Fic Time!!!

[energy_purple]

Woo! I'm back on track with the prompts, and it bloody took long enough! This is (hopefully) going to be a three part fic, written in the same verse as the original dom/sub prompt I did. The prompt has been slightly tweaked, but I think I prefer this version tbh. Trust me, it's going to get very dark, very intense, very emotional and very nasty. This is not going to be a pretty, smutty fic like usual, this is a whole different level altogether :/ Despite how hard it is to write, I'm actually quite proud of it for some reason, so hopefully you guys will all enjoy it as well!

PROMPT: AJ finds out about the Guns dom/sub relationship, and blackmails Dom!Alex into giving AJ one night with Sub!Chris, with devastating results...

Title: Flip of a Coin 1/3
Author: Hayley, energy_purple 
Pairing: Alex Shelley/Chris Sabin, Chris Sabin/AJ Styles
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 8763
Warnings: Dom/sub relationships, violence, implied and explicit sexual abuse, angst... Seriously, this is gonna be some heavy shit, so don't say I didn't warn you all...

Summary: Alex risked everything on one flip of a coin. Soon he's going to realise that actions have devastating consequences for the one he loves...

Alex looked down at his phone again, making sure that he hadn't mucked up the details. He wasn't entirely sure as to the reason why he'd received the text, but with the mood that AJ had been in recently, he decided it would probably be best if he didn't ignore it. He could feel Chris trying to peer over his shoulder in what was a failing attempt to be a nosey little fucker as he hooked one of his legs subtly between Alex's thighs, trying to insinuate himself into a better position, but Alex quickly snapped his mobile shut before giving Chris an affectionate slap around the back of his head; Chris really was worse than a child sometimes.

"Didn't your mom ever teach you not to intrude on private conversations?"

Chris just gave a smirk that could've rivalled Alex's as he grabbed hold of one of the bottles of beer that sat on the table, a glint in his eyes as he stared at Alex.

"My mom taught me a lot of things, doesn't mean I actually listened to her," Chris reasoned as he downed half of the beer, rolling his eyes at the way Alex shook his head overdramatically in a disapproving fashion. "And anyway," Chris continued, his hand sneaking under the table to give a quick squeeze to Alex's upper thigh. "If I did listen to half the shit she said, then I wouldn't be having as much fun as I do now, would I?"

An almost dark, lustful light flashed through Chris' eyes as he gazed over at Alex, his lips creasing in a knowing smile as he ran his hand teasingly up the length of Alex's leg, only just stopping before he reached Alex's groin, and Alex couldn't help but cock his eyebrow as a smug grin crossed his face. If they'd been back in their room, Chris would've known better than to be tempting Alex in the way that he was; Chris daring to lay a finger on Alex without permission, let alone trying to rile him up and get him hard, would've been more than enough grounds for a punishment, and they both knew it.

However, when they were together, and there wasn't that pressure or demand for Chris to submit to him, then Alex had no trouble in letting Chris get away with little things like this; he knew it was still extremely hard for Chris to reconcile himself to the loss of control he experienced when they were having a session, so Alex didn't mind it when Chris tried to regain just a tiny bit of that control, of that power in other circumstances. Alex knew Chris appreciated the way that he respected the boundaries of their relationship - and more importantly, the sexual side of things - and he knew that it was somewhat easier for Chris not to be put out or upset at their arrangements if he got time to do what he wanted without fear of reprisal for breaking the rules. It was the little unspoken things that made both of them completely positive that their relationship was going to work out, regardless of whatever else happened.

Alex was just about to open his mouth to say something in response, but as he did so, he saw the door to the bar swing open. When AJ strolled in, a slight smirk on his face as his eyes immediately sought out Alex, Alex let out a groan as he immediately disentangled his legs from Chris', trying to straighten up as best as he could. A frown passed over Chris' face when he saw the way that Alex grabbed the other, full bottle of beer and begin to drink it down, almost as if he was trying to ignore Chris, but when Chris started glancing around the bar, a look of realisation washed over him before he stared back at Alex. They both shared a quick smile of understanding - although, Alex couldn't help but spot the wariness and distrust from Chris - one that really wouldn't have seemed out of place amongst friends, before they settled into their typical roles.

Over the past couple of months, it had been becoming a bitch for them to hide their relationship, much less the exact details of its unorthodox nature; in a business like wrestling, there were very few people just as liberal as they were when it came to who a person was sharing their bed with at nights, and they'd seen first-hand the sort of damage that could happen to somebody's career if they were ever found out as being gay. Neither of them could ever imagine what would happen if the dom/sub part of their relationship came out as well; the very idea of the guys in the back or management finding out about their admittedly less mainstream sexual preferences was something that made their bloods run cold, knowing that it'd most likely crush both of their careers beyond repair. It may have seemed ass backwards in its mentality, especially considering how society had changed, but that was just the way things were and they both knew it.

