Legacy's music was thudding through them, each beat pulsating salt into an already agonising open wound, their battered bodies a quiver with the disgust of defeat and the steady throb of pain.
Hunter crawled towards Shawn, fingers reaching desperately for the aching man. Shawn turned from the consoling touch, the warmth radiating from his hand overrode by the burn of shame a flame in his wracked torso.
Pain spiderwebbed its way from the base of his spine, a solid hot mass of hurt, threaded to his shoulder blades. His knees stung, and he could feel the bruises blossoming on his skin from the fall he'd taken earlier.
And still the hurt of letting Hunter down blazed harder, overpowering any physical toll.
Hunter cradled Shawn's face with his hand, fingers tracing his jawline, as he looked down. Shawn shifted beneath him, eyes seeking the ring post, the place where he'd failed so spectacularly, before his gaze became downcast and he sought the floor. Craved the sight of anything but Hunter's face. He couldn't bear to see the disappointment. He didn't think he could take any more suffering upon himself. The weight of guilt, already far too heavy for his weakened frame to carry.
"I don't care about the match." Hunter said firmly, "I care about you"
Shawn looked up, a storm wrenched blue meeting whiskey. Through the slits of pain he could see something more at the crest, there was no anger there, not for him. There was merely concern, the shadows of the fear that Hunter could have lost more than the match, that he could have lost Shawn.
He felt the tension ebb from his body, the shame dulled, and didn't set his heart aflame any more, instead gratitude kindled, fueled by relief, sparked into being by the strength of their friendship. By the low murmur Hunter had freely given,, meant only for Shawn's ears. A balm to soothe the recurrent ache of low self esteem, of pity, self doubt and defeat. A relief of the guilt. An assurance that Shawn was prioritised far above victory, that their relationship did not lessen with defeat.
Shawn held out a hand, allowing Hunter to pull him to his feet, melted against the solid stance as Hunter stood beside him, a protective arm warm around his shoulder as they made their way to the back.
