Say Goodbye, a wrestling fanfic

Things are changing

TITLE: Say Goodbye

CHARACTERS: Christian Cage, AJ Styles, mentions Kurt Angle and Karen Angle

PAIRINGS: Christian/AJ, mentions AJ/Karen

NOTES: This was based on the Skillet song, Say Goodbye. It makes me think of the storyline from the beginning of this year with Christian, AJ, and Kurt. Based in December

DISCLAIMER: Christian, AJ, and the others are not mine, nor do I claim they are.

Christian Cage glanced at AJ Styles. AJ glanced back over the top of his novel. "Need something?" He drawled to his lover quietly.

Christian shook his head with a small sigh. Over the last couple of weeks, there was no doubt that they had been drifting apart. It was subtle, yes, but they definitely were not quite as close as they had once been. AJ was even talking to Christian's main enemy, Kurt Angle. Christian was starting to believe that maybe AJ was thinking about leaving. "AJ, you still love me, right?"

AJ's cheeks turned a light pink. "Uh, yeah, of course I do." He fidgeted with his book uncomfortably. "Why are you asking?"

Christian shrugged, crossing the room. He wrapped an arm around the younger man and sat next to him. The blonde pulled his smaller lover into his lap. AJ wiggled off. "I'm trying to read!" He yelled, annoyed. "Why do you always do this shit? Tell me that."

For once in his life, Christian couldn't come up with an answer.

Things are changing
It seems strange and
I need to figure this out
You've got your life
I got mine
But you're all I cared about

Christian sighed quietly and stood up. "Want something to drink?"

"No." AJ answered. The tone of his voice said that he didn't want to talk anymore.

Christian breathed out in surrender. "I guess I'll just go play Xbox then."

"Whatever." AJ shrugged this time. His attention was completely focused on his book.

Christian glanced back at AJ for a moment. "Do you really love me, AJ?" He whispered to himself as he left the room. "Don't you care? What happened to us?"

Yesterday we were laughing
Today I'm left here asking
Where has all the time gone now
I'm left alone somehow
Growing up and getting older
I don't want to believe it's over

Later that night, Christian was waiting in the large bed for AJ to come out of the shower. His lover finally emerged from the bathroom, rubbing the short, dark hair on his head with a clean towel. He had pulled on navy-colored pajama pants. The Canadian pulled his body from the bed and advanced on the other man. "Where's my baby?"

AJ raised an eyebrow. "I'm right here, Christian. Why?" He groaned. "I don't want to have sex tonight. Please?"

Christian shook his head and quirked a brow of his own. "That's not what I meant, AJ. I meant, where's the AJ I fell in love with? You're changing on me and I don't want to lose you."

AJ rolled bright blue eyes in an annoyed way. He pushed past the blonde and sat on the bed. "I haven't changed. We may not be quite as crazy as we used to be, but we haven't changed. We're just older."

Christian shook his head. "What's with you and Angle?"

AJ flushed. "Nothing. Karen's really nice and pretty and stuff, but…Christian, why are you asking me all of this?"

Christian shrugged, wrapping his arms around AJ. "Nothing. Nevermind."

Don't say goodbye
Cause I don't wanna hear those words tonight
Cause maybe it's not the end for you and I
And although we knew
This time would come for me and you
Don't say anything tonight
If you're gonna say goodbye

A week later, Christian couldn't believe how much had changed. AJ was teaming with Kurt. And he couldn't remember his lover ever talking to him about it. He pulled AJ aside in the locker room they were sharing. "Why didn't you tell me you were teaming up with Angle?"

AJ shrugged, pulling his shoulder away. "You said I was in charge when you weren't around. I made a decision to try and combine teams. I thought it was a good idea."

Christian could feel a pang of hurt in his chest. "So…is he a better partner than me?"

AJ made an angry, confused face. "Why do you care so much, Christian? You're getting too fucking clingy! I didn't do anything you wouldn't have in my position."

Christian sighed. "AJ, are you really going to do this?"

"Yes."

Christian closed his eyes in thought. "You know what? You need to make a choice. Me…or Kurt. I'll give you until the next pay per view." The blonde shook his head. "I'm sorry, AJ."

