Here it is! The long awaited fourth chapter!
I'm so sorry it took so long, some things happened that set me back. A big thanks to one of my friends on Tumblr who helped me with the editing:)
Anyway, enjoy:)
AJ awoke the next morning with a body curled up beside him. He opens his eyes, finding Dean's head on his shoulder, a peaceful look on his face. He smiles, at least he wasn't being haunted by a nightmare.
AJ glanced towards the other bed, Luke and Karl still passed out, tangled in each other. He chuckled, his friends were such goofs.
He pulled Dean closer, kissing the top of his head without thinking. He couldn't believe everything that happened last night. How could Roman stoop so low? How could he do that to someone he once called a brother? Was there more to it than mere jealously?
He heard the two start to wake up, poor Karl rolling right off the bed with a loud thud. AJ and Luke both started laughing.
"It's not funny!" Karl pouted as he stood up. He tried sounding angry, but the smile on his face said otherwise.
"Sorry man." AJ said. "You alright?"
"All good."
Luke just kept laughing and AJ sensed what was coming next.
"Mom! Make him stop!"
Goddamnit Enzo. He's so lucky he's on Raw.
AJ smirked, gently settling Dean on the pillow before getting out of bed. He walked over to Karl and playfully tackled him. The two rolled around on the floor as Luke watched, still laughing.
"Call me 'mom' one more time you little shit." AJ laughed as he practically sat on Karl
"But mom!" Karl whined. "I'm the one that fell!"
AJ suddenly felt weight on his back, causing him to fall off Karl and onto the floor. AJ looked next to him to discover the attacker was none other than Dean Ambrose with a huge grin on his face.
Such an innocent face.
So…close…
Wait…he wants…to kiss him?
He blushed, he will admit he has a slight crush on the current World champion. But…would Dean think he would be taking advantage of him during this situation with Roman?
He shook those thoughts away; he'll worry about them later.
"Well, someone's awake." he laughed. "Morning."
"Morning." Dean replied, smile still on his face.
"You know I'm going to get you for that." AJ retorted, a huge smile to match Dean's on his own face.
"I'd like to see you try."
They both can hear snickering, looking to see Karl trying to hold his laughter.
"Something funny over there?" AJ asked.
"I get it. Got lost in those blue eyes huh?"
AJ and Dean both blush at that, quickly standing up and avoiding glances at the other. Karl's snickers got slightly louder during the scene.
"Anyway," AJ tried. "Uh…we should…get ready."
Luke took the hint, "Let's go out for breakfast before heading for the next town."
"Okay." AJ agreed.
"C'mon Karl, we need to get our stuff ready. We'll meet you guys in the lobby."
"Sure." AJ replied while Dean nodded.
"Cool, we'll see you soon."
The two future Tag Team champions then left the room.
AJ and Dean cleaned up and started getting their own things together. AJ could not get over the guilt of not reaching Dean sooner last night. He could have saved him so much earlier than getting there practically right at the last second. He could have prevented everything, if he'd moved the moment he heard Roman throw the first punch.
Why didn't he? Why had he been frozen?
"Dude, you alright?"
AJ looked over at Dean, who was mid-way pealing his shirt off. The man does have a nice chest.
Focus AJ, focus.
"Just…feeling guilty for not saving you sooner last night."
Dean pulled the shirt the rest of the way over his head, tossing it onto the bed before looking at AJ with nothing but concern.
"AJ, it's okay."
"It's not Dean!" AJ shouts, eyes pooling with tears. "I was with Karl and Luke; we could have overpowered him and gotten you out before the closet part even happened! Our feet were just frozen; we couldn't move at all! We did nothing! I'm so sorry!"
He hid his face in his hands, trying to cover the tears. He felt responsible for Dean's torture the night before. If he'd just moved at the very beginning of the phone call, then they would have saved Dean from most of Roman's wrath.
He was expecting Dean to blame him, to punch him, or yell at him. Something, anything. It was AJ's fault for not helping Dean sooner that night and he should be furious.
Come to think of it though, Dean didn't seem pissed at him at all this morning, being goofy as if nothing bothered him.
He was stunned when Dean walked over and hugged him.
Why? Why was Dean doing this?
"Dean?"
"…Thank you, AJ." Dean whispered.
"But Dean-"
"You got me out. Thank you."
AJ sighed, wrapping his arms around Dean's shoulders.
"But I should have been there earlier."
"Even if you did, even if you had gotten there before the beating or the closet part, he would most likely have snuck in the Smackdown arena to do the same thing then. It's okay, really. Don't blame yourself. If anything, it's my own for not fighting back, for being weak."
AJ looked down at the other man, "It's not your fault either Dean. It's Roman's."
"…Yeah…"
AJ wanted to ask about the freak-out itself, Dean's panic filled screams still ringing in his ears. But…he felt it must be a very personal subject for Dean, especially if it produced that type of reaction and he just…didn't want to upset him with the wrong question at the wrong time.
