It was a familiar routine. Sometimes it wouldn't happen for weeks, other times just a few days would pass but Christopher Daniels could always rely on eventually hearing that same knock on his hotel room door.

It was the day before a PPV and Daniels, like many on the TNA roster, had been called to Orlando early to film some vignettes and promos. He was bored, the drudging familiarity of a hotel room offering little stimulation or interest to his intelligent mind. The flight from LA had been long and hot and his peace disturbed by a crying child and an unseasonable warmth that had been followed by the tediousness of photo shoots and mind numbing interviews.

His bed had been calling him loudly when he heard it. First there was a knock so quiet he had to strain to hear it, his visitor's knuckles barely brushing the wood as he thought twice about the reason for his late night visit to Daniels' room. The second knock was louder and more confident, a short, sharp blow much akin to a stinging jab that Daniels heard and felt as clearly as any time keeper's bell.

He, as always, delayed slightly before answering the door. The delay was not due to a need to tidy his room as there was never any mess to tidy but because he liked the routine too much to rush it. He liked the warm tingling sensation that flowed throughout his stomach and made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. For Christopher Daniels anticipation was as sweet a feeling as anything he could achieve through action. If the hotel was quiet enough and he put his ear to the door he could sometimes hear his visitor sigh impatiently or tap his foot as he waited but tonight Daniels wasn't in the mood to tease for too long.

There was never any need for him to look through the door's spy hole after that distinctive knock so he simply opened it and casually leaned against the door frame as his visitor nervously picked the skin from his fingers. Daniels didn't speak as any questions he held were easily asked by the inquisitive rise of his eyebrows and confidence in his stance. His visitor offered no answers for his visit either, the shyness and embarrassment displayed in his blue eyes and the smugness of Daniels' grin were far more adequate and telling than any verbal questions or answers could ever be.

Once he was satisfied that enough embarrassment had been caused Daniels moved to the side and gestured with a theatrical swing of his arm for AJ Styles to enter his room before closing the door with a forceful kick from his heel.

Every time he stepped inside Daniels' hotel room AJ would look for a sign of 'humanness', a signal that Daniels did actually reside in that room for however brief a time. He didn't expect the organised chaos and mess that was so characteristic of any room he inhabited, just a can of deodorant on the dresser, a coat draped over a chair or even a pair of shoes placed neatly near a wall. He was always disappointed to never see a single item out of place and occasionally wondered if Daniels secretly ordered the chamber maid to come and clean his room immediately before his visits. AJ quickly dismissed the thoughts as an impossibility as not even he knew that he was going to knock on Daniels' door until he felt his knuckles stroke the wood.

But this was Christopher Daniels. He probably knew the exact minute AJ awoke in the morning and the last thought that entered his mind before he fell asleep at night.

Every time AJ came knocking on Daniels' door the dance would follow the same steps as surely as a theatre production would follow the same script. Despite the familiarity and routine of the visit so far still neither Daniels nor AJ had ever been able to figure out how silence, AJ's awkwardness and Daniels' smugness could develop into an unexplainable need to tear each others clothes off.

There was no routine any longer. No nerves from AJ or amusement from Daniels as discarded clothes littered the clean carpet of Daniels' impeccable room. Before the last item of clothing had fluttered through the air and touched the ground AJ had Daniels pinned to the bed, hands running down the side of Daniels' ribcage as AJ nibbled his ear.

Daniels moaned appreciatively, the palm of his right hand flat across AJ's bare shoulder blade as his left lightly stroked the small of AJ's back with his knuckles. There were no clothes and barriers between them just hot skin against hot skin and AJ's skin always felt so good next to his own. So soft and so smooth yet every slight movement, every ripple of flesh or stretch of muscle hinted at the strength that lay beneath.

AJ loved the feel of Daniels pinned beneath him. If he breathed into Daniels' ear in just the right way it would result in a slight movement of Daniels' hips that always felt so good when those bare hips were so sinfully pressed against his own. Daniels was nibbling his neck, teeth pinching his skin lightly before a tongue and warm moist lips eased away the slight pain left behind. Hands roamed across his skin casually as Daniels caressed and stroked him gently, his fingers knowing the exact places to produce a breathless moan that AJ always regretted releasing but couldn't help muttering.

