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livsbrutalitys-blog · 1 year ago

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Unfinished business

Pt. 1

summary: you and Rhea have known each other since you were teenagers training at the same wrestling school except only one of you made it to the big screen but now it was time for you both to share that same fate.

pt.2|

trope: enemies to lovers

warning(s): SMUT (eventually), ANGST, swearing, yelling, DRAMA DRAMA DRAMA (lmk if i missed any)

pairing(s): rhea x f!reader, judgment day x reader (not romantic), and more but there’s to many :)

a/n: this is going to be a series, i’m not sure how many parts but this is my first time writing a series or anything like this so please be kind and if you have any helpful advice or tips lmk <3

Backstory

You had moved to Adelaide at the age of 16 to train at this very wrestling school. Luckily you had family that lived in Austrailia and your parents always let you follow your dreams and be your own person. Your first day at the school you had been so nervous slightly second guessing your re-location. Your nerves were suddenly calmed by a hand on your arm. Your head whipped around to see who was behind you.

"Hey my name is Demi, this your first day?" She said with a welcoming smile and her accent thick, it took you a moment to gather your thoughts because the girl that you had just met just so happened to also be the most beautiful girl you've ever met.

"uh-yeah, it's nice to meet you my name is y/n" you said sitting your bag down on the floor against the wall. You stood back up and started putting your hair up in a ponytail to keep it out of your face.

She stared at you like you hung the stares and the moon. You noticed her out of the corner of your eye, not thinking much of it at the time but you took note and stored this moment in the back of your brain.

" good to meet you y/n, can't wait to kick your ass out there" she said smirking at you waiting for what you were going to say. " Your on but be prepared to have your day ruined cause you have no idea what I'm capable of" you said walking close to her, tilting your head up slightly to meet her gaze.

She enjoyed the playful banter, she chuckled walking past you to go meet the trainer. You followed behind her just a few moments later after putting the rest of your things in your bag.

Once you made your way to the group that was training with you the trainer started to speak "Alright ladies and gentleman welcome back to another wonderful day of wrestling, How is everyone feeling today?". The group collectively said 'good', "Great now we are gonna start a little different today since you may have noticed with have a new student joining us today" He said pointing at you quickly, you did a small wave to everyone.

"Okay y/n we are gonna go over some of our basic rules real quick" you nodded waiting for him to speak again. "Rule one, when you are in the training area everyone goes by their ring name so if you have chosen yours, great, if not then get to choosing kid you have a free pass tonight but next session I wanna hear you using your ring name" he said waiting for you to nod or something so he could continue. But, you already had one picked out so you spoke up, "I actually already have one, it's the one I've been using since I was at my last wrestling school" you said in an up-beat tone. "Ok, well, let's hear it" he said impressed that you had already had one and felt confident using it at another facility. "It's y/r/n" you said with confidence, "Alright, sounds good, I like it, it's very original, good job kid" he said with a nod of approval.

"Alright and rule number two, do not and I mean absolutely do not bring your personal life into your wrestling life. You wanna date someone in this group, I'm not one to stand in the way of love but that love needs to say at the door." You nodded agreeing, you never planned to combine the two but it was a great rule to have.

"So, now that all of that is out of the way let's get to kicking some ass!" he said in a more energetic tone. "Y/r/n I want you to start us out, wanna see what you can do and what we need to work on, Rhea I want you in there with her" he said motioning towards the ring and moving out of the way to allow you two to slide in the ring and your now standing just a few inches apart.

You start feeling those familiar nerves build up in your gut. You let out a deep breath shoving those feelings down because it's not like you can walk out of the ring and fly back home now. Rhea noticed the anxious look on your face she mouthed to you as to not draw attention to you "You got this". That's all it took for a strong wave of confidence to wash over you.

"Okay, ladies we are gonna start with some basics" he said instructing you with a strong accent. "Let's go ahead and do some grappling" you waited for his cue to move towards the buff girl ahead of you. You lock up, her hands on your shoulders and yours on her shoulders shoving each other back and forth. Suddenly you dropped to the ground and perfectly executing an arm drag with her landing on her back.

She stood up but for that she smacked the mat in frustration. She was not messing around now, she was in full Rhea mode. You grabbed her arm and swung under it as you twisted her muscular limb. Once you fully up again she turned towards you with a look of discomfort on her face from her arm being twisted in an unnatural direction. In a split second her fist was connecting with your cheek, sending you down to the mat in pain. She wasted no time pouncing on you, grabbing a fist full of your hair in her hands, dragging you back up to your feet. Once you were back up you couldn't think of anything else so you just bitch slapped her. She let go of your hair to put a hand on her face and then glaring back at you. You were totally fucked.

"Alright, alright guys that was good and y/r/n I'm impressed to fair I didn't see a lot but you held your own and that's what I'm looking for" you smiled to yourself not wanting to seem conceited in anyway. Rhea stood behind you leaning in to whisper. "That was good and might I say you have one hell of a slap" she said pulling back with a chuckle. "How about this, you two are gonna have a match right here right now" you looked at Rhea to try and read her to see if she was up to it. "I'm down if you are y/r/n?" she said looking at you waiting for your response. "Of course, how could I pass up kicking your ass. Ripley" you said with a mischievous look on your face and saying the last part with a hint of aggression.

The bell rang and you two were sizing each other up. You made the first move, running to her and kneeing her in the stomach. She stumbled back to collect herself but you didn't let up throwing uncoordinated punches and slaps at her back while she was hunched over. She finally caught one of your hits and you realized you did not think this through. She pulled your arm and slung you into the corner, once you hit the turnbuckle you looked up and she was hurdling towards you and she jumped up and dropped kicked you right in the chest. That blow sent you crumbling to the mat laying there clutching your chest and coughing. She pulled you up and threw your limp body over her broad shoulders carrying back to the same turnbuckle and sitting you on the very top. A surge of adrenaline rushed through you as you slowly sat back up as she was climbing to meet you at the top of the ropes. You used all you strength to push her off. She stumbled back in shock as to how you mustered up the strength to fight back. You waited till she was fully alert again and stood up tall on the top rope you jumped putting all your faith in your aim and in Rhea's ability to catch you. You landed on her shoulders and then slung your body down to send her flying, her doing a messy front flip from all the momentum traveling through her body.

The match went on for about another five minutes and you guys were laid out on the mat. You decided to take advantage of getting up before her. You decided to submit her because all of your pin attempts have failed miserably. You locked in a prism lock, she was writhing below you and you were using all your strength to hold her up eventually you couldn't anymore so you placed a knee on her upper back and twisted her like a pretzel. She finally smacked the mat, giving into your torture.

You dropped her body to the mat and looked down at her. You squatted down to her and leaned your head in to whisper "What was all that talk about you kicking my ass huh?" She groaned and glared up at you. "I'll get you next time" and she wasn't kidding, after that day you guess had a heated rivalry going.

Even though you guys had a serious rivalry going you never hated her and you two knew that the tension and fighting was only improving both of your wrestling abilities.

One day a couple years later you were 21 and Rhea had just turned 22. You two were still training at the same school but now you were training the younger students while also competing in the indie circuit. You had become the the IWJP champion in your time in Japan, and now making your way inside the facility to do some training and teaching later that day. You sat your things down and you were tying your hair up, once it was up you stood up from your crouched position and turned around unexpectedly she was also here. You didn't think she would be here since she had been in the U.S trying out for WWE NXT, you had felt a lot of jealousy towards her for that, it had always been your dream to make it to WWE but she managed to do it before you.

You walked past her with no intention on speaking to her since you knew how you felt and she did to. She saw you walk past and felt a little hurt you didn't at least wave or say a quick greeting. She hopped of the ring apron and made her way over to you. " Aw is someone still mad that I managed to get a try out and they wouldn't even think to reach out to you" she said with a mocking tone, now was not the time for her to be messing with you. Your head slowly turned towards her "You know what Rhea soon the WWE is gonna realize who really belongs there and it's not you. In the meantime I'll be in Japan as a matter of fact across the world gaining more titles while your still just training to hopefully even make it on TV. So, you have fun in states just hoping you make at least one TV appearance I'll be here putting in work and carrying a new title every time you come back" you said glaring up at her and speaking with an aggressive tone. She chuckled at what you said but you both knew she was gonna make it and you were just upset she wasn't gonna be here for much longer. It was true you were gonna miss her even when she destroyed you in the ring.

"You know what y/r/n, your delusional, you'll never see the inside of a WWE ring unless it's from the stands and you paid to be there. I'll be on the big screen and you'll still be here training other people, not even trying to make any of your dreams come true" you were stunned at her sudden aggression but to be honest you were used to squabbles like this with Rhea. You nodded and walked away flipping her off as you were making your way over to the lifting area. She chuckled and went back into the ring she was training in.

Suddenly Rhea's phone rang and you heard it from where you were since the building wasn't that big. She walked over to her back that was on the stairs beside the ring. She quickly grabbed her phone and answered it. You only heard a few yes's and some ok's coming from her but you also saw the nodding of her head but what was most noticeable was the growing excitement on her face as her eyes lit up she said a quick "ok thank you so much, I'll be there in the afternoon tomorrow" her accent thicker than ever caused by the amount of excitement. She hung up and quickly gathered her things, she was quickly making her way out of the building but before that she went up to same trainer she had been working with since she was young girl. You couldn't hear what was said but you saw them share a quick hug and the look on his face was one of a proud father.

You hadn't seen or heard from her in months. You called and texted but to no avail. Where did she go? Is she ok? Can she just please respond to me?

You tried texting her again but gave up hope. You were sat on your couch in your small apartment, you decided to turn on the TV and watch WWE NXT UK. The show started and you weren't paying much attention as you had started scrolling on Instagram. That was until you heard something that caught your attention immediately. The ring announcer was saying her name, you almost thought you were hearing things that was until she appeared on your screen. She looked so different, her hair was short and a light shade of brow, her outfit was dark and edgy. Your mouth hung open as you saw her, you watched the match in shock and a little bit of anger. It was nearing the end and Rhea was going for her finisher, little did you know she took some inspiration from you and locked in your signature prism lock. This bitch really stole my move, you thought. After she won and held her first title a fire was lit inside you and you worked harder than ever to catch her and prove that you deserve to be there too.

Present day

You had been apart of a new wrestling promotion in the US called AEW. It was WWE's biggest rivalry, you were so close but after a few years of working your way up to the top you were finally happy. You were sat on the plane checking your email while waiting to land in the next city, that's when you saw an email that stuck out. It was from your agent, the agent you were kind of forced to get since you were one of if not the biggest female wrestler in the world right now, you held so many titles across the world but mostly in Japan and AEW. You opened the email and it read:

Good morning y/n I hope this finds you well. I have just received a call from WWE management and they really want to talk to you about signing with them. I know how we have talked about making it to the big time and now it's here. The decision is all yours, please call me once you land and we can talk more.

Your hand covered your face in disbelief. Your friends noticed and they nudged you snapping you out of your thoughts. "Hey you ok?" Your close friend Ruby said. "Yeah, I just got an email from my agent s'all " you said glancing at her then back down to your email. "Oh, really, what'd it say?" she said inquisitively "Uh, nothing everything's good, I'm just dramatic" you tried to distract her from earlier by being sarcastic. You felt bad that you couldn't tell her but if you were gonna make the move it had to be done in secret to really keep it a surprise.

You got off the plane and immediately called your agent. You spoke with her for a few minutes and luckily you there wasn't a show tonight because now you were jumping in your rental car and drove for about 2 hours to a city close by to meet with WWE management. You haven't decided if you were gonna leave AEW yet but you wanted to hear what they had to offer. You made it to the arena WWE was performing in that night and went in the back to avoid being spotted by fans or talent.

"Hi, y/n it's great to finally meet you" Stephanie said sticking her hand out for a handshake. "It's great to meet you too, Stephanie, I'm excited to hear what you guys are planning" you shook her hand firmly. You walked behind the powerful woman. You finally made it to her office for the night, "please have a seat, make yourself comfortable, who knows maybe this'll become your new home" she said motioning to the couch as she sat across from you in a comfortable looking arm chair. You chuckled at the last part of what she said, "ok y/n we have a few idea's" she said making her self comfortable and crossing her legs making eye contact with you.

"Alright let's hear 'em" you said looking at her. "So as you might know we have Wrestlemania coming up in a month and I'd love for you to be apart of it. We already have a match going on for the Women's World Title" you nodded and she continued "We want you to start your WWE journey by interfering in the finish of the match. Our title holder is Rhea Ripley." the name sent shivers down your spine. You didn't know she was the title holder since you had stopped watching WWE when you joined the rival company. It had been years since you saw her or heard anything more than a brief mention of her reign of dominance on the women's division.

"I understand you two have a long history" you nodded hiding the look of nervousness on your face. She continued to explain her plan and you liked it a lot. The feelings you had for Rhea had reappeared as she continued to talk. "You know what Stephanie" you pause briefly, "I'm in, let's do this" you said with a wave of confidence washing over you. She looked at you with pure excitement in her eyes. "Alright well I'm glad to hear that, I'm even more excited to have you joining our family your gonna fit in just perfect here" she said as she initiated a quick hug. You hugged her back, you were walking out of the arena and back to your car as you saw something. It was quick but it caught all your attention, you saw a broad figure, backside facing you. She was walking in, she didn't see you thank god. But you surely saw her. She was more muscular than you remember, her hair was black like a raven and her skin was covered in beautiful works of art. The tattoo's she had always talked about wanting to get.

You made the journey back to your designated city for the night and you laid in your bed. You emailed your agent and let her know what happened with Stephanie. Your agent called you and then discussed the next steps. She contacted AEW management and set up a meeting with them. The meeting was happening the next night before the show.

You did your nightly routine and climbed into bed. Your thoughts were all over the place but finally you drifted off to sleep. Once you woke up you hopped in the shower. You got out and got dressed and ready to head to the arena. On your way there you were nervous to tell your management about your decision to leave. You made it to the arena and walked inside, waving at the fans that were camped out at the fence and walked up to few kids that wanted pictures. You always loved talking to the fans because you were human too. You got to the locker room and put your stuff up. You found your agent waiting outside and you two walked to Tony's office and knocked on the door, he answered "come on in" he said moving to the side as he held the door open for you and your agent. After about an hour of discussion, you and the team had devised a plan for your last night. You were gonna drop your title, the AEW TBS Championship, to your long time friend, Julia Hart. You had no problem doing this since you viewed her as a little sister, she deserved the title and you were over the moon that you'd be able to give it to her.

You asked if you could be the one to tell her since you also had to tell her that you would be leaving. You waited for her to get to the arena, "Hi gorgeous" she said in a giddy tone as she hugged you. "Oh, hi, how was your drive" you said happily returning her embrace. "Ugh, I hate being stuck in the car with those guys, y'know, it's like a testosterone overload 24/7" you laughed at her "I'm sorry you had to be stuck in there, buuuuuutttt I have some good and bad news for you" you said to her as she finished putting her things up. She gasped "Someone finally told MJF to shut the hell up!!" you laughed once more as did she "no, no, no, but someone should really do that" you said with a brief pause. "you, my friend" you said pointing at her and taking a step forward "you are going over tonight" you said waiting for her to say something. "OH MY GOD WHAT!" she said jumping up and down with excitement and jumping into your arms. "wait" she letting go of you, "who's putting over" she said confused and you pointed to your self. "WHAT! oh my god, we get to finally have a match together!" she said with more excitement.

You guys had been clamoring for a match together but it always got shut down. Tears threatened to spill as you saw how excited she was. "I can't wait for them to announce you as champion tonight Jules" you said going for another hug. "What? Your dropping your title? To me? NO! You are the greatest champion this promotion has ever seen you cant just drop it to me!" she said with a little anger and a hint of sadness as she got a feeling of what the bad news might be. "Julia you deserve it, you've worked your ass of to get here and it's time for the world to show you some respect" you said convincingly, she nodded as you continued. "Ok now the bad news" you paused glancing to her, "Tonight is my last match" you both became teary eyed, she knew that was coming as soon as you said she was gonna be champion.

"I-i-i can't believe it. Your really leaving?" She questioned you hoping that she heard you wrong. "Yes, and I'm leaving knowing that my best friend is gonna be champion and is gonna continue kicking ass" you said trying to cheer her up. It was part of the business, friends leave and move on to other things, you both knew this very well and understood. "Thank you y/n, Thank you for trusting me enough for you to drop your title to me" she said. You nodded not being able to speak since you were torn up about leaving her.

