Chapter Text
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Maybe it had all started with something Zack had said in that last conversation before he left. Maybe that was what had put these thoughts back into his head.
Watch yourself over there, Billy Bollocks. Don't end up like Ol' Switchblade.
Because despite having been thrown around the ring by Hobbs earlier in the night, the only ache Will felt was deep down in his guts as he stumbled across Jay White. Their paths hadn't crossed yet but he knew they would some day. Battles that should have taken place in Osaka or Tokyo would be in New York or Florida instead. He'd kinda expected that Jay would have been making everyone miserable over here just by being the obnoxious twat that he was.
Instead, he was the one that looked miserable.
All disheveled and gross.
Lost.
Will was a little surprised that his cackling hyenas weren't circling around him but he'd probably pushed them away. He had the vaguest of little memories of Jay snapping at SHO and YOH in the CHAOS locker room when they tried to check on him after a loss. He'd never bothered - let him be a lonely bastard - but his feet refused to move this time. Will had caught a glimpse or two of it on a monitor - Billy Gunn basically beating his arse for like fifteen minutes. Even though that match totally should have been a double countout or thrown out all together. The refereeing in AEW was definitely different than in Japan, though, so maybe it made sense here. He'd probably be slumped up against the wall too, if their places were reversed.
But Will was riding high - everything was going so well, despite the fact that Callis was going to be a problem sooner rather than later. The crowds actually seemed to like him. Who knew how long that was going to last but like fuck if he wasn't going to enjoy it while it did. On the other hand, as best he could tell, Jay's run in AEW so far had been kind of mixed. No singles title, been embarrassed in a pay-per-view main event, and just sort of looked all out of sorts in general.
Anybody who thought things were going to stay like that probably deserved to eat the Blade Runner that Jay would inevitably spike them with. Man was a crafty bastard. He just was. But right now, he was a sweaty mess - hair hanging down across his face and there was probably spit stuck in that beard of his somewhere. It was kinda cute in a messy, sexy sort of way. Not that Will was ever going to tell anybody that - outside of Jeff and Akira who had unfortunately heard all about how sexy he thought Jay White was during a drunken crawl through the bars of Tokyo.
Those abs alone…
And Jay always looked so fucked up after a match. Like visibly giving it his all was the only way he knew how to show the pride and the spirit he still had but kept hidden. Or something else stupidly poetic. Will liked that about him, even when he tried to forget that. It all didn't seem to matter as much anymore. They were both here now. Far away from Korakuen Hall and CHAOS vs Bullet Club. He'd even stabbed Okada in the back himself. They had that in common now too. The last time they had shared the ring had been an undercard tag match during a G1 - Jay the champion and him chasing after a title they had both left behind.
"Guess I should've gotten around to that Billy Gunn retirement plan a little sooner."
There was a weariness in Jay's eyes when his head snapped up but it disappeared quickly. Even the glare was kinda cute and Will knew his smirk was probably a little bit wider than it needed to be.
"Of course you think you'd do something I couldn't." Jay rolled his eyes so hard that Will couldn't help but wonder if it hurt. "Because you… are… on… another… level…" The sing-song way he said it was as annoying as he remembered but he'd even bothered with the hand gestures to go along with it. "Fuck off, Will."
"Nope."
It really would make way more sense to walk away. To leave Jay sitting there on the concrete floor by himself. But Will didn't want to. Exactly why was something he'd think about later like when he couldn't manage to fall asleep on the plane. Instead, he took a few more steps forward and sat down beside Jay, lightly nudging him in the shoulder because he couldn't quite help himself.
"I've had a terrible night. Can you just wait and be your usual idiot self later?"
The sexy sweaty mess effect was even stronger this close up and it somehow felt like both a lifetime and yesterday since they were sitting on the tour bus together, trying to ignore one another's existence. And that stupid accent still sounded too good to his ears.
"You know… I really did miss you calling me an idiot."
