Stuck in the Middle with You

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Akashi had been watching backstage as Angel and Taylor duked it out for the title. She was a nervous wreck. It was probably the single most tense moment she'd had to endure from a match that she wasn't a part of. Taylor, her sworn sister, was finally getting a chance to fulfill her dreams. It was a shining moment for the young girl and Akashi couldn't have been more proud.

However, the woman she was facing was also someone Akashi had been intimately familiar with. Angel and Akashi had been spending time together frequently after their soiree earlier int he year rekindled some passionate feelings. They hadn't gone and made anything official but Akashi and Angel had been doing a lot of having sex. Akashi really hadn't been that interested in any other girls. One of the reasons she hadn't pushed for anything official, however, was Taylor. She had told herself that she wasn't going to get involved with Angel while her and Taylor were fighting. Once the match was over with then Akashi could figure things out.

However, as Akashi watched the final three count hit and Angel strut off after her powerbomb, Akashi couldn't say if she was ready yet. Angel had brought up her and Akashi's relationship in the match and used it against Taylor. Akashi was pretty pissed about that but she was happy for Angel but she was distraught for Taylor. She was feeling impotent on what she should do. It was a feeling she had not really experienced before and she hated it.

She made her way into the champ's private dressing room and sat on the couch while she waited for Angel. After a moment she sat up and began to pace around. Taylor would need some time to herself to calm down from the loss, so Akashi knew she could talk to Angel first before she want and met up with her sister.

Still, she decided she'd send Taylor a quick text so that she didn't worry.

We'll talk soon, imouto-chan.

She sent the text right about the time that Kelly and Taylor were bickering.

Angel headed through the backstage of the AFW arena, her title belt slung lazily over one shoulder. She was tired. She was tired, and hurting, and drenched in sweat. She couldn't remember the last time she hurt this much after finishing a match. Her entire body ached, and her leg seemed to be hurting her the most, especially her knee. She would have to visit the medical team before she left tonight, that was for sure.

However, she still felt good after everything she had been through. She had given Taylor the beating she felt the girl had rightfully deserved, and she had gave everyone a reminder of why she was the champion. It was hard to not feel good after a match like that. She just needed a little bit of rest, and a few days off, and she would be fine.

She headed for her private locker room, wanting to enjoy a few moments of rest by herself for a little while, maybe grab a shower while she was at it. Already on her way to the locker room, the Latina was forced to turn down a few pushy interviewers. She would give them what they wanted soon enough, but for now she just wanted to be alone and enjoy her win.

She pushed open the door to her locker room and stepped in...and realized she wasn't going to be alone for long, as she saw Akashi standing there before her. She raised an eyebrow at her and smiled, stepping into the room and closing the door behind her.

"Sumo...this is a nice surprise..."

Akashi smiled hesitantly when Angel stepped through the door. Her cheeks reddened and her heart began to beat in her chest. She quickly rushed to the Angel and pressed her against the shut door, pushing their lips together and giving the girl a deep kiss.

"Mmmnnn..."

Akashi pulled away quickly and looked at Angel. "Congratulations, champ." She said and smiled coyly. She wanted to make sure that she had started off their meeting on a positive note first and foremost, even as the other things gnawed at the back of her head. Akashi pulled away as quickly as she embraced Angel and paced away from her.

"But... it might not be as nice of a surprise as you might hope for..." She said with hesitation in her voice as she turned and looked at Angel with a straight face. Her fists slowly clenched at her sides and she lowered her head.

"I saw the match." She stated the obvious. Of course she had. She had said it in a tone that made it sound like she wasn't all that pleased.

Angel looked slightly more surprised as Akashi rushed towards her, pinning her against the door and giving her a deep kiss. She closed her eyes, softly returning the gesture, the smiled back at Akashi as the sumo pulled away from her. Her smile dropped from her face though, as the woman's voice began to hesitate, her expression and her voice letting Angel know that she wasn't happy.

"What's wrong, sumo?" she asked, keeping a slightly playful, teasing tone in her voice as she pushed off the door, stepping past Akashi to go and take a seat on the couch, taking a moment to drop her belt off at the dresser in the room along the way. "You're not upset I beat Taylor so badly, are you?"

"No." Akashi said, turning back. "I obviously didn't like to see it but I wasn't going to like it no matter what the outcome. I was ready for that." She said. Though Angel and Akashi were only entering a budding romance. Taylor and Akashi had been sworn sisters for a long time. If she were to be truthful, it probably did hurt more to see Taylor get beaten up than it would have Angel. She didn't want either of them getting beat up though!