AJ shook off the wandering hands and positioned himself between Daniels' spread legs. Much like Daniels experience had taught him exactly where to touch and he lightly skipped his fingertips over Daniels' inner thigh allowing them to reach continually higher without ever touching the place he wanted to touch the most. It was such a light touch, one that AJ was barely sure existed but it seemed to affect Daniels, his brown eyes slipping shut as he relaxed into the neatly made double bed beneath him.

It was usually Daniels who had taken the lead on AJ's previous visits but he was content to lay back and enjoy the maddening touches that ran up and down his inner thigh. The flight had taken a lot of energy out of him, far too much for any power struggles with one who was physically his equal, but he had enough energy left to grab AJ's wrist and drag his hand away from his thigh and to the hardness of his cock.

AJ neither resisted the movement or questioned it but he did allow a small chuckle to escape his moistened lips. Only Christopher Daniels could still try to control a situation while lying flat on his back. He didn't mind Daniels' gesture and took great delight in the feel of Daniels' hardened flesh rubbing against the inside of his palm as he stroked him slowly. AJ's movements were deliberate, his hand moving straight along Daniels length before adding a maddening twist at the head that always resulted in Daniels' lifting from the pillow before he settled back down and relaxed into AJ's touches.

It was AJ who tired of his teasing movements first and his mouth watered at the thought of Daniels' cock sliding past his lips again. Daniels propped himself up on his elbows and watched intently as AJ bowed his head and merely licked his skin at a leisurely pace, a look of concentration forming on his brow as if he was savouring the taste of a fine wine. There were no fine wines in the world that tasted better to AJ's teetotal taste buds and he hummed in delight when he wrapped his lips around Daniels' cock and sucked.

There was soon a hand blindly groping for the back of AJ's head, Daniels' fingertips poking AJ's ear before settling in his hair and pulling gently at the roots. AJ revelled in the pressure and guidance of Daniels' hand and picked up his pace, the occasional soft graze of teeth causing Daniels' to yelp in pleasure and dig his heels into the clean white mattress.

The list of things Daniels liked about AJ Styles was very short but every movement of AJ's lips reminded him that his mouth was right at the top. Second on the list was probably AJ's baby blue eyes which in most situations were the perfect reflection of innocence but when they sparkled with lust and were intently focused on the cock in his mouth they were lit with a wicked promise.

Daniels wanted relief. He wanted the pleasure he felt to consume him and turn his world the same shade of blue as AJ's sparkling eyes but it was too addictive to throw away that easily, especially when it could reach greater heights.

Daniels pulled AJ's heavenly mouth away from him and took a few seconds to compose himself. AJ was disappointed, his tongue poking out to lick his lips and search for any lingering flavour that he still craved so much. He had wanted to taste Daniels. Ever since he had knocked that hotel room door earlier and seen him casually leaning against the door frame he'd wanted nothing more than to feel Daniels' essence fill his mouth and slip down his throat. Not even his nerves and embarrassment had been enough to dampen the craving he'd felt but that was before. Any initial disappointment he felt at the loss of Daniels' cock was soon erased by the promise of what was to come.

Daniels lay back down onto the bed, his head sinking into the double stacked pillows. His breathing was ragged, skin sweaty and face flustered and AJ couldn't help but touch himself at the sight. Daniels pursed his lips in want but his tiredness prevented him from any action or movement. The motion didn't go unnoticed by AJ, however, and he locked eyes with Daniels before deliberately stroking his cock a couple of times and then licking his fingers clean of the few drops of creamy liquid that had formed.

"Want me?" AJ asked.

He knew it was a redundant question but there was something enticing about hearing Daniels verbalise his desire. It was indicative of how he'd changed over the course of his visits to Daniels, after all it wasn't that long ago that he'd never have been able to say something so simple yet so difficult. He had no real theory as to where this previously hidden sexual confidence had come from but he had a feeling that Daniels probably had something to do with it.

"Fuck yeah" Daniels answered.