You made your final entrance with your title, putting on your mean face as you made your way down the ramp. Julia's music hit and she made her was down the ramp and to the ring. The match lasted for 10 minutes, that was 10 minutes of you trying to soak up every last bit of the crowds energy. She finally got the 3 count and rose up off the mat, grabbing the title and holding it high. The show went to a commercial break as the lights dimmed slightly you two embraced each other tightly, not knowing when you'll see each other again. The crowd noticed at the last second and let out a simultaneous "Awe" you held her and pulled away and grabbed her face and whispered to her. "I believe in you, you can do this, keep being you, do what you do best a whoop ass, ok?" you said to her as she nodded soaking up your words of encouragement. "I love you, Jules, if you ever need me, you know where to reach me" you said "Ok, I will and if you need me just call me, good luck, I love you y/n" you kissed the top of her head and pulled away and walked away, out of the ring, leaving her in there alone with her music playing loudly as she held up her title with confidence. She glanced at you making your way back stage, you felt her glance and turned around and waved her goodbye and blew her kiss with a smile at your face feeling proud of her.

You got to your locker room and got ready to leave. You said goodbye to all your friends and acquaintances, you walked out teary eyed. You got back to your hotel and laid on the bed lost in your thoughts as your phone started going off. You grabbed it and unlocked it, your comment section was going crazy with a mix of the fans emotions some sad, some happy, some started speculating what might be going on. None of them guess right though. You plugged your phone up for the night and drifted of to sleep.

You woke up to Stephanie calling you and asking you to meet her in Florida at the PC. You jumped on the first flight out and while you were on your flight you scrolled through Instagram. Swiping through stories and the biggest news on your feed was you and Julia's match last night. You went to her account and saw she posted a heart-felt message that made you tear up a bit. The message ended the way you thought it would, at the bottom it read:

"...But in the end, The house always wins."

#rhea ripley x reader #julia hart #aew dynamite #aew rampage #aew wrestling #rhea ripley #rhea ripley angst #angst #wwe x y/n #wwe x reader #wwe smackdown #wwe raw #wrestling #writers on tumblr #writerscommunity #writing #fanfic

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itskybabes-blog · 2 months ago

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Tapped Out

Daniel Garcia x fem!wrestler!reader

Warning: angst, swearing, references to sex… I’m really a saint

wc: 2.2k

Merry Christmas and happy hols🥰

Disclaimer: this has been written by someone with dyslexia. Please forgive all spelling and grammar mistakes.

His time spent on the sidelines halted the good thing you had going on. You, Y/N, were new to AEW but already an established star on the indies, picking up women’s belt after women’s belt (even a few men’s titles too) along the way. You were the big ‘I am’, a rising superstar – something Daniel knew all about.

It’s something you bonded over. Being young and living out your dreams on TV every Wednesday, you often found comfort in knowing that – whatever you went through – he could understand. And soon, all the big group hangouts at the club or whatnot turned into casual one-on-one meetups, which led to you guys texting all the time. Before you knew it, your ankles were pinned to your ears and he was digging in your gold until daybreak.

You let your best friend back home about the sneaky link-ups you had with the Buffalo kid but, at work, no one could ever know that Y/W/N was getting rammed over a roadie case in an abandoned corridor of whatever arena they were in that week. That the duo would soothe each other’s wounds once they got back to the hotel and would fuck cuddle up, savouring their solo time together. One time, it was pretty close.

In front of their friends, they act chummy. They might share the odd loving stare every now and again, but – for the most part – you acted like you usually would when hanging out with them: just friendly.

“Oh, Y/N! Don’t let me forget to hook you up with my boy, Nathan,” Isiah called out across the seating area while you waited for your turn to bowl. You can see Daniel’s head whip around to look at you with a dumbfounded look while Skye cheers for herself because she knocked over eight pins on her first go. The clanging in the background got louder and your heart pounded because you were scared Dare Bear would take it the wrong way.

Scrunching up your eyebrows, you asked Isiah, “Who?” before he reminded you that you asked him to recommend you an amazing tailor for a new gear idea.

“Oh, I thought you were setting me up or sum,” you mutter, melting back into your seat as embarrassment set in. Daniel also lets out a breath he didn’t know he was holding in, giggling along with his best friend. Seems like all was restored – or so you thought.

“But seriously, Y/N. When are you gonna get yourself a foinnneee man?” Aminata jovially asked.

“We talking about Y/N?” Skye says, exchanging places with her boo Kyle before returning to her seat. “Girl, if you need help, just say that! Aminata and I have a 100% success rate.”

You scoff. “Who have you hooked up?” you remark.

“100% of nothing is still something!” She says before poking out her tongue. You and Aminata roll your eyes at her before her face drops into a sarcastic look of surprise, “What did I do?”

You catch a glimpse of Danny. He’s looking in your direction but it doesn’t seem like he sees you. He’s looking through you with this directionless glaze glossing over his eyes. You want to see if he’s OK but you don’t wanna blow you guys’ cover.

“If I say yes, will you leave me alone?” you ask quickly, instantly regretting the fact that you have given the duo to permission to pester you with date requests from mediocre men.

Aminata and Skye squeal as they promise that they “won’t let you down” and expect to be bridesmaids at your wedding.

You felt like you had eyes on you all night long, often catching Danny’s – now filled with fire. You couldn’t even comfortably celebrate the fact you won at bowling because, while everyone jested and congratulated you, all you could focus on was how Danny towered over you quietly.

Well, he told you how he felt that night. Like always, Daniel snuck into your room an hour after you settled in. You were already a little nervous because you wondered if he thought your eyes were wondering but – in actuality – he was your everything. He filled your heart with the warmth of 10 million suns. So when he just walked into your room without giving you a kiss, a “heyyyy,” or even a smile, your heart sank to the depths of the earth.

“What’s wrong with you?” you ask him, taken aback by his demeanour. He’s always so caring with you.

He sits on the edge of the bed and rubs hands together. “Are you dating other people?” He rebutted back, staring deep into your soul.

Your eyes widen as you quickly move across the room to caress his face. “No, I haven’t,” you replied.

“Why would you accept their offer to set you up on dates like that shit’s sweet?”

“I didn’t know what else to say to get out of the situation-”

“I don’t know. Maybe, you could say you got one?”

“Then they’d ask me who. I… I-"

"You what? Want to go hop on another man's dick? What the fuck is this even meant to be?" Danny cuts you off and aggressively stands up, making you take a step back.

You've never discussed exactly what the levels of this fling was. You were more than happy to keep it between the two of you, but this was more than two friends getting into a situationship. You guys discussed your life plans with one another, heard each other out and were one another's peace. All the stress and chaos from the outside world couldn't seep into you guys' bubble (well, it has), but you hadn’t explicitly told one another that you're strictly dating them.

You blink blankly at Daniel, hoping that if you stay quiet, the stress of the conversation would go away.

Daniel takes a step closer to search your face again. "Do you even want to date me?" he says, a little dejected this time. His breathing is heavy, fanning over your lips – driving you wild because all you want to do is kiss him.

"Of course I do," you whisper, scared that your voice will forsake you.

"Then what are we doing here?" Danny asked again, looking away from you. Your fingers touch his chin again, guiding his face to look at yours.

"I really, really like you, Danny," you tell him. "Now, if you don’t want anything serious, I get it like you're some hot wrestling star travelling the world. You can have any girl you want, so why pick lil ol' me? Don't feel like I'm holding you-"

Daniel smashed his lips on yours for a sloppy make-out session, letting his hands cruising all over your curves. You expel all the air from your lungs in the kiss and rip yourself away from those moreish swollen lips of his.

“Why did you do that?” Daniel shrugs his shoulders and drags you over to the bed, sitting down and placing you on his lap.

“I really, really, really like you too, Y/N,” he admits before turning his attention to an area he knows you love him nibbling at; your neck. He peppered kisses down it, earning a breathy whimper from you.

“Would any of those dates know your body like I do?” He whispered in your ear. “Any of them gonna make you feel how I make you feel?”

You bite your lip and vigorously shake your head. He chuckled into your ear, sending chills down your spine.

However, in this erotic moment, a surge of confidence overtook you. “Can I get a reminder for how good you make me feel?” you tease, cheekiness dripping of your tone.

Let’s say there was no more confusion between the two of you about where you stood with one another.

You guys continued to text and socialise in your friendship group like normal until Daniel had that blood-thirsty All Out match with MJF.

You wanted to give him your love in person before his match, knowing that the New Yorkers planned something brutal for the fans. But you were stuck on a medical bench, getting checked after being knocked out by Mercedes Moné and Kamille while pursuing the former’s TBS and NJPW Strong championships. You shot Daniel a text, hoping it’d be enough but that was the last time you communicated with him.

The doctor said you had no signs of a concussion and were good to go, so you left the room with the mission to find your man (if you can call him that yet). You didn’t have to look far as he was being rushed inside of the medical room next to you.

You tried to ask what was wrong and get some sort of explanation for someone but no one would talk to you. That’s the only downfall of keeping your relationship on the low.

You pace around the halls, trying to expend all the nervous energy you had because all you wanted to know is if Danny was OK. It didn’t seem like you’d get that answer until you saw Isiah walking down the hall with two duffels in hand. You waved him down quickly.

“What happened to Daniel?” you asked him with a scared look on your face, thinking MJF knocked him out again.

“He’s all good. Don’t worry, sis!” The Brooklynite reassures you. “He’s tired so I think he’s just gonna go back to the hotel and get some rest.”

You nod your head and tell Isiah to send him your love before running back to your locker room and freshening up. When you finally make it back to the hotel, you check to see if Daniel read any of your texts – to which, he didn’t. Strange.

You checked his location (you had each others to make it easier to find one another quicker) and saw that he was at the hotel so why is he not reading your messages? You sent a last text sharing your floor and room number and stayed awake, hoping for a text back.

Your alarm abruptly woke you up. Awkwardly hanging off of the edge of the bed, you found yourself still in your loungewear with your glasses on and your phone in your hand showing that he never read your message.

Disappointed, you dragged yourself around your room to pack and do what you needed to do to catch your plane back home. You tried to call Daniel to tell him you got home safely like you always did, but his phone was off. Stranger.

You spent weeks waiting by the phone, wondering why your best friend and confidant wasn’t talking to you like you were used to. You told each other everything down to the smallest details and there’s been so much you’re holding in because you need to tell Danny first. So, this period of silence is secretly cut you up.

“Oh, girl, get over that bum now!” Your childhood friend Shania told you during your weekly catchup over some red wine and assorted pastries. “Doesn’t he know his 30 minutes was up a long time ago?”

You both sniggered, reminiscing on the funny Tiffany Polard meme.

“I know, but he was my friend first. I just want to know that he’s alright.”

And he was alright, for sure. Rolling his suitcase through the corridor with his shades on with his typical bounce, he looked just as great as he did before. For months, you’ve been trying to convince yourself that he’s a dick for just airing you like that – but seeing him now flooded your mind with all the same feelings as before.

The leather vest was a nice touch, too. Oh, how you’d love to stroke it, maybe even scrap your acrylic nails down it while you ride him like a bronco bull, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

You froze in place when your eyes landed on him and, when he noticed you, you could see his jawline tighten – something he does when he’s nervous and avoidant.

“Shit,” you scream internally, quickly looking away in hopes that he would just walk right past you… and he did.

Why didn't he want to talk to you? Considering all you shared with one another and how vulnerable you allowed yourself to be, how did he find the audacity to just drop you like he did your panties that one night? Focus! He cannot get away with this.

You feel the rage you've had for months bubble up again and your face contorted into one of fury. "It's like that?" you babble to yourself before marching back to your locker room.

You’ll just have to show him what he’s been missing, then.

#aew #wrestling #all elite wrestling #aew x reader #pro wrestling #daniel garcia #daniel garcia x reader #wrestler x reader #Daniel Garcia one shot #Daniel Garcia fan fiction #wrestling fan fiction #black fanfic writer

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allmyn1ghts · 1 year ago

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Can I pls have Dominik Mysterio x Fem reader where they confess their feelings for each other in the rain with the prompts "I didn't know people like you existed" + "I wasn't expecting you to change my life... but you did"? Make it fluffy!

confessions in the rain ༘⋆✿

Dominik Mysterio x fem!reader

synopsis: you and dom finally confess those hidden feelings :)

warnings: none! just fluff and some cursing

wc: 871

a/n: thank you for this super cute request, I hope I did it justice! enjoy, love! <3

Dominik was your best friend and the man you've been swooning over the past year.

A year ago you couldn't stand the thought of him or the rest of The Judgement Day. You felt that their presence every Monday night was just… annoying to say the least. But, After many many many attempts at getting you to join, you finally gave in. Rhea was the one who convinced you.

“C'mon y/n think about all the opportunities we could get you! You could be the next Women’s Champion. I've seen how hard you've been working for that opportunity. Let JD help you.”

"Fine, but if you guys screw me over, it's not gonna be pretty"

"Now why would we do that y/n?" she says with her signature smirk

So here you are now, the women's Champion, with the four people you now consider family. Shortly after joining, you realized that they weren't that terrible after all. And that's also when you stopped seeing Dom as a nuisance and saw him as the sweet and caring person he truly is. Out of everyone, you and Dom were the closest. The two you just clicked, always together, whether it be ringside supporting each other or just chilling, y'all were inseparable. Your little crush on Dom didn't go unnoticed either. The group often teased you when Dom wasn't around.

“Take a picture, it’ll last longer.”

“Shut up Preist, I wasn't even looking at him”

“Sure”

“Finn, have you seen Dom? I gotta talk to him before his match”

“Nope, I haven't seen your little boyfriend, I'm surprised you don't know where he is.”

“Ha ha very funny, thanks for your help.”

“Anytime love!”

Each day your feelings for him grew and you only hoped he felt the same. Telling him the truth was always on your mind. Could it possibly ruin the friendship you have with him? Maybe. but, you never know unless you try… right? Yeah, that wasn't an option at the moment.

After an eventful Raw, it was time for everyone to get back to the hotel. Everyone seemed to have left already except for you and Dom. It was weird, the five of you guys usually always left together. “You whipped some major ass out there!’ you complimented Dom as the two of yall packed up. “You think so? Felt like I didn't give my best tonight.” he shrugs. “Dom you always give a good show, dont doubt it.” He smiles at your comment. “Now cmon, I think the cab is here” You wrap an arm around his neck and head towards the exit. What you didn't know is that one, it was raining, and two, once you exit, you can't get back in.

“Oh shit! I didn't know it was gonna be pouring out here,” you said running toward the door. You attempted to open the door. “What the…” you tried again. “Dom I think we're stuck out here…” You begin to anxiously laugh at the situation. “You know this is your fault right” You look at Dom like he has two heads. “My fault?! How was I supposed to know it was gonna be pouring out and-” “Relax y/n, I'm just fucking with you” he laughs at your mini outburst.

“You're an asshole, you know that right?” the uncomfortable feeling of being wet starting to sink in.

“An asshole you looove”

“Yeah right, in your dreams”

The two of you laugh and settle into a comfortable silence.

Dom notices you start to shiver. “Here take my jacket” He handed it to you and you put it on quickly. “Thanks” you smile to yourself. Little acts like this is what made you fall in love with him, if only you could tell him that. Minutes pass by still waiting for transportation, and the two of you switch between looking at your phones or watching the rain fall peacefully. Dom decides to break that comfortable silence.

“Y/n can I tell you something?”

“Of course, what's up”

He turns to look down at you. “I don't know why I have this sudden urge to tell you this but fuck it,” you look at him confused. “Y/N I like you, a lot." Oh? Oh. "Even before you joined JD, when you hated my guts. You're- you're just so perfect, and funny, and beautiful and I can't explain what you do to me, but I love it. I didn't know people like you existed. You mean a lot to me and I don't even know if you feel the same b-” You cut him off, putting your hand on his wet cheek, and smile. “Dom, I've had the biggest crush on you for months now. I'm surprised you didn't notice! He stares at you baffled. "You're lying" "I swear!" Laughs come from both of you, he leans in, kissing you softly. He's the one to break the kiss. “I wasn't expecting you to change my life... but you did" You give him the biggest smile, and as you begin to respond to him, you are interrupted by the sound of a car horn. It's Rhea, Finn, and Damien all smiling at the two of you from the car.

“About damn time!” Damien says.

i hope you all enjoyed! pls comment and reblog! <3

request - masterlist - about me - who I write for

#dominik mysterio #dirty dominik mysterio #wwe #dominik mysterio x reader #wwe x reader #wwe fanfiction #dom dom #dominik mysterio fanfiction #the judgement day #the judgement day x reader #dirty dom #the judgement day fanfiction #black writers #fluff #fanfic #wrestling #wrestling fanfiction #dominik mysterio fluff

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luxinwonderland · 2 months ago

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I began writing Candy fics 1 year ago today

Thank you to my bestie @anonybaby ✨

for encouraging me to even begin doing this!