Granted, Alex had thought many times in the past, it wasn't much of a concern for him; he would've been more than happy to publicly admit the fact that he had less than platonic feelings for his best friend, and he wouldn't have cared less about the backlash he received, because he knew he'd be able to brush it off and handle it so easily that it would be laughable in its simplicity. It wasn't him he was concerned about in the slightest. It was Chris. It had taken a lot for Chris to gather together the strength to admit that he was petrified of the guys, of their friends, finding out about them and shunning them. He was terrified of the rejection, the pain and the humiliation that would inevitably come if they were rumbled; Chris, despite having an iron grip on his emotions and feelings, was almost heartbreakingly vulnerable beneath that tough exterior, and Alex was never going to do anything that would jeopardise Chris or their relationship in any way, shape or form as long as he could help it.

Alex was snapped out of his thoughts when AJ slid into the chair opposite him, giving Alex a slight smirk. Alex, somewhat distracted in his own daydreaming however, didn't notice the way that AJ's gaze flicked over to Chris, his eyes darkening just a little bit as he stared almost hungrily at Chris' body, his tongue drawing across his bottom lip almost inperceptibly. Alex felt the way that Chris froze up beside him though, and as he cast his gaze over the both of them, his face hardened when he saw the lustful, predatory grin on AJ's face as he continued to fixate on Chris. Alex couldn't help but slide his hand under the table, giving Chris' thigh a quick squeeze of reassurance; the way that Chris was sitting almost statue still beside him, unable to respond to Alex's attempts to comfort him as he gave an involuntary flinch at the dark, almost obsessive gaze that was watching him, only made Alex's mood darken further.

Neither one of them could stand AJ; he was one of those overly egotistical and narcassistic bastards who deserved nothing more than a punch to the face half of the time. That overbearing attitude of his was something that got on their nerves something chronic, and the way he looked down his nose at everybody else, as though he was the top of the food chain, meant that neither of them had the patience to deal with him. However, there was something about him. There was something more to him.

There was something about the way that he looked at Chris, how he got way too close, too touchy feely and almost stalkerish about Chris that Chris had openly admitted to Alex in the past was something that freaked him out. It was the way that he would talk to Chris, the way he tried to force Chris into uncomfortable situations whenever they were alone, the way that he followed Chris around, almost as if he couldn't take "fuck off" as an answer was something that highly concerned Alex as well. Neither of them could quite place their finger on it, but there was just something about his almost obsessive, disturbing nature around Chris that made Chris' skin crawl and his stomach churn, and Alex couldn't stand to see Chris made to feel that restless and uneasy.

It was one of the reasons that he tried to avoid the possibility of AJ and Chris getting into close proximity with each other, and it was a reason why he never left the two of them alone, not sure of what AJ would do in that situation. However, when Alex had recieved the text earlier in the day demanding that AJ see both of them, Alex knew there was no way he'd be able to keep them apart, especially if whatever had to be discussed between the three of them was apparently that important that it couldn't wait until the next day when they'd all see each other down at the Impact Zone.

Alex had conveniently left out the part about AJ coming to see them when he suggested to Chris that they go down to the bar that night. Chris had been understandably wary; the way that Alex refused to tell him who had text him, quickly changing the subject whenever it was brought up had put Chris on edge, but Chris trusted Alex enough not to verbally question Alex's judgment about them going down to the bar. However, the way that Chris was still rigid and tightly tense beside him, his thigh actually starting to shake almost invisibly beneath Alex's hand despite Alex's best attempts at calming him down just a little bit told Alex that his decision to keep quiet had obviously backfired on him.

Alex gave another soft squeeze to Chris' thigh, and when Chris flicked his gaze over to Alex out of the corner of his eye, feeling too nervous to actually dare to turn his head and physically stare him, Alex tried to silently convey through the look they shared just how sorry he was for not letting Chris know about AJ, almost begging with Chris to try and relax. He didn't need Chris to tell him just how worried or even slightly put out he felt; Alex could feel it coming off of Chris in thick waves, and he cursed under his breath when he felt Chris shift his leg just a bit so that Alex's hand slipped off of his thigh. Chris usually became unresponsive and closed off whenever he was in a situation or environment that he wasn't comfortable with, so Alex knew not to take it to heart and that Chris would easily forgive him later; no matter what happened, Chris had always been able to forgive him.

In his peripheral vision, Alex could see the way that AJ was almost analysing their body movements, the looks they shared and the unspoken words that were passing between them, and Alex couldn't help the anger he felt at AJ when he saw the scowl on AJ's face, his eyes almost bleeding black as he gave Chris a piercing stare, almost as if he was jealous of them, as if he wanted Chris for himself and was trying to intimidate Chris into giving him what he wanted. Alex didn't appreciate the way AJ was almost salivating over Chris like he was a piece of meat, but before he had time to lean over the table and smack the shit out of AJ to let him know about it, AJ cleared his throat.

"Well, I'm glad you got the message fine Alex, I was afraid you were going to bail on me and not show up for our little meeting..."

