Title: Angel
Rating: T
Pairing: borderline Justin Gabriel/Alex Riley
Summary: "What makes someone special to you, Justin Angel?" Justin and Alex have a heart to heart.
Disclaimer: I don't own shit!
Author's Note: So it's definitely not my best, but it's hopefully not my worst. It kinda blindsided me as I was about to fall asleep last night, and I needed to get it out, so here it is. Something different. =) Takes place during NXT season 2. Hope you enjoy!
Warnings: None.
Alex nudges Justin's leg with his foot where it lays twined with his own on the bed. Justin tilts his head up from where it rests on Alex's shoulder and grins at his companion. Alex is instantly relieved. The high flyer hasn't been smiling much lately, not adjusting well at all to being a heel. Alex has always taken to it rather well, eating up the boos like candy. He's not sure Justin will ever get used to it, too innately good of a person.
Despite the smile, however, Alex can still sense the discontent in his companion's expression. He's been around Justin long enough to be able to pick up on the individual quirks of each of the boy's smiles (he always tries to to ignore what possessing this information could mean). He nudges Justin's leg again, but this time when the smaller looks up, he speaks.
"What's on your mind, Angel?" he questions, and Justin ducks his head down a bit, dodging Alex's gaze.
"It's nothing." he begins. Alex waits patiently for a few moments, before, "I mean, it's not really a big deal or anything. Some of the guys in the locker room have just been a little...extreme with their jokes, so to speak."
"Shit, I'm sorry. Nothing too bad, right?" the brunette attempts to verify.
Justin looks up at him, meeting his eyes once again, finally. "No one's hurt me or anything, if that's what you mean. It's just...it's stupid, really."
"No it's not, J. Seriously, you're like, the nicest person ever. No one should be messing with you." Alex explains, and Justin grins again, a light color brushing across his cheeks as he looks away.
"Either way, John says he'll talk to them for me, see if he can't get people to be a little more, ah...tolerable." he says, smiling fondly.
Alex laughs a bit despite his efforts to stifle it. Justin almost laughs as well, can't even help it once Alex is.
"What's so funny?" the high flyer demands, trying his best to look indignant.
Alex just laughs harder, his arms tighening a bit around his friend as he hauls Justin half into his lap. The smaller almost succeeds in looking discontent. Almost.
"You know he has a thing for you, right?" Alex asks, his laughter finally dying down.
"Who? John? No! You're out of your mind!" Justin objects, shaking his head.
"Oh, come on, really? He's always staring at you, tripping over his huge shoes to do whatever you want, being all touchy-feely and overprotective..." the brunette clarifies. "How have you missed it?"
"Because it hasn't been happening. You're imagining things!" the high flyer says with another laugh. He can't believe Alex has his head so far in the clouds.
"Maybe you're just blind." Alex replies, poking Justin in the middle of the forehead. Justin shakes his head in response.
"No way. Alex...guys like Cena don't go for guys like me. It's that simple." he says with a barely-there sigh, slumping down a bit in his friend's grasp.
Alex is quiet for a beat, looking Justin over from head to toe. He suddenly seems very small. It makes Alex's chest hurt, for some reason.
"What do you mean by that?" he questions softly, leaning down closer to his ear. "What makes him so special?"
"Look at him! He's the first thing people think of when they think WWE, the face of the company. He's got one of the biggest fanbases ever. He's always winning his matches. He's won the WWE championship nine times, as well as countless other titles. He's main evented Wrestlemania I don't know how many times...and won!" Justin recites, as if he compares them all the time. The thought makes Alex pulls Justin ever closer, ghosting his lips over the top of the high flyer's head. Justin lets out a slow sigh before speaking again. "Face it. He's amazing."
"Is that it, Justin?" Alex asks almost sadly, running the list through his head again. "That what makes someone special?"
"That's what the rest of the world looks at. Stuff like that." Justin bites out bitterly.
"Screw the rest of the world! That stuff's all pretend anyway, a bunch of material stuff. It doesn't matter. The question is, what do you look at?" Alex wonders aloud, trailing his lips along the outer edge of Justin's ear subconsciously. He feels the smaller shiver in his arms and loosens them a bit, only to have Justin pull them back around him tighter again. Alex smiles, practically purring his next sentence. "What makes someone special to you, Justin Angel?"
Alex feels like he can't stop himself. He can't help it; he'd come to terms with his feelings for his friend months ago, but that hadn't made them go away. If anything, his internal admission had made them grow stronger, Justin constantly on his mind now. He'd give anything at this point to be the one to keep the smile on the high flyer's face. Justin deserves better than the way he's treated in the locker room. The South African is one of the most pure, innocent, kindest people that Alex has ever had the pleasure of meeting, fast becoming one of Alex's best friends. He needs someone who will take care of him, do anything to make him happy. Alex wishes he just had a chance to try.
He's snapped back into reality when Justin turns an emotion-filled stare on him. The smaller seems to be examining him closely, looking deep down into his person. Typically, Alex wants to close himself off under gazes this intense. With Justin, he simply wants to cut himself open, bleed his thoughts and feelings and emotions onto the floor in front of him, bare his soul for his friend to see. Then, Justin's speaking, and all of Alex's focus is back on the boy in his arms.
"Listening to me. Helping me when I need it, but understanding I'm capable and letting me care for myself when I can. Letting me know they care. Talking to me about everything and nothing, all at once." Justin near whispers. Alex realizes they're nearly sharing the same breath as the high flyer locks tight onto his eyes, his voice dropping more. "Looking at me like I'm the only person in the world."
They're silent for a moment, mixing air. For a split second, Alex thinks about closing the gap, thinks, what if... But then, it's too late. Justin snaps out of it, shaking his head with a laugh.
"I sound like such a girl, yea?" the smaller jokes, sliding out of Alex's lap, untangling their legs. Alex silently mourns the loss, barely stops himself from pulling Justin back. "Just forget I said anything. How lame."
"It's not lame." Alex argues. "It's different. It's you. I think it's cool."
"Sure you do. You don't always have to make me feel better, yknow." the South African says, pulling back the blankets and shrugging off his shirt.
"I know that, Angel. I just like to." Alex replies with a cheeky grin. "But, for what it's worth, I mean it. It's really refreshing to know someone cares about something deeper than all this superficial crap."
He snuggles in behind Justin where the smaller has tucked himself down under the covers. The high flyer moves closer to Alex on instinct, the brunette's arms coming to wrap around him once more (they haven't used more than one bed since Justin first started having panic attacks again. Alex seems to be one of the only people who can consistently calm him down, and Wade and Heath are far too busy with each other for Justin to want to bother either of them. Plus, Alex doesn't seem to mind. Really, it works out perfectly for everyone).
"Seriously, though. You're way out of Cena's league." Alex whispers, and Justin laughs, snuggling in even closer to his friend.
"Yea, yea. If you say so." Justin mutters back. "Goodnight, Alex."
"Goodnight, Justin." Alex returns, leaning up to press a kiss to Justin's temple. The high flyer's smile widens. "Sweet dreams."
"Only because you're here." Justin mumbles. Alex can't help the blush that spreads across his face. He's glad Justin can't see it.
As he drifts off, he hopes his companion wasn't just being nice, that he meant his bedtime sentiment. He hopes he's the reason for Justin's pleasant slumber, and that he's indeed right about the good dreams. He knows his own are going to be filled with visions of angels.