Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"Oh no." You sigh as you scramble to finish up your makeup and find your shoes.

You're going to be late to work once again if you don't hustle. Fanning your eyes with your free hand to dry up your fake lashes into their place you struggle to pull your flats on with your other hand.

"There, okay." You manage to get your shoes on and grab your purse by the door on the way out then hurry to your car.

You praise the fact that your commute to work is short and you usually don't run into much traffic as you pull into the parking lot and dig your work pass out of your absolute mess of a purse.

"Evening, Y/N." The security guard at the front gate smiles at you as you pass him.

"Evening." You flash him a bright smile and your work pass as he pulls the door open for you. "Have a nice night." You call as you whiz passed him into the building.

Down in the arena, Tony and Excalibur are all wired up and ready to go at the top of the hour. All that remains is you, the third member of the commentary team.

"You see her anywhere?" Tony glances around the arena at all the fans and crew in attendance tonight.

"No." Excalibur shakes his head. "Oh, wait. There she is." He nods to the side entrance to the arena as you hustle past the curtain and towards the table.

"Sorry, I'm late!" You slip into your seat and wire yourself up as fast as you can. "Lost track of time, again." You mentally scold yourself for being such an airhead.

"You made it in time, that's all that matters." Tony comforts you.

You nod as thanks and the little red light on the booth switches on to indicate the show is now live and on the air.

"Hello everyone and welcome to AEW Dynamite!" You raise your mic a little bit and start the intro with an upbeat tone as usual.

"Boy do we have a show for you tonight, folks." Excalibur buts in with the next line.

Tony takes it from there and you settle in for the night. While Tony talks you take a look over the script for the night and plan accordingly.

"And to start what is sure to be an eventful night. We have, John Silver of the Dark Order teaming up with Hangman Adam Page!" You call the upcoming card before the show goes to commercial.

Back behind the curtain, Darby plays with his hands nervously as he peers out of the curtain at the commentary table. He's up next in a match against Hangman and John Silver and he's teaming with Cody.

"What's got you all worked up?" Cody's hand hitting his shoulder breaks Darby from his inner thoughts.

"What? Oh, nothing." Darby shakes his head. "I'm fine." He insists with one more glance at the table.

Truth is, Darby is head over heels for a certain bubbly commentator and doesn't know what to do with himself. Ever since you interviewed him a few weeks back he just can't seem to get you out of his mind.

The two of you are polar opposite though. Which worries him to no end. You're bubbly and sweet, always wearing a friendly smile. And he's rough and broody. Dark clothes and attitude.

"Alright." Cody nods as his music hits. "See you out there." He nods to Darby and heads through the tunnel.

Darby nods and watches him go. A minute or so later Darbys music starts up and he heads out as well.

"And his tag partner for the night, Darby Allin!" You unconsciously nod to Darby as you say his name.

"Darby and Cody have become quite the pair in recent weeks." Excalibur picks up the slack in the conversation.

"Yes, they have." Tony agrees.

You nod along silently with your partners and watch Darby make his way to the ring. You've always found his unusual brand interesting. Never really a fan of dark clothes and skating yourself, you can't deny that Darby makes it work though.

"And here comes their opponents for tonight." You turn your attention back to the tunnel when the Dark Order theme plays.

Hangman and John make their way to the ring and the match gets started. You do your best not to let Tony and Excalibur get all the glory in calling the action.

Soon the match comes to an end with Darby and Cody losing. Hangman is the one to pin Cody for the three count. The decision from the official insights a fight and soon all four men are brawling.

"Look out!" You rise from your chair as fast as your legs can carry you when Darby and Silver come swinging in the direction of the commentary table.

Darby goes through the table via a powerbomb from John and backstage officials start to trickle out to the ring.

"Sorry about the table." Darby groans as he starts to pick himself up out of the remains of the table and finds you in front of him.

"No worries." You giggle at the light-hearted joke and hold out your hand to assist him. "You alright?"

"Me? Yeah, all good." Darby is startled a little when you move to help him up but takes your hand anyway. "I've had much worse landing, trust me." He chuckles lightly.

"Oh, I don't doubt that one bit." You giggle again. "Take care, Darby." You wave to him as you're ushered away by a few of the stagehands so they can replace the table.

Cody comes up behind Darby while he stares like an idiot at the back of your head as you walk away from him and cracks a grin

"Y/N then huh?" Cody chuckles. "Good choice, she's super sweet."

"What? I.....no." Darby stutters.

"Sure." Cody nods with the same grin. "You know she is single. You should ask her out." He presses Darby lightly. "You two would make an adorable couple."

"I...um....." Darby stutters again and just nods his head.

The rest of the night goes much smoother than before. No more men being slammed into your commentary table that's for sure. As the show winds down to a close you head backstage to grab your purse and be on your way.

When you come out of the staff locker room you run into Darby.

"Oh, pardon me." You come to a halt when the two of you bump shoulders. "Darby! Hello, again." You flash him a smile.

"Hey." Darby swallows hard with a nod.

"What brings you back here?" You ask him curiously.

"Back here? Me?" Darby internally starts to panic. "Umm, I.....I was actually looking for you." He manages to get the words out with some effort.

"Me? I'm flattered." You tease with a giggle. "What can I do for you?" You bat your eyelashes curiously.

Darby fidgets with his hands for a moment as he screams internally to just man up and as you out already.

"I was wondering if maybe you'd wanna get some dinner with me sometime?" After what seems like an eternity to himself, Darby finally gets the right words out.

"Yeah! I'd love dinner." You agree right away with a grin.

Darby watches as you pull a pen and pad from your purse and jot down your number.

"Here, give me a call and we'll make plans." You hand him the paper with a little heart in the corner.

"Y-yeah." Darby takes the note and stuffs it in his pocket. "Sounds like a plan."

"Can't wait!" You grin. "Bye, Darby." You dismiss yourself and head out to your car.

Darby stands in the hall for a moment and calms himself down a bit. Once he's calm he takes the note out of his pocket and looks at the small heart at the top then sighs.

AN:

First chapter! What do y'all think? I kind of live for the whole bubbly girl and edgy boy relationship dynamic. I might make a part two for this one about the date.

Chapter Text

You couldn't be happier with your job in AEW as of right now. Not only are you rising up the ranks in the woman division with a title opportunity in your near future, but you've also got quite the budding romance between yourself and a certain hot-headed Englishman.

Despite your future looking bright you've been airing a bit on the cautious side the past few weeks. The reason being one Eddie Kingston, an ex-boyfriend from what seems like an eternity ago. And the split wasn't exactly played out on the best of terms. 

"Y/N, love. You're looking beautiful tonight." You're greeted by the rare sight of your boyfriend smiling like a dork at you.

"Thank you." You giggle and walk over to him. "You don't look too bad yourself there, handsome." You repay the compliment with ease.

"Thank you, love." Pac nods. "Now tell me, what does the night have in store for you?"

"I'm tagging with Shida later tonight, right before the main event." You explain. "Against Thunder Rosa and someone else."

"And I'm sure you'll knock them down easily," Pac replies. 

"That's always the hope isn't it." You nod. "Anywho, I'll let you get to planning with Fennix and Penta." You nod to the two men on the other side of the room. "See you after the show, Hunny." You place a small kiss on Pac's cheek before you head out.

You make the trek from the men's locker rooms across the arena to the woman area as quickly as you can. The less time you spend wandering the halls alone the better. In recent weeks you've been making yourself scarce as not to accidentally run into Eddie.

Alas, fate seems to be a cold mistress. You are almost home free in the woman only area when you turn the corner and run smack into your ex.

"Oh, sorry about that." You huff and try to dismiss yourself without another word.

"Y/N, hey I've been meaning to run into you." Eddie grins at you.

"Eddie, hi." You swallow hard. "How have you been?" You choke out a friendly smile.

"I've been great, sweetheart. And speaking of great, man do you look great." Eddie eyes you up with no shame.

"Thanks." You nod awkwardly.

"Of course!" Eddie nods. "Last I heard you were hanging around, oh what was his name? Pac?"

"Yeah." You nod. "We're dating, actually." You correct him.

"Dating?" Eddie's voice rises an octave. "That so?" He snickers.

"Yeah. It was nice seeing you Eddie, but I've gotta go." You make an attempt to dismiss yourself again.

Eddie nods and lets you go this time. You hurry along to the locker room with a shiver running down your spine.

One of the reasons your relationship with Kingston didn't last very long was because not only is the man a huge narcissist but he's also a controlling asshole when you get him alone.

The next hour or so goes down without a hitch. You get dressed in your ring gear then head out to the ring to tag with Shida for what is a banger match against Thunder Rosa and her partner. 

Once the match is over you are about to make your way to the tunnel and head back to the locker room when Eddie decides that this is the perfect time to spend a little more time with you.

"Y/N, sweetheart. Congratulations, that match was a thing of beauty." Eddie saunters out to the ring with a few of his friends.

"Thank you, Eddie." You find yourself cornered in the ring with no place to go as Eddie approaches.

You desperately look for a way out as Eddie nears the ring. You can't seem to find anything that'll help aid in your escape so you swallow hard and wait for Eddie to get to you.

"Now I bet you're wondering what made me want to come on out here and see you, right?" Eddie finally reaches you with a sinister smile. "Well I was thinking about it and I think that I'd be willing to forgive you for breaking up with me before so we can be together again." He explains.

"Forgive me?" You snort, unable to hold back your disdain for the man in front of you any longer. "Pretty sure there was a reason I broke up with you, Eddie." You remind him with a scoff.

"Excuse me?" Eddie replies. "You wanna run that by me one more time sweetheart?" He gives you a chance to correct yourself.

"You heard me you egotistical dickhead." You roll your eyes. "I'm not interested in anything you or your little posse of wannabes have to offer. In fact, you've got a better chance of Moxley taking your ass back as a friend than you do getting back with me."

You can tell by the look on Eddie's face that you're really in for it now. But the beating you're about to take is worth it to be able to see the look on Kingston's face right now.

"Now you listen here you little skank!" Eddie fumes. "You think you can just whore yourself around this whole roster then pretend like you don't want me?"

You go to make your reply and really start digging your own grave when you notice movement by the tunnel in front of you. You feel relief wash over you when Pac and the Lucha brothers come striding out all at once.

"You'd best lay off mate." Pac makes his way down to the ring with a mic in hand. "You say one more word to her and ill knock your head clean off your scummy shoulders I will." He fumes as he walks.

You've always been a fan of your boyfriend when he gets all worked up and animalistic. You love when he gets all serious and protective over you or his friends. Loyalty is one of his strong suits.

"Aww, what's wrong Eddie?" You laugh at Eddie as he cautiously eyes your boyfriend coming towards him. "Mr high and mighty isn't afraid of Pac is he?" You snicker at the pure anger on his face.

Pac drops his mic and is on Eddie in an instant. Penta and Rey take care of Butcher and Blade which leaves you with the Bunny. She takes a good look at you and runs for the tunnel. Pac and his boys run off Eddie and the rest of his crew then make their way back to you.

"You've got quite the mouth on you, love." Pac makes his way over to you.

