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title: escape with a smile (click here for the ao3 version) pairing: past ted dibiase jr/cody rhodes word count: 1953 description: It's been years since Ted dumped Cody. Now, he wants Cody to visit him in prison. And Cody does.

A big reason why Cody wears suits, apart from how good he looks in them, is that it also offers an illusion of security. As if the more he wears, the more accessories he adds on, it will fully shield from the harsh reality that is life. You never know what you’re going to expect, but at the very least, you can put on a nice outfit and take comfort in the knowledge that with whatever happens, you’ll look good taking it as it comes.

Without his suit, he feels very naked, but he’s not going to wear his finest clothing to enter a prison, so he dons only jeans and an old hoodie. Though there is some comfort in the fact that he’s, well, comfortable.

Cody looks around the room at everyone talking to their loved ones through glass screens and telephones. There’re all sorts of people visiting - women in nice dresses with flashy jewelry to women in sweats, men in finely tailored suits to those in their pajamas, though the prisoners wear the same jumpsuits, only in different colors. Some of them have tattoos and others are as plain as the day they were born.

Ted Dibiase Jr. would fall into the latter camp.

Cody takes a deep breath as he watches Ted sit down across from him. The orange jumpsuit looks a bit tight on him and around his stomach and he knows that has to be uncomfortable for someone who has went so long being able to have clothes made to his particular size, to account for every single square inch of his body, and there is no way in hell prison will have anything appropriate for him.

Ted reaches for the phone and so does Cody.

“It’s been awhile,” Ted chuckles. “Didn’t know if you’d actually wanna come.”

“Like you said,” Cody begins, “it’s been awhile.”

Ted nods and bites his lip. He looks down to Cody’s hand resting on top of the counter and takes a deep breath himself before looking up into Cody’s eyes. “How’ve you been?”

“Fine,” Cody tells him. “Hopefully uh, I’ll beat Roman at Summerslam.”

Everything with Brock has finally come to an end and Cody could not be more relieved. Brock was a thorn in his side for what seemed like the longest time, but now, he gets to set his sights back on the real prize and hopefully he’ll be prepared this time. As long as he accounts for all the possibilities of interference, he knows he’ll beat him.

That’s what Randy told him - he can’t think he’ll beat him, he has to know.

“It’s crazy, isn’t it?” Ted asks. “How far you’ve come? Feels like yesterday you and I were Randy’s henchmen,” he chuckles. “And uh, trying to keep Shawn and Hunter away from him and Cena. I swear, Cody, Legacy was the best time of my life.”

Cody quirks a grin and looks down to his hand. “Yeah, it was cool,” he notes quietly. “Wouldn’t say it was the best. I’d say uh, now is the best time.”

“Cause you’re finally in the main event like you always wanted?”

“Partly.” Cody turns his hand to look over his nails. He really needs to get a manicure. “Everything’s really been looking up for me the past few years so I’m pretty grateful for everything right now.”

“Yeah…” A small, almost sad smile lifts up the corner of Ted’s lip. “I wish I could have gave you a better time.”

Cody presses his lips together and shakes his head. “It’s fine, man.” He brings the sleeves of his hoodie, slightly oversized, down to help cover up his hands. “We dated so long ago,” he chuckles, “and uh, I mean, the breakup wasn’t ideal but we moved on and we made up.” Cody shrugs and looks back to Ted. “Can’t dwell on the past.”

“It’s easier said than done, Cody.” Ted swallows as he pushes himself closer. “I… I’ve had a lot of time to think about the past,” he sighs. “And a lot more time now that I’m…” Ted spreads out an arm and looks all over the room. “You know, now that I’m stuck here for the next while-”

“You’re a Dibiase,” Cody scoffs. “You’ll get out of here early on good behavior-”

“Still in here for awhile. It’s just gonna be my, my thoughts and whoever the hell my cellmate at the time is and I have to pray to God they ain’t crazy-”

“I think the wrestling world has prepared us quite adequately for crazy.”

“Nothing like this,” Ted breathes out a laugh. “I fucking wish I was back there. Running around backstage, going to catering, going out on live television in front of thousands and exploring the world with you-”

“But you wanted to settle down and get away from all that,” Cody tells him. “That was uh,” his lips press together in a tight smile as he tilts his head, “that was why we broke up, remember?”

The silence that falls between them gives Cody time to collect his thoughts.

Cody truly is over it now. He’s moved on and dated other people since then, and he’s dating someone right now who’s never been more perfect for him, but he still remembers the harsh betrayal that day when Ted had suddenly dumped him.

Because everything was fine between them.

Everything was perfect even.

