his picture.
"I know I was drunk when I met you but my first instinct was that I was going to be safe with you. Even after I was told that you and the family all had a darkness to you and even after Kinn told me the truth about you... My gut hasn't led me wrong yet. So I knew that I could trust you." He looked up from his picture with a smile.
"Me too," he answered with a little nod. Vegas may not have had much loyalty to the Family, but the part of it that was his? He'd take care of that no matter what he had to do to achieve that.
Riley set his pencil down and looked around the bar. He could just see what it was going to become and he drew in a deep breath and then looked at Vegas. "I want to try something with magic. Can you close your eyes for a moment?"
Waving his hand in front of his face, he made sure Vegas really couldn't see and then quietly slipped out of his seat. Then he concentrated and started to weave his illusion. He made sure all the colors and details they'd discussed were in place and his vision of the Pete mural was there too. He waited until it was all up then asked Vegas to keep his eyes closed as he tugged him up and over to the door.
Standing behind him, he smiled. It would be like Vegas getting to walk into the completed bar for the first time. "Okay...open them."
Vegas followed, brows slightly furrowed. He knew Riley wasn't going to harm him, but he was still alert, listening carefully almost unconsciously. Vegas still always expected danger. That's just a truth of the life he lived.
When given the okay, he opened his and... gasped! It's one thing to know Riley could do magic. It was another thing entirely to witness it. And in the form of the bar he's hoping to create.
Riley smiled behind him and moved further inside. It took a little more concentration for bigger illusions like this but they were so focused on the idea right now he found he wasn't struggling.
Opening his arms, he smiled bright. "By the time we get everything done this is what it'll look like! My sketch come to life!"
Vegas stepped further in, turning as he walked to take in the whole illusion. Amazement played over his features and his eyes were bright and eager when they turned back to Riley.
"I'm happy you love it!" Illusion? What he bar would look like? It didn't matter really. He was genuinely just pleased to have made Vegas happy. "Usually I don't do bigger illusions so I wasn't sure I'd do it right but I'm glad I got to show you this."
Riley let the illusion fall before he lost it completely. It ever felt good when his illusions broke. He much preferred to just let them drop. Smiling brightly, he went and gave Vegas a hug. "It's going to be amazing. You two are going to have the best bar around."
Now they just had to find someone to actually do some of the labor. But that's a problem for another time. Vegas clapped his hand on Riley's shoulder and nodded toward the door.
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So instead, he forced a smile and sat back in his seat. "I'm just gonna keep being brave and being me."
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"Thanks, Riley."
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"I know I was drunk when I met you but my first instinct was that I was going to be safe with you. Even after I was told that you and the family all had a darkness to you and even after Kinn told me the truth about you... My gut hasn't led me wrong yet. So I knew that I could trust you." He looked up from his picture with a smile.
"I'm really glad I did."
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Standing behind him, he smiled. It would be like Vegas getting to walk into the completed bar for the first time. "Okay...open them."
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When given the okay, he opened his and... gasped! It's one thing to know Riley could do magic. It was another thing entirely to witness it. And in the form of the bar he's hoping to create.
"... This is perfect!"
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Opening his arms, he smiled bright. "By the time we get everything done this is what it'll look like! My sketch come to life!"
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"This is amazing!"
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"Thanks, cousin. This is... it's perfect. Just what I had in mind."
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"C'mon. I'll get you lunch."
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Hooking his arm around one of Vegas' he let him lead him out, ready to go have a nice lunch with his family.