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LAND OF MAKE BELIEVE

"There she is, Bayley! Bayley!"

There's so many people backstage. Bayley's been a main roster guest before, for PPVs, but this is something else. She's here now, part of the crowd, the huge awesome roster that Stephanie McMahon and Mick Foley have put together. She and Sasha have hugged and hugged, done interviews and taken pictures. It still makes Bayley so happy, the bond she has with Sasha. She has it with Becky too and Charlotte, even if Charlotte is ignoring it right now. But it's there, she's just got to dig for it, like Sasha did. She will, Bayley really believes that.

There are so many people backstage but still Finn's voice carries like a siren, at least that's how it sounds to Bayley and her insides are full of the happiest trampoline feeling as she rushes past everyone – hey there's Chris Jericho, she's got to talk to him later, she really likes his scarves. And the New Day, and Sheamus – towards that voice until, there he is. Finn, still in his trunks but not his jacket, gleaming with sweat and that huge grin on his face that he claims he's borrowed from her ("with no intention of giving it back, mind.").

He already has his arms open and she launches herself. He doesn't fall down this time – not like he did when he'd been on crutches and she'd been cheering him up – and she's laughing right in his ear as he spins her, crowing about being together again and how he's missed her. Yeah, Bayley feels the exact same way and it's so great to hear it back, in Finn's amazing accent. So many of her friends left NXT and she missed them so much. She'd had some empty moments then, like maybe she wasn't good enough to join them. But here she was and moments like this, yes, they're exactly what she needs. They're the best.

She flails her feet and he does the same with his hands. The trampoline feeling is staying, it always does around Finn. And he's still holding her up, like it's no problem at all. It's amazing.

He puts her down then, letting out a noise that's like happy-content, like sitting down on the couch after a really hard day. Bayley can't stop smiling, she knows her expression matches Finn's, but amid everything she still remembers to dip her gaze just a hair and look past Finn's face. Yep, right there in the corner of his eye. She's so glad they're both here.

Her smile is just as important right now, "Hi."

The demon curls Finn's lips and he touches her shoulder with sharp fingers before them to her neck. He can feel her pulse right there – he likes that, the thump of it. Bayley's used to it now but it's still a little hold-her-breath moment, because she can really feel the demon's strength in just that little touch and the heat banked under it that's nothing to do with Finn. The demon crooks a finger at Bayley's chin and cocks his head slowly. She laughs, relaxing just a little, because she's used to his decisive, hard movements. It's nice that she see this too, because he wants her to. She doesn't touch his hands though, not yet. She's gotten used to understanding when a good time is.

"Should call her the Demon Whisperer?"

At Karl Anderson's voice, the demon turns his head sharply and grins, pleased. He likes Karl; Bayley can see that completely plainly. It's not just respect; she's seen that from the demon, the way he is around Hideo, the only person on the NXT roster who knows about him. But that's way different to how he's looks now somehow, like he's looser and really pleased, maybe even smirking.

Luke Gallows is right beside Karl; they never seem to be apart. Well, Bayley knows all about best friends. Have they been there the whole time? That's really bad, if Bayley's been ignoring them. Karl and Luke are looking at her with big grins but their eyes are careful, like they're waiting to make an actual decision here. Bayley isn't confused or upset. While she's thrilled to meet them – she's seen their matches in Japan and they're important to Finn – she's feeling careful too, probably for some of the same reasons.

And right at that moment, part of the reason, Finn, is back, the other part, the demon, retreating under his skin. Finn's smile is exuberant and he's wrapping an arm around Bayley's shoulders with the easy gladness that Bayley always loves. Apart from Sasha, Bayley had most been looking forward to seeing Finn and the demon.

"Ah, but she wouldn't steal his jacket just to cheer him up," Finn tells his friends.

"I could paint my face though," Bayley adds.

Because she's thought about it and practiced some. Carmella laughed herself silly. Bayley's tried a couple of different designs; it was an amazing evening. Finn looks delighted and presses a quick kiss to her forehead. It makes Bayley's grin change and she can feel the imprint of Finn's smile. It makes her fingers curl.

"She'll do it too," Finn says.

Karl and Luke are still grinning and looking and Bayley holds out eager fingers, posed in a familiar shape. Because yes, she's being careful but these are Finn's friends and she knows all about forgiving friends and she's a fan and she hopes they know, really know, that the demon isn't just awesome paint and smoke, appearing for really big matches. Maybe they saw her say hello to both Finn and the demon; they don't look surprised. And the demon respects them, hopefully they see and know that. Because it's, wow, such a gift. So Bayley holds a hand up. This needs to get started.

"I don't know if I can reach but I really want to try."

Luke doesn't dip his hand too much so Bayley lets go of Finn for a moment to jump, successfully hitting the 'too sweet'. Finn claps her on the back and 'too sweets' her before wiping a hand over his face. The demon is there, he doesn't want to shower but he will eventually. Bayley nudges him.

"Go on, you hate him driving without showering."

The demon's expression twists and he nods once, definitely agreement not surrender, before Finn slides back into focus.