"Yeah well, that was way overdue if you ask me." You shrug with a grin and pull Pac down for a short but sweet kiss.

"Maybe next time I should just let you kick his ass." Pac laughs lightly.

"Nah." You shrug again. "I like to watch when you get all worked up." You tease him. "Now come on, let's get out of here."

Chapter Text

Tonight is another episode of Dynamite which means another night of trolling the halls for more lost talents that you can snatch up for Dark Order.

Brodie Lee himself was the one to rope you into Dark Order when you first arrived at AEW. He spun a web of candy-coated compliments and promises that you just couldn't resist.

Now you're one of Dark Order's more popular members. When you're not recruiting with Evil Uno and his crew you're hanging with John Silver and his boys usually goofing off.

"Hangman!" You crack a grin when Dark Order's most recent target saunters into the bar. "Can I get you a drink? Love the shirt, by the way, cowboy." You slide a glass his way.

"Y/N, hey." Hangman nods to you. "Where're your buddies at?" He looks around for John and the others.

"Busy I believe." You reply and pour yourself and Adam a drink. "Doesn't mean we can't have fun though, right?" You raise your glass with a grin.

You knew you liked Hangman the moment you laid eyes on him. Even before you joined up with Dark Order. His unique brand of humor and in-ring style is something to be marveled at.

"Good." Page nods with a grin and raises his glass. "No offense Y/N, but you're buddies are kind of over the top." He chuckles lightly.

"Tell me about it." You laugh with him and down your drink. "They can be a lot, yeah, but we're a family. We look out for one another." You decide to add in a little bit of the Dark Order recruiting speal.

"Yeah, family." Page scoffs and down his drink as well.

You pour another one for both of you and lean against the bar with a content sigh.

"So, how've you been Page?" You ask him with genuine curiosity. "You don't look as exhausted this week." You point out the lack of dark circles around his pretty blue eyes.

"Ha! Thanks." Page nods. "I'm doing alright I guess. Still here ain't I?" He chuckles and raises his glass.

"Yes, you are!" You nod. "And that's certainly something to raise a glass to." You clink your glass with his and drink.

Part of you feels bad for the sad cowboy in front of you. Betrayed by his friends for a mistake any one of them could have easily made. Not that he isn't capable of going it alone.

"I guess so." Page agrees with a small hint of a smile playing at his lips.

The two of you sit in comfortable silence for a moment. Just enjoying the company of one another.

"I heard you were in need of some tag partners next week." You finally speak up after a few minutes and get back on the recruiting agenda.

"Yeah, I'm sure I'll figure something out." Page nods heavily.

"You know, I could easily get John and his buddies to help you out." You offer. "I'm sure they'd be happy to assist."

"Mhm, I'm sure." Page rolls his eyes lightly. "Pretty sure they just want me to join your little cult." He muses.

"Or you know, they just like hanging out with you." You shrug. "You should consider it, I'll even tag along. Make sure they stay in line." You offer.

"Yeah?" The offer piques the Hangman's interest a bit. "You'd do that for me?"

"Sure, why not?" You nod. "I like you enough to tolerate my buddies for a night." You assure him.

"You know you're being awfully nice for a ruthless cult recruiter." Page raises a brow at you.

"Call it charisma." You wink at him with a grin. "And I'm off the clock right now, so this is just good old-fashioned flirting." You add.

"Well lucky me." Adam lets out a genuine laugh. "Alright, tell your boys I could use their help next week."

"Alright then." You nod. "One for the road cowboy?" You raise the bottle to Adams's glass.

"Go for it, angel." Hangman nods.

You fill both your glasses and take a shot with Page before he leaves. You wave at him as he exits and is replaced with John as well as Evil Uno.

"Excellent work, Y/N." Uno praises you. "We've got him right where we want him."

"Oh no." You shake your head. "If he ends up with me that's exactly where he's staying Uno. With me." You correct him. "And if you have a problem with that you can take it up with Brodie." You make your point clear.

"Fair enough." Uno nods his head. "He's yours then." He backs off for the moment.

A week goes by and you find yourself hanging around in the bar with John while you want for Hangman to arrive.

"Adam!" You spring up when the man of the hour finally arrives. "Another stellar wardrobe choice I see." You make a nod to his sunset shirt.

"Thanks." Adam nods. "We should go get changed for the match now." He nods to John.

"Off you two go then." You nod. "I'll wait out here."

Page nods and the men head out to get changed into ring gear. A few minutes later they head back out to you.

"Looking sharp boys, let's go." You nod and exit the bar for the tunnel.

Page and John both nod and follow. You let Hangman go out first then head out with John. You all meet up at the ring corner.

"Knock 'em dead, cowboy." You let Page start the match.

The bout gets underway and you hang off to the side for the most part. That is until your opponents decide to try and cheat and go for Hangman after a failed dive.

"Nope." You slide in front of Page with no fear and block him from harm. "Bye!" You wave to your opponents as they turn tail.

With thr danger gone you lean down and help your injured cowboy back to his feet.

"Well, that one was close." You joke. "How you feeling Hangman? That fall didn't look fun."

"I'm good." Page nods as he stares at you for a moment.

You nod and let him back up onto the apron. John tags him in and Page finishes up the match with his signature lariat.

The bell rings and Page joins you and John on the floor.

"Nice work out there cowboy." You pat his shoulder.

"Yeah, thanks for helping me out." Page nods.

"Of course!" You nod back. "John, let the boss know we pulled a win. Hangman? Join me for a drink?" You offer.

"Sure." Page nods.

You both head back to thr bar and you pour out some drinks for both of you.

"To a hard-earned victory!" You raise your glass and clink it with Adams.

"To a hard-earned victory and maybe a budding partnership." Page adds.

"Partnership?" You quirk a brow.

"Maybe." Page nods. "I have to admit, that little offer of yours is looking better and better by the day." He admits.

"Well, it does come with great benefits." You laugh. "Me including." You add.

"Like I said, tempting." Page chuckles.

Both of you are leaning over either side of the bar now, just inches from each other. You can smell the alcohol wafting from the cowboy's breath as his lips inch towards your own.

Smell turns to a sweet taste when your lips collide with his in a savory alcohol-laced kiss.

"Hell, maybe I am ready to join a cult after all." Adam let's out a slow sigh.

Chapter Text

When you landed a contract with NXT excitement was very well the only emotion that you could think of at the moment. It's been your dream to work for one of the major companies since you were a kid.

Your interview was stellar, your performance review went better than you could imagine. They didn't even want you to spend any time in the performance center. Just gave you a tour of the facility and a start date.

You've been working in NXT for almost a year now and have managed to rise up the ranks with the best on the roster. You constantly put on banger matches with your fellow female talent and have been in a few award-worthy feuds. But no rivalry has ever lasted as long as the one you hold with one, Adam Cole.

You've known Adam since you were barely twenty. Both of you used to work in the indies together, and you've never been friends. In fact, for as long as you can remember you and Adam have hated each other's guts. You don't even remember how it happened. But the bad blood is still present to this day.

"Look who finally decided to show up for work." You snicker at Adam when he saunters into the room after the already been on the air for about half an hour.

"Y/N, what a surprise seeing you backstage." Adam snaps right back with a roll of his eyes. "What's the matter, sweetie? Can't managed to get booked?" He sneers at you.

"You're one to talk, Cole." You roll your eyes as well. "How's working the same three tired storylines treating you? Forever a mid-carder." You let out a small laugh. "And for your information, I'm here because unlike you, I actually show up to work on time."

"Hate to break to ya sweetheart, but you aren't main eventing because of talent." Adam snickers again. "Just a pretty face on a mediocre body. I'd give it a 6, on a good day."

You can feel your blood boil at his words. Adam always seems to know how to push your buttons. Years of being your enemy you guess. But two can play at that game.

"Adam Cole objectifying woman, what a surprise." You laugh. "How long was your last relationship Adam? Half an hour, because that's all you can last?" You decide to hit him where it hurts.

Adam of course goes to make a witty reply per usual, probably something sexual having to do with you, when Roderick Strong decides to cut in.

"Alright, come on Adam." Strong drags your opponent away by the arm.

"Oh come on Roddy, we were just starting to have fun."  You fake whine and wave to Adam as he's dragged off.

Adam glares at you as he's dragged off and you head off to the locker rooms yourself. When you get there you find your resident partner in crime as of late, Toni Storm, waiting for you.

"Y/N, there you are." Toni greets you when you slip into the room. "Where have you been? Wait, let me guess, fighting with Adam Cole again." She reads you like a book.

"Maybe." You roll your eyes playfully. "And hey, I'm almost never the one that starts the fight, so ha!" 

"Mhm." Toni nods with a small grin. "You two just need to fuck already." She muses and picks up her hairbrush.

"Umm, absolutely not." You sneer at the thought. "Never in a million years." You insist.

"Sure thing, whatever you say," Toni replies dryly.

Toni seems to have this crazy idea that you and Adam are actually madly in love and are both just majorly overcompensating for it by finding a way to fight whenever you're near one another. This is of course a ridiculous idea. You and Adam loath one another, always have and always will. But that doesn't stop her from mentioning it to you every chance she gets.

You change into your ring gear and make your way out to the ring with Toni for your tag match against Dakota Kai and Tegan Knox. Two girls that you haven't exactly ever gotten along with. 

The match is quick and you pull a win with Toni easy enough when you pull Tegans tights for a roll-up. Since you technically cheated you and Toni decide to make a quick exit before Tegan and Dakota decide they wanna try something.

You get up the ramp and are about to head backstage when Adam strolls out with a mic and blocks your way backstage.

"Typical Y/N has to cheat to win." Adam snickers into the mic. "Leaving so soon?" He calls you out as he blocks your escape.

"Oh wow!" You keep your cool and laugh. "You must be really desperate for attention. Calling me out after a match."

"What's the matter, Y/N? Too afraid to go at it with me?" Adam claps back with a shit-eating grin.

"Ha! You're on Cole! But don't be surprised when you leave this ring crying to your boyfriends when I hurt those delicate feelings of yours." You turn right back around and head back to the ring with Adam right behind you.

The crowd on the monitors falls deadly silent as you and Adam make your way to the ring. You lean against the ropes with a mic of your own in hand and prepare to put Adam in his place for good.

"You know you're one to call a girl out for cheating Adam, exactly how many times has your buddies had to help you out just so you can get a win?" You start the onslaught off simple this time.

"At least I have friends." Adam snickers. "How many people have you stabbed in the back since you came here? Oh, that's right, everyone." He nods to Toni standing at the top of the ramp. 

"So I'm not a people person." You shrug. "At least I'm not whoring it out to any girl that'll give me the time of day. Umm, did someone say manwhore?"

"Ha!" Adam nods his head at the jab. "Okay, you wanna talk relationships, honey? How'd the last one turn out for you?" He asks you.

This one cuts a little deep. You haven't been in a relationship in years. Not since you were working in the indies forever ago.

"Okay dickhead." You nod, losing your grip on the situation fast. "And when was the last time you ever had a serious relationship? Hmm? At least I know what love is Adam."

