Post by charlirozzi on Nov 26, 2024 11:24:17 GMT -8
I suppose that means I’ll be doomed for the rest of my life. A man that can have anything and anyone he wanted except the one person he finds more fascinating than any other person on this earth.
Maybe you just like the chase, if you caught me you might find me insufferably boring.
I’m not the chasing type, Charlotte. And I’ve been rejected before. It’s just you.
Just me?
Only you.
Take a walk with me tomorrow?
That sounds nice. Sure.
Good.
Yes you are.
I’m the antithesis of good, if I were good I wouldn’t keep giving in to the pull you have over me.
Maybe that’s why you have such a pull over me as well.
Charli Rozzi had text him where to meet her, still dressed in her gym clothes but with a pair of grey sweats over the top, the waistband rolled down and the baggy sweatshirt cropped. Even under the loose clothing, there was no mistaking her. Her long dark hair was braided on either side of her head and her hood was pulled up, either to protect against the cold or because she didn’t want anyone seeing her waiting here, either or both could be true.
Thick black kiniso tape across her ribs helped hold things in place during training. Kian was being overly cautious, which while cute was also infuriating for her. It did however present a perfect excuse for her to get snappy and announce she was going for a walk. Maybe she should feel guilty for that, creating an argument so she could slip away without any questions - but she didn’t.
When she had asked him to meet her today, he had jumped at the chance. And after what he had said… that he would wait forever for her… things had become more complicated than ever. Her heart being pulled in two directions.
She had forced herself to ignore his reaction to their photos together, scrolled past without comment. Their not-kiss at the Crucible Halloween party was enough alone to have to hide, what a poor job she was doing of protect Kian’s heart.
And still she didn’t care.
She just waited, her hands on her pockets and her head down, the cool autumn air a welcome reprieve from the heat of the training room and the promise of this walk keeping her mind busy.
Ozzie’s pace quickened as he spotted her waiting, and a smile crossed his lips despite the turmoil bubbling just under the surface. He’d come as soon as she texted, no questions asked. Charli had a way of commanding his attention, his loyalty, even when he knew better.
”You know, I’d say this looks almost incognito, but...” he gestured at her effortlessly noticeable presence. ”You still stand out, even like this.”
He took a step closer, his gaze moving over her face, lingering a little longer than necessary as he stuffed his hands into his pockets. ”So, what’s on your mind? You didn’t exactly give me much to go on.” His voice softened as he held her gaze, trying to read her, and he couldn’t help but feel a mixture of curiosity and anticipation swirling within him.
The air between them felt heavier than usual, and he resisted the urge to reach out. She was here, despite everything. And that, to him, was enough. For now.
As he approached she lifted her head and watched him, her eyes found his face quickly and the smile on his lips almost pulled her out of the overcast of thoughts she had swirling about. When he reached her she sighed softly.
”Well, that’s entirely the opposite of what I was going for… standing out I mean.” Despite her heavy mood, her tone remained soft and playful. Ever defiant of what was said.
She pushed off of the wall she had been leaning against, moving just that little to close to him before turning slightly to walk, that’s what she had said they were here to do after all.
”I know I said after training but I needed a break.” Half true, the kid gloves method wasn’t one she reacted well to on her best days. ”I spoke to Olly today.” She paused, searching his face at the mention of the name. She knew Oz’s dislike for him but he was relevant to what she had to say.
”I asked him how it felt, to betray someone you care about… he said betrayal was too strong of a word.” Even as they walked her tone remained the same, as they made it off the grounds she shook her hood down, letting the late morning sun touch her face. ”Did you mean it?”
Her question hung in the silence between them, she knew what she was going to ask wasn’t fair. But he wasn’t exactly a fair man and if it were anyone else, they wouldn’t even have met her.
Ozzie’s smile faded slightly, but the sincerity in his eyes remained as he held her gaze. He took a breath, the weight of her question settling between them.
”I meant it, Charli,” he said, his tone steady. ”I don’t throw words like that around lightly, and you know I’m not one to wait for anyone. But for you… yeah, I’d wait.”
He looked away for a brief second, gathering his thoughts before continuing. ”I don’t expect this to be easy. I know who we’re tangled up with, and I know how this world works. But I’m willing to stand here, walk this line with you, whatever it takes.”
He stepped a little closer, his voice softening. ”So, if you’re asking if I’d still be here, if I’d still mean it, the answer’s yes. I’d be here for as long as you want me to be.”
She leaned up and close to him, pressing her lips to his for less than a second, a single heartbeat and then she was standing back on her heels, turning again to keep walking in the direction the had been headed.
”Just so you have something to wait for.” It was the only comment she made to acknowledge kissing him before she directed them onwards. The further they got from where they started, the more she seemed to relax a little, the intensity, the heavy atmosphere of irritation and defiance she had been feeling all day still picking away at her silently.
”I really do want to show you something. There’s only one other person who has seen all of this.” Her head was bowed just a little against the ever cooling breeze. The more they walked the further they got from main roads and other pedestrians. Closer to the outskirts, the area most people were warned not to go.
