Heath is focused on getting lunch together, Boodah bounding around at his heels and Wade talking lowly behind him, enough noise going on that it takes him a minute to realize what Wade's saying. "Wait, huh?" he asks, hands digging around in hamburger meat as he forms the perfectly sized burgers for them. "What'd you say?" His dark eyes rest on Wade after he drops each burger onto the huge skillet and turns the heat on.
"I was saying," Wade says calmly, "that probably the only good thing about my injury is getting to see how utterly pissed off Cesaro is that you're going to eliminate him this Sunday. I mean, it's bloody brilliant. If I keep rubbing it in, he more than likely will block me on social media." He grins sharply, seemingly unaware of the look on Heath's face as he continues to talk about it.
Heath grimaces and turns back to the burgers, flipping them until they're just how Wade likes them, not burnt but not entirely bloody either. As soon as he feels they're cooked enough, he takes them off of the flame and throws them onto a couple of buns, placing the plate by Wade. They work silently side by side, Heath helping him to put on enough condiments and vegetables that the meat itself is barely visible. "There ya go, Brit. I... gotta get some air."
Wade's eyebrows raise, having already taken his first bite so he can't respond, watching with a grimace as Heath grabs Boodah's collar and leaves through the back door. "What the-?" he demands after finally swallowing that massive bite. "Ginger," he mumbles, conflicted as he stares at the food.
When Wade finds him, Heath is sitting down the beach, the waves licking at his toes while Boodah races around, nipping and snarling at snails and other little creatures scattered around the sand. Wade grunts, wondering what's going on with Heath that he has to keep chasing him like this, awkwardly sitting down and only being saved from falling over by Heath's steadying grip. "What's going on, ginger?"
Heath just sits there for the longest time, staring out over the horizon, before he sighs. "I don't wanna disappoint you," he mumbles. "You're so sure I'm gonna eliminate Cesaro and win the battle royal but... what if I don't? What if it's just another match for me and I lose?"
Wade stares at his profile, lit by the sun, and thinks of all this business has taken from him. Tag partners, friends, chipping away at his self-esteem bit by bit with each failure. He nudges Heath and tilts his face up with his good hand. "No matter what happens," Wade tells him, "I'm going to be proud of you. I know you try your hardest. It's not easy, especially in multi-man matches and you have nothing to regret, even if you don't eliminate Cesaro. I won't hold it against you."
"Really?" Heath sighs, leaning into his touch.
"Yes, really. Bloody hell, Heath, it's just been amusing to me to torment Cesaro like this. You succeeding, yes, I'd like to see that happen, but if you don't, it won't change how I feel about you." He leans in and lightly kisses Heath, smiling when the last bit of tension leaves him. "I didn't mean to make you feel worse about this weekend. Just put everything I've said out of your mind and do your best, like I know you will." Running his thumb over Heath's lips, he smiles.
"Alright, I will," Heath sighs. "C'mon, man, let's go back inside, your food's gettin' cold." Helping Wade back up, they walk side by side back to the kitchen and, as Wade eats, Heath prepares his own burgers and feeds Boodah, things slowly returning to normal.
Once Heath sits down and starts piling on his own burger toppings, Wade pokes him with the toes of his shoe. "What do you say, if you're really nervous about this weekend, we strategize about what you can do? How about that?"
Heath hesitates with ketchup in hand and looks up at him, smiling. "Ya mean I get first-hand advice from the former champ himself? How can I pass that up?" Scooting his chair closer, he smiles at Wade. "Go on then."
Wade ghosts his hand against the table, going from person to person in the match and describes what he feels is Heath's best bet at exploiting each of their weaknesses. As Heath listens, Wade watches his eyes light up in inspiration.
Once they're finished going through it all a couple of times and Wade has returned to eating, Heath releases a breath, still weighing all of his suggestions. "I love ya, Brit."
Wade's eyes are deep and dark blue as he looks back at Heath, lips twitching into a smile. "I love you too."