Jay finally looked over at him and there was just enough of the man he remembered in that small smirk that Will couldn't help but smile.
"You… are… an… I. D. I. O. T."
"Thanks, bruv." Will knew he sounded cheeky but it didn't seem like Jay minded. "So where are your hyenas anyway?"
"My what?"
"You know… the Gunn sons. It's like you're Scar and they're your hyenas." And now Jay just looked confused. "Haven't you seen The Lion King, mate?"
"Will… they eat him at the end of that movie."
Oh. Well, that definitely wasn't what he wanted to imply.
"Whoops. I always fall asleep before the end. My bad."
Jay's only response was a noise that Will had never heard him make before.
"Did you just snort?"
And now, he was just giggling. It was barely audible but he could see it. His shoulders were shaking and his lips were curled up like he was trying to keep as much sound as possible inside. Which made no fucking sense because if Will knew absolutely anything about Jay White, it was that the man never shut up. He talked so much during matches that every other opponent Will had ever had seemed quiet by comparison. But it was the little laugh lines at the edges of his eyes that he couldn't stop staring at. He didn't remember those being there before.
"I thought I made myself forget…"
Those words were even quieter than his giggling and Will really wanted to know what Jay thought he'd forgotten. Asking seemed rude, especially given the way that near-silent laughter had faded into a groan and a wince. Not the most uncommon thing after a match but as Jay twisted his upper body a little, Will spotted an ugly bruise already forming along his side where he must have hit a barricade or something.
"That looks pretty bad, bruv." Jay was very decidedly not looking at him and why that bothered him was another thing that he was going to think about later. "Did you take some aspirin?"
"No."
At least he was answering him, even if he was the one being an idiot this time. That edge was there in his voice but Will had made him laugh and he didn't bother trying to stop the sight and sound from replaying in his mind over and over again.
"Do you want me to play young boy and go get you an ice pack?"
"No."
Still nothing yet Jay hadn't told him to go away. There was something to that. Not that Will knew exactly what but it mattered. Maybe he could get him to laugh again but maybe that would be a bad idea. Before he could decide, though, his mouth was once again moving for him.
"Should I just kiss it better then?"
The weird hallway they were in got almost ominously quiet as Jay very slowly turned his head back toward him until they were staring at each other. His eyes were narrowed like he was waiting to find out that their entire conversation was just to set-up an attack and Will couldn't help but wonder why. So many things he didn't know.
"What?"
"Kiss. It. Better."
It was his turn to be all sing-songy and Will smiled as the corners of Jay's eyes got all crinkly again. But his gaze darted down to his lips and when their eyes met again, there was a curiosity in them that Will felt beneath his own skin. He expected it to disappear like that weariness had earlier but instead, it stayed long enough for Will to feel comfortable in letting his own gaze drift down to Jay's lips.
Maybe he wasn't the only one who had thought about this a few times over the years.
They both leaned forward at the same time - covering the same distance - and they both sort of hovered there. Waiting. Will wondered if there were as many questions in his eyes as there were in Jay's.
"I don't think it'll help."
Jay's voice was full of this tentative softness and Will wanted to hear it again when it didn't sound so much like defeat. Like he was talking about more than just a bruise and losing a match.
"Shut up, Jay."
And that was the barest hint of a smirkless smile so Will crossed the tiny gap between them and kissed him. He didn't mean to linger - was just going to make it a peck - but Jay responded with the barest bit of pressure and then they were kissing. Slow and careful like they were introducing themselves to each other. They had known one another for years but never like this. Jay's lips parted just a little and it was an invitation Will didn't dare ignore - afraid that it wouldn't come again.
This felt good. Simple in a way that it really shouldn't be. The only sound was their lips moving together. Jay was quiet and there was a part of Will's mind preoccupied on what it would take to make him moan. That beard was softer than it looked like it should be and it was so tempting to let one of his hands slip into that wet hair. They were holding onto each other's shoulders like two nervous teenagers and Will thought it was sweet.