”I’m giving you this show of trust… of faith.” She chose the word carefully. Gently. Her eyes looking up to his with a slow swell of the darkness they shared, like a wink from her monster to his, the very thing that drove their connection deeper.
Ozzie’s usual confidence seemed to slip as he took in her words and that brief, electric kiss. His composure softened, and he let down the armor he typically wore, showing a vulnerability that he never allowed anyone to see. He walked beside her, quieter than usual, the weight of the moment settling over him.
”You have no idea how much that means to me,” he said, his voice unsteady, betraying the emotion he tried so hard to bury. ”I don’t… I don’t get this with anyone else. No one’s ever given me that kind of trust. They just see what they want to see. A Savell. Julian’s brother. Some kid trying to live up to a legacy he never asked for.”
He paused, his jaw tight as he fought to find the words, to let her in where he’d always kept people out. ”With you… I’m just me. You’re the only one who sees that.”
There was a slight tremor in his hand as he reached out to take hers, his thumb brushing over her knuckles as if to ground himself. ”I’ll hold onto that faith, Charli. I won’t take it for granted. I swear.” His gaze met hers, filled with an intensity and honesty he usually kept locked away.
Her hand slipped into his, her fingers interlocking with a soft squeeze, a wordless reassurance whilst she steadied her own thoughts. He asked her once before if Kian had just been that easy to open up to emotionally, but the truth was she hadn’t really. She had told him enough to feel like she had and kept the rest back.
The vulnerability in Ozzie’s eyes broke down her walls by another few bricks. The last person to look at her like that, was her father when she had been a small child. To regard her for who she was and not who she pretended to be.
”Maybe that’s what it is… for different reasons we both learned fast that to survive we have to become someone else. That we have to hide the darkness and the softness. There’s not room for either in the world we were raised in.” She spoke softer than before, her fingers squeezing his hand on and off as they walked.
”This is the most myself I’ve been in longer than I can remember… and I still had to lie to get here. Ironic really.” She didn’t leave him any time to dwell on those words as they finally reached what looked like an old shutdown warehouse from the outside. Junk metal and sun bleached bones strewn outside.
She dipped the lock on the fence rather than unlocking it and waved for him to do the same. Still not letting go of his hand even as she did. ”I see you Oz, the good and the bad. Riley and Julian, they played the villain. A performance… but underneath they still care what too many people think, they spread their loyalty too thin. You don’t.”
Ozzie’s chest tightened at her words, at the way she saw straight through him without any pretense or judgment. He’d grown so used to the masks he wore for others, the constant performance to be what his family expected of him. But with Charli, he didn’t need to pretend. Her hand in his felt like an anchor, a grounding force that gave him the courage to keep the mask off, even if only for a moment.
”You’re right,” he replied quietly, his voice carrying a rough edge of vulnerability he rarely showed. ”Riley and Julian… they play their parts, always balancing who they are with what they think they should be for everyone else. But I don’t care about that. All I’ve ever cared about is finding someone who sees the real me and doesn’t flinch. Someone who’s all in, no matter what.”
He squeezed her hand, a faint smile tugging at his lips as he took in the sight of the warehouse. ”I never thought I’d find that. Not until you.” He let out a shaky breath, his gaze lingering on hers. ”I’m tired of the lies, the performance. Here, with you, I don’t need to hide anything.”
The raw honesty of the moment left him feeling exposed, but for once, he didn’t mind. This wasn’t about playing a role or fulfilling someone else’s expectations. It was real, and that was worth more than any title, any legacy he could chase.
He left her breathless, bare honestly, laid out there between them. Closing any distance they had until the only thing that kept them apart was the physical space between. She had seen in him someone who rivalled her darkness at first. Someone who would understand the destructive nature of her life… but the more she looked at him the more she saw the complexities underneath.
”I know.” She barely mouthed the words, a soft whisper that was barely audible. Her eyes locked on his for a long pause, the silence that followed her words an unspoken admission that she felt the same.
Finally she pulled her eyes away to lead them up to the door to the warehouse, her free hand producing a key from her hoodie pocket, as the key clicked in the lock she turned her back to the door and looked up at him, her eyes still had the same defiant glare but there was something underneath it, a vulnerability that matched his.
”You said the good and the bad, remember? That you would be here through even the ugliest parts of this. I’m choosing to believe you and that’s why I’m showing you this...”
Ozzie’s gaze softened as he held her hand, feeling the weight of her trust in this moment. He took a breath, grounding himself, as he studied her expression, seeing beyond the defiant glare to the vulnerability that lay beneath. His fingers tightened around hers, a steady reassurance, a silent promise that whatever she was about to reveal, he was ready.
”You can trust me, Charli,” he said, his voice low and unwavering. ”Whatever’s behind that door, whatever you’re about to show me… I’m here. It doesn’t matter what it is. It could be dead bodies for all I care.”
