Breaking Point

by **krzy** Sun Aug 11, 2024 9:50 pm

On and off throughout tonight’s Octane programming, we’ve watched helplessly as Santos sunk deeper and deeper into the depths of paranoia searching through every dark corner of the arena for just a hope of a scrap of a trace of Tailcoat Val. Finally, with no other options to exhaust, Santos opens up a random broom closet hoping the disappointment of not finding her will be the straw that breaks the camel’s back and the earth will finally open up and swallow him whole.

Except there is someone in there.

He steps out, and gives Santos a worried look.

SURACI:
Took you long enough.

Suraci tries to mask his worry over his old friend with an easy smile, but his eyes betray him still. What he’s seeing leaves him very concerned.

SANTOS:
What are you doing here?

Santos’ voice is cold and even, raw after the yelling he did last week.

Oh, the closet? Just thought it would be a fun way to pass the time. Joke was on me for not bringing a snack, but I guess you live and you lea--

No, here, in CMV. What are you doing here?

Look, there was a lot of masked people running around last week, so I’m hoping that you just got me mixed up with one of those other jokers when you told me to get lost...

I knew it was you; and I meant it.

You couldn’t have meant it, buddy, it’s me. How could you--

Where have you been? And what gives you the right to just waltz back into my life like this?

Why does any of that matter?

It matters a hell of a lot--

I’m here now…I helped you when things were looking rough, and now me and you can--

NO! It matters because of all the wins I dedicated to you and all the losses where I thought I failed you, and never once could I have imagined that seeing you again would make me feel sick my stomach--

How could you say that?

Because you abandoned me--

Abandoned you?

And then think you can show back up and play the hero and all will be forgiven and forgotten? Thinking I could be so grateful that my knight in shining armor is back that I would just--

You’ve got it all wrong if you think I abandoned you. You’re dead wrong, and that means that you never really knew me if you think that after everything we’ve been through together that I would just up and walk away if I didn’t have any other choice.

Then explain it to me! Make it make sense! All I know is that you lost to Jason Spade at Ascendance and that was the last I heard from you!

And you think that’s how I’d want to go out? Losing to Jason Spade? Do you know how embarrassing that was for me?

Enough with the jokes! The reality is: no texts, no calls, checked your apartment, no signs of life. I was worried sick about a man who I thought was my best friend--

I’m still your friend…

And I carried that with me with every match I wrestled. The guilt that maybe I let you down, and that you’d rather shun yourself from CMV than be associated with me…

Always

Always

Always

You’re always so quick to be down on yourself then kick yourself when you’re down, that you never see the obvious truth in front of you.

Then tell me the truth! Tell me what I’ve been missing!

I left because I had to. I had no other choice! I left because I was afraid, for myself and for you!

That doesn’t answer my--

I left because I made a deal with the devil!

What?

Just like every idiot I watched try, I thought I could outsmart Tailcoat Val, and it blew up in my face.

What are you talking about? We saved you. We got you and Danger Cat and all the others out of there!

It was too late.

For a long, painful time: silence.

Before you all came she made me an offer.

What was it?

And I ignored it, thought I could figure out a way to make things happen, except the timing was just never right.

Suraci looks up at Santos, his eyes wet with tears he can’t blink back anymore.

Then you attacked her, buddy. That’s when I knew you were ready.

What does that have to--

The impact of realization hits Santos hard enough to blow back the anger he was filled with.

Suraci, what did you do?

How don’t you see? Tailcoat Val has gone to war with Jade Dynamite, Xander Slate, Jason Spade, the list goes on and on and ON but please tell me that just once…did it ever occur to you that Point Break was a little too easy?

What did you do?

I did what I had to.

What the FUCK did you do?

I did what I KNEW was right.

SURACI, WHAT DID YOU DO?

The emotion in Santos’ scream, the rawness, the cracking voice, it all gives away the fact that, deep down, he knows the answer.

You beat her.

Suraci offers up another sad smile.

No, you destroyed her.

And that was the push you needed, buddy. I always knew it. ‘Cause with that newfound confidence, you went and you became Global Champion!

That’s what YOU did.

Fuck you…

It might be the saddest “fuck you” ever uttered, without a trace of anger or conviction in it. Is he saying it to Suraci, or himself?

I remember all those nights when we were tagging… Over a bowl of cereal you’d tell me you weren’t sure if you’d ever make it to the top. How you’d do anything to prove that you’re one of the greatest of all time. Well, look at all that you’ve done since! Buddy, you get to go down with the greats--

That’s not how I wanted it…

You can sleep at night knowing there’s a spot in the Hall of Fame for you.

Not like this…

And anyone who ever made rat jokes or hat jokes--no one can take that success from you. It’s everything you ever wanted.

FUCK YOU, I DIDN’T ASK FOR ANY OF THAT!

The anger flares up again in a major, and if there was any doubt who Santos was cursing at before, he gets into Suraci’s face when he says it. But Suraci doesn’t back down.

No, fuck YOU because you know I’d NEVER make you ask.

His voice is starting to crack from the emotional strain.

And I would do it again..

And again…

And again…

AND AGAIN…

No matter how many times they send me back in the past to change my decision, to do the “right” thing, I will NEVER hesitate to sacrifice everything…everything I can to make you happy…

…even my soul…

Your so--Goddamn you…Goddamn you, Suraci!

You

Think

I’ve

Been

Happy?

You think I’m going to be able to live with myself knowing that you made a deal with the devil because you had so little faith in me to get it done myself?

You beat Spade all on your own!

That’s not the point!

You think I would have done this for just anyone? Our team, our bond that meant, no, still means something to me. Maybe you’ve got a little buyer’s remorse ever tagging with me, and that’s fair, but when I said I’d die for you -- look at me -- when I said that, I fucking meant it!

So here we are.

Now it’s Santos doing a poor job of blinking back tears.

You want to know when I was happy? When it was me and you against the world. When I had the one person in the world watching my back that I knew would never betray me!

You don’t get to do that.

I don’t get to do what? Call you out for what you did? I’ll do it every single day of the week until you get it through your head that I didn’t need the Global Championship to make me happy! What we had as a tag team was good enough!

You don’t get to make me the bad guy for wanting what’s best for you!

And who are you to get to decide what’s best for me?

No, who are you to use me as an albatross because you were too afraid to fly?

The silence means they’re at an impasse. This is a wound that won’t be healed with a shouting match.

She wants to see you. Val. Promise me, whatever she asks, you won’t agree to it. You want to be mad at me? Hate me? Fine. You want to retire? Go on ahead. Just….just don’t let her dictate the terms.

So this is it? You’re with her now?

Suraci looks away from Santos’ burning glare.

Promise me.

Without another word spoken, Santos turns and walks away.