AJ's thick southern drawl was almost dripping in arrogance and sarcasm, but Alex could clearly hear the thin thread of malevolence that was coming across in AJ's words. Alex suddenly felt rather uncomfortable with AJ sitting at the table with them, but that discomfort and relative uneasiness was instantly shoved to the backburner when he saw the way that Chris' head snapped round, his eyes wide as he stared straight at Alex, and Alex couldn't help but admit he felt his heart leap into his throat at the swirl of emotions that were flashing across Chris' face.

"You knew, and you didn't tell me."

There was an almost painful bluntness to Chris' words, and Alex could tell just how hard it was for Chris not to stand up and walk out of the bar there and then. He could also hear just how upset Chris was with him for not telling him that AJ was going to be there, and he knew that Chris was struggling to reign in his feelings as he continued to stare wide eyed at Alex, waiting for a response. Alex wanted nothing more than to pull Chris into a tight hug and apologise profusely, but he couldn't risk that, not when AJ was sitting right there, watching them intently with a shit eating smirk plastered all over his face. Despite how much Chris was obviously bristling from being left out the loop, Alex knew it would hurt Chris more if he did anything that could uncover their relationship, so Alex just gave a shrug.

"It didn't seem overly important," Alex muttered under his breath, his eyes falling to the table when he felt Chris move slightly further away from him. Alex would've done anything at that moment in time to try and reassure Chris, to get down on his knees and beg for forgiveness for not telling him about the text message, but he knew that he couldn't reveal any kind of bond or relationship between them without it pissing Chris off further, so Alex just settled for snaking his hand back onto Chris' thigh and giving him a firm, knowing squeeze in appeasement until they could be alone and he could soothe him properly.

AJ was watching the scene in front of him with malicious amusement painted all over his face, and he reached across the table to grab Chris' beer, a fierce surge of almost pure dominance and lust roaring through him at the way Chris flinched back slightly to avoid AJ touching him at all costs.

"Well, isn't that weird. I wouldn't have thought you'd keep something from your... partner Alex. After all, you share absolutely everything, right?"

There was something about the tone of AJ's voice, the way that his words were laced overwhelmingly with irony and knowledge as he smiled darkly at both of them that automatically made alarm bells start to ring in Alex's mind. There was something wrong. There was quiet power humming in AJ's tone, as if he knew something that neither of them did, and the grin on his face was almost rubbing in the fact that AJ had obviously come down to the bar with a plan. Alex could feel his chest tightening; he knew there was something off about the way AJ texted him out of the blue, and the longer he sat there, the more he could feel that doubt start to seep into his mind. He didn't even need to look over at Chris to tell he could feel the tension in the air as well, and the way he could feel Chris almost desperately throwing the barriers up so that he didn't get involved any further in the conversation was something that was driving Alex insane.

Clearing his throat of the sudden dry lump that had appeared, Alex tried to create an appearance of nonchalence, not wanting AJ to instantly spot just how on edge and worried he was; he didn't want Chris to feel his growing panic or alarm either, because he knew that Chris would only react to the emotions Alex was displaying, which in turn would make Chris even worse than he was now. Plastering a smug grin on his face, Alex immediately reverted to his dickheaded nature, desperately trying not to crack when he felt Chris' hand clamp down tight on his leg out of fear.

"Really, and like I have any idea what the hell you're on about jackass. Now, do you actually have something that needs to be discussed, or are you just here to piss me off more than usual?"

AJ's smile only grew wider when he heard the thick animosity in Alex's voice, and his eyes flashed with nasty intentions as he let them focus on Chris' silent form once more. Drumming his fingers on the table, he took a slow, deep mouthful of beer, knowing that the longer he left it, the more he was going to get under Alex's skin. The bottle thudding down ominously on the wood, AJ wiped the back of his hand across his mouth before he let out a dark chuckle, loving the way that Chris gave out a shiver at the sound.

"Oh, don't worry. I'm not trying to piss you off; after all, you don't need my help to get pissed about random shit. You're a... master at that sort of thing, right?"

Alex felt his stomach knot up tightly at AJ's words; suddenly, an overwhelming feeling of dread started to pulse through him, and the more he let AJ's words sink into his skull, he could feel the penny drop. He felt his breath catch in his throat, a burning sensation run through his chest, and he almost began to pray that he had misheard AJ, that he had misinterpreted what he had just said. AJ couldn't know, could he? He felt Chris' fingers run up his leg tentatively, confusion and worry written all over his face as he stared at Alex silently, and Alex almost gave a sigh of relief when he realised that Chris hadn't yet caught onto what AJ was potentially hinting at. The idea of AJ knowing about them would absolutely tear Chris apart, and Alex was frantically wishing he'd gotten it all wrong.

"I don't have a fucking clue what you're talking about. Now, give me a fucking straight answer, drop the cryptic shit and tell me why the fuck you're here!"