"I knew the match was going to be hard to watch but I wasn't going to get involved in what you two were doing. it wasn't my place." She said truthfully. "Taylor's her own woman and so are you but..." A frog caught her throat and she swallowed hard to push it back down so she could continue.

"I heard the things you said to Taylor-chan... about... us.." Akashi's brow wrinkled as she spoke the last word. She had more to add, but she wanted to see if Angel had anything to say for herself.

Angel leaned back against the couch, listening to Akashi as she talked. She closed her eyes, taking in the sumo's words. It wasn't until Akashi reached her final words and went quiet that the Latina opened her eyes, raising an eyebrow towards her again.

"And..?" she asked, keeping her voice soft, staring towards Akashi. "It was trash talk. I was trying to get into her head, and it worked." She shook her head, having a feeling in her gut that this conversation wasn't going to end well. "Did you hear some of the things she was saying to me? I was fighting fire with fire, that's all." She gave a little shrug, tilting her head towards Akashi. "You're not upset, are you?"

"I don't care about trash talk." Akashi said, shaking her head. "You have every right to talk shit to and about her in the ring during a match. Getting in her head, that's ok and maybe there were some personal things you wanted to vet too." She said. "I understand that much. I didn't expect you to fight her with one hand tied behind your back especially when she definitely likes to talk."

Akashi sighed. "I didn't tell her about us because I didn't want to be involved. I didn't want her to use it against you but I never expected you to bring it up to her!" Akashi looked down. "The match is over now so you don't have to worry about it anymore and that's great for you but now I'm stuck having to explain something that I wasn't ready to explain!" Her voice hit a crescendo as she finished and whens he was done, she crossed her arms.

"Isn't that just a little unfair to bring into the "heat of battle?" She asked, searching Angel's eyes.

Angel fell onto her side, lying on the couch as she stared at Akashi, listening to her vent. This wasn't what she wanted to deal with right now. Not after the grueling match she had just been through. She let out a soft groan, and gently shook her head towards Akashi.

"I didn't know that you didn't tell her. I had figured she had known by now. Hell, everyone else seems to know. It's not like we're really hiding it or anything" She shut her eyes tight again, not wanting to look at Akashi for the moment, hating the way she was staring into her eyes. "I got caught up in the moment, alright? Things got intense out there and I didn't exactly have the chance to think about what I was saying."

She paused, taking in several slow breaths before she continued on. "But, you know, I'd say it's a little unfair of you to come confront me like this after what I've just been through out there, you know..."

Akashi turned her head sheepishly. "Well... we're not NOT telling people..." She said and watched as Angel as she lounged on the couch. Akashi sighed. "I... understand, Tenshi-chan." She said, lowering her head. "I'm not... pissed off... I'm just frustrated. I know that it happens and, it just wasn't very fun to watch, ok!"

Akashi sat on the edge of the couch, pushing her butt into Angel's hips as she tried to get as much couch edge as she could. She turned and looked at Angel. "It IS a bit unfair but you can recuperate now and bask in your victory. I have to go deal with Taylor-chan. In the state she's in, it's not going to be fun and the extra issues aren't going to help that out at all!"

Akashi pivoted her body so she still had one cheek on the couch even though she could barely call it sitting. She leaned in and brushed her hand along Angel's sweat coated face and tangled her fingers in the equally drenched silver hair. "Besides, I can still help you celebrate." She said, grinning down at Angel.

Angel slowly shifted her position as she felt Akashi trying to find a seat on the couch, moving closer to the back of it to give her a little room. "She'll get it over it," she mumbled. "She'll be upset, but she'll get over it. She'll bounce back and be screaming about kicking my ass again, I bet. Besides, you're a grown woman." She opened one eye, looking up at Akashi and giving her a tiny lil' grin. "You're allowed to sleep with whoever you want."

She started to close her eye again, only to open both of them as Akashi's fingers brushed against her face, then ran through her damp hair. "Mmm...it's a tempting offer, sumo." She stuck her tongue up at Akashi, grinning wider at her. "And I would let you help me, but...you know. I should get a shower and wash off this sweat, and I should probably go see the medics before too long." She shifted her position again, trying to adjust herself so that she was on her back, looking up at Akashi. "My leg is killing me. Sparkles really did a damn number on it out there. Not going to be fun recovering from this one at all."