A/N: Thank you all for the positive reaction to this fic! Seriously, Kenny Omega and Okada and Ibushi are KILLING ME IN THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE.


"I'm fucked, guys."

Kenny sat uncomfortably in the large chair, sipping carefully at the steaming coffee in his shaking hands. Across the table from him, Matt and Nick Jackson shared a concerned look that they just barely managed to hide from their dear friend and current glorious leader.

"I know this feeling. I haven't felt it in a long damn time, not like this... But I know it." A small, bitter smile curled Kenny's pale lips.

"You'd think after all the shit with Kota, and AJ too, I'd be able to give it a rest for a while."

Nick shook his head. "Kenny, man, you know as well as we do that you're a whore. What did you expect?"

Omega was caught off guard just enough to burst into surprised laughter, drawing a mixture of confused and disapproving looks from the other people in the cafe.

But it's okay; the Elite were used to it.

When the laughter at last died down, Matt nodded sagely. "Look, this isn't exactly the worst case scenario, you know? I think you're over-thinking things."

The Young Bucks knew Kenny perhaps the best of everyone in New Japan (besides Kota Ibushi and a few select others), and they also knew that he took his back-to-back against to Okada hard, like physical blows to his soul.

The first time, after Wrestle Kingdom, Kenny went on a short sabbatical to clear his head and toughen his resolve. For a while, even the Bullet Club, feared that Omega wasn't going to recover from the agonizing loss.

Of course, in true Kenny Omega fashion, he came back.

But then, it was all different. Kenny was angry, sad, uncertain, but he wasn't at all disheartened. If anything, he was more fired up than ever before.

He wanted a rematch.

He knew that he could beat Kazuchika Okada with one more try.

And he lost. Again. But something had changed once more.

Hesitantly, he confessed to Matt and Nick that he had begun to develop feelings for the man who was quickly becoming his capital R RIVAL.

Of course, the Young Bucks were supportive. If anything, they were too supportive.

"Let's look at Shinsuke and Tanahashi, y'know?" Matt was explaining, voice low.

"They had the whole love-hate-friends-enemies-rivals-lovers thing going on for, like, a decade. And it made them both better." Matt folded his arms.

"If you're starting to really fall for Okada, well... I think it might just make you both better."

"Even though it'll be terrible, at first," Nick added with a smile. "It;s always terrible at first."

Kenny chuckled, though his eyes were sad. "Tell me about it."

He took another small sip from his drink. "Hey, I heard a rumor that Ibushi's in the G1 this year. With my luck, I'll end up in the same block as both of them." He frowned.

"Or, worse, not in the same block as them."

Nick sat back in his chair. "Wait, so help me to understand: You love Kota Ibushi, right? Like, love-love. You two are soul mates, and all that."

"Yeah."

"So what, exactly, do you feel for Kazuchika Okada?"

Omega pursed his lips, humming softly as he thought. After a minute, he shook his head.

"Honestly, I'm not sure," he answered truthfully. "My heart started to race when I looked in his eyes, and I realized that every time I touched him..." He shook his head again.

"But it's not sexual. Well, not just sexual. I think. Because I'm also really happy when I'm in the ring with him, just being with him...I think." He sighed and rested his elbows on the table. "But, it's not just the fight I'm looking forward too..."

"I have a possible solution, then," Matt chimed in. "Try sleeping with him first, and then we'll see what happens. If it's real love, it'll help sort things out."

Kenny raised an eyebrow. "Isn't that completely backwards?"

"Not at all!"

"I'm pretty sure it is."

On the side of the table, Nick simply laughed quietly, imagining what these talks would be like if Kenny and Okada got married.

'Interesting days ahead...'

((()))

"What's that look?"

Kazuchika nearly jumped out of skin as Gedo's face appeared right in front of him, seemingly from out of nowhere.

He hadn't even heard the older man enter the room...

"You've been staring off into space a lot lately." The wily veteran walked around his charge in a large circle, looking him up and down.

"Something's wrong."

"Nothing's wrong," Okada lied quickly, but Gedo could see right through him.

"You've been more enthusiastic lately during the matches, but also, you've been more distracted. And I'm glad to see that you're taking on the mantle of Leader that Shinsuke left behind, but I have to wonder what it is that's motivating you..."

"I don't—"

"Is it Omega?"

Okada sat up straight, heart stopping in his chest. "What?!"

"Were you inspired when you saw that damnable Bullet Club coming out to support their Fearless Leader during your match against him? Did it set your heart afire to lead CHAOS to the heights?"

The IWGP Heavyweight Champion relaxed slightly and sighed with relief.

Dodged a bullet. Ironic?

"Gedo-san," he began with his characteristic charming smile, hoping to set his manager's mind at ease. "I promise, everything is okay. I have been thinking a lot; but it is nothing bad, I promise. I want to grow and change as a wrestler, and as a person. I want to get better, be better, always improving.

"I'm more and more...finding my heart."

He trailed off at that, sneaking a peek at the expression on Gedo's face. Sure enough, the older man had his eyes closed, and was nodded in agreement.

"Yes, Kazu, that's exactly it. Find your heart, find what you love the most, and you will be unstoppable." He opened his eyes, and placed a friendly hand on Okada's strong shoulder.

"You know, I was almost worried for you when Nakamura-san left," he admitted, smile sad. "I know how much he means to you, and distance can be a strain on even the strongest relationships. But you, Okada, are strong. So strong. And your heart is, too." He fist bumped Okada's chest.

"You are already great. You will only become greater once you find what your heart wants."

Kazuchika grinned widely at that, his mind, for the moment, clear of thoughts of Kenny.

But only for a moment.

"Thank you, Gedo-san. Always. I will keep becoming greater and greater."

With another pat on the shoulder, Gedo left Kazuchika to his musings.

As he sat alone, once more, he considered the past year. He held the title for a full 365+ days, and had no intentions of losing it anytime soon. He was rivaling Tanahashi for the position of Ace, and believed with all of his heart that he was the one destined to succeed the throne.

Still, the mention of Shinsuke made his heart contract painfully.

'I have to talk to him...soon,' he realized with a wince. Nakamura was extremely open with all matters of love and sex, but the two of them had had a very specific relationship up until now.

'I have to tell him about my feelings for Kenny. He might know what to do...' He frowned.

'Or, kill me. Or kill Kenny. Or kill us both.'

Okada laughed quietly to himself.

'Maybe I can soften him up a bit first...'