AJ gave a triumphant smirk when he heard the almost impossibly quiet fear that laced Alex's words, and he knew that, all of a sudden, the game was starting to turn in his favour. Leaning forward over the table, AJ reached into the back pocket of his jeans, pulling out what looked to Alex to be a bundle of photographs with a red rubber band tied around them that was poking out of the top of a ripped brown envelope. Relaxing back into the chair, AJ rest his foot on his knee, the envelope clutched tightly in his hand; his focus wasn't even on Alex anymore, it was focused hungrily, obsessively, almost entirely on Chris as he gave a deeply menacing, predatory grin.

"Oh, I think you do know exactly what I'm talking about Alex," AJ briefly paused, revelling in the delicious terror that was rolling off of Chris before he glanced back at Alex with a smirk. "I know." AJ's voice dropped even lower, even more sinister, as he watched Alex pale uncontrollably. "I know everything. Every tiny little detail. Every little thing you'd thought you'd hid so damn well, but just not quite well enough..."

As AJ drew the words out, he leaned forward again, sliding the envelope across the table towards Alex, his eyes lighting up almost victoriously as he saw Alex reluctantly reach out to take the bundle in front of him. Alex's attention was fixed on the envelope, staring at it for what felt like an eternity. When he lifted his head just slightly to glance at AJ, his face hardened as he took a deep breath to compose himself, he could see out of the corner of his eye the way that Chris was starting to realise what was happening, his face going almost a sickly shade of white as his hand started to shake violently on Alex's leg.

Chris' eyes had widened to impossible standards, and when Alex saw the dread that shone so vibrantly in them, he couldn't help but feel like he was being stabbed in the chest as he tore his gaze away from the obviously distraught man next to him, unable to stand the emotions he could feel rolling thickly off of his best friend as he incredibly slowly started to pull the bundle of photographs out of the envelope. He hadn't even gotten them half way out when he could clear as day see what AJ had presented him with, and he shoved them back in the brown wrapper fiercely, his worse realisations coming to light. He could see Chris reach for the envelope, obviously concerned as to what Alex had just seen, but he hadn't even stretched out his hand when Alex snatched them away, turning to face Chris as he tried to keep his voice deliberately even and emotionless.

"Say, Chris, why don't you go get us all a drink?"

He could see Chris falter, not knowing whether or not to actually obey what Alex had just said, and as he gazed with panic-stricken eyes at Alex, Alex could feel his stomach drop. Chris couldn't know, he couldn't see the photographs, he couldn't have any inclination of what was happening, at what was in that envelope. Alex knew it would utterly destroy Chris, he knew with every ounce of his being that if Chris knew what he'd seen, what AJ had seen and now knew, it would tear Chris apart. Chris' only major fear about their relationship was them being discovered, and knowing that seeing the contents of the envelope would bring those worse fears, those nightmares to life was something that Alex wanted to desperately avoid. Seeing that Chris was still sitting there, unsure and nervous, Alex couldn't keep the power and dominance out of his words, too scared of Chris getting hurt to be able to stop himself.

"I said, go get us a drink. NOW."

Alex words were viciously snarled, his eyes black as he glared angrily at Chris, letting Chris know that he was in no mood for an argument, and Alex almost felt like he couldn't breathe when he saw the terror that suddenly flashed in Chris' eyes, the flinch that ripped through his body and the way that Chris' barriers came tumbling down, exposing just how painfully vulnerable, upset and confused he was at the sharp, unexpected change in Alex. Alex had never gotten that controlling; he had never used that tone of voice on Chris before, even during a session when things started to get really extreme, and Alex knew instinctively just how much it was hurting Chris to be shunned and humiliated by being spoken to that way in public, by being made to look like nothing more than the lowest rung on the ladder as though he was a worthless bitch.

Alex cast his eyes down to the table, desperately trying not to focus on anything around him, on the sheer emotion and pain he could feel coming off of Chris as Chris reluctantly stood up, his entire body shaking. He briefly paused, almost as if he was going to beg Alex to tell him what was going on; Alex knew that Chris absolutely detested being left out of the loop, especially if it was something that concerned him, but Alex knew that Chris couldn't know, and if that meant pushing him away for the moment so he didn't ask questions, then that was what he had to do despite how much it killed him to do so. Alex lifted his head up, fixing Chris with a sharp, demanding gaze, and he couldn't help the guilt he felt fly through him when Chris froze up, his head hanging low as he turned without a word and went over to the bar.

Alex could feel his heart thudding in his chest as he watched Chris slump himself over the bar, his head in his hands and every conceivable emotion crashing off of him, and Alex quickly turned away for fear of being violently sick. He picked up the envelope again, his hand shaking as he pulled out the bundle of photographs once more. Snapping the rubber band off, Alex threw it in AJ's general direction, his face contorting with barely controlled rage when he saw that stupid smirk on AJ's lips, his whole body screaming arrogance and cockiness. Taking a deep breath, Alex briefly let his eyes slip shut, before he mustered together the courage to start flicking through the photographs.

