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Titolo: Full of regrets
Fandom: All Elite Wrestling
Personaggi: Daniel Garcia, Bryan Danielson, Daddy Magic
Warning: What!if
Wordcount: 2045
Prompt: 66. Rimorso
As Bryan is finally able to lock in the Lebell Lock once again, Daniel can't get out of it this time. As much as he struggles and tries to keep staying alive, that submission hold is too much for his body and it's not much before he actually sees black and he is out for some seconds.
He can hardly feel Aubrey try to see if he can move, but as he slowly comes back to reality, the bell rings and he has lost. Bryan still keeps the submission for some seconds and once Daniel is finally free, he can lay on his back, looking up towards the American Dragon. He hates seeing him standing there, taking in the chants, his music deafening his ears even over the screaming fans. Daniel lays there and he feels humiliated; he feels the weight of all the losses he has sustained ever since he turned down the offer of joining Blackpool Combat Club.
Bryan, instead of taking his hand, spits on him and that angers Daniel, it humiliates him so much more and regret settles in his heart, squeezing it so hard Danny almost feels it impossible to breathe.
If he looks back to that damned day, maybe he should have taken the offer. Maybe like that, he wouldn't be on such a long losing streak and he doesn't deserve that. He rolls to the outside, gives his back to a cheering Dragon, covering his eyes with both hands. It shouldn't have gone like that, he has now understood that he is not a stupid Sports Entertainer, instead he is a professional wrestler.
He hates the feeling settling around his heart: it should be warm, but it's cold as ice instead.
“Bryan…”
That name escapes from his lips in a whimper and for a second he wonders if his opponent has heard it, since he was walking behind him at that same moment.
He can see Bryan go on to the turnbuckle and celebrate, but he can see a clear smirk on his lips.
Daniel flips him off and struggles backstage with help from Daddy Magic, breathing still heavily.
“It's okay, you wrestled a good match, Danny.” Matt tries to calm and soothe him as he helps him to the back.
“No Matt… I lost. This match… this match was so important to me and I just blew it.” Daniel closes a hand to a fist, the other rubbing his face. If he is lucky, he can still find Bryan somewhere, he doesn't really want to go to the Blackpool Combat Club's locker room. “Go on ahead without me, I'll meet you later at the hotel.” He needs to find Bryan and if he tells Daddy Magic… he is not gonna allow it.
“...” Menard looks at him for some moments before sighing and patting him on the shoulder. “Don't take too much, Danny.”
Daniel waits until Matt is out of sight and he goes on his own path, which leads him near doc Sampson's office. He is not sure the American Dragon has really stopped there, but it is definitely worth a try.
He sighs as he finds it empty, but he has only the time to actually get back out, before he catches glimpses of chains on a ring gear. He hates how he finds himself hinting at a smile while he hurries to reach Bryan: since when has he started to feel once again like that towards that old guy?
He shakes his head to get those thoughts away, walking faster to reach him before he could disappear in his locker room.
It is pure instinct what makes him just grab Bryan's arm, without even announcing himself. The response he gets is a yank in surprise, but his grip is firm and Danielson doesn't fight him more than that. His uncovered eye doesn't show any surprise, the gaze is cold on Danny's skin. Indifference… that emotion is not what Danny would want from Bryan, but he gets that months ago he has been a fool and now he is basically crawling to him desperate.
“What-” The older man doesn't get a chance to finish his question, since Danny speaks.
“Can we speak for a moment, Bryan? Not here and not in your locker room. Us two alone, I'm not going to attack you. I just need to speak with you.” Daniel fears that if he lets go of Bryan's arm, the American Dragon will just walk away and let him there alone.
“Fine.”
Bryan hasn’t had much time to reflect on his own actions after the match, but he is still feeling the weight of what has happened more than a year ago. He follows Daniel into an empty room, sitting on a bench, while the ex member of the JAS still stands next to the door.
Bryan brings his elbows on his knees, resting his chin on his hands, which are closed to fists. He eyes Daniel, who seems to be tense and once again, in contrast to when they were in the ring, he isn't looking at him. Every fiber in Daniel's body is tense and Bryan could swear the younger man is biting his lower lip.
The silence is deafening and it only fuels memories which Bryan's head has already brought back before and during the match they had just minutes ago. That belt to his head, Daniel's choice to stay and follow Chris Jericho, instead of joining him and BCC. The American Dragon still thinks the younger man has made a huge mistake: even after more than one year, he can see how much Danny is struggling. He is slowly growing impatient: he just wants to take a shower and go back to the hotel to sleep, so he doesn't really have much time for him.
