[PROMPT] New Feuds

Gold. 

It glint’s in the lowlights backstage. In a way, Aster thinks it is no longer beautiful - sitting on the shoulder of a brute. Not where it belongs, Xenos taints it. The brilliance that all wrestlers reach for now looks like nothing but tarnished trash. Brutish fingers tap triplets into the plating, it's a grating sound, Aster thinks.

He jolts as a strong hand grabs his shoulder. Fingers sliding up to cup the back of his neck. Those fingers, blunted and strong doing what they were made to, dig into flesh. A small soreness quickly blooms under the calloused fingertips.

“Aww look at that - distracted aren’t ya.” Xenos’ voice is gruff, every word he speaks sounds like it’s laced with a growl. Sharp teeth threaten to burst through his own skin, always too close to knicking a bottom lip. Kissing him must be hell, is all Aster can think of for a moment. Thoughts are caught off guard as the belt, brilliant for just a moment, gets shaken in front of his face, before returning to it’s place on a shoulder. “I don’t blame ya, she’s beautiful ain’t she. Much better on my shoulder than it did on the last guy.

No. This title didn’t belong on the shoulders of some alien wannabe. No it belonged on his shoulder. Aster knew - he knew that if he were to get this title back then he would have to forgive him! It was fool proof.

Maybe he said that first part out loud. Xenos looms over him with  a toothish grin and his back is suddenly against cold brick. “What was that, brat?” Aster flinches as Xenos’ hot breath washes over his face, his nose wrinkling as he can smell whatever gross, sugary drink he must have had.

“I want it.” The words come out of Aster’s mouth before his brain even has a moment to realize what he is saying. It doesn’t sound convincing on the first go, confidence falters in a whimper. Aster shakes his head. “I want the belt.” It sounds more convincing now.

Xenos laughs at the thought and that makes Aster bristle. The soft fur on his tail standing on end as he glares up at the taller man.

“S’not enough to want it. You gotta crave it. Gotta make it yer life’s goal to hold the gold.” Aster hates his voice. That gruff, deep drawl that borders on a slur. Xenos pats him on the shoulder a bit too roughly before leaning into his ear. “But I’ll tell ya what, shortstack. Imma nice guy. I’ll give ya yer damn match. Just gotta know, we got contracts for this shit though.”

Aster is suddenly shoved forward. Guided by Xenos’ arm, now slung around his neck like a collar. The blunted spikes dig into his clavicle. A proverbial Cygnette on his shoulder. 

Contract signings always had a heavy air about them. That didn’t change with Xenos, if anything it made everything even more menacing. The booker seems pleased though, that was the first thing Aster had noticed. Their boss had a smirk on their lips as they tapped the pen to paper. Aster just waited quietly. Shoulders tensed as Xenos kept a grip on him. 

The moment the booker handed him the contracts he read through it carefully. It was standard, for a Xenos contract at least. Sixty minute time limit, no outside interference. The Winner’s Rights were also written in, which Aster scowled slightly at the idea. Winner’s Rooms and Rights were such an old school practice, the loser of the match having to sleep with the winner. Despite being old school, it was prevalent in every company that Aster had been booked with, so he was no stranger to the concept. One night of bad sex was something he was willing to deal with if it meant that he had a possibility of getting the belt back to him.

Aster flips through the pages, lips tugged into a thoughtful pout. Eyes drawn to something in the text. Disqualification at any point during the match does not require the challenger to uphold Winner’s Rights, however, the challenger will no longer be viable for future title shots while the current Heavyweight Champion reigns. Interesting.

“These are agreeable. I suppose.” Aster muses, internalizing this information in case it is needed in the future.

“Good.” The fingers holding his shoulder start to rub circles into the skin under his shirt. When looking up, Aster can see the smirk that Xenos hold. Dark eyes focused hard on the papers. “Sign it then, shortstack.”

He’s given the pen by the booker. A quick gaze at them shows just how excited they are at the possibility of this match.  Of course they would be, they were always very invested in any sort of drama that happened in the company. Doesn’t matter though, Aster grabs their pen and signs the contract.

“See ya in a week, shorty.” Xenos laughs, deep and menacing. He signs alongside Aster and roughly slaps his shoulder. Aster doesn’t bother responding as Xenos walks out.

After a moment, he follows suit. Standing from his chair, dusting off his pants and giving a polite bow to the booker. “Thank you for your time.” 

~&~

It’s a week later and now that he’s in the ring, facing a man almost twice his size, does Aster believe he’s made a poor decision. The bell rings but he doesn’t register it as he already moves. Driven by instinct to be near the ropes. His back presses into them, pushing, pushing, before he tries to use his gained momentum to nail Xenos with a flying knee. 

The bastard barely even stumbles. Let alone flinch at the contact. Aster is against the ropes again, looking at Xenos with an awed expression. He doesn’t have long before Xenos slams a chop across his chest. It takes the wind out of him. He didn’t even have to sell this. Aster shakes his head. He needed to get his thoughts back into the game. The ref is beside them again, yelling at Xenos to break the hold against the ropes.

Xenos lifts a hand to chop again, Aster flinches. He’s greeted by a gentle pat to his chest before Xenos hands go up in a placating gesture and steps back. Aster moves hit again, a chop of his own, before a thick bicep connects to his collar. The lariat knocks him clean on his ass. He drinks in air like it’s water after that hit.

“Awww, is that all the kitty can take?” Xenos taunts him. It makes his hackles rise and he sneers up at him before forcing himself up again.

“Shut up!” His hand grabs at Xenos before hopping onto the ropes, he leaps over the buckle and flips into the air, as he lands, he uses the drag to throw Xenos to the other corner.  Not giving the heel a moment to recover, Aster is quick on his feet running at Xenos before connecting a drop kick.