& thank you to every reader ( especially those who take a extra time to leave kudos + comment) you're appreciated!

+ a special thank you to @hypno-bear-tini & @codystonguepiercing for the wonderful messages + encouragement it means so much

@anonybaby 🤭

posting 2 NEW Chapters this weekend 🎄 ❣️

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the-kipsabian · 1 year ago

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wrestling fic writers!!

i have decided to be the change i wanna see, so lets do a nice little thing for each other, as a community full of incredible and talented writers. yes this is writer specific only, but thats cause thats where the main problem of people not interacting with creative works lies in this fandom as far as i can tell and have seen people talking about it especially in the last couple of months

if you read this, please add links to your written works. it can be just a single fic youre really proud of, your writing blog, your writing tag, your ao3 account, anything where your works can be found

and if you leave your link here, PLEASE check out someone else that has left their works, and interact with them. leave them a comment, even just a kudos, REBLOG their fic, etc. interacting is the keyword i want to emphasize here, along with building a sort of a masterpost of where to find people writing in this fandom

and if you are not a writer, youre still highly encouraged to interact with this post and share it and show love to the writers in this fandom, obviously!! i think that should go without saying, but adding it in anyways

a bit more about my vision and resources and such under the read more, but thats the gist of it. happy linking and please be kind and supportive to each other!! 💜

nobody is too big or too small to add their things on this list. if you write and post anything in this fandom whatsoever, be it fics or drabbles or headcanons, any companies or any kind of ships or reader inserts or any content whatsoever no matter how 'dead dove dont eat' or hell even if its just meta, we welcome all here and nobody can say that one thing is less valid than another. just please tag your content accordingly, especially if theres content warnings, and feel free to mention what you write, who you write, any info you wish to leave that would help people before they click on your links. but even so, that should not and hopefully will not deter people from interacting, no matter what it is. someones trash is another ones treasure, i promise you

and unless the amount gets really overwhelming, im personally going to be checking out everyone that leaves something here. unless it squeaks me out, but even then, i'll spread the word. and i just wish as many people as possible will do the same, and not just use this as a potential board to only get eyes on their stuff. ofc thats also the point, but you should give as much, if not more, than you get. we need to be kind and supportive of one another (besides, from personal experience, if you show love to someone else, they are more likely to do it back than without you taking the first step, so... pay it forward)

as for resources, heres a few links that should be helpful in leaving comments and feedback. of course everyone does their own thing and no comment is too big or too small to leave, but for those who need them. if you have anything you'd like added to this list, dont hesitate to get in touch or drop it in the post yourself!!

101 comment starters

ao3 floating comment box

kudos html

dont know how to comment? easy solutions

a quick hot guide to commenting (by yours truly)

an overall guide to appreciating fanfic writers

and just in general.. leave people comments. leave them asks about their projects. just go over and gush about their work. i know it sounds embarrassing but writers love nothing more than to hear that someone likes what they are doing. if you find a fic that hasnt been updated in forever, comment on it. it might just be the spark the author needs to continue. while kudos and likes are nice, and just as valuable to some, its definitely in the words the people leave for them that matter the most. im not saying this to put pressure on anyone, its just how it is, and i feel like unless people are writers themselves, and even then sometimes, thats just hard to grasp, especially if the writer is a smaller and less popular one who doesnt get a lot of traffic in the first place

i think thats all. just be nice and considered to everyone, reblog peoples works, this post with others add ons and so forth. and if i find anyone talking shit here or at other writers for something they share, you'll be blocked and im probably taking your kneecaps. be fucking nice. we are all struggling here and we need to stick together

happy sharing and commenting 💜💜

#wrestling fanfiction #wrestling fic #aew fanfic #aew fanfiction #wwe fanfiction #wwe fanfic #i hope this make some sort of coherent sense #despite being a writer im really bad at words lmao #i also dont know what to tag this with without clogging main tags so im going to trust moots to get this going first #just. this is a topic im passionate about. i love writing i love writers and having seen the wrestling fandom as of late really struggling #with this. we need to do something. even a little bit helps. actually get people leaving feedback and commenting again #supporting each other. we can do this together #dont let dreams be dreams lets fucking do this #just be nice and help each other out #im gonna stop now before i get overly emotional. if theres any questions let me know tho i think i got the main parts pretty clear here #again moots. im trusting you to get this started. im not gonna add my own shit here immediately this isnt about me #this is about the community as a whole #i also hope nobody is afraid of adding themselves here. you are all valid and worth the attention no matter what #just remember to also give if you leave something here. look at the previous links. look in the notes to find more people #okay thats it i need to make dinner now #lets just be kind and support one another. promise me that 💜#night is an absolute mess on main

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anonybaby · 4 months ago

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If this story has taught me anything it’s that I might not be cut out for this writing stuff after all..

Thank you. That’s all I can say. I hope you all enjoy. 🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍

#cody rhodes #roman reigns #randy orton #candy #rody #that’s the Roman and Cody hashtag right #wwe fanfiction #wrestling fanfiction #ao3 writer #ao3feed #ao3 fanfic #my fic writing #fan fic writing #fan fic update #fan fic rec #alternate universe

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fantasyismyonlyrealescape · 4 months ago

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Whumptober 2024: No. 8 - Sleep Deprivation/"Leave the Lights on"

Title: Creature of Habit

Characters: Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn (Zowens)

Rating: Teen and Up Audiences

Word Count: 883

A/N: Welcome to Week 2 of Whumptober. As you can tell by now, there is a trend in WWE fanfics. I think I only wrote 5 non-wrestling fanfics out of the 31-day challenge. So, yeah. Enjoy and Cheers! Also, I do want to note, that this story follows the concept "kayfabe as reality". El Generico is in this one, so in the story he speaks next to no English, just like he did in interviews and in the ring. So, that's why there is Spanish in this. Translations are at the end of the story.

Summary: Sami Zayn is a creature of habit, something that Kevin Owens learns very early on.

Cross posted on AO3 under user wrestlinginjeans.

Kevin and Generico hadn’t known each other long before they had first started rooming together. After a month on the road making next to no money to get by, they figured pooling their resources together would only make sense. So, they did. In a dingy motel room with outdated peeling floral wallpaper and one bed that squeaked horribly when any weight was placed on it. They had mutually decided that they would share a bed in order to save money. Kevin had finished getting ready for bed, lounging on his side of the mattress, and catching up on some messages from family when Generico appeared out of the bathroom. The bathroom light was still on, but the luchador pointedly left the door cracked open to let a sliver of light through into the greater part of the hotel room.

Kevin watched Generico silently but did not comment. At first, he thought that the wrestler wasn’t finished getting ready for bed. But then he saw Generico throw his day clothes in his suitcase and approach the bed, clearly intending to go to sleep. Kevin, sore and tired from the three matches he had wrestled that night, didn’t have the energy to inquire about the light that night.

A couple weeks later, Kevin had noticed that Generico left the light on every single night before he went to sleep. On the nights that Generico got ready in the bathroom first and Kevin followed after, Generico made it a point to get up and turn the light on in the bathroom, cracking the door just as he did every night without a word before returning to bed.

“Uh… Hey man, what is it with you and that light?” Kevin asks, jerking his head to nod in the direction of the bathroom door.

A moment of silence passed between them as Generico tilts his head slightly in confusion.

“Qué?”

“The light?” Kevin elaborates, pointing to the lamp on the table next to him. “Why do you leave it on?”

“Oh. La luz mantiene alejada la oscuridad!” Generico says happily, nodding his head before settling down onto the bed.

Kevin shakes his head in confusion, looking over to Generico who seemed to be perfectly content with the response he had given. Kevin, knowing that he was unlikely to get anything that he could actually understand from the luchador, sighed in resignment and went back to his reading.

Years later, in the quiet of their now hotel room, Kevin Owens keeps one eye on the closed bathroom door as he waits for Sami Zayn to come out dressed for bed. While a lot has changed for them in the decades that they had known each other by this point, one thing had remained constant. Sami Zayn was a creature of habit.

The bathroom door opens and Kevin glances back down at his book quickly, all while Sami chatters away. “Hey, Kev. You remember seeing that vegan place down the street? Want to go and catch a bite before we head to the show tomorrow?” Sami suggests, stepping out into the hallway and shutting the bathroom door until the ever-familiar sliver of light shines from the bathroom into the hallway beyond.

Sami walks towards his suitcase as Kevin tries to hide his smile in his hand.

“Kev, did you hear me?” Sami asks, throwing his clothing items into the suitcase in front of him before coming to his side of the bed.

Kevin shakes his head once, attempting to wipe the smile from his face as he removed his hand and glanced at Sami.

“Sounds good, Sami.”

A month later, Kevin helps Sami into their hotel room, one arm slung over broad shoulders. They make slow work towards the bed in the center of the room. Reaching the side closest to the door, Kevin sets Sami down slowly, bending down to help Sami get his feet up onto the bed as the redhaired wrestler lays back onto the pillows stiffly.

“I’ve got you, Sami. Do you want to get cleaned up or do you want to sleep for a bit? The doc said that you would need to be woken up every 3 hours for me to check you.”

Sami, already in a dazed state as it was, brought a shaking hand to his cut forehead.

“Sleep, Kev…” Sami whispers, his voice portraying how much pain he was in.

“Alright, Sami. Sleep, I’ll be right here when you wake up.” Kevin states, pressing a hand gently (by Kevin’s standards) to Sami’s shoulder before placing the hotel throw on over his injured friend.

Glancing around the hotel room, he drops their gear down on the lounge chair in the corner and strides over to the bathroom. Flicking the light on in one swift motion, he cracks the door just as Sami had done so many times before. Nodding his head in satisfaction at the sufficient light filtering through the opening, he walks back over to Sami’s bedside and settles down next to him. Kevin reaches down and brushes his fingertips against the forearm of the slighter man in a gesture of closeness.

“I’ll leave the lights on for you…” Kevin whispers softly, leaning back against the headboard to begin his watch over his injured brother. “Just as you do for me.”

Translations:

Qué - what

La luz mantiene alejada la oscuridad – The light keeps the darkness away

#whumptober2024 #no.8 #sleep deprivation #leave the lights on #professional wrestling #wwe #fic #character injury #my fic #wwe fanfiction #a03 #a03 fanfic #a03 writer #fanfiction #sami zayn #kevin owens #zowens

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daughteroftitania · 2 months ago

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HOLY SHIT I JUST GOT MY FIRST USER SUBSCRIPTION ON AO3!

I have several capital-A Authors in my circle of acquaintances/friends (like, with agents and a publishing house and everything). As such, the imposter syndrome with me is very, very real. (Currently having trouble finishing my current WIP because of it…😞)

So, the idea that someone likes my writing enough that they want to be notified when I post something new is…pretty mind blowing to me.

I know that AO3 has very good reasons for not telling authors who their subscribers are, so I’m not going to ask.

Just…whoever you are…thank you. You’ve made my fucking year.

#subscribe to ao3 authors #it really does make our day #and keeps us going #ao3 #ao3 writer #ao3 fanfic #wrestling fanfiction

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xoxorealitygalore · 19 days ago

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Always A Bad Girl

Jey Uso x Black OC

Once a bad girl, always a bad girl.

Summary: When a group of girls shows up to fight his nieces and their friend, Joshua is stunned to find that his niece’s friend’s mom, Divinity, is the woman he’s been unable to forget after a one-night stand. The chemistry between them is undeniable, and Joshua quickly realizes he wants more with her. But as their connection deepens, he’s about to learn that Divinity’s wild side may be more than he bargained for.

Masterlist

Joshua had imagined his day at the park would be nothing more than an ordinary, peaceful outing. It was a simple idea: he, his twin brother Jonathan, their cousin Joe, and a handful of other relatives would spend some time outdoors with the kids, bonding over nature, food, and simple pleasures.

It was meant to be a break from the constant grip of screens and digital distractions, a chance for the younger generation to experience the world beyond their phones. He wanted to show them that there was more to life than the constant notifications, the endless scrolling, and the constant pull of the virtual world.

The morning had started as expected. The park was calm, the weather perfect, sunlight spilling through the trees in warm golden rays, the smell of fresh grass and earth filling the air. The kids, a mix of rowdy and restless, had initially complained about how boring being outside was.

But after the first hour, they had started to settle in. Joshua’s nieces Joelle and Jayla began exploring the park, and Jenova, their friend who always had a spark of energy to her, quickly became the leader of the little group. The peace Joshua had been craving was beginning to settle over him.

That peace was short-lived, however.

What began as a few loud words between Joelle, Jayla, Jenova, and a group of girls quickly escalated. Joshua looked up from his seat, sensing the shift in the air. The playful banter had turned into something sharper, more charged. His eyes followed their gaze to a group of girls that had appeared at the edge of the park, their presence slowly becoming more menacing.

At first, it wasn’t clear what was happening, but as the girls exchanged angry words with Joelle, Jayla, and Jenova, it became apparent that things weren’t as innocent as they had seemed.

This wasn’t the first time these girls had clashed with his nieces and their friends. The previous day at school, an argument had erupted—one that was now spilling into the park. When the girls saw Joelle, Jayla, and Jenova, they took it as an open invitation to settle things with fists, rather than words. The tension in the air was thick. A fight was brewing, and all of them could feel it.

“Let me call my momma!” Jenova shouted, her voice tinged with defiance and frustration, as one of the other girls' mothers marched over to her, clearly angry.

Joshua’s stomach sank. He had known Jenova for years—ever since she was just a little girl—but he had never met her parents. He knew her grandmother well, though, and that had always been enough. Her grandmother was strong, a no-nonsense woman, but Jenova’s parents? He had never heard much about them. Now, standing at the edge of the conflict, Joshua was forced to confront the reality of what was happening in front of him. This wasn’t just a kid’s fight. It was a mess of adult emotions too, and that was about to become all too clear.

Before anyone could stop it, the situation spiraled further out of control.

A car engine roared to life in the distance, and Joshua’s gaze snapped toward it. The unmistakable sound of a high-performance engine grew louder, and soon, a white Lamborghini Aventador LP 740 Roadster appeared, its sleek, aggressive design cutting through the park's serene atmosphere. The car’s wing doors opened with a dramatic swoosh, and a woman stepped out—curvy, striking, and undeniably confident.

Joshua’s heart stopped.

There, standing in front of him, was Divinity. She was Jenova’s mother.

And as the shock of recognition hit him, the puzzle pieces of his life suddenly fell into place in the most unsettling way.

He had known Divinity from that one night in Miami—an unexpected encounter that had never left his mind. A one-night stand that had seared itself into his memory. They’d met, they’d been together, and then she had disappeared as quickly as she’d arrived. Joshua had spent months trying to forget about the fiery woman who had ignited something in him that he hadn’t been able to shake.

Now, here she was, standing just a few feet away from him, a confrontation brewing as she locked eyes with the woman who had been yelling at her daughter. Joshua’s body stiffened. He had known nothing about Jenova’s mother, and certainly nothing about the fact that Divinity was the one raising Jenova. But there was no denying it now. Divinity was here, and she was livid.

Jonathan’s wife, along with a few other women, recognized Divinity almost immediately. They knew her well from the reality television shows she had been on, where her infamous temper and ability to fight had made her a fan favorite. They knew better than anyone what was coming next. The air crackled with tension. Something was about to happen that Joshua never could have anticipated in a thousand years.

Jenova dashed toward her mother, her anger fading slightly as she pointed toward the woman who had been in her face. Without a second thought, Divinity strode toward the woman with an icy determination in her step. She spoke, her voice sharp and commanding: “Anybody wanna fight?”

Before anyone could react, Divinity reached the woman and, without warning, grabbed her by the hair. In a single, fluid motion, she pulled the woman toward her and struck her hard. Chaos erupted as the others rushed to separate them, but Divinity wasn’t done. She wasn’t backing down. Again, she lunged toward the woman, this time leaving her with four painful knots on her head. The scene was pure mayhem, a spectacle that drew the attention of everyone nearby.

Joshua’s heart pounded in his chest. He couldn’t just stand there. He had to act. He rushed over and grabbed Divinity, pulling her back.

“Chill, Divinity,” he said, his voice low but urgent, trying to steady the situation before it escalated even further. Her body was tense, her anger barely contained, but his words seemed to have an effect. For a moment, she stopped struggling.

The situation was tense, but through a combination of force and quick thinking, they managed to get everyone out of the park before the police arrived. The children were shaken, and the adults were exhausted from trying to manage the chaos, but somehow, they all made it out without anyone getting arrested. The tension hung in the air like smoke, and Joshua could feel the weight of everything that had just happened.

