Strange Highways

By: PhoenixJustice

Disclaimer: The wrestlers own themselves, the gimmicks are owned by WWE/NXT. I only own this story and make no profit from this.

Pairing: Shinsuke Nakamura/Sami Zayn, mentions of past Kevin Owens/Sami Zayn, mentions of one-sided Bray Wyatt/Dean Ambrose, Dean Ambrose/Seth Rollins.

Setting: pre-Hall of Fame 2016.

Summary: "You're a lost light looking for his way out what he thinks is darkness." Bray says cryptically. "Just here to guide you out of the dark."

Second in Unmei.

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They hadn't parted until hours later, when they both had to do things for Axxess, but not before Shinsuke pulls him close for a deep kiss that leaves him breathless. They hadn't gotten more intimate after the locker room, but instead had somehow gotten to Shinsuke's hotel room and had held each other close, kissing here and there but more then anything, just enjoying each other's company. But...no, that was certainly intimate. Especially so that they technically barely knew each other. Though on the flip side of that he sort of felt like he knew Shinsuke for years.

Things were moving at such a fast pace that left his head dizzy, but it didn't make him unhappy, all the same.

Still, if he could talk to someone about this, well, perhaps he'd be able to wrap his head around it better.

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Axxess goes well; he's more than happy to see the fans. And really, it gives him a breather-both from the intense situation with Shinsuke as well as from his thoughts of his upcoming match at Wrestlemania (where he'd have to face Kevin once again.) He was ready for it in many ways and severely lacking in others, he knew.

He can't say he isn't a bit relieved, however, once his time at Axxess ends, as it is a long day and he is starting to tire. He makes his way out of the area his table had been set up with a wave at the remaining wrestlers (Shinsuke's table was in another part of the building) and fans. It wouldn't be too long until the Hall of Fame would be getting under way and he wanted to make a good impression there. He makes a turn around the corner, heading down the surprisingly quiet carpeted hallway to head towards the elevators. He stops when he notices who is leaning against the elevators.

"Why hello, friend? I believe you wanted someone to talk to?"

It was Bray Wyatt.

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"Excuse me?" he asks, a bit stupidly. It was just that he didn't expect to see Bray Wyatt-especially on his own-and looking at Sami as if he knew things, that he genuinely wanted to talk to him.

He had nothing personal against Bray; they hadn't any animosity towards each other. He knew what the man was capable of, certainly, and what the man had done to others, but it had not been directed at him...yet. Surely that wasn't what this was? He didn't look like he had some nefarious scheme up his sleeve, though maybe because he didn't know him well he couldn't tell.

Bray gives a smile. His smiles, Sami noticed, either varied towards genial or ones that were made to terrify the one it was directed at. This one leaned towards more genial, though it somehow seemed more genuine than Bray usually let towards people.

"You're a lost light looking for his way out what he thinks is darkness." Bray says cryptically. "Just here to guide you out of the dark."

He eyes the man for a moment. He seemed sincere. Though Sami had been burned in the past by believing in people (though Bray was certainly different than others whom had looked at him with desperation in their gaze, saying "No, there's no one else. Certainly not that girl. Believe in me, Sami. I love you, don't I? Like you love me?" But he hadn't. Had lied to his face, had married that girl. Kevin...why had he done so...)

At Sami's continued hesitance, the other man extends a hand, gesturing for Sami to come closer.

"Come on, friend. Let's talk."

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He was probably an idiot.

Why else would he follow Bray Wyatt like a sheep (a sheep to slaughter, most like) instead of doing the smart thing and turning around the other way. He could find Shinsuke and tell him about the odd meeting. But wasn't the thoughts of Shinsuke were what led him here?

Bray Wyatt certainly knew something of...odd things. Of things not quite here. People could say what he wanted about him, about all of the dark things (which he did not dispute) but Sami could also feel it wasn't all dark, by Bray's look. He looked genuine in wanting to help someone whom he had never really talked to before, an essential stranger.

It's how he ended up sitting in one of the chairs in the small conference room, with Bray sitting across from him, looking closely at him.

"Tell me, friend. What is it?"

His mouth opens. Then closes. He shrugs helplessly for a moment.

"Who is it?"

His eyebrows raise at that. He hesitates for a moment, before finally speaking.

"It's Shinsuke. Shinsuke Nakamura."

Bray nods. For all that he asked Sami, he didn't seem at all surprised at his answer.

It's quiet for a few moments, with Bray looking at Sami, hand against his face in thought, as serious as he can ever remember the man looking (while he had no personal experiences with the leader of the Wyatt Family, he had seen him enough on WWE.)

"What is it about him?" Bray asks.

"It's..." Here he hesitates again, looking away for a moment. "It's everything. Everything. The moment I saw him, even though I didn't realize it at first, all these-these feelings, emotions, this burning, this electric feeling underneath my skin. It's overwhelming me."

Bray nods, smiling again. "It does that, yes."

