A/N: This fic popped in my mind because of their Smackdown interaction last week, but this is a pairing I hold dear to my heart, and this whole thing going on between them and Tyson screams fic material. This was supposed to be a ficlet but somehow I had eight Word pages and half story. That happens a lot to me. This will probably be a two-shot, but for the time being enjoy the chapter. The title is a Maroon 5 song from their latest album.
i.
For Cesaro it started with a phrase.
He was a practical man, focused on his own career and work. Gossip was something very distant of his reality, and the Swiss avoided any kind of conversation that could lead to bad words about his colleagues and superiors. After years of working as a wrestler, he knew how to excuse himself from speculations without sounding too cold and he took pride in being considered one of the wrestlers with better work ethics in the WWE.
If he knew one or two things was mostly because of Seth – with who Cesaro shared a passion for Crossfit -, but the two-toned man also despised second handed information, and so Cesaro could consider himself shielded from that.
Working with Tyson Kidd was by far one of the best things that could have happened to Cesaro. Was there any bitter feelings towards his tragic 2014? Maybe, but the prospect of being on a team with another great talent made things better. Plus, they knew each other from before WWE, so adjusting their styles and finding the right tune was so much easier than with Jack.
As someone who wasn't involved in gossip of any kind and as one of the few people in the whole roster who didn't care about Total Divas (or any reality show) Cesaro was sure that the marriage fiasco was just another thing to boost ratings, knowing both Tyson and Natalya enough to trust ethic when working (as for personal feelings he felt better not judging).
The three of them were sitting on catering after Cesaro and Tyson worked over the spots they would do on their match against Los Matadores. The Swiss felt the tension, but to him it had more to with the pre-tapings feelings than with something else.
Natalya tapped her fingers against the table, eyes focused on her husband. Tyson seemed in his own world, headphones on as he ignored his wife.
"So…" The blonde woman began, clearly trying to make her husband look at her. "Mark Carrano told me I'll be on this new angle with Paige and the Bellas."
Cesaro nodded, but it was obvious that she wasn't talking to him. "Maybe they can even squeeze me on a championship match."
Tyson turned to her, seeming like he just now realized his wife had been sitting there the whole time. "Good."
"Maybe," Natalya went on, happy now that her husband was paying attention to her, "Maybe, if AJ can't go back in time for Wrestlemania, maybe I can even be on a fatal four way." Tyson looked at her as if she was saying some stupid thing and Cesaro forced himself to drink his coffee just to have something else to focus on. "Of course this depends on so many things, on AJ's return date, on how many matches they will want on the card, on how the angle will go, on who they'll want as champion after…" The blonde-haired woman sighed, pushing a lock of hair from her face. "But it makes sense for me to be champion again this year, don't you think?" Cesaro nodded again, this time being acknowledged. "I mean, Charlotte will definitely be called up this year and they'll want me to put her over, because of Takeover and…"
"Sure thing." Tyson said and with a hand gestured that meant something like this is bullshit. "Nattie, you're talking too much." He went on. "Cesaro and I are trying to focus here, we have a match in…" He looked at his phone "Twenty minutes and we can't get into our game mood if you keep babbling nonsense."
Cesaro didn't know if it was the way Tyson spoke or the fact that he called his wife's aspirations nonsense that made Natalya sink into her seat and move awkwardly.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…" Natalya started, being quickly silenced by a tired Tyson.
"You never mean to." He interrupted, going back to his particular world. What he thought about seemed a mystery even to Natalya.
Cesaro felt the need to say something, but even his "You are not disturbing me" seemed too weak and condescending.
"It's okay." Natalya offered him a smile that was a mix of embarrassment and sadness, a sight that made his insides twist in a not pleasant way. "I'll let you guys focus."
As Natalya got up and left the place Cesaro was left with a silent Tyson, a cold coffee – that he drank nonetheless, pure habit – and a weird heavy feeling that wasn't there when he arrived the arena that afternoon.
He finished his coffee before going to gorilla position, but as he moved alongside Tyson, he realized that the bitter taste in his mouth wasn't from his coffee. It was him.
ii.
For Natalya it started with (almost) holding hands.
The more that thing went on the less she liked the overall direction of it. Losing at Royal Rumble was like a kick to her stomach – even it was a forearm to her face. Of course she would be the one used to put young talent – Paige, in this case – over, but was it too much dream with a world in which she would be given another chance?