He gave her hand one more reassuring squeeze to show he meant every word he said, his eyes locked onto hers, conveying all the loyalty he felt without another word. Then he nodded, silently letting her know that whenever she was ready, he was ready too.
She almost laughed at the dead bodies comment, that would almost make more sense all things considered, she took another steadying breathing before turning to face the door again, her free hand pushing the old metal door. It groaned and protested as she opened it, months of dust and settled dirt kicked up in the air as soon as she stepped inside.
Every wall, every surface was covered with sketches and scrawled notes. Old tapes, not just DVDs but VHS tapes some of which had handwritten labels on were stacked off in one corner where several TVs sat on the wall. At first glance it all just looked like chaotic mess. Only it wasn’t.
The photos and sketches were of wrestling moves, broken down to the very simplest forms they could be, lines drawn across them with notes. Some of the books that were open had different peoples hand writing in them, as if the collection had been pieced together over years and no two books had belonged to any one person before they ended up here.
”Don’t judge.” For a brief second she actually looked like she might blush. ”I might have been a little more into my training before this than I let on...”
Ozzie took it all in, his eyes wide with surprise but also with admiration. The dusty tapes, the sketches, the notes… everything in the room spoke of a dedication he hadn’t fully realized she held, a part of her she’d kept hidden, even from him. His gaze moved across each wall, every corner, taking in the intricacies of her work.
When she told him not to judge, he turned to her, a slight smile breaking through the intensity on his face. ”Judge? Charli, this is… incredible,” he said, genuinely taken aback. ”I always knew you were driven, but this? It’s a whole new level.”
He reached out to gently run his fingers over one of the sketches, careful not to disturb the dust too much. ”You really put your heart into this,” he said, glancing back at her. ”You don’t have to hide this from me. I mean it, all of this? This is part of you, and I get it. I want to see all of it.”
Ozzie’s hand slipped back to hers, the respect and admiration clear in his expression.
She looked around the room, years of work all in one secret space. Somewhere that nobody knew existed and that she had spent every spare moment of the last two years pouring over. Her hand gripped his, stepping to stand in front of him with a half smile.
”I don’t just want to succeed… I have to. This is all I have wanted from the second I saw my first match. It’s the only place where what I am, what comes out in me is celebrated.” Her eyes were trained on him now, a fire of determination burning behind them.
”When I first came to you, I admit it was because I saw an opportunity to make this happen, I saw an in.” Her tone shifted slightly, just a touch softer now. ”I had every intention of using you just like I am Nate and the girls, like I am every single student who’s put their trust in me. Because they’re stepping stones.”
Finally breaking their gaze she picked up a book that seemed to be newer than the rest, opening it on a recent page she showed him the notes she had made on him. One word was underlined about twenty times, question marks dotted all around it.
Kindred
”But then we spoke and I saw it in you, the same thing that’s in me. It’s more than a want or even a need. It’s an only option kind of thing, succeed or die trying.”
Ozzie’s eyes traced the word she’d underlined so many times. Kindred. His lips tightened for a moment, absorbing her confession, her raw ambition laid out in those sketches, notes, and words. He’d always been drawn to the intensity in her, but seeing it all here? He realized just how deeply that drive ran.
His hand tightened around hers, a silent acknowledgment of the trust she’d just placed in him. ”I understand,” he said, his voice low, the sincerity clear. ”You don’t have to explain it. I get the desperation to claw your way to the top, no matter what it takes.”
He reached out to gently run his thumb along the edge of the page, as if tracing her words. ”I’d be lying if I said I didn’t see you the same way at first… a means to an end, a chance to push myself forward. But then I saw what you were, what drives you, and I couldn’t stop myself from wanting to be a part of it.” His gaze shifted back to her, intensity matching her own.
”This fire… it’s in both of us. And I don’t care if you came to me with intentions of using me. Hell, maybe that’s why we fit so well. We both know what it’s like to look at the world as a series of stepping stones.”
He looked back at her, the vulnerability she’d opened up between them flickering with an edge of something deeper. ”You’re right. It’s succeed or die trying. And now? Now we don’t have to do it alone. We have each other.” He pulled her in closer to him as he gazed down into her eyes.
She swallowed hard, his pull at her, the one she always felt now actually being a physical pull. The feel of his hand in hers and the fire in his eyes, not just the darkness she had seen at first, but a knowing. A needing in that gaze that wasn’t like anything she had felt before.
It was wrong, it was cruel and selfish, but in that moment none of that mattered to her as her free hand cupped his cheek, hooked under his jaw and pulled him down to meet her. This wasn’t like the rushed kiss from before, her movements were slow. Controlled and intense as she fully gave into the kiss, leaning her body into his.
Her hand stayed resting on his jaw, her body to his as she didn’t want to break that kiss, wanting to stay in that moment where everything else was a distant memory for as long as she possibly could.
