❝ I was huge in the indies, darling. Something you wouldn't understand. ❞
In which a fellow indie darling ends up falling for the already-engaged Johnny Gargano.
JOHNNY GARGANO x OC
[ Cover made by the wonderful @theldrs ]
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❝ Maybe I could figure out how to stop liking you. ❞
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Johnny had gotten home yesterday.
Jordan had spoken to him once, simply to say hello. She didn't want to bother him the day after his honeymoon. So she was going to do it today.
She had found him at the Performance Center, talking to Tommaso.
"Hey, Johnny," She said, and he looked over at her and smiled. Her heart suddenly started beating fast. "Could we talk? Outside, maybe?"
He nodded. "Yeah, sure."
Tommaso watched as the two walked away, knowing exactly what they were going to talk about.
Jordan and Johnny were now outside. She leaned against the wall and crossed her arms, and he stood in front of her.
"What's up?" He asked. "Is something wrong?"
"Sort of."
"Is this about you not wanting to be our manager anymore?" He frowned. "Because I – "
"No." She shook her head. "Well, I mean, kind of. Can... Can you just let me talk? It would make it a whole lot easier for me."
He nodded. "Okay, got it. I won't talk."
"I like you."
"I like you, too," He said, though he sounded a bit confused.
"No, I mean..." Jordan trailed off, unsure of how to word it. "I really like you. And I feel really weird about it."
"Wait..."
"And I can't be you guys' manager anymore because I'll just feel like shit if I was," She continued. "I would feel weird, and you're with Candice, so I obviously can't be with you, and you don't want to be with me anyway because you're married now. So, I just need to stay away from you, and maybe I won't feel this way anymore. Maybe I could figure out how to stop liking you."
"How long have you known?" was all he asked.
She shrugged. "I'm not sure. I think I figured it out sometime between Toronto and San Antonio." Her voice was very quiet now, though she wasn't quite mumbling.
"And you think just not being around me will fix everything?" He asked, and even as he said it, she knew it sounded dumb.
"Yes."
"Jordan," He said. "You're cool, and I like you, but – "
"Stop." She closed her eyes. "I know what you're about to say, and I really don't want to hear you say it. Please don't make me stand here and listen to you tell me that you don't like me like that." She opened her eyes. "Candice is great, anyway, and you're with her. And even if you weren't, we wouldn't have worked anyway."
"Why not?" He asked, his curiosity getting the best of him.
"Because you don't like me the way I like you," She replied. "And, honestly, I didn't even plan on telling you this, but Tommaso said it wasn't fair to you, and it wasn't fair to me, and he's right."
"Tommaso knows?"
"Yeah." She nodded. "He's the only one who does, and all he's done is bug me to tell you since he found out. And, I just wanted you to know why I won't be around much anymore, and why I'm not managing you guys anymore after tomorrow."
"This is what you want?" He asked, frowning.
"Yeah..."
"I don't agree with your decision, but I'm not going to stop you," He said. "I can't possibly know what you're going through, and I can see how being around me would make things harder for you."
"You're too nice," She said. She stepped forward, and she hugged him. "Stop being so nice."
"It's one of my many charms."
She laughed, and took a step back. "I've got to go." She sighed. "Goodbye, Johnny."
"Goodbye, Jordan."
X X X
NXT Takeover: Orlando
"The following is a triple threat match for the NXT Tag Team Championships! Introducing first, being accompanied by Jordan Lee: at a combined weight of 400 pounds, Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa, DIY!"
The three of them walked out, and the crowd cheered. Jordan stood behind them, while Johnny and Tommaso stood in front of her, looking out at the crowd. They parted, and she stepped in front, leading them to the ring.
"And their opponents, at a combined weight of 446 pounds: Scott Dawson and Dash Wilder, The Revival!"
The Revival marched down the ramp, ready to have a third title reign, convinced that the champions were just keeping the titles warm for them.
"And being accompanied by Paul Ellering, at a combined weight of 620 pounds: the NXT Tag Team Champions, Akam and Rezar, the Authors of Pain!"
The champions came out, stopping at the top of the ramp to glare at the teams already in the ring.
***
The match was drawing to a close.
Both members of The Revival, as well as Tommaso, were outside of the ring. Johnny was in the ring with both Akam and Rezar.
They set him up for, and hit, the Last Chapter. As Rezar pinned him, Paul Ellering grabbed Jordan, wrapping his arms around her waist, keeping her from running into the ring.
The ref counted to three, and the match ended.
"Your winners, and still NXT Tag Team Champions: The Authors of Pain!"
He finally let go of her, and got into the ring. He raised his team's hands in the air. He looked down at Johnny, then over to Jordan. He then left, with Akam and Rezar following close behind. He smirked at Jordan as he walked past.
Dash and Dawson were both still outside the ring, while Tommaso had slid into the ring to check on Johnny.
Jordan walked over to the stairs, and began walking up them. Just as she set foot on the apron, she watched as Tommaso clotheslined Johnny, then hit him with Project Ciampa.
Her jaw dropped, and he stood up. He walked away, sliding out of the ring without even glancing at her.
"That's one way to end a tag team," Corey Graves said.
***
I KNOW IT DIDN'T HAPPEN LIKE THAT I WARNED YOU
(aka this was written before NXT Takeover: Chicago, as well as Orlando, which is why it wasn't an elimination match)
