Blaze in the Dark (Wheeler Yuta)
wheeler yuta x fem!reader, no y/n used.
content: minuscule angst, it wants to be enemies to lovers but it just ain’t
i always feel like i should add more at the beginning here but what does one even say. if y’all have requests I’ll take em
Yuta groaned loudly as he stared into the screen backstage. His arms were already crossed and he couldn’t even try to pretend he wasn’t paying attention to a certain former team member on the screen. Moxley and Danielson sat on either side of him, watching the kid furrowing his brows.
“She’s so dumb.” He said as he felt his mentor’s eyes on him. “She’s so reckless with herself. That’s why she’s always hurt.” When neither of the men next to him spoke, he continued, sitting up a little straighter. “I can’t tell you how many times I had to take her to the doc. Especially whenever Kris isn’t around.”
Bryan looked at Mox with a smile. “Well, it’s a shame Kris isn’t here tonight, then. Your friend is going to need someone to wrap that hand of hers.” He pointed at the brutal but clearly painful punches being thrown.
“She’s terrible at wrapping herself.” Yuta held in the cringe that took over his body at the thought of her hand being wrapped by herself. She was alone on Dark tonight and Yuta had done his best to avoid his former mentors, unwilling to deal with the impending fall out. He wasn’t even sure they were here tonight.
“Mickey’s Club House here tonight? Beretta is real acquainted with tape.” Mox seemed to read his mind as he relaxed further into his chair, speaking to Bryan.
He sucked a breath in through his teeth and shook his head. “You know, I haven’t seen any of them.” He pointed to the screen before he addressed Yuta. “Your friend just won her match.”
Yuta’s head snapped to the screen just in time to watch her scraped hands shoot into the air, fingers clasped with Aubrey Edwards, a goofy grin on her face. Yuta didn’t miss the grimace that crossed her forehead when her hands dropped.
The three of them sat in silence for a minute, Mox and Bryan watching Yuta again. Finally, Bryan cracked first. “Are you going to go help her?”
Yuta shook his head. “Why would I do that.” The way he phrased it, it wasn’t a question. He didn’t want to hear the answer.
Bryan smiled at him, airier than the first time. “Wheeler, you know why. She’s your friend. Friends help each other.”
No sooner had the words glossed over his lips was she walking through backstage. She held her neck and favored her left just enough to be noticeable. Her eyes held the ground before she noticed the three of them toward the back of the room. Her hand dropped from her neck and she stood just a bit straighter, but her stride continued as she silently waved when she passed by the trio.
Yuta remained in his seat, his eyes following her back as she left.
Jon shook his head at his new protege. “Come on, Bryan. I think Regal needed us.” The older men gave each other a glance and made to leave as Yuta glanced between the two doors.
Wheeler wasn’t sure of the repercussions if he were to go to her. The two of them had never gotten close in their overlapping time with the Best Friends. He had turned a cold shoulder to her almost instantly, her exuberant energy mixed with Kris’ was no match for his Excedrin, and though she tried to befriend him on more the one occasion, it seemed the only time he was interested was when no one else was around. He had watched Orange Cassidy shake his head at his trainees ringside and walk them up the ramp just to let them limp to the doctor or locker room alone. Wheeler had found her backstage alone after a particularly stiff match on Dark, her hand busted and enough wrap unraveled to make a kid’s mummy costume. It had taken him more time to rewrap the excessive length than it did to fix her hand. After the first time, it took him an increasing amount of concentration to keep his expression unamused. Suddenly she was all that occupied his mind, and it made him furious.
Maybe it was him being Blackpool Combat Club’s only trainee that made his affection obvious to Moxley and Danielson, but Wheeler had done his best to push down any remaining feelings of protectiveness over her. It was Moxley that had told Yuta he didn’t want him hanging around guys like them anymore, and he was fine doing that, but as the guilt stirred in his stomach and he cast a glance down the opposite hall, he made way to his former teammate.
When he found her, she was alone in her dark wrestling gear with a poorly taped shoulder. He didn’t even attempt to hide his sigh, alerting her to his presence in the same move.
“Wheeler! Sorry. I didn’t hear you come in.” She explained as she held the tape to her chest.
He didn’t respond to her, instead moving to take the tape from her hands and turning her around by her waist. She winced as he pulled the tape from her shoulder, Yuta mumbling out a soft “sorry” before he began retapping. He watched the way she shivered as he his hands drifted over her partially exposed back, a memory locked away just for him. For now, though, he shook it away.
“Thank you.” She said as he finished the last few pieces. “That tightness feels better already.” They stood in an awkward silence, Wheeler content with staring her down. “Sorry you always have to patch me up. You really shouldn’t worry about it anymore. I know you’re really busy with — “
“How’s your hand?” He finally asked, interrupting her and grabbing her by the elbow. “I might as well wrap it while I’m here.”