Jenova, still visibly upset, walked over to her mother. There was a quiet conversation between them, too soft for Joshua to hear. He could see the affection and worry in Divinity’s eyes. Despite everything, she was still a mother, and she cared deeply for her daughter. And that, in a strange way, was the moment that Joshua understood Divinity a little more. Behind the bravado and the tough exterior, there was something softer, something human.

As the group made their way to the parking lot, Trinity leaned over to Joshua, her eyes narrowed in curiosity. “You know that woman, don’t you?” she asked.

Joshua nodded slowly. “Yeah. Divinity... I didn’t know she was Jenova’s mother.”

Trinity raised an eyebrow. “Small world, huh?”

Joshua couldn’t help but laugh softly. “Too small,” he replied, though his mind was still spinning.

Later that night, as Joshua sat at home, the events of the day replayed in his mind. The way Divinity had shown up out of nowhere, the anger in her eyes, the intensity of her presence. He couldn’t stop thinking about her. But now, the idea that she was Jenova’s mother and that she had been living so close to him, in a way was dizzying. There was a connection here that he hadn’t expected.

The next morning, Jonathan showed up at Joshua’s house. He had questions. Lots of them.

“Trin thinks something went down between you and Divinity,” Jonathan said, sitting down heavily on the couch. His eyes were wide with curiosity.

Joshua’s mouth went dry. “She’s right. Divinity... she’s the girl from Miami. From that night.”

Jonathan’s eyes widened further. “No way. You’re telling me that this whole time, you’ve been thinking about her, and now you find out she’s under your nose all along?”

Joshua nodded slowly. “Yup. I didn’t know she was Jenova’s mom, or that she was even connected to Joelle and Jayla. If I had known, I would’ve been all over her.”

Jonathan smirked. “I’m not surprised. You’ve been thinking about her nonstop, haven’t you?”

Joshua didn’t deny it. He shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s crazy, right?”

“What’s the plan, man? Are you just gonna keep thinking about her, or are you gonna actually make a move?”

Joshua didn’t know. The truth was, he hadn’t even processed what was happening yet. All he knew was that Divinity was out there, and he couldn’t stop thinking about her.

Meanwhile, across town, Divinity was talking to her older sister, Serenity. The conversation, of course, turned to Joshua.

“You mean to tell me your daughter’s friends with the nieces of the man you’ve been thinking about since Miami? The one who had you begging for his babies when he was deep in your guts?” Serenity teased.

Divinity rolled her eyes. “I regret telling you that, but yes.”

Serenity grinned. “Girl, what are you going to do about it?”

Divinity’s gaze darkened. “I want him. I want him bad.”

Serenity raised an eyebrow. “So, Jenova’s getting a little sister, huh?”

Divinity smirked.

“Maybe two or three, if everything goes my way.”

Serenity chuckled, shaking her head. “Girl, you better make sure he’s top tier, or you’re gonna regret it.”

Divinity smiled, pulling up Joshua’s Instagram profile. “Oh, trust me, he is.”

As she scrolled through his photos, her smile widened. “I love a man who knows he’s fine.”

Serenity laughed. “Just don’t like any old posts now.”

But of course, Divinity did exactly that. She shrieked, flustered. Serenity giggled, and Divinity quickly unliked the post.

“So, what’s the play?” Serenity asked.

Divinity’s eyes gleamed with determination. “I’m going to show up at the next family gathering. Get to know the people my daughter spends so much time with. And show Joshua I want him.”

Serenity raised an eyebrow. “A little late for that, don’t you think?”

Divinity shrugged. “It’s never too late.”

Serenity sighed. “Just don’t let Jenova feel like you’re ignoring her or using her to get close to Joshua. You don’t want her to end up like how we were with Mom.”

Divinity’s expression softened. “I’ll make it up to her. I’ll do better.”

And as the conversation came to an end, Divinity knew she had her plan in motion. It was time to make her move.

The following week seemed to stretch endlessly for Joshua. Every morning he woke up, the events of that day at the park replayed in his mind like a movie he couldn’t stop watching. His thoughts kept drifting back to Divinity. The way she had stepped out of that white Lamborghini—cool, confident, and undeniably magnetic. The sheer intensity of her presence had caught him off guard. He had barely been able to process what was happening before she was in the middle of the chaos, throwing punches and drawing everyone’s attention.

What was even more surreal was realizing who she was the woman he couldn’t forget from that one night in Miami. The one night that had haunted him in the best and worst ways. He hadn’t been able to forget her, no matter how hard he tried, and now, here she was standing in front of him, angry, fierce, and entirely different than the woman he remembered. Yet there was a pull, something deeper that made him rethink everything. Was he just imagining things, or was there some unspoken connection between them that had been lying dormant for all these months?

The following Saturday, Jonathan called.

“You ready for this family gathering today?” Jonathan’s voice crackled through the phone. There was something oddly knowing in his tone as if he already knew the answer.

“Yeah, I’m ready,” Joshua replied, but his words lacked conviction. He wasn’t sure if he was more anxious to see Divinity again, or if he was simply bracing for the awkwardness of what lay ahead.

“Uh-huh,” Jonathan said. “Just don’t make things weird with Trin, okay? She’s been talking about you and Divinity, and I swear, if you start acting strange, I’ll lose it.”

Joshua chuckled softly. “I’ll behave, I promise. But you’re right. This is gonna be... interesting.”

When they arrived at the gathering, the tension in the air was immediate. It wasn’t just about catching up with family or reminiscing over old memories. The kids were running around, their laughter loud and carefree, but the adults had a different energy. The women exchanged knowing looks, and even the men seemed to have a heightened awareness, glancing over at Joshua and Jonathan every few moments.

Then, she appeared.

Divinity walked into the backyard like she owned the place, her curvy frame moving with a confidence that made it hard to look away. She was wearing a fitted black dress that hugged her body in all the right places, her hair styled perfectly, and her makeup flawless. She was the kind of woman that commanded attention without even trying.

Joshua’s heart skipped a beat. He felt the pull again, the way he had felt that night in Miami. Only this time, it was stronger, more undeniable. He tried to calm his nerves, but it was hard when Divinity walked right up to him, her presence almost overwhelming.

“Well, well,” she said, her voice smooth but tinged with something playful. “Small world, huh?”

Joshua’s mouth went dry. “Yeah, too small,” he said, trying to sound casual, but his voice betrayed him.

Divinity smirked. “I didn’t expect this, but here we are.” Her eyes scanned him for a moment as if she was taking him in all over again, the way she had the first time.

The conversation felt strange at first—awkward almost, like two people who had once shared something private, only to have it thrust back into the public eye. They spoke in small bursts, light and easy, but there was an undeniable tension. Neither one of them could pretend they hadn’t been thinking about the other since that night in Miami. But neither was willing to address it, at least not directly.

As the afternoon wore on, the conversation shifted. The sun began to dip lower in the sky, casting a golden glow over the group. The food was laid out on the picnic tables, and everyone had gathered around, catching up, and reminiscing about old family stories. It felt almost like any other gathering until Divinity sidled up next to Joshua, leaning in just enough to make his pulse quicken.

“I heard you’ve been thinking about me,” she said, her voice low, barely a whisper between them.

Joshua swallowed hard, his heart hammering in his chest. He hadn’t been expecting her to be so direct. But then again, with Divinity, he should have known better.

“I didn’t think I’d ever see you again,” Joshua admitted, trying to keep his voice steady, though his body betrayed him.

“Well, we always seem to find each other, don’t we?” Divinity’s lips curled into a small smile, her eyes glinting with something he couldn’t quite place. It was playful, but there was an undercurrent to it—something he couldn’t ignore.

Before he could respond, Jonathan appeared beside them, his eyes flicking between the two of them with a raised eyebrow.

“Alright, lovebirds,” Jonathan teased his tone light but knowing. “Don’t make things awkward for the rest of us.”

Divinity chuckled, her laughter smooth and easy. “Relax, Jonathan,” she said, turning to face him. “I’m just getting to know the family better.”

Joshua glanced at Jonathan, who gave him a knowing look before nodding in acknowledgment.

As the day wore on, Joshua and Divinity seemed to drift further into their little world, talking and laughing, exchanging glances that no one else seemed to notice. There was a subtle tension between them, a silent understanding that neither of them had put into words. They didn’t need to. They knew what was happening. It was the kind of connection that didn’t need any explanations.

However, as the evening wore on, Joshua couldn’t shake the feeling that Divinity had an agenda. She was too deliberate in her actions, too confident in the way she carried herself. She wasn’t just here to get to know the people who her daughter was with all the time. She had a purpose, and Joshua wasn’t sure what that purpose was. But he knew one thing for certain: she was determined to get what she wanted.

Later that night, after most of the family had left, including Divinity and Jenova, Joshua and Jonathan lingered outside, sitting by the fire pit with a few of the other relatives. The conversation had turned to old stories, and for a while, everything felt comfortable again. But then Jonathan turned to him, his expression serious.

“So, what’s the deal with you and Divinity?” Jonathan asked bluntly. “Are you gonna make a move or just keep pretending like nothing happened?”

Joshua chuckled nervously. He didn’t want to admit how much he had been thinking about her, but there was no denying it. The connection was undeniable.

“I don’t know, man,” Joshua said, running a hand through his hair. “It’s complicated. It’s not just about what happened in Miami anymore. There’s more to it.”

Jonathan raised an eyebrow. “More to it? You mean you want to pursue her?”

Joshua’s silence answered the question for him. He didn’t know what he was feeling, but something about Divinity had sparked a fire in him that he couldn’t ignore. The woman was a force, and no matter how hard he tried to stay detached, he couldn’t deny that she made him feel things he hadn’t felt in a long time.

Meanwhile, Divinity was at her own house, lounging on the couch and scrolling through her phone. She had been waiting for a sign, a message from Joshua, something to indicate that he was just as interested as she was. She had made her intentions clear, but there was something about him that intrigued her. He wasn’t like the others.

She heard her phone buzz with a notification. When she glanced at it, her lips curved into a smile.

Uceyjucey started following you on Instagram.

Joshua had finally found her. Divinity felt a surge of excitement. It wasn’t just about the following, it was about the message it sent. He had been thinking about her, just as she had been thinking about him. This was the beginning of something, she could feel it.

“About time,” she muttered to herself, opening Joshua’s profile and scrolling through his photos. A smirk tugged at the corners of her lips as she saw the images of him, his confident stance, his strong features, and that undeniable charm.

She hit the follow button. Let the games begin.

When Joshua arrived home, he couldn’t help but grin when he saw Divinity’s name flash on his phone screen. It seemed she was on the same timing as him.

“Let’s do this,” he muttered to himself.

As he scrolled through her photos, he knew things were only going to get more complicated from here. But part of him didn’t mind. The tension between them had been building, and now, it was about to explode into something neither of them could predict.

Next: Chapter Two

133 notes · View notes

tolietpaperdreams · 7 months ago

Text

Hysteria Chp 4 (Hartbreak)

Okay fine! Five parts it is, but that’s it, I have too many other ideas I need to write lol. Plus I really like the ending I have planned for this story.

Comments n stuff are always appreciated, hope you enjoy! K here’s your smut byyyyeeee <3

The time passed slowly. It always did whenever Bret needed to keep his mind occupied. He trained for an extra hour every day, he spent more time with his friends. Anything to shut up the noise in his head, but when it came time for him to lie down at night, there was always that empty space.

Granted, it hadn't been very long. Maybe two weeks since the fight with Shawn, but that didn't change how it affected him.

The most he'd seen of the blonde was backstage or in the locker room. He wanted to talk to him, tried to talk to him, but every time there seemed to be a different excuse. Shawn would need to go warm up or he couldn't talk because he had a meeting. The worst was when he approached Shawn in the locker room one day only to have Hunter step in his path and give him an ‘eat shit’ look.

They still had to work together; the pay-per-view was coming up fast and they needed to sort out their match. But that couldn't happen unless Shawn was willing to talk to him.

Bret truly thought about begging. He considered finding Shawn’s hotel room and pleading on his hands and knees for just a second of his time, but that would be ridiculous. He thought about the Orchids and the old lady who said they meant strength and unity, but Bret had never felt more alone.

It all seemed like a load of bullshit now, but Bret wasn't so easily deterred. He resisted the urge to go back to his old ways of sticking his head down and keeping his nose to the grind, but there wasn’t much else he could focus on besides work.

Owen, Jim, and Davey had forgiven him for being so caught up in everything that he’d essentially abandoned them. Bret would make sure he never lost sight of how important they were in his life again. They also encouraged him to win back Shawn’s affection.

The problem was that he had no idea where to start. Approaching Shawn directly hadn’t worked, so now what? Should he wait for the blonde to come to him? Or was there a more discreet option?

“You could give him a note,” Jim offered after training one day.

“We’re not in middle school Jim, a note would be useless,” Bret disregarded that information as he wiped the sweat off his face with a towel.

“He could be onto something,” Davey added, unlacing his boots, “That way Shawn’s dogs won’t get in your way.”

Davey referring to Hunter and the other guys as ‘Shawn’s dogs’ didn't really sit right with Bret, but he let the insult roll off his shoulders.

“What would I even write?” He did his best to keep an open mind.

“Ask him out,” Owen finally chimed in, “You guys never even went on a real date before you dived head-first into whatever it was that you guys were doing.”

That was a good point. He and Shawn had moved so fast that Bret never once thought to take him out. Shawn probably wanted to be wined and dined; he wanted to feel worth something, and Bret had neglected that part of their budding relationship. He didn't even know what kind of restaurant to take him to.

“I don't know, I've never-”

Owen cut him off, “Stop hesitating. Do you want Shawn back or not? You need to show him he’s worth it.”

That was enough encouragement for Bret to start brainstorming.

***

“What if he says no?” Bret adjusted his black button-down shirt in the mirror; he felt like he looked crazy but Owen insisted he dress nice.

“He won’t,” His little brother rolled his eyes as he sat on the hotel bed.

Bret took the advice of his brother and friends and decided to send Shawn a note. Through some networking the night prior, he was able to find what hotel room the other man was staying in and slid the note under the door like a lovesick teenager. It was a simple note, maybe too simple. All it said was, ‘Dinner, tomorrow? -Bret. RM 102.’

There were no flowers or extravagant gifts; it was just Bret in a button-down that hugged his chest a little too tight and a desperate plea for Shawn to open back up.

“I didn't even give him a time,” Bret was so focused on the semantics of everything that he was starting to sweat. What if Shawn just didn't show up or never even noticed the note in the first place? What if Hunter or one of the other guys got to it first and trashed it? The collar around his throat was starting to feel tight.

“Will you relax? He’ll show up,” Owen said nonchalantly as he stood to look Bret over once or twice.

All he wanted was a chance to show Shawn that he wasn't a screw-up. He’d dress nice, wear uncomfortable clothes, and buy all the stupid Orchids in the world if it gave him the opportunity to tell Shawn he wanted the real thing too.

“I should do one of those grand gesture things like they do in the movies,” Bret started to fidget with the shirt collar.

“You definitely should not,” Owen grabbed Bret’s hands and pushed them down to his side, so he’d stop fidgeting, “Relax, dude. It’s just Shawn.”

“There’s no such thing as ‘just’ Shawn,” Bret emphasized to his brother, “He’s- y’know… he's Shawn.”

Owen gave him a look that must have been a mixture of disgust and confusion, “You’re weird.”

Bret couldn't do anything besides laugh at Owen’s remark; he was so grateful for his brother’s help but of course, he’d have to pay the price at the same time.

After making sure Bret looked his best and was as emotionally ready as he could be, Owen left. He told Bret to wait for half an hour and call him if Shawn never showed. He couldn't help but feel like he’d be calling his little brother sooner rather than later.

Again, the time passed slowly. Bret was so wound up he was starting to sweat. He didn't know what he would say to Shawn if he even showed up.

The minutes felt like hours before finally, at the twenty-minute mark, there was a soft knock on the door.

Bret stood and tried to flatten his button-down that got crinkled from him being hunched over on the couch. He was already so uncomfortable, but if this was what it took, he’d do it.

He walked over to the door and took a deep breath before opening it. Shawn stood there with a nervous look on his face. The blonde wore a button-down of his own with nice jeans and boots, a gold necklace laid around his neck, and his hair was styled down.

Bret tried to speak, but he was caught ogling before he could get a word out.

“What?” Shawn crossed his arms and did his best to convey annoyance even though his cheeks were turning pink, “Are you gonna let me in?”

“Yeah, of course,” Bret said, moving out of the way.

