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The day of the pay-per-view was windy and rainy. Gusts buffeted the car as Tré and Brandon drove to the arena, the sky overhead dull and gray. Tré pulled into the back parking lot and turned off the wipers.
“Mad dash or wait out the rain?”
Brandon looked at the sky. Dark clouds stretched out as far as he could see. Which meant the rain probably wasn’t going to let up anytime soon. He shrugged. “Let’s go for it.”
Heads down and shoulders hunched, they jumped out of the car, quickly grabbing their bags from the trunk. They jogged across the parking lot, cold rain falling on their heads the entire way. At least there was an overhang at the door where security waited to check them in. Once inside, Brandon blinked the rain out of his eyes and looked up at Tré. “See? That wasn’t so bad.”
Tré wiped a hand over his face, flicking the water away. “Bracing,” he said, his tone much dryer than they were.
Brandon laughed and followed him to the locker room. They undressed, drying off before changing into their new gear. They both wore square-cut trunks now, but Tré wore gold while Brandon’s tights were red. Dylan had laughed his ass off when they’d gone to him for new team gear and Brandon had insisted Tré have gold tights. For their ring jackets, they’d gone back to their sleeveless hoodies, with a little more pizazz added to the design on the back.
“Finally wrestling together again,” Brandon happily said as he laced up his boots.
They swung by catering once they were dressed, both of them eating light. After they were done, some of their friends came to join them, everyone relaxing and talking to pass the time.
One of the agents came over. “If anybody needs to run anything down in the ring, get it in. We’re going to open the doors early on account of the rain.”
“Do you want to go work anything out?” Tré asked.
Brandon thought about it before shaking his head. “No. I want the first time I’m back in the ring wrestling with you to be the real thing. I don’t want to waste it on a run-through.”
“Understandable.” Tré turned his chair so they were facing each other. He gripped the seat of Brandon’s chair and pulled him closer until he was sitting between Tré’s spread knees. “You and me,” he said as he laced their fingers together. “All the drama. Me pretending I was too cool to joke around with you, while actually being too dumb to see your flirting was real. You leaving because I was clueless. Then leaving again because you were scared. It was all worth it to get to be with you as more than just my tag partner.”
Brandon closed his eyes and leaned in until their foreheads touched. “Definitely worth it.”
They sat like that for a few quiet moments before they were interrupted.
“What are you two weirdos doing?”
Brandon opened his eyes to see Slade and Garrett sitting down across from them.
“We’re sending each other our game plan through osmosis.”
Slade snorted. “I wouldn’t be surprised if you two could do some freaky mind-meld shit.”
Tré and Brandon both laughed and leaned slightly away from each other, but kept their fingers linked.
“Ah, lay off them. Love is a beautiful thing,” Garrett teased. He looked to the left, and his voice changed, going soft. “We should all be so lucky.”
Tré and Slade were squabbling over the ethics of mind-melding and didn’t notice Garrett’s love-struck tone. But Brandon noticed. Turning his head the tiniest fraction, he saw out of the corner of his eye who Garrett was looking at. Kenji sat a few feet away, cross-legged on the floor with his eyes closed and headphones on.
Brandon looked back at Garrett in surprise. He remembered Garrett showing up at Kenji’s hotel room, but he’d assumed the man was just looking for a little late-night pickle tickle. Apparently, there was more to it than that. The champ’s ears turned red when he noticed Brandon watching him. Brandon mimed zipping his lips closed and throwing away the key, receiving a relieved smile in return.
They hung out with the rest of their friends on the roster to pass the time before the show. Everyone focused on staying hydrated and occasionally getting up to press out a few pushups or stretch to keep their bodies warm and loose. Devin, Brandon, and a few more high-flyers started a game of one-upmanship to determine who could do the most acrobatic stunts.
They’d worked their way up to full layouts off a concrete dividing wall, when Chance showed up and barked at them to knock it off before someone got hurt. Everyone groaned their disappointment, but complied with the logical request.
Chance shook his head then looked at Tré and Brandon. “Can I talk to you guys for a minute?”
Brandon nodded and Tré got up. They went to Alex’s office, where he and the Hampton Bros were waiting, sitting around a small table.
“Have a seat,” Alex said.
Brandon sat down, nervous butterflies tumbling in his belly. They were about to hear Alex’s decision on whether they’d be wrestling in the main event.