They were all of them. Together. Unaware and unassuming that their private moments would be used against them.

Some of them were relatively innocent, them both with their arms slung around each other, the adoring look on their faces clear as day for the world to see. However, the further Alex got into the pile of photographs, he could feel the bile burning in his stomach. There were images of them in the lockerroom, Chris backed up against the locker with Alex pressed hard against him; shirts strewn across the floor, Chris' jeans undone, Alex's hand disappearing down the front of them as they both made out fiercely. Almost scared to carrying on looking through the photos, Alex realised that they only got more damning; photos of the two of them in incredibly compromising positions, Chris down on his knees, gagged and bound as Alex wrapped his hand around his throat, photos of Chris cuffed to their bed, in Alex's own apartment, covered in blood and bruises as Alex fucked him.

Some of the images being reflected back at him were even worse, so damn graphic and explicit that Alex could barely even glance at them without feeling his gut knot up. He felt almost murderous anger when he realised that somebody had obviously been following them about, invading their privacy, fucking watching them everywhere they went, in the lockerroom, in the bathroom, in their own bedroom, in Alex's own home even; he couldn't shake off the overwhelming knowledge that those moments they had shared together, those moments where Chris had trusted him unconditionally and given everything of himself to Alex, had been nothing more then fuel for the growing fire that AJ was unleashing. Alex was almost silent from the shock as he gazed helplessly at AJ.

"Where did you get these?"

AJ gave a venomous grin as he leaned forward over the table slightly, his voice low and mocking as he held Alex's stare steadily. "I have my sources Alex. I think the better question to ask here would be what's going to happen now..."

AJ gave a chuckle when he saw the horrified expression on Alex's face, and as Alex's eyes kept flitting between the evidence that lay on the table in front of him and AJ, Alex knew that he was completely trapped. He knew that AJ clearly had the upperhand, that AJ was firmly in control of the situation, and whilst Alex couldn't help but feel the panic and the rage pulse through him mercilessly, Alex knew that he couldn't let AJ push the advantage he had any further. His hands clenched on the table as he tried to dispel the feelings that were stabbing in his chest, Alex's eyes darkened as he glared at AJ.

"Like I'm going to give a shit what you do with those photos. They don't mean a fucking thing to me."

Alex was lying through his teeth; those photos did mean something to him, and he was frantic with the thought of what AJ could possibly do with them, but he knew he couldn't let AJ know that. Apparently though, AJ had seen right through Alex's attempts at calmness and nonchalance, because AJ leaned back in his chair, his fingers laced behind his head, clearly loving the fact that he had seriously thrown Alex for a loop here.

"Oh, I don't care that they don't mean a thing to you," AJ agreed sarcastically, the grin on his face growing just a little bit wider before he became deadly serious, shaking his head in a mocking fashion. "I know that you couldn't give a shit, but I wasn't worried about you. I mean, you're Alex Shelley after all, you don't give a shit about anything concerning anybody but yourself, right?"

Never before in Alex's life had he ever wanted to tell anybody that they were dead wrong. Sure, Alex couldn't deny that if somebody had asked him that question a few years ago, then they probably would've been right; he'd always been an egotistical and smug bastard when it came to how he carried himself, but then Chris had come along. Once Chris had walked into his life, first as a friend and then as a lover, Alex had never been able to deny just how deeply he cared for him. He knew he never said the words enough to Chris, knew he never let him know often enough when they were together, but he knew with all his heart and soul that Chris knew just how adored he was.

Alex suddenly got worried; AJ must have known just from looking at those photographs that Alex deeply cared for Chris, and it seemed weird to him that AJ would question what seemed like an obvious contradiction. Almost as abruptly as he recognised what AJ was suggesting, Alex could feel his heart start to pound in his chest. AJ wouldn't sink so low as to drag Chris into this, would he? Surely AJ would've realised that putting Chris into the equation was going to make things that much harder for Alex to agree with; yet again though, Alex thought, why wouldn't he? AJ had to have known just how powerful a weapon Chris could potentially be, and AJ was enough of an evil bastard to take advantage of that sort of thing for his own needs.

Alex's question was answered seconds later when he saw the mock look of contemplation that settled on AJ's face as he cocked an eyebrow at him. "I was just thinking about Chris, and what would happen to him if these accidently fell into the wrong hands..."

Alex's head snapped around to look over at Chris for a brief few seconds, his eyes wide with fear as he stared over at his best friend. Alex knew that if word got out, it would tear Chris apart. After a while, he knew he'd be able to handle it, but it was heartbreakingly painful to admit that Chris would never be able to recover if they were discovered, especially in this way. The thought of Chris being humiliated, of hating him, of never being able to trust him again because of the evidence that AJ possessed was one that made Alex feel quite honestly sick with guilt. He had sworn on his life to protect Chris with every inch of his being, and the idea of breaking that promise, of making Chris feel that worthless and devastated, was one that Alex refused to entertain for even a second as he turned back to AJ.

