Chapter Text
“Won’t take but a moment. Keep the motor running.”
Ven leans against the handlebars of the old motorcycle as he watches Vanitas disappear into the night. He wonders if leaving the engine running is a good idea—the damn thing is so loud. Certainly louder than the previous getaway car: the beat-up sedan they had to abandon near the boarder. There was too much damage to warrant keeping it. Too many bullet holes.
At least they actually bought the motorcycle, and even the sidecar. All a part of “laying low,” as Vanitas says. Ven aimlessly traces constellations with his finger while he waits for Vanitas to return. The grand estate sits well outside the closest city. They probably thought the countryside would protect them from petty crooks. Unfortunately for them, Vanitas couldn’t stifle his thieving itch forever. Almost getting gunned down in Texas last summer didn’t even hamper him.
Ven doesn’t mind, though. It’s kinda fun. If he thinks hard about it, he could almost say he missed this.
The sound of a dog barking jolts Ven back to his senses. Damn. Of course. His hands tighten over the handlebars. Come on, Vanitas! It’s time to bail!
He comes sprinting out of the mansion a second later—out the front door, the lunatic. That wicked grin is plastered over his face again, and Ven decides yeah, he missed this.
Vanitas leaps into the sidecar. “Time to go, Venty!”
He didn’t need to say anything. Ven pulled on the throttle as soon as his feet hit the floorboard. These old country roads are little rough, but Ven navigates them like it’s second nature. He watches Vanitas shove a briefcase into the sidecar. The moonlight catches the white gleam of a string of pearls hanging from the seam. Looks like a pretty good score.
Vanitas cackles as he stands precariously in the sidecar, watching the estate become nothing but a shrinking light in the distance. He’s always so reckless… Ven steers carefully so he doesn’t fall. The stars surround his head in a halo of galaxy dust until Ven wonders if there are any stars left for the rest of the world. Maybe Vanitas stole them all, and maybe Ven let him.