PROMO: Give the Devil his Due

[Above Average 0]

“So, you ready to go?”

 

Landon Maddix asks his tag partner the question and then notices he’s already packed up.

 

“Seems to me I should be the one asking you that, eh Landon?” Mike Stephens responds, looking at the pile of clothes, tights and CD’s dropped carelessly on the floor, Landon’s OAOAST 24/7 belt on top of the TV (Stephens shakes his head) and finally his tag team belt, which is draped across an arm of the sofa, in their locker room.

 

“Well, I’ve got a lot of extra stuff. JP finally got all my songs on his I-pod!” Maddix says proudly. “I can’t wait until we get to come out to Copacabana!”

 

“Great. And don’t ever call him JP again.”

 

“Sure thing, Mike… uh, you wanna help me get all this stuff packed?”

 

Mike gives him a look that could say a thousand words, but in reality only needs to say two. Hell and No!

 

“Right, I’ll just go get Megs and she’ll help me clear…”

 

Michael Stephen’s looks up at his partner’s trailing off. It’s not like Landon to not be talking. The guy is chattier than most girls he knows, but this time it seems like he has a good reason. Blocking Maddix’s path through the door is none other than Gabriel Drake. Landon takes a step back and looks on curiously as Drake leans against the door frame.

 

“I said I’d give you time to stew and see what I can do. Well, times up, Toxx.” Drake adds with a smirk, striding through the doorway. “Will you face me in a match? Will you do it on Lockdown?”

 

“Next week?” Stephens says, eyes opening wide in surprise. He expected Gabe to come after him, but right before Genesis? He didn’t see that one coming at all. “I doubt Peters will let it happen, you know how he’s all about the big payday. Hell Gabe, it’s the main reason he hired a certified lunatic like you straight out of jail. I saw the match with Akira, you bloody psychopath-”

 

“-Psychopath! Get your facts straight Toxx-”

 

“Oh, what, you prefer fucking nutter? Cause that’s what you are, Gabe.”

 

“Just get me my match-”

 

“-Yeah, about that…” Landon Maddix’s stops looking back and forth like he’s watching a tennis match and cuts in, getting a strange look from both Stephens and Drake. “After Joe reamed me out for missing my flight, his secretary mentioned we’d probably have a tag title defense soon too. And Mike has to defend the title at Genesis so…”

 

“Who in the fuck asked you?” Gabe interrupts sharply. “Is that what you were going to say, because I want to know who made you think your opinion mattered?!” Drake snarls quickly turning back to face Stephens. “I don’t care about your tag team titles or Peters' Genesis main event! I just want my match! I deserve my match! You have the clout to get this done, so get it done, Toxx.”

 

“Hey, come on, you’re not even going to get a title shot if you do it like this.” Landon’s voice cuts through their argument once again and this time it sounds annoyed. “Why don’t you just continue jerking the curtain and then when his schedule’s a little lighter-”

 

“For fuck’s sake, Landon, shut your bloody gob for once.” At the stricken look on Maddix’s face, Stephens can’t help but roll his eyes. This situation is escalating fast and Landon’s upset that he told him to shut up? Michael sighs and runs a hand through his hair. Gabe asking for this match at this time was a calculated decision, of that he’s sure. How did everything get so fucked, so fast? Better mend fences with Landon, at least…

 

(“Please, okay? You’re a sensitive little shit aren’t you?")

 

(“That’s all I wanted to hear, Mike.”)

 

“But that’s not all I wanted to hear, Mike.” Gabe adds to the little side conversation. “I want to hear you say one word. Yes. But you won’t do it cause deep down, Toxx, past your false bravado and catchy slogan, somewhere in that body of yours there’s this gut feeling that says, I don’t want to face Gabriel Drake.”

 

Stephens stares into Drake’s cold hazel eyes. He really seems to think what he said is true and maybe he’s not too far off. This isn’t the right time for this match.

 

“That little bitch right there might think this isn’t serious, but you know differently.” Landon’s eyes narrow at that comment. “It was your fault I made my debut four years too late and I’m going to take every second that you made me spend in jail out of your hide.”

 

But Michael Stephens won’t back down from a fight…

 

“I didn’t make you do anything, but you’ll get your match, Gabe.” Mike pauses for a second and then looks away. “I promise.”

 

“No going back on this promise, Toxxic.” Drake reiterates, his eyes lighting up at Stephen’s choice of words. “The last time you did that you ruined my life. Now it’s my chance to ruin yours.” Gabe finishes in an even voice, most traces of his earlier anger gone. Turning to leave, Gabe spots Maddix eyeing him up and snorts derisively, before giving a wave over his shoulder to Stephens.

 

 

Somebody needs to break the silence…

 

 

“So, I know we had this discussion before, but what is the deal with you and that guy beyond all that jail stuff?” Landon starts, watching Drake as he goes. “I mean, not to be an ass, but I called you out on national TV, slept with your sister and ran around like an idiot trying everything under the sun to get you into a ring and then all he has to do is chat with you for five minutes and just like that you give him a match?!”

 

“There’s more to it than that, Landon.”

 

“Then tell me what’s really up! We’re partners, right?! Being Tag team champs takes work and we can’t work properly if you’re distracted by some glorified jobber!” Maddix’s shouts, trying to catch Mike’s eye waiting for some kind of response and getting none. “And you’ve got Flesher—Tom freakin’ Flesher in the biggest Main Event of the biggest show of the year! I know it’s a lot, but tell me you’re not looking past our tag title defense, Mike…”

 

“Landon, you’re just going to have to trust me on this one," Stephens says seriously, "I’m not looking past our title defense. Gabe and I have some unfinished business and it needs to get aired out.” he finishes, his grey eyes shifting to everywhere but Maddix’s blue ones. “I need to talk to Peters…”

 

Mike Stephens exits the room with a purposeful walk and heads off down the hall, leaving Landon all alone. After a moment Landon begins to pick up his things, but suddenly pauses and looks out the doorway.

 

“And apparently, so do I…”

 

FADE…