Daniels had always considered himself to be a proud man who acquiesced to no one but when he had a naked AJ Styles at his fingertips any concepts of pride or eloquence were left at the hotel room door. It was far more fulfilling to ask for what he wanted than to let his pride interfere.

AJ smiled sweetly, the innocence of the expression ill fitting alongside the wanton look on his face. He loved to hear Daniels reduced from his long winded eloquence to short profanity filled statements. If he'd have known that the most effective way to stop Daniels' incessant ramblings and turn them into concise statements was not to defeat him in the ring but to suck his cock he'd have done it years ago.

It was always AJ who instigated these visits, never Daniels. He'd never had a late night knock on his door from a sheepish looking Daniels so any admission of desire was always welcome to AJ's ears. As AJ crawled up the bed and positioned his knees under Daniels' arms so they nestled snugly in his armpits he realised that Daniels may never have knocked his door but he'd also never turned him away. There was always a smug smile and an empty bed waiting for him whenever he visited him and it was so easy to believe that Daniels needed this as much as he did when Daniels lifted his head from the pillows and took AJ's balls into his mouth.

AJ was quick to help, one palm braced against the wall behind the head of the bed so that he could lean into the licks of Daniels' tongue while the other supported the back of Daniels' head and aided him in his movements. With a little adjustment of his knees AJ was able to get a better angle and moaned loudly when Daniels eased his mouth over the head of his cock.

His hand slipped on the wall slightly as Daniels set a fierce rhythm to his movements and his bicep strained, the muscle tightening in dull pain as the dead weight of Daniels' head started to tell and add to the other strains he'd felt in the wrestling ring. The pain was tolerable, the sensation merely adding to the feeling building in the pit of his stomach. With the distraction of Daniels' tongue sliding over the sensitised flesh of his cock he barely registered the finger tracing light shapes across the smooth skin of his ass. It wasn't until Daniels temporarily ceased his tongue's wicked caresses to moisten two of his fingers that AJ came back to his senses and stopped him. Daniels looked puzzled but the puzzlement soon made way for eyes half closed lust when AJ removed his hand from the wall, grabbed Daniels' wrist and pulled those fingers to his own mouth.

AJ loved Daniels' fingers. As he sucked on Daniels' digits he thought about how they always knew how much teasing was too much. Daniels was always able to reduce him into using only grunts, groans and the occasional wriggle of his hips as forms of communication. There had been times during their matches against each other when AJ's usually perfect concentration and match focus had slipped and it was all due to seeing those fingers and remembering what they could do. It was amazing how they could cause him so much pain inside the ring but so much pleasure outside.

Daniels smiled around AJ's cock as his finger edged inside AJ's most intimate of places. AJ lifted his hips slightly to allow Daniels better access and his smile grew even wilder. It felt like years since he and AJ had done this last although he knew in reality it was only a couple of weeks since he'd last heard AJ's knock at his door. The coldness of several nights spent jerking off in his hotel room to lingering memories were no comparison to sharing a bed with a warm body, especially one sat astride his chest and mewling in delight.

Those mewls grew impatient as Daniels' fingers continued their magic. Usually AJ demanded that Daniels took his time with him but for AJ tonight was not a night to be teased, tonight was a night to be fucked.

He batted away Daniels' fingers and pulled himself away from his mouth. Daniels watched intently as AJ moved down the bed, his interest increasing when AJ winked suggestively and sat astride his hips. He tried to keep his eyes open so that he could see AJ's eyes sparkle even brighter but the feel of AJ's hand gripping his cock tightly as he slowly lowered himself down was far too overwhelming for Daniels to pay attention to anything other than the exquisite tightness wrapping around his cock.

AJ rolled his hips slightly and gave himself a few moments to adjust to the feel of Daniels' cock inside of him. It had been too long, far too long, since he'd last experienced the intense adrenaline rush of penetration and it was something that despite his impatience he wanted to savour. He dragged his blunt and bitten fingernails over Daniels' chest and watched for a moment as the faint red trails left behind slowly faded away to the golden sweat slicked skin he loved so much.

