The unbelievable happened. I finally managed to edit the next chapter... I'm so sorry. I really am. But life continues to be crappy as hell.

Act Twenty-Five: the jocks strike back

That he jizzed his underwear while Dean was right there, watching his every move with hawk-like eyes, was downright horrifying. During breakfast he had barely been able to look his friend in the eyes. Dean though made one very tender joke about it and laughed it off, dropping the matter as if he has to deal with immature fanboys every day of his life.

Which he kind of does, since Seth lives together with him.

However, that is not as bad as knowing he will have to see his family on the weekend. Not only that though; he has to spend two days at the place he once foolishly called home. The thought alone makes him sick. He hasn't talked to them yet, only read their birthday message – or threat, to be more precise – and Dean encouraged him to stay strong. He promised to never leave his side and that this time, they would deliver the final blow, if Seth is ready to cut all ties with his family. And believe him, he is. Has been ever since they thought they could make him their prisoner.

Sadly, all that combined is still nothing compared to what awaits him at school on Friday. Seth has been dreading the jock's revenge ever since he punched Grant in the face; he just never imagined them to go this far. He had prepared himself to get beaten up every day next week – as some kind of special graduation gift – or that they would make fun of Dean and their relationship in some immature, painful way.

What he sees when he walks into the school building in the morning though hurts him so much that, for a second, he can't breathe, struggling to hold back the tears. He doesn't particularly mind everyone pointing at him, laughing their butts off, insulting him as loud as they can. Seth got used to that years ago.

What Grant and his friends achieved is, by far, the worst thing someone has ever done to him. Every cell of his body aches and he fears he will never be able to smile again. Seth doesn't cry – which is little short of a miracle –, just keeps on walking through school with his head held high even though every minute he has to spend here, he dies some more on the inside.

He never thought someone could stoop so low, yet here he is, confronted with his new worst nightmare.

Somehow he makes it through the whole day without running in front of a bus or having an anxiety attack; taking one of the flyers with him after school, not able to touch the rest too. Maybe the janitor will get rid of them and if they are still there on Monday, then so be it. It's not like he could erase that out of everyone's memories anymore. The damage is already done.

Grant and his entourage probably wanted him to run through the building in a frenzy, trying to rip the colored sheets of paper off the walls, lockers and doors. But Seth knows when he has lost and he won't give anyone the satisfaction of showing them they finally managed to break him.

As soon as he walks into Cyberfights he feels his chest tightening around his ribs, a huge lump in his throat making it hard to talk. His eyes burn terribly and all he wishes to do is close them forever. Take the elevator to the rooftop and jump down, so that his pathetic existence, all of this, ends. He is tired of fighting.

Seth is barely able to nod at Summer Rae, dashing past her and to his office as fast as he can. He feels bad for ignoring her, but he can't bear anyone looking at him anymore. Not when all he sees in his mind are those embarrassing flyers plastered all over his high school.

So far, being eighteen sucks. And this is just day two.

'Who pissed in your cereals?' Dean greets him with his usual carefree smirk – apparently having waited for him – and Seth breathes relieved before anger and shame reclaim him. He doesn't make it to his chair, just shuts the door and sags down to the floor, pulling his knees close to hug himself while kicking his backpack towards his friend so he can see for himself.

Dean frowns but opens it, taking out the pink flyer and everything freezes as soon as his crush understands what he is holding in his hands. The smile Seth loves to see so much dies in the fraction of a second, making way for disbelief and unrestrained wrath.

'This a joke?' his crush grits out, sounding beyond pissed and ready to straight up murder someone. That is something Seth always has liked so much about Dean. That he considers Seth as someone he wants to protect at all costs and if he gets hurts, there is no force on earth that can stop Dean from executing his revenge. No one gets to bring Seth pain, not on Dean's watch.

And still, it happened today in the worst way possible.

'I wish,' he whispers, his hoarse voice sounding weird even to his own ears. It's crystal clear he has given up, that he is at a very dangerous place right now and Dean knows he might be the only one who can stop him from doing something stupid. 'They're all over school.'

He rests his forehead on his knees, no longer able to look into those deep blue eyes that show that Dean aches just as much as Seth. He shivers, convinced he won't ever get warm again. Not even in the Californian heat. 'I feel so violated, so dirty. Like this is my fault.'

Dean jumps up and sits down on the floor next to him, hugging Seth with his strong arms that always make him feel safe. Warm breath ghosts over his ear when Dean whispers vehemently, 'This is not your fault. It's a felony; contribution of pornography. Did you report it?'

Felony. Pornography. Those words make his head spin and Seth is sure he is going to empty his stomach because this thing inside of him needs to leave. He stays where he is, swallowing down bile, tears and desperation alike. That Dean is on his side means so much to him. It's everything, especially since he is about to say farewell to his parents and siblings soon.