So he settled for holding the other man in his arms. AJ just didn't want to let him go, he didn't have any other explanation for it. He liked how the other man felt in his arms, liked the unique scent he had. And Dean seemed content, eyes closed and a smile on his face.
But they both knew they should finish getting their stuff together and start heading to the next show.
"Hey," AJ started, "we gotta head out soon. Luke and Karl are waiting."
Dean hummed, easing up slightly. He blushed as he finally let go, AJ missing the warmth already.
"...Sorry..." Dean mumbled.
"Don't be." AJ assured, smiling.
They both resumed packing and changing in comfortable silence, both stealing glances at each other when they thought the other wasn't looking.
They eventually met up with Luke and Karl in the lobby and headed for the little diner across the street. They were seated quickly, taking one near one of the front windows. The future Tag champs started teasing the other two for being late as soon as they sat down.
"We weren't late by that much." Dean laughed.
"Thought we had to do a search and rescue." Karl teased, earning a punch in the arm from AJ.
"We were only off by ten minutes." he laughed.
"Lots of things can happen in ten minutes." Karl added, winking.
AJ blushed, punching him in the arm again.
The waitress arrived and took orders, leaving as quickly as she came.
After she left, the table's tone took a more serious turn.
"Hey Dean?" Luke started, looking at the blonde.
"Yeah?"
"…You doing alright?"
Dean sighed, moving his gaze to the table, "I mean…I didn't think he would ever be that type of person. He's told me over and over again that he's not like Seth…"
"People can change." Karl noted. "He's probably frustrated that the fans don't accept him. No matter what he does, they boo him. He just snapped I guess."
"I don't think he's done." Dean mumbled.
And on cue, his phone got a text. He pulled out his phone, reading the message in fright.
Roman:
This is far from over Little Pup. The fans will soon realize that every hero…falls.
"What is it?" AJ asked.
Dean showed them the message, making the mood even darker.
"We're kicking his ass." Karl said bluntly.
"Defiantly." Luke agreed. "Think his promo will be before or after our match?"
"Promo?"
Luke pulled out his own phone and opened Twitter. He scrolled through his feed until he found the tweet he wanted and showed it to the rest of the table.
WWE WWE:
WWERomanReigns to make a statement tonight on Raw!
All four sets of eyes looked around the table.
This could be very bad.
Live Event: August 22, 2016
AJ and Dean sat in the locker room and watched Raw from the monitor there. They wouldn't watch the whole thing, since they must compete later, but they wanted to see Karl and Luke's match as well as Roman's statement. Both were concerned, but curious as to what Roman has to say.
"Hope they win." Dean said as the match between Bayley and Dana Brooke ended.
"Me too. They deserve it."
"Yeah."
That match was next, and what a match it was. Lots or VERY close calls and lots of amazing sequences. But Xavier at ringside was still causing problems. Luke took care of Big E outside the ring as Karl and Kofi fought inside. As Xavier tried getting involved, Nia Jax appeared out of nowhere and bulldozed Xavier to the ground. This distracted Kofi enough for Karl to get his finisher in and make the cover.
One…
Two…
Three!
Luke and Karl are the new Raw Tag Team champions!
AJ and Dean jumped out of their seats, so happy for their friends. AJ made a mental note to call them after the show.
After the commercial break, it cut to Roman's music playing. It was time for the statement.
AJ noticed Dean's demeanor changing from happiness to one of worry. He placed a hand on the Lunatic's shoulder.
"Deep breath, it'll be alright."
AJ was now cursing himself for not deleting the recording on Roman's phone when he had the chance. He hoped Karl and Luke brought it up to Stephanie and Mick. Then again, would he really play the recording? Roman was such a dick that there's a good chance he would.
The Samoan strolled down towards the ring, that cocky fucking smirk on his face as the boos rained down on him. AJ wanted to rip that smirk off his face.
The fucking nerve.
As he stood in the middle of the ring, the boos got louder. And for once, he didn't look confused.
In fact, he was accepting them.
"I'm cutting to the chase. I'm sick of you people disrespecting me!" he shouted, the boos only increasing in volume. "Ever since the Rumble last year, you people have been nothing but rude to me. No matter what I did; whether it's winning the title, going to war with the Wyatt's or teaming with my so-called brother against the Authority; you find a reason to boo me like I'm some Irish Chicken or a shitty Hollywood Star."
He paused, letting the everlasting boos fuel him. "Doesn't matter who I fight. If it's Seth Rollins, Triple H, Rusev, Cesaro, Kevin Owens, AJ Styles, Randy Orton, Sami Zayn; I'm always booed by you people. Know what? I'm done with you. You want to boo me? Fine, I'll give you a reason to boo me."
He chuckled, "Funny, you quickly reject me, but accept my former brother. You accepted a Lunatic as champion, but rejected the Big Dog for the same thing."
He smirks before dropping the mic and heading to the back.
When it cut to commercial, the two looked at each other, trying to guess Roman's next move.