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He's been more on edge lately. More jumpy, more scripted, more absent mindedly staring off into space. He was told to calm down, stop stealing the show, but he didn't mean to. He's naturally energetic and passionate.
But Jimmy Hart always does what he's told. So he obeyed month after month. What he's learned, is that if he doesn't go crazy in the ring, his mind goes numb. He pondered exactly what it was that made him like this.
As he wandered about the center where the matches for the night ended, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He lightly shivered before turning around.
“Hey, you doing okay there, handsome?”
Adrian casually spoke to him while chewing his gum. He knew there was something up, always atune with what's around him.
“Of course! Everything is beautiful, baby!” He gave his best smile.
“Cut the crap, jack.” He moved his hand off his shoulder, making Jimmy immediately miss the warmth. Adrian doesn't miss the subtle look on his face.
He sighs, “If I knew, I'd tell ya, Adrian.”
“Come on, let's get away from these wandering spectators and back to our room. We can talk more there.”
The smaller man tilted his head and scrunched his eyebrows, but followed his friend regardless.
The hotel door clicked shut and both men were greeted to the two beds and a mess of clothes scattered around. Adrian sat down on the bed, making himself comfortable near the headboard, stretching his legs out. Jimmy took off his sports coat and sunglasses and sat catty cornered from him, cross legged and fidgety.
“You're normally anxious, but this is different. What's up?” He let his leg brush against Jimmy’s - something that normally happens all the time, but this time a little squeak occurs, with an immediate cough following behind it.
“I think I feel stifled. I was reprimanded that I'm doing too much - but I just want to help!” He pouted and crossed his arms.
“Who the hell told you-” he gave him a pointed glance. He paused for a moment before continuing, leaving that heated argument for later and for the person who deserved it. “At the very least, you don't have to be stifled outside the ring. We like seeing you be you. 120% of you.”
This whole “being kind” thing is still new to Jimmy. He doesn't know what to make of it. He doesn't know where to begin or how to ask. It feels like everything is gnawing on him, everything is uncomfortable.
The odd silence really concerned Adrian. He sat up and put his hand on Jimmy’s bouncing leg. The man immediately snapped to attention.
“Dollface…” Adrian mused as he figured it out faster than Jimmy could. As soon as the attention was on him, he immediately grabbed Jimmy and gently threw him flat on the bed. He watched him flail his limbs, his eyes wide.
“What- what was that for?!”
“I'm helping you.” He simply said with a sweet grin adorning his features. Before Jimmy could retort, he quickly yanked the tucked in shirt and dragged his hands on either side of the tiny man. He immediately melted. Adrian knew if he played the talking game, Jimmy would find every excuse in the book to hide away.
Jimmy dared not to utter a word, already embarrassed by whatever was going on. He wouldn't say he didn't enjoy it but… this was certainly different. Pleasant…
The blonde’s hand danced on his sides and then to his tummy, rubbing small circles. If the man beneath him could purr, he probably would. “You know, it's not healthy to look for this only in the ring.”
He bolted up, briefly offended that he'd think of him like that. “That’s not what I-” He was cut off as he was pushed back down.
“It's okay to want attention. Positive attention.” He went back to rubbing small circles on him.
Oh. All he could do was laugh. “Right, like anyone would give that to me freely.”
The motions stopped as he looked him dead in the eye. “So I'm nothing to you now?”
“Nonono!! You're meant to be in the ring and I'm meant to take care of you , baby! Not the other way around…” He bites his tongue a little, remembering how Adrian always cradles him when something goes awry in the ring. He slowly pieces together his problem, the gears turning in his head as Adrian still rests his hands on his tummy. He pouts again, not wanting to be vulnerable.
“Keep talkin’, doll.” Adrian gives him encouragement by ghosting his hands over his torso and arms, gripping and massaging a little here and there. Always being touched and handled in the ring, this didn't really feel anything different to him. He pondered if he would react like Jimmy too if that suddenly stopped.
