A/N: Another companion fic to The Rise & Fall. Got the idea for this from another community called 13drabbles. This fic will have 10 parts instead of 13.

When Chris looked at Alex, he didn't see just another person; he saw an extension of himself. Alex had always said they were one mind in two bodies, and it was actually very accurate. Whenever they were in the ring together, they were crisp and concise, smooth and fluid without even having to rehearse what they were going to do. They didn't need words to communicate; they knew how to read one another. Chris had never had this kind of chemistry with anyone he'd worked with, and it wasn't just an in-ring thing, either: it translated outside of the ring also. (You & Me)

Sometimes Chris forgot that he and Alex had agreed to keep their relationship out of the public eye, as he couldn't refrain from touching Alex in some manner whenever they were together. Chris wasn't a big PDA guy, and neither was Alex, but Chris always seemed to have an arm around Alex's shoulder or a hand on his neck. It wasn't something he thought about; it just happened. Alex wasn't a particularly touchy person, but the glances that he would shoot Chris' way let Chris know that Alex was grateful for the gestures. He would give Chris a small, knowing smile. (Forgetfulness)

Sometimes Alex worried that they would be caught, and their careers ruined as a result, but Chris wasn't worried. He wasn't ashamed of his love for Alex, and if the fans and other people didn't like it, oh well. Not his problem. Other people's opinions didn't matter to Chris; they never had. He had other things to worry about. But Alex was different. Chris knew that Alex was more worried about him than he was about his own career, and while Chris appreciated it, he knew that everything would be okay as long as he had Alex by his side. (Running Away)

Chris and Alex lived in their own little world sometimes. In it, nothing mattered but their love for each other. They didn't hear the things people whispered behind their back or snarked about in message boards and on social media. They surrounded themselves in a bubble; impenetrable unless they wanted it to be penetrated. Both of them were very careful about who they trusted, because they never knew who would stab them in the back and sell them out. It didn't matter to Chris, because he didn't want to be with anyone other than Alex, anyway. He preferred Alex's company. (Make Believe)

A lot of people thought that Alex was weird. Chris agreed with them, but he didn't think that being weird was necessarily bad, like these people did. Alex was very hard to read most of the time, and his moods shifted seemingly at the blink of an eye sometimes. He often went to extremes with things, making it difficult to be around him. Chris was the total opposite; he was often too calm, and too complacent in terms of certain situations sometimes, but that was why he and Alex were so good for each other. They balanced each other out. (Weird)

For as long as Chris had known him, Alex had been very sensitive about his weight. Chris couldn't understand it; he would've killed to have Alex's physique, but he just didn't have that kind of dedication when it came to working out. And he enjoyed food way too much to diet. (Sensitive)

Though Alex tried to brush it off, Chris could tell that it hit a nerve whenever someone—whether it was a co-worker, a friend, or some dickhead fan—made a comment about Alex's physique. "Chubby" seemed to hurt the most, and when Alex was upset, it made Chris' blood boil.

Chris was amazed at how similar he and Alex were sometimes. There were times when Chris would only have to glance at Alex, and immediately Alex understood what he meant. Chris had never met anyone that he'd clicked with like that. On a deeper level, Alex felt as though Chris was really and truly the only person that understood him. It was eerie, but at the same time, comforting. Alex had many acquaintances in the business, and even fewer friends, but none of them got him quite like Chris did. It felt as though he and Chris were one entity. (Similarity)

Then there were times that Chris thought he and Alex couldn't be more different. He was laid back, extremely calm (Alex said on numerous occasions that he found it annoying, and took great pleasure in trying to piss Chris off just to see how angry he could make Chris), where Alex had a horrible temper that he didn't even bother trying to control. Chris had been on the other end of Alex's temper tantrums more than once, but he didn't mind it because he could use it to his advantage. Chris was able to turn Alex's anger into unbridled passion. (Difference)

Neither of them liked to think about the past, because it hadn't been particularly kind to them, and when it came to their relationship, at times the past had been downright cruel. Though they had been friends for a decade now, it hadn't always been sunshine and roses. In fact, Alex and Chris had gone almost a year without speaking after Alex departed TNA, though it wasn't for lack of trying on Chris' part. But Alex had refused to answer Chris' texts, e-mails, tweets, and basically any form of communication, for that matter. And then Alex had reconnected with Chris, quite unexpectedly. (The Past)

Chris wasn't afraid to admit that he was completely terrified of the future. He and Alex had a great thing going on right now, but who was to say that it would last forever? Love was a fickle creature; Chris knew this to be true. He didn't even want to entertain the notion that he and Alex wouldn't be able to be friends should they break up—the thought literally made Chris sick to his stomach. He was totally dependent on Alex, and Alex was totally dependent on Chris as well, though he'd never admit it. Their souls were intertwined. (The Future)