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The golden hour was beautiful, even in Arlington, Texas. Shining through the stadium as Adam laid on his back on the bed of nails, tears grew in his eyes trying to ignore the pain but he had to lay there for a short moment. Blood just gushing out in every pore of his body. His back felt like it was being eaten alive.
1….
The referee counted, Adam gritted his teeth, he wanted nothing more than to watch the golden hour but he had to take care of business with Moxley, he had to win.
He inhaled deeply, everything suddenly turned off, he couldn’t hear the crowd, the ref yelling or Moxley gloating at how he just might win.
Peaceful
He stared up at the ceiling of the arena watching the sunset and the moment it would turn to the magic hour.
2….
He noticed the ref from the corner of his eye put the number 2 up with his fingers, he sighed. It was going slow and he didn’t have urgency, not yet. He needed a moment to not move from the nails.
He had come a long way to get the title back, rivalry with Moxley was full of anger and rage for the past years, now it resurfaced again, this time he had a few meltdowns and cried. He didn’t know who to turn to for comfort.
Swerve Strickland was out of the question to talk to, he had so much rage and anger that had built up inside from the years against him. He tried to at least a few times going into his locker room, that was until he found him in the locker room with Prince Nana and Will, but he held onto something else, his regret on what he did, and he hoped Swerve understood, because Swerve did, he also regretted what he did. Since talking to each other in the locker room and after their conversation, Swerve couldn't help but watch the cowboy stand at the doorway with Nana and Will across the way standing at the wall peaking in to see what was about to happen. He wanted Adam to turn to at least say something else, but he didn't, he moved on and Swerve held the chain close to his body.
He had to go get fresh air, and when he walked outside, it was sunset hour, he inhaled deeply and crouched down, hitting the sweet golden hour, he closed his eyes and pursed his lips inward to stop himself from crying.
3….
Beating Will in the Owen Hart cup finales and both having one upped their friendship even more. The sweet guy who smiled like an excited golden retriever from the times he saw him. He couldn’t stand how Will was so sad after the cup finale, laid in the ring and let the confetti fall on him, he had to do something. At the moment he was on the ramp, he turned, felt good to shake his hand after the finale.
Will was there for him recently, helping him against Moxley a few times, and even now, when he showed up, he sacrificed himself, he won’t ever know how to repay Ospreay, but he’ll find a way. Adam talked to him recently about how appreciative he was for Will to help him, even after saving him from being choked out by Moxley with a chain, he came up with an idea for Will to at least be nice to him, he suggested dinner.
In which Will laughed and accepted. " I'll hold you to it, bruv. Where are you suggesting?" Adam gave a small smile. " Somewhere nice, i'll pay." Somewhere overlooking the sunset.. He wanted to say it but he couldn't.
4….
He sighed, oh.. it was beautiful, the sun was getting to the point of the golden hour, he smiled, he reached up like he was about to grab the sun into his hand and hold it, he wanted to feel the warmth of it.
5….
As he watched, the magic of it all, rethinking all the times he had with The Elite, Kenny Omega.. The Young Bucks.. Himself.. All had a good time together, eating at the Golden Corral for the first time since there was no Cracker Barrel near them, since they weren't in a state that had it, unfortunately. It was a chaotic mess of screaming, middle fingers to Matt for suggesting Golden Corral at first, they went anyway, but after that, they watched the sunset on the beach as it was suggested by Adam. The golden hour was beautiful then too and now, it was gorgeous.
6…
Ah, shit.. It was almost time, just at its peak of the golden hour, it turned gold, he couldn’t help but let the tears fall now, he had to let it go, it was a week of letting it all go, he smiled a bit.
The sunset shined so bright to him that he had the biggest energy spurge considering how much blood he lost.
7…
GET.. THE .. FUCK .. UP.. COWBOY!
The voice in his head just yelled so loud and the sound turned back on, the audience was loud, Moxley still gloating near the ropes, the ref was at 8 now, he slowly got off the nails and onto the mat, he growled, he got to his knees, he looked up at the sunset once more and inhales, getting up and he got to his feet, wobbly a little, he had to finish it.
He made it up at 9, he went down to his knees again for a bit after a few more blows towards each other.
There he saw someone from the corner of his eye, Swerve, he came to help him, the chain in the ring, he felt hope.
The crowd erupted as he had Moxley tap out, he did it, it was finished, he finished his story, 2x Men’s Champion.
Tears rolled down again, he didn’t care who saw, his arm was raised, he felt weak but he did it, he looked up as he held the title as the last of the sunset faded into the darkness, he smiled and tears didn’t stop flowing as he fell to his knees after receiving the case, he looked at it and couldn’t believe it.
The crowd cheered loudly, he opened it and there it was, never touched after Moxley beat Daniel Byranson, he took it out and held it.
He now has the sunset in his hands once again.
His gold.