Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Author Note: Contains allusions to Adrian/Sami/Tyler.
SMILES TO FIX
Breaking an ankle, man. Less than a month before Wrestlemania. Talk about bad luck. Cursed was more like it. Adrian was trying not to feel dark and bitter, knowing that someone else was going to perform on the biggest stage in wrestling in his place. All because of a simple slide into the ring, something he'd done thousands of times before. Only now he had a broken ankle.
Adrian was an 'up' person in general. He looked on the bright side and got on with things because moaning wasn't going to change anything, was it? This, though, this was testing him, especially since he couldn't go to the gym for the moment either. It was the worst injury he'd had yet and it'd cost him so much. All that hard work in NXT and making it onto the main roster and now, because of that one slide, he was missing Wrestlemania.
Sami and Tyler weren't going to miss out and he was well pleased for them. They deserved it so much and Sami would be able to knock chunks out of Kevin, a beating that was always a long time coming. Tyler hadn't gotten a match yet but he'd be there, on the red carpet, making sure he was front and centre. Adrian should be there with him, listening to Tyler's running commentary about how awful everyone looked interspersed with complaints about whatever Sami was wearing. Tyler really wanted control of Sami's wardrobe, which Sami was still firmly and amusedly resisting.
Sami and Tyler had visited him already – Sami bringing grapes and Tyler some flowers that had looked expensive and elegant enough to be one of his accessories. There'd been snatched days, good ones. And they never asked how he was feeling. God, he missed them. Felt worse today somehow.
There was a knock at the door. Adrian hobbled up to his feet, he wasn't expecting anyone and frankly he didn't think he was great company at the minute. Still, he opened the door and found Summer Rae and a large deep red suitcase that looked like it came from the same line as Tyler's.
Summer smiled widely, "Surprise!"
She wheeled her case in past Adrian, who was more than a bit stunned and speechless. Shouldn't Summer be on the road? Not that he wasn't pleased, far from it. His heart was jumping up, only this all meant no one was mediating between Sami and Tyler. He hadn't had any phone calls about it so that had to be a good sign.
Summer glanced around the apartment, then rested a hand on Adrian's shoulder, leaning in to offer two air-kisses.
"This is so nice. Oh, coffee?"
Adrian gestured towards the kitchen, "There's instant. And some fresh stuff from Breezy I think."
Summer laughed, stowing her case so that it wasn't in the way, and headed out of the room, "That's still so cute. Breezy. Do you want a cup too?"
"Um, yeah, white, a couple of sugars. It's all on the right of the fridge."
Summer didn't ask any questions so apparently she'd found everything. Hearing her move around the kitchen - humming a little, admiring her own reflection – Adrian found himself sporting his first actual smile of the day. Amazing. Summer had only brought one case as well; she still packed a lot lighter than Tyler. The heart-jumping feeling hadn't stopped but Adrian still angled his phone out to message the man himself.
Did you send her to mother me?
Ray of Sunshine is a nurturer. She wouldn't be talked out of it. Don't you dare ruin her.
She's not my type, Breezy.
She's everyone's type.
Adrian was shaking his head as Summer appeared carrying two full coffee mugs. It'd taken a bit of getting used to at first, having Summer in the car between shows, hearing her and Tyler's conversations, Summer including Adrian even when they talked about fashion houses that he never had a clue about. She'd been a lot more relaxed than Adrian had ever seen her at shows. From what she'd said, not many of the girls on the roster liked her, that couldn't be easy. Adrian had wondered if that was why she'd started spending so much time with Tyler in the first place.
Her opinion of herself was a good match for Tyler's, unsurprisingly. Unlike him she was fond of linking arms with Adrian and asking about his friends and what the English soccer scores were like and had he picked an American football team yet? Adrian had missed all of that, he'd missed her. Summer had pretty quickly become a tight-knit member of their group, and not just because she'd been great at distracting Tyler when Sami had been off injured.
Summer smiled as she set the mugs down. Moments like that, it was like she and Tyler were mirror images. They did look good together, especially in photographs. Adrian had a couple saved on his phone. Summer waited until Adrian had settled back onto the sofa and then tucked herself down next to him. She was wearing a knitted jumper, the kind that was too big at the top so it constantly slipped down one shoulder, sometimes both. Her ruby and silver bracelets looked like something Tyler would buy. Just seeing her adjust them and smile, it was like the smile Adrian hadn't been able to find all day wouldn't leave him now.
Summer gazed at Adrian's leg, all the strapping on his ankle was pretty bulky, "The news is good, right?"
Adrian nodded, "Clean breaks, a couple of months off."
He didn't add that that meant he'd be missing Wrestlemania. It didn't look like he had to, mind, because Summer squeezed his wrist and handed him a cup of coffee without a word about it.
"You are going to look so good with that Intercontinental belt."
Adrian's mouth twitched. She sounded completely sure, like of course he was going to win it, like it was inevitable. That was a really good thought; he'd loved being NXT Champion and winning gold on the main roster was exactly what he was aiming for. He was sure he could do it. It was nice though, hearing someone else believe it too.
"You don't reckon Sami'll take it off Kevin then?"
Summer sipped at her coffee, her eyes totally sure, her mouth twisting confidently, "Oh I know he is going to make sure nobody remembers Kevin even being in that match."
Sami had only talked to Summer on the phone but never seemed to mind her calls.
