Affection (Dean Ambrose/AJ Styles FanFiction)

United we stand, divided we fall - Part 5

AJ left the room and rushed around the hotel corridors. The hallways were in a circle shape with the elevators in the middle, so it was easy to find Dean.

He was sat, in the opposite corridor, against the wall with his knees pulled up to his chest. His head was down and AJ couldn't see his face, but he knew that the younger man was crying by the gentle shaking of his shoulders.

AJ promised to text Roman once he found Dean, so he sent him a quick text saying that everything was fine, before walking closer to Dean and sitting beside him. Their shoulders were touching.

"Dean? You alright man?" AJ asked in a soft and quiet voice, not wanting to startle his friend.

Dean didn't answer, but every now and then he would sniff. Eventually, the small crying turned into pained sobbing. AJ instantly put his arms around Dean and started rubbing his back, trying to sooth him.

"It's alright." AJ whispered into Dean's ear. "Let it all out."

The two men continued to sit in the corridor, in silence, until Dean calmed down. Dean moved to sit up straight, but AJ kept one arm around his shoulders to comfort him.

"I-I'm sorry." Dean sniffled, wiping away his tears.

"There's nothing to be sorry for, you haven't done anything wrong." AJ replied. Silence fell once again as the two men didn't know what to sat to one another. "What's wrong, Dean? Why are you so upset all of the time?"

"I don't know. I just am." Dean replied.

"There must be a reason for you to be so upset and distant, or something that triggered it." AJ said, encouraging Dean vent about his problems. "Maybe a certain person triggered it?"

Dean knew who AJ was talking about and he was glad that the older man didn't say his name. He couldn't stand to hear the name of his former friend, former brother. It sickened him.

"Maybe." Dean whispered back.

"Well, at least we're getting somewhere." AJ laughed, but the joke wasn't funny enough for Dean. He didn't even crack a smile.

"I don't wanna be like this." Dean sighed.

"What do you mean?" 

"Sad. All the time. It's tiring."

"Yeah, I know what you mean. I don't like you being sad either and I know for a fact that Roman doesn't want you to be sad. We can help you, if you let us." AJ hugged the younger boy tighter than before to prove that he meant what he said.

"I just don't know how to stop being sad." Dean whimpered, tears rolling down his face once again.

"Talking helps." AJ replied. "If you ever want to get something off your chest, come and talk to me or Roman. We'll help you through it and we'll listen."

"Thanks." Dean sniffed. "You're really kind."

"I just want the old Dean back, the one that I've heard so much about. He sounds like a great person to be around. I really need to meet him." AJ smiled. This comment actually made Dean laugh slightly. It was a quiet laugh, but it was definitely there. 

"So, is there anything you want to talk about?" AJ asked.

"I don't know. Nothing just yet, I don't know if I can handle hearing it out loud."

"I understand, but promise me you'll tell someone soon. The longer you keep it to yourself, the worse it gets." AJ sighed.

"I will, I promise."

"Okay, well let's get you back to your room. We need to get to the arena soon."

The two men made their way back to the hotel room to find a slightly less worried Roman, sat on the bed.

Dean went into the bathroom to have a shower. AJ saw this as an opportunity to talk to Roman about what happened.

"Where'd you find him?" Roman asked.

"He was on the opposite side of the hotel, in the corridor." AJ replied. "I'm really worried about him. He told me that he was sad and that he didn't know how to stop being sad."

"That sucks. I wish he would just talk to me. I just want to help." Roman sighed.

"I told him that you and I would both help. I said to come to us if he needed to talk and he promised me that he would, so hopefully that will help him." AJ said, looking over to the bathroom door.

"I hope he lets me know what's wrong. I hate seeing him like this. It's like the happiness has completely drained from his body, he's not the Dean that I used to know."

"I know it's hard to accept that he's different now, but he'll be back to his happy self in no time. We've just gotta stay with him through all the hard times." AJ replied.

"Yeah, you're right. Thanks for all the help today." Roman smiled.

"No problem."

Once Dean got out of the shower, all three men headed to the arena for work. AJ and Roman made sure to keep Dean away from Seth as much as they could, but that was a hard thing to do when the two younger men had a match together.

After the show, Dean was quiet once again. It was as if every time he saw Seth, he lost the will to speak. 

The sadness was eating Dean up and he was slowly becoming more and more depressed. AJ could see it and so could Roman. They just had to wait until Dean was ready to speak and then they could help him and talk him through everything. 

It was only a matter of time.