He wasn't entirely sure how to greet Shawn. Obviously, he'd have to earn a kiss, but would a hug be too much? He decided at the moment to play it safe and let Shawn take the lead.

“You look nice,” Bret turned, following Shawn into the room.

The jeans Shawn wore hugged his ass perfectly and Bret had to remind himself to breathe.

“I know,” The blonde said curtly and leaned against the nearby table.

If Shawn wanted to have an attitude that was fine, Bret could handle that. If anything, it was a good sign because at least Shawn was talking to him.

“Right,” Bret figured the best thing to do would be to push through the awkwardness, “Thanks for coming.”

Shawn huffed and rolled his eyes, “What is this? An interview? Are you taking me to dinner or what?”

So much for the stoic apology act Bret had planned, “Shawn, I would love to, but you're already making it difficult.”

“You invite me out over a note after we haven't spoken in weeks and you just expect me to be cool about it?” Shawn spat back.

“I want to fix this,” Bret tried as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Then why did it take you so long?”

“Because you wouldn't talk to me!”

“You hardly tried!”

They were suddenly nose to nose, neither man willing to step down.

“I did try,” Bret grabbed the front of Shawn’s shirt, “More than you think.”

“You should have sent that note weeks ago,” Shawn’s voice softened.

Bret could finally feel how close they were. Shawn still leaned against the table, hands clutching the edge. Bret could feel the blonde’s breath against his own and once Shawn’s gaze met his, he knew there would be no fancy dinner tonight.

Their lips met in a frenzy, Shawn essentially throwing himself at Bret. It was hungry and urgent like they needed each other to breathe. Shawn moaned into Bret’s mouth as he pulled the blonde’s hips flush with his own.

The feeling of having Shawn back in his arms again overtook anything he originally planned to say or do. The smell of Shawn’s cologne overwhelmed his senses as he kissed and sucked bruises into his neck and collarbone; he’d never get enough of it.

The distance had been agonizing, and Bret was more than willing to make up for it.

“Fucking jerk,” Shawn grunted as he sunk a hand into Bret’s hair and pulled him back.

Bret winced slightly at the pain before letting out, “Do you want me to fuck you or not?”

“God, yes,” Shawn yanked him in for another kiss.

He bit at Bret’s lower lip hard enough to make him whine at the pain before Shawn pushed him back onto the bed. Bret didn't see the more dominant side of Shawn very often, but he couldn't complain. They climbed to the top of the bed, Shawn straddling Bret’s lap.

The kisses they shared were hungry and wet as they both tried to hastily discard their shirts. Shawn ground his hips against Bret’s, both groaning at the feeling of their still-clothed erections against each other.

Bret needed to say something, but Shawn was busy devouring his mouth so he turned his head to the side, “Shawn,” he could barely get out, the blonde having moved down to kiss his chest.

Shawn took a nipple into his mouth causing Bret to cry out. He bit and sucked at both of them until they were pert and swollen then sat back and allowed both of them to catch their breath.

“What is it?” He panted, a smug look plastered on his face.

The way Shawn’s wavy hair laid past his shoulders was a sight to behold - the way his chest heaved and how he looked down at Bret, those gorgeous blue eyes, and the curves of his muscles - Shawn’s body was intoxicating.

“I need to see you,” Bret breathed, hands sliding up Shawn’s thighs to grab his hips.

Shawn didn’t say anything for a moment, a small smile grew on his face as the words sunk in.

“You drive me fucking crazy,” Bret added, “I've never felt like this before.”

It was a declaration of his own. Shawn made him feel utterly insane, but in the time their relationship had grown, he’d never been happier. The highs were so high and the lows were so low, but if it was for Shawn, he’d go through hell.

“I was so wrong about everything-”

Shawn shut him up with a kiss, this one softer. They weren't good with words, but they could communicate through their bodies. Bret didn't know if he was entirely forgiven, but it seemed like he was off to a good enough start.

Placing soft kisses along Bret’s jawline, Shawn reached down and began to undo his jeans. Soon they were discarded along with Bret’s and neither was denied full access any longer. Shawn sank down, his tongue tracing from Bret’s neck to his nape as fingers teased his already sensitive nipples.

Bret inhaled sharply, knowing his reaction would only encourage Shawn to continue, but he was saved once Shawn brought his hands down, wrapped one around Bret’s cock, and licked from base to tip. Bret let out a groan as soon as Shawn took him all the way into his mouth and threaded a hand into the blonde’s hair.

“So gorgeous,” He breathed, meeting those icy blue eyes with his own.

It was controlled and slow at first, Shawn bobbing his head in time with the stroke of his hand. The warmth and wetness of his mouth on Bret’s cock was almost too much and he had to use all his self-control in order not to buck his hips into Shawn’s mouth.

Tightening the hand in the blonde’s hair, Bret talked him through it, “That’s it, baby.”

Shawn moaned around Bret’s length and hallowed out his cheeks to create more friction. Bret knew he wouldn't last long with the type of head Shawn gave and he didn't want to end the fun before it even started.

He gave Shawn’s hair a slight tug so he would pull off and the blonde did so without hesitation; a long string of spit still connected the tip to Shawn’s swollen lips.

“Don’t move,” Shawn exhaled and climbed up to straddle Bret’s thighs again, “I wanna ride you.”

Who was he to deny Shawn that right? Bret reached up to pull the blonde down for a searing kiss.

They stayed like that for a moment before Shawn pulled away briefly to ask, “Do you still have everything?”

Bret knew that Shawn was referring to condoms and lube; he shook his head, “I didn’t think I’d get this far.”

He playfully smacked at Bret’s chest, “You’re lucky I'm prepared.”

He quickly hopped off the bed and went searching for his jeans.

“Wait,” Bret furrowed his brow, watching Shawn dig through his pockets, “You brought condoms and lube even though you were pissed at me?”

Shrugging, Shawn climbed back onto the bed and back onto Bret after finding what he was looking for, “I only bought them after I found your note. Knew you’d say all the right things,” He winked.

Bret couldn't help the chuckle that he let out as he ran his hands up Shawn’s toned thighs, “I haven't said much of anything.”

“Will fix that later,” Shawn set aside the condom and handed Bret the lube.

A question wracked his mind, one he wasn't sure Shawn was ready to hear yet, but now was as good as any time, “What if we ditch the condom?”

“That depends,” Shawn watched Bret spread lube on his fingers, “Who else are you fucking?”

The fact that Shawn said ‘who else’ instead of asking if there was ‘anyone else’ struck a chord with Bret. He hadn't made his intentions with Shawn clear enough.

Using his free hand, Bret urged Shawn forward slightly by the hip so he could have easier access. He traced a lubed finger over Shawn’s entrance, making the blonde inhale sharply and dig his fingers into Bret’s chest.

“You know very well,” Bret used his other hand to palm at Shawn’s ass, adding a smack for emphasis, “That I only have eyes for you.” He sunk the first finger in.

Shawn let out a whine and pushed back with his hips, already wanting more, “That- Ah! Doesn't answer the question-”

Bret always loved the way Shawn took his fingers so eagerly, but it did make it increasingly more difficult to restrain himself.

“No one else has even crossed my mind,” He cooed, adding another finger.

“Nnnh- Bret I can't take it,” Shawn whined, his cock hard and dripping pre-cum, “I need it.”

Normally, Bret would use at least three fingers to prep, but Shawn’s eagerness put that concern at ease.

“You sure?” Bret didn't want to hurt him.

“Yes-” Shawn clenched his eyes shut, “Now, Bret. Please-”

With that, Bret removed his fingers and urged Shawn to sit up on his knees higher. He slicked himself up with the leftover lube from his fingers and did his best to line himself up.

Shawn pushed his hips back, taking in the tip of Bret’s cock. As he slowly sank fully onto it, they both groaned at the delicious feeling. It felt even better knowing there was no barrier between them now, Bret could fully experience Shawn.

With his chest heaving as he adjusted to the feeling of being full, Shawn let out, “There hasn't been anyone else,” He paused for a moment, “I don't want anyone else-”

Bret reached up and traced a thumb across Shawn’s jaw, “Me neither.”

He pulled Shawn down into a kiss; it was settled. Bret couldn't even fathom the thought of someone else. Ever since that first kiss at the bar, as rushed and panicked as it was, Shawn had grabbed Bret’s heart and ran with it. Maybe even before then, but he was just too blind to see.

Finally, after sitting back, Shawn started to move his hips.

“God, Shawn…” Bret dug his fingers into the blonde’s hips, holding himself back from thrusting up into him, “You feel so good.”

It felt so different with no condom, physically and emotionally. There was a new trust that hadn’t been there before, one that said ‘I’m yours and you're mine.’

Shawn moved at an agonizing pace, his hips rocking forward and back in order to take Bret fully. It wasn't slow, but it was a more intimate pace.

Shawn grabbed Bret’s wrists and pinned them over his head as he rode him, fully taking control.

“Fuck-” Bret groaned. He wanted nothing more than to flip positions and fuck Shawn into the mattress but it wasn't his turn. Shawn was running things now.

“What is it?” Shawn breathed as he continued his movements, “Tell me what you want.”

It was killing him, he wanted to touch Shawn- wanted to run his hands all over his skin- to feel how the blonde shivered under his touch. He pushed against Shawn’s grip weakly, his brain too foggy to do much about it. Bret wouldn't last much longer.

Shawn continued his onslaught, grinding his hips quicker, “C’mon baby, tell me what you want.”

Bret couldn't help the moan that escaped his throat before he panted, “Please Shawn-”

The moment Shawn let go of his wrists, Bret pulled the blonde down to his level; one hand gripping the back of his neck and the other squeezing a hip so hard it would probably leave bruises. Bret fucked Shawn from underneath at a brutal pace.

Shawn let out a series of cries, each moan in time with the sound of skin slapping against skin. Bret's thrusts were sharp and brutal but quickly became erratic as he felt the heat pooling in his gut.

“Don’t stop- don’t stop-” Shawn whined, his own release building up.

Bret managed to keep Shawn’s request, thrusting a few more times before he couldn't hold back his orgasm. He stalled his hips as he came, pulling Shawn into a hard kiss.

Before he could come down from the moment, Bret flipped Shawn onto his back, the blonde letting out a small yelp as he did so. Bret smoothly pulled out and leaned down to take Shawn into his mouth.

It didn't take long for Shawn to cum, the feeling of Bret’s mouth around him was just enough to bring him over the edge. Shawn bucked his hips as he came and Bret did his best to take him deeper into his mouth before swallowing. He pulled off and licked Shawn’s cock from base to tip, relishing in the sight of him shivering at the overstimulation.

Shawn caught his breath for a moment before speaking, “We should fight more often.”

Bret chuckled and laid his head on Shawn’s thigh, “I think we can have good sex without the fighting.”

It was quiet for a moment, both parties basking in the afterglow of makeup sex. A tension had been lifted between them, but there was still a small air of uncertainty. Bret almost got up to get a towel and help Shawn get cleaned up, but was stopped for the time being.

Shawn reached down and gently cupped Bret’s cheek, “I missed you.”

Such tender words. Something Bret still needed to work on, but it seemed like Shawn was willing to try. He placed a kiss on Shawn’s thigh before climbing to the top of the bed and taking him into his arms.

“I missed you, too,” Bret sighed contentedly and inhaled the scent of Shawn’s hair while he nuzzled into Bret’s chest.

Shawn got comfortable and started playing with the hairs of Bret’s happy trail, “Owen told me you cried,” He said nonchalantly, “A couple weeks ago.”

Bret huffed, a small trigger of annoyance came and went. He was too tired to get upset, albeit a little embarrassed, “Are you always in cahoots with my brother?”

“Him and Hunter are good buddies,” Shawn turned his head to look at Bret, “I’m surprised you hadn't noticed.”

He hadn’t, “Guess I was too caught up,” Bret traced a finger up and down Shawn’s shoulder.

“About Hunter,” Shawn started, pausing briefly to see Bret’s reaction.

He didn't really want to talk about Hunter right after sex, but Bret made a promise to himself that tonight he would fix what he could in his relationship with Shawn.

“Go on,” He tried not to sound on edge.

“You’re not actually jealous of him, are you?” Shawn questioned.

Bret exhaled before answering, “I don't really think so. I think I was just looking for a reason to be mad,” He paused for a moment, making sure there was eye contact, “And I don't want to be with anyone else, Shawn.”

He wanted Shawn to understand that there was no one else for him and that Shawn would never have to worry about anyone else. Bret also knew that he was never truly jealous of Hunter- he was jealous of the bond Shawn had with him- the trust that he put into Hunter. Bret wanted that trust put in himself as well.

“Even though I drive you crazy?” A sly smile crept onto Shawn’s face.

“If you make me crazy, then I don't ever want to be sane.”

***

It was crunch time. There was only a week left before the pay-per-view and Bret needed to ramp up his training. He was glad that he and Shawn had made up, even though there were still some unspoken hiccups they hadn't discussed. Bret hadn't yet apologized for being unwilling to drop the belt to Shawn all those weeks ago.

There was only so much that words could do, though. Bret knew the best way to prove that he thought Shawn would be a great champion, was to put him over. He’d done it before with others, he could do it again. This time, tenfold.

“You’re getting up slower, go again,” Jim coached, diligently.

Bret tried not to wince as he got up and ran the ropes again before throwing himself into a breakfall. It was the most basic of wrestling skills, but it was one that had to be maintained. He was sweaty and his heart rate was through the roof; they’d been at it for over thirty minutes.

The work never stopped. Even though he finally had a few days at home before hitting the road again, he couldn’t lose sight of the end goal. That’s how Bret ended up training on a rest day at his in-home ring in the basement; it was his very own version of The Dungeon.

Shawn offered to come back to Calgary with him, but Bret insisted he go home and rest. They both had time off after the pay-per-view and Bret promised to show Shawn his home after. As excited as he was for that, it felt very far away. Bret’s main focus was making sure he performed well enough to make sure Shawn looked good in their match.

“C’mon Bret, don’t lose focus,” Jim said as he leaned against the turnbuckle, watching Bret run from one end of the ring to the other.

He kept going for what felt like forever, his lungs were burning and his body ached, but it was a feeling he loved. After that, they ran drills and talked through the match. With Shawn, Bret was able to think on the fly, but he didn’t want to do that for such a big match so they agreed on certain big spots to practice while at home.

Jim did his best to fill in for Shawn, but with his big size, there were just some things they couldn’t practice together.

”Tell me how you did it,” Jim nudged Bret in the ribs as he wiped the sweat off his face with a rag.

“Did what?” Bret huffed, rubbing the area where Jim had jabbed him. His brother-in-law never realized his own strength.

”How an ugly mug like you managed to snag someone like the Heartbreak Kid?” Jim teased.

Bret scoffed as he grabbed a nearby water bottle, “Says you, you look like a bulldog.”

Jim shrugged, “It got me your sister.”

Bret didn’t get the chance to jab back because his phone started to ring from upstairs.

”You’re so lucky,” He said, pointing a menacing finger in Jim’s direction as he got out of the ring and ran up the stairs.

He barely made it to the phone in his kitchen before it stopped ringing.

”Hello?”

There was a beautiful raspy voice on the other line, “Hey, Bret.”

His knees could buckle every time he heard Shawn say his name.

“Everything okay?” He wasn’t expecting Shawn to call.

”Yeah everything’s fine, just thinking about the match.”

Bret leaned against the counter, figuring he might be there for a minute.

”Me too, you nervous?” He asked.

Shawn scoffed, “No, I’ve never been nervous a day in my life.”

It was very obvious that Shawn was mortified, but Bret knew now wasn’t the time to tease him, “You’re going to do great, baby.”

“We’re gonna do great,” Shawn corrected.

”Yes, of course,” Bret took a moment to think about his words, “You’re going to be an incredible champion.”

He was met with silence on the other line.

”I mean it,” Bret continued, hoping he hadn’t scared Shawn, “You were meant for this.”

“Bret, can I tell you something?” Shawn’s voice had gotten quieter.

“Of course,” Bret mentally prepared himself for the worst.

There was a longer stretch of silence. Bret could feel his palms starting to sweat at the anticipation. Whatever it was, it couldn’t be good.

Finally, after what felt like forever, Shawn spoke, “I think I’m in love with you.”

It was a good thing after all, wasn’t it? Bret felt his mouth go dry, unsure how to respond he immediately began to stumble over his words, “I- um- Shawn that’s-“

”It’s okay, you don’t have to say anything. I just needed you to know, it’s been eating at me. I’ll see you in a few days, okay?” Shawn sounded like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

Before Bret could respond, the line clicked.

