This was close.

That was all AJ Styles could think as he knelt in the middle of the ring with his left arm tightly wrapped around Christopher Daniels' neck in a reassuring embrace. He could feel the sweat running down Daniel's face onto his arm and the contraction of Daniels' windpipe as he swallowed and knew that he should pull away.

AJ knew it was his own voice muttering something about revenge and retaining the tag titles on Sunday but it was hard to follow his own train of thoughts when Daniels' forehead was pressed tightly against his. He had no doubt that he was babbling as the words escaping his lips were intelligible to his own ears yet Daniels' seemed enthralled with them, his occasional muttered agreements sending delightful vibrations down the column of his throat to tickle AJ's arm.

Too close.

AJ tried to put some distance between them and reluctantly eased his head away from Christopher's but Daniels was unwilling to be apart and just moved closer ensuring that there was no break in the contact between them. Daniels' eyes were shut and AJ could see from the rise of his chest that Daniels' breathing was slowing down as the adrenaline started to wear off but AJ was finding himself more breathless by the second.

He loosened his grip around Daniels' neck and ignored the sudden coldness that gripped his skin at the lack of contact and backed away slightly. He thought he heard Daniels mutter unhappily but it was hard to discern any tone when it was drowned out by the sound of the crowd and his own still rambling voice. Any further attempt at creating a space between them was halted by the realisation that Daniels' fingers were in his hair.

Far too close.

Daniels' fingertips brushed his scalp and AJ froze. There were no more aimless words just a deathly silence broken only by an audible, sharp intake of breath as a blunt fingernail scraped over a bump that was the memory of far too many chair shots. AJ's eyes slipped shut and all that he could recognise was the feel of Daniels against his skin and the smell of baby oil, sweat and something distinctly Daniels that seemed to envelope him in its potency. He could have been anywhere, any town, any city, any State, AJ had long since lost all concept of time and space. He and Daniels could have been in any road, any bar or any seedy hotel room.

But they weren't. As Daniels' fingers pulled away from him the sudden realisation of being in a TNA wrestling ring in Orlando, Florida hit AJ like a gale force wind and pulled him to his senses. He shook his head slightly to clear the mist inside and locked away any thoughts of seedy hotel rooms as he helped Daniels to his feet.

There were no words of gratitude from Daniels as they made their way to the locker room they shared. Daniels led the way, head bowed as he brushed off any comments or concern of the staff assembled backstage. AJ followed, always three steps behind for fear of getting too close. He looked down at his left arm, it was no longer cold from the lack of touch but instead burning with a searing heat that made AJ half expect the skin to blister just as it had in his childhood when he tried to catch a dancing flame with his fingers.

AJ had never touched a flame since but still he followed Daniels into their locker room and took a seat. There was no need for AJ to shower and change as he hadn't wrestled and he knew that he could hitch a lift back to the hotel with one of the other guys and leave Daniels to drive back on his own but still he waited. He heard Daniels switch the shower on and couldn't stop his fingers from touching his scalp and copying the path Daniels had etched out earlier.

He'd never considered himself an overly tactile man, other than the occasional handshake or pat on the back he tried to avoid physical contact outside of the match for fear of having his fingers broken but Daniels… Ever since they'd started teaming together AJ had felt this natural compulsion to touch Daniels whenever possible. It defied all logic but AJ could almost feel his skin itch to be touched and only a touch from Daniels could soothe the sensation.

He'd tried to explain it away as adoration towards one he'd respected for years or simply getting carried away with how easily he and Daniels had fitted together as tag partners but he knew that he was only deluding himself. It didn't help that Daniels was always ready with a post match embrace or that he didn't seem concerned with AJ's sudden transition from someone who never touched anyone to one who could barely keep his hands to himself.

AJ removed his fingers from his hair and picked imaginary pieces of fluff from his jeans when Daniels walked back into the locker room. Daniels glanced over at him briefly but AJ's eyes were fixed onto the carpeted floor. He had expected AJ to wait for him but he hadn't expected things to be so awkward between them. He could tell by the tightness in AJ's shoulders that he knew Daniels was only a few feet away but AJ continued to ignore him and Daniels didn't feel like breaking the silence.