Ozzie didn’t hesitate this time. His hand found her waist, pulling her even closer as he returned her kiss with equal intensity, letting himself finally, fully give in to the pull he’d felt from her since the beginning. In that moment, nothing else mattered… the plans, the ambitions, the rivalries? They all faded as he focused solely on her.
As his other hand moved to her lower back, he deepened the kiss, the intensity of it matching the fire that had been building between them. She was like no one he’d ever encountered, someone who understood the darkness within him, who saw the relentless drive and matched it with her own. He could feel her heart pounding in sync with his, and it grounded him, made everything feel real and unstoppable.
Her hands met at the back of his neck, just barely catching her breath and breaking the kiss for only a second, her eyes meeting his, before she could think, before she could let the moment be spoiled by whatever was to come after she kissed him again. Succumbing to intensity that had led her here.
The feel of his body against hers was familiar almost, his heartbeat practically filling her ears, his scent, the taste of his lips, a compete overwhelming of all her senses and still she leaned into the kiss just a little bit longer, only finally breaking it when the phone in her back pocket broke through the haze.
It was like a hand reaching between them and yanking her back to reality. A cold chill of the present knocking the wind out of her, choking on her breath as she broke the kiss, closing her eyes and gritting her teeth just slightly, murmuring at the phone.
”Fuck.” She slowly opened her eyes and looked up into his face, a dark draw of the desire between them so heavy in her gaze she could almost forget. He could make her forget.
Ozzie’s hand moved to the side of her face, his thumb gently brushing against her cheek as he held her gaze, his own filled with a fierce intensity that matched hers. He leaned in, his voice low and steady, as if daring the world to interrupt them again.
”Forget the phone, Charlotte,” he murmured, his lips hovering close to hers. ”Just… stay here with me.”
He tightened his hold, his eyes never leaving hers, as if he could hold off reality itself just by keeping her close. In this moment, nothing else mattered. It was just the two of them, and he didn’t want her to pull away.
She pulled the phone from her pocket and tossed it across the room, her other hand reaching up to trace her finger across his bottom lip with a soft sigh.
”I’m here.” Her words were a whisper, her body relaxing against his and yet, still electric with the heat of his touch at the same time. ”I’m right here.”
Her words were whispered to his ear now, her hand soft against his other cheek, her free hand snaking over his shoulder, her body as deeply wrapped to his as she could get it.
”I’m here now, that’s all that matters.” And she meant it, the world outside would creep in eventually and she would have to figure out what that meant, there were still hands to be played and courses of action that couldn’t just be cut off, but for now she was here and he was here and that was enough.
Ozzie’s breath hitched as her fingers traced his lip, his hand resting gently on her waist as he let himself fully sink into her presence. His forehead pressed softly to hers, a faint smile playing at the corners of his mouth as he felt her words settle between them, grounding him in the moment.
His voice was barely more than a whisper, but every word held a weight he couldn’t deny. ”You have no idea how much I’ve wanted this… just you, here, now.”
He placed his hands on her backside and squeezed as he pulled her in even closer, his eyes not leaving hers as their lips hover over each other. ”Tell me what you want, Charlotte. What do you desire?”
Her own breathing was slow but heavy, her fingers just tracing across his skin, the touch of it alone keeping her present and in the moment between them.
”You.” The word was a breath, an honest moment of total truth, in the little bubble they had created here that was all she could think about, it was all she wanted. ”But we have to wait...”[/font]
There was almost a tearful tone to that admission, her eyes locked on his and a mess of desire, pain and determination. In a perfect world this here, it could be everything right now. But the world wasn’t perfect.
”Just a little while longer.” It wasn’t a game play, the vulnerability in her words, the pain in her voice as she leaned her lips to his, kissing him between the words she despised as she said them, a tear on her lash ready to fall. ”Don’t let go, because the moment you do we have to go back.”
She kissed him again, it was a different intensity again, this one was almost like desperation, to suspend reality and be together as long as possible before the inevitable happened, the tear rolling off her lash and down her cheek as she kissed him.
Ozzie’s arms wrapped tightly around her, pulling her closer until there wasn’t an inch of space between them. He held her as though he could shield her from everything waiting outside this room, from every burden they carried. His voice was a soft murmur against her hair, his hands brushing gently up and down her back as he whispered, ”We can stay like this as long as you need. I’m not going anywhere.”
He felt the warmth of her tears, the weight of everything unspoken lingering between them, but he didn’t try to fill the silence with promises or reassurances. Instead, he just held her, grounding both of them in this single, fragile moment. His thumb gently wiped away the tear on her cheek, his own breath steady as he absorbed every second they had here, knowing how fleeting it was.
They stayed like that, lost in each other, his embrace a silent vow to wait, no matter how long it took.
It hurt.
What did? Nathan? What did he do? I’ll kill him.
Nathan, it hurt. But it’s done.
Fuck this. I’m killing him.
Not yet
…fine I’ll try and hold back because you asked…
I can usually turn it off Oz, I can use the pain and let it be my strength but today. Kian just walking out… Olly hurting me… Nathan doing what he did, how he did it… I can’t find the numbness and I’m sorry, I’m sorry I can’t be me right now, it just hurts.