#i post from my ipad like a baby #this shit is my cocomelon ong #wwe #wwf #shawn michaels #bret hart #hbk #hartbreak #90s wwf #wrestling #fanfiction #fanfic #ao3 #ao3 writer #ao3 fanfic

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bijouxcarys · 2 months ago

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𝑻𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑩𝒊𝒏𝒅 (𝑹𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏 𝑹𝒆𝒊𝒈𝒏𝒔 𝒙 𝑶𝑪) - 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝑵𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒆𝒏

Masterlist

Character Profiles/Face Claims

Playlist

A/N: she's back again. hope you enjoy this one as always, please leave me replies and likes n shit because it helps with the motivation and i love talking to people about it gahhh

CW/TW: light angst, mentions of violence, and Seth Rollins. he needs a warning on his own.

Tags: @empressdede @thetribalqueen @heauxvibez @bigsimperika

@cyberdejos2 @keyaho @headoftheetable @jstarr86 @southerngirl41

@tshepisho @cry1nwhileimcumm1n @maeb99 @thedesireds @dzdndcnfsd

@expert-texpert @niknakbucks92 @sillyteecup @trentybenty @pittieprincess22

@electronicwitchsandwich @thefairywithboots

(If you want to be tagged in any future Roman fics, just let me know!)

Eight years.

Eight. Fucking. Years.

Pushing a decade since Roman Reigns had last seen Seth Rollins. And now, after all that time, he was headed straight for a meeting that felt uncomfortably like stepping into a cage with a venomous animal. A serpent, slick and coiled, lying in wait.

The SUV hummed steadily beneath his hands, the engine a low growl that matched the tension curling in his chest. Beside him, Nate sat with a distant, unreadable expression, her fingers tracing slow, absent-minded circles on the fabric of her jeans. Her usual veneer of sharp, calculated confidence had been replaced by something raw and unpolished—like a blade that had been sharpened too many times and now threatened to snap. The incident with Boris and Alexei ganging up on Katya… and the vicious switch in her father’s disposition during their last encounter. It all shook her—more than she let on. But even now, she carried herself with a quiet intensity that made it clear she wasn’t fragile. Whatever storm churned behind her eyes, it hadn’t broken her.

Behind them, the low murmur of voices from the backseat added a strange counterpoint to the thick silence up front. Jimmy and Jey were mid-banter as usual, the rhythm of their exchange as natural as breathing, while Sami—wedged awkwardly between them—offered occasional nervous laughs. Solo, however, was silent, his presence brooding and heavy, as if he could fill the entire vehicle with his sheer displeasure.

Roman’s gaze flicked to the rearview mirror, catching his enforcer’s watchful eyes. The unspoken tension between them was a steady undercurrent, but Roman chose not to address it. It wasn’t worth it.

Not yet.

“I’m just sayin’, man,” Jimmy piped up, leaning forward with a grin. “Two weeks before Christmas is a hell of a time to be dragging us out like this. You know what I could’ve been doin’ instead?”

“Ain’t no better time for business than now,” Jey replied, nudging his twin. “Half these fools too busy kissin’ under mistletoe to notice what’s really goin’ on.”

Sami chuckled anxiously, his eyes darting over at Nate as if seeking her approval. “I mean… it’s intense, right? Meeting Seth Rollins. The guy is—”

“A snake,” Roman cut in sharply, his voice like a crack of thunder in the confined space. His jaw tightened, and his fingers flexed on the wheel. “Seth’s a snake. Always has been.”

Nate’s lips twitched, a flicker of amusement that didn’t quite form into a smile. She didn’t need to ask for details; Roman had already told her the whole story in his rare moment of unguarded honesty the night of Alexei’s engagement celebration. How Seth’s betrayal had nearly cost him everything—not just regarding business, but his pride.

She could understand that. Hell, she could even empathise. Traitors weren’t just dangerous—they were personal.

“I-I know it’s not my place to ask,” Sami ventured hesitantly, “But… you sure about this, Boss?”

Roman didn’t bother looking at him. His eyes stayed locked on the road, the stretch of asphalt ahead illuminated by the harsh glare of the SUV’s headlights. “We do what we have to,” he said flatly. “If Seth has something we could use, we’re gonna take it. End of story.”

Sami shrank back slightly, his nervous energy radiating like static. Beside Roman, Nate stirred, her voice low enough that only he could hear.

“Before we get there,” she murmured, “A warning.”

Roman arched a brow, a muscle in his jaw ticking. “Oh? You think I need one?”

“I think your pride has a nasty habit of making decisions for you,” she replied evenly, cool but not unkind.

The twins exchanged a glance in the backseat, Jey arching an eyebrow at Jimmy as if to say, “She’s really pushing it, huh?” Sami, ever the peacemaker, tried to lighten the mood with a small chuckle.

“You really know how to keep him on his toes, Nate,” he offered.

Nate didn’t even glance back, her focus fixed on Roman. “Seth’s not here to settle a score,” she continued. “He’s here because his wife’s convinced him to offer information. And you’d better make sure to keep any ego on a leash before you let it get the better of you.”

Roman’s grip on the wheel was almost death-like. But he didn’t snap at her. Not this time. Instead, he just let her comment hang like a taut wire about to break.

Jimmy let out a low whistle, leaning back in his seat. “Man, I ain’t ever seen anyone talk to you like that before, Uce.”

“Shut up,” Roman muttered, though there was no real venom in his voice.

As the SUV slowed to a stop at their destination—a deserted parking lot on the outskirts of the city—Roman scanned the area with a practised eye. The single streetlamp overhead cast long, spidery shadows across the cracked pavement, and the only other vehicle in sight was a dark sedan parked a safe distance away.

Nate was already unbuckling her seatbelt, her movements quick and efficient. “Stay here,” she said without looking at Roman. “I just need to make sure they’re ready for… Uh, well, you.”

Roman’s gaze narrowed, his lips curving into a faint, wolfish grin. “You actin’ like I can’t handle myself, Volkov.”

“I’m acting like someone who knows a shitshow when she sees one,” Nate shot back, her tone edged with just enough sarcasm to make him pause. “Give me five minutes.”

He stared at her for a long moment, the weight of his scrutiny pressing down on her like a physical force. But to her credit, she didn’t flinch.

“Fine,” he said at last, leaning back in his seat with a sigh. “But don’t take too long.”

As Nate stepped out of the SUV, the twins exchanged a look of disbelief.

“You see that?” Jey whispered, elbowing Jimmy. “She’s got him on a leash, man.”

Jimmy grinned, shaking his head. “Ain’t no leash. She’s jus–”

“Enough,” Roman growled, cutting off their laughter with a single word.

But even as he said it, he couldn’t shake the strange sense of unease coiling in his chest. He watched Nate approached the sedan, her silhouette sharp and unyielding against the harsh glow of the streetlamp.

“Man, she’s somethin’ else,” Jey muttered under his breath.

“Yeah,” Jimmy agreed quietly. “But, uh, you think she’s… worth it?”

Roman didn’t answer. Instead, his gaze remained fixed on Nate, his thoughts a tangled web of doubt, frustration, and something dangerously close to admiration.

In the rear end of the car, Solo shifted, his eyes narrowing as he also watched Nate, but with an intensity that bordered on hostility.

“She’s takin’ liberties,” he hummed.

“Yeah?” Roman said, eyeing Solo in the rearview mirror. “You got a problem with that?”

Jaw tightening, Solo refused to reply. The silence that followed was heavy and oppressive—Roman practically felt the heavy tension between them, thick enough to choke on.

Nate adjusted her jacket against the chill of the evening as she stepped out and away from the SUV. She needed this meeting to go well. She knew that there’d have to be some… discussion prior to bringing Roman into the equation, but she wasn’t prepared for just how much the idea of explaining Roman’s involvement to Seth would feel like walking into a minefield.

Seth Rollins wasn’t exactly known for his restraint, and based on what Roman had told her about their history… it wasn’t going to be a friendly reunion.

As she approached them, Becky noticed her and gave a sly smile. She had one arm casually slung around Seth’s shoulders, leaning into him like they were in their own world. Seth, meanwhile, glanced at Nate with open curiosity and mild suspicion.

“You’re finally here,” Becky said. “Thought maybe you’d changed your mind about meeting the second-best architect in New York.”

Nate raised an eyebrow. “Second-best? You finally admitting defeat?”

Becky laughed. “Not a chance.”

Nate’s attention turned to Seth, who studied her carefully. He wasn’t what she expected—not entirely, anyway. His sharp eyes gave him an air of unpredictability, and his grin held a touch of mischief. But there was something grounded about it, too, like he was the only one keeping Becky tethered to reality. And… possibly vice versa.

“And you must be Seth Rollins,” Nate offered a hand. “Thanks for coming. Becky told me… a bit about you.”

Seth clasped her hand, his grip firm but not overbearing. “Yeah, well, Becks tends to leave out the boring parts. So what’s the deal? She said you needed help, but she wasn’t exactly handing out details.”

Nate hesitated. She wasn’t one for oversharing, but there was no avoiding this part. “We’ll get to that,” she said, glancing at Becky for support. “But first… I just need to let you know… something.” She cringed a little at her inability to correctly construct what was sure to be a groundbreaking revelation for both of them. “The other… person I’m working with. It’s… Well, it’s someone you’ve… known before?” Nate clasped her hands together, furrowing her brows at Seth.

Becky immediately straightened, sensing the apprehension in Nate’s voice. “Oh, God, Nate, who?”

Nate looked between them, weighing her words carefully. “Uh… Roman Reigns.”

The reaction was instant. Seth stiffened, his jaw tightening as he pulled his hands up to his head like he’d been burned. “Nope,” he said flatly, stepping back. “I’m out.”

Becky blinked, caught off-guard. “Seth—”

“No way,” he cut her off, pacing a short distance away. “I’m not working with that guy. Are you serious, Becky? You couldn’t warn me about this?”

“I didn’t know either!”

Nate held up a hand, trying to calm him. “Look, I know—”

“No, you don’t know,” Seth interrupted, pointing at her. “That guy? He’s a control freak. Thinks he’s better than everyone else. Hell, he probably still thinks he owns the damn universe.”

“Hang on, that’s not fair,” Nate said curtly, surprising even herself with the edge in her voice. Seth’s eyes snapped to her, but she didn’t hesitate. “Not based on what I’ve been told, anyway.”

“Ohhh of course, he’s told you everything, right?”

“Seth–”

“He’s told you allll about the times he got all the credit, he got all the adulation from everyone we ever came across. And all about the time I was told, I was promised, an out if I took him out!”

“No, he hasn’t told me about the charisma he clearly possesses more than you do, but he definitely told me all about you pulling a gun out on him out of nowhere after years of loyalty,” Nate gritted her teeth, swallowing her words as soon as she said them.

Seth’s brows angled downward as he glared at Nate. He was already ready to go back into his hole and crack open a beer. But his wife had dragged him here, meaning it had to have been important. But still…

“I’m not getting dragged into whatever ego trip he’s on this time.”

Nate took a steadying breath, reining in her impulse to defend Roman further. She wasn’t here to argue; she was here to get Seth on board. Focus.

“Look,” she said, lowering her voice, “I’m not asking you to be his best friend. I’m asking you to help me. My family could be in danger—my little sister could be in danger. People are already dead because of this, and if we don’t get to the bottom of it, there’ll be more.”

Even though Seth’s expression hardened, he didn’t walk away. So Nate pressed on, sensing an opening.

“I get it,” she said softly. “You don’t like him. I’m not asking you to. But this isn’t about Roman—it’s about stopping this mass assassination. A military-grade shipment of weapons stolen in plain sight. Damian Priest. Gone. Bad Bunny and his men. Gone. Some of the most powerful people I’ve personally ever met. Whoever is behind it, has the balls to take out an entire underground, and I’ll be damned if my family is next. My sister is twenty-years-old. Barely experienced the world. I’ve protected her up until now, but who knows how much further that can go?” She licked her lips, taking a tentative step toward Seth.

“Surely you must know what that feels like… the need to protect your family.”

She let the words hang there for a minute, knowing the implication would hit him. Seth’s gaze moved to Becky, who was watching him carefully. The subtle shift in his expression told Nate she’d struck a nerve.

“You don’t play fair, do you?” Seth muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. “You’re just like her.”

Nate glanced at Becky, who smirked at her husband. “Told you she was a smart one,” she said. “And for the record, she’s not wrong. This is bigger than any grudge any of us have.”

Seth sighed, looking between the two women. “Damn it,” he grumbled. Finally, he turned to Nate. “Fine. I’ll help. But don’t expect me to be nice about it.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Nate said, a small smile on her face as she did.

Seth squinted his eyes at her, but there was no real malice behind it. “You better know what you’re doing,” he said.

“I always do,” she replied. Then, after a pause, she added, “Thank you. Really.”

Seth waved her off, already walking back toward Becky. “Yeah, yeah. Don’t make me regret this.”

“Noted,” Nate agreed with a nod before swiftly turning and heading back to the SUV to retrieve Roman. A small wash of relief took her; convincing Seth to work with Roman, even if brief and loose, would never be an easy feat. But she’d done it.

She pulled open the car door and slid halfway inside, immediately sensing the anticipation dwelling on the inside, with Roman sitting stone-faced and the rest of his crew watching her expectantly.

“Well?” Jey asked first, leaning forward slightly.

“It’s… complicated,” Nate admitted, looking directly at Roman. “It’s probably best if you come alone. Seth’s already skittish, and adding more of an entourage won’t help.”

Jimmy and Jey exchanged glances but didn’t argue. Sami nodded diplomatically. “Yeah, probably doesn’t help if we roll in looking like we’re about to start a turf war.”

Solo, on the other hand, scowled. His arms were crossed, his usual stoic demeanour giving way to something closer to frustration. “You want him to go alone?”

“It’s not ideal,” she carefully accepted. “But it’s the best chance we have of keeping things somewhat civil. Neutral.”

The enforcer’s glare shifted to Roman, silently challenging him. Roman exhaled through his nose, the barest flash of irritation crossing his face. “I’ll be fine,” he affirmed, locking eyes with Solo. “You don’t need to babysit me.”

“Ain’t about babysittin’,” Solo stiffly countered. “It’s about makin’ sure you safe, Chief. That’s my job.”

Roman’s gaze softened just enough to be noticeable. “And you do your job better than anyone… But this ain’t a fight, Solo. It’s a conversation. Let me handle it.”

Solo hesitated but eventually nodded, though his posture remained rigid. On guard. Nate noted the exchange but didn’t comment, instead nodding toward the door. “Come on, bol’shoy paren’,” she said to Roman. “Let’s get this shit done.”

They both stepped out into the cool night air, the silence between them stretching as they walked. Nate glanced at Roman, noticing how his jaw was already clenching as he caught the distant sight of his former brother, and let out a heavy sigh.

“Don’t be a bitch about this, alright?” she breathed, her tone light but pointed.

Roman shot her a sidelong look, one dark eyebrow arching. “You think I’m incompetent, Princess?”

Nate smirked, a spark of mischief lighting her eyes. She tilted her head slightly, her British accent dropping with playful mockery. “Oh, I definitely don’t think you’re incompetent, darling.”

Roman’s lips twitched, his expression briefly cracking with a mixture of amusement and annoyance. He didn’t miss the way she emphasised the word, the memory of their most recent encounter whispering between them like a live wire. “Watch it,” he teased, the heat in his tone anything but malicious.

They reached the middle of the parking lot, where Seth and Becky were waiting by their car. As soon as Roman and Seth locked eyes, the tension skyrocketed. It was like watching two apex predators sizing each other up, neither willing to back down. Roman stood tall, his presence commanding as always, while Seth leaned casually against the car, his smirk a deliberate provocation.

Nate exchanged a quick glance with Becky, who looked equally bewildered by the sudden standoff. “What the fuck…” Becky mumbled under her breath, looking between the two men.

“Don’t ask me,” Nate replied quietly, crossing her arms. “I think this is just… testosterone.”

The silence stretched out uncomfortably until Nate finally decided to intervene. “Right,” she said, clearing her throat. “What have you got for us, Seth?”

Without breaking eye contact with Roman, Seth pushed off the car and gestured toward the trunk. “Back here.”

Roman frowned. “Why?”

Seth glanced at him with an unreadable facade.

“Because I’m going to kill you, put you in my trunk, and piss on your corpse,” he said with a deadpan delivery.

Becky audibly groaned, her head falling into her hand. “Jesus, Seth…”

It was hard to tell if the emotion that caught Roman was amusement or annoyance.

“Charming,” he said dryly.

“Hey,” Seth shrugged, “Just getting it out of my system.”

“Done yet?” the Samoan asked flatly.