He dressed silently, occasional glances showing that AJ had yet to move from his position of staring at the floor and picking at his jeans. Daniels was thankful that the act of dressing was one that he could do automatically because the last thing on his mind was buttoning a shirt or fastening a belt. AJ's hair had been so soft and his breath so warm and sweet against his face that Daniels couldn't drive those memories from his mind. He'd hoped that a hot blast from the shower would have burnt away any remnants of AJ's touches from his skin but if anything they'd magnified the intensity to the point that he had to prove to himself with snatched looks that AJ wasn't still touching him.

Far too close to forget that easily.

AJ knew that he should say something. He lifted his eyes from the carpet below his feet and could tell by the way Daniels almost yanked the zip from his kit bag that Daniels felt the unease too but still he couldn't find his voice. AJ had never considered himself to be the most eloquent of speakers but with Daniels he had never been short of the right thing to say. Maybe it was due to Daniels' own eloquence transferring onto him or maybe it was just a sign of his ease and comfort around his tag partner that enabled him to keep up with Daniels' silver tongue, either way it had deserted him tonight.

He stood when Daniels shouldered his bag to signal he was ready to leave and followed him to the door, always a couple of paces behind. He no longer trusted himself to get too close for fear of that craving and itch taking over him again as it had earlier when he'd rushed to Daniels aid. The thought that he should say something, anything, to break the awkwardness that had descended upon them gripped AJ again. Usually the walk to the locker room and their time getting changed would be filled with post match analysis and future planning and AJ had to admit that he had missed hearing Daniels either evaluate the other teams or damn them to the fifth level of hell as he had done recently with LAX.

AJ supposed that it was strange how it was often the most insignificant of things that could be missed the most. He and Daniels had quickly formed a routine after their matches and it wasn't the usual phone call home to confirm another injury free night or the congratulations of TNA senior management that he was pining for but the easy banter between two friends. A few months ago he would never have dreamt of using the word 'friend' to describe Daniels but now it seemed inadequate, its limitations all too close and evident to AJ's tired eyes. No, Daniels was so much more to him than merely a friend but the notion of using a more powerful label sparked a familiar burning on his skin.

He was getting far too close to the fire again.

AJ forced his tired eyes to open fully and was surprised to see Daniels stood before him. The three pace distance he'd tried to keep had disappeared until he was close enough to see the reflection of the dull artificial lighting in Daniels' eyes. Daniels' proximity struck him dumb for a few moments and he struggled desperately to order his thoughts so that he could speak. When had Daniels closed the distance?

AJ had been so wrapped up in his own thoughts that he hadn't noticed Daniels open the locker room door only to think better of it and turn to face him. There were so many things Daniels knew that he should say to AJ but instead he'd merely watched him, his lips pressed together as he thought through whatever was weighing heavily on his mind.

Daniels thought back to his match earlier. He'd been so fired up, so eager to destroy Homicide and show his superiority by beating him cleanly that somewhere along the way he'd forgotten why it was Homicide he singled out. After all it had been Hernandez that had busted him open with his own title belt and Konnan that had signed the contract in his blood but still he had challenged Homicide. It had only been afterwards, when the post match beat down had been interrupted by AJ and a steel chair that he had remembered. Maybe it was the sight of AJ rescuing him or the feel of AJ's thumb gently stroking his Adam's apple as he sat in the ring afterwards but something had reminded him that it was all because of AJ.

He'd wasted so long projecting his misplaced anger onto AJ to ever truly understand him. He knew that the battles over the X Division title had long been forgotten by AJ but Daniels had found them harder to move past. He was always the thinker, the one who had to find reason where there was none and the evolution of his hatred towards AJ into something akin to friendship had long troubled him as had the fire he felt inside whenever he and AJ became too close.

But that was the problem. He and AJ had always been too close to each other, either as enemies or friends, to realise what the fire meant. There was a reason why Daniels had become so obsessed with toppling the golden boy and taking the title from AJ just like there was a reason why they'd so effortlessly clicked as a tag team and as he'd touched AJ's hair earlier Daniels had finally figured it out.

AJ could feel the heat as Daniels continued to stare him. He wanted to back away, to create a safe distance to allow himself to think straight but a stronger part of him wanted to be as close to Daniels as Daniels would allow. He could see from the concentration etched in his brow that Daniels was wading through some heavy thoughts and his prolonged silence was uncharacteristic and slightly worrying. The thought that Daniels could be equally confused and speechless about something did little to comfort him.

