Meant to be a praise kink one shot off the kink meme but ...yeah. So I have a plot but no idea how many chaps or words it will take to make so stick with me if you like this!
Roman is sat on top of one of the massive rolling containers Raw's gear gets packed into when he hears it. "You know you're great, right?"
Curious, Roman pushes his back away from the wall and braces his elbows on his knees to meet the eager gaze of Sami Zayn. Roman tries really hard not to scoff, he does, but it escapes anyway. Sami's smile only falters for a second. "I'm serious. There is no need to hide down here and I know that is what you are doing. I've seen this all before."
Which, Sami realises a split second too late, is exactly the problem. Sami has seen this before. Sami has seen a lot before. Sami has seen stuff since before he was Sami but Roman has always been Roman really. Just Roman. A hand touches his knee and he refocuses on the other man who is still smiling but less beaming and teeth and more genuine and careful.
"I understand the heat." Roman states simply, hoping that will encourage the Canadian to back off but it doesn't and the next thing he knows Sami is sitting next to him after moving with more grace than Roman could ever hope to have.
"Heat is something you get in the ring and you either use or ignore. You're feeling it. That is not the same and it is not right either. You're great out there. You can wrestle. Very well. They are just bored and I think running on a high of getting some decisions in the past couple of years. It isn't personal." Sami rambles and Roman is pretty sure it is the most words the pair have ever shared. Sami keeps swinging his legs, occasionally bumping the plastic fronting of their perch and causing a dull twang to scuttle through the area once the vibrations meet the metal holding the whole thing together.
"Feels personal."Roman grunts, moving back to lean against the wall again as he realises Sami has no plans to leave him alone. He is only still here to wait on Dean to get a ride to the hotel because while he doesn't have a serious head knock the doctors would prefer he doesn't drive after this particular episode of raw.
Sami edges back across the container until he is mirroring Roman's position and then reaches out and places a tentative hand on Roman's knee. "I'd love to get in the ring with you and do a run. We are so different. I think we could make it work so well. Kevin and I did and while that was fun I'm kind of done with that."
Roman winces and Sami pulls back as if scolded. "Sorry. No, it wasn't you. Just...my head is messed up man. You can find better company than me right now though I'd take you on that feud thing some time."
"I'm good here." Sami says softly and Roman just doesn't get it. Sami has done everything it seems everyone wants Roman to have done. He has done all the independent companies and traveled the world. He has slept in the back of cars and horrendous motel rooms and lived off noodles and tuna fish. He has a move set to cover several superstars and he has a grit that endears him.
Roman has only been in the WWE world and while he was never rolling it after football he had enough to make sure his ride through his training wasn't horrendous. He has always known where his next pay check was coming from or had enough money to not totally panic about it if he didn't. His move set is called out on what feels like every blog out there even though Roman knows himself that he can do more. Creative just...does what they do.
The Powerhouse .
People used to talk about how he can run and jump over the top rope and take out guys. They used to talk about how quickly he moved around people to counter. They used to talk about how men his size don't tend to show the skills he does but that was then. Now is different.
"I wish they would let you be you out there." Sami says softly. The hand is on Roman's knee again. "You are funny but serious. You are hard but kind. You don't need catchphrases and buzzwords."
"You don't know me."
A shy smile. "You have a loud voice. I hear you. I want to know you. I want to know everything about you." There is something in Sami's voice that makes Roman still. It feels like a secret question in a secret code because in this business you can never be careful and really reality is hard enough. He tilts his head and holds Sami's gaze until pale cheeks turn pink.
Roman reaches until his large hand covers Sami's small one over his knee and then he shuffles awkwardly until he can jump to the floor and encourage Sami down with him. He doesn't let go of Sami's hand.
"You got a car?"
"Yeah?"
"Want to go...talk more or get a drink of some sort of...something?" Roman feels a lot smaller than his frame in that moment but then that is how he has felt for weeks so he pushes the feeling back. He is about to pull free and walk off when he feels fingers squeeze his.
"Let me get my stuff."