And We Leave It All Behind
Walking grungy, unsavory city streets was a distantly familiar comfort Adam didn't think he would return to. Over twenty-five years ago, back alleys and grimy subway stations were regular haunts for an angry young man with a broken dream he desperately tried to reclaim - even if that meant infiltrating the arenas through the crowd and breaking down whatever unfortunate man stepped into his path.
A man with a chip on his shoulder.
A man with an Edge to him.
That man was over two decades wiser now. He's living a comfortable life: has a lovely wife and two gorgeous children. He didn't need to drift through this concrete jungle anymore. Hasn't needed to since the end of 1998.
Yet it felt all too fitting to return to it tonight.
"It's where we laid down our roots, isn't it?" Was Darby Allin's answer. The Seattle native had been rolling beside Adam on his skateboard, sunken into his own contemplation until the older man uttered the statement under a breath held for too long.
It was an ironic coincidence he encountered Darby this evening. Outside of some hole-in-the-wall burger joint, after Adam forced himself to get something to eat after fourteen hours of hunger before deciding on a whim to take this stroll once hit with a sudden longing for nostalgia. In this short period since he's met the younger wrestler, he already could deduce this was an environment Darby too blended into - and was also coming back to it as a sort of ritual to ground himself, give himself time to reflect.
Darby had grown up in these Seattle streets; taken the punishment they dished out. Maybe this was a factor why Darby was now infamous for his penchant at taking a beating, for leaping over the edge of rationality with confident abandon. Darby reminded Adam of his younger self in some parts. More than that, however, he reminded Adam of two certain old friends and long-standing rivals.
Perhaps that attributed to the grand sum of why he'd already taken a liking to Darby. He had grit. Determination. An edge.
Adam finally nodded at Allin's remark. "So you did your history? Back in '98 and before I used to just drift along city-to-city. Picking fights with random men and picking up random women. Kinda lucky I didn't end up worse for it, exploring all those seedy underbellies."
"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, so goes the saying." While Adam meandered down the stairs ahead of them, Darby kick-flipped into a grind down the railing, landing smoothly just ahead of Adam. "I like doing this whenever I'm back in town, before the show. Makes me look back on where I started, and reminds me that I can survive the next day. Like walking on burning coals and knowing I can take the heat, because I've gotten set on fire before."
Adam had to chuckle at that. That remark wasn't to far off an overestimation, from all he's seen of Darby through the TV. "You could say that. You're a crazy son of a bitch, man!"
"And you know how to deal with people who destroy their bodies for fun, huh?" Darby said with a small but knowing smirk. "But I bet it's not that, why you started watching me. You did it because of him."
Him.
Anybody could pick out that assumption from a cursory glance, and Adam wouldn't blame them. Him and Christian's relationship was well-documented; arguably the first thing that popped into most people's minds when they thought of one or the other. Their's was a bond both turbulent yet unbreakable. The best of friends. Brothers. Fanily. Bitter enemies. Whatever suited them at any one point in time. They were about as familiar with trying to rip out each other's throats as they were hugging each other or laughing together.
Which was why it was almost mystifying why these developments within the past year were bothering Adam so much. After their big blowout in 2001, Edge and Christian had just about cut all lines of contact to each other. Edge ascended to stardom in the WWE; Christian would eventually go on to cement his own unmatched legacy in TNA. Edge had known it as it was happening because he'd secretly been following Christian's progress. Call it brotherly instinct - but even when they'd disowned each other he'd felt the nagging urge to watch over Christian.
It had been the same lately, if under more one-sided, abrupt circumstances. He'd called Christian the evening before Rampage Road Rager 2022, the show that would see Christian turning on Jack Perry.
"I have some business to conduct. Talk to you later, sorry, " Was the cryptic answer he'd recieve. Christian began ignoring calls, then outright declining. Texts were left on read. Even Beth got the cold shoulder in her attempts. The only time Adam would get to share with his brother was through the TV, watching Christian become the most vile version of himself he's possibly ever seen.
And then Christian said "I have no friends" at the All Out media scrum. When posed a question directed at Adam. Now that stung like a poison. After their rekindling their friendship at Edge's retirement, to rejoicing when he made a miraculous comeback in 2020 then to Christian's just a year later - for the most part, they'd been on stellar terms.