“Social media has been on fire with Brandon’s return. Everyone is glad to have you back and Pittsburgh Power Machine reunited.” Alex’s sharp gaze shifted to Chad and Brad. “And boy, do they hate you two,” he said with a grin.
Brad snorted a dry laugh. “Somebody in the audience threw a cup of soda on me after I broke my tennis racket over Tré’s back.”
“You guys have definitely brought the heat and the entire feud has been amazing. So...”
Brandon curled his toes in his boots in an effort to stay patient as Alex dragged out revealing his decision.
“You all have the main event tonight.”
“Yes!” Brandon whooped, thumping his fist on the table. The four of them high-fived as a grinning Alex and Chance watched.
Alex continued. “We’re going to cap off the story of Brandon’s return with Pittsburgh Power Machine winning the tag titles.” He looked at the Hampton Bros. “You boys have done an excellent job as heel champs, and I’m sure you’ll have another run with the titles soon.”
Chad and Brad nodded their acceptance and shook hands with Alex.
After that, they all left the office. The two tag teams took a minute to celebrate and congratulate each other on winning the main event spot.
“Thanks for working with us. This feud has been a lot of fun,” Tré said.
Brandon agreed with a nod. “Yeah, the whole angle would have been a blip if it wasn’t for everything you brought to it.”
There was another round of handshakes before the Hampton Bros left, leaving Tré and Brandon alone. Brandon looked up at his partner. “We did it. We’re about to main event a pay-per-view.”
“Damn right we did,” Tré said with a smug grin. “I told you, we’re better together.”
After receiving their good news, Brandon followed Tré back to catering to chill out with the rest of the roster. By the time the pre-show started, however, Brandon was almost anxiously ready to get out there. A quick glance at the clock showed fifteen minutes until the live show started. Brandon stood up and excused himself from the group. He was glad to be back with FPW and excited to be in the main with his partner and lover. But he needed a second by himself to calm his head. He started walking, trying to find somewhere private where no one could see him.
Near one of the exits, he came across a wall of black curtains sectioning off a small area. Brandon headed toward it, hoping he could chill back there. It was quiet as he approached, so he assumed no one was behind it. Tré slipped between the crack, prepared to sit for a few minutes and center himself. Unfortunately, Lee, the ref, was there. His phone’s camera flashed just as Brandon let the curtain drop behind him.
Disappointed that the space was occupied Brandon started to turn around and leave. But something about the hunched, guilty way Lee looked at him made him pause.
“Brandon. Uh... Hey, man.”
Brandon narrowed his eyes, wondering what that look was for. He glanced down at the paper Lee held. Then he stepped closer for a better look because he didn’t want to believe what he was seeing. It was the call sheet for the show tonight. It had everything, match order, winners and losers, allotted time for segments and the surprise guest. “What the fuck are you doing?” Brandon asked the question, even though he already knew the answer. Lee was their mole.
“Okay.” Lee held his hands up as though he were surrendering. “I won’t try to say this isn’t what it looks like.”
“Good, because I wouldn’t fucking believe you.”
Lee took a deep breath. “GWS pays me to send them info on FPW. But if you keep quiet about it, I’ll cut you in on some of what they’re paying me.”
Brandon’s lip curled in disgust. “Are you kidding me?”
“No. You went to GWS. I know it didn’t work out the way you hoped, but you did leave. You can’t have that much loyalty to this company.”
Offended, Brandon took a step back. “FPW is my fucking home. I might have strayed, but I’m still loyal. And you’re a piece of shit. Alex has never done anything to you to deserve this. Why would you try to wreck his promotion?”
“It’s just business,” Lee said with a shrug.
Brandon was so mad he couldn’t think of any response to that answer that didn’t involve his fist. He snatched the call sheet out of Lee’s hand, taking his phone for good measure.
“Hey! That’s mine!”
Lee reached for the phone, but Brandon swung his arm back out of reach. “You don’t even want to try to take this from me,” he said, forcing the words out through clenched teeth. Turning around, Brandon strode back through the curtain, headed straight for the gorilla position where Alex would already be. Lee hustled after him, frantically whisper-shouting.
“Come on, Brandon. Don’t do this. I’ll make it worth your while to keep it quiet, I swear.”
Brandon didn’t acknowledge him. He just kept walking, going so fast he was almost running. They passed the area where chairs and monitors were set up for the roster to sit and watch the show. Tré was there, and he noticed them as they went past. Brandon made eye contact with his partner but didn’t stop. Tré immediately got up and followed him. When Brandon reached gorilla, he quickly glanced at the countdown clock. Seven minutes before they went live. Plenty of time to make changes.