He braced his hands on Daniels' chest, his thumbs covering the edges of the tattoo that decorated the flawless skin. He raised himself up, his elbows locking and taking his weight before sinking back down at an excruciatingly slow pace. Daniels grabbed his hips and firmly gripped his muscled flesh. The grip was bruising and anyone who hadn't developed a wrestler's tough skin from years of running the ropes would have woken the next morning to a myriad of bruises but it merely motivated AJ to snap his hips and make that grip even tighter. He knew that his skin didn't bruise easily but the prospect of waking up with a visible mark of Daniels' lust was far too tempting to pass up.

Daniels watched spellbound as AJ quickened his movements, his body rising from Daniels cock to such a degree that Daniels swore they were no longer touching before falling back down and wrapping Daniels in that addictive heat all over again. Watching AJ was hypnotic and Daniels couldn't tear his eyes away. He was caught in AJ's spell as surely and firmly as any fans who had ever watched AJ wrestle and was equally eager to see what big move he'd pull off next.

AJ knew Daniels was watching him intently, the heat of those brown eyes distinguishable despite the heat he felt in every pore of his body. He'd always revelled in the roar of the crowd, of being watched and adored and the lure was just as strong despite only having an audience of one. He slowed his pace slightly and manoeuvred his hips until he found the angle that made him half scream in pleasure. It was a struggle for Daniels to keep his eyes open, his every instinct was screaming at him to close them and lose himself in the tightness that gripped his cock and caressed it so devilishly but he had to watch. He had to see AJ, had to see the matches big finish and it was AJ's own hand stroking his cock that achieved the victory.

AJ didn't cease his movements even though Daniels could see the strength had left his limbs and he smiled in pleasure as the wave overtook him and his cum landed on Daniels' stomach. A couple of more movements of those sinful hips was all it took for Daniels to follow, his own hips bucking from the bed for the first time as he found his release. Finally he allowed himself to close his eyes but it was only for the briefest of moments as the undeniable feel of AJ's tongue ticking the muscles of his stomach in order to lick up his own cum was too tempting an image for Daniels to ignore.

Content that Daniels' stomach was suitably clean and free of any traces of him AJ rolled off the bed and entered the small bathroom to clean himself up. Daniels didn't move, a content and self satisfied grin etched his lips as he stared at the ceiling. His breathing was returning to normal and the warm flush that had decorated his skin was slowly fading but he desperately clung on to those last moments of bliss.

AJ walked back into the hotel room and shivered slightly as he walked under the air conditioning unit, the reconditioned air cooling his skin. He hadn't noticed the unnatural chill or low hum of the motor earlier but that was hardly surprising when he had Daniels keeping him warm. Daniels seemed to have noted the chill also as he lay wrapped underneath the double duvet that covered the bed. He was staring at the ceiling, his hands beneath his head and made no acknowledgement of AJ's presence. The satisfied smirk was still etched onto his lips and AJ briefly considered smacking the smirk free as a way of gaining Daniels' attention but the realisation that he was responsible for the smirk soon had him echoing the expression.

Daniels' smirk slipped slightly when he felt the bed dip beneath AJ's weight as he sat near his feet but he kept his eyes fixed onto the ceiling. The bliss and afterglow of a much needed and good fuck had dissipated to be replaced by an awkwardness that Daniels despised. It was so easy to forget amongst the tearing of clothes, the kissing, biting, licking and sucking that had consumed them so fully that an awkwardness would always follow afterwards. Their bodies were so in tune both in the ring and in the bedroom that no words were needed but when words were required still all they could muster was silence.

Daniels didn't want to be the one to break that silence. In fact he didn't want the silence to be broken at all. In the ideal world that existed purely inside Daniels' head he could see AJ picking up his clothes and silently leaving his hotel room, no words spoken and no words needed. But this wasn't his ideal world and he knew that AJ was lingering, forever waiting for something he should have learnt by now would never come. Daniels supposed it was cruel of him to welcome AJ into his bed time after time only to unceremoniously kick him straight out again but cruelty wasn't a concept that Daniels contemplated too often in his ideal world.