She pulled her arm from him and shook her head. “No, really. You’re not my keeper, Yuta.” She took a step back from him. “You were doing the guys a favor before, but you’ve got a whole other thing going on — “
“I wasn’t doing them a favor.” He interrupted her again, taking her hand and starting another round of wrapping. “Did you think they tasked me with babysitting you?”
“Well — “
“You’re terrible at taking care of yourself. Someone has to do it.” He wanted to tell her that he wanted to help, that the quiet moments he hated to love with her was something he had started to look forward too. He tore the bandage and secured it with a piece of tape instead.
“Well… thank you again.” She said, her hands clenching and unclenching. “You always get the tightness just right. It’s always too loose when I do it.”
“I know.” He responded and they stared at each other as she scrunched her brows, almost offended.
She shook her head and averted her eyes. “Well, then, I’m sorry you feel like you need to watch over me.” She shifted uncomfortably on her feet, then continued. “I’m sure Moxley — “
“You don’t have to keep bringing them up, you know.” It was his turn to shake his head. He wondered why she wouldn’t drop it, as if she was too nervous to avoid it, but had to jump to the chase before he got the chance. “It’s just us here,” he paused again and waited for her to meet his eyes before continuing, “He told me to come help you, both of them did.” He sat his hands on his hips. “They’re not monsters. Just because we aren’t besties — “
“What’s wrong with being besties?” It was her turn to interrupt. He hadn’t meant to say it with so much disdain, like it had put a bad taste in his mouth just to say.
“Nothing, it came out wrong. They’re good guys.”
“I thoroughly remember you getting your head kicked in, Yuta.” She had resorted to his last name, and he knew he had said the wrong thing. “Good guys don’t usually kick peoples heads in.”
His arms crossed his chest and she mirrored him. He hadn’t wanted to have this conversation, he didn’t want to talk about Regal, or Moxley or Danielson. He didn’t want to talk about the Best Friends. He didn’t really want to talk at all, anymore.
“I’m sorry, Wheeler. I shouldn’t have brought it up.” She caved before he could think of a response, but he was just happy to be Wheeler again.
“I’m sorry, too.” He dropped his arms and played with his hands. “This was harder than I thought. I guess I didn’t realize how much would change.”
She slowly released her arms from their held position across her chest, placing a hand on his shoulder. “You’re doing great, for what it’s worth.” She smiled up at him, and for the first time he found himself returning it. She looked away from him and her face shifted, just enough for him to notice, and she spoke again. “I know you’re not my biggest fan, but I’m here if you need someone,” she paused before adding, “even if it’s just you patching me up and telling me to stop being stupid.”
“You’re not stupid.” When she started to argue, well, that’s not what you said when — “I’m sorry for calling you stupid. You’re reckless, sure. But you aren’t stupid.” Yuta wasn’t sure when the air had gotten so intense, bordering on uncomfortable. “I wasn’t fair to you, ever, and I’m sorry for that, too.”
Again, she looked like she wanted to ask a question — since when was she so careful? — but didn’t. “Thank you for apologizing.” She said finally, before turning to exit the room. “I should probably get going,” she used her thumb to point over her shoulder, “early flight, you know.”
Wheeler nodded, his eyes firm on her as she turned to the door. He watched her place her hand on the door to push it open before hesitating, glancing at him over her shoulder. “Did I do something? In the beginning, I mean.” Her hand dropped and she turned toward him again. “You never seemed to dislike Kris, despite her constantly choking you out. What did I do differently?”
He looked at her with wide eyes, somehow caught off guard by the question. Now or never, he thought.
“To be honest, I wasn’t sure at first, but the longer I’m away the more I get it.” He released a breath and rang his hands together with a chuckle before taking a few unsteady steps toward her. He placed his hand against her cheek lightly and watched as her eyes widened. On her other cheek, he brushed his lips softly, before straightening himself up and answering her. “You are…very different than Kris.”
She nodded her head in understanding, turning her face into his hand, and he smiled down at her. The action had sent electricity through the palm of his hand and he dipped his head down to hers once more, this time pressing his lips to hers with certainty.
Oh, how he thought he could die, once the feeling of her hands on his chest registered, and he wrapped his arm around her waist in response. He pulled himself closer to her, breaking their kiss just to dive in for another.
He cursed himself silently and wondered how much time he’d wasted brooding, when the feeling of her velvet tongue on his was at all the possible outcome? He shook the thought away as the two parted, slightly out of breath. “I should have done that a long time ago.” He said, still holding her against him.
She peered up at him through her lashes and sent him a dazed smile. “I wish you would have.”