Work Text:
Story written for an anonymous from tumblr who asked for: "How about something with SANADA/Jake Lee/War Dogs??"
Jake Lee casually leans against the headboard as watches the latest New Japan show, Power Struggle, though he isn't really interested. The matches have dragged on a little – or a lot - while he ignores the slight throbbing in his knee and the way commentary babbles about meaningless bullshit making him want to mute them.
Only, he has to know when it happens, so he can't.
He's been told to watch. Gabe Kidd, forever blowing up his phone, has let him in on a little secret. Something big is going to happen and Jake should know. So, he's limped over to the bed, hooked up NJPW World to his large television screen, and has slogged through all the drivel.
It doesn't happen during the War Dogs tag match, which is a shame, so now he's keeping one eye on the screen while he waits for Finlay. He supposes Gabe could have been lying to him, but Jake knows that's unlikely.
So, he waits.
When it does happen and SANADA reveals a War Dog tshirt, he whistles softly. He's somewhat familiar with SANADA, of course, but this comes as a surprise even to him. It makes him look at their faction and what this would mean for him.
For most people SANADA joining War Dogs is interesting or terrifying or both. For Jake Lee, it poses a problem.
He ignores the question marks that Gabe sends him, clearly curious what he thinks of their little stunt, and looks to see if he has SANADA's phone number saved somewhere. He should, because he has almost everyone's. Not that they know about this.
He finds it and glances at the clock. He'll give the man half an hour.
~
It's actually an hour later when he calls. It takes a while for SANADA to pick up, but Jake knows how busy a heel turn makes you, so he graciously forgives him for it.
“Hello?”
SANADA is no different on the phone than he is in person. Calm, collected, a little quiet. The only difference is that his startling good looks can't distract when all you get is a rather dull voice on the other side of the line.
“Welcome to the team,” Jake drawls.
He's been thinking about it ever since he found out SANADA had joined them. Their little faction is an interesting one, full of strong personalities and loud voices. They're difficult to ignore, but incredibly easy to manipulate.
Gabe and the juniors look at him in awe – for some, he knows, lust – and Gedo thinks he's so clever. Someone who believes money and power can get you anything never considers that some people might not deem that enough to submit to you. So Jake has made him believe and parrotes his advice, but at the same time quietly pulls some of the War Dogs from his claws.
If he smiles at Gabe or Drilla just right, or praises Clark in bumbling, halting English that makes the other man regard him fondly, then they blush and flutter like little schoolgirls.
How can he not use that for his own gain?
The only one who concerns him is David Finlay. It's not that the man doesn't have glaring weaknesses that Jake can exploit – his past is littered with them – but he's grown confident and in control. He also hasn't taken to Jake the way the others have. He's a worry.
And now so is SANADA.
The former leader of Just 5 Guys is many things, but he's not insecure and that's always Jake's easiest way in. At the same time SANADA is a handsome man and could have pretty much anyone. Somehow Jake doubts that he can tempt him with some filthy compliments and equally filthy looks. A shame, really, because he's quite sure SANADA would look a hell of a lot better sucking his cock than that loudmouth Gabe Kidd does.
Still, he worries SANADA won't be so easily exploited.
“Jake Lee,” the man in question replies. He sounds weary. As he should be.
“Good evening. How are you finding your new faction mates?”
He can't hear any noises in the background, so he's quite sure the War Dogs didn't take SANADA out. They'd probably invited him, like they had him, but it looks like he'd refused. His first mistake.
Jake Lee had suffered through an evening full of alcohol and shit he couldn't understand simply to be considered a part of the team. Gedo and occasionally Finlay had played translator, of course, but once they all got a little tipsy all bets were off and the communication devolved into hand movements and shouting.
He'd seen the way Gabe looked at him, though, especially once drunk, and he'd fostered it with small smiles and catching his gaze a bit too long. Drilla, too, seemed quite flustered around him, and Jake had considered trying to see how far the beautiful man would allow him to go. But, no, Drilla is a bit quicker than Gabe, much more aware of his limitations, and Connors always hovers nearby.