This was the Jay White he had spotted giving food to hungry strays in Tokyo more than once. Hurried and quick like he was afraid someone might see.
"Jay! There you are!"
"Oh… shit…"
They both pulled back quickly and Will noticed Jay blinking like he was coming out of a haze and he knew exactly how that felt. The man was a brilliant kisser. But the Gunn sons - he wasn't too sure which one was which - were staring down at them with huge grins on their faces.
"Boys…"
There was a bit of that edge in Jay's voice but he wasn't sure if the Gunns realized it because they only looked happier.
"Jay… you shoulda told us you had a boyfriend!"
"Yeah, man. We totally support you!"
Jay sighed but there was something pleased about it as if even that offer was more than he ever expected. Will waited for Jay to correct them but he just sighed again.
"Boys…"
"And you're both from the United Kingdom. That's great!"
Wasn't Jay from New Zealand? Or did he have that wrong?
"And Mr. Ospreay… can we call you 'Will'?"
They were both staring at him like they really were waiting for permission to use his first name and Will was pretty sure that Jay was snickering again.
"Sure, bruv."
"Will… that is so romantic."
And now he was the one that was confused. But both Gunn sons were nodding.
"It really is. Coming to AEW just so you two can be together."
The taller of the two wiped what Will hoped was an imaginary tear from his eye.
"Our Switchy deserves such a sweet boyfriend."
Jay was still snickering and maybe if he wasn't going to say something, Will should. Not that he thought the Gunns sons were listening. One of them was saying they needed to call Juicebox - which must be Juice Robinson - and the shorter of the two was muttering something about nicknames.
"Guys, we're not…" That got their attention but Will suddenly didn't know how to finish that sentence when he was faced with two pairs of wide and worried eyes. "... telling anyone we're dating yet."
And that was Jay snorting again so at least he had accomplished that. The two men looked at each other and then the taller Gunn son held his phone out toward him.
"Then can we have your number so we can tell you if Jay needs you?"
Maybe they weren't exactly hyenas. There was something about their behavior that reminded Will almost painfully of the camaraderie of United Empire. He missed his boys in a way that ached. And maybe if Jay had gotten a taste of that feeling, that explained why the Knife Pervert wasn't running around stabbing everyone in the back in frustrated scheming. Maybe he was having fun.
"No problem, bruv."
Will felt Jay's eyes on him as he typed his number in and handed the phone back over. The Gunn sons somehow seemed even happier than before.
"Well, you have our support whenever you want people to know." They nodded again. "But maybe you should make out somewhere more private?"
Once again, Jay sighed. Will felt this one under his hand and he realized that they each still had a hand on the other's shoulder. Or at some point, they had reached back out for one another.
"Thanks for the advice, boys. I'll see you later."
They both waved - he really was going to have to figure out which one was which - before they turned and went back down the hallway. It was silent between them for a few moments. Jay was sitting there, eyes closed and pinching the bridge of his nose.
"I'll tell them we broke up later. Don't worry about them telling anyone. They're good boys."
Too good for me was unspoken but somehow, Will heard it anyway.
"Am I that bad of a kisser?"
Jay sat up straighter and Will felt his hand squeeze his shoulder. He had no idea why Jay had tightened his grip but he did the same in return. It felt as right as their kiss had.
"No…" Even that single word sounded like it was so hard for Jay to say. "... but…"
And he didn't know why but he could figure that part out later. All Will knew for certain was that he wanted to kiss Jay again. They could decide what that meant later. If Jay wanted to kiss him again.
"But maybe we should find somewhere else to snog?"
There was no sign of that misery or weariness on Jay's expression. They were so far from where they had started but all Will could see was the possibilities. He watched Jay take a deep breath while he held his own and tried to keep himself from making any breathe with the Switchblade jokes.
"My hotel room?"
"Lead the way, bruv."
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