Jimmy just kept melting - his usual nerves and anxiousness felt so far away, his mind starting to clear again. “I need to feel wanted… I'll do anything for that.” He barely said over a whisper, covering his face with his arm.
The stronger man’s hand trailed up the arm that moved. “There's nothing wrong with that. What's wrong is - …” He paused again. “I don't want you to get hurt because of it.”
“I need a lot.”
“Lucky for you, I give a lot.”
He gave a goofy grin before Adrian softly turned him over so his back was facing him. He went back to the soft touches, soft circles slowly up and down. His manager buried his face into the pillow. How cute , he thought.
“I can't promise anything, but I'll try.”
“It's a hard habit to break. But I'll be here for you, in and outside the ring.”
Softly nodding into the pillow, he muttered a thank you as the nice feelings took over his senses. Adrian was a little too good at this, and it made him feel like a puppy, hoping he'd never stop.
This made the blonde feel more brave as he moved his hand to his neck, brushing away his hair a little to access it. A satisfied hum from the man below him - then with great precision, he moved his hand up through his hair and scratched his scalp in languid movements. He knew how much his hair was the one thing no one could touch - but with the amount of times Roddy had grabbed it, he figured it would be good to show him how nice it could actually feel.
And it worked. There were many muffled moans and hums - he couldn't help himself. It encouraged him to keep going, alternating between the pads of his fingers and his nails all over his head. He occasionally would gently take a finger and move hair away from his ear and scratch behind it, causing the other man to melt even more.
The conversation died away, Jimmy too far gone to form a cohesive retort. He did mentally note how surprisingly nice that felt, but also noted that that's a huge weak spot still.
After a while, Adrian was starting to get a little stiff. He stopped for a moment, a whine and an immediate confused look from the other, and stretched. “If you want to stay the night in my bed, that's fine yanno.”
If he had asked him earlier in the day, he would have immediately found some excuse, rambling on a mile a minute. Now? Now he felt like a weight had been lifted and he wanted it to stay gone as long as possible, even if there was a small voice in the back of his head shouting to not trust anyone. He didn't trust his voice enough, already feeling like a bit of a fool for being so weak. Nodding, he got up and stripped, putting on a band tank top and some comfy sleep shorts. Adrian followed suit, but he was a proud man and opted for just being in his boxers.
The lights were shut off and both men were back in bed. The nerves creeped on Jimmy again, his hands not knowing what to do, fidgeting with the blanket.
“Oh stop it.” Adrian pulled Jimmy in, practically stuffing his face in his chest and moving his free arm to his side. He immediately rubbed circles on his back again before he could retort again… and there went Jimmy melting again. He returned the favor this time and idly petted Adrian’s soft side. It felt so plush and nice - adding to the calming effect he was giving him.
He made a silent promise to himself to keep protecting this little man. Jimmy did so much for him, even if it didn't look like a lot to others. He was good - amazing - at being a manager despite everyone picking on him. The least he could do was to protect him, and if that meant helping him stop his internalized self deprecation too, so be it. There's nothing wrong with wanting to be needed, wanting to be touched.
“Oh my touch starved little mouse…” He gently whispered.
“... Is that what it's called?” He murmured into his chest, tickling him a little.
He nodded in response, and Jimmy hummed, noting that for when his brain was functioning more.
“Hey promise me something, Jimmy?”
He moved his head to softly look at Adrian, curious.
“Do your best for me. And fuck what Vince says. You're my manager and I need you.”
Jimmy's eyes shone brightly. If he had a tail, he'd be wagging it back and forth. “Anything for you, baby!”
“That's what I like to hear from the number one manager of all time.”
The loud man laughed his signature laugh before reeling it in with a large smile. He went back to curling into him, clutching the larger man… but with one small adjustment. Jimmy moved Adrian’s hand back to his head to keep petting and scratching him there. Adrian smiled in turn and obeyed. After a while, their hands lingered in their places as they drifted to sleep.