“Alex! I found your mole.” He held up the call sheet and tossed the phone to his boss. “Caught him taking a picture of it. I didn’t check to see if he’d already sent the message off.”
Alex took the phone, looking down at it with his brows meeting in a frown. When he looked back up at Lee, his face was harder than Brandon had ever seen it, gone stone white with fury as he slowly rose from his chair.
“Did he send it?” Chance asked.
“Yes.”
It was quiet after that single, devastating word. Everyone stared at Lee, who stood there sweaty and red, nervously shifting from foot to foot.
Brandon broke the silence. “We’ve got time to switch it up. We can take the fall and—”
“No.” Alex cut in. “I’m not changing my plans, and you guys have earned this with all the work you put in. Besides, it wouldn’t make sense to only change one match, and there’s not enough time to rework the entire card. If it’s leaked, it’s leaked. There’s nothing we can do about it now.”
Brandon’s stomach sank. Everyone knew that wrestling was pre-determined. But the fun for the audience was that they didn’t know who was going to win. If GWS posted the results of all the matches online, any fans in the arena who checked their phones and saw it would be disappointed being spoiled before the show. And fans at home who saw the leak might decide it wasn’t worth paying the money for the pay-per-view since they already knew what was going to happen for each match.
“Take off that shirt,” Alex abruptly snapped at Lee.
Lee started to speak, then thought better of it and pulled the striped referee’s shirt over his head. Once he stood there in a plain white T-shirt, Chance got on the radio and paged for a security guard and an available crew member to come to gorilla.
“You’re fired, obviously,” Alex continued. “You don’t have a non-compete in your contract so you’re free to go and work wherever you want. But you do have a non-disclosure agreement. So, if I see anything past what you’ve already sold in the media, in the dirt sheets, or in another promotion, anything, anywhere, and I can link it back to you, I’ll sue your ass so hard you won’t be able to afford to live in a cardboard box under a bridge. Understand?”
Lee jerked his chin down in a short nod. “Understood.”
Alex looked at the guard and crew member who’d just arrived. “Take him back to the ref’s locker room. Collect any official FPW gear he has, then escort him off the premises. He’s permanently off the list of who is allowed in at any of our shows.”
“Yes, sir,” the crew member said while the security guard nodded.
Lee still didn’t say anything. He just turned and walked away.
“At least now we know who it was,” Tré said.
“Yeah. And I’m definitely black-listing his ass throughout the industry. After tonight, we’re having a come to Jesus meeting with the entire roster, staff and crew. But right now, I’ve got a show to run.” He held his hand out to Brandon. “Thank you.”
Brandon accepted the handshake. “I didn’t want to believe it when I saw what he was doing. But I’m glad I caught him.”
Tré spoke up. “The roster should probably be told what happened before they start seeing the leak online.”
“Shit, you’re right.” Alex pushed his glasses up and rubbed the bridge of his nose. He looked at the clock. There were only three minutes and fifteen seconds before the show started. “I don’t have time. Chance can you—”
“I’m on it,” Chance answered before Alex finished the question. He took off his headphones and stood. “Come with me,” he said to Tré and Brandon. “Brandon should be there since he’s the one who made the discovery.”
The three of them headed to the viewing area where most of the roster would be, gathering up wrestlers they passed along the way. When they reached the viewing area, Chance stood up front with Tré and Brandon and called for quiet. Fifty faces expectantly stared at the booker.
“Okay, we’ve got good news and bad news. The bad news is the entire card for the night has been leaked to GWS. It’ll probably show up online soon.”
A burst of curses and exclamations of anger immediately followed that announcement. Brandon winced as he looked at his co-workers’ furious faces. They should have had Lee stay so he could see how his betrayal affected the people he worked with.
“Is Alex changing the card?” Lorena asked over the noise.
Brandon couldn’t blame her for asking that question. They’d done a last-minute switch when the results were leaked for her and Yasmina’s cage match a few weeks ago, and as a result Lorena hadn’t become champion as planned. She was scheduled to win the title tonight.
“No, Alex is sticking with the card we’ve worked out,” Chance answered. “But that means everybody is going to have to bring it tonight. We need every match to be a barn burner to make sure we don’t lose viewers.”
The group went silent, everyone nodding with determination.