Let me be there for you please.
Maybe you just like the chase, if you caught me you might find me insufferably boring.
I’m not the chasing type, Charlotte. And I’ve been rejected before. It’s just you.
Just me?
Only you.
Take a walk with me tomorrow?
That sounds nice. Sure.
Good.
Yes you are.
I’m the antithesis of good, if I were good I wouldn’t keep giving in to the pull you have over me.
Maybe that’s why you have such a pull over me as well.
Charli Rozzi had text him where to meet her, still dressed in her gym clothes but with a pair of grey sweats over the top, the waistband rolled down and the baggy sweatshirt cropped. Even under the loose clothing, there was no mistaking her. Her long dark hair was braided on either side of her head and her hood was pulled up, either to protect against the cold or because she didn’t want anyone seeing her waiting here, either or both could be true.
Thick black kiniso tape across her ribs helped hold things in place during training. Kian was being overly cautious, which while cute was also infuriating for her. It did however present a perfect excuse for her to get snappy and announce she was going for a walk. Maybe she should feel guilty for that, creating an argument so she could slip away without any questions - but she didn’t.
When she had asked him to meet her today, he had jumped at the chance. And after what he had said… that he would wait forever for her… things had become more complicated than ever. Her heart being pulled in two directions.
She had forced herself to ignore his reaction to their photos together, scrolled past without comment. Their not-kiss at the Crucible Halloween party was enough alone to have to hide, what a poor job she was doing of protect Kian’s heart.
And still she didn’t care.
She just waited, her hands on her pockets and her head down, the cool autumn air a welcome reprieve from the heat of the training room and the promise of this walk keeping her mind busy.
Ozzie’s pace quickened as he spotted her waiting, and a smile crossed his lips despite the turmoil bubbling just under the surface. He’d come as soon as she texted, no questions asked. Charli had a way of commanding his attention, his loyalty, even when he knew better.
”You know, I’d say this looks almost incognito, but...” he gestured at her effortlessly noticeable presence. ”You still stand out, even like this.”
He took a step closer, his gaze moving over her face, lingering a little longer than necessary as he stuffed his hands into his pockets. ”So, what’s on your mind? You didn’t exactly give me much to go on.” His voice softened as he held her gaze, trying to read her, and he couldn’t help but feel a mixture of curiosity and anticipation swirling within him.
The air between them felt heavier than usual, and he resisted the urge to reach out. She was here, despite everything. And that, to him, was enough. For now.
As he approached she lifted her head and watched him, her eyes found his face quickly and the smile on his lips almost pulled her out of the overcast of thoughts she had swirling about. When he reached her she sighed softly.
”Well, that’s entirely the opposite of what I was going for… standing out I mean.” Despite her heavy mood, her tone remained soft and playful. Ever defiant of what was said.
She pushed off of the wall she had been leaning against, moving just that little to close to him before turning slightly to walk, that’s what she had said they were here to do after all.
”I know I said after training but I needed a break.” Half true, the kid gloves method wasn’t one she reacted well to on her best days. ”I spoke to Olly today.” She paused, searching his face at the mention of the name. She knew Oz’s dislike for him but he was relevant to what she had to say.
”I asked him how it felt, to betray someone you care about… he said betrayal was too strong of a word.” Even as they walked her tone remained the same, as they made it off the grounds she shook her hood down, letting the late morning sun touch her face. ”Did you mean it?”
Her question hung in the silence between them, she knew what she was going to ask wasn’t fair. But he wasn’t exactly a fair man and if it were anyone else, they wouldn’t even have met her.
Ozzie’s smile faded slightly, but the sincerity in his eyes remained as he held her gaze. He took a breath, the weight of her question settling between them.
”I meant it, Charli,” he said, his tone steady. ”I don’t throw words like that around lightly, and you know I’m not one to wait for anyone. But for you… yeah, I’d wait.”
He looked away for a brief second, gathering his thoughts before continuing. ”I don’t expect this to be easy. I know who we’re tangled up with, and I know how this world works. But I’m willing to stand here, walk this line with you, whatever it takes.”
He stepped a little closer, his voice softening. ”So, if you’re asking if I’d still be here, if I’d still mean it, the answer’s yes. I’d be here for as long as you want me to be.”
She leaned up and close to him, pressing her lips to his for less than a second, a single heartbeat and then she was standing back on her heels, turning again to keep walking in the direction the had been headed.
”Just so you have something to wait for.” It was the only comment she made to acknowledge kissing him before she directed them onwards. The further they got from where they started, the more she seemed to relax a little, the intensity, the heavy atmosphere of irritation and defiance she had been feeling all day still picking away at her silently.
”I really do want to show you something. There’s only one other person who has seen all of this.” Her head was bowed just a little against the ever cooling breeze. The more they walked the further they got from main roads and other pedestrians. Closer to the outskirts, the area most people were warned not to go.