AJ stared at his feet as he felt Daniels shuffle slightly in the bed behind him. Daniels was impatient and desired his solitude again but AJ wasn't willing to leave. He stared at the jumble of clothes at his feet, his denim jeans wrapped intimately around the cotton of Daniels' shirt until they looked like they were cut from the same cloth and closed his eyes.

He knew that he always demanded too much from life. His match had to be the best, his dropkick higher, kicks harder and crowd reaction louder than anyone else's. AJ knew that this was true of his private life too and that he sometimes expected too much of himself and of his friends who were prepared to coast through life and accept what they were given. It would be so much easier, so much simpler to accept the hand he'd been dealt but AJ always played for high stakes and a pair wouldn't suffice when there were aces in the pack to be found.

He thought of Daniels, of their complicated love/hate relationship that saw them want to cause screams of pain in the ring but screams of pleasure outside. The mouth that had so wonderfully kissed and caressed every part of him only moments ago was the same mouth that had attempted on so many occasions to reduce him to nothing, that psychologically assaulted him to the degree that AJ had almost tapped out before ever stepping into the ring. Was AJ asking too much for Daniels to simply choose between pain and pleasure? AJ had already made his choice and it was that choice that caused him to linger and wait for something he wanted, needed to hear.

Daniels yawned theatrically and AJ knew it was for his benefit, a not so subtle way of Daniels saying "get out". AJ's pride, the part of him that screamed in anger and called him a fool whenever he knocked on Daniels' door screamed at him again. It told him to leave, to salvage what little dignity and self-respect he had left and treat the encounter in the same meaningless manner as Daniels was.

But AJ Styles was never one to follow orders, not even ones that came from himself.

"Chris..."

"Don't AJ. Don't ruin an enjoyable evening with your melodrama."

"Melodrama?" AJ said snappily as he turned to face Daniels. "Why do ya do this if ya don't want my 'melodrama'?"

Daniels sat up and leaned back on his elbows, the prospect of an argument with AJ always able to drive away tiredness and bring him back to full alertness. "What exactly is it that I'm doing? I've never made any promises to you AJ. I've been nothing but honest and have never deceived you or guaranteed something I'm not willing to give. You need to concern yourself with what you are doing."

He was right of course. Daniels had never whispered words of love or potential, not even in the heat of the moment. Since the first time they'd been alone in a hotel room and a full blown argument complete with flying furniture had turned into a hot fuck amongst the carnage Daniels had never misled AJ or given him any reason to believe anything more would come.

Even with the benefit of hindsight and the ability to replay his previous visits in his mind AJ couldn't pinpoint any time when Daniels had given him any hope. It always the same. AJ would knock his door, Daniels would fuck him and then kick him out at the first available opportunity. There were no cuddles to be found or even a bed to spend the night in, AJ always returned to his own cold and lonely room.

Yet here AJ was. Lingering in Daniels' hotel room and waiting for something more.

Daniels continued, "you come to my room, allow yourself to be used and then complain when I don't hold your hand afterwards. Why do you do that? Have you ever thought about what compels you to knock on my door despite knowing full well that only heartache lies behind? I can never give you what you need yet you still crave what little I can give. Why AJ?"

AJ was silent. Any fight or desire to defend himself had gone to be replaced by the horror of understanding that Daniels was right. Beneath the layers of romanticism and hope that he clung to so dearly he knew that there was no happy ending to be found in Daniels' arms. Truth was he'd known that all along yet still he came on nights like tonight when he could no longer fight the urge to knock on Daniels' door.

He'd never questioned why he continued to play this game with Daniels. He'd hidden behind the safety of believing he was in love with Daniels because that was so much simpler for him to understand. AJ was a nice guy. Everybody told him as much. What reason could nice guy AJ Styles have for visiting Christopher Daniels, a guy more fallen than angel, other than to save his soul and bring him to the light?

"I'm in a charitable mood tonight so I'll explain it to you AJ," Daniels said with a grin. He was enjoying this far too much. "Have you ever stood atop a high building, wandered over to the edge and contemplated how it would feel to fall? Or have you driven between shows late at night along a dark and deserted road and seen a car driving in the other direction? Don't tell me you've never considered swerving and hitting that car head on?