His thoughts were more organised now but they were dominated by that familiar itch to close the distance further and to touch the only person who could soothe that itch. But this was a locker room. He couldn't hide behind the pretence of celebration or concern here as he had done in the ring.

"What are you thinking AJ?"

It had been so long since AJ had heard any speech that it took his preoccupied mind a few moments to recognise the words and process their meaning. He ran his hand over his face as he contemplated the question and realised that Daniels couldn't have asked any question that was more difficult for him to answer than that one.

"Shall I tell you what you're thinking?"

AJ took a step back. "I didn't know you could read minds."

There was no humour in AJ's statement but Daniels laughed regardless. "I'm no mind reader AJ but I bet I can guess."

AJ folded his arms across his chest and stared at Daniels. It was a challenge and one that Daniels recognised easily enough. He knew that it was unlike AJ to be so defensive and abrupt and it shook him a little until he moved a step closer and saw AJ's eyes widen and breath deepen. There was no real defiance or challenge in AJ, just a cautiousness that Daniels had to grudgingly agree was wise.

"You're thinking about earlier, about what happened after my match with Homicide aren't you?"

AJ blinked. "We'll get them Sunday..."

"That's not what I meant AJ," Daniels interrupted. "Why can you talk to me and put your arms around me in the ring but not even answer a straight question out of it? What are you afraid of?"

AJ's immediate answer was silenced by the feel of Daniels' hand on his left forearm. It was a touch of reassurance, a gentle reminder that Daniels was his friend and eager to hear his answer, whatever that may be, but the look in Daniels' deep brown eyes was something far deeper than friendship. It took a few seconds but AJ finally realised that it was with the same arm that he'd embraced Daniels earlier but there was no roaring fire this time or fear of being burnt and blistered, just a cure for an itch and a hint of understanding.

"Getting too close."

Daniels smiled softly as he dropped his bag onto the floor before pulling AJ into a hug. It took a few seconds but AJ soon relaxed, his arms wrapping around Daniels' waist as he lowered his head onto Daniels' shoulder. Daniels tightened his grip and didn't even mind that AJ was using him as a leaning post. AJ's breath was tickling the hollow of his throat and Daniels allowed his eyes to slip shut for a few moments as he enjoyed the feel of AJ in his arms.

"It's our closeness that makes us strong AJ," Daniels said finally, "it always has done."

AJ lifted his head from Daniels' shoulder and stood up straight but made no effort to break the embrace. "What does that mean?"

"It means that we've danced around each other for too long. Don't be afraid of getting too close to a fire, they don't all result in burns."

AJ paused for a moment, his mind contemplating the meaning behind Daniels' words. Daniels was content to give AJ any amount of time that he needed. It wasn't his intention to confuse or mislead AJ but to try and make sense of the manner in which their relationship had developed over the last couple of months. He knew that they had touched far too much and become far too close but it had become near impossible to stop. Every time Daniels knew that he should have pulled away and broken contact he'd done the exact opposite whether that be a celebration after the match or a late night conversation he'd merely fallen deeper into the fire until there was no return without being burnt to a crisp.

He'd never realised until tonight that AJ was also struggling with their closeness. Tonight had been far too close for two friends to be and he had sensed immediately that AJ's quietness was due to his fear of being burnt, of Daniels disregarding that closeness as friendship and competition instead of something more meaningful.

Finally AJ answered. "How do you know which fires will burn you?"

"You don't," Daniels answered softly, a slight smile touching his lips, "not until you try."

Daniels raised his hand to AJ's face and traced his thumb across AJ's cheekbone before kissing him softly. It was the slightest of pressures, the faintest of touches but AJ could feel the kiss as strongly as anything he'd ever felt before. Daniels tightened the embrace and pulled AJ closer, the cotton of his trousers meeting the denim of AJ's jeans but it was AJ who deepened the kiss and turned it into a smouldering flame.

This was close. Too close. Far too close for two tag partners to be but AJ found it hard to care, not when he'd finally found a label that fitted Daniels more adequately than the limited 'friend'.

Lover.

THE END