This time Adam is the one that's hit hard. Your words cutting like knives. Adam chooses his next words carefully. This whole argument, the whole I hate you ruse is getting old in his mind. The truth is it's been years since Adam has hated you. Sure, he used to loath you back when you both worked in the indies. You'd just gotten out of a nice relationship and Adam was battling with his own feelings for you.

"You don't think I know what love is?" Adam shakes his head. "You'd be surprised. I've been in love with the same girl for almost a decade now!" He shouts, unable to keep in it any longer. "But it seems like all she ever wants to do is hate my guts for nothing more than the principal."

"I......what?" You stop in your tracks.

Memories come flooding back and you suddenly remember how this whole thing started. Fresh off of a breakup you looked to Adam for some comfort and all he seemed to know how to do was talk about the latest girl he banged. Like he was overcompensating for his feelings.

You drop the mic and are out of the ring and up the ramp in an instant. Toni is right behind you as you retreat to the locker room in a flash. You slam the door behind you and collapse into a chair with a huff.

"N/N, hon?" Toni enters the room softly. "You, okay?" She closes the door and walks over to your side.

"All this time, you've been right." You shake your head. "It's been almost a decade, Toni. A decade. And neither of us were smart enough to just talk out our feelings."

"Well I mean, neither of you really seem like the 'let's talk about our feelings' type," Toni replies and pats your shoulder for comfort.

"We aren't, not really." You shake your head. "God, why?" You sigh heavily.

You're in the middle of a self-loathing session when someone knocks on the locker room door. Toni answers for you and finds Adam on the other side.

"I really don't think she wants to talk to you right now, mate." She shakes her head.

"Just let him in Toni." You sigh and compose yourself. "Give us a minute, yeah?" You ask her.

Toni nods and exits the room so you and Adam can talk for a minute. You both sit down and silence falls over the room for a moment.

"So...umm....I'm sorry." Adam is the first one to speak.

"Yeah, me too I guess." You agree with him. "I know how much of a bitch I can be." You chuckle lightly.

"That's for damn sure." Adam teases you. "Just kidding, and I know how much of a dickhead I can be." He apologizes when he sees your glare. "I'm sorry for being a dick to you when you wanted a friend."

"And I'm sorry for being a petty bitch and never considering how you felt." You apologize as well. "Truce?" You suggest.

"Sure, on one condition. You go out to dinner with me." Adam suggests as well.

"Dinner? Really Adam?" You laugh. "We've been screaming at each other for eternity in front of literal millions. And now you wanna get dinner?"

"Oh, you can still scream if you want," Adan replies. "Let's just make sure it's in a different situation." He winks at you.

"Oh get over yourself!" You roll your eyes but with a smile. "Fine, one dinner." You accept his offer.

"Perfect." Adam nods and rises to his feet. "Glad we could work this out." He sends you another wink and walks over to the door like the two of you haven't been mortal enemies for years.

"Bye, Adam." You laugh and shake your head as he leaves and lets Toni back in.

"Well, that was eventful." Toni jokes.

"Shush." You quiet her with another laugh.

Chapter Text

Running late to work once again you hurry down the hall and into Tony's office without a word.

"Y/N, finally." Khan greets you at the door.

"Sorry about that boss, almost got into a little fender bender on my way here." You apologize and plop down behind your desk. "I miss anything?"

"No." Khan shakes his head. "I'll be in my office." With that, he disappears behind his office door.

You nod, glad that he isn't angry, and take the moment you have to pull up your bag and take out your laptop and a drink.

"Okay, what's on the agenda for today?" You ask yourself curiously and pull up the calendar.

A full day of meetings awaits you for the day. And you know that meetings mean paperwork that Tony will probably end up having you get done for him.

On the other side of Daily's Place, Chris and Max are having an invigorating conversation about getting booked better in the coming weeks.

"Look Chris, just let me go talk to Khan." Max insists.

"It's not that simple," Chris replies. "You don't have an appointment, and good luck getting past his assistant." He adds.

"Oh come on Chris, receptionists love me." Max waves his hand. "Just give me an hour, I'll get this all fixed up." He insists and pats Chris's shoulder.

"Alright." Jericho rolls his eyes and lets Max go.

Max makes his way down to the office of Tony Khan and knocks twice on the door. He hears a faint 'come in from a sweet-sounding female voice and grins to himself.

Inside the office, you are in the middle of cracking open a Red Bull when someone knocks on the door.

"Come in!" You shout and lift the can to your lips.

You watch from the corner of your eye as you chug down the contents of your can as quickly as you can.

"Umm, this is Tony Khan's office right?" Max furrows his brows when he steps into the room.

Max is expecting what he usually encounters with receptionists. Some cute girl in a dainty dress and glasses with a smile on her face. Instead, Max comes face to face with the total opposite of what he was expecting.

"It is. Can I help you?" You let your half-empty can drop to your desk and run a hand through your short hair.

"Yeah sweetheart, I need to have a word with the boss." Max dials up thr charm after he recovers from his little surprise.

You may be dressed in what looks like ripped jeans and a t-shirt with a flannel but you're still a receptionist nonetheless. And all receptionists are the same.

"Okay well first off, I've got a name, cojack." You snark. "And second, boss in a meeting right now." Your fingers gloss over your computer keyboard.

"Well I need a meeting with him, it's urgent." Max insists.

"Yeah, I'm sure." You snark again and type a few words down. "Sit down." You nod to the chairs in the room and continue typing.

Max nods, thinking that he's getting somewhere, and takes a seat in a chair close to your desk.

The heat of the room starts to get to you a bit so you strip off your overshirt with a huff and hang the flannel on the back of your chair. Seconds later you can feel a pair of eyes ogling at your tattooed arms.

"Something bothering you, Maxwell?" You glance up at Max from the rim of your glasses.

"Me? No." Max averts his eyes.

"Mhm, bosses next opening for a meeting is tomorrow morning." You glance at the booked calendar on your screen.

"No, I need to see him today." Max protests.

"Well, he's all booked up for today." You repeat yourself.

"I thought I said that this was urgent." Max retorts.

"You did." You nod. "Doesn't mean I care. Pretty sure you and I have a very different definition of urgent." You muse.

Max goes to speak but quells his anger. He knows being pissed off isn't going to get him anywhere with you.

"Okay." He calms himself with a nod. "Can I leave a message for him then?" He asks you politely.

"Sure, I'm sure he'd be delighted to hear from you." You slap on a smile and pull a pad and paper from inside your desk. "Don't forget to sign it." You hand both items over to Max.

You watch from your desk with an amused grin as Max sits down to write down his message. Nothing brings you more joy than pushing the entitled rich boy's buttons a little.

"There." Max jots down his signature at the bottom of the paper and hands it back to you.

"Thank you." You grin and take it back.

Max watches as you read over the letter quickly and rip it from the pad then toss it in the bin at your feet.

"What was that for?" Max scoffs at you in frustration.

"Well if you wanted a better booking for the show Max, all you had to do was ask." You grin up at him. "I do have the authority to make showing changes you know."

"What? Since when do receptionists have the authority to say what goes on in the show?" He looks at you like you're crazy.

"Well, when you consider the fact that I'm not a receptionist." You reply. "I'm a personal assistant." You make sure to put emphasis on the assistant part.

Max is about to go off again to complain about the Gaul on you when the door swings open and Tony walks through.

"Y/N, if you're done giving Max a hard time can you go make a few copies of these for my next meeting?" Tony walks over to your desk and hands you a few papers.

"Sure thing, boss." You nod and head off to the copier down the hall.

"Thank you." Tony nods and turns to Max as you leave.

"Some assistant you got." Max sneers. "She's got attitude."

"Only with the people she likes." Tony laughs. "And it sounds to me like she's into you. Now come on, I've got a minute to talk." He nods to his office door.

Max nods and looks at the door as he walks. He ponders Khan's words for a moment and whether or not he should give you a shot. You are one of the more interesting girls he's met. That's for damn sure.

Chapter Text

"It's good to see you again, dork." You smack your brother on the head when he comes up to hug you.

"Ouch!" Trent complains. "Man, what has mom been feeding you?" He rubs the top of his head.

"Wimp." You stick your tongue out with a grin. "Chuckie!" You turn your attention to the other male in the room now.

"Y/N! Good to see you, shorty." Chuck pulls you in for a hug.

"I know, I'm just that great!" You tease him. "Mom says hi by the way." You refer to Sue. "And she's sorry that she can't make it this time."

"Ah, we've got you this time." Trent shakes his head. "Even better than mom, don't tell her I said that." He laughs.

You got the call from your mother asking you to fill in for her a few days ago and rushed at the chance to see your big brother and his dorky best friend in action again. 

"Okay, so when do I get to meet Orange Cassidy?" You eagerly scan the room for the enigma that is your brother's newest best friend.

"He should be here soon." Trent nods. 

"Great!" You nod and decide to catch up with Chuck a bit.

You are in the middle of talking with Chuck about what you've been up to when the locker room door swings open silently and the man of the hour slips inside without a word.

"There he is!" Trent is the one that alerts you to Cassidy's presence. "Orange man, this is my sister." Trent grabs you by the shoulder and spins you around.

"Hi!" You wave with a laugh. "Great to finally meet you." You hold your hand out for him to shake.

"Pleasures all mine." Orange shakes your hand gently. 

"Oh, Trent you didn't tell me he was a charmer." You joke, "Charm aside, I'm a huge fan of your gimic."

"Thanks." Cassidy chuckles. 

"Of course!" You nod.

Once everyone is settled back down again Trent gives you the low down on what he's been up to lately and what you're going to be doing while filling in for Sue.

"We're mostly fighting with Santan and Ortz at the moment, so you'll be seeing them mostly." He explains.

"Sounds like a blast." You nod along with your brother's words.

"Yeah,  we've got a tag match with them tonight. So you can either hang backstage after our intro or come out to the ring with us. I'm sure OC wouldn't mind keeping you company. Right Orange?"

"No problem, I'll keep an eye out for you if you wanna come." Cassidy nods.

You nod, glad that you're being met with such care. 

"Alright, I guess I'm coming out with you guys then." You are quick to make your decision.

Everyone nods and the boys split off to get changed into their ring gear. You hang out outside in the hallway while they change and decide to check your phone. You find a missed call from your mom and quickly dial her back.

"Hey, mom. You called?" Sue picks up almost immediately.

"Just wanted to check in with you is all," Sue replies. "How's everything going so far?"

"Fine mom, I just got done meeting Orange Cassidy. He seems sweet." You lean against the doorway casually.

"He's a wonderful man." You can hear the smile on Sue's face through the phone. "Just your type." She adds.

"Mom." You laugh and shake your head. "I've gotta go, love you."

"Love you too," Sue replies then hang up.

You lock your phone and step away from the door just in time for Trent and his buddies to pull it open.

"Ready to go?" Trent raises a brow at you.

"Yep." You nod.

The four of you head for the tunnel and you fall back into step with Orange a few feet behind Trent and Chuck.

"So, what do you do for a living?" Orange asks you casually as the two of you walk.

"I'm a trainer at this real nice gym back home." You reply. 