“Not even close,” Seth shot back, opening the trunk.

Becky sighed, leaning toward Nate. “This is going great, don’t you think?”

“Oh, swimmingly,” Nate snorted, thick with sarcasm. Roman and Seth could continue their silent battle of wills if they wanted, but for now, she was more concerned about keeping the night from devolving into chaos.

Seth motioned toward the open trunk, revealing a stack of folders and a laptop that looked like it had seen its fair share of back-alley dealings. He picked up the top folder, flipping it open too casually, considering the weight of the information inside.

“Here’s what I’ve got,” he began, his tone switching to professional. “I’ve been keeping tabs on movements that feel… off. Have been for years, call it a… hobby of sorts. Funds shifting around, old accounts suddenly waking up—things that don’t scream ‘legit.’” He glanced at Roman, smirking a little. “So, when exactly did this shipment of yours go missing?”

“September,” Roman replied.

“Hmm,” Seth murmured, pulling out a piece of paper with a handwritten timeline. “Figures.” He looked at Becky briefly before continuing. “You said Damian Priest was taken out during the same event, right? What’d it look like? Close quarters? Long range?”

Roman exchanged a look with Nate, acutely aware of her close connection with some of The Judgement Day members. “Sniper. Precise. A single shot between the eyes.”

Seth’s eyebrows lifted slightly. “Interesting. That’s not just skill, that’s money—serious money. You want that kinda precision, you’re not hiring your cousin’s buddy from down the block. You’re bringing in someone with credentials.”

Roman crossed his arms, narrowing his eyes. “Professional. Just like we thought.”

“Yeah, that’s what I’m saying…” Seth gave him a look that screamed obviously, before pulling out another folder, opening it to reveal a printout of a bank statement. “Now, here’s where it gets fun. I’ve been tracking some weird transfers—big ones. They’ve been popping up since late August. All routing through an account I haven’t seen active since 2015.”

Nate leaned forward slightly, looking down at the statement. “And the account belongs to…?”

Seth tapped the paper with a finger. “Back in the day, it was listed under the name ‘Shattered Dreams Armory.’ A nice little alias for weapons trading. But now?” He flipped to another page, showing a different name associated with a recent transfer. “It’s going under ‘Viper Machinery.’”

Roman’s brow furrowed, and he exchanged a quick glance with Nate, who was visibly processing the information. “Viper Machinery,” Roman repeated under his breath before shaking his head slowly. “I’m not sure I’ve heard of it.”

“Not surprising,” Seth said. “Whoever’s running it is smart. They’re keeping their tracks covered. But these transfers?” He pointed down at the statement. “They’re big. Someone’s moving a lot of money, and they’re using old channels to do it. Feels like someone’s waking up old ghosts to pull this off.”

“You got specifics? Dates? Amounts?”

Seth rolled his eyes at Roman, needling his tone somewhat. “Do I look like I half-ass this kinda thing? Of course I’ve got specifics.” He flipped the page again, showing the detailed breakdown of the transfers. “August, a hundred grand. September, another two-fifty. October, half a mil. All to this account.”

Roman reached for the folder, but Seth didn’t hand it over immediately, instead holding it just out of reach. “You’re welcome, by the way,” he said sarcastically.

Roman’s jaw tightened, and Nate groaned loudly. “Chert voz’mi, bozhe moy,” she muttered, stepping between them. “Can we not do this right now? Just give him the bloody folder, Rollins.”

Seth relented, but not without a small glare from Becky, who was clearly unimpressed with his antics. Roman opened the folder, scanning the contents quickly. His face scrunched up as he processed the information. Shattered Dreams Amory… So familiar, yet so far out of his grasp of recollection.

“You’re welcome,” Seth repeated smugly, leaning against the car, like he couldn’t help himself.

“For what?” Roman looked up at him. “Doin’ the bare minimum?”

Seth grinned. “For not charging you, big guy. Information like this doesn’t come cheap. You should be thanking me.”

“Thank you,” Roman said dryly, making it more than obvious that he didn’t mean a bit of it.

Nate pinched the bridge of her nose, squeezing her eyes before holding a hand out between the two men. “Are you two done measuring dicks, or do I need to referee?”

Seth chuckled, as though he’d just heard the funniest thing in the world, which prompted Becky to roll her eyes and nudge her husband. “For the love of God,” she said. “You’re not twelve.”

“I’m just saying,” he replied innocently, holding his hands up in mock surrender.

Roman ignored the banter, flipping through the folder in his hands, before glancing back up at Seth. “Anythin’ else?”

Seth actually hesitated for a fraction of a second, blinking at Roman like he wanted to say something more but thought better of it. Instead, he confidently shook his head. “On them? Not yet. But if you’re dealing with someone who’s willing to reanimate a name like Shattered Dreams, you’re in deep. And not the fun kind of deep.”

“Great,” Nate mumbled, her patience wearing thin. “Just what we needed to hear.”

Roman closed the folder with a snap. “Let’s keep this movin’.”

Becky leaned against the edge of the sedan, producing a brown envelope from inside the trunk. “Alright,” she began, glancing between Roman and Nate, “My turn. After we agreed to meet, I took it upon myself to make a few calls. Got in touch with a couple of lads who owe me a few favours.”

Nate’s head snapped towards her, sharpening her features. “You what? Becky, are you serious? Why the fuck would you bring more people into this?”

The redhead raised an eyebrow, completely unbothered by the outburst. “Relax, Sherlock. A shootout in a warehouse isn’t exactly the kind of thing people overlook. You think nobody was gonna notice? Someone was bound to find out something happened there eventually.”

“And who, exactly, did you talk to?”

“Finn Bálor,” Becky said calmly, “And JD McDonagh… You know them.”

“That’s exactly the problem!” Nate hissed. “I’ve already had Rhea down my throat, Beck, I didn’t exactly want the rest of Judgement Day sniffing around. I’m pretty sure they already think it was my dad who did all thi–”

“Was it?” Seth flat-out asked. Nate glared over at him, taking a heavy breath through her nose.

“Listen, Rollins, I already don’t like y–”

“Would you relax?” Becky cut her off, holding up her hands. “I was smooth about it, okay? Finn and JD know how to keep things quiet, and you know damn well Finn doesn’t give a shite about anyone but himself.” She folded her arms, staring Nate down. “Besides, I’ve known Finn for years, you think I’d go around shouting your business? Give them some credit.”

Unbeknownst to Seth and Becky, Roman had slid his hand down to Nate’s lower back, giving her a little squeeze firm enough to get her attention. “Chill, Volkov, you’re good,” he said quietly. “Let her finish.”

Nate exhaled sharply, eyes flicking to Roman briefly before crossing her arms over her chest. “What did Dumb and Dumber find then?” she grumbled.

Becky reached into the envelope in her hands and pulled out a clear ziplock bag, holding it up for everyone to see. Inside were several shell casings. “Finn and JD went back to the warehouse to scout for anything left behind. Turns out, there were shells from both your weaponry,” she said, nodding toward Roman, “And the Volkovs.”

“Wow, look at Captain Obvious…” Nate mumbled, huffing a little.

Ignoring the jab, Becky proceeded to pick out a single shell from the bottom of the bag, holding it up between her fingers. “Except this one.”

Squinting his eyes, Roman leaned in to take a good look at it. “And that is?”

Becky handed the shell to Seth, who held it up like he was examining a rare artefact. “This,” Seth began, “Is a casing from a Barrett MRAD sniper rifle. High-calibre, precision-focused, and expensive as hell. Not the kind of thing you pick up at your average black-market arms dealer.”

Nate tilted her head, face contorting slightly. “And where does that get us?”

Seth’s smirk was complacent. “It gets us here.” He opened up yet another folder and laid out a piece of paper on the floor of his trunk with what looked like a transaction log. “This particular rifle? It was registered in 2013 to Shattered Dreams Armory. And we already know that whoever’s behind Shattered Dreams has rebranded into this Viper Machinery nonsense.”

“So, whoever pulled the trigger on Priest…” Roman started, “Used a weapon they got directly from Shattered Dreams.”

“Exactly,” Becky confirmed. “Whoever’s pulling the strings here has been at it for years. They didn’t just steal your shipment and take out Priest on a whim. This is methodical. They’ve got resources and connections that go way back.”

Nate’s hands curled into fists at her sides. “Perfect,” she huffed. “So we’re dealing with a ghost who knows how to cover tracks.”

“You’re not wrong,” Seth said. “But now you know what to look into. Viper Machinery is your link. Find out who’s using it, and you’ll find out who’s behind all of this.”

Nate’s shoulders stiffened, and her voice rose slightly. “And how exactly do you expect us to do that? It’s not like they’re advertising their services on Craigslist.”

“Nate,” Roman stepped in. She looked up at him, her breathing quick and shallow, irritation boiling over. His eyes locked with hers, steadily. Grounding her. “We’re gon’ figure it out,” he reassured. “You’re no good to anyone if you’re workin’ yourself up too much to think.”

Her lips parted as though she wanted to argue. And she did. God, she could argue with a brick wall if it was laid wrong. But the quiet authority in Roman’s tone—and the way he wasn’t looking at her like an opponent but a straight up ally—made her pause. She breathed out slowly, nodding at him. “Okay,” she said softly.

Becky’s brows lifted as she watched the exchange with great interest. “Huh,” she chuckled. “Look at that… He’s not a total arse.”

Seth scoffed a little but didn’t comment, instead gesturing to the folder still in Roman’s hands. “That’s all I can give you for now. But if you want my advice—”

“Did we ask for it?” Roman interrupted.

Seth grinned. “Yeah, yeah, acknowledge me, I get it. Just don’t screw this up, Big Dog. Because if you do, it’s not just your ass on the line. It’s hers too.” He nodded toward Nate.

If this were under any other circumstances, Roman may have just floored the guy. But, adhering to Nate’s requests, he just cleared his throat and tucked the folder under his arms, turning to her. “Let’s go.”

As Roman began making his way back to the car, Nate took a quick moment to give Becky an appreciative glance, mouthing a silent thank you in the process before catching up to Roman with a small jog. Walking back to the SUV, she caught the tiniest flicker of a smirk on the Samoan’s face.

“What?” she asked defensively.

“Nothin’,” he replied, the smirk only deepening. “Just nice to see I’m the one who can shut you up.”

“Don’t push your luck, Reigns, we’re barely back to the car yet.”

Nearing the SUV, Roman’s stride began to slow, casting a wary side glance at Nate. He stopped just shy of the vehicle, and his hand lightly caught her elbow, stopping her in her tracks too.

“You good?” he asked evenly, though sharp eyes scanned her face like he was reading between the lines of a book in a language he couldn’t decipher.

“Fine,” Nate answered quickly, perhaps too quickly. Her guard was up, her tone clipped in a way that Roman didn’t miss. Couldn’t miss. In fact, he hadn’t missed it all night.

“Uh-huh.”

Roman didn’t buy it for a second. The slight tilt of his head signalled he wasn’t going to let her brush him off this time, folding his arms across his broad chest, the folder securely in one hand. “You headin’ back to Tribeca tonight?”

She hesitated, which already told him more than her eventual answer. “Yeah. But I can make my own way if it’s inconvenient, if you’ve got something else going on.”

That stumped him. “What?”

Nate squinted her eyes, confused as to why he was looking at her like she’d just spoken a foreign language. Maybe she’d just spoken in pure Russian and didn’t realise.

“I mean… You’ve got things going on, right?” she shifted uncomfortably, dropping her voice, “I don’t need to–”

“Hold up.” Roman’s tone was calm, but weighty enough for her to happily shut the fuck up. “You don’t need to what? You worried ‘bout me all of a sudden? ‘Cause that don’t sound right, Princess.”

She bristled, a small scoff escaping her. “I’m not worried, I’m just—”

“You’re just…?” He leaned slightly closer, his voice dipping lower. “Go on. Finish that.”

“I’m being practical,” she huffed with a roll of her eyes.

“Yeah, okay…” He was clearly unconvinced, shaking his head and muttering under his breath, “Practical, my ass.”

Nate wanted to argue, even started to part her lips to refute his dismissal, but he cut her off before she could. “We’ll drop everyone off back at my place first, then I’ll take you to Tribeca.”

“Why not just stop at Tribeca on the way?” she frowned. “Makes more sense.”

Roman’s eyes locked onto hers in that stern, cold way they did when he wasn’t willing to negotiate, to argue. “Because I wanna talk to you.”

Brows knitting together, a flicker of confusion crossed her. “About what?”

“Just get in the car, Volkov, or I’ma leave you here.”

Nate stared at him for a moment, debating whether or not to push back, but ultimately sighed heavily and started her way round to the passenger’s side of the car. “So bloody infuriating…” she mumbled.

“Heard that,” he called from the other side of the SUV, the signature smirk back on his face as he climbed into the driver’s seat and instantly turned toward the back seat to pass Jimmy the folder. “Take this. Focus on two names: Shattered Dreams Armory and Viper Machinery. I’ll break the rest down later, but for now, I need you on it. Both of you,” he added, looking between Jimmy and Jey. “We’ll get Tamina on it too.”

“Got it, Uce. We’ll take care of it,” Jimmy agreed, pursing his lips as he perused the documents with Jey attempting to lean over Sami to get a look at it himself, as though he couldn’t just ask for the folder when his brother was done with it.

The drive to Roman’s house was steeped in a quiet friction. Sami and Jimmy chatted quietly in the back, with Jey and Solo inputting here and there, but it wasn’t difficult to feel Solo’s wandering observation, even from all the way in the rear. But the Tribal Chief knew how to handle his enforcer, so he just ignored it for now, focusing on the road.

When they pulled into the long driveway leading to the house, Roman brought the car to a slow stop and cut off the engine. The Usos, Sami, and Solo climbed out, though the latter lingered, gripping the door frame as he glanced at Roman. His eyes flicked over at Nate, seated quietly, her form more withdrawn than usual.

“You’re not comin’ in?” Solo asked.

Roman shook his head firmly. “I’m takin’ Nate back to her place.”

Solo furrowed his eyebrows, narrowing his eyes inquisitively. “Why can’t she–”

“Solo,” Roman interrupted carefully. “Make sure everyone’s good inside. Hold it down ‘til I get back. Won’t be long.”

For a moment, Solo didn’t move, and focused back on the outside in the passenger seat. Unlike earlier, when she might have met his stare with defiance, she simply looked away blankly, as though her attention were somewhere completely unrelated and distant. The shift that even he noticed, left Solo frowning, but his cousin’s authoritative presence was enough to prevent further questioning.

“Yeah. Alright,” he grunted with a reluctant nod, before stepping back and shutting the door.

Roman shifted back into gear and eased the SUV back down the driveway, soaking up the silence that took over the space. It was thick. Not heavy, per se. But it was more… elusive—uncertain, fatigued.

Nate leaned her head against the cool glass of the window, her eyes fixed on the blur of city lights as they made their way toward Tribeca. She wasn’t one to sink into a foreigners space comfortably, but it was hard not to with the exhaustion that began to seep into every inch of her being. The need for solitude pressed on her greater than the need for compliance.

Surprisingly, the large Samoan beside her didn’t push her to talk, his hands steady on the wheel. He’d give her this time, at least…

But, like always, tranquillity never found peace in the lap of a Volkov; a faint, unmistakable growl broke through the monotony—the sound of a stomach protesting its neglect.

Roman glanced sideways, one brow lifting in amusement. “That your stomach?”

Nate sighed, a reluctant smile forming despite herself. “Maybe,” she admitted gently.

The corner of Roman’s mouth curved upward, and he let out a low chuckle. “Damn, you got a beast in there or somethin’?”

The moment felt fleetingly normal—just two people sharing a bit of levity in the aftermath of intense conversation. Nate rolled her eyes but couldn’t stop the airy laugh that left her lips.

“I think it’s trying to mutiny,” she dryly jested, that classic British edge that only some could detect as humour.

“You hungry? We can stop somewhere. Grab somethin’ real quick.”

The question caught her by surprise, and she hesitated before shaking her head. “No, I’m fine.”

“You sure?” he asked, looking at her for a beat longer than necessary before he returned his focus to the road. “Your body’s tellin’ you somethin’, Volkov, probably a good idea to listen.”

The ease of the previous exchange simmered down slightly, the smile on Nate’s face now just a vacant chime of a grimace as she straightened in her seat. “It’s past six.”

Roman frowned. “What, that like a rule or somethin’?”

“Something like that.” She didn’t elaborate, just continued to watch as the road came toward them and disappeared under the car.