"What do you want?" Alex muttered thickly, trying to keep the pleading note out of voice as he visualised the pain and torture that Chris would feel. "I swear, name your price."

"Oh, I don't want anything Alex, but there is something I need..." AJ trailed off as he gazed over at the bar, a predatory and lusty grin on his face as his eyes lit up with malicious pleasure. Alex followed AJ's line of vision, and when he saw what - or more importantly who - AJ was eyeing up hungrily, Alex's felt his blood run cold.

"No. No fucking way!" Alex could feel his voice crack with the anger and terror he felt as he slammed his fist down hard on the table. "I don't give a shit what you say, but I can't do it. Anything but that."

AJ sat up slightly in the chair, his eyes never leaving Chris for a second as the look on his features darkened further, his mouth almost watering as he gazed at the deliciously worried and tense man, the unfortunate man who was completely unaware of anything that was happening. There was something about Chris' innocence that AJ had always craved, something that he'd always wanted to break, and feeling within a fingertip's touch of bringing his fantasies to life made him giving a satisfied hum. "Really, Alex? And what makes you think that you can tell me no? I could ruin his career, his life, your friendship in a second if I wanted to, so you might just want to think slightly carefully about your options..."

The feeling of sheer helplessness that rolled over Alex, his eyes wide and shining with a torrent of emotions that were rippling through him, was one that Alex knew he would despise for the rest of his life, but he couldn't let AJ do this. He couldn't let AJ walk all over him, to manipulate him into giving up before he had even started. It was bad enough acknowledging that AJ was in the drivers seat, he wasn't about to make it worse by rolling over on his back and doing fuck all to stop him. Ignoring the sharp, knowing gaze that was piercing every inch of his body, Alex loosely clasped his hands together.

"Dude, I am literally begging you here, you can't make me do that to him. There's got to be another way."

AJ looked as if he was contemplating this for a few moments, before he raised his eyebrows, his face softening just enough to lull Alex into a false sense of security as he gave Alex a menacing smile. "I'll tell you what Alex, since I'm feeling in a generous mood tonight, we'll sort this out in a different way," AJ paused for a second, watching as Alex visibly swallowed down the lump that had grown in his throat before he pulled a coin out of his front jeans pocket, the coppery sound ringing in Alex's ears as AJ placed it on the table.

"It's all entirely in your hands now. One flip of that coin, and I will willingly hand over all of these photos. I will keep my lips sealed, and you can be assured that not a word of what we've discussed tonight will be known to any other soul on this earth."

"But what if I lose, huh? What happens then?" Alex responded, trying to get even a little bit of the anger that was flowing through him to come across in his voice. He could see AJ's smile widen, his eyes almost black as he slid the coin across the table towards Alex.

"If you lose, then I get one night with Chris. One night to do whatever I wanted, one night to do whatever I see fit to that sub of yours. No boundaries, no restrictions, nothing to stop me from doing exactly what I want to him. One night Alex, and I'll never darken your doorway again, so when you think about it, it's a win/win situation for you. Either way, you get your photos, you get your protection. It's just whether you want to take the risk or not..."

As AJ trailed off, Alex could feel his heart thudding in his chest, drowning out the sound of every other thought. He could feel the fear biting huge chunks out of him, his stomach twisting tight as he thought of Chris. He had no idea of the sorts of things AJ was capable of, but he knew that if he let AJ do what he wanted to Chris without anything to stop him, then Alex would never be able to forgive himself. He knew just how terrified of AJ Chris was, how much Chris hated that almost stalkerish obsession that AJ possessed, and just the thought of abandoning Chris, of not being able to stop AJ from fulfilling all of his sick and disturbing desires, was one that made Alex feel almost desperately ill.

Chris was still petrified of the sessions that he and Alex had for God's sake; he still resented the loss of control, the worthlessness that crawled over him for reducing himself to that level. Despite Chris learning to relax more now and not get so scared about everything that Alex did to him, he'd struggled to admit to Alex that he was terrified whenever Alex started to get rough and extremely violent, worried that Alex wouldn't be able to control himself, that he wouldn't listen to Chris if Chris begged him to stop. He was still completely unable to fully surrender himself to Alex, to fully hand over all of that trust; Alex knew just how Chris reacted, he knew what Chris boundaries were, and he knew when things had gone too far. He couldn't bear the thought of AJ dominating Chris in the way that Alex himself did, and he knew if things went tragically wrong, then Chris would never be the same again.

However, the more Alex thought about it, the more he realised that it was a risk he was going to have to take. The thought that he could end all of this right now, that Chris would never have to know about what had been said and done, and that AJ would keep quiet about their relationship was one that was starting to look incredibly appealing to Alex. He couldn't stand the idea of hurting Chris in the slightest, of Chris getting hurt because of what AJ knew and had threatened, and as the memories of everything that he and Chris had done flashed through his mind, he devoted one last gaze to Chris sitting at the bar before he picked up the coin.

