From Rags to Stitches
Yeah, 'cause we TOTALLY didn't see that the rag with Christian's 'blood' wasn't already pre-stained. HA! At any rate, I saw the fanfiction opportunity, so I shall take it!! AJ/Christian slash with mentions of…Kaz/EY! Definitely inspired by 6.27.08 iMPACT!
It was a simple cloth, cotton, white, nondescript, with absolutely nothing out of the ordinary about it. It was something a housewife would use as a dust rag, or something a guy would use to change his oil. An austere piece of meaningless, insignificant fabric, yet he clung to it as though it were precious gold. He thought he was being silly, cupping and clenching the rectangular cloth, but he couldn't help himself, for while the rag itself was useless, it did hold something precious, well, precious to him, anyway.
Within its woven strands, absorbed within its very stitches, was Christian's blood.
There was so much of it staining the otherwise colorless fabric, large red splotches of the vital substance blossoming in a pattern exactly like the sliced flesh of the Instant Classics skin. Shuddering, AJ Styles sighed and closed his eyes, leaning back in the stiff, uncomfortable waiting room chair and wondering when the doctor and trainers were going to come out and give him news on Christian's condition. He was incredibly upset with himself for being so wrapped up in protecting his friend Karen from her psycho husband Kurt Angle that he hadn't even thought about what exactly Ray, Devon, and the rest of that crew had up their sleeves. They had taken Rhino out last week, but in the normal way; this, the glass table, had been something none of them had foreseen. And now Christian was paying the price, lying in a hospital bed covered in stitches from the shards and slivers that had made mince meat out of the flesh on his back and arms.
Heaving another sigh, AJ opened his eyes to see Kaz and Eric Young coming towards him. The blonde's arms were filled with things from the snack machine down the hall, and he held them out to AJ.
"Um…we brought some snacks, but we didn't know what you'd like, so we just got everything…" Eric offered, but the Phenomenal One waved him off.
"Not really hungry, man, but thanks anyway," he said softly, but not unkindly. Nodding, EY gathered up his food and sat in a chair across from AJ and Kaz.
"Still no news yet?" Frankie asked, his dark eyes concerned.
AJ shook his head in frustration. "No, nothing, not one Goddamn peep."
The dark-haired man put a comforting hand on his co-worker's shoulder. "Well, it shouldn't be too long now, the nurse at the front desk checked his status for us, and she said that they were sure that they had gotten all the glass out, and they'd be taking him to a recovery room soon."
"So there wasn't a lot of glass? Not in his eyes or anything, or in an artery?"
"Nope, nothing like that." The three wrestlers looked up to see a middle-aged man in glasses striding up to them. AJ stood up, holding the blood-splattered cloth tightly in his left hand, while Kaz and Eric followed close behind.
"Mr. Styles, I'm Dr. Chase Spielvogel," he began, holding out his hand.
Shaking it, AJ nodded. "Pleasure. Um, is Christian OK…?"
"Your friend Mr. Cage is doing well, though he's sleeping off the painkillers at the moment. As I said, there weren't any shards of glass anywhere important, they were mostly just shallow flesh wounds. Pretty lucky I'd say, considering."
All three wrestlers breathed a sigh of relief as the doctor spoke.
"Now, he'll probably be in pain for awhile, not only the cuts from all the glass, but his back in general from taking that fall into the table. He'll need to keep the stitches clean, especially the deeper ones, or they'll be infection-ridden before he's knows what hit him."
AJ nodded impatiently. "When can I see him?"
Smiling faintly, Dr. Spielvogel held back a chuckle. "I can take you to him once I find what room they're taking him to, but as I said, he's sleeping a pretty heavy sleep and daresay won't be much fun."
"That's fine. I just want to see him, that's all."
With a nod, the doctor went off, leaving the three men to their considerable relief.
"I'm so glad he'd gonna be OK!" Eric said, his grin just as wide as those of his friends.
"Dude, thank God it wasn't as serious as we thought!" Frankie agreed.
AJ was silent, too relieved for words, his happiness manifesting itself through his brilliant smile and sparkling eyes.
"Listen guys, thanks for everything, really," he said after a few minutes. "Christian doesn't really have that many people willing to help him out, you know."
"He is an acquired taste," Kaz agreed with a grin. "Anytime, dude, anytime. We're just glad he's alright." Eric nodded.
"Just let us know when he's well enough to start plotting his revenge, we'll be glad to help!"
"Thanks guys, he'll appreciate that. Listen, you guys can go now, you've done more than enough. I'll be in touch tomorrow, OK?"
"Sure, dude, sure, we'll see ya soon," Kaz acquiesced, putting a hand on Eric's shoulder.
"Bye AJ!" Eric called as they walked down the hallway. AJ smiled as he watched Frankie take Eric's hand and smile down at him.
Before AJ knew it, Dr. Spielvogel had returned to lead him to Christian's recovery room. Lying amidst the monitors and tubes and wires was the Instant Classic, breathing the deep, even breath of a heavy sleep. AJ could see lines of stitches edging out from underneath Christian's prone body and he shuddered. Nodding and thanking the doctor, AJ stepped fully into the room and dragged a chair next to the bed. Sitting there, the bloodstained cloth still wrapped around his fingers, AJ found that this might be more difficult than he'd thought. What did you say to someone lying in a hospital bed? Especially a person who couldn't even hear you? He thought of the movies and shows where tearful people stood over the beds of their hurt, sick, or dying loved ones, clutching their hands and spilling their innermost guilts and secrets, and yet AJ could find nothing to say. Laying his head on Christian's motionless thigh, AJ closed his eyes, weariness overtaking him.
He found himself waking up at the sound of someone softly calling his name. Looking up in surprise, he found Christian peering at him through hazy eyes, a crooked smile crossing his face. "Morning, Sunshine," he whispered.
Sitting up quickly, AJ flushed. "Was I asleep? I didn't even know I was that tired!" he spoke rapidly, his face the cutest shade of crimson the Instant Classic had ever seen.
"Hell, then you should let them give you some of these drugs. That's got to be the best damn sleep I've ever had," Christian grinned, but it faded slightly after a moments thought.
"Are you here alone?"
AJ nodded almost shyly. "Kaz and EY were here with me, but I told them that they could leave. They came and helped you, you know."
Christian blinked and nodded. "Yeah, I know."
"They said to tell you to let them know when you start plotting your revenge. They'll be glad to help." The Instant Classic laughed at that.
"So the two closet lovebirds were here huh? Well I'm glad they're gone."
"What? Why?" AJ asked, shocked.
Christian reached for the Phenomenal One's hand and grasped it tightly. He was aware of the cloth stained with his blood clenched in his lover's fingers. "Because, you dolt," he smiled, bringing the hand to his lips. "Your's is the only face I ever want to wake up to."