“And now for the good news.” Chance paused, giving them one of his rare smiles. “The leaks should be over because Brandon caught our mole.” There was a moment of shocked silence before everyone started clapping, a few whistles splitting the air.
“Hallefrickinlujah!” Devin shouted.
“How’d it happen?” Garrett asked.
“Who was it?”
“I’ll let Brandon tell the story. I’ve got to get back to gorilla.”
Chance left and all eyes turned to Brandon.
Devin bounced with excitement. “Tell us what went down. Were you undercover?”
Brandon laughed. “No, nothing as dramatic as that. I went looking for some privacy—”
“For a little pre-show...” Slade made a circle with the fingers of his left hand then jabbed his right index finger in the middle of it.
“No, you perv. I was by myself.”
“Oh, so it was more like...” Now, he mimed jacking off.
Yasmina sat behind Slade, and she yanked on one of his long braids. “Oh my God! Shut up and let him tell the story.”
“Thank you, Yasmina.” Brandon nodded with exaggerated politeness at the women’s champ. “Like I said, I went looking for privacy and found a little curtained off area. Lee was back there, holding a copy of the call sheet. He took a picture of it right as I saw him.”
Devin shook his head. “Damn, it was Lee.”
“I told you it was a ref,” Kenji said. “Where is he now?”
“Alex fired him and kicked him out,” Tré answered. “And he’s planning on having a company-wide meeting soon, although he didn’t say when.”
“Makes sense. I’m sure there’s more house cleaning he needs to do.”
“No doubt,” Brandon said as he and Tré went to sit down. “But tonight, it’s up to us to put on a kick-ass show so that nobody watching cares about spoilers. We can’t let this be the night that FPW starts to lose viewers. All of our careers are riding on this show. It grew quiet as Brandon’s words set in. Brandon looked around at all the determined faces.
“Good luck, everybody.”
***
Two and a half hours later, Tré and Brandon silently made their way back to gorilla. Their main event match was up next. The night had gone well so far. As expected, the Pro Graps Report posted the show spoilers online, proving they were in bed with GWS. Alex stuck to his guns, however, refusing to change anything on the card. Every single wrestler on the roster rose to the occasion, working their asses off in the ring, keeping the fans guessing and surprising them with each pin fall.
Now, it was up to the Pittsburgh Power Machine and the Hampton Bros to bring it home. There were already a few rumblings of disappointment online because the FPW Championship wasn’t the last match, which upped the pressure for both tag teams to put on an excellent show.
Alex looked at them both as they approached. “You guys ready for this?”
They answered in near unison. “Yep.”
“Okay. You’re up.”
Brandon shook his arms out as their old Pittsburgh Power Machine music hit, the bass booming through the arena. “You nervous?” he asked his partner.
“Nope.” Tré rolled his shoulders, looking confident and at ease. “Not as long as you have my back.”
“Always.” Brandon surged forward and gave Tré a quick kiss. Then he stepped back, bouncing on his toes. “I’m ready. Let’s do this!” They did their old hand shake: slapping their palms together twice, a quick slide, tight grip, slide again, release, snap, and a forearm bump to end it.
They burst through the curtain and the crowd blew up with cheers and applause. Brandon was hyped for this match, and he didn’t try to hide it. He jumped and bounced his way down the ramp, swinging his arms up to get the crowd on their feet. Tré walked beside him, reaching out to give high fives to the fans leaning over the barricade. It was a small change from his previous stoic walk down the aisle, but the fans appreciated it.
In the ring, they settled down to wait for the Hampton Bros. As the champions, they had the honor of coming out last. The two stepped onto the ramp in matching tan tights and navy-blue boots, with pastel pink sweaters tied over their shoulders. The crowd booed them their entire walk to the ring, the fans getting even louder when Brandon turned and encouraged them with two enthusiastic thumbs down. Chad and Brad ignored the crowd’s derision, their noses high in the air as they strutted to the center of the ring.
The ring announcer straightened his tuxedo jacket and raised the mic. “The following match is set for one fall and is for the FPW tag team championships! Introducing first, the challengers...at a combined weight of four hundred and fifty-three pounds, the Pittsburgh Power Machine!”
The crowd cheered again, and Brandon couldn’t help but grin. He loved this. The arena atmosphere before a big match was always amazing. It was even more electric for the main event. Looking up at Tré, Brandon saw that his partner was just as excited. His stomach swooped with happiness that they were together as partners and lovers, and about to challenge for the tag titles. Brandon’s cheeks were about to split his smile was so big, and he jumped up again just to release some of that sparkling, happy energy so he didn’t tackle Tré to the mat and kiss him.