Seth shakes his head, feeling Dean's cheek press itself against his temple when he sighs, 'Why bother? Grant's dad donates a lot of money to our school each year and Patrick's father has a seat on the board. Everyone will cover this incident up and once our graduation is over no one will waste much thought on it anymore.' He would be running against a brick wall trying to defeat them. Seth should have known that he was never meant to win this war. By dragging Dean into this mess he only made it worse. All of this got so out of hand and now Grant and his dumb, mindless minions put him in checkmate. It is over.

'I won't let them get away with this,' Dean promises in Jon Moxley's serial killer voice and Seth gets chills all over his body. Never cross Dean Ambrose. He might be a softie, but boy, piss him off once and you can dig your own grave.

But not even his crush can win against a family that solves every problem with money. He knows how this works from his own home. So Seth lifts his head to smile at Dean, already playing this whole matter down by shrugging, 'I have starred on porn movies; no big deal, right?'

Dean only stares at him as if Seth has lost his mind, mouth pressed into a thin line to not let out any words he would regret until he's back to having coherent thoughts.

It's painfully obvious that his friend won't let this matter go that easily. And he will not allow Seth to simply give up either. 'You ain't a porn actor. Seth, this is different. People taking pictures of you in the shower without your knowledge or consent and hanging those photos up all over a public building against your will is different. That's a crime, and this won't change just cause you ignore it.'

Why can't Dean understand his point of view? Ratting out Grant would only result in another horrible act of revenge and Seth isn't sure how much more he is able to take. It's not even a lie when he mutters crestfallen, 'I don't want to make a big deal out of it.'

Dean sighs and tucks a strand of hair behind Seth's ear, gently bumping their foreheads together. 'No one ever does. Don't let them treat you like that.'

'What good would it do?' he sighs, taking in the alluring scent of a freshly showered somewhat fake boyfriend. 'After next week I won't see them again.' Heaven help him if he ever intends to go to a reunion. He will even allow Dean to lock him up, should he so much as breathe the wish.

'Don't act like you deserve that; like it doesn't bother you at all,' his friend chides him, two fingers lifting his jaw so they can look each other in the eyes. Dean's voice is all conspiratorial when he whispers, 'Tell me what you'd like to do to them.'

Oh, his crush wants him to explore his darker side? After a day like this, there is a lot of darkness just waiting to be unleashed. His own words still surprise him when he barks, 'Cut off their dicks and feed them to rabid dogs.' Maybe then they would understand the pain he had to endure today and the shame that is going to cling to his skin for the rest of his life.

Dean doesn't laugh about his immature remark, but he does cock his head and bumps their noses together as some kind of solace. 'Okay,' his friend chuckles, winking at him, 'something less Hannibal Lecter and more, whatshisname, Stiles Stiliwhatever. I have nothin' against some morally dubious shit but let's try to keep us outta jail.'

Right, Dean has already been there; Seth tends to forget that little fact. Not because he wants to delete that part of Dean's life out of his memory but because he is too afraid that his parents will somehow find a way to send him back in – and it would be Seth's fault. He could never live with that knowledge.

Fine, then he will think of something less murderous even though he would love nothing more than to inflict eternal emotional and physical pain on his adversaries. It might show in his next ideas. 'Put NAIRE in their shampoo, set their houses on fire, make them believe they are terminally ill, kidnap their pets, cut their throats open.'

There's a gentle, impressed smile on Dean's lips yet he doesn't give into Seth's darkest wishes, suggesting, 'Tone down your inner Moriarty, hot stuff. Though I gotta admit, I like this new side of ya. Kinda sexy. Anyway, I got a better idea. What type of girls does this Grant dig?'

'Huh?' he says very eloquently, mind tripping over Dean relishing in the bad cop inside of him. He should file that away under possible ways to seduce his crush. For now though, Seth's whole body deflates, the fight leaving him as he ponders over Dean's last words. What has Grant's interest in women to do with Seth getting payback?

'Here, at Cyberfights,' Dean prods, the two fingers under his chin disappearing, so one of them can boop him. What an adorable goof. 'Who would he love to get blown by?'

Ugh, that is something Seth has never spared a thought at and he is quite proud of being able to say so. But Dean is looking at him with this expectant expression, so he ignores the jab in his chest when he recalls the image of the bully and what he overheard all the times they didn't realize he was in the same room as them.

It's easy to narrow down, since most of the women working here are in a long-lasting relationship and thus way too old for Grant's liking. 'Paige, I guess,' he muses, ruling out Emma since she is too cute and Summer Rae because she is way too tall. Plus, they both don't have the right accent. 'He always brags about banging their British au pair.'

Dean hums, arching his eyebrows for a second, as if he considers her feminine charms for the first time in his life. It's really relieving that Seth doesn't feel a pang of jealousy; maybe he is on a good way and this has nothing to do with Dean being mainly focused on male partners. 'Paige, huh? She's perfect.'

'Perfect for what?' he asks suspiciously, only now realizing that Dean is serious about this. Whatever it is. Even though he's grinning from ear to ear, his eyes give his crush away. Dean seems so furious on Seth's behalf, he's hurting for both of them. His friend wants retribution, itches to avenge Seth and show Grant that no one messes with his boy. This isn't his pretend boyfriend trying to protect him. It's his best friend Dean, the man he loves with every fiber of his being and who has some kind of feelings for him too, flipping his lid because someone dared to maltreat him.