The smooth metal in his hand felt like it weighed a ton, and Alex could almost feel it scalding his skin as he desperately tried to work through the ramifications of the decision that he was about to make. Was it going to be worth it though, to put Chris in the firing line like that just so that Alex could try and futily keep their relationship under wraps for just a little while longer? After all, he knew that no matter what happened, they'd eventually be found it; however, it was just the thought of having no control, of feeling Chris' betrayal and hurt if those photos ever got out, and he knew that either way it went, AJ would hopefully keep it quiet. Pushing aside all of the doubts and reservations that were attacking him from all sides, Alex tried to block out all of the memories of him and Chris, knowing that the longer he thought about it, the worse it was going to get. Taking a deep breath, Alex closed his eyes tight, desperately praying that he'd made the right decision.

"Heads," Alex breathed out, trying to keep the fear out of his voice as he flipped the coin.

He couldn't watch as the coin twisted and turned in the air between himself and AJ. He couldn't bear the thought of having to acknowledge what he had just done. When he heard the coin hit the table with an ominous rattle, Alex felt as if he couldn't breathe, as if he had just been stabbed through the chest as he waited for the coin to stop its movements and eventually decide upon what was going to happen. Biting down hard on his bottom lip, the coin fell silent, and Alex knew that his and Chris' fate had been decided. Swallowing down the knot in his throat, Alex finally mustered together the courage to open his eyes.

Tails.

Alex felt his heart physically stop beating inside his chest, his entire body going numb as he realised what had happened. Alex could hear the dark laugh that came from AJ, and he couldn't bear the guilt and the pain that was tearing through him as he closed his eyes, burying his face in his hands as he tried desperately to hold back the scream of pure frustration that was building deep in his gut.

What had he done?

"Well well, how about that then Alex?" AJ mocked smugly, and Alex could feel his shoulders slump under the weight of defeat as he lifted his head up to look across at AJ. "You know what you agreed to Alex, now which one of us is going to go and tell Chris of our little... arrangement for tonight?"

Alex almost wished he could beat the arrogant smirk off of AJ's face, and as he felt the fury rip and crackle through him uncontrollably, Alex roughly pushed the chair back, swinging his legs around and standing up. He had never felt so Goddamned pissed off at himself in his entire life, but as he wearily turned his gaze to look over at Chris, the anger he felt was sudden drowned under a sea of self-loathing and regret. He almost felt like he couldn't move, his mind screaming at him for what had allowed to happen, but when he saw AJ go to stand up, Alex pushed all of that aside as he started the long walk over to where Chris was still half slumped over the bar.

As Alex got closer to the bar, he notice Chris turn around, a confused look on his face when he saw Alex approaching him. Alex couldn't meet Chris' gaze. He couldn't bear to see Chris almost destroy himself in front of his eyes because of what Alex had risked. Chris stretched out a hand, trying to grasp Alex's wrist, and Alex could only feel the pain flood through him when he pulled himself out of Chris' reach, hating the way that Chris was staring at him with a look of fear and anxiety in his eyes.

"Alex, what's going on?" Chris whispered, unable to find the strength to ask any louder. He glanced back over at the table, and when he saw AJ walking towards the two of them, a malicious, disturbed grin on his lips as he eyed Chris up like he was some kind of prize, Chris could no longer keep the begging out of his voice. "Alex, please, what's happening?"

The terror and panic that heavily laced Chris' words broke Alex's heart, and when he saw Chris flinch back against the bar when AJ waited a few feet behind Alex, his entire being fixated on Chris, Alex reached out his hands, cupping either side of Chris' face. Softly stroking his thumb across Chris' cheek, Alex could see the way that Chris' eyes widened, his body starting to shake slightly under the piercing stare that AJ was analysing him with. Alex could feel Chris' fingers instinctively hook around his hip, caressing the covered flesh gently; it was something that Chris always did when he sensed that there was something wrong, and the soothing touch was one that always calmed Alex down, but Alex knew deep in his gut that it wasn't going to work this time.

"Chris, baby," Alex whispered, the falter prominent in his words as he tried not to cave into the feelings that were battering him, and Chris panicked; Alex never called him baby unless they were alone, and he knew in that second that something was horribly wrong. "I need you to do something for me, and I want you to promise me that you're going to do it."

Chris couldn't get his mouth to co-operate with his brain, all of his questions and pleas stuck in his throat, literally choking him as he gave a nod so reluctant that Alex would've missed it if he wasn't staring straight at Chris. Watching the emotions that were swirling on Chris' face, all of the fear and pain that was crashing off of him as he started to tremble just slightly from the tension, almost made Alex break down completely as he resisted the overwhelming urge to wrap his arms around Chris and protect him from everything that AJ had planned for him. Taking a deep breath, Alex tried and failed to get words out multiple times, before he finally suceeded.

"I need you to go with AJ, just for tonight." Chris' eyes widened, and he tried to pull back from Alex, his terror becoming so thick and overbearing that Chris almost felt like he could no longer breathe, and it was killing Alex to see Chris so worked up and freaked out. "I'm so sorry Chris, I didn't want to do this, believe me, but I've got no choice. You need to go with him."