"He's been driving me nuts since I got out," he says, his tone coated with relief. "I'll meet you guys here? We need food."

"Chili fries!" says Bayley, because the smell from concessions has been really getting to her.

Finn points at her, the demon's wicked curl to his lip. Then he's grinning, "Won't be long."

He leaves, skirting past people to get to his locker room, catching hands as he goes because of course people want to talk to him, he's Finn. Bayley leans back against the wall and smiles at Luke and Karl, ready and curious. She wonders what questions they'll ask her first, there's a whole bunch she wants to ask them.

"Ain't that the damndest thing," Luke muses, looking at her with an actual twinkle in his eye.

It makes Bayley grin and Luke shakes his head. "The demon whisperer is fucking right."

"He doesn't like whispering," Bayley replies. "Or cream cheese or fire house alarms."

Karl is still sort of smiling and he's twinkling a bit too but he's looking like Bayley's saying something he really wants to grab by the tail. The trampoline feeling is fading because he and Luke have to know this stuff; it's important. They have to know that too. Bayley's gaze turns focused too, because Finn is her friend and so is the demon. Luke and Karl are supposed to be their friends again too.

They get it because they don't straighten up like soldiers but their posture changes a bit, and they start talking.

"He taps out rhythms one claw at a time, even when it annoys the shit out of Finn."

"He'll eat a pint of peanut butter and strawberry but won't touch the chocolate."

Bayley doesn't narrow her eyes but her mouth thins right at the corners and she shakes her head, "Grape, not strawberry."

Karl raises an eyebrow like he's laughing, but he isn't completely twinkling and he doesn't disagree, "Right. He runs faster than Finn."

"He uproots white pines."

"And black," Bayley adds.

Because the demon hates the smell but he strays almost close to whatever reminds him of baby's tears and ardisia. Bayley's been trying to find a matching scent, bottled or soap or anything, for Finn's apartment. It's really tough but she isn't giving up. She has friends who visit Japan a lot and Hideo wants to help. They talk sometimes about Finn and the demon, how they can help both. He's told Bayley not to break any confidences though. Bayley loves Hideo.

So Karl and Luke know the demon. Bayley's relieved; Finn and the demon should have people in their lives that get this, that know. This is the kind of help she and Hideo talk about, to start with. She joins in again; this time pitching her voice really quiet. The crowds have gotten smaller and the three of them have just about been left alone. But she knows to be careful.

"He first talked to Finn when Finn was four years old."

Karl and Luke are silent after that. Maybe it's shock that she knows.

Karl's fingers press together, nothing like a 'too sweet." It reminds Bayley of some of the demon's gestures. She's felt a couple of them before. She makes a similar movement with her fingers, her smile small and secret; glad that Finn's friends know. She hoped they would.

Luke's arms are crossed and when he leans, it's like a tree in a storm but Bayley figures he's the kind that don't fall even then. "He sticks his head out the window when we drive all night. I don't know what he sees but I swear one day he's gonna leap out and hunt the moon."

Bayley gets goosebumps at that and starts to imagine - the car going fast and the demon hunched half out a window, his claws damaging the paint and his eyes all bright. Those moments, they're the ones that really stick, when everything about the demon feels so huge and loaded, and otherworldly. She gets shivers and has to remind herself when it's important to stand her ground and when it's right to run. She hates leaving the demon alone. She thinks everything gets worse for him then. He knows she wants to be there though; his gestures tell her that.

So does his skin. She's seen it change and Finn has taught her what it means because there are meanings to the patterns and shades. It's amazing to get to read that and he lets her, they both do. More huge loaded moments; Bayley cradles them in her heart.

The paint isn't that different from the demon's skin. Bayley knows it's important, Finn's told her stories. He's taught Bayley things, just in case. Because they both trust her, he says, and he knows she'll do right by them. She thumbs something against her thigh, her smile still a secret.

Being on Raw, with Sasha and Finn, it's amazing. She thought she knew, when she was a little kid, what being a wrestler was all about and why she wanted it and a lot of that hasn't changed. But some parts have gotten even better and she hadn't thought that was possible. She hasn't stopped painting the pattern against her thigh.

Bayley can hear Finn's voice; he's making his way out of the locker room and people are still wanting to talk to him.

Suddenly Karl asks quiet and intent, "He ever talk to you?"

He's not asking about Finn now. Bayley doesn't have a chance to answer because Finn's there, in jeans and leather jacket over a faded grey t-shirt. Karl is looking at Bayley for an answer but Luke is talking to Finn, calling him brother, and Bayley focuses more on Finn's arm snug around her shoulders again. It's such a good feeling.

"Chili fries," Finn says, grinning down at her.

Bayley's stomach rumbles, like it's been waiting for those two magic words again, and she laughs as Luke talks about portion sizes and Karl joins in, though his eyes linger on Bayley like he won't forget he hasn't had her answer. That's okay. She'll tell Karl that the demon's talked to her. But she won't tell him what the demon said. If the demon wants to talk to them, he will. The demon's words to her are a confidence, and the pattern on her thigh is unending.

-the end