Title: Suicide
Pairing: AJ/Christopher Daniels
Rated: T for language and some slushiness
Disc: Not my men
Summary: Chris hatches a plan to return in a rather unorthodox manner to a person he’s dying to reconnect with.
Notes: For Seraphalexiel for the Spring 2011 prompt challenge.
-
“So we’re not sure what we want you to do yet.” Dixie said looking at one of the company’s most famous alumni. “But it doesn’t really matter, I’m just happy you’re back!”
Chris reached out and shook her hand. “Yeah, me too. I missed it. Glad we could reach an understanding.”
“Of course! Now, I read over the provisions of your contract and I know that due to your contract with ROH that you have to compete with us under a mask. Did you want a whole new character? I could have Eric Bischoff or Vince Russo make you o-”
“No.” Chris’s reply was so firm, and came so quickly Dixie instantly shut her mouth. “That won’t be necessary. I was thinking I could come back as Suicide.” His statement was equally firm, leaving no room for wiggling or further questioning.
“Suicide?”
Chris nodded.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to talk to Vince or Eri-” She snapped her mouth shut again when Chris looked at her, his gaze cool and steady. “…Okay! Welcome back! Can’t wait to see Suicide back in the ring in action, and I can say the same very confidently about our audience!”
“Just… do me a favor.”
Dixie leaned over on her elbows. “Anything Chris- what do you need?”
“Don’t tell anyone it’s me that you hired to be Suicide. I want to surprise the guys.” Chris said and couldn’t help but smile at the thought. “So it’d be decently ruined if people found out about it. Especially Storm- you know he can’t keep a secret.”
Dixie stuck out her hand, which Chris eagerly shook. “You got it! Not a word will pass these lips a mine.”
Chris bit back a remark, deciding to politely nod. “Thanks. You have no idea how much this means to me.”
-A few weeks later, backstage at a TNA house show-
Chris had everything on, the suit zipped up, his boots laced up tightly- everything was there except for the gloves. He tore through the bag, looking desperately for them. They were essential to not only the character and the costume, but to keep his identity under wraps. He had one trait, one very normal, but telling trait to one important person that would blow the secret out of the water should it be revealed.
He heard a knock at the door, and turned around just in time to catch AJ sticking his head. “Hey! New Suicide! Awesome.”He grinned. “Can I come in? I’m the TNA welcome wagon.”
Chris blinked in surprise. He left and TNA gained a welcome wagon? He shrugged a shoulder and nodded. He watched AJ enter the room, watching as his on and off lover rattle off a list of things he had full knowledge of, but Chris didn’t make a motion to stop him. The way AJ talked, his excitement- he could have been telling Chris every name in the Orlando phone book and he would have held his attention. His smile was wide, growing wider by the moment.
“And despite what he says, Orlando doesn’t bite. I know because he’s threatened to bite me a few times, but he’s never actually done it. All talk. …And spandex.”
He had to hold back a chuckle, nodding his head in response.
“Anyway, I’m AJ. Though ya probably knew that already, given that I’ve been here for ages- and your name?” He stuck out his hand for the other man to shake.
He had anticipated this question, eyeing the outstretched hand. He knew what he had to keep up his game despite the desire to end it right here and now. Chris shook his head and turned away from AJ, keeping his shoulders up and uninviting.
“Oh, you don’t have to be shy! Everyone back here is pretty cool so… Ohhhh, you’re nervous. I get it. It’s cool! Everyone’s nervous when they reach the big leagues.” AJ reached out to pat Chris’s shoulder. “I’ll be around if you want to talk.”
Chris remained still at first, and then looked over at his shoulder at AJ. He gave one single, solitary nod.
“Well alright then! I’ll catch ya around later.” He patted his back. “You’ll do fine man!”
Chris didn’t turn around until he heard the door shut to the locker room. He let out a long sigh, resting his back against the lockers. He wanted to mess with AJ, to rile him up before he revealed who he was as a riled up AJ was the best kind of AJ. However, seeing him, hearing him- being that close again was making it so hard. He wanted to shout out who he was, that he was home, that he was excited to be back and to pick up things where they left them-
But he had to remain calm. He couldn’t tip his hand. “Damn it AJ.” He muttered softly and went back to looking for his gloves.
-
“The new guy’s pretty good.” Kaz threw his shirt back on, buttoning it up. “It’s like he owned Suicide the moment he stepped into the ring. Not like it’s an easy thing to do. That fucking suit was so damn hot. I hope whoever got stuck wearing it is bald. My hair is finally starting to grow back from the damage.”
Robert rolled his eyes while James chuckled into his beer.
“Yeah, right Frankie- it was the suit that made ya lose your hair for a bit.” James elbowed his tag partner who coughed a snicker into his fist.
“You guys are dicks.” Frankie frowned and shook his head.
AJ shrugged his shoulders. “Frankie’s very sensitive about his hair-”
James laughed at that, shaking his head. “Oh, well- damn it AJ, that’s the understatement of the freaken’ year.”
