Velveteen Dream loses. After weeks of boasting and getting under Aleister Black's skin, it's Dream laying out on the mat, trying his hardest to catch his breath, dazed and in disbelief that he'd lost. That everything he'd done and said and thought about had failed him when he'd needed it all to work the most.
He can barely move, his entire body feels heavy, weighed down by disappointment and soreness from all of Aleister's offense, when he hears shifting nearby. He expects Aleister to leave, to let him ruminate in his loss, then leave him behind permanently forever after. Never acknowledge him again, never care enough to give him the time of day. Nothing.
But then he looks up and sees Aleister has a microphone in hand, a cold, calculating look on his face, as if he's still deciding what exactly he wants to do.
Dream grits his teeth, expecting to be denied once more, to have his humiliation compounded by Aleister once more using his given name instead of his chosen. Why is it so hard to call me by my name? Why can't he acknowledge me to that degree? Why can't he just... give me that much? He already defeated me, decisively. Just give me this one thing, please. Don't make this worse, don't break me further. That's all I ask. Just say my name. Let me see how it shapes your lips, how it sounds in your voice. Just one thing to hold onto before I try to rebuild, move on.
He's slumped on the mat, struggling to breathe, and he's so distracted by his own overwhelming thoughts, he only just registers when Aleister speaks. "Welcome to infamy, Velveteen Dream."
It feels like the foundation of his entire existence has changed. Hearing his name on the other man's lips, all Dream can do is stare at him as he slowly untangles himself and slinks out of the ring, back up the ramp, leaving him behind. He really, really liked hearing his name coming from the other man's lips. He knows that Aleister is effectively done with him, will probably move on to bigger, better things, but that's not how it's going to end for Dream. He wants... he needs more...
And Velveteen Dream wants more. Needs to hear it again. And what the Dream wants, the Dream always gets. When he goes backstage and gets a mic thrust in front of his face for an interview, all he can do is stare ahead in a daze. "He said my name," he says before leaving the interviewer behind to go to his locker room and try to clear his head before the trip home.
-x
Velveteen Dream isn't the only one affected by the evening's events. Aleister is sitting in the dark, trying to control his breathing, listening to the still and peace around him. His fingers twitch, reach up. Brush against his lips. Remembers how it had felt to form those words on his tongue. Something had felt right about it, the words slipping past his lips as smooth as satin.
He wonders if the infamy he had promised Velveteen Dream is the world's... or his own. He flexes his fingers and lifts them, eyes flickering in the nearly nonexistent lighting. touches his lips and thinks again about saying that name. What he had promised to never say, until this match happened, until Aleister realized he was feeling alive, enjoying the challenge. Felt that Velveteen Dream deserved something to keep him from fixating on this loss. Had wanted to show him, just a little, what this match, this evening, had meant to him.
He realizes he wants to say Velveteen Dream's name, keep saying it, punctuate just how vital it has oddly become to him in the last couple of months. As frustrating as the man had been, he's also been an interesting challenge, constantly making Aleister think harder, work faster, do all he could to keep a few steps ahead of the younger man. He's green and he's young, with an ego issue, but Aleister is intrigued to see what the man does in the future.
He sits in the dark and rolls hie eyes at himself for not being able to focus on his breathing, his thoughts so fixated on this infuriating, young man. He claps his hands roughly and the lights come back on, a screen just visible before him. He stares at it until it begins to play what he wants of it- Dream's interview once more running through, pausing briefly on the man's face as he reflects on Aleister saying his name, how wistful his voice sounds.
For the first time since meeting him, Aleister is almost amused to find the man feels something other than pride and self-confidence. "I see," he says quietly. "You are as affected as I am about whatever this is between us. Perhaps I will have to see how far this can go. Perhaps."
It's definitely something to think about, at any rate. For now, he gently eases his hands down to the ground and darkness overwhelms the area once more, allowing him to return to meditation, keeping his breathing steady and deep.