Chris frantically shook his head, desperately trying to ignore the way that AJ was once again advancing closer to them, positioning himself next to Chris with a sick smirk. Chris flinched violently when he felt AJ's arms suddenly wrap themselves around his waist, his grip uncomfortably tight and painful around Chris' hips as AJ pressed himself up firmly against Chris' back. Usually, it was only ever Alex who touched him in that way, who embraced him like that, and Chris couldn't feel but feel his skin crawl when the very tips of AJ's fingers disappeared inside the waistband of Chris' jeans, resting on the highly tense and rigid flesh.

"No," Chris desperately whispered back, completely unable to keep the fear out of his voice when he felt AJ grind up almost imperceptibly against the back of his thigh. He was suddenly all too aware of the reason why he had to go with AJ, and he could feel the tears start to bud in the corners of his eyes when he gazed back up at Alex. "No, you can't make me do this! Please Alex, don't do this, I'm begging you."

Just hearing the sheer, unadulterated panic and terror in Chris' voice, and the way that Chris was literally pleading with Alex was breaking Alex's heart. Chris had never been one to so willingly allow that vulnerable, hysterical side of himself to be revealed, and just the knowledge that it was all because of what Alex had done was enough to make Alex feel impossibly sick. Glancing down Chris' body when he saw the way that Chris shuddered in disgust, Alex saw the way that AJ's hands were straying into Chris' jeans, how AJ was rubbing against him, and Alex knew just how cheap and worthless, how much of a whore, Chris had to be feeling. He would've done anything in that second to dispel the insecurities he could feel rolling off Chris, and Alex felt almost sick with helplessness.

Alex gave out a sad sigh, his eyes slipping shut as he leaned forward and pressed a soft, tender kiss to Chris' forehead, wanting nothing more than to rip Chris away from AJ and make him feel better, but he knew he couldn't. He had sealed Chris' fate with one flip of a coin, and Alex knew that he was going to have to live with that guilt for a very, very long time before he could forgive himself. He felt Chris tip his head forward just slightly, his face resting comfortingly on the curve of Alex's neck as Alex rested his cheek against Chris' soft hair for a second before he gave out a sigh and pulled away from Chris, resenting himself for planting the sadness that he could see shining brightly in Chris' eyes.

"I'm sorry Chris, but you need to do this. Trust me when I say I wouldn't be asking you to do this unless it was important. You'll be fine, I promise."

It killed Alex to have to lie to Chris, especially considering how damn bad Chris was reacting to what was happening; he knew deep in his gut that Chris would be anything but fine. He knew just from watching the way that AJ was smirking at Alex's words that AJ wouldn't stop until he'd done devastating damage to Chris, until Chris had literally been destroyed piece by piece at his hands. He knew that the next time he saw Chris, he was going to be physically and emotionally dead, and as much as Alex couldn't bear the thought of Chris getting abused that way, he'd been forced to agree to it. He'd been forced to tell AJ that he could use, abuse and torture Chris in every way imaginable, and Alex knew he'd never be able to look at himself the same way again.

Alex leaned in, barely brushing his lips against Chris', trying to convey to Chris every last bit of unconditional love and affection that Alex felt for him, trying to tell him just how sorry he was for what he had done. He felt Chris respond just slightly, just enough to show that he understood, that he could feel every tiny little thing Alex was trying to give him and just how much he meant to the other man. Pulling back one last time, Alex locked his gaze with Chris, knowing that every emotion swirling in Chris' eyes had to be reflecting in his own, and he heard Chris give a shallow sigh as he reluctantly accepted what was going to happen.

"I love you, and I'm so sorry."

Taking a step backwards, Alex could see the malevolent grin scrawled all over AJ's face, his eyes lit up dangerously with all kinds of evil intentions, and as much as he wanted to smack that smirk off AJ's lips, Alex knew that his hands were tied. He saw AJ's head dip into Chris, obviously whispering something into Chris' ear, and the way that Chris froze, his eyes clamping tightly shut as a shudder rippled through his body, and Alex couldn't stop all of the guilt that he felt. He had no idea how he was physically able to walk away from AJ and Chris; he could feel his mind screaming at him with every step to turn back, to protect Chris, to beg AJ not to do this, but Alex knew there was nothing he could do.

Sitting back down at the table, Alex rested his chin in his hand, unable to watch the way that AJ almost dragged Chris out of the bar. Glancing up, his and Chris' eyes met for one last second before Chris disappeared from sight, and Alex knew that the look Chris had given him was going to haunt him for the rest of his life as he morosely grabbed the half empty beer in front of him. His eyes slipping shut as he gave out a deep, shuddering sigh, Alex could only pray that his one flip of a coin, that risk he had taken, was worth what was going to happen to Chris that night.

It had to be worth it, otherwise Alex would never be able to live with himself for what he had done.