The blizzard left her in the dark about her whole situation, but by Thursday she knew she was being thrown out of the title picture. Paige versus Nikki was what the higher ups – read: Vince – wanted, but they appreciated her willingness to help others and maybe they could come up with something for her later on.
(Natalya almost, almost dared Mark Carrano to give her another stupid farting gimmick)
It would be a lot easier if TJ had the decency to feel bad for her, but he seemed too busy with his own business to care about her failed attempts at glory.
If asked about it Natalya couldn't pinpoint the exactly moment in which their marriage went from a fairytale to a Shakespearian tragedy. Maybe it was the countless hours of travels, the stress of working too much and sleeping too little, the pressure and the lack of time to step aside and be a couple. Maybe it was a mix of all those things or neither of them; whatever it was, it hurt.
The way TJ looked at her was almost unbearable. He looked at her as if she was a burden, as she was a leech he couldn't get rid of. And this when he looked at her, sometimes he just looked through her as if she was invisible. It gave Natalya a feeling of being suffocated, lungs slowly losing precious oxygen.
In the beginning, Natalya had hopes that it was his character, a thick layer constructed inside Dusty Rhodes' office, a product of their imagination that TJ deemed too good to throw away when he was not in the ring. Time went by; days turned into weeks that turned into months, and when questioned about his behavior TJ only looked at her like she was crazy.
That day could be the start of a new chapter for the tag team, and Natalya quietly moved to the background, even refusing to chat with Naomi while they all waited for their cue to go down the ramp.
She watched TJ's match with legit interest, as not even a sour marriage could take away her love for wrestling and beneath the (pilling) layers of sadness there was a pride of being with someone as talented as her husband.
Cesaro watched with her, casually sliding in and out of his character. When he looked at the ring his expression was serious and he shouted all the time: At TJ, telling him what to do, at Jey, telling him he was bad, at the referee, telling him to count faster. When he turned to Natalya, however, there was kindness in his eyes and his lips curved on a real smile, not the sarcastic one he kept giving her when that whole thing began.
When the match was over and TJ won it, both Cesaro and Natalya celebrated, running towards her husband. And then it happened. It was a spam of seconds, not even this, but their hands touched. For a brief second Natalya almost held his hand, but she quickly moved to hold his arm.
Reluctantly she kissed TJ – he deserved a kiss for the win, but didn't for many other reasons – but when she turned around Cesaro was there, smiling at her. It was just seconds, but looking at him Natalya wished it lasted more. Her fingers seemed ticklish and when TJ reached for her hand she moved to the opposite side, just so she could keep that feeling for a longer time.
iii.
Nothing changed, but at the same time it did.
If before Cesaro credited the travels for Tyson's behavior now he just credited his co-worker's character for it. (He had somehow gone one step down the friendship ladder). If before Cesaro felt just awkward when Tyson said something bad to Natalya, as if he was watching something he shouldn't, now he felt something different. Disgust. Who would treat a woman like that?
Tyson Kidd, apparently.
If before Natalya would only retreat and be quiet when Tyson hurt her now she would talk back, not angry or loud, but with some strength in her voice that indicated she wouldn't take his shit. The blonde woman had no idea where that strength came from, but some part of her brain felt it was of extreme importance that Cesaro knew she wasn't suffering, she was fighting.
Natalya saw herself gravitating more towards Cesaro when the three were together planning matches, and even when they were wrestling she seemed to pay more attention to his moves. He couldn't give her high fives to not break character, but once they were back at backstage he would thank her.
She liked Cesaro. He was talented, smart and never asked too many questions about her personal life. He had the habit of leaning towards her when they were talking, and even if their bodies never touched she felt a strange warmth in her body, a feeling she was sure she once felt for Tyson, but that was long gone; Natalya didn't know if Cesaro bringing that feeling back was good or not.
iv.
"I'm sorry about that." Were the first words she heard once she arrived backstage and Natalya was confused, turning around to find a slightly embarrassed Cesaro.
"Sorry about what?" She asked.
"About that." He motioned towards the ramp. "Yelling at you."
Natalya smiled, making him feel a lot better. "It's okay, you don't need to apologize for being in character."
Cesaro was glad that she understood it – she was an exceptional worker, she would understand it – but he felt the need to make sure of that. He would never treat a woman like that and Natalya needed to know it.
