A/N: So it's been in my head to do a Team Adorkable one-shot for a while. The characters have been bugging me something fierce this week. As much as I'd love to do another full length fic with them, it's not the right time. However, this one isn't going to contain itself to a one-shot. So I'm compromising with a (most likely) three-shot, one for each member of Team Adorkable. Hope you like it! :)
Gravity
A Team Adorkable short fic
Chapter one: Anticipation
"Are you ready for this?" Matt asks me.
"What's to be ready for?" I answer.
"Sunshine's ready," Punk says, making a face at me. "It's all she's talked about all day."
Matt grins. "I know how she feels."
My heart's beating hard in my chest when Punk's music hits. "Good luck," I tell him, which makes him laugh.
"See you out there," he says before slipping through the curtain.
Matt squeezes my hand. "Michelle?"
"Hmm?" I'm paying more attention to the monitor than to Matt. I don't want to miss the cue.
"I…"
He sounds so hesitant and weird that I finally pull my attention from the monitor and stare at him. "What is it?"
"Nothing. It's just something I wanted to talk to you about."
"Hey, you guys are up," one of the production assistants says.
"Sorry," I mutter. "We'll talk later."
"Yeah, sure," Matt says, but I can tell that he's uneasy as we step through the curtains, the "Team Adorkable" music playing in the background.
"Maybe you should pick on someone who isn't alone, Gallows," Matt says into the microphone he'd picked up backstage.
"You and your girlfriend stay out of this, Hardy," Luke growls. Even knowing it's staged, it still hurts to see Punk on the ground in the ring, curled in the fetal position. "This is not your business."
"We're making it our business," Matt says, and then we run down to the ring and slide in, facing down Luke, Serena and Joey Mercury in his ski mask. "In fact, I say let's make it a fair fight. You three against the three of us."
Luke sneers. "There's no way you can beat the new SES."
Matt lunges like he's going to attack Luke, and Luke pushes Serena in front of him. She cowers. "Just like you to hide behind a girl, Gallows."
I cross the ring and kneel beside Punk while the rest of them are busy. "Some fun, huh?" Punk asks.
"A real blast," I agree. "I'm glad we're finally doing this."
"Me too. It'll nice to be back on the same team for a night."
I try not to smile. "Yeah."
Just then, Teddy Long's music hits. He comes to the top of the ramp and we all turn. "All right, players," he says. "You want to fight it out? I'm making the match. Tonight's main event will be the new SES against Team Adorkable with CM Punk."
"I still can't believe you guys are going by that ridiculous name," Punk says, as the crowd roars.
"We insisted on it," I say.
Punk sighs. "I worry about you two, Sunshine."
"No reason to, Cuddle Monkey."
He smirks, although it looks more like a grimace. We watch as Luke and the others from the new SES clear the ring, then Matt joins us so we can "help" Punk up. "Punk," he says.
"Hardy," Punk replies. The smirk is back as Matt and I each put an arm over our shoulders and the three of us leave the ring. Once we're backstage, Punk pulls his arms away. "Thanks for the lift."
"Hey, Serena," I say, hugging her. "You guys are still coming with us to dinner, right?"
Serena glances at Punk. "I think so."
"Luke, you're invited, too," I say. I like the SES a lot more now that I'm no longer a part of it. I think I still make Luke nervous, though, because he shakes his head.
"Sorry," he says. "I've got plans for tonight. Next time, maybe."
"Bummer. Perhaps brunch then," I say, which makes Punk laugh. My work here is done.
%^#
In the minutes before the new SES' music hits, I can hear the crowd's restlessness backstage. At first, there had been some debate among the creative team if it was better to have Team Adorkable come out first or the new SES, but they eventually decided that the good guys would come in last. Good guys. Not a label I'd have associated with myself six months ago. As the new SES files out, the crowd starts to boo.
"They're really over with the crowd, aren't they?" Matt says with a smile.
"Good thing," Punk says. "Otherwise, I got the crap beat out of me for nothing."
I nudge him. "Nah, you did it so you can go face."
"Bite your tongue!" Punk says. "I'd rather be a heel."
I chuckle. "Too late, Cuddle Monkey."
And sure enough, that's when our music hits. "I can't believe I'm going out there to a freaking Creed song," Punk mutters.
Matt looks offended. "It's Pearl Jam."
"Whatever."
"Guys," I say, grabbing Matt's hand, "let's do this."
We go first, with Punk behind us. The crowd cheers as we make our way down the ramp and into the ring. There's no talking this time. We situate ourselves in our corner and wait for the match to start.
Matt starts off for our side, against Luke. Punk leans over and says, "So, Pearl Jam, huh?"
"Matt takes his music very seriously," I say.
"It's seriously awful," Punk says. "If I had to come out to that every week, I'd invest in very good earplugs."
"It's not that bad," I say. "Oh, tag. Gotta go."
Serena had taken over for the new SES, meaning that I was in. She kicked Matt in the stomach, since he was down in their corner. When she sees me coming, she smirks and tags Gallows back in. "What are they doing?" I hear Stryker ask at the announce table.
"It looks like the new SES is trying to keep Team Adorkable off balance," Grisham says. "Michelle McCool got in the ring because Serena was tagged in, but now Matt's back to being the legal man because Serena tagged out again."
"Get out of the ring!" the ref was yelling. I turn like I'm going to go. Punk's doing a frantic little dance on the edge of the apron, so I slap his hand.
"Wait!" Stryker says. "McCool just tagged in Punk!"
"Good luck," I say, sliding out from between the ropes.
"Pearl Jam," he mutters as he passes me. I have to hold in a snicker.
Punk executes a gorgeous kick to Luke's back, causing Luke to turn and stare at his former mentor. Matt takes that opportunity to get out of the ring. "Wow," he says. "That actually kind of hurt."
"Welcome to professional wrestling," I say.
We look back into the ring. Luke and Punk are in the corner, duking it out. Luke tags in Joey, and then they switch again. Matt and I strain against the ropes, hands extended. "Punk really needs to tag or this is going to be all over," Grisham says.
"He's going for the Twelve Steps!" Stryker says. "I think we're about to see the end of this match."
"This should be good," Matt says.
"No!" Serena screams. She's climbed to the top rope, and she launches herself at Luke's back. Luke drops Punk and falls into the center of the ring. Punk stands and stares at Serena. They stare at each other for a long second. The crowd is screaming for him to cover. Then Punk drops and shoves Luke over and gets the pin. The arena erupts into applause and cheers. Punk stands and takes a step toward Serena. She starts to turn away, but he grabs her arm. There's another long look before he pulls her to him and kisses her. Then he lets her go and walks away, back to us, leaving a stunned Serena in the center of the ring.
"The winner of this match, Team Adorkable with CM Punk!" We come back into the ring. By now, Serena is headed for the back, with Joey and Luke right behind. We stand in the ring and celebrate to our music.
"Have you seen next week's script yet?" I ask Punk.
"No, why?" he asks.
"Because I think they're going to have to throw it out and address that kiss."
He grins. "I hope Serena doesn't kill me for that."
"You'll be fine," Matt says, sliding his arm around me. "Everyone loves a good romance, right?"