Gabe, though, Gabe is lonely. A brash man who trusts no one and therefore inevitably loses everyone close to him. The second in command, but not trusted by either the leader or the company they work for. Someone whose long time partner – and likely the only person who could talk sense into him - is now gone.
He's a man who desperately begs for bonds that no one is willing to give him. Behind his rough, toxic exterior of masculinity beats a small, lonely heart that wants affection. Wants connection. It wants trust.
He was oh so ripe for the picking.
And so Jake did.
The first time he'd had Gabe kneeling in front of him, taking his cock and looking so very small yet delirious with lust, he'd felt a rush of power he'd never felt before. It made him wonder if David Finlay could have achieved the same. If he'd ever considered it.
“They're loud,” SANADA answers.
“That they are.” Jake leans back in his chair. In front of him the scene of SANADA's betrayal plays again. Taichi looks heartbroken. SANADA doesn't seem to feel anything.
“Do they look at you like they want to fuck you yet?”
SANADA is quiet for a little while. Surely if Jake is their type, then so is SANADA? Maybe he's miscalculated a little. Maybe those pups just enjoy being towered over and told what to do.
“Yes,” SANADA eventually admits. “But a lot of people do.”
There it is, the thing about SANADA that Jake fears the most. Confidence.
He may lack it in the ring sometimes, but as a person? SANADA doesn't need anything. And people who don't need anything can't be made to sacrifice.
“Why did you join War Dogs?” he asks, actually letting his curiosity get the better of him.
“Finlay has pretty eyes.”
Jake chuckles. SANADA's sarcasm amuses him. He'd known he wasn't going to get an answer, but for a second there he'd hoped things would be easy and SANADA would give him something to break him with. Alas, he'll have to work for it.
He supposes SANADA would look very pretty broken into little pieces.
“You can have him,” Jake says. “Kidd, however? He's mine.”
Another long pause. They worry him, those pauses, because they're the opposite of how his War Dogs respond. SANADA thinks about his answers. He's very rarely rattled and where Jake's dogs would have snapped already – what do you mean, why does that matter, what is he to you – SANADA considers.
Much like he takes stock of everything SANADA says, SANADA probably took note of this as well. Jake doesn't mind if he thinks Gabe Kidd is a weakness.
“You act like I'd want him.”
Jake laughs. “I don't want him, but he's the easiest and that's convenient. He looks at me like I hung the moon.”
“I'll be tagging with him, you know.”
There it is, SANADA's first attempt at sparking something in him. Jake doesn't think SANADA is as conniving as he is or necessarily means the War Dogs any harm, but he is smart and calculating and he's already trying to see what buttons to push to get Jake to where he wants him.
It'd be a problem if he and Finlay somehow teamed up.
For a moment there, as he considers all of SANADA's merits, he respects and fears the other man and his dick throbs. He sure loves him some actually powerful men.
What he loves even more is making them submit to him.
“Oh?” he adds a slight wobble to his voice, as if he's pretending not to care. Maybe he can convince SANADA that he has a glaring weakness and keep him away from everything else.
SANADA doesn't push the issue and they both go quiet. He's not giving Jake an inch. Jake wants to press, but he knows how guys like that work. SANADA already doesn't trust him and crossing lines is only going to make that worse.
He'll just have to learn to work alongside him and find another opening. Maybe that other leader in Bullet Club...
Or maybe they can just get along, he ponders as he zooms in on the man's face. He is incredibly handsome, after all, and not half as annoying as all those foreigners.
“I'll see you around, SANADA-san,” he says. He gets nothing except a hum of agreement.
When he hangs up, he sees that he has thirteen messages and two missed phonecalls. He sighs and dials a by now familiar number.
“Hello, Gabriel.”
Back to work.