“And their opponents, at a combined weight of four hundred and seventy-five pounds, The Frontier Professional Wrestling tag team champions... The Hampton Bros!” Boos rained down from all over the arena. The announcer stood there, holding the mic, letting the crowd heat rise and fall naturally before exiting the ring. The announcements over, both teams retreated to their respective corners.
Breaking from their usual tradition, Tré started them off. They’d decided earlier to make the crowd wait for Brandon’s in-ring return. And with the amazing singles work Tré had done over the past few months, he didn’t need to be the one getting the hot tag momentum.
The bell rang, and Tré and Brad warily circled each other. Brad stopped and raised his hand in the air, signaling that he wanted to face off with Tré in a test of strength. Tré grinned. They were equal height and weight. Tré reached up and laced his fingers together with Brad’s. But when he went to grab his other hand, Brad took a cheap shot and punched Tré in the gut. Tré doubled over at the blow, but quickly recovered, knocking Brad down with a shoulder tackle. After that, it was on.
The two big men brutally hammered at each other, each back breaker and power slam bringing awed gasps from the crowd. Tré managed to wear Brad down. But when he went for the pin, Brad kicked out before the ref reached three. Tré growled in frustration, sweat dripping down his face. With one knee planted on Brad’s chest, Tré looked to his partner.
“I need your help,” he called out from across the ring.
Brandon nodded with determination, ready to take on their opponent. The crowd behind him started whistling and clapping just as ready to see him out there.
Tré stood, yanked Brad to his feet, and dragged him over to their corner.
Now that it was time for Brandon to tag in, they made a show of it. He frantically jumped up and down on the ring apron, stretching his hand out as far as he could for the tag. Tré stopped, holding onto Brad with one hand, the other just out of Brandon’s reach. Tré pointed at him but yelled out to the crowd.
“You want Brandon?”
The crowd screamed “Yes!” so Tré took the final step and held his hand out.
With an exaggerated swing of his arm, Brandon slapped Tré’s palm. The tag made, Brandon grabbed the top rope with both hands, propelling himself up and over. As soon as his boots hit the mat, he charged forward and dove at Brad with a Lou Thesz press. Their chests crashed together, the force of Brandon’s momentum knocking Brad to his back. Brandon landed on top of him and immediately started pummeling him with punches.
But Brad used his size advantage over Brandon to take hold of him and flip him off over his head. The ring shook as Brandon landed hard on his back. With the wind knocked out of him, Brandon took a second to regain his breath. That gave Brad a chance to retreat and tag his own partner in.
Chad came gunning for him. Brandon played possum and waited, timing it just right to catch Chad with a kick to the head when the bigger wrestler bent down to grab him. The crowd laughed at his trick as Chad clutched his face and stumbled back. Brandon hopped to his feet with a cocky grin.
While Chad staggered, trying to shake off that kick, Brandon climbed to the top rope. He raised his joined fists over his head and waited until Chad made his way over to him. Then he jumped off, clubbing Chad over the head with double axe handles on the way down. Still, the bigger man remained on his feet.
Not wasting any time, Brandon ran across the ring, bounced off the rope to gain momentum, then hurtled back toward the Hampton Bro. Grabbing Chad around the neck, he jumped up, then let himself fall, slamming Chad’s face to the mat as he landed on his butt. Finally, Chad was down, and Brandon went for the pin.
Hoping for a victory, the crowd started cheering, but Chad got his shoulder up at the ref’s two count. The disappointed groans of fifteen thousand people circled around the arena. Eventually the bigger man managed to gain the upper hand in their battle. Momentarily defeated, Brandon had to tag out.
Back on the outside, Brandon caught his breath and watched Tré work. His partner’s strength and quickness were on the verge of overpowering Chad. Out of desperation, Chad hit Tré with a headbutt. While Tré was dazed, Chad got him up on the top rope, then climbed up and grabbed him for a top rope suplex.
Brandon expected Tré to kick or punch his way out of the hold. After all, he wasn’t known for doing any moves off the ropes. But to his surprise, Tré wrapped one arm around the back of Chad’s neck and hooked their opponent behind the knee with the other. With Chad tucked into a cradle hold, Tré lifted him over his head. Then he jumped off the second rope, flipping Chad upside down in midair and slamming the Hampton Bro to the ring back first. Chad flopped on the mat, then went completely still, knocked out from the move.