"She's a lot of fun," was his assessment.
Yeah, that was more than right. It was good, hearing Summer support Sami like that. Adrian was sure Sami would appreciate it; he got right down when he was injured. And Kevin always had that effect on him too. Adrian hated it and he knew Tyler did as well.
There was another knock at the door, Summer immediately got to her feet with a wide satisfied smile that made Adrian's smile become a grin. She was so pleased with herself and apparently she had good reason because in a few short moments she was presenting him with a huge wicker crate, like a really posh picnic basket.
"It's a day for spoiling."
It turned out; it was a picnic basket. There were cold crab rolls and really tasty crisps and a lot of fresh fruit and hot chicken wings which Adrian knew for a fact Summer didn't like but she'd ordered them anyway, for him. Sami would be jealous – he loved them wings. Summer had gotten a little bottle of champagne for herself and a bottle of fruit juice for Adrian, seeing as he couldn't have alcohol at the moment. Apparently Summer had ordered it from one of those pricey places that Adrian never bought anything from personally but that Tyler and Summer seemed to live by.
It was a really kind thought, touching even; gifting him something he'd really appreciate and get actual use out of, even if it was a lot pricier than Adrian would ever think of buying himself. Tyler was still learning that nuance, it was like the more he spent the better he thought the gift was.
Summer kept him entertained with Sami and Tyler stories ("His wallet went missing before the dry cleaning and there's two cards missing, but Sami so has them, there was this weird moment last week about his plaid shirts,") and highlights of backstage gossip, including the theories she'd heard about why she was now close to Adrian, Sami and Tyler ("It's really hilarious, God, just because I don't want to spend time with the girls. Like I don't have better things to do,"). It didn't sound hilarious but Summer didn't look bothered. She had a properly thick skin.
As for who she was actually dating, well as long as he was making Summer happy and treating her right, that was all that mattered, wasn't it? He was all right by Adrian anyway.
Summer leaned her head against Adrian's shoulder and inevitably produced her phone. Adrian laughed but didn't fight it, "I don't know whose worse, you or him."
"You've got to show people you're still the most gorgeous," Summer replied, not sorry in the least.
She angled her head a certain way and smoothed her hair before clicking a couple of pictures. When she scrolled through them, Adrian could see he looked as amused as he felt. He hadn't looked or felt like that in a while, maybe his bad day stretched back before today and all. He didn't really like thinking about it though.
Summer seemed satisfied with the pictures because she stayed reclining against Adrian.
"So I have the keys to bae's seasonal residence and a week off the road."
Adrian looked down at her in surprise, his heart tipping up again. "You've taken time off?"
Summer shook her head, something flittering through her expression, "There's a different focus right now, I'm still doing media runs and I have a great idea for Mania so I'll just change the focus then."
They weren't using her. Adrian managed to wrap an arm around her and squeeze. He didn't ask how she was feeling. So Summer wasn't appreciated by the Authority and from what she'd said, the locker room was a bit of a nightmare for her too. She was still getting paid of course but she wasn't out in front of the cameras which she loved as much as Tyler did. The women were killing it in the ring and Summer was still learning but how was she going to improve if she wasn't out there competing? It had to hurt and make her mad. Maybe the Authority and the other girls didn't know but Summer did care. And didn't anyone want her at ringside to manage them either?
Summer stayed tucked close to him and didn't say a word, which spoke volumes. As long as he was sensible, he could travel. Maybe Sami and Tyler could join them, for a bit of a break, even just a weekend. His heartbeat sped up.
"I'm packing light," Adrian warned, unable to keep the smile out of his voice.
Summer readjusted so that she wasn't talking into his shirt, her tone self-satisfied, "You'll need to."
So she had plans, probably a lot like Tyler's usually were. She fiddled with her phone, like she was intending on messaging Tyler himself, while Adrian combed fingers through her hair. His heart was still flipping – a bit of time away, warm weather, a chance to refocus, work out exactly how he was going to slice to the heart of gaining the Intercontinental Championship. That all sounded really good. Did Tyler know about this? He was going to be so unbelievably smug, even more than usual.
When Adrian moved to message Tyler, he found a text from Sami instead, Have fun in the sun : )
"Is everyone in on this?" Adrian wanted to know.
Summer looked at his phone and smirked, "Everyone that matters."
You'd better come have some too. Someone's got to help me throw Tyler in the pool, fully clothed.
Adrian grinned as he sent that message, his grin only increasing when he got a string of enthusiastic emojis back, capped off with a couple of moving hearts. He'd call the office in a minute – Summer had probably cleared it with them already so there wouldn't be any delays. She must have gotten use of Tyler's private plane too. He could see Sami and Tyler soon, away from the effect of Kevin, the stress of Mania, everything. God, that sounded good.
Stop trying to organise my life, Breezy.
Wheels up at 4pm. Your complexion can't handle the sun.
Yes, Adrian knew to pack high factor suncream, thanks Breezy. Looked like Adrian and Summer had some hours yet before Tyler's plane was scheduled to leave. Adrian tucked his phone away, his free hand still tangling in Summer's hair. He knew this wasn't all for his benefit but being thought of like that in any way, by Sami, Tyler and Summer, it made his smile more than likely to linger and his heart stay up. What a proper gift, and there were still more hot chicken wings to finish.
-the end