“You either speak, or I'm out. I haven't followed you only to not clear anything, Danny.” Bryan can't stand that silence anymore, Garcia is wasting his time and the more they stay in the same room, the more memories come back to his mind.
“Wh- no, please. Okay, I'll speak!” Daniel took a deep breath, trying to calm down his heart for a moment. “I made a mistake that day. A huge mistake which I still pay for.”
“A mistake you say?” Bryan chuckles at that and Daniel hates it: the American Dragon isn't really trusting him. “You had your chance, Daniel. You blew it and still decided to go after Jericho.” Bryan looks up and Daniel isn't looking at him. He sighs and stands up, reaching the younger boy.
“I know I made a mistake and I want to patch everything up.” Danny's breath gets heavier as Bryan steps closer to him. Maybe the older man will grab his chin once again, forcing him to look at him…
"Well..." Bryan sighs and shakes his head for a moment, looking at him from head to toe. His head suddenly pulses, hurts, the phantom pain from getting hit with that belt still vivid in him. "I think you made things very clear that time..." He gets nervous, because Danny is still avoiding his gaze and that is something he doesn't like. He is forced to grab his chin, almost painfully, forcing him to look into his eyes. "I already told you this, Daniel: look at me when I talk to you!" They are completely alone in that room, there isn't really the need of actually scream, but it has normally more effect.
"I was..." Daniel gulps, the grip painful, but doesn't try to get out of it. Even through the pain, that touch is somewhat a relief for him. "I was another person back then." He was blind, followed Jericho blindly, but now he is - once again - searching for his true identity. "Jericho brainwashed me and now I really understand I was stupid enough to let him do it." He almost whimpers, but the only sound which leaves his lips is rattled and he can't go on.
"At that time you decided someone like Jericho was more important. You have always said I am your hero, but when you actually had the opportunity to join forces with me, you just turned your back to me." Bryan's voice is as cold as it can get and it hurts Danny so much. "I have got no problem with that: there is someone else who is profiting from my experience and will do it as much as I will actually still wrestle." Bryan can see that Daniel's eyes become watery, but he is not done and at this point... it doesn't matter anymore to him.
"Please Bryan..." The younger man has to hold back a whimper to not appear as desperate as he is, but before he can add anything else, the American Dragon cuts him off once again.
"Save yourself this pathetic pleading. It took you more than a year to understand your moves and you woke up now just because you know I am about to leave full time wrestling? We don't need someone like that, Danny. We are searching for someone to build the new BCC's generation and even if I welcome you in, who can tell me that you won't flip the others off once I am gone?" He loosen his grip on his jaw, sighing deeply. "When I offered you a spot in our stable... I was sure you had the guts to be with us, I as sure you could make it through the harsh training we do daily. You could have become someone better, Danny, I can assure you that. Instead, you chose your own path and to actually still be a Sports Entertainer. We don't have place for that here. You either become serious, act like a real wrestler, or I am sorry, but we'll just keep Wheeler and forge him like we already had in mind." He doesn't care anymore about name dropping their youngest member of the stable, maybe Danny will actually react to that. "See? You are still trying to avoid looking me in the eyes... That's what Daniel Garcia the fucking Sports Entertainer would do. When you faced me tonight in this main event, you were someone else. You were looking straight at me, you were challenging me with that gaze in your eyes. You are not serious right now, because I want the wrestler here, the one who had the guts to challenge me, not who you are right now." He was stern, like he was scolding him, but couldn't hold himself back. "If you can't do that, then I'm out. I have a student who actually deserves my time and is probably waiting for me. So, if you are just wasting my time, then this talk is over."
Daniel finally finds the way to react: Bryan name-dropping Wheeler Yuta gets his blood boiling and he surely doesn't want to actually make that regarding that guy. He frees himself from Bryan's grip and he takes his wrist in a hand, showing Bryan against the wall behind himself, basically changing their positions. “You want the wrestler, American Dragon? You want that? Well, here he is.” He doesn't flinch an inch, the grip on Bryan's wrist is firm.
“It was about time… always have to bring Wheeler in the discussion and you finally react, mh?” Bryan is amused at the sudden reaction and grins. “Now that I finally have the right attention…” He begins to say, smirking. “This discussion we had won't change the fact that, if you actually changed your mind, you won't get in as easily as it could have been last year.”
“I don't care whatever it takes, I'll prove myself, starting from Wheeler Yuta up until you as the final boss.” Danny has the look in his eyes which Bryan actually likes, he is firm on what he wants now.
“Start with closing the year with successes, then we can maybe talk once again after my match at Wrestle Kingdom.” Bryan nods, still amused. “It's your last opportunity, don't screw it up. I would have treated you like my own son at that time… maybe it would be the same if it actually happens. You have to earn every inch of your spot this time.”
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