”I’m giving you this show of trust… of faith.” She chose the word carefully. Gently. Her eyes looking up to his with a slow swell of the darkness they shared, like a wink from her monster to his, the very thing that drove their connection deeper.
Ozzie’s usual confidence seemed to slip as he took in her words and that brief, electric kiss. His composure softened, and he let down the armor he typically wore, showing a vulnerability that he never allowed anyone to see. He walked beside her, quieter than usual, the weight of the moment settling over him.
”You have no idea how much that means to me,” he said, his voice unsteady, betraying the emotion he tried so hard to bury. ”I don’t… I don’t get this with anyone else. No one’s ever given me that kind of trust. They just see what they want to see. A Savell. Julian’s brother. Some kid trying to live up to a legacy he never asked for.”
He paused, his jaw tight as he fought to find the words, to let her in where he’d always kept people out. ”With you… I’m just me. You’re the only one who sees that.”
There was a slight tremor in his hand as he reached out to take hers, his thumb brushing over her knuckles as if to ground himself. ”I’ll hold onto that faith, Charli. I won’t take it for granted. I swear.” His gaze met hers, filled with an intensity and honesty he usually kept locked away.
Her hand slipped into his, her fingers interlocking with a soft squeeze, a wordless reassurance whilst she steadied her own thoughts. He asked her once before if Kian had just been that easy to open up to emotionally, but the truth was she hadn’t really. She had told him enough to feel like she had and kept the rest back.
The vulnerability in Ozzie’s eyes broke down her walls by another few bricks. The last person to look at her like that, was her father when she had been a small child. To regard her for who she was and not who she pretended to be.
”Maybe that’s what it is… for different reasons we both learned fast that to survive we have to become someone else. That we have to hide the darkness and the softness. There’s not room for either in the world we were raised in.” She spoke softer than before, her fingers squeezing his hand on and off as they walked.
”This is the most myself I’ve been in longer than I can remember… and I still had to lie to get here. Ironic really.” She didn’t leave him any time to dwell on those words as they finally reached what looked like an old shutdown warehouse from the outside. Junk metal and sun bleached bones strewn outside.
She dipped the lock on the fence rather than unlocking it and waved for him to do the same. Still not letting go of his hand even as she did. ”I see you Oz, the good and the bad. Riley and Julian, they played the villain. A performance… but underneath they still care what too many people think, they spread their loyalty too thin. You don’t.”
Ozzie’s chest tightened at her words, at the way she saw straight through him without any pretense or judgment. He’d grown so used to the masks he wore for others, the constant performance to be what his family expected of him. But with Charli, he didn’t need to pretend. Her hand in his felt like an anchor, a grounding force that gave him the courage to keep the mask off, even if only for a moment.
”You’re right,” he replied quietly, his voice carrying a rough edge of vulnerability he rarely showed. ”Riley and Julian… they play their parts, always balancing who they are with what they think they should be for everyone else. But I don’t care about that. All I’ve ever cared about is finding someone who sees the real me and doesn’t flinch. Someone who’s all in, no matter what.”
He squeezed her hand, a faint smile tugging at his lips as he took in the sight of the warehouse. ”I never thought I’d find that. Not until you.” He let out a shaky breath, his gaze lingering on hers. ”I’m tired of the lies, the performance. Here, with you, I don’t need to hide anything.”
The raw honesty of the moment left him feeling exposed, but for once, he didn’t mind. This wasn’t about playing a role or fulfilling someone else’s expectations. It was real, and that was worth more than any title, any legacy he could chase.
He left her breathless, bare honestly, laid out there between them. Closing any distance they had until the only thing that kept them apart was the physical space between. She had seen in him someone who rivalled her darkness at first. Someone who would understand the destructive nature of her life… but the more she looked at him the more she saw the complexities underneath.
”I know.” She barely mouthed the words, a soft whisper that was barely audible. Her eyes locked on his for a long pause, the silence that followed her words an unspoken admission that she felt the same.
Finally she pulled her eyes away to lead them up to the door to the warehouse, her free hand producing a key from her hoodie pocket, as the key clicked in the lock she turned her back to the door and looked up at him, her eyes still had the same defiant glare but there was something underneath it, a vulnerability that matched his.
”You said the good and the bad, remember? That you would be here through even the ugliest parts of this. I’m choosing to believe you and that’s why I’m showing you this...”
Ozzie’s gaze softened as he held her hand, feeling the weight of her trust in this moment. He took a breath, grounding himself, as he studied her expression, seeing beyond the defiant glare to the vulnerability that lay beneath. His fingers tightened around hers, a steady reassurance, a silent promise that whatever she was about to reveal, he was ready.
”You can trust me, Charli,” he said, his voice low and unwavering. ”Whatever’s behind that door, whatever you’re about to show me… I’m here. It doesn’t matter what it is. It could be dead bodies for all I care.”
He gave her hand one more reassuring squeeze to show he meant every word he said, his eyes locked onto hers, conveying all the loyalty he felt without another word. Then he nodded, silently letting her know that whenever she was ready, he was ready too.