He actually seemed like he knew what he was talking about. Which is what leads him to what he asks next.

"Does it ever stop?" He didn't want it to stop, but he did. He couldn't handle feeling these influx of feelings all the time. While Axxess had helped, he still kept thinking about Shinsuke more often than not.

Bray lets out a short bark of a laugh. "Stop? Oh heavens, no, friend. But the overwhelming feeling will pass." Bray pauses, looking curious, head tilting slightly. "Do you want it to stop?"

Did he? He thought back to that electric thrill up his body in the ring as he watched Shinsuke's entrance, feeling such a burst of something that it threatened to overtake him. It had brought out so much out of him in that match, aggression that had never been that big before and so many other things besides. Did he regret allowing Shinsuke into the locker, instead of turning him away? Did he regret letting the other man touch him and touch him in return?

No.

That much was clear. It might be new and confusing and something he had never experienced before. But he liked Shinsuke. He wanted to know more about him, wanted to hear more of his stories, wanted to see Shinsuke smile, to laugh at something he joked about, to...

He stops.

Oh.

Was this...?

Bray's smile deepens into something surprisingly soft. "It is overwhelming, yes? Especially when you realize that you never knew true love until now."

Sami swallows against a suddenly dry throat. That word. It...wasn't inaccurate.

"You-" he starts, coughing slightly. "you've felt something like that for someone too?"

It was a crazy conversation and yet, yet it felt like something freeing for him. Something that helped make sense of these things that were going on.

"Oh yes. I remember the overwhelming rush as you look at them."

"And they're...?" He felt a bit like he shouldn't push about something so very, very personal-especially with someone whom he was just now talking to-but he cannot help himself.

Bray's smile wilts now. "Gone. Never allowed me to take care of them like I wanted to."

It comes on him like a flash and he doesn't know why (though perhaps it is due to the fact of how they still kept revolving around each other when the other man obvious didn't want it.) "It's Ambrose, isn't it? But how could he turn away from you, when you're-"

Bray's eyes seem to burn a bit brighter. "My boy didn't want to be my boy. He's had his eyes for someone for a long time, though they betrayed him. Rollins doesn't know the meaning of luck, though he should," Bray rocks back in the chair a bit, eyes unseeing Sami in that moment but obviously some memories instead. "He should be on his knees and thank his lucky stars that the sun wanted him instead of wanting the moon."

He couldn't even imagine something like that. It hurt him just thinking about it. If Shinsuke ever had...

He must have let out a sound, because Bray turns back to him, stopping his rocking. Bray shakes his head. "Don't you worry none, friend; your boy won't stray. He's already accepted you, like you accepted him. Don't worry about him leaving. Love like his has waited a good while."

"He's waited for me?" Suddenly all his hesitancy felt inadequate.

"For a long, long time. Years and years. Didn't want to push-" Now Shinsuke's actions from before come back to him ("I'm so glad that you felt it too." His hand strokes the side of Sami's face for a moment, having Sami shudder against it. "I wasn't-I didn't want to-push.") "The thought of rejection is always something that hurts too much. I'm sure he had a hard time of it, but he waited until you noticed that something between you two."

Very inadequate.

Shinsuke had waited literal years. The thought of rejecting him-or getting rejected in return-turns his stomach. No, he could never, ever do that. And it makes him feel both sorry for Bray and start to get a better understanding of him. The man had lost literally what was the other part of himself and could never ever have it or get it back (worse yet, he had never had it in the first place.)

It made him feel a strange kinship to Bray Wyatt.

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They make their way to part at the door, but he stops Bray with a hand on his shoulder before he leaves, obviously surprising the other man.

"Thank you." He tells him, sincerely. He felt different now. Still filled with feeling, but more settled in other ways. He had an understanding he did not before and that made him more grateful than he could say in words. Thank you felt too small for what he actually felt.

A small smile turns the corner of Bray's mouth. He tips his head. "Anytime, friend. Anytime."

"Sami." He says, surprising Bray once more. "It's Sami."

Bray looks at the extended hand, as if not expecting it. Certainly the man didn't have friends other than those in his Family, so he could only wonder what went through his head. He takes Sami's hand in a firm grip.

"Bray. Call me again if you ever need anything." Bray says, in a serious yet different tone. "Got it, Sami?"

He nods. "I got it. Thanks, Bray."

He waves at him as they part and sees Bray nod at him in return.

Huh.

Apparently he had just made a new friend.

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He doesn't let Shinsuke get out a word before cupping his face in his hands, kissing him deeply. The man immediately responds, wrapping his hands around Sami's waist-with no care about their surroundings-kissing him back deeply.

Eventually he pulls back from him. Shinsuke looks surprised, but pleased.

"Is everything alright?" Shinsuke asks, running a hand down Sami's arm.

He nods, smiling.

"It is now."

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I hope you enjoyed this!

Let me know what you thought!

-PhoenixJustice