Wheeler 'YOOTS' Yuta

as ever, wheeler lost himself in his head for longer than was healthy if he was honest with himself. what he was trying to think was marina had scared him; terrified him even. hell, they all did but now...now, he was numb and seemingly going through the motions. not that he could truly escape the connection he had with her, with them - nor did he truly want to.

in equal measure he despised and adored the praise that came his way. a shiver running down his spine as he answered, "I don't want you to hold back," wheeler practically muttered out as he stared from under his lashes. his eyes motioning towards the empty untouched ring.

in an unusual move, wheeler didn't wait for a reply from marina as he stepped around her. the eagerness for the punishment on his body moved to the forefront of his mind and bypassed the usual dynamic. it was the one thing that had not been broken from him - yet. it clung to him with the stubbornness he had once had.

with ease, wheeler moved through the ropes before looking over his shoulder to her.

to his guide.

jailor

marina nodded, no fear, no emotion showing on her blank, fair face. she simply watched and executed, following yuta's lead, ready to give him whatever he needed. whatever he asked for. and more. there was affection, hiding beneath her severity, faded behind unblinking eyes. pride, even, in all of his accomplishments and in the warrior he had become. but yuta wasn't a product of her training, he didn't come from her. when she found him, he'd already been branded and made a weapon. there was a missing there. a jealousy over that piece of his history ripped out of her chest from when she wasn't even in the picture. when the riders were another type of club. perhaps that was the reason why she was much harsher with him than anyone else.

and, perhaps, that was exactly why he kept coming back to her.

the world was an ugly place, so she was gonna be worse; that was sort of a mantra she kept dear and close anytime the riders needed a reminder.

no words needed. they slipped in the ring, and she gave him the grace to get in position before attacking, coming down on him hard. harder still anytime he folded or missed a step. worse when he landed a hit or a lock. though, marina wasn't mox's best just by chance. every hit she welcomed with a twisted smile, pain igniting her, adrenaline flowing free and helping her focus, every grab or lock an easy thing to slip out of, especially for her, who had martial arts branded in her blood.

she reversed a headlock on him, holding him from behind, chest pressed against his back as her forearm squeezed on his throat, pressing on his carotid like she would if she were fighting and looking to make her opponent pass out. "c'mon, wheel," she huffed in his ear, still squeezing, still pulling him hard against him, forcing his body to bend under hers. "you know how to get out of this. so do it."

which was why he stumbled on the first hit knowing the next would be harder because of it and he was so desperately in need for the pain she could give him. the sound of bodies falling on the mat and slaps easily echoed across the room and into his ears; making them ring. both the sound and pain distracting him.

the feel of her hold was all that he had wanted and the pain was the bonus. wheeler had to force himself not to relax in her choke hold as the memories of bryan's bagged face came to be. it was the closest he'd felt to his old mentor in so long.

still, wheeler moved from her grasp with elegance he had been lacking lately. he moved quickly to be behind her; arms wrapping as he tried to get her on the floor. "do you think its a good idea will is joining us?" the question fell from his lips without him truly realising. still, he collected himself and for a moment was able to bring marina on her back.

@yootsaew w/ kris statlander

kris strutted across the room with a very direct, very precise aim in mind. she had decided her plan was gonna work, and she wasn't about to walk away with a 'no'. her offer, after all, was too good for him to refuse. even when it was wheeler yuta she was about to go face, who was notoriously hard to approach and who was the smartest guy in that school - and knew it. but what about the smartest gal?

holding her glittery neon green ring binder full of confused notes, strategy pitches, and a full action plan, she landed herself in the chair in front of the math wiz without asking permission. the library was quiet and almost empty; not many people used it anymore. him, on the other hand, was busy working on whatever it was that he was working on, buried in books and notes scribbled quickly and efficiently. she wondered if it was for an assignment, but then decided it was more likely he was doing some extra curricular studying. she sat and watched, waiting for him to pay attention, and when that didn't happen, she huffed, pulling a small pout. "I know you know I am here and I am not leaving." she started, placing the binder on the table and tapping her index finger on it. her nails showed chipped black polish. "and you want to know what I got here, trust me."

those dark eyes of his lifted to her before falling to the folder before dropping once more to his numbers without a word. wheeler was never good at hiding anything; his face always gave his feelings away and this time was no different. all people annoyed him; they made his skin itch, but he had to admit those feelings were not so intense when it was kris that was near. "what is it?" there was no politeness in his tone as he scribbled the final answer.

