AN: I don't know if you're all going to want a hug or my head on a stick, but I'm posting this anyway.
Dedicated to my Lovelies
ramenreigns, mushyface, liveforambrose, zombie-beard, and damnFirework (I'm shamelessly plugging them here, just in case you missed that)
*generic disclaimer here*
Sasha couldn't believe what was currently happening; what she was considering. Standing outside the men's locker room, she sighed, and closed her eyes. Cursed be the names of the fans who requested she take a picture with Finn Bálor; she cursed herself for having a blog and immersing herself in...shipping? She couldn't be mad though, no one - other than coworkers - knew that she and Finn Bálor had been involved in a quick, completely rushed relationship. But apparently, she and Finn were shipped, and against her better judgement, she didn't mind it... Except for in that very moment, where she found herself wanting to be around him again.
"It's just one picture." She assured herself, telling herself that she wasn't a Boss if she didn't walk right into the locker room. That didn't work though, she stood with her feet practically glued to that one spot, right in front of the door.
She had to just do it.
If she knew Finn, he would be sitting against the wall, his stuff all over the floor, taping his fingers.
She had been right. She knew Finn.
His conversation with Kevin Owens came to an abrupt end, and he watched her, making sure he wasn't hallucinating. "Sash." His nickname for her rolled off his tongue with ease, his thick accent making her melt. He shook his head and cleared his throat, realizing the error, wishing she hadn't heard him, "I mean, Sasha." He wanted to evaporated, he wanted her to go away, she caused too many feelings. He noticed the way her expression seemed to fall, but he didn't mention it. "What're-"
"I'll talk to you later, man." Kevin announced, but Sasha stood in his way.
He looked between the former couple, sighing; he was stuck."No, stay. I need you to do something for me." Sasha took a deep breath, handing Kevin her cellphone with an awkward smile. He was confused for a moment, but accepted the fact that he just didn't understand women.
Sasha leaned against the wall, ignoring the feeling of nostalgia as she looked at their surroundings, she had been right; his bags were open, and all over the floor, and he had tape in his hands, and she assumed he had just finished taping his last finger.
"I need a picture with you." She finally spat out her reason, studying the way his demeanor changed. He sat up, looking a Kevin from the corner of his eye, seeing the way the man stood there awkwardly with her phone in his hands.
Finn scrunched his eyebrows. "What, may I ask, for?"
"Some fans want a picture. You know, their favorites in one picture." Sasha tried to feign an attitude of annoyance, but she knew he could see right through her. Finn had razor vision, it cut right through her bullshit and saw the same look the young woman gave him before they ended things, love. He could recognize it because he gave her the same fleeting look, one filled with painful and regretful love. Really, they were both just hurt.
Not seeing the point in questioning her anymore and not taking the picture, he stood up and took a place standing next to her. "You kept it?"
"Kept what?" Sasha asked exasperatedly, hoping they could hurry up the process. Feelings she had been burying for weeks were resurfacing.
Finn smiled, "My shirt." Her pointed at it. His The Bond of Friendship shirt. "I was looking for that."
"Well you can have it back." Sasha snapped.
"Keep it." Finn muttered back, moving so that her shoulder and his arm were touching, before looking over at Kevin, who was prepared to snap the picture.
"Sorry." Sasha sighed, "I was just-"
"Forget about it." He gave her a tight lipped smile.
"Alright," Kevin announced. "smile." He snapped the picture...As soon as the phone clicked, Sasha reached out to take it from him to see it.
It was so awkward looking, and Finn just looked unhappy. God, the look in her eyes was almost completely pitiful. How that picture seemed to capture her emotions was kind of jarring. It was too much. It was way too heavy, all she wanted was a decent picture to appease their fans - and herself. "Take another one."
Kevin rolled his eyes, "Yeah sure, of course thank you for asking so nicely." Finn chuckled and watched the two. They had all been close at one point, what happened to strain the relationship? He didn't know. Or, he didn't want to admit.
Kevin blew out a huff of air, "Try to at least look believable."
Sasha snaked her arm under Finn's, drawing him nearer by the waist. "Come closer."
Finn wanted to die, he felt like a ton of feelings had attacked him. All of them emotions he shouldn't have been feeling so strongly. "I can't." It hurt too much to know that they were irreparable. A picture couldn't fix them. Being close to her when he couldn't actually hold her felt like a waste, and just another path leading to more tension between them. They were two people that despite wanting it -wanting it badly - shouldn't have been together. Not again.
Sasha squeezed her eyes shut for a second. "It's just a picture." She muttered, hurt because what she had hoped would be a simple, five minute thing, turned into a therapy session neither of them were ready to deal with. It was just getting messier and messier in her head and she was about to lose her resolve.
"I know." Finn sighed, feeling her grip on his side tighten, as if she were begging him to just look down at her, into her eyes. And then kiss her like he used to. Like he meant it.
"Fine." Sasha rolled her eyes. As she turned her head back to Kevin and the camera, she smiled the best she could.
"For the love of God Finn, fucking smile." Kevin interrupted. "There. Better."
Sasha quickly separated herself from Finn after she heard the click of the phone, grabbing it from Kevin and briskly exiting the locker room. Her back hit the door as she leaned against it, tears welling in her eyes. With fogging vision, she posted the picture to Instagram and Twitter, tagging him in it.
Finn watched as she left, wanting to yell after her. But the sound got caught in his throat and refused to pass. Kevin patted him on the shoulder, "Maybe this is just me, but I think she still has a thing for you." Kevin pointed out the obvious, especially in awkward emotional situations; touchy freely wasn't his thing.
Finn's expression fell, his shoulders slouching as he looked at his friend. He had a look of complete and total irritation. "You don' say..." Letting his frustration bubble over, he picked up his water bottle and threw it against the wall and watched the water run down the wall and the cracked plastic bottle hit the floor.
"Jeeeeezus!" Kevin exclaimed, eyes wide and hands protecting his face from shards of the bottle. He opened his mouth to speak, but thought he'd said all the serious things he could say for the night. Instead, he took a seat next to Finn on the floor. "Just talk to her."
"No, she wants nothing to do with me." Finn refused, shaking his head furiously.
"Because she totally asked for a picture with you cause she hated you." Kevin nodded sarcastically, lips pursed as he made the 'okay' hand sign.
Finn smacked him on the back of his head, "Oh shut up, you shit." Looking across the room, Finn sighed. "Tha' was my favorite bottle."
Kevin laughed, "Who's gonna clean that shit up?"
Before Finn could answer, his phone buzzed, a twitter notification popping up; she actually posted it.
The caption read, The Bond of Friendship
Finn closed his eyes and held his face in his hands...the caption said it all. They were done.