"You'd never do it of course," Daniels continued. "Our old friend common sense soon steps in and reminds us that while the fall may be satisfying the landing certainly won't be but the thought was still there. For no matter how brief a moment you would have considered doing something that would no doubt cause immense pain if not death."

Daniels paused to savour the look of uncertainty and confusion in AJ's eyes. Who'd have thought that screwing with AJ Styles could be so much fun?

"I appeal to that hidden part of you AJ. The part that doesn't want to be safe and protected but in the path of danger and threatened. People like us thrive on that danger and the prospect of falling and I give that to you every time we're together. A safe, protected life lacks the stimulation we need so we find our excitement in situations like these."

AJ wanted to speak, to interrupt Daniels' diatribe and tell him plainly that he was wrong but interrupting Daniels was so hard to do. There was something almost hypnotic about his words and how they drew AJ in closer and closer until he could no longer tell where Daniels' thoughts ended and his started. He tried to place some distance between himself and Daniels by shuffling down the bed a little but Daniels only mirrored his movements. AJ found it near impossible to think straight when his mind was being caressed by such honey soaked words.

"You're tired aren't you AJ? Tired of being seen as this virtuous picture of perfection that everyone has you painted as. You don't have the energy to live up to their lofty aspirations anymore, not when you've tasted something more fulfilling than abstinence and honour. You want to rebel against it all and what better way than to allow yourself to be used and abused by a snake like me."

"No..." AJ said quietly.

"Yes, AJ. You know that I'm right. You've fooled yourself into thinking that you come to me in the hope of changing me and gaining some affection but the truth remains that I make you feel more alive by throwing you out after I'm finished with you than a post-fuck cuddle ever could."

AJ shook his head in defiance. It wasn't true. He didn't come to Daniels because he wanted to be used or made to feel worthless. There was no part of him that craved self destruction or the darkness that always followed Daniels around. He was happy in his safe, boring little world where mind games were frowned upon and sex was always meaningful. He wouldn't cheapen himself and fall to Daniels' level.

He continued to tell himself that Daniels was wrong, that this was nothing more than another stage in the systematic mental torture that Daniels' had been subjecting him to every week in the iMPACT Zone. Daniels was playing with him, lying through his forked tongue in order to break AJ and win that title that sat neatly atop AJ's bed in his hotel room a floor above.

But AJ could only lie to himself for so long. He demanded truth just as surely as he demanded perfection and he knew that whatever game Daniels was playing it was different to the games they played in the ring. The rules and objective had changed and this was no longer about any titles or proving who the better wrestler was, it had gone far deeper than even AJ could fully realise. Daniels had burrowed under his skin in a way he'd never felt before and without knowing the rules of the game AJ was sailing blind.

"Ya think I come here wantin' to be made a fool of? That I actually like ya kickin' me out?"

But still he never learned. Still he pressed Daniels into further answers despite knowing that all it would bring were more headaches and painful realisations. The more AJ questioned Daniels, the more he listened to him speak, the stronger Daniels' hold over him became. It was a lesson he should have learnt years ago but there was something about Daniels that had always made AJ ignore past experience and common sense.

"Why else would you come to me repeatedly?" asked Daniels. "No matter how many times you play a movie the ending is always the same AJ. If you don't like the ending, then don't start the film."

"It's not that simple..."

Daniels interrupted, "no, it really is that simple. You know as surely as I do that these visits would never grow into anything more and whenever you walk through that door," Daniels said as he pointed to his hotel room door, "you consent to the same ending. If you truly wanted more you'd change the movie, change the script and approach me in a different manner but you never have.

"There is no shame in admitting the truth. You crave me. You crave being used. You have so many people telling you how wonderful and phenomenal," Daniels spat, "you are that you need someone to treat you like I do. In this room your title reigns, fancy moves, honour, respect and general claims to sainthood are irrelevant. All that matters is how good a fuck you are and AJ, for a little choir boy filled with innocence and purity you're very, very good."

AJ grabbed his jeans from the floor and untangled them from Daniels' shirt before angrily putting them on. "You're deluded, ya know that?"