“Ya know, ya’ll don’t even let me go and finish my sentence James.” AJ sighed. “Ah well, sorry Frankie. Forgot what I was gonna say there.”
“Whatever.” Frankie muttered and glanced over to the door. Someone was on the other end, knocking. “Someone get the damn door.” He went back to the mirror, expecting every last follicle on his head all the while grumbling about not going bald.
“I got it guys.” AJ rolled his eyes and opened the door. He came face to face with none other than the new guy- still wearing his Suicide outfit. He stood with his hands behind his back, making a concerted effort to look everywhere but AJ’s face. “Oh hey! It’s the new guy! We were just talkin’ about you! Ya wanna come in, meet the guys?”
The other man shook his head. He pulled out his hands from behind his back and offered AJ a large bouquet of flowers.
AJ blinked in surprise. He reached out and took the flowers, looking down at them as the perplexed look on his face grew. “Uh- are those really for me?”
The man in the Suicide costume nodded vigorously. He rocked on his heels nervously and fidgeted with his hands briefly.
“Well, I er…” He heard shuffling coming from the other guys in the Fortune locker room, and the sounds of hushed, quieted laughter. He shot them a look over his shoulder while he attempted to come up with the right words.
“These are, uh- nice. Thanks.” He willed a smile to his face. “You still haven’t told me your name.”
The other man stumbled back, his hand on his chest acting as if AJ shot him with something. He fanned his hand in front of his full facial mask as if what AJ said to him made him flush behind it. He reached out without any sort of warning and hugged him, bolting off down the hallway.
Frankie came up behind AJ, putting a hand on his shoulder as he leaned against his side. “Now see that’s why you’re the welcome wagon- you can put up with that level of weirdness because you can handle being stalked by freaks. I’m too important for that sort of thing.”
James came up to AJ on his other side, patting his free shoulder. “He woulda been knocked out if he did that to me. See- you’re nice. Even to the freaks. Must be the Christian side of ya. Good on you to sticking to your morals, or whatever.”
James, Frankie, and Robert all passed by the still stunned AJ. He stood there for a few more moments, looking back and forth between the flowers and the now empty hallway.
-
For the next several weeks, every where AJ went, Suicide was there. He was in the locker room, by AJ’s car, at AJ’s matches hanging around for him to come back in from performing in the ring. Never for more than a few brief seconds before running off, leaving behind some sort of strange gift in his place that left him wondering what the hell was going on. By the time the next set of tapings rolled around, AJ had enough. He walked down the hallway of the impact zone, his hands clenched and his face frowning in determination to put an end to the stalking. He knocked on the door, waiting with his arms crossed firmly across his chest.
The door slowly opened- stopping enough to let a sliver of light from the hallway into the other man’s dressing room. AJ saw the red and white of the mask before the door shut again. He sighed in frustration and knocked on it again. This time the door opened up fully, and Suicide opened his arms to AJ as if to hug him.
“I’m not here for hugs. I’m here to talk to you.” AJ said firmly.
The man behind the mask looked around as if someone else was in the room that AJ wanted to talk to. He pointed at himself, cocking his head to the side as if he didn’t understand where the anger in AJ’s voice was coming from.
“You can’t keep stalking me! You leaving little gifts around for me is also… kinda awkward and I really don’t appreciate that one bit. I know that you’re tryin’ to fit in here and you’re probably grateful for the whole welcome wagon thing, but you’re really making me-” He paused when Suicide raised his gloveless hands, pressing them AJ’s warm face. They were cool to the touch. He let out a small, nearly silent gasp. He stared at the mask hard, as if seeing the face behind it. He reached out slowly, carefully pulling it off. He clutched the material in his hands before letting it fall down to the ground in a red heap.
Chris grinned at him. “Sorry. Couldn’t resist.”
“You…”He shoved Chris away. “Dang it, Chris! You’re a jerk. You had me spooked!” Even though he was a little upset, it was slowly evaporating as he couldn’t help but smile.
Chris grinned sheepishly. “What- no welcome back kiss?”
“You are so lucky I didn’t slap you one because ya deserve it! What the heck was that anyway?! Ya tryin’ to give me a heart attack?”
He grabbed onto AJ’s shoulders and squeezed them. He let his hands travel downward to rest on his upper arms. For awhile he didn’t say anything. He was certain at one point that he had stopped breathing. He wrapped his arms around AJ in a tight hug, wanting to never again lose that wonderful, familiar heat. “No. I just wanted to mess with you. I knew you would catch on eventually but I didn’t think it’d take this long.”
“Dick.” AJ muttered hugging him back. They stood there for a long while, Chris basking in the glory that was AJ’s heat. He pulled back a bit, pressing his lips to Chris’s in a brief kiss. “You… mind doin’ me a favor?”
“Anything.” Chris let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. “Seriously, anything.” He nodded.
AJ grinned lopsidedly, a glimmer of his old mischievousness dancing in his eyes as if seeing Chris brought back a part of him he had long since forgotten. “Can you stalk Frankie next?”
FIN