Brandon yelled and bounced like he was on a pogo stick he was so excited that his partner had managed to up his game to this level. He’d never seen Tré do a super fisherman’s suplex. Didn’t even know the high-risk move was in his arsenal.
Tré shot to his feet, grabbed Chad, and dragged him upright as well. While Chad stood there, swaying, Tré bent down and stuck his head through the other wrestler’s legs to get Chad up on his shoulders. Holding on to the still dazed man, Tré carried him over to their corner. Brandon reached out himself for the tag, slapping Tré on the shoulder. Then he climbed to the top rope.
A rumble swept the crowd. Their fans knew what was coming next and their anticipation got them up on their feet. Brandon balanced on the top rope, cool as ice, letting the excitement build. With Tré in front of him, he took a second to make eye contact with his partner. It all came down to this. Best friends, partners, lovers doing what they did best. Tré grinned up at him.
“Better together, baby!”
Brandon returned his lover’s grin. And then, his heart pounding, so much adrenaline rushing through him he felt like he could fly, Brandon leaped into the air. With excellent precision, he dropkicked Chad dead center in the chest at the same time Tré flipped him off his shoulders. Chad somersaulted in the air and crashed to the mat.
Victory in sight, Brandon hustled over and dropped down on top of Chad for the pin. But Brad was distracting the ref on the other side of the ring by pretending to be hurt. He held on to the ref’s shirt, refusing to let him go as he demanded the official look at his fake injury. Tré took care of the problem.
With a roar that made Brad whip around with his eyes wide, Tré barreled forward and slammed into him with a thunderous clothesline. Brad went down, releasing the ref as he crumpled to the mat. Finally, the ref scrambled over. He dove, sliding across the ring on his belly in a dramatic baseball slide to reach them.
With Tré standing guard to make sure Brad didn’t interfere again, Brandon hooked his arm under Chad’s knee and pressed the other over the downed wrestler’s shoulders so he had no chance to move. And the ref’s hand slapped the mat: one, two, three.
The bell rang to end it, and Brandon jumped up straight into his partner’s arms. With a happy shout, Tré caught him, hoisting him in the air for an exuberant hug as the audience cheered their victory. Even the ref was smiling as he walked over and handed them the championship belts. Once they each had one in hand, Tré turned them in a circle so they could hold the belts up for everyone in the arena to see.
There was a loud bang overhead, and suddenly, red and black streamers filled the air. Brandon tilted his head back, laughing as sparkling confetti rained down on his face. After one last squeeze, Tré set him on his feet. The ref was patiently waiting to fulfill his last duty of the match. He came over and stood between them, grabbing both their hands to raise them high and declare them the official victors. From the floor, the announcer got on the mic and boomed out the words that everyone wanted to hear.
“And the new tag team champions, the Pittsburgh Power Machine!”
The ref stepped back, and Brandon turned to Tré for another hug. As he stood there wrapped in his best friend’s arms, streamers falling all around them, he didn’t need to act the emotion of winning a championship. He was so happy to be reunited with Tré again, that everything had worked out and he’d learned to trust they would stay together, that the tears came on their own.
Their fans let them know they were just as happy to see them as champs again when a You deserve it! chant broke out, circling the arena from the floor seats all the way up to the nosebleeds. He was sweating, and he could already feel the soreness creeping in from each time he’d hit the mat but he didn’t care. Because Tré held him close and they were champions and they were together.
Brandon released his hold on his partner and stepped back. He looked out at the crowd, bowing slightly in acknowledgement of their support. When he raised his head, he met Tré’s gaze. It stung a little that he couldn’t kiss him right there in the middle of the ring. But maybe one day there would be enough acceptance in their business for that to happen. If not for them, then hopefully for someone else. For now, he settled for Tré squeezing his hand, his lips moving just enough for Brandon to read what he said. “I love you.”
They finally left the ring, Tré using the stairs while Brandon flipped over the top rope to the outside of the ring, then down to the ground. Cheers followed them up the ramp. Riding high on the success of their match, Tré and Brandon both drew out their departure, smiling and waving at the fans. At the top of the ramp, they stopped and faced the crowd one last time, raising their title belts over their heads.
To his surprise, Tré pulled him into another hug, their championship belts still high in the air. And if the hug was a little too close, and a little too long for men who were supposed to only be tag team partners, neither of them cared. They were together and that was the only thing that mattered.