The instinct to understand Nate’s habits and the reasons behind them seemed to gnaw at Roman’s psyche; he wanted to press further. Wanted to figure her out. Entirely. But the way she adjusted her posture—the way her shoulders tensed—put a stop to his curiosities. Maybe it was cultural, he reasoned, some family thing he had no right prying into.

“Alright,” he simply said, letting it go.

The SUV fell back into silence, but this time it was softer, less oppressive. Definitely less oppressive than one would expect after such a strange exchange. But Nate’s mind drifted, like it always did in times of energy depletion and thinning patience, but she couldn’t deny the foreign sense of ease she felt sitting there beside Roman. Beneath the complete instability of home, he provided a quiet kind of… security.

A sensation of safety that eluded her elsewhere.

Roman parked the SUV a few buildings down from Nate’s apartment, just far enough to keep the vehicle out of the view of security cameras at the front of her complex. They were out of the way enough that they wouldn’t be interrupted, save from the occasional hum of passing traffic in the otherwise still night.

Neither of them moved for what seemed like the longest minute of Nate’s life. His hands were still on the wheel, knuckles rolling a little as he adjusted his grip. His jaw; tense as he prepared for a conversation he wasn’t entirely sure how to start.

Nate shifted slightly in her seat, fingers brushing against the door handle. The exhaustion had deepened during the quiet drive, and all she wanted was the sanctuary of her own space—a moment to shut the world out, Roman included. Too much on her mind. Too many emotions bubbling beneath the surface.

A few glasses of whiskey, blasting some music, and a hot bath seemed like, at that moment, the best thing in the world.

“Thanks for the ride,” she said softly. It wasn’t too much like her to express gratitude so easily, but it felt different tonight. Tonight, she just felt like a massive burden. A bout of deadweight nobody truly wanted to drag around with them. Like she was in the way, yet… never there when needed.

She made a quick move to open the door, making it clear she wasn’t looking for further conversation. “I’ll head in from he–”

Roman’s hand shot out, his fingers wrapping around her wrist firmly, but not so much that it would hurt her. She froze, breath catching in her throat. There was no malice in the touch, but his authority—his… insistence was what stopped her as effectively as a wall would.

“Not so fast.”

Turning her head slowly, her eyes met his, noting the sharp angles of his face highlighted by the streetlight beside where he’d parked up. The furrow of his brow, the set of his jaw. He didn’t speak at first, his hand sliding up from her wrist to her forearm, a clear goal in mind. Her body practically stiffened as it stopped just short of her shoulder before moving upward again.

When his thumb brushed over her cheekbone—light, reverent—she flinched. It was slight, but Roman noticed it.

His fingers lingered, barely cupping her face now, and his thumb traced the faint but unmistakable cut along her skin.

For a man like Roman, who could be cruel and brutal when necessary, the tenderness in his touch was jarring.

“What happened?” he asked quietly. It was calm, but the undertones were anything but.

Nate tried to turn her head, tried to move out of his hold, but his hand didn’t budge. “It’s nothing,” mumbled. “Really. Just… I slipped, that’s all.”

“Don’t lie to me.” He narrowed his eyes at her.

She sighed, shoulders slumping a fraction in the process. “It’s not a big deal. Things happen, Roman, let’s ju–”

“I said, don’t lie to me,” he interrupted, his tone sharper this time. His thumb brushed over the cut again, eyes darkening as he did. “You expect me to believe you ‘slipped’ and landed on your face? C’mon, Volkov, you’re better at lyin’ than that.”

Her lips pressed into a thin line, her silence speaking louder than anything she could have said.

Roman’s jaw tightened, his patience fraying. “Was it… what’s his name, Alexei?” he asked. Voice dropping an octave.

Nate shook her head immediately.

“Boris?” he asked next, the faintest trace of confusion colouring his words, like the concept made little sense.

Again, she shook her head.

Roman paused, his hand still on her cheek, thumb still tracing small circles near the edge of the cut. His eyes searched hers, and for the first time during this particular conversation, he hesitated.

“...Dimitri?”

It felt heavy on his tongue, almost too vile to say aloud.

She didn’t nod. She didn’t shake her head. Didn’t move at all, in fact. And the silence that followed was deafening.

Roman’s hand dropped from her face as if her skin had burned him. He leaned back in his seat, his eyes locked on her. The shift in his expression was progressive. The anger rising within him was like a tidal wave, slow and inevitable.

“Your father?” he repeated through a low tremble that barely contained his impending fury.

Nate didn’t respond, just had her hands clasped together tightly in her lap. She couldn’t even look at him in her time of weakness. To her, it was… pathetic.

“What kind of man,” he began, “Puts his hands on his own daughter? Huh? What kind of… pathetic, weak bastard thinks that’s okay?”

She stayed silent, her head tilted downward, but she took in every syllable of what he was saying.

“You’re his daughter,” Roman continued, the words tumbling out now, fuelled by a rage that only seemed to grow. “His blood. You don’t hit your own, Nate. You don’t raise a hand to any woman, let alone your own damn kid. What the fuck’s wrong with him? What kinda sick—”

His voice broke off, and he slammed a hand against the dashboard, the sharp sound echoing in the confines of the car. Whilst Nate didn’t flinch, her chest began to rise and fall a little faster now, a shallowness forming in her breath.

Roman shook his head, running a hand over his face. “I’d never–” He stopped, his throat tightening and his teeth gritting painfully. “I can’t even think about doin’ somethin’ like that to Ava. I’d cut off my own fuckin’ hands first. That’s your daughter, you protect her. You don’t…” He trailed off, hands clenched into fists.

He just… couldn’t shake the anger simmering beneath his skin. The thought of a father hitting his daughter—it wasn’t just foreign to him; it was repulsive. It dug at something primal, something deeply ingrained in his core, and the more he thought about it, the harder it became to let go. But it wasn’t just the abstract idea of it anymore. It was Nate.

And that’s what finally made him pause.

She was sitting next to him, as still as a shadow, staring out of the window like she could somehow dissolve into the night if she tried hard enough. The cool, unflappable Natalka Volkov, who never so much as blinked when the stakes were high, had tears streaking silently down her cheeks.

Roman blinked, as though his mind needed to catch up with what his eyes were seeing. She wasn’t sobbing, wasn’t shaking, wasn’t even making a sound. It was quieter than anything he’d ever witnessed, but it hit him harder than if she’d broken down entirely. She wasn’t just crying. She was breaking—right there in his passenger seat.

For a moment, he just watched her. The sheen of tears clinging to her lashes, the way her chest rose and fell like she was trying to breathe through a knot in her throat. It dawned on him, slow and heavy, that he’d never seen her like this. Ever. Nate didn’t cry. She snapped, she fought, she drank, she laughed. But she didn’t cry.

Not until now.

And it wasn’t just the tears. It was what they meant. It wasn’t lost on him that her guard was always so airtight, so impenetrable, and the fact that she’d let it slip in front of him of all people—that told him everything he needed to know. Whatever was happening with her, whatever had driven her to this edge, it was… bad.

Roman’s nostrils flared in his disgust, his anger, as it rose back up in his chest again. But it was different now. Before, he’d been mad at the idea. The principle. Now, he was mad for her. For Nate.

How bad was it over there?

For years, he’d painted the Volkovs—and every Russian tied to them—with the same brush. Ruthless, cold-blooded criminals. They weren’t people to him; they were obstacles, enemies. And when Nate first came into his life, that’s exactly how he’d seen her. A means to an end. A pawn in the game.

But now?

Roman exhaled sharply, leaning back in his seat and dragging a hand over his jaw. Damn it. He meant it that time he told her she wasn’t her family. She wasn’t like Dimitri. And that was part of the problem. She’d spent so much of her life fighting to impress her father, maybe even to be a better, more powerful version of him, and now Roman hated the fact that he was starting to care.

Care.

Forbidden territory, that’s what she was. The daughter of his enemy. A woman he wasn’t supposed to feel anything for. And yet here she was, unravelling before him. He hated the way it twisted his insides. Hated the way it made him want to protect her, to keep her from whatever hell she was facing at home.

This wasn’t who he was supposed to be. He didn’t care about the women he fucked. Hell, he didn’t even think about them after the fact. Yet since that night at the safehouse, he hadn’t been with anyone else. Not once.

The realisation hit him like a punch to the gut, and it only made him angrier. Just another thing to add to the mountain of bullshit piling up around him.

Letting out a sharp breath, he looked over at Nate again. Her face was angled toward the window, but her hands were clenched tightly in her lap. He could see the faint tremor in her fingers.

“Nate,” he said finally, yet a little rougher than he intended.

She didn’t turn.

“Nate, look at me.”

So she did, albeit slowly with her eyes still shining with unshed tears.

“How did it happen?” he asked.

She held off on an answer. Half-wishing that this conversation never even started in the first place. Then, as if the dam had cracked, she breathed out and began to speak.

“They told Katya,” she said quietly, distantly, “That she’s going to marry Alexei in February.”

Roman tilted his head. “Alexei,” he repeated. “The guy your old man’s pushin’ into business?”

She nodded, her gaze drifting again, as though she were replaying the memory in her mind. “She’s so sweet, Roman,” she murmured, almost to herself. “She’s not like us. Not like me. She’s… pure.” Her breath caught, but she kept going. “I’ve tried so… so hard to keep her away from all of this. But now they’re dragging her into it, and she doesn’t even know what she’s being dragged into.”

He noted how her voice softened when she talked about her sister, how her hands tightened in her lap as if trying to hold herself together.

“You told them no,” he half-asked.

Nate nodded, her lips pressing into a thin line. “Of course, I told them no,” she said, her voice finally gaining some edge. “But no one tells my dad no. Not without…” She gestured vaguely toward her cheek, her meaning clear.

Roman’s eyes narrowed as the pieces clicked into place. “You stood up to him.” A hint of… pride, perhaps—creeping into his tone. She shrugged, the facade slipping back into place, though not quite as solid as before.

“Someone had to,” she said matter-of-factly.

He let out a low huff, almost a laugh, humourless and dry. “You’re outta your damn mind,” he shook his head. “You know that?”

She smirked faintly, the first real emotion that touched the realm of positive, he’d seen from her since they parked. “Yeah. I’ve been told.”

“You’re not like him, y’know,” Roman suddenly interjected, the caught-off-guard expression on Nate’s face more endearing to him than it should’ve been. “You’re not like your old man,” he repeated. “I know I told you that before, but I meant that shit.”

Even though she didn’t respond immediately, it was noticeable how the tension in her shoulders, and all the way down her back, softened. Like… she was relieved. And he didn’t elaborate, didn’t push. He didn’t need to. She’d been getting better at seeing through him, and she saw through him now. Whatever else he felt—anger, frustration, pride—he buried it under the same stubborn mask he always wore.

And she let him, because she got it.

And the quiet that stretched like the one after a storm that promised another was on the horizon, wasn’t awkward. Just heavy. Roman rested his hand on the steering wheel, his gaze fixed on the street ahead, while Nate sat motionless beside him. At first, he thought she was about to leave, but something stopped her.

Her eyes narrowed a bit, a slight furrow in her brow as her teeth caught the edge of her bottom lip. She was thinking, deeply, about something; he saw it in the harshness of her swallow, in the small, involuntary twitch of her fingers against her lap.

Shifting in her seat, she leaned back before leaning forward again, clearly unsure of how to approach whatever was on her mind.

“Nate,” Roman said, cutting through her thoughts. “What is it?”

She faltered, tightening the muscles in her jaw. Then, with a minute, shaky breath, she spoke.

“Could you…” She trailed off, biting at her lip again before starting over. “I was just wondering if—actually, no. Forget it, it–”

“Nate,” he interrupted firmly enough to stop her spiral of second-guessing.

She exhaled sharply, shoulders deflating as she tried again. “Could you do me a favour?”

Roman arched a brow, glancing at her out the corner of his eye. “Depends on the favour.”

“Nothing… crazy,” she rushed to explain, a nervous edge creeping into her words. “And honestly, if you can’t, it’s fine. I get it. You’ve got your own stuff, and I don’t want t–”

“I’ll do it.”

She blinked at him, startled by how quickly and definitively he’d agreed. “You don’t even know what it is,” she tilted her head.

“Does it matter?”

“You love to play the hero, eh?” she huffed through a soft, incredulous laugh.

He shot her a look that was half-warning, half-amused. “I’m not a hero. What d’ya need, Princess?”

Fidgeting with one of the buckles on her leather jacket, she hummed. “I uh… I need you to put me in touch with Tamina.”

“Tamina?” Of all the things she could’ve asked, that wasn’t what he expected.

“Yeah.” She looked up at him, already seeing the question in his eyes before he could ask it. “I need to sort something out,” she said. “I need information on someone, and Tamina… she’s the best at finding things, right?”

There was no hesitation when he nodded almost instantly. “Alright.”

That simplicity caught her off guard. “Just like that?” she asked, squinting at him like he had an ulterior motive.

“Just like that,” he confirmed.

Honestly, she was expecting to have to go into details, to convince him to let her talk with Tamina, but apparently not.

“O-okay,” she finally uttered. “Can you give her my burner number?”

“Your burner?”

She nodded, glancing away briefly before meeting his eyes again. “I can’t leave any trace of this. Not at home, not on my regular line. Nothing. I’m being serious, Roman, this needs to stay off the radar.”

As much as she expected him to press for answers, he wanted to. It was just part of who he was; the constant need to be aware of everything that’s going on, not content with the thought of not being in the know about something he is indirectly aiding. But Nate clearly had her reasons, and if those reasons meant she had to go to these lengths to actually ask him for help, he wasn’t about to argue it.

“Fine,” he mumbled, reaching for his phone from his pocket to make a note for himself. “You’ll hear from her soon.”

“Okay…” Nate sat in silence as she watched his long thumbs move over his phone screen, her thoughts clearly still racing, her own fingers drummed lightly against her knee. She couldn’t help the shifting in her seat, and the need to take slow, deep breaths.

Eventually, her hand hovered near the door handle, but she didn’t open it yet. Instead, she turned toward him, a faint, almost imperceptible smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

“Thank you,” she whispered, carrying a note of sincerity even he wasn’t prepared for. He raised an eyebrow, now averting his gaze back to her.

“For what?”

“For… I don’t know.” She stumbled on her words, then let out a small laugh, muttering to herself, “Ya chertovski nenavizhu sebya…” She cleared her throat. “For not making this harder than it already is, I guess. For just saying yes without asking too many questions.”

Roman shrugged, placing his phone on the dashboard. “You needed somethin’. I said I’d do it.”

There it was again—that simplicity. So infuriatingly matter-of-fact. Nate felt a warmth bloom in her chest, but she shoved it down before it could spread too far and too wide. She leaned forward slightly, taking in the details of his face as if trying to decide whether or not she should do what she was thinking of doing. What her body was telling, ordering her to do.

Before she could talk herself out of it, she proceeded to lean in closer, her lips brushing softly against Roman’s cheek, just above where his beard meticulously bordered the rest of his face. A kiss so quick and delicate that it almost didn’t happen.

Freezing for half a second, Roman’s body came to a stop at the unexpected gesture. She lingered just long enough for him to feel the warmth of her spearmint breath, the faint scent of her perfume protracting in the process. And the shampoo she used, clear-as-day vanilla with the smallest hint of rhubarb, coming together with the cocoa butter lotion left as an after-aroma.

Intoxicating.

When she pulled back, there was something gentle behind her honey eyes—something vulnerable. “Thank you,” she said again, more as a mumble this time.

He didn’t answer, just kept the dark fix of his gaze locked on her with an unreadable countenance.

Alas, she cleared her throat once more, straightening up as she reached for the door handle again. “Keep me in the loop, okay? About those folders Seth gave you. I want to know what else is in there.”

Roman nodded once, curtly and with an air of finality. “You’ll know.”

Nate opened the door and slipped out of the car, the cool night air hitting her as she turned back to face him.

“Goodnight, Reigns. Don’t get yourself killed,” she said, a smirk appearing in the limited light. He mirrored, switching on the engine and resting his forearm over the steering wheel.

“G’night, Princess.”

With one last tight-lipped smile, she shut the door and made her way toward the apartment building, her figure disappearing into the shadows. Roman sat there, staring at her fading form in the side-view mirror, the faint impression of her kiss still lingering on his cheek like a ghost.

He didn’t even move until she was completely out of sight, until he knew she’d gotten inside the building, and it wasn’t even until he was halfway home that he realised she’d played on his mind the whole time. Never once left a single iota of brainpower for anything else. She was getting under his skin in ways he hadn’t anticipated, more than she ever had done up until that moment, and he wasn’t sure how to feel about it.

All he knew was that, for reasons he didn’t want to admit, he found himself admiring her all over again.

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