Natalya, on the other hand, was surprised with that action. The Divas would always apologize to each other if they messed up, hit too hard or said something bad, she was used to have that kind of understanding with the girls. Tyson never apologized, not even once, for being an asshole to her.
"I'm just saying that if I could change anything," Cesaro went on "I would change the way we treat you. This isn't right."
The word we lingered in the air between them like a curse. Natalya knew who we meant, and it gave her some sort of anxiety, like Cesaro was trying to imply something.
What? She thought, bitter. He doesn't need to imply anything, it is very explicit.
The silence became heavier, dense with tension neither could understand. As Natalya didn't make a comment on his words Cesaro wasn't sure of what to say next.
What could she say after that? Many things, her mind told her, but they all sounded like lies. Did TJ treat her right? Was Cesaro wrong? No was to answer to both questions and Natalya felt that strange feeling of suffocating again. It just got better when she looked at Cesaro.
It was weird to be feeling so good just by looking at someone, but Natalya hadn't felt good in so long she was willing to take any kind of positive sensation she could feel. She would have to sit down and understand what was going on, but as she walked back to catering with Cesaro she decided that it could wait.
v.
If Cesaro could see the future, he would do anything to (not) make it happen.
The more time he spent with Natalya the more he felt something was changing in the core of their relationship. They went from acquaintances to colleagues to friends to very good friends in a spam of months.
Natalya, for the most part of the time, was a good company to keep close. The only moments their friendship seemed superficial were the ones in which Tyson deliberately decided to ignore Natalya or answer her questions with one or two words.
Cesaro didn't know why the Canadian man did that, what he was trying to prove with that attitude, especially because he never treated Natalya too bad when others were around. Was he trying to prove to himself that Natalya wasn't the most successful one?
It never crossed Cesaro's mind to ask Tyson was going on, because by the other's behavior it was obvious that he would never answer, he lived in a world where he was better than that, certainly better than his wife. But not better than Cesaro, of that the Swiss was sure.
Natalya was too good for that, Cesaro thought as he watched Tyson ignore her again. It was one thing to play a character, but to treat like that outside of the ring was too much, someone needed to do something, might as well be him.
vi.
"You were supposed to stay closer." Tyson carefully put his jacket and earphones down, not bothering to look at her.
During Raw things were hectic, people running from one side to the other, script changing, wrestlers rushing to the app interviews to wrestle to backstage, crew nervously making sure things were going according to the plan.
The three of them, however, were back from another match against the Usos and although Naomi called Natalya's name countless times as they arrived backstage the blonde woman just followed Tyson instead.
Cesaro felt like a lost dog, not knowing where to go. When they won Tyson was always in good mood, inviting him to discuss further possibilities over coffee while they watched the rest of the show, but when they lost – like tonight – he just got his things and walked restlessly backstage, finding ways to blame it on his wife.
On these days Cesaro didn't want to be around Tyson, but he wouldn't let Natalya alone with him unless one or both of them asked him to. As no one said anything, he followed the Canadians, an upset Tyson crossing his arms over his chest, looking at Natalya as she tried to calm him down.
"I know, but this dress is…" Natalya began, but a hoarse laugh cut her off.
"Nattie, I know that you're upset they pulled you from that Paige-Bellas storyline," Tyson looked at her, a sarcastic smile all over his face. Yet, Cesaro hoped something good would come out of that phrase. "But you can't just let your feelings spoil our storyline." He motioned towards himself and Cesaro. "Do you know how long I've been waiting for this chance?" Not a word from Natalya. "We're building something here, Nattie!" Cesaro shifted awkwardly, looking around but no one seemed to notice what was going on, Tyson's tone was calm and low. "Don't you dare try to take away my spotlight because you were relegated to eye candy!"
In other circumstances Cesaro would have been angry by the use of my instead of our; Tyson was talented, but that was a team, both were responsible by the positive reviews they were getting from the fans and higher ups. But this wasn't other circumstances and all he could think about was Natalya having to listen to all of that. He didn't dare to look at her, not yet, or he would crumble.
"TJ, I'm your biggest fan and supporter, you know that!" She pledged, voice trembling. Her voice sounded like pure despair. "I'm so proud of you! You two!" Natalya added, quickly glancing at Cesaro.
"Then act like it!" He picked up his things, walking away. "I already booked my flight home, talk to you there."