Do you remember
In December
How we swore we'd never change
Even though you're leaving
That our feelings
Would always stay the same

Christian could hear AJ angrily yelling at the Xbox game in the next room. He sighed and concentrated more firmly on the contract in his hand. He needed to be sure that he knew the details of his lover's job. He was almost sure that he knew AJ's decision already. They were splitting apart. He knew it. But he wasn't ready for AJ to say goodbye just yet.

The office door flew open and Christian quickly shuffled some papers over AJ's contract, flicking his reading glasses onto the desk hurriedly. "What the hell, AJ?!"

AJ shook his head and moved to the back of Christian's chair. "Tomko just killed me in Halo 3." He gently kissed the side of the Canadian's neck. "And I thought I'd see what you were up to."

Christian sighed, moving his hands up to the sides of his head. He gently massaged his temples to relieve the slowly-spreading headache he had. "Work. Contract negotiations."

AJ nodded. "Oh. Okay." He waited a moment. "Do you want me to leave?"

Christian didn't answer. The Gainesville native took that as a yes and walked out of the room.

I wish we could be laughing
Instead I'm standing here asking
Do we have to end this now
Can we make it last somehow
We both know what we've gotta say, not today
Cause I don't wanna leave this way

Christian pulled AJ close as they walked through the parking lot for the Final Resolution PPV. "Please make a decision, AJ. Don't let me influence you." He gently nuzzled the smaller man's hair. "Make your decision. You're never wrong."

AJ sighed against Christian's neck. "I promise that I'm making a decision tonight."

Christian sighed. "I know." He kissed AJ's lips softly. "I love you, AJ."

"You, too, Christian." AJ whispered, pecking Christian's cheek. "You just have to wait and see like everyone else, though."

Christian sat alone in the locker room, taping his wrists. "I'm going to miss him." He sighed quietly. AJ didn't think Christian had noticed when things around the house started disappearing on him. Christian just didn't want to bring it up. He didn't want to lose AJ. But he promised that he was fine with whatever AJ decided. And he had a feeling that decision wasn't him.

"I just don't want him to say goodbye just yet." Christian whispered to himself, wiping a tear from the corner of his eye. "I'm just not ready to lose him yet. We were always so happy." He sighed shakily. "I don't want him to leave me like this. Not this way."

The Canadian buried his face in his hands. "You knew it was coming, though. You knew you two wouldn't last much longer." He said quietly as the tears began to flow. "Please, AJ, don't say goodbye."

And if it's over
It hurts but I'm giving you my word
I hope that you're always
Happy like we were
Happy like we were

Now Christian was searching his bag for the one thing that came everywhere with him. It was a single picture of he and AJ. They were both smiling. It was from their first date. AJ had on one of his nicer jackets and a Christian Cage tee shirt. His bright smile seemed to outshine the moon that was in the background. Christian had his arm around the smaller man and was holding him close. They had been so happy. So carefree back then.

Christian's hand shook as he held the picture as carefully as he could. "Do we really have to end it right now?" He asked to no one in particular.

Silence greeted his last plea with himself.

The match was going to start soon, and AJ didn't know where Christian was. He really didn't want to do this right now. He knew who he would choose. He had been planning it for weeks. But Christian…he really didn't want to leave him so soon.

AJ had his own picture to look at. The one from he and Christian's second date. They were standing together in front of a brightly lit Ferris wheel. Christian stood behind AJ in the picture, his arms wrapped over the other man's shoulders. His forearms crossed and his fingers were interlaced with AJ's.

AJ remembered that night all too well. It had been cold and Christian had let him borrow his jacket. The jacket he still carried in his bag, because he had convinced himself that it still had a trace of Christian's cologne on it. The scent had long since faded, and just like it had their relationship. It was too bad that it all came down to this.

Yesterday we were laughing (if you're gonna say goodbye)
Today I'm left here asking (if you're gonna say goodbye)
And although we knew this time would come for me and you
Don't say anything tonight
If you're gonna say goodbye

AJ hopped up on the ring apron and hugged Christian during the match. Christian was surprised. Had AJ really chosen him over Kurt? For a moment he was overjoyed. That was, until he felt AJ's boots in his back when the dropkick connected. As the bell was ringing, Christian could faintly hear AJ say, "I'm sorry, Christian. This is our goodbye."