"Nice." Orange nods.

The two of you make small talk until you reach the entrance to the tunnel. You go out with Trent and Chuck first then OC follows behind you three and makes his lackadaisical entrance. The four of you make your way down to the ring and Chuck and Trent both hop up onto the apron.

"So, how long you in town?" Orange whispers with you before the show comes off of commercial and he has to switch back to his character.

"A few weeks." You whisper back.

The show comes back from a commercial and you can see the change in your new friend's demeanor as he switches back to his persona. You hang back and attempt to hold in your laughter at his antics on the sideline to help out Chuckie and Trent.

A few minutes go by and you figure that you mind as well make the most of your time on-air. You skip over to your opponent's corners and send a wave Santana's way since he's the one on the apron.

"Santana, hey!" You call his name to draw his attention away from the ring and his partner.

"What? Oh, well hello there mami." Santana is confused at first but springs into action as soon as he lays eyes on you.

"Hi." You wave to him again with a smile.

The distraction works in your favor and Trent is able to drag Ortiz back to your corner so he can tag Chuckie in. Santana catches on pretty quickly and steps to you. Before he can even get close Orange is at your side like he said he would be and walks you back over to your corner.

"Thanks." You nod to your sunglass-wearing savior with a grin.

Orange just nods since the camera is on him and turns back to the ring.

With your little distraction, Trent is able to pull the win and send Santana and Ortiz packing from the ring. You climb up and meet your brother in the ring with Chuckie and Orange as well.

"Well, shall we boys?" You hold your arms out for the group hug to end the match.

All three men pile into the hug with you and then you all head backstage laughing. After you all get back to the locker room Orange pulls you aside for a minute before you all head inside.

"Hey, Y/N. I was wondering if you would wanna get drinks with me after the show?" He asks you.

"Yeah, I'd love to." You nod, eager to spend some more time with the strange man.

"Cool, can't wait." Orange nods in true casual fashion.

Chapter Text

Your car is silent as it rolls down the road to your best friend's apartment. Not two hours ago you found out you were pregnant, told your boyfriend, fought with your boyfriend, and got dumped. So it's safe to say that you aren't exactly having the best time at the moment.

You hold it together the best you can, not about to cry over your asshole ex that decided that he didn't care about you enough to stick around for you and his new baby. That's okay though, you know that you can get through this without him.

When you pull into the parking lot of Damian's place you find him waiting next to his car. You'd called him after your boyfriend kicked you out and quickly explained the situation.

"Hey, N/N." Damian greets you with a friendly and empathetic smile when you step out of your car.

"Hey." You shut your car door behind you quietly. "Thanks for letting me come over." You thank him for being supportive.

"Of course sweetie!" Damian nods and pulls you into a hug. "Come on, let's get you inside." He pulls you out of the parking lot and into his apartment.

You follow Damian into his apartment and to his living room where you both take a seat on his couch. You aren't there for long before you cant hold in your feelings anymore.

"Oh God, Damian. What am I gonna do?" You sniffle and throw your head in your hands with a loud sigh. "I can't have a kid. I live in a shitty apartment barely big enough for myself." You sob.

"Hey, Y/N it'll be okay." Damian rubs your back gently. "You're strong, you can get through this." He insists.

"I'm not that strong." You laugh at yourself and sniffle again. "I don't have the money or the means to have this kid." Shaking your head you feel a wave of nausea hit you.

Before Damian can get another word in you bolt to the bathroom and toss your breakfast. He comes in behind you and holds your hair back while you hurl.

"Come on, let's get you some water." After you're done Damian helps you up off the floor.

"Thanks, Damian. I don't know what is do without you." You nod with a shiver.

Damian walks you out to the kitchen and gets you a glass of water then you both sit back down and talk for a bit.

"Listen, if you want you can move in with me. I've got plenty of room here." Damien offers.

"Oh, no. Damian, I can't let you do that." You shake your head. "That's asking way too much of you." You insist.

"It's really not," Damian replies. "Come on, I insist." He pushes. "Just think of it as us being roommates."

"I.....okay." You reluctantly nod.

You know that this is what's best for you and for this baby. Staying in your apartment with little to no room for yourself or a baby would be cruel.

Five months later you are sitting on Damian's couch eating a sleeve of saltine crackers. You can feel the baby kicking the crap out of your stomach.

"Ugh, come on sweetie. Give mommy a break." You groan as the baby delivers another kick.

"N/N, you alright?" Damian plops down next to you on the couch with a glass of ice water in hand.

"No." You shake your head and take the water. "This kid is kicking the shit out of me." You complain. "Here, feel."

You grab Damian's hand and place it on your stomach as the baby continues to kick. He grins to himself as he feels the pressure of the kick on his hand.

"Guess he got your athletics." Damian chuckles.

"Lucky me." You roll your eyes playfully and take a sip of water.

Damian laughs again and nods his head at your joking behavior.

In his mind, Damian can't help but scream. In these last few months, he's slowly been falling in love with you. But you don't seem to share his feelings.

"Hey, you mind driving me to the hospital?" You finish your water and turn to your shoes at the edge of the couch. "It's been getting harder to drive with the baby." You gesture to your growing stomach.

"Of course, I'll go warm the car up." Damian nods.

You watch Damian go then struggle to slip your shoes on. When he comes back inside you have just barely gotten them on.

"You need some help?" Damian teases you.

"No." You glare at him.

Damian laughs again and pulls you up from the couch and to your feet.

Flash forward another few months and it's around 3 am. You stand next to your son's crib as he whines in your arms. They ache like you've been carrying thousands of pounds of weight for days as you bounce the baby in your arms.

The bags under your eyes look more like horrible smudged eyeliner and you're at risk of falling asleep at any moment.

"Y/N?" You're broken from your rocking trance when Damian comes into the room with a yawn. "Hey, let me take over for a bit. You look like the undead honey." Damian insists.

Too tired to protest, you let Damian take the baby and trudge out of the room. In your tired state, you walk right past your room and into Damian's accidentally. You don't know what you'd do without him.

A few minutes later Damian comes into the room after finally getting the baby down to find you asleep on his bed.

"Sleep well, honey." Damian pulls his blanket over you and then turns around and heads into your room to sit with the baby for a while.

He takes a seat in your rocking chair and watches the baby sleep peacefully. The baby shares your rosy cheeks and hair color.

Ever since you came home with the baby, Damian has fallen head over heels for the kid. He knows that he isn't the biological father but he sure as hell feels like it.

About a year goes by and you are back on for feet and looking for a new job. You come back home one night with the good news that you found a well-paying job and a new two-bedroom apartment for a good deal.

"Damian, you'll never believe what I found today." You settle down on the couch where Damian is sitting watching cartoons with your son.

"Well, you look excited." Damian laughs, what's up?"

"I found an apartment." You relay the news with a grin.

"Oh." Damian nods. "You're thinking about moving out then?" He speaks in a hushed tone.

"Well yeah, when I moved in I told you I wasn't gonna be a burden on you forever." You recall the conversation you had with Damian almost two years ago.

Your son turns around and scoots over to one of his toys then throws it your way.

"You're not a burden, Y/N." Damian shakes his head and tosses the bear back towards the laughing baby.

"I know you don't think that Damian." You reply. "But I feel bad, you know?"

You glance over at the baby now watching tv again happily. Damian also glances at the kid that he's come to see as his own.

"Please, Y/N. I really don't want you to go." Damian pleads. "These past two years? I wouldn't have had them any other way. I..... I love you, Y/N. You and the kid." He confesses, now holding your hands in his.

"Oh, Damian." You can feel tears welling up in your eyes at his words. "I love you too." You pull your hands away and pull him into a hug. "I don't know what I would have done without you. And I know the baby does too, you might not be his blood but as far as I'm concerned you're his dad."

"So you won't go then?" Damian pulls away from your hug.

"No, I won't." You shake your head. "We'll stay right here, as a family." You pull him back into another hug.

Damian kisses the top of your head gently with a content sigh. The baby giggles at the tv without a care in the world. One big happy family.

Chapter Text

"Taz?" You knock on the locker room door twice and wait for a response.

"Hello?" The door swings open wide and Ricky leans against the frame with his usual cocky grin. "Y/N! Angel, what can I do for you?" He chuckles with a flirty wink.

"Is Taz in there?" You try your best to keep professional. Which is always a struggle with Ricky. "Tony wants to talk to him." You explain.

"Nah, he ain't here angel." Ricky shakes his head. "But you're welcome to hang out and wait for him."

"As lovely as that sounds, Ricky." You cough to hide the smile forming on your face. "Can you tell him to come by Khan's office when he comes back?"

"Sure thing, angel." Ricky nods. "You have a good day now, sugar." He winks at you again and closes the door.

As soon as the door closes you shake your head, unable to keep your smile hidden any longer.

You make your way back down to Khan's office and click the door shut behind you. Tony sits at his desk surrounded by papers and typing away at his laptop.

"Taz wasn't in his locker room." You lean against the desk casually and pull out your phone. "I did talk to Ricky though, told him to send Taz our way when he gets back."

Tony nods and continues to click away at his laptop. You scroll through your calendar at the rest of the events scheduled for the night.

"Y/N, can you take this down to Matt and Nick for me?" Tony speaks up after a few moments of silence.

You turn and take a leaflet of papers from Tony and nod your head. Tony goes right back to work and you exit the office once again.

You weave through the halls filled with camera crew and extra talent on your way to the Bucks locker room.

"Matt? Nick?" You knock twice on the door when you get to the room.

"Yeah?" Nick is the one to open the door.

"Papers for you, from Khan." You hand over the leaflet.

"Oh, alright. Thanks, Y/N." Nick takes the papers with a nod and a friendly smile.

With the papers delivered you head back to the locker room. On your way back you happen to have an unfortunate run-in with an ex of yours. Kip Sabian.

"Woah there, hello Y/N." Kip stops you as soon as he catches you backstage.

"Kip." You nod to him politely.

You look past Kip at the office door just a little further down the hall. He's always doing this to you. Catching you backstage when you have nowhere else to go and forcing you to talk with him.

"Wow, don't you look stunning babe?" Kip grins at you.

"Thank you." You nod politely again.

You can feel the staleness of the air and raise your arms to cross over your chest.

"Of course love." Kip nods. "You know I was thinking, we should get drinks tonight babe." He suggests.

"I don't think that's a good idea, Kip." You shake your head a little.

You clear your throat and shift the weight of your feet. Just wanting to escape the situation.

Luck is on your side when Taz finally shows up for his meeting with Tony. Ricky is in tow right behind him and is the one to spot you.

"Hey! Y/N, angel." Ricky calls after you. "You coming, sugar?" He nods to the office door.

"Be right there." You nod past Kip. "Sorry Kip, but I've gotta go." You nod to Kip and head over to the door quickly.

Kip scoffs and walks off while you head inside the office with Ricky and Taz.

"Tony, Taz is here." You enter the room and slide over to the side of the room.

Tony nods and pulls Taz into a business conversation at his desk, leaving you and Ricky at the side of the room.

"Hey, you alright sugar?" Ricky leans down and whispers to you softly.