Daniels laughed. "Tell me I'm wrong AJ. Tell me you come here thinking that you can change me, that you can make me love you. I find it hard to believe that even you would be naive enough to attempt that but please, if I'm wrong I'd like to know."

"You're wrong," AJ said in a voice so shaky he found it difficult to believe himself.

"That wasn't very convincing AJ," Daniels said in a manner similar to a teacher scolding a student. AJ really was too much fun when he was flustered. "Say it with meaning, make me believe it. Look me in the eyes and say that you come here not to be used, but because you're in love with me."

As AJ looked at Daniels and saw that wicked glint in his eyes he knew that Daniels had just upped the stakes and called his hand. Being in love was the only other possible reason for AJ to put himself through this same situation over and over again and now Daniels was forcing AJ to show his cards, to prove Daniels and his theory wrong by declaring something equally damaging.

He demanded perfection but even AJ knew when to fold.

"I'm not listenin' to this crap anymore. Think what ya like Daniels I don't care what your opinion is. Don't think that you'll be hearin' from me again other than in the ring."

Daniels chuckled darkly and it made AJ's skin crawl. AJ's refusal to answer was the sweetest victory possible for Daniels and he savoured every moment of it, from the forced anger in AJ's voice to the wide eyed fear in his baby blue eyes. AJ knew the truth now, just like Daniels did and Daniels could sense the confusion. If he closed his eyes he could almost see AJ's prized innocence and purity become tainted by the truth and AJ's acceptance of it.

"Oh, I think I will hear from you again AJ. I'll hear that same knock on my door eventually. You're a stubborn man so I won't expect it anytime soon but it'll come. One night when you're all alone in your hotel room and your little friends and video games aren't enough to satisfy you that's when you'll realise that I've been right all along. Don't worry AJ, I won't hold any of this against you. I wouldn't dare deny you what you crave."

Daniels was on his knees and only inches away from him before AJ had even realised he'd moved. The tiredness was long gone and Daniels had always thrived on the element of surprise. AJ knew that he should always be prepared for all eventualities when dealing with Daniels but still he didn't expect to feel the almost affectionate hand that stroked the side of his face.

With such a soft and unexpected touch AJ almost forgot the words spoken only seconds before and leaned into the touch, welcoming the sensations and wanting more. His eyes slipped shut for only a moment and when they reopened the only thing he could see was that irritating self satisfied smirk of Christopher Daniels. AJ pushed Daniels' hand away and smacked him in the mouth sending Daniels sprawling onto the bed beneath. He was ready for any retaliation but none was forthcoming.

"Violence is never the answer AJ," Daniels said as he rubbed his jaw. "It's such a waste of energy when there are so many better things we could be doing."

AJ shook his head in exasperation. Daniels had an answer for everything and AJ felt like he'd ran out of questions. He picked up his T shirt and glared at Daniels for a moment somewhat disappointed that his punch hadn't drawn blood but not surprised as he knew that rage had always softened his blows. He turned to leave and opened the door that had started all of the problems but a low laugh from behind him made him pause.

"You'll be back AJ," Daniels yelled, "I guarantee it."

The door clicked shut behind him and AJ leaned against it. The corridor was quiet and deserted as he thought about all of the things Daniels had said to him. The words lacked the forcefulness of those spewed into a microphone but they had a quiet confidence behind them that unnerved him. Daniels was so sure, so convinced that he was right that AJ found himself believing him. Finally AJ headed for the elevator and was pleased to note that it was empty, it was only a short ride to his floor but it wasn't an easy one.

"You'll be back AJ."

The game was in AJ's hands now. Daniels would be forever waiting behind that hotel room door and only AJ could instigate a further visit. Common sense dictated that he should stay away from Daniels and AJ knew that this was the correct course of action. Whatever hold Daniels had over him was easily broken by refusing to play his games but as AJ stepped out of the elevator and headed to his room he feared that things weren't that simple.

The next hand had already been dealt and it was up to AJ whether he put his money on the table or walked away.

"You'll be back AJ."

As he stepped inside his hotel room the truth hit him so hard that it drove the breath from his lungs.

Daniels was right and AJ knew he'd continue to play until he was morally bankrupt.

THE END