Something sparks within Xenos, Aster can tell by one look at the other. A spark, in those dark eyes and he laughs. Xenos laughs, as he stands up and wipes the spit from his face. Within a blink of an eye, he’s already scooped Aster up by his thighs and slams him down into the mat in a powerbomb.

After taking the bump, Aster is down on the mat. Groaning as he looks up. Lights blur around Xenos, a halo of blinding rays that make it almost impossible to make out the other. “That’s what I’m talking about!” Aster can feel himself getting lifted by his arm before Xenos places him in an arm lock. Elbows drive into the soft spot between his neck and shoulder. Four blows land before he can kick away.

The moment he kicks away, Aster is quick to put space between him and Xenos. Watching, waiting as the champ starts to lunge towards him. Aster acts on instincts. He leg kicks out in perfect form and it connects to Xenos’ jaw. The superkick had enough force to knock the gum out of Xenos’ mouth and again, Aster can see the fires that spark within his eyes.

Yet in a move that not even Aster could sus out, Xenos rolls out of the ring. Aster blinks, before he sees another opening. His legs move quick, running before he dives between the top and middle rope in a topé suicida. Their bodies collide and Xenos is thrown against the barricade.

The crowd is hot, cheering and whooping for such a stunt. So hot that Aster can barely hear the ref as he demands that both men get back into the ring and start counting. Xenos disregards it, grabbing at Aster again before throwing him against the barrier and unleashes another bout of chops so hard they leave him gasping.

Collapsed against the barricade, Aster watches as Xenos rolls back into the ring and starts to showboat. The ref is still counting. He has ten seconds to get back in. If he doesn’t the match is lost, the gold wouldn’t be his and he would once again disappoint his mentor. Some people from the crowd pat his shoulders, yell encouraging words in his ear, someone even offers Aster his water, which he does indeed drink. It gives Aster the strength to rush back into the ring just before the ref finishes the ten count.

He wants to be the hero the people can root for. He wants to be the face.

~&~

The fight has gone on for a while now. Twenty minutes, maybe. Feels like twenty hours to Aster. His muscles ache and he can feel his head spinning as sweat drips down his forehead. Strong arms curl around his waist from behind and suddenly, he’s in the air before being slammed into the mat back first. He’s not even given a chance for reprieve as Xenos proceeds to do it over and over.

Rolling Northern Lights Suplex is what registers in his mind for just a split second. It was one of the bastard’s signature moves. Using his core strength to absolutely pummel his opponents into the ground.

Once more his back is on the ground before he’s shoved onto his stomach. Xenos’ large arms hook behind his own before the other leaps over him. His arms and back burn from the feeling. He can’t see it but Aster knows what Xenos looks like. Back perfectly arched into a bridge while he uses the tips of his toes for balance. Cattle Mutilation. A submission hold that the alien wannabe likes to utilize in the ring.

Aster manages to crane his neck up enough to see the referee flutter about him. His hand shakes as he considers tapping out. The ref vaguely encourages him to. His vision swims from the pain but he still refuses. Weakly he tries to kick out, his legs shaking and kicking. He feels like a trapped imp. His struggles only seem to spur on Xenos, a loud grunt and the hold tightens making Aster cry out in pain.

Even then, somehow, someway, Aster manages to reach out and just barely grab at the ropes in front of him. The ref is quick to call the hold illegal now. He counts loudly as Xenos still holds him. One… The stretch of his arms burn. Two…! Aster can feel his knuckles turn white, he refuses to let go to the rope. Three…!! He’s gritting his teeth now. He wonders if Xenos will even let go. Four!!!! He’s let go. Xenos stands and Aster is soon to follow. Shaky, sore legs hold his weight up as he uses the ropes for leverage. 

There’s a voice in his head, one that’s saying he can’t win this. He knows Xenos will destroy him if he keeps going. Aster thinks back to the contract - if he can get DQ’d, then he’ll be safe. Of course, that means giving up the belt for the time being but it’s the only thing he can think of. He looks to the ref, he looks to Xenos.

There’s no thoughts in his head as he lunges forward and claws at Xeno’s eyes. His nails rake down Xeno’s face. It makes the heel yell, probably in surprise, Aster’s nails aren’t sharp enough to hurt. “You little brat!” Before Xenos can even think to pull Aster away, the ref has already pulled him back. Signalling to the cameras by crossing his arms in an X.

The match is called. The crowd boos.

Aster slinks away to a corner, eyes leveled in a glare at Xenos. Who in turn glares back at him. The belt is given back to Xenos, he holds the belt up into the air despite how the match had ended. It doesn’t do anything to curb the crowd’s heat, worsens it, even. Aster doesn’t bother with the sinking feeling in his stomach; losing the love of the crowd stung, the disappointed faces of those in the front row will probably haunt him tonight.

Before he can leave the ring, fat fingers point in his direction. “This isn’t over, runt.”

Aster knows it isn’t, he knows that he will have to deal with Xenos pestering him for the next few weeks. He’ll deal with it head on. Chin tipped high as always. He dips under the ropes without responding and walks up the ramp.

He tries not to pay attention to the audience, gaze not wavering despite the sharp insults yelled his way - He tries not to think about how just minutes earlier, he was their hero. Aster looks over his shoulders and glares at Xenos before he walks through the doors, back to gorilla.  Aster doesn’t bother responding when other wrestlers go to check up on him. This wasn’t over. Even if he didn’t get the gold, Aster was steeled to challenge Xenos again and again and again until he was the one who stood victorious.

Today was just a fluke. Aster vows to do better.