"Hmm? Oh, yeah I'm okay." You nod and whisper back. "Just Kip being Kip is all." You shrug quietly.

"You mean he does that all the time?" Ricky furrows his brows.

"Unfortunately, yes." You sign with a nod. "Kip seems to think that we didn't really break up months ago." You laugh it off quietly.

Ricky nods silently and the two of you stand quietly as Taz and Tony finish up their conversation.

"Be seeing you around, angel." Ricky nods to you softly before he leaves. "Hang in there." He adds before he leaves.

You flash a smile at Ricky as he leaves then turn back to Tony who you are sure has more work for you before the night is over.

Later that night you are making your last stop of the night down to the media room before you clock out for the night when you run into Kip again on the way out.

"Y/N, babe!" You are once again stopped by Sabian backstage. "About those drinks, I was talking about earlier." He starts up.

"Kip, I'm busy." You shake your head. "Sorry." You politely decline his offer again.

"Oh come on!" Kip whines. "It's just one drink babe." He insists.

"Like I said, I'm busy tonight." You repeat yourself.

Kip takes a step towards you, intent on egging you on. Before he can close the gap an arm casually slings around your shoulder.

You look up and over to find Ricky smiling down at you casually.

"I believe the lady said she was busy." Ricky turns his attention to Kip. "You ready to head out, sugar?" He looks down at you.

"Yeah." You nod, playing along with the ruse. "Whenever you are, babe."

"Perfect." Ricky laughs with a grin. "You mind moving out of the way, Sabian?" He looks back over to Kip. "Like she said, we've got a busy night planned."

Kip falls silent and walks off without another word. As soon as he's gone Ricky's arm drops from your shoulder and turns to you.

"Wow, you really weren't kidding were you angel?" Ricky looks down the hall at Kip fleeing the scene.

"Nope." You shake your head. "Thank you for that, though." You thank him for his quick thinking.

"Ah, no problem sugar." Ricky waves his hand with a scoff. "Can I walk you out to your car?" He asks you.

"Sure, id love that." You nod. "And I'm not actually busy tonight, by the way." You add with a flirty grin.

"Oh?" Ricky chuckles. "Drinks then? On me?"

"Sounds perfect." You nod as Ricky slings his arm back over your shoulder.

Chapter Text

"Dad! Your favorite buddy is here to see you!" You're standing at the front door of your father's house. "How's it going, Kenny." You turn back and nod to the man at the front door.

"Couldn't be better, as you can see." Kenny grins and flashes his shiny new belt at you.

"Mhm, I heard." You nod and step away from the door. "Come on, dads probably in the den." You let him inside and shut the door behind you.

Kenny follows behind you as you make your way through the large estate that is your dad's place. You're between apartments at the moment so you're staying at home for the time being.

"How've you been fairing on your dad's show? I heard it pretty well." Kenny makes small talk with you while you walk.

"I'm doing just fine." You nod casually. "Looking to grab a title belt for myself in fact." You add.

"Yeah?" Kenny nods. "You still hanging with those two dorks? Motor City Machine Guns?" He asks you.

"Ha, no." You scoff. "I stopped hanging with those losers a while ago."

You reach the door to the den and knock once before opening the door.

"Ken's here to see you dad." You nod to your dad sitting at his bar with a stack of papers. "I'll see you at the show later, bye Kenny." You nod to Kenny and leave to catch up with your dad.

"Thanks, honey. Kenny, good to see you again son." Don raises to his feet and greets Kenny.

Kenny and Don have been friends since Kenny was just starting out in the business. He basically grew up around Don, and around you. Don's eldest daughter and a fellow wrestler.

The two men catch up while you collect your bags and head down to the arena to film the next episode of Impact.

"So, first off. Congratulations on winning that title." Don sits back down on a stool and pours a drink.

"Thank you, Don." Kenny nods. "How've you and the family been?"

"Fine." Don nods. "Y/N's moved back in for a bit while she looks for a new apartment." He explains.

"I heard she's doing well." Kenny nods. "She looks great, bye the way." He adds.

"Mhm." Don takes a sip from his glass.

Don has known for years about the mutual feelings that you and Kenny share but how you also chose to usually ignore them for the sake of him.

The two men continue to catch up and discuss some business dealings with one another as well as a potential partnership with AEW and Impact.

"Well, I think that given the circumstances we should be able to work out a deal." Don shakes his new business partner's hand.

"I look forward to working closely with you again, Don." Kenny agrees.

The pair share one more drink then head out to the arena as well for Impact.

Having already been at the arena for a while and have gotten your daily warm-up done in the facilities gym. You make your way back down to the locker rooms so you can get showered and changed for the show.

"What the hell?" You arrive to your personal locker room, perks of Don being your father. And find it unlocked. "Kenny, God you scared me." You open the door to find Kenny waiting for you.

"Sorry." Kenny chuckles. "I'm here for the night so I figured we'd catch up." He nods his head to the empty seat next to him.

"Oh, done gossiping with my dad so now it's time to move on to me?" You joke and sit down next to him.

"Mhm. You're looking good these days." Kenny compliments you. "It's been way too long since we last talked."

"Well, we've both been a little busy, Ken." You reply. "And hey, you're not looking too bad yourself." You add.

The two of you sit in silence for a moment, neither of you able to come up with something to say.

You've known Kenny for most of your life, had a crush on him since you were old enough to know what a crush was.

"Hey, Ken." You clear your throat and turn to the champion. "What was the real reason you came to see my dad?" You ask him curiously.

"Well, part of it was for a business deal like I said." Kenny shrugs his shoulders. "But maybe I kind of wanted an excuse to see you." He cracks a small smile at you.

"Why?" You shrug as well. "You could have just called." You point out the fact that Kenny could have just picked up the phone at any time.

"I know." Kenny nods. "But you know me, I love theatrics." He chuckles.

"Oh, I know." You laugh with him. "I've got a match I need to get to, but hang around and we'll talk."

"Alright, knock 'em dead darlin'." Kenny nods and lets you go.

You head out to your match with a brain full of a million different ideas. Now might be the perfect chance for you to tell Kenny how you feel about him.

You have a sneaking suspicion that he shares your feelings. Sure he always flirted when you were kids, but that was just to piss off your dad.

You finish up your match quickly and are about to make your way back to the locker rooms when Chris Sabin decides to interrupt you.

"Y/N, baby!" Chris greets you with a shit-eating grin. "Phenomenal job out there sugar, what you say to us getting out of here and celebrating?" He asks you.

"No thanks, Chris." You snark. "I've moved onto bigger and better things." You assure him with a grin.

"Bigger and better huh? Well sugar, I think we both know it doesn't get bigger and better than me." Chris replies with another grin.

"Oh it definitely does." You hold back a laugh when Kenny pushes Chris aside and heads down the ramp. "And bigger and better also has gold." He flashes his belt with a cocky grin.

"Looks like you've been outplayed Sabian." You laugh. "Bye!" You wave to him as Kenny slips into the ring.

In one fluid motion, Kenny has his arms around you as well as his lips on yours.

"Promise you aren't just here to piss my dad off?" You giggle.

"Not this time darlin'," Kenny assures you with a dreamy smile before kissing you again.

Chapter Text

"Yes, thank you, Uno." You roll your eyes at your colleague. "If that's all, I've got places to be." You rise to your feet and step away from the table.

"Oh yeah?" Uno snacks at you. "Where? Off to see your alcoholic cowboy again?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I am." You nod. "Why? You jealous that I've got a friend and all you have is followers?" You snark back at him.

"Whatever." Uno rolls his eyes at you.

It's been a few months now since you caught the attention of one depressed cowboy. Normally you'd spout some Dark Order speel and get Hangman to join up with you and the rest of the posse. But it's different with him.

You make your way down to the bar and find John and Alex already waiting for you.

"Boys!" You saunter over to them with a smile.

John and Alex are really the only Dark Order members that you can hang around with Page. He tolerates the two of them on your behalf.

"Don't you two have a tag match starting soon?" You slip behind the bar and pour yourself a drink.

"We do." John nods. "Just waiting for you to take over here is all." He adds.

"Yeah, your prince charming should be arriving any minute now." Alex teases you.

"Quiet." You shush your closest companions. "Now off you two go! I expect a win when you come back." You inform them and send the pair on their way.

With the bar quiet again you take a sip from your glass and wait for the arrival of your pretty boy cowboy coming to get a pre-show drink.

"Anyone home?" You perk up when someone knocks against the bar doorway.

"For you? Always!" You grin and raise your half-empty glass. "Drink?" You pull another glass from below you.

"Pour me one up, darlin'." Page nods and takes a seat on a barstool.

You pour Page a drink and top yours off then slide the glass his way with a friendly smile.

"How've you been, Adam?" You ask him curiously.

"Fine. Better now that I'm here." Page knocks back his drink and slides the glass your way.

"Okay, charmer." You giggle and pour him another drink. "You run into John and Alex on their way out?" You top Hangman's glass off for him.

"I did." Page nods. "Making a ruckus as usual." 

"Of course, but you gotta love em." You nod and sip from your glass.  "You booked on the show tonight?" You ask him.

"Yeah, booked for a match against one of those Private Party kids." Page nods.

"And yet you still have time to come share a drink with me." You joke with a laugh. "What a gentleman."

"It's the southerner in me, ma'am." Page fake tips his nonexistent hat to you.

"Well, cowboys are sexy. Especially the ones with pretty blue eyes and a pension for heavy drinking." You reply.

"Now who's the charmer?" Page chuckles.

"I'm a cult recruiter remember?" You joke again. "Charm and charisma are a must in the business."

"That what I've been hearing this whole time then? The signature Dark Order recruiter charm?" Page takes a swig from his glass.

"Not at all." You shake your head. "If this was a recruiting job I'd have roped you in a long time ago, cowboy. And that's a promise." You wink at Hangman with a grin.

"That so?" Page chuckles.

"Mhm." You nod. "There's a reason I'm Brodie's favorite and the best recruiter. I can be very persuasive if need be." You tease with a small smirk.

"Oh, I don't doubt that one bit." Hangman chuckles again and finishes up his drink. "Be seeing you around darlin', take care." He downs the rest of his drink and heads out back to the locker rooms.

A few minutes later and John returns with Alex. Both of them look sweaty and exhausted but still excited.

"You boys win?" You raise a brow at the pair as they make their way to the bar.

"We did." Alex nods and sits down on a stool.

"Did you manage to score? With Hangman, that is?" John teases you.

"For your information, we had a lovely conversation." You roll your eyes playfully at him. 

You share another drink with the boys and flip on the tv to AEW so you can see how the show's running from the ring. You turn the channel over just as Hangman's match is about to end. Page pulls a win with a lariat and you cheer.

"Yes! That's my boy!" You laugh happily.

"Look's like your boy is in some trouble." John nods back to the screen where Mat along with Private Party are now beating on your cowboy.

"What the hell? Come on boys!" You leap the bar and take off in a hurry. 

John and Alex trail after you since you are technically their boss, not to mention they also like Hangman.