She almost laughed at the dead bodies comment, that would almost make more sense all things considered, she took another steadying breathing before turning to face the door again, her free hand pushing the old metal door. It groaned and protested as she opened it, months of dust and settled dirt kicked up in the air as soon as she stepped inside.
Every wall, every surface was covered with sketches and scrawled notes. Old tapes, not just DVDs but VHS tapes some of which had handwritten labels on were stacked off in one corner where several TVs sat on the wall. At first glance it all just looked like chaotic mess. Only it wasn’t.
The photos and sketches were of wrestling moves, broken down to the very simplest forms they could be, lines drawn across them with notes. Some of the books that were open had different peoples hand writing in them, as if the collection had been pieced together over years and no two books had belonged to any one person before they ended up here.
”Don’t judge.” For a brief second she actually looked like she might blush. ”I might have been a little more into my training before this than I let on...”
Ozzie took it all in, his eyes wide with surprise but also with admiration. The dusty tapes, the sketches, the notes… everything in the room spoke of a dedication he hadn’t fully realized she held, a part of her she’d kept hidden, even from him. His gaze moved across each wall, every corner, taking in the intricacies of her work.
When she told him not to judge, he turned to her, a slight smile breaking through the intensity on his face. ”Judge? Charli, this is… incredible,” he said, genuinely taken aback. ”I always knew you were driven, but this? It’s a whole new level.”
He reached out to gently run his fingers over one of the sketches, careful not to disturb the dust too much. ”You really put your heart into this,” he said, glancing back at her. ”You don’t have to hide this from me. I mean it, all of this? This is part of you, and I get it. I want to see all of it.”
Ozzie’s hand slipped back to hers, the respect and admiration clear in his expression.
She looked around the room, years of work all in one secret space. Somewhere that nobody knew existed and that she had spent every spare moment of the last two years pouring over. Her hand gripped his, stepping to stand in front of him with a half smile.
”I don’t just want to succeed… I have to. This is all I have wanted from the second I saw my first match. It’s the only place where what I am, what comes out in me is celebrated.” Her eyes were trained on him now, a fire of determination burning behind them.
”When I first came to you, I admit it was because I saw an opportunity to make this happen, I saw an in.” Her tone shifted slightly, just a touch softer now. ”I had every intention of using you just like I am Nate and the girls, like I am every single student who’s put their trust in me. Because they’re stepping stones.”
Finally breaking their gaze she picked up a book that seemed to be newer than the rest, opening it on a recent page she showed him the notes she had made on him. One word was underlined about twenty times, question marks dotted all around it.
Kindred
”But then we spoke and I saw it in you, the same thing that’s in me. It’s more than a want or even a need. It’s an only option kind of thing, succeed or die trying.”
Ozzie’s eyes traced the word she’d underlined so many times. Kindred. His lips tightened for a moment, absorbing her confession, her raw ambition laid out in those sketches, notes, and words. He’d always been drawn to the intensity in her, but seeing it all here? He realized just how deeply that drive ran.
His hand tightened around hers, a silent acknowledgment of the trust she’d just placed in him. ”I understand,” he said, his voice low, the sincerity clear. ”You don’t have to explain it. I get the desperation to claw your way to the top, no matter what it takes.”
He reached out to gently run his thumb along the edge of the page, as if tracing her words. ”I’d be lying if I said I didn’t see you the same way at first… a means to an end, a chance to push myself forward. But then I saw what you were, what drives you, and I couldn’t stop myself from wanting to be a part of it.” His gaze shifted back to her, intensity matching her own.
”This fire… it’s in both of us. And I don’t care if you came to me with intentions of using me. Hell, maybe that’s why we fit so well. We both know what it’s like to look at the world as a series of stepping stones.”
He looked back at her, the vulnerability she’d opened up between them flickering with an edge of something deeper. ”You’re right. It’s succeed or die trying. And now? Now we don’t have to do it alone. We have each other.” He pulled her in closer to him as he gazed down into her eyes.
She swallowed hard, his pull at her, the one she always felt now actually being a physical pull. The feel of his hand in hers and the fire in his eyes, not just the darkness she had seen at first, but a knowing. A needing in that gaze that wasn’t like anything she had felt before.
It was wrong, it was cruel and selfish, but in that moment none of that mattered to her as her free hand cupped his cheek, hooked under his jaw and pulled him down to meet her. This wasn’t like the rushed kiss from before, her movements were slow. Controlled and intense as she fully gave into the kiss, leaning her body into his.
Her hand stayed resting on his jaw, her body to his as she didn’t want to break that kiss, wanting to stay in that moment where everything else was a distant memory for as long as she possibly could.
Ozzie didn’t hesitate this time. His hand found her waist, pulling her even closer as he returned her kiss with equal intensity, letting himself finally, fully give in to the pull he’d felt from her since the beginning. In that moment, nothing else mattered… the plans, the ambitions, the rivalries? They all faded as he focused solely on her.