***
After the crowd was gone and all the congratulations accepted, Tré and Brandon left the arena, driving the few blocks to the luxury hotel where the roster was staying that weekend. There were a several fans in the lobby when they arrived. Tré and Brandon waved, but didn’t stop for autographs or pictures. Since they’d checked in yesterday, they went directly to the elevator and up to their room.
Once inside, Brandon was on him almost before the door closed behind them. Tré didn’t try to stop him either. He was just as excited, just as eager to celebrate in their own private way. He leaned back against the door and wrapped his arms tight around his lover to hold him close. Their lips met in deep, passionate kisses again and again, only parting to toss the belts on the bed and pull off their shirts. When they embraced again, their bare chests pressed together. Tré smoothed his hands up and down Brandon’s naked back, a moan of appreciation slipping into their kiss for the gorgeous feel of that warm muscle and supple skin under his palms.
“Love touching you,” he whispered against Brandon’s lips. “Love holding you. Love you.”
His eyes closed, Brandon smiled softly. “I love you too,” he whispered back.
Taking Brandon’s hand, Tré tugged him over to the bed. They fell to the mattress half-undressed, still overflowing with excitement after winning the tag team championships. Tré winced as his bare back hit the cold metal of the tag belts. “Ouch.”
Brandon laughed and pulled the belt from beneath him. Tré picked up the other. Gold and diamonds gleamed in the light as they held the proof of their success.
“Can you believe we’re tag team champs again?” Brandon asked in hushed tone.
Tré looked up to see Brandon staring down at his belt. He put a finger beneath Brandon’s chin, raising it up so his lover looked at him. When he did, Tré saw that Brandon’s dark eyes sparkled just as bright as the title resting in his lap. “Yeah, I can believe it. But as happy as I am to have these titles, it doesn’t compare to my joy at being reunited with you.”
Brandon smiled, the twinkle in his eyes turning mischievous.
Tré had just enough time to set his belt aside before Brandon leaped on him in a version of the Lou Thesz Press he’d used against Brad earlier. Tré fell to the mattress with Brandon on top of him. Brandon smiled and leaned down, bringing their lips together in a soft kiss. Tré shivered as he slowly licked into his mouth, then growled when he playfully retreated before Tré could get a real taste of his sweetness. Brandon hovered over him, gently brushing their lips together for several seconds. Tré stayed still, his eyes closed, savoring the love and joy and success of their night.
“That’s what I wanted to do in the ring earlier.”
The bed squeaked slightly as Brandon sat up and Tré finally opened his eyes.
“I have something for you.” Brandon slid off the bed and dug around in his bag.
Tré propped himself up on one elbow and waited for him to find what he was looking for. When Brandon took out a ring box, Tré slowly sat up, staring down at his boyfriend in surprise.
Brandon went to one knee, pausing there with his head down for a moment. Then he cleared his throat and looked up at Tré. “I know it’s kind of soon, because technically it’s only been a few months since we became a couple. But we’ve been together for three years. And if it makes you feel better, maybe you can wear it simply as a promise for the future. I just know I want to be with you for the rest of my life, and I want to give you this ring to show you how much I love you. And I hope you will accept it.”
“Before I answer, hold on a second.” Tré rose from the bed and went to his own bag. After taking out a small, pale blue gift box he’d hidden in an inside pocket, he went down to one knee as well.
Brandon’s eyes widened as he stared at the signature box. “Okay, maybe we are too close.”
Tré laughed but shook his head. “Never.”
“We’re doing this,” Brandon said with a grin. “We’re getting engaged.”
“Yes, we are.” He took the ring from its bed of velvet and tossed the box aside, while Brandon did the same. Brandon took a deep breath and went first, sliding a thin, hammered gold band onto Tré’s finger. When it was Tré’s turn, he slipped a gold ring with two rows of small but perfect diamond chips in the center onto his lover’s finger.
Brandon looked at it for a moment then shuffled forward on his knees and threw his arms around Tré’s neck. Tré returned the embrace, rubbing his cheek over Brandon’s fluffy cloud of hair. He relaxed his hold when Brandon pulled back to look at him.
“You know it’s going to look really suspicious to the fans if we show up wearing rings at the same time,” Brandon said with a small frown.
“No worries. We wouldn’t wear them in the ring or on camera anyway.”