You rush through the backstage area and the tunnel then bolt down the ramp to Hangman doing his best to retreat from the beating he's taking. You slide in front of him before Matt can come within reach again and force hardy to take a few steps back.

"Hi!" You turn and take a knee. "Looks like you could use some help." You pat Hangmans shoulder as he struggles to catch his breath.

"Maybe." Page lets out a small chuckle. "You really shouldn't have come out here alone though, darlin'." He insists.

"Hangman Adam Page, have some faith in your girl." You scoff and haul him up to his feet. "Let's go boys!" You give a shout to the ramp.

John and Alex as well as a couple of other Dark Order members file out of the tunnel and down the ramp. John and Alex lead the pack and stop next to you.

"Teach 'em a lesson boys, you don't fuck with Dark Order, or friends of the Dark Order." You nod behind you to your now enemies.

"Will do boss." John nods. "Take care, Hangman." He nods to Page before he takes off with the group.

You sling Adam's arm around your shoulder for support and help him up the ramp and backstage while your lackeys take care of business for you.

"There we are, out of the way." You stop when you find a nice quiet place to let Hangman rest for a moment. "You doin alright, Page?" You ask him with concern laced in your voice.

"Yeah, I'm good. Thanks." Adam nods. "Could definitely go for another drink though." He adds with a chuckle.

"Of course!" You laugh. "Come on then, drinks are on me." You hold your hand out to pick Adam back up.

"A gentlemen always pays, darlin'." Hangman rises to his feet by himself and slings an arm around you by himself. 

"Whatever you say, pretty boy!" You giggle.

Chapter Text

Today is the day, you're about to sign your first official contract with a high profile wrestling company. You've officially made it to the big leagues.

"Hello?" You arrive at the office of the one Tony Khan, the creative man in charge of AEW.

"Come in." You hear a voice reply from inside.

You slip inside the office and close the door behind you. You've met Khan only once before when he approached you about working for AEW. 

"Ah, Y/N! Glad you could make it." Tony walks over to you and shakes your hand. "Before we get started, I'd like you to meet some people. Cody Rhodes and the Jackson brothers." He steps aside to reveal some of your idols.

"Oh, hi!" You try and remain calm and professional. "It's a pleasure to have the opportunity to meet you all." You nod to all three men. 

"Wow, professional." Nick chuckles. 

"Tell me about it." Matt laughs with him.

"You don't have to be so formal, we're all chill here." Cody insists with a small laugh as well.

"Oh, sorry." You let out a nervous laugh and nod. 

"Go ahead and take a seat." Khan nods to one of the empty chairs and sits down himself.

You take a seat along with Cody and the Jackson bro's then business gets started. Tony pulls out a large leaflet of paper and slides it across the table at you.

"I had a talk with these guys, and we think you are just fresh young talent we are looking for here in AEW," Tony explains.

"Yes, we had a chance to see you in action as well as go over some tapes and we all agree that you are a naturally gifted wrestler," Cody adds.

"Not to mention you seem so natural on the mic and in front of crowds." Matt nods.

You internally scream at all the praise. You are sitting in front of four of the biggest men in the industry and they are all singing praise about you.

"Here you'll find a basic two-year contract." Tony nods to the papers. "You can go ahead and look it over, even have your lawyer take a look if you'd like." He explains.

"Oh, I'm kind of my own lawyer." You chuckle lightly. "I was pre-law before I had a major career change." You laugh the fact off and pick up the papers.

Tony nods and you leaf through the stack of freshly printed papers for a few minutes. Everyone else sits by and watch as you talk to yourself as you read.

"Everything in order for you?" Tony asks after you set the papers down finally.

"Yes, it appears so." You nod. "I'd love to sign."

"That's fantastic!" Cody rises to his feet and everyone else follows.

"Yes, we cant wait to see how much you grow here!" Nick agrees.

You sign the papers along with Tony and Cody then he sends them off to legal to be officiated. After the papers are signed everyone asks for a photo so they can promote it on the AEW Twitter page.

You happily take the photo then leave your contact information with Tony and head home for the night. On your way out of the building, you come across someone from the show that you recognize. Normally you'd never have the nerve to talk to him, but you must catch his eye because he's the one to speak up first.

"Woah there, I know you." Max stops you right before the exit out to the parking garage. "Y/N L/N right?" He asks you. "Yeah, I saw Khan and Cody looking at some of your tapes a few days ago."

"Yeah, that's me." You nod, still processing the fact that Maxwell Jacob Friedman is actually talking to you right now.

"Please tell me they signed you," Max replies.

"Yeah, they did." You nod and swallow hard.

"That's great! I watched some of those tapes as well, and I gotta say. You're a real talent, honey." He compliments you with a grin.

"Thanks." You can feel the heat rising to your cheeks at Max's words.

"No problem, and hey we should definitely work out sometime." Max insists. "Here's my number, hit me up when you're free." He forks over a card with his number written on the back of it.

"O-okay." You stutter with a nod.

Max winks and takes off further into the building, leaving you to stew in your own mind for a moment. 

"Holy shit." You turn the card over in your hand.

You head home for the night completely awestruck at the entirety of the night. The first thing you think is that you have to call your family and tell them the news. You are officially on your way to becoming a huge star.

A couple of days later you are packing a bag to head to the gym when a thought pops into your head. The card that Max gave you is staring at you from your vanity. You pick up the card and enter the number into your phone then send a text. You remind Max of who you are and then ask if he'd like to join you at the gym.

A few minutes go by but you soon get a reply. Max expresses that he'd love to meet you at the AEW training gym downtown for a workout in about an hour. 

"No way?" You stare down at the message. 

You didn't think that he's actually replying to you. With the time set, you hurry to finish packing then make the journey downtown.

When you get to the gym you flash the badge that Tony gave you a couple of days ago then head to the female locker room to change. So far you don't recognize anyone but you don't mind much. After you change you head out to the main floor and search around for Max.

"Y/N, there you are!" Max manages to find you first. "How've you been?" He asks you casually.

"Fine, way too excited." You admit.

"Yeah, I bet." max chuckles. "So, shall we get started?" He asks you.

You nod and follow Max across the floor over to one of the small practice rings over in the back corner of the gym. max explains that he'd love to see you in some action and give you some pointers. You, of course, cant refuse.

A few hours later and you are absolutely exhausted. Max has given you more advice than you think you've ever consumed in a day. You slide onto the floor panting heavily and go for your water bottle.

"Yes, a water break sounds great." Max agrees with your idea and grabs his bottle from the bench near him. "You did good, for your first day."

"Thanks." You nod between gulping down water. "I appreciate the pointers."

"No problem." Max nods. "Truth is, I've kind of had a thing for so ever since I saw those tapes a few weeks ago" He admits.

"Really?" You furrow your brows and set your water down.

"Yeah. A natural talent like you? Not to mention pretty and a banging body? Just my type." Max jokes.

"Oh, thanks." You laugh. "Glad to know I met the quota."

"Very few do." Max chuckles. "Hey, you wanna grab some lunch? My treat." He offers.

"Yeah sure, I could go for some lunch." You nod. "Just let me go change." 

"Alright." Max nods and heads off to change as well.

You hurry back to the locker rooms all giddy. This has got to be the best day of your life. And it's about to get a lot better.

Chapter Text

You are just finishing up typing up some legal forms for Tony when he saunters over to your desk with a large stack of papers in hand.

"Hey, I hate to do this to you Y/N." He warns you with a sympathetic smile.

"But you need me to take care of those?" You eye up the large stack of papers in his hand.

"Yeah, again I'm sorry." Tony sets the stack down as the printer whirs to life next to him.

You leaf through the papers quickly while the printer ejects a small stack of its own papers. After looking over the new paper you grab the ones from the printer and hand them over to Khan.

"I'll get right on it boss, fill these out for legal please." You trade the freshly printed stack for the one on your desk.

"Will do, thank you Y/N. Don't know what I'd do without you." Tony takes his forms and walks back over to his desk.

"You'd be drowning in paperwork." You tease as you exit the office with your new papers.

You hear Khan chuckle as you close the door and make your way down the hall. The first paper in the stack reads Chris Jericho over the top in bold lettering so you start there.

Jericho's locker room is across the building so you pick up the pace as to not waste time. You run into a few people and say hello when they pass but ultimately keep on with the task at hand. This massive stack of papers isn't going to thin itself out after all.

"Jericho?" You knock twice on the stars locker room door and wait.

"Yeah?" Wardlow is the one to answer the door.

"Wardlow, hello." You stare up at the much larger male with a soft smile. "Give this to Chris for me will you?" You hand him the folder of papers.

"Sure." Wardlow takes the folder from you and tucks it under his arm. "That all?"

"Yep, bye." You nod and turn on your heel.

The next file is one for one of the Jackson Brothers, Nick to be specific. You make a right down the hall and head for the office of the Bucks since they aren't scheduled for action during the show tonight.

"Hello?" You knock on the office door once firmly.

"Come in." You hear Nick yell from inside.

You head inside and find Nick and Matt both playing some video game on the tv in the office without a care in the world.

"I see you two are hard at work." You snark with a laugh.

"Y/N, what can we do for you?" Matt turns away from the tv and at you.

"Here, have a look at that for Khan." You hand over the folder. "I'll let you two get back to important cooperate business." You tease and leave the brother to their game.

"Yep, thanks N/N." Nick nods as you leave.

You deliver a few more files to some other various talents before one piques your interest. The name across the top reads Jack Perry aka Jungle Boy.

"Oh!" You smile at the name.

You've always liked Jack. The two of you are similar in age, unlike a lot of the other people on the roster and in the company so the two of you get along well. Not to mention you find him super cute and always fun to talk to.

"Hello?" You come to the Jurassic Express locker room and knock as usual.

You silently hope that you get Jack himself instead of Luchasarus or Marco. Your luck seems to be good this time since Jack peeks out from the other side of the door.

"Yeah? Oh, Y/N." He opens the door fully when he sees who it is. "What's up?"

"Papers for you, from Khan." You hand him the folder with a smile.

"Oh, alright. Thanks." Jack nods and takes the folder. "Was that all?" He asks you curiously.

"For now, yeah." You nod. "Have a good night, Jack." You wish him a nice night and head off.

"You, too," Jack calls after you.

You head off and deliver the rest of your stack of papers then head back to Khan's office before he starts to miss you. When you arrive you find him filling out the forms that you gave him earlier.

"Khan, I'm back." You announce and take a seat at your desk.

"That was fast." Khan comments.

"Maybe I'm just really good at my job." You reply. "Like maybe even good enough for a raise." You hint.

"Mhm, keep up the good work and maybe." Khan chuckles.

You load up your laptop and click through a few emails as the show winds down for the night. You are just about to clean up and head out for the night when someone knocks on the door.

"Come in." You call to the door as you close your email. "Jack, hello." You glance at the door as Jack slips inside.

"Y/N, glad I caught you." Jack walks over to your desk.

"What can I do for you, JB?" You ask him curiously.

"Oh, I just wanted to give this back." Jack hands you the folder from earlier now all filled out.