Natalya looked down, not knowing what to do. She barely noticed the big hand on her shoulder and almost jumped when Cesaro spoke closer to her ear.
"Come on, let's drink some coffee."
vii.
Tyson could break her heart in many pieces, Cesaro was always there to put them back together.
"How many excuses are you going to find?"
His voice sounded excessively loud amidst the silence that prevailed in the car. Natalya looked down at her coffee, now cold.
"I don't-" She started saying, but was cut off by the Swiss.
"I think you do." He said, crossing his arms in front of his chest. Natalya noticed that the first buttons of his shirt were open and it frankly looked a number smaller than what he should wear, but sitting there in the car Cesaro looked both scary and attractive.
Natalya looked outside of the window, a hand brushing her hair out of her face. "I don't have excuses, it's… It's difficult, okay?" She bit her lower lip and looked down at her own shoes, not wanting to face him. "You don't understand, we… We've known each other for 17 years, sometimes it's hard, but we're married, I can't simply give up on my marriage, can I?"
Of course you can. A small voice said inside her head. Strangely, that voice sounded just like Cesaro's, but Natalya ignored it.
"I'm not…" This was Cesaro's time to stop in the middle of a sentence. "I'm just saying that enough is enough, it's time for a change."
Somehow this managed to make her smile, and Natalya thought that only Cesaro would manage to do that right now. The silence in between them got more comfortable while he allowed the words to sink in her mind.
"Do you love him?"
"I do." Her answer came almost automatically, sounding off to herself. Natalya always had to answer that question to her parents and sisters, friends, media and mostly to herself. It just came naturally, almost like breathing. 17 years meant something. Or should, at least.
"I don't think you do." This came as surprise to both. Cesaro didn't know what made him say that, but the memory of Tyson telling her to not take away his spotlight probably had something to do with it. "I think you're just too used to it and too scared to change it."
Again, he gave her time to let that sink in, afraid that she would slap him, get out of the car and run away, but Natalya kept sitting there by his side, hands cupping her coffee as she said nothing.
Many times she opened her mouth, ready to say he was wrong, she wasn't scared, but the words got cut in her throat and she stayed silent. Natalya noticed his hand moving until it was resting on hers, a faint memory of the first time they touched coming to her mind. For a moment she let herself enjoy Cesaro's warmth, not ready to let go.
"And what do you want me to do?" She finally asked, looking at him again. His face had a serious expression that she couldn't read.
Calmly he moved closer to her, looking for any sign that told him to do otherwise. If Natalya felt uncomfortable with their proximity she didn't say it, and he stayed like that for some time before moving even closer and finally kissing her.
It didn't really come as a surprise to neither of them, it actually felt right. His hand held hers the whole time, and although Natalya could feel something sensual on his kiss – or she wanted to – it was as chaste as it could be.
When they broke the kiss he stayed quiet, looking at her, trying to guess what was going on inside her mind, but he didn't even know what was going on inside his.
"Come with me." He said, squeezing her hand slightly.
"I have a flight home tomorrow morning, I-" Natalya looked at their hands and then back at him. "I don't want to go back."
In his subconscious Cesaro knew that would be her answer and yet it made him smile, even if he shouldn't. "We have two days off, we can go somewhere else and then go to… Whatever city we have to go."
Natalya let out a laugh, half amused, half nervous. "This is crazy, I have almost no clothes in my bag-"
"You won't need them." There was an implication on that phrase that made Natalya feel butterflies on her stomach and she was sure Cesaro could feel her hand trembling.
For a moment he thought she would go, this time for real. The innuendo in his sentence maybe being too much, what it meant, what it really meant being more than what Natalya could take. She looked at outside the window and Cesaro didn't know what to think or do.
"Start the car." Her voice startled him and Cesaro raised an eyebrow, opening his mouth to ask her if she was sure about it. "We have to decide where to go, we can't stay inside a car in the middle of nowhere, this gives me terrible Total Divas flashbacks." She chuckled (it still sounded nervous, but not so much) and turned to face him. What she could see on his face Cesaro didn't know, but he could see determination on hers. And no sadness. "I'm sure of this, I want to… I want to change the situation. And I will, but not now."
With one last squeeze he let go of her hand, starting the car. He didn't think too much about what they were doing, too scared that the thoughts would ruin the moment. The only thing that he knew was that for the first time in many months Natalya seemed whole. Because of him.