As his other hand moved to her lower back, he deepened the kiss, the intensity of it matching the fire that had been building between them. She was like no one he’d ever encountered, someone who understood the darkness within him, who saw the relentless drive and matched it with her own. He could feel her heart pounding in sync with his, and it grounded him, made everything feel real and unstoppable.
Her hands met at the back of his neck, just barely catching her breath and breaking the kiss for only a second, her eyes meeting his, before she could think, before she could let the moment be spoiled by whatever was to come after she kissed him again. Succumbing to intensity that had led her here.
The feel of his body against hers was familiar almost, his heartbeat practically filling her ears, his scent, the taste of his lips, a compete overwhelming of all her senses and still she leaned into the kiss just a little bit longer, only finally breaking it when the phone in her back pocket broke through the haze.
It was like a hand reaching between them and yanking her back to reality. A cold chill of the present knocking the wind out of her, choking on her breath as she broke the kiss, closing her eyes and gritting her teeth just slightly, murmuring at the phone.
”Fuck.” She slowly opened her eyes and looked up into his face, a dark draw of the desire between them so heavy in her gaze she could almost forget. He could make her forget.
Ozzie’s hand moved to the side of her face, his thumb gently brushing against her cheek as he held her gaze, his own filled with a fierce intensity that matched hers. He leaned in, his voice low and steady, as if daring the world to interrupt them again.
”Forget the phone, Charlotte,” he murmured, his lips hovering close to hers. ”Just… stay here with me.”
He tightened his hold, his eyes never leaving hers, as if he could hold off reality itself just by keeping her close. In this moment, nothing else mattered. It was just the two of them, and he didn’t want her to pull away.
She pulled the phone from her pocket and tossed it across the room, her other hand reaching up to trace her finger across his bottom lip with a soft sigh.
”I’m here.” Her words were a whisper, her body relaxing against his and yet, still electric with the heat of his touch at the same time. ”I’m right here.”
Her words were whispered to his ear now, her hand soft against his other cheek, her free hand snaking over his shoulder, her body as deeply wrapped to his as she could get it.
”I’m here now, that’s all that matters.” And she meant it, the world outside would creep in eventually and she would have to figure out what that meant, there were still hands to be played and courses of action that couldn’t just be cut off, but for now she was here and he was here and that was enough.
Ozzie’s breath hitched as her fingers traced his lip, his hand resting gently on her waist as he let himself fully sink into her presence. His forehead pressed softly to hers, a faint smile playing at the corners of his mouth as he felt her words settle between them, grounding him in the moment.
His voice was barely more than a whisper, but every word held a weight he couldn’t deny. ”You have no idea how much I’ve wanted this… just you, here, now.”
He placed his hands on her backside and squeezed as he pulled her in even closer, his eyes not leaving hers as their lips hover over each other. ”Tell me what you want, Charlotte. What do you desire?”
Her own breathing was slow but heavy, her fingers just tracing across his skin, the touch of it alone keeping her present and in the moment between them.
”You.” The word was a breath, an honest moment of total truth, in the little bubble they had created here that was all she could think about, it was all she wanted. ”But we have to wait...”[/font]
There was almost a tearful tone to that admission, her eyes locked on his and a mess of desire, pain and determination. In a perfect world this here, it could be everything right now. But the world wasn’t perfect.
”Just a little while longer.” It wasn’t a game play, the vulnerability in her words, the pain in her voice as she leaned her lips to his, kissing him between the words she despised as she said them, a tear on her lash ready to fall. ”Don’t let go, because the moment you do we have to go back.”
She kissed him again, it was a different intensity again, this one was almost like desperation, to suspend reality and be together as long as possible before the inevitable happened, the tear rolling off her lash and down her cheek as she kissed him.
Ozzie’s arms wrapped tightly around her, pulling her closer until there wasn’t an inch of space between them. He held her as though he could shield her from everything waiting outside this room, from every burden they carried. His voice was a soft murmur against her hair, his hands brushing gently up and down her back as he whispered, ”We can stay like this as long as you need. I’m not going anywhere.”
He felt the warmth of her tears, the weight of everything unspoken lingering between them, but he didn’t try to fill the silence with promises or reassurances. Instead, he just held her, grounding both of them in this single, fragile moment. His thumb gently wiped away the tear on her cheek, his own breath steady as he absorbed every second they had here, knowing how fleeting it was.
They stayed like that, lost in each other, his embrace a silent vow to wait, no matter how long it took.
It hurt.
What did? Nathan? What did he do? I’ll kill him.
Nathan, it hurt. But it’s done.
Fuck this. I’m killing him.
Not yet
…fine I’ll try and hold back because you asked…
I can usually turn it off Oz, I can use the pain and let it be my strength but today. Kian just walking out… Olly hurting me… Nathan doing what he did, how he did it… I can’t find the numbness and I’m sorry, I’m sorry I can’t be me right now, it just hurts.
Let me be there for you please.