"Oh, thanks." You take the folder and set it down. "Man, that was fast, no once else have brought theirs back." You leaf through the papers inside for a moment to see that they are all filled out.

"It was no problem, really." Jack insists.

"Well, thanks anyway." You nod.

With the folder delivered you expect Jack to be done and head out like you intend to do since the folder can wait until morning. He lingers by the door instead, like he has something else to say.

"Was there something else I could help you with, Jack?" You notice that he's still present and look up at him.

"Umm yeah." Jack nods and walks back over to your desk. "I was actually wondering if you'd like to maybe get dinner with me sometime?" He rubs the back of his neck nervously.

"Dinner?" You furrow your brows.

It takes you a second to realize that Jack is asking you out on a date since you didn't expect it. He looks like he's getting more nervous by the second when you don't reply.

"Yeah." Jack clarifies.

"Yeah, I'd love to get dinner sometime." You nod and pull a sticky note from your desk as well as a pen from the cup of them in the corner of your desk. "Here's my number, call me and we can make plans sometime." You jot down your number and hand him the paper.

"Cool, yeah." Jack takes the paper. "I guess I'll see you later then, Y/N." He nods and pockets the paper.

"Yeah, bye Jack." You wave and flash him a sweet smile.

Jack nods and exits the room with an awkward smile. Just a little surprised that you agreed to go out on a date with him.

Chapter Text

You wake up groggy with a bad hangover just as the sun is peaking up through your window. With a groan, you rise to a sitting position and stretch your arms out.

On the other side of the bed, your most recent special friend stirs awake from your movement.

"Mmm, what time is it?" Ricky rolls over and looks over at you with half-closed eyes.

"Seven." You yawn and slip off the bed, picking up your panties from the floor as you make your way to the bathroom.

"Hey! Wait for me!" Ricky is on his feet as soon as he hears the shower turn on.

You discard your panties into the hamper in the corner and lean against the counter while you wait for the shower to warm up.

"You move fast, angel." You gasp when Ricky's cold hands clasp your hips.

"Ricky!" Your hands shoot down to his cold ones. "Your hands are cold." You complain.

"Mmm, sorry baby." Ricky kisses your neck gently.

"Shouldn't you be getting ready to meet Taz and Cage?" You try your best to keep the grin from your face.

"Yeah." Ricky nods into your shoulder. "But showering with you sounds so much better." He purrs in your ear.

"I'm sure it does." You laugh and turn around in his arms. "But you have a meeting and I have to meet my brother for coffee." You gently push against his chest. "So go put some clothes on and get out."

Ricky groans but exits the bathroom to leave you to shower. You hear him shuffling around in your bedroom before the front door shuts.

You take a quick shower then dress and head out to meet your brother for coffee like you usually on Wednesday mornings.

"Darby!" You arrive at your usual coffee shop and spot your brother in the corner.

"Y/N, hey." Darby greets you. "I went ahead and ordered you a drink." He points to the second drink sitting on the table.

"Oh, thanks, bro." You sit down and grab the warm cup.

"No problem, N/N." Darby nods. "What have you been up to?" He asks, his eyes lingering on your neck.

"Nothing much." You shrug and wonder what he's starting at. "What about you, how have you been?" You ask him and discreetly take out your phone.

Darby starts to tell you what he's been up to while you check your neck with your camera. As soon as the camera pans down to your neck you see it. A single dark purple mark on your neck, right before your shoulder blade.

"Damnit, Ricky." You mumble and switch your phone off.

"So, that from anyone I know?" Darby asks you with a snarky grin.

"That is none of your business." You reply with a small laugh. "And even if it was, I sure as hell ain't gonna tell you about it." You add.

"Fair enough." Darby nods and messes with the straw in his drink.

The two of you mingle and catch up for a while until it's about time for you to head into work and go over the scripts for this week's dynamites episode.

"Will I be seeing you at the show tonight?" Darby asks you as the two of you walk out.

"Yeah, I'll be backstage." You nod. "I wouldn't miss you and Cage's match." You pat him on the back. "Can't wait to see you lose." You tease him.

"Hey!" Darby protests.

"Just kidding." You laugh. "See you tonight, Darby." You wave and head in the opposite direction of your brother.

You make a short drive to work and head in to meet with Tony Khan and the rest of the creative team. When you get there it's only you and Khan in the room.

"Y/N, early as usual." Tony greets you from the head of the table.

"Tony." You nod to him and fall into a chair near him.

The two of you mingle for a minute before Khan walks off to grab a cup of coffee. Your phone buzzes so you take it out and check it. It's a snap from Ricky.

"Really?" You stifle a laugh and shake your head when you open the snap.

The snap is a blurry photo of Taz stuffing his face with a doughnut. You discreetly snap a pic of Tony pouring his coffee and send it to Ricky before he comes back.

This little game of you and Ricky snapping each other pics from your meetings goes on for a while until things start to get more serious.

You and Ricky have been seeing one another for a while now. It started out as some mild flirting when Ricky was trying to annoy Darby. But after a while, things blossomed into something else. Neither of you has told anyone about you seeing each other yet. But you have a feeling that may change soon.

Later in the night, you are hanging around backstage and waiting for Darby's match to start when Ricky happens by.

"Well hello, angel." Ricky saunters up to you.

"Ricky." You stare up at him. "Long time no see." You tease him with a grin.

"Yeah, been a while." Ricky grins with you. "You here to watch your brother get his ass handed to him?" He asks you.

"Ha! You wish." You laugh. "You better tell Cage to watch his back."

"Ooo." Ricky purrs. "Feisty. I like it."

"Mhm, I bet." You lick your lips.

Taz and Brian finally show up so Ricky leaves you alone for the moment. You watch him head out with his buddies and shake your head. You pull out your phone and quickly write out a text.

"Let's make this a little interesting." You open your phone and write out the text.

You text Ricky that if Brian wins then he can come over again to your place and if Darby wins then he gets to be the one to tell your brother that you're dating.

It doesn't take long before you get a reply with Ricky agreeing to your little wager.

"Alright! Come on Darby." You turn your attention to the monitor on the wall as the match starts.

You are on the edge of your seat the whole time the match is going on. It always amazes you the lengths your brother is willing to go to win.

The match finally comes to an end with Darby pulling a win. You jump for joy and run out to greet him in the ring.

"Hey! Nice job Darby." You haul him up to his feet and raise his hand.

"Thanks, sis." Darby breathes heavily.

"Hey, Darby." You glance over at Ricky who stands next to Taz and Brian. "I'm fucking your sister, just so you know!" He shouts at you both.

You have to stifle a laugh as Ricky walks off with Taz and Brian. You help Darby backstage so you can talk with him.

"Really?" Darby shakes his head at you. "Ricky Starks?"

"What can I say?" You laugh. "He's sweet and really hot."

"Okay, ew." Darby rolls his eyes at you.

"Hey, you asked." You laugh.

Chapter Text

The party is under an hour and you are just finishing up your makeup. Your fishnets hug your thighs as you shift to finish applying your lipstick.

"There!" You grin to yourself and put the cap back on your lipstick.

"Hey, N/N." A male voice calls from the other room. "You ready to go yet?"

"Coming!" You shout back and grab your jacket off the back of your chair.

You pull on the jacket and pocket your phone and wallet then head out. Your brother meets you at the door.

"Woah," Adam comments when he sees your outfit.

"What?" You dare him to comment.

"Nothing." Page throws his hands up in defense. "Let's just go." He opens the door and heads out.

Today is your buddy Matt's birthday and he decided to throw a banger party like back when he still worked for New Japan. You being Page's sister and a friend of Matt's got an invite.

"So, who are you all dressed up for?" Adam casually asks you on the drive over to Matt's.

"What? I can't just dress for myself?" You reply with a scoff.

"No." Page goes on the defensive again. "You know that's not what I meant." He grumbles.

"I know." You laugh.

Adam drops the subject and the rest of the drive is relatively silent. When you get to Matt's music is already pouring out through the open door and cars are lined up on the sidewalk. It's times like this you are glad that he doesn't have close neighbors.

"Matty!" You hop out of the car and make your way to the porch where the birthday boy sits.

"Y/N, so glad you could make it." Matt hugs you tightly. "And damn, I see you dressed to party." He comments with a chuckle.

"Always, Matty!" You laugh with him. "Drinks inside?"

Matt nods and you slip into the house to find the nearest cooler. Lights flash above your head and music boards in your ears. It brings back fond memories of when you all used to work in Japan together and did shit like this every weekend.

"Damn, hello, gorgeous!" You turn when a hand clasps on your lower back.

"Tama!" You look up and greet the Tongan. "So good to see you!" You let him hug you as well.

"It has been too long, Y/N." Tama hugs you close, you can smell the alcohol on his breath. "I see you haven't changed." His eyes rake over your body hungrily.

"Mhm." You nod with a laugh. "Eyes up here buddy." You warn him playfully.

"Right." Tama nods and returns his gaze to your face.

You mingle with him for a moment then dismiss yourself, still in search of a beer. Your journey takes you to the kitchen and over to an open cooler.

"Fuck, hello Y/N. I'd recognize that fine ass anywhere." A sleazy laugh sounds behind you when you bend down to grab a beer.

"Jay." You turn around with a smirk playing on your lips. "What's it been? Eight years? And you still haven't managed to learn any manners." You pop the cap off your beer and eye him up.

This is exactly what you came for. When Matt mentioned that Jay and some of the other boys from Japan were gonna be at his party you knew that you couldn't pass up the chance to see Jay White again.

"Guilty as charged honey." Jay winks at you. "And I see you haven't lost any of the attitude either." He coos.

"Me? Never." You tease. "After all, heh change what's already damn near perfect?" You flash a mischievous grin Jay's way.

"Well, I can't argue with that darling." Jay chuckles and presses his beer to his lips, his eyes still trained on you.

You walk over to his side so the two of you can talk without shouting over the music playing.

"So, how you been?" Jay asks you casually.

"Me? Fine baby. You know me." You shrug and take a drink. "Still working with my brother."

"Oh yeah? Hangman here too?" Jay nods and glances around the room.

"Yeah." You confirm. "Probably in a corner drinking heavily." You glance around the room as well.

"Naturally." Jay chuckles as his hand runs up your arm.

You glance over at him when his finger brushes your arm. You quirk a brow at him and the dirty grin he's got on his face.

"Wow!" You laugh and run a hand across his chest. "Same ol' Jay, only one thing on his mind."

"Can you blame me, love?" Jay purrs. "It's been way too long since I've heard you scream my name."

"Ha!" You laugh again. "I think your memory is fucked, Jay." You shake your head, even though he's right.

"Eh, I'm not so sure." Jay shrugs.

You can cut the tension between the two of you with the wave of a hand. Both of you starting at each other leaning against the wall of the room.

Your little eye-fuck session is cut short when Matt and Nick come into the room to do a toast to Matt for his birthday. You and Jay both turn to the birthday boy standing at the head of the room as Nick gives a small speech for his bro.

All of you are drunk so the speech isn't very good but still gets a standing ovation from everyone.

"Well, now that's over. Where were we?" Jay immediately turns back to you when the speech is over.