Suddenly, Ted was breaking up with him and leaving WWE and it was only a year later that he got married and set forth on the journey to starting a family.

So he’s over it, but it did take awhile before that happened. He learned that, if he did really love Ted, that he’d want what’s best for him and Ted has told Cody, all the time, that he just wants Cody to be happy too - that he’s so sorry he couldn’t be that one for him, that he wishes it could be different, and all sorts of other things that used to run through Cody’s mind on a lonely night.

Not anymore though. Cody truly is happy and content with where he is.

After about a minute, Ted answers Cody with, “maybe I shouldn’t have dumped you.”

Cody furrows his eyebrows. “What?” he laughs in disbelief. “Ted, you’re - look, you’re in a weird place right now, like, literally and metaphorically-”

“I thought I was happy with Kristin.” Ted swallows and looks down to Cody’s hand, covered by his sleeve. “And having kids with her, and a home, I thought all that was gonna make me happy. I… I thought things were gonna get better after I left WWE.” He bites his lip and shakes his head. “They were, for a bit, but… I wanted to keep her happy, and then I wanted to keep the kids happy. I - I wanted the best life for us, I was gonna do anything for it, so that’s…” Ted closes his eyes and shakes his head. “It’s not an excuse for what I did, I-I know it was wrong what I did, but there was so much pressure, man,” he chuckles bitterly and runs a hand down his face. “And I had so much to live up to. I don’t… god, Cody, I…” With a sigh, Ted drops his hand down to look up into Cody’s blue eyes to tell him, “dumping you was my biggest mistake. I wouldn’t be here right now if I was still with you.”

Years ago, it’s everything Cody would have wanted. He had always dreamed of Ted rushing back to him and proclaiming he made a mistake, that Cody was what he was looking for this whole time, and then they’d get back together and live happily ever after but when it never happened, when Ted kept on keeping on, Cody had to come to the harrowing realization that they were officially over.

They were done.

But Cody was also a different person years ago.

He was much more emotional then, and he’s still emotional, but he’s learned to keep that in check. He’s learned to reel it in and express it when it makes sense. He’s finally made his emotions and logic come together in peace and harmony so he can make more rational and mature decisions, and the breakup with Ted might have just been the thing that kickstarted him on that road to becoming more in tune with himself, and thusly, a person that has outgrown the need for Ted Dibiase Jr.

After taking a deep breath and letting it go, Cody allows himself to speak - quiet, but sure. “I don’t live in the past, Ted. I’m living in the present and making plans for the future. I’ve moved on, and maybe years ago if you said that, it would’ve swept me off my feet but - Ted, I don’t - I don’t need you anymore,” Cody chuckles. “Especially not now, not with what you did. I mean - you said dumping me was your biggest mistake but what about the fucking people you stole from? You stole from the poor, and not even that, but the poorest people in the poorest state of the country. That should be your biggest mistake, and dumping me?” Cody shakes his head. “Actually, I think dumping me was the best thing you’ve ever done-”

“Cody, I know I fucked up,” Ted tells him. “I know I’m gonna pay for what I did-”

“If you knew that, you just shouldn’t have done it. You’re saying you were under pressure and that there was a lot to live up to, but why would it have been different with me? We would have gotten married and had kids at some point too, after we had all our fun and experienced everything the world has to offer before finally settling down, it would have gone the exact same way, Ted.” Cody scoffs and stands up from his chair. “Stop making excuses and own up to what you did. No one made you. You chose to do that.”

“Cody-”

Cody slams the phone into its holder before heading out and he doesn’t look back.

Once back in his car and away from watching eyes, he finally lets himself embrace his emotions. He leans his head back against the seat, threads a hand into his hair, and screws his eyes tightly shut before biting down on his fist. His teeth sink hard into his skin and he tugs hard at his hair as he shouts around his fist before letting it go and looking out the windshield to the building where his ex boyfriend will spend the upcoming majority of his days for the near future.

He knew coming here was a mistake. He doesn’t fucking know why he even showed up. There was no way Ted only wanted to catch up with him and he should have known better. Of course, if he knew better and knew Ted as well as he thought he did, their breakup wouldn’t have blindsided him.

At the very least, it affirms to Cody that Ted was never the right one for him.

Cody is destined for better things and better people.

Buzz buzz.

With a sigh, Cody reaches into his pocket to pull out his phone.

All the tension inside him unwinds completely seeing Randy's name in the notifications.

how’d things go with ted

Weird. I’ll call you when I get back to my hotel.

damn sorry to hear that. love you, see ya soon

Love you too :)

After reconnecting his phone with his car to let the music play, he’s backing up out of that parking lot and driving off to forever leave Ted Dibiase Jr. in his rearview mirror.

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