Author's Note: Battleground's tonight, don't know whether I'm excited for it or dreading it. Anyway, just another heads up that Dean's thoughts about Seth in this chapter are not very kind at all. If it offends you, don't read it.
Dean rolled his eyes when Roman stepped aside looking satisfied with what he'd said for some unknown reason and nodded at Seth. Damn it, he was really hoping that they'd changed their minds and Roman's horrible attempt at a mea culpa had been for the both of them. But obviously that wasn't the case and he sighed against the tape. The high flier really could live up to the never shuts up catch phrase that he had used last year. Which meant that he wasn't going to get out of this damn chair any time soon.
Fuck, this really sucked.
Seth stepped forward, looking wary even though he was bound and gagged. His eyes closed for a second and he nodded to himself. That was a mannerism that was known all too well. It meant that the traitor was collecting his thoughts and organizing his talking points of which there were many no doubt. He nodded again and opened his eyes, fixing his pathetically contrite gaze on him.
Sorry bitch, Bambi eyes didn't work on him.
"I made a lot of mistakes and a lot of bad decisions." He let out a breath. "Too many to possibly name right now or we'd be here for days."
No shit.
Nice to see that he was going with the same state the obvious tact that Roman had so stupidly employed. They must have practiced their sorry ass apologies while they were at the gym or something. Maybe the scum of the earth would even join the Samoan in the blame game. Putting every crappy ass choice and all his sketchy as fuck behavior on Dean's shoulders. After all, that was right up the asshole's scummy alley to do that instead of manning up and owning it.
"I have no excuse for that other than my own foolish desire to prove that I belonged at the top of the company, that I was more than just the architect of the Shield. I let it affect me personally, pushing you guys away because I thought that you'd hold me back. I let it color the way I looked at and the way I treated you guys when we weren't on camera." The darker haired man paused, collecting himself. "Then my injury happened and I had a lot of time to realize how badly I screwed up, how stupid I was to let go of the two best friends that I ever had in this business just for the chance to be the man."
Oh for fuck's sake.
This was nothing that he didn't fucking know already. Didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what motivated the weasel to become a corporate stooge on TV. Or him turning into a class A asshole off it. It was a story as old as fucking time in their business, hell everywhere you looked you saw it play out again and again. Dean just didn't have any fucks left to give about the sellout's big epiphany or his sudden desire to make things right between them.
"We were brothers. Always had each other's backs and looked out for one another." Seth sighed, his eyes getting glassy. "I never should have thrown that away. Shouldn't have let my doubts and fears override what I knew in my heart."
Well this was getting uncomfortably fucking mushy.
Dean did not deal well with emotional people. At all. He detested sappy situations, they made his skin crawl. Hated when people fucking cried over shit like it would make things better because it didn't and never would. Maybe if he held his breath, he could pass out before the younger man started sniveling.
"God, you don't even know how hard it was to stand in that ring and tear everything we shared to shreds. To say that I never cared about you and that you two were just business associates."
Yeah right.
He was real sure that he'd been all torn up about it. So broken up that he fucking repeated it every time there was a microphone in his hand or a camera in his smug fucking face. Looked real fucking sad when he screwed them over repeatedly. When he did everything he could to keep them from succeeding. And the younger man really showed so much remorse over his actions when he fucking curb-stomped his head through fucking cinderblocks.
"And you don't know how bad it hurt every time we'd pass each other and pretend that we were nothing but strangers. When I'd look over see you glaring at me like I was the biggest scumbag in the world. I felt terrible." The former two toned man sniffled and wiped at his eyes.
Cry him a fucking river.
Dean knew better than anyone that life was tough and you reaped what you sowed. What goes around comes back around in the end to bite you in the ass. Act like a jackass and people were going to treat you like one. Push people away and they weren't going to welcome you back with open arms. Screw over your best friends, the guys that were like brothers to you, then don't be surprise when they tell you to go fuck your lying ass self.
"I know that you don't have a reason to believe me. Can't blame you for that. But I am sorry and want to fix things."
Too bad.
That ship had sailed a long time ago. Probably right after his head was driven through a pile of cinderblocks. It wasn't a heat of the moment incident, it was planned. Done with the intent to end his career and with no worry that even worse, it could have cost him his fucking life. There was no way in hell that he'd ever forgive the bastard for going to those extremes and never once even trying to apologize for it or showing the slightest bit of guilt for what could have happened.
Not to mention that he found out that Seth was the one who had unleashed Bray Wyatt on him so it would end their feud. Paid the man a pretty penny to have him interfere in Hell in a Cell. Told him all the deep dark secrets of Dean's past that the psycho cult leader spilled to the world. Yeah, Bray may be sick and twisted but he had enough guts to admit it. But the so called architect had never come clean with that information and he probably never would.
"It'll take time but I'm willing to wait."
Rollins would be waiting until the day he died then.
Dean really wished that he'd hurry this up. His arms and legs were cramping from being bound to this damn chair. The tape covering his mouth was starting to itch. He was fucking hungry since he tossed the food they brought with them in the trash. Plus, he really needed to take a damn shower. The dried sweat on his body from his run and climb was annoying him.
"I love you man. You're my big brother and I need you in my life."
There were the waterworks.
It sickened him how easily the smarmy prick was able to cry on command. How he thought some bullshit declaration of love and family would let him off the hook. They wouldn't. The bastard could cry until he drowned in his phony tears and he could claim that he loved him and that he was sorry until he was hoarse or got laryngitis. But hollow, meaningless words would never make up for the things he did and the things he did but wouldn't admit to.
"I know that you're pissed right now, that you're probably sitting there and plotting our gory deaths." Seth looked extremely nervous at that prospect. "But all Roman and I want is a chance to prove ourselves to you. The opportunity to earn back your trust and your friendship. Even if we're never as close as we used to be, it'll be alright as long as we're allowed to be in your life as something more than co-workers."
Why should he allow that?
He'd let down his guard and invited them into his life once before. Treated them like the family he never had but always wanted. Hadn't done anything but be there for them whenever they needed him. Trusted their lies, allowed himself to care for them, believed that they'd always have his back no matter what the business threw at them. Only to end up being screwed over and left behind like he always was.
"We're going to cut the tape and let you go." The darker haired man raked his teeth over his bottom lip worriedly. "We were desperate for a way to make you listen and this was the only way we could think of to make sure it happened. I know that we don't really deserve it but if you could do us a favor and not call the cops or kill us, that would be great."
Dean just rolled his eyes again, knowing that he wouldn't make any promises.