Adam can't state Christian's necessarily changed, though. Truth is - he's always had this side to him. Petty. Envious. Deceitful. A scumbag. Adam would watch him strut around with Luchasaurus' TNT title and picture himself in Lucha's place; picture his King of the Ring trophy instead of the TNT title. He had watched him cave Jack Perry's head in with a con-chair-to and almost felt the crack of the steel against his own head again, when the jealousy of that trophy, the jealousy of everything his brother had, drove Christian over the edge.
But Christian was also an excellent actor. He'd keep his cards close to his chest, convincing the crowds of any babyface facade he chose to wear at any point in time. He had Jurassic Express eating out of the palm of his hand until the time was right. He might very well be able to tie his strings to Nick Wayne as well, in due time.
It was genius. A part of Adam was proud.
Because, not to be forgotten, Adam wasn't a squeaky clean angel either. He was arguably in his prime when he was manipulating, cheating, even sleeping his way into positions of control. It was hypocrisy at its finest for the Ultimate Opportunist, the Master of Manipulation, to confront Christian. But he wasn't going to do this tonight to be some kind of vigilante.
He was doing this out of love.
Doing this because goddammit - he wanted to be with his brother again, even if it meant having to draw a line in the sand on the opposite side...
Adam would be lying if he said he hasn't entertained the notion of siding with Christian. Temptation tickled at the back of his brain like an itch refusing to be scratched.
Darby was an arm's length away right now. Adam could save Christian the work by taking him out now. Or would that only be a mercy compared to seeing Darby on his way to the match, to the man who's quite literally threatened to end the young man's life?
Thinking that, Adam realizes that for all his strengths - Darby seemed to be too forgiving. Too trusting.
"I know you have your own reasons to be here tonight. But still, it's nice to meet ya. Ironic that I go and cross paths with Christian Cage's best friend of all people..." And it's within him voicing that thought when Darby seems to realize himself this could be a precarious spot he's in. He gives a breathless laugh. The mounting stress that's been weighing Darby down starts to resurface: the veins at his temples were straining against the skin, his painted lips pressed taut into a thin line. He had to breath the Seattle air in deep to center himself again. "I think it's about that time. I should get back to the arena."
And Darby has stopped completely, staring back at Adam, as if expecting him to make a move. Expecting him perhaps to say "you're not gonna be making it to the arena" before spearing him into a wall.
Adam won't. He clasps Darby's shoulder instead. "Hey. According to Christian - I'm not his friend. So I guess I'll just have to step up as his enemy. Good luck tonight, kid. Watch your back."
Darby nodded almost numbly. Adam watches him turn on his board, taking himself through a maze he somehow memorized would lead him in the direction of the Climate Pledge Arena.
Adam will be going there himself soon enough. And boy, what a shock it will be! For the auidience, for Christian - for himself. He could look down the path and think this was the plan, but any mental preparation couldn't prepare him for when it finally came to fruition. Even a year ago he would not have expected this to be a road he'd be traveling on. He could have left Christian to his own devices. He could have retired contently. He had nothing to really prove to anyone by doing this, because he had already proved he was one of the greatest to ever step foot in the ring.
That was just it, though. He also wanted to find new ways to prove to himself why that was. To challenge himself. And that's how he wanted to spend the sunset of his career. The sunset of his and Christian's career.
Challenging themselves together - even if it meant they had to tear each other apart first.
A/N: Sooo how bout that Wrestledream ya'll?
Of course I had to make this as soon as Edge debuted. And of course I had to finish it before this upcoming Dynamite, before he speaks and most likely contradicts my headcanons, haha. As a result this isn't my best piece imo, but maybe in the future I'll make another that expands on the stuff I left out.
I knew at the start of writing that I wanted to make some callbacks to Edge's WWF debut vignette. I also wanted to write in a kayfabe reason why he'd drop the name of Edge, but time's running thin and I couldn't find a suitable spot to place it in.
Boy I never thought I'd be writing him as Adam though! One of my policies was to never use their real names if that's not also their kayfabe names. But well - it's happened now. Just a little sad they didn't use Sexton Hardcastle (his old indies name, for the uninitiated), would've been a neat full circle moment.
This is also the first time I've written for Darby. I hope he's in-character enough, for the small part he's in here.
Otherwise, this was very fun to write, certainly an exercise of my perfectionism to get this done within three days lol Hope ya'll enjoyed as well!