The loneliness began to crawl over his skin as Wheeler continued to watch the match before him. It was not common for him to be this far from the others, never mind different continents. He tried not to think too much on why mox had allowed him to join will or in fact, why wheeler felt that he needed the permission.

still, he was polite and spoke whilst making a comment or two on commentary. he had noted the look of surprise on will's face when he heard wheeler speak slight conversational Japanese. He nearly scoffed. Did he truly think a child of moxley's would not know? It was of course not his first time in New Japan - just his first time alone.

What was the saying? Even in a room full of people, you could still be alone. That had pretty much been his life for more years than wheeler would ever admit to.

the counting of the ref had his head snapping to the ring. He hadn't even realised the match had gone to the end already. Relief flooded him at the win will had gained; it was never good to lose when you were so associated with mox and being in new Japan wouldn't save you from his wrath.

Wheeler moved to stand; his death riders tracksuit clinging to him like armour and if he ignored all the cracks - it would all be fine.

he carried the iwgp championship with the same pride a king would carry his crown. after all, callum was born to be a champion, a king. and he never let anyone forget that. never once. it hid in his confidence and in the way he walked in any room like he owned the place and everyone in it - down to the very air someone would breathe, all was owed to him first. it came natural.

though, all of that was true until will came back. it would have stayed true if will came back like the man who left. it would have worked out if only will didn't constantly hint at betraying the ue with every breath and every step. but their situation clearly changed. their entire relationship did. callum was just fighting hard, too hard, not to let go. how could he, when every time will was near he felt like the young boy who tucked under his wing? and yet, the rage of will's second betrayal consumed him, changing him from the inside, rearranging his priorities and needs, and, most importantly, shaping his idea of loyalty.

still, even though he was sure will was about to stab him in the back, he wasn't about to be the one who abandoned him first. even when he dared to show to japan - to come to his house, accompanied by one of his riders. so, when will was viciously attacked during his match, he still called for arms and was ready to run out to help him, but didn't move quick enough and was surely too far to intervene before fucking wheeler yuta did his job and took his place.

was the guy taking his place in will's heart too?

seeing that was enough to consume him with blind rage. enough to make him sink into a consuming spiral of loathing and despair. enough for him to withdraw, enough for him to call his boys back and keep them from flooding around the ring, in support of the now rider. enough to get him to decide it was all yuta's fault. he had no access to will's side, not that time. he could do nothing to try and get his friend to understand he was sinking into something much more dangerous than not knowing who he was anymore. will was gonna lose himself in the death riders and, probably, it was already much too late for callum to hope he could do anything about that.

what he could do, he decided, was to make yuta pay. and that was exactly what he did. he shed his world title and crown and lowered himself to their level, deciding to wait for the young rider in his locker room and make an example out of him, to send a message to the riders. to vomit up some of the rot that was consuming him. to fill with violence the void deepening inside of him. so seal the unjustified grief he constantly carried. no one else needed to know. not even akira.

wheeler's head only moved an inch when will was given the all clear. it hardly mattered to him but there was no denying the relief that flooded his system. wheeler continued to watch on until the buzz of his phone vibrating in his pocket held his attention. he didn't even speak his exit as he easily dipped from the room.

wheeler tried to ignore how unfamiliar his surroundings were - hell, they were nearly hostile, he thought as flashes of the look on callum newman's face moved through his mind. still, it wasn't all bad as he grew in amusement as he thought of their fleeting first encounter. wheeler had to wonder why everyone seemed so damn emotional. it was enough to roll his eyes at as he turned the corner whilst looking to the messages coming through.

Yuta went from not wanting to grab the bag, to asking for it

Wheeler Yuta x Dead Outlaw - Something' 'Bout a Mummy (Reprise)

wheeler was put through it but they only smack danny up a little when he misbehaves