Dean's mean smirk gives him goosebumps if he is being completely honest. There is way too much Jon Moxley shining through, even though he was the one who said they should not turn into Gotham's finest villains.

'She'll seduce him,' his friend proposes, 'promise him a blow job. He'll get one, but not from her.' Oh. Compromising pictures and all that. An eye for an eye; very biblical.

'Smart,' he nods, not quite sure if he likes the idea or not. 'And who do you have in mind for the dirty deed?' Please, don't let Dean say he will do it himself. It would kill him if Grant of all people would get more action than Seth, the one who has been pining over Dean for the past few years.

'Dolph,' his crush immediately eases his worries, sitting back straight against the door, only his thigh still touching Seth. Oddly enough, it is enough to keep him grounded. Even when Dean reveals, 'He's really good at it.' That is another one of those things Seth never wanted to hear. He can live without this knowledge just perfectly fine. 'And he'd help us get back at them. Especially once we tell him why we wanna do it.'

Seth isn't able to fight it, he panics instantly. Dean can't truly consider talking about today's events to anyone else, not even if they are part of the plan. 'Don't show him the flyer,' he begs, his throat tightening around the words. It was hard enough to let Dean into this and he is the person Seth trusts the most. No one else should see a naked Seth under the shower, his privacy no longer sacred and his genitals the cause of a new high school meme.

'No way,' Dean says, voice only showing the slightest hints of disappointment. 'I'd never do that to you.' Yes, he knows and he feels terrible for doubting his friend for just a single second but he has been through hell today and Seth has a hard time understanding how Grant and his minions could do this to him. His only consolation is that school ends in a few days and he doesn't ever have to go back there.

An arm sneaks around his shoulders and Dean pulls him into a hug, once again saying more with his actions than his words, calming Seth in a heartbeat. He is not really on board with this plan, but on the other hand, he has no better idea either. Dean knows what he is doing and if Paige and Dolph are in, then he guesses it's okay?

There is only one stipulation he has. 'We won't do what Grant did.' They will not distribute any pictures. Seth refuses to be as tasteless as Grant and his entourage. Being the better human is the one thing that helped him survive their torment during high school and he won't lose this part of him too.

Dean ruffles through his hair, smiling brightly, no trace of Jon Moxley left. 'We'll only let him sweat, promise. Pretend to have something to blackmail him for life. We're not really making pictures but he doesn't need to know, right? He'll never dare to even think of you again, let alone wound you.'

This still sounds absurd and highly illegal but Seth is amazed that Dean would indeed go to jail for him – just like everyone at Cyberfights, especially Roman, feared he would. He must mean a great deal to his crush. 'You would really do that for me?'

He has to ask, just to hear the other say the words he is longing for. Dean's smile turns gentle and he cups Seth's cheeks, once more making eye contact. 'Actually, it'll be Dolph and Paige doin' the dirty work.' Oh. That is not what he meant. Thankfully, his crush isn't done yet. 'But I'd die for you, you hear me? I'd do anything for ya.'

Now this is what he was talking about. Some kind of commitment Seth can work with. He also realizes belatedly that this is the moment. After all this time, it has finally arrived. And if he doesn't say it now, there won't be another chance. 'I lo–'

Dean won't even let him finish, jumping up and wiping the dust from his pants, voice a tad too shrill when he interrupts his confession; that took him all of his courage, by the way. 'Let's go talk to Dodo– ha, see what I did there?'

How can he be so proud of that joke, though it is a bit funny comparing their friend to the extinct, not very bright bird, when Seth just wanted to declare his love because he was a hundred percent sure Dean would have no other choice than to finally say it back? That's what perfect moments are for, aren't they?

God, this is so Dean Ambrose; annoying and endearing at the same time. That his best friend walks out of the room, leaving behind a bewildered Seth however, isn't so awesome. All this touching and plotting and I'd die for you and in the end he is still sitting alone on the ground, the door Dean used to push him out of the way during his frantic flight hurting his lower back.

This just had to happen, after the crappy day he already had. Seth should have known better. But with Dean being all touchy-feely he thought he could give it a try. After all, there must come a time his friend won't turn into dust when it gets serious.

Seth stands up too, grumbling lowly, 'Someone has an aversion to hear I love you. Let me guess. It's still too early, I'm not ready, hot stuff.' The usual blah blah Dean uses to fob Seth off with.

He never thought Dean was still lurking outside, listening to his tiny outburst, so when his crush comes back, looking him dead on in the eyes, he startles Seth, scaring him to death. There might even have been a shriek coming out of his mouth.

'Damn right, kiddo,' Dean barks, composing himself very fast though to say a bit more civilized, 'You'll know when I am.' Yeah, Seth has heard that broken record a million times already. He can tell right now that Dean will probably be finally ready on his deathbed. But what can he do, other than twist his thumbs and trust Dean to not abandon him out of the blue or choosing Roman instead of him?