“I think you’re forgetting about airport stalkers and hotel room stalkers and—”
Tré groaned. He was well aware that fans and journalists staked out those spots hoping for photos of their favorite wrestlers. “Okay, you made your point.” he brought a hand up to cup Brandon’s scruffy cheek. “I don’t want to do anything you’re not comfortable with. But our business has always had several poorly kept secrets. If our relationship is added to that list, I’m okay with it if you are. As long as we keep our private life private, let them speculate.”
Brandon nuzzled into the palm of Tré’s hand. “That works for me.”
“And when the time is right, if we want to, we’ll come out to the public.”
“Okay.”
“Good. Now let’s get off this floor because my knees are killing me.”
Brandon laughed, and they got back on their feet, taking a moment to remove the rest of their clothes before settling naked on the bed.
Tré spooned behind Brandon, a hand resting on his hip. Brandon often went on and on about Tré’s ass, but Brandon’s was perfect. Smooth, brown skin with the sweetest curve that he could cup in the palm of his hand. And with them pressed together, Tré’s cock nestled between his cheeks as though that was where it was meant to be. Brandon pushed his ass back, making Tré groan low in his throat. He responded with a slow roll of his hips, then whispered in Brandon’s ear. “So...we’re engaged now.”
“We are.”
“And we’ve had the talk, got tested, and received our results.”
“We did.” Brandon flexed his ass muscles, clenching on Tré’s cock.
The corner of Tré’s mouth curled in a slow grin at the game they were playing. “So, what do you think about taking me inside you with nothing between us?” He thrust forward with a little more intent, cock sliding all the way up Brandon’s crease.
Brandon arched his back and moaned. “I think I want that right now.”
Tré did too, so after a quick roll off the bed to retrieve the lube from his bag, he was back behind Brandon, getting them both slick. When he first slid in, Brandon gasped and the breath caught in Tré’s chest. He continued, pushing deeper and deeper until the snug heat of his lover’s ass gripped every inch of his bare cock. Tré pulled in a breath through his nose, releasing it on a shuddering groan.
“You feel amazing, B.” He flattened his palm on Brandon’s chest and pulled him back until there wasn’t an inch of space between them. “So hot and tight.”
Brandon twisted, turning his head so he could look up at Tré. “Love having you inside me like this.”
Tré smiled. “You’re going to love it when you get to do the same to me.”
“Oh God.” Brandon moaned the words as his eyes drifted closed.
He reached up and pulled Tré down into a rough and desperate kiss, sliding his tongue into Tré’s mouth just as Tré slid into his body. They kept kissing as Tré worked his hips, their bodies coming together with a satisfying soft smack. Brandon had a death grip on his ass, aiding his thrusts by pulling him in close.
Tré’s own hands roamed, caressing Brandon’s stomach and feeling it tremble, up to his chest to tug at stiff nipples, then back down to rub his palm up and down the sinewy muscles of Brandon’s thigh. They’d learned that contact helped Brandon stay rooted in the moment, and he was more than happy to have his hands all over his lover’s gorgeous body.
Brandon panted and moaned, the indistinct sounds eventually shaping into a single word. “Please.”
“Please what?” Tré asked in a rough whisper as he continued to thrust.
“Want to feel you...feel you come inside me.”
Tré breathed a curse at that request. His nerve endings were already humming with that tingling intensity that signaled an orgasm was on the horizon. Now, he was on pleasure overload, his balls tight and aching for that release. Taking hold of Brandon’s hand, he laced their fingers together. His hips moved faster and faster, slamming into Brandon’s ass hard until his muscles went rigid. The climax hit Tré in a sudden rush. His body jerked once, then again as he experienced the most intimate orgasm of his life.
Brandon whimpered a protest when he let his hand go, but it turned into a gasp of pleasure when Tré wrapped his fingers around his lover’s straining cock. He stroked tight and fast, until Brandon was shuddering through his own release, coming in Tré’s hand. Still inside him, Tré experienced every ripple of pleasure as though it were his own.
Once they came down and Tré withdrew, they lay there, boneless and sweaty as they caught their breath. The sweat was still drying on Tré’s spine when Brandon turned around and placed a kiss on the underside of his chin.
“Thank you,” he said softly.
Tré looked down at his new fiancé. “For what?”
“For welcoming me back. For always being in my corner. For loving me.”
Tré smiled, dropping his own kiss on the tip of his lover’s nose. “You and me, B. Partners for life.”