"I believe you were undressing me with your eyes." You giggle and take a drink from what is your next in a long list of beers tonight.

"Right." Jay nods with a grin. "I'd like to be doing it with my hands, among other things." He purrs.

"I bet." You laugh and push Jay's chest. "But not here Mr. Eager." You tease him and slip a note into his front jacket pocket.

"Oh?" Jay eyes you curiously.

"The after-party is at my place baby. VIP only." You explain. "And you better not be late, or you'll lose the chance to get these off of me." You grab one of Jay's hands and bring it down to your thigh where your fishnets are still hugging your skin.

"Fuck." Jay mumbles under his breath.

You pat Jay's cheek and head off to find Adam so you can drop him off at home before heading home yourself. You've got a busy night ahead of you.

Chapter Text

"Finn! Finn, will you wait up?" You hurry to catch up with your cousin with your short legs.

"Come on lass, you're falling behind." Finn snickers with a grin and comes to a halt for you.

"I hate you." You groan and get over to him.

"No, you don't." Finn ruffles your hair.

"I do." You grit your teeth and whack his arm.

With you back at his side, Finn starts walking again. You struggle to keep up with him almost immediately.

Both of you arrive at the locker room and Finn heads inside and turns around before you get inside.

"Oh by the way, can you drop this off for me?" He takes a vanilla folder out of his jacket and hands it to you.

"Really?" You take the folder from him. "You couldn't have said anything ten minutes ago when we went past the office?" You scowl at him.

"Now what would be the fun in that?" Finn laughs. "Bye!" He shuts the door on you with a grin.

"You're a horrible person, Balor!" You knock on the door hard before you walk off.

With a grumble, you make your way down to Regal's office all the way on the other side of the arena.

"Y/N! Where are you off to?" You are stopped on your way down to the office by Kyle of Undisputed Era.

"Kyle!" You greet him with a smile. "On my way to the boss's office because my cousin is a lazy bum." You flash the folder at him.

"Oof." Kyle laughs. "Care for some company?" He asks you casually. "I've got half an hour to spare if you're interested." He offers.

"Sure!" You nod happily. "I'd love some company."

Kyle nods and turns to walk with you down to Regal's office. The two of you chat casually while you walk side by side.

"So Kyle, that squabble you had with my cousin? Quite the fight." You mention the match that Kyle and Finn had a few weeks ago. "How's your jaw doing? I know it didn't look well." You mention his injury.

"It's alright now." Kyle shrugs. "Still a little bit sore, but I'm alright." He nods slightly.

"Good." You nod with a small smile. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a bit worried." You admit with a small shrug.

"Worried? About me?" Kyle chuckles. "Now why would you be doing something like that?" He asks you.

"Hey! I'm allowed." You protest. "Just because you aren't family like Finn is doesn't mean I'm not allowed to worry like you are." You shove his shoulder playfully. "Now don't tell Adam, but you are my favorite Undisputed Era member." You laugh.

"Cross my heart." Kyle laughs with you. "I'll see you later, N/N." He grins at you when you come to Regal's office door.

"Bye, Kyle." You grin back at him and knock on the door.

You hear a "come in!" from the other side and head in. Regal sits at his desk and glances at you when you come in.

"Here, from Finn." You hand over the file.

"Thank you." Regal takes the file with a nod. "Is that all you needed?" He asks.

"Yep, bye Regal." You nod and turn on your heel to leave.

You make your way back to Finn's locker room. When you get back Finn is all dressed up and ready to head out to his match.

"You get along alright?" Finn chuckles when you come inside and shut the door.

"Bite me." You shoot him a glare.

"Awe, harsh words lass." Finn grins at you. "You at least ready to go out to the ring?" He asks you.

"Yeah." You nod but continue to glare at him. "Come on." You turn back around to the door.

Finn nods and you both head out to the ring. Finn has a match with Karrion Kross and his odd girlfriend Lady Scarlett is sure to be there as well.

"Be careful." You warn Finn as he hops up onto the apron.

"Yeah yeah." Finn nods and ducks under the ropes.

You roll your eyes at him and settle in his corner as the bell rings. You stand and watch carefully as Finn does his dance with Kross. You also make sure to keep an eye out for Lady Scarlett standing on the other side of the ring.

After the match drags on for a while Kross gets the upper hand on Finn and starts beating him down. You go to intervene and Lady Scarlett stops you in your tracks.

"You'd best move." You warn her.

She grins at you with a wicked smile and advances. You put your hands up and wait for her to make a move.

Being a good fighter you easily ward the blonde off but can't do anything about Finn getting the shit kicked out of himself.

That is until you hear a familiar theme song hit the speakers followed by a certain band of scrappy white boys barreling down the ramp.

"Kyle." You nod to Kyle when he comes over to you. "Funny seeing you here." You joke to him with a grin.

"Yeah, long time no see." Kyle laughs. "You got this handled?" He asks you.

"Yeah, go ahead." You nod and let Kyle head off to help your cousin.

With the added forces, Finn can drive Lumis off backstage. You head into the ring and over to his side.

"You doing alright, Finn?" You throw his arm over your shoulder.

"Yeah, just sore." Finn nods as he pants.

"Thanks, guys, for the backup." You thank Kyle and his boys.

"No problem." Kyle shakes his head. "Happy to help you and Finn out." He grins at you.

"Well, I'm gonna get him backstage." You nod and take a step forward. "Kyle, you wanna maybe grab a drink after the show?" You ask him.

"A drink? Yeah, I'd love to." Kyle nods. "I'll pick you up in the locker room after the show." He adds.

"Looking forward to it." You nod and help Finn down to the floor and backstage.

Chapter Text

"Hello? Matt?" You knock twice on the locker room door before you enter. "Nick, where's your brother at?" You peek inside to find the other Jackson brother.

"Y/N, what's up." Nick greets you with a smile.

"I'm looking for my husband? Your brother?" You reply dryly. "Any idea where he could be?" You ask him again.

"Pretty sure he's in a meeting with, Tony. Why? What's up?" Nick beckons you inside the room with a wave.

You step inside and shut the door behind you with a thud. You run a tired hand through your hair and sigh.

"I just need to talk to him is all, nothing serious." You insist with a yawn.

"Alright." Nick nods." You sure that you're alright? You look a bit tired." He comments on the bags under your eyes.

"Yeah, I think I'm coming down with a cold or something." You shrug with a wave. "Allergies are always kicking my ass this time of year."

"Matt should be back soon if you wanna hang out," Nick suggests. "You look like you could use a break for a few minutes." He chuckles lightly.

"Yeah, alright." You nod with another yawn and settle into a chair.

Nick goes back to what he was doing before you came in and you only have to wait a few minutes before Matt shows up.

"Y/N, honey." Matt slips into the locker room and you're the first thing he notices. "What are you doing here, babe?" He walks over to you.

"I was looking for you." You reply as Matt leans down behind you and places his hands on your shoulders.

Matt leans down and presses a kiss to the top of your head gently. His hands rub your shoulders casually as he leans down to your level.

"Well, I'm here now. What's up, honey?" Matt asks you softly?

"It's fine, we can talk later." You let out another yawn and pat Matt's hand on your shoulder. "You've got a match in a bit and I'm sure that Tony will have something for me to do." You rise to your feet and turn around to Matt.

"Okay, I'll see you after the show." Matt pulls you into his side and kisses you gently before he lets you go.

"Mhm, bye Mattie." You nod and head out.

You make your way back to Khan's office to make sure he doesn't need you for anything. You get to the door and feel a headache coming on as well as a small wave of nausea.

"Tony?" You groan internally and knock before you enter the office.

"Y/N, what's going on?" Tony looks up at you from behind his desk. "Oh, you don't look so well." He notices your pale skin as soon as he sees you.

"I'm fine." You wave your hand and sit down. "Just a little tired is all." You insist.

"You sure?" Tony probes you.

"Yes, Tony. I'm okay." You flash him a smile.

Khan nods and gets back to work at his desk. You take the time to look at your email for anything that might need your attention.

You find your email void of anything important and sigh. With Tony still busying himself with work, you decide to head down to catering to grab a water.

"Be right back, Tony." You nod to him before you leave.

"Mhm." Tony hums back at you.

You make your way down to catering and grab water out of one of the coolers. The smell of fresh food makes your stomach churn so you pop open the water as soon as you have it.

With your water in hand, you decide to see what's going on in the ring and see if Matt and Nick are out yet.

"Yeah! Get him, babe." You find Matt on the monitor and cheer for him quietly before you head back to Tony's office.

After the show comes to an end you meet up with Matt and Nick in their locker room again.

"Hey, babe! Nice work out there tonight." You congratulate Matt. "You too Nick." You add.

"Thanks, honey." Matt kisses your cheek. "You ready to head home?" He asks you.

"Mhm." You nod.

You say goodbye to Nick then head home with Matt. The drive home just makes your nausea worse and you head straight for the bathroom when you get inside.

"Y/N? You sure you aren't coming down with something?" Matt leans against the doorframe of the bathroom.

"I'm not." You insist and rinse your mouth out with some water. "There's actually something I've gotta show you." You explain and reach for the cabinet above the sink.

"Okay?" Matt sounds confused but nods.

You reach into the cabinet and pull out a pregnancy test. You flip it to show the results on the screen. Pregnant.

"What? No." Matt shakes his head. "No way! Are you serious? Are you sure?" He can't keep the smile from his face as he takes the test from you.

"Yeah, because there are about three more positive ones in the trash. I'd say I'm pretty sure." You laugh.

"Oh my God! I'm gonna be a dad!" Matt excitedly lurches forward and picks you up in his arms for a hug.

"Ah! Okay Matt, calm down." You laugh and brace yourself against your ecstatic husband.

"I cant! Oh my God Y/N, this is great. Holy shit, I gotta tell Nick." He sets you down and turns around sharply.

"You go do that." You laugh again and watch him take off.

Your nausea passes you by finally and you head out to find Matt. You find him talking on the phone with his brother and he is unable to shut up about it.

You sit and wait for him to hang up the phone and hurry back over to you.

"It out of your system yet?" You chuckle as Matt pulls you into his side again.

"No, never." Matt shakes his head. "We're gonna be parents. Can you believe it?" He presses a kiss on your cheek.

"Yes, but no." You laugh again. "I've got a doc appointment tomorrow morning, ultrasound." You inform him.

"Great! I can't wait!" Matt nods. "Man, parents. Us? No way." He continues to gush.

"Mhm." You hum.

Chapter Text

The aftermath of the Royal Rumble is radiating in the arena as you make your way to your office.

Your boss, Adam Pierce, and his problems with Roman Reigns have left him solely on Smackdown. This, of course, leaves you to look after Raw while he's away.

"Okay, let's see." You enter your office and set down your bag.

There is a stack of papers and a few folders scattered across the desk and ready to go for you. You let out a sigh and sit down in your office chair before you grab one of the files.

You aren't sitting for more than a few minutes when someone knocks at the door.

"Come in!" You call with a frustrated sigh and run a hand over your face. "Randy, what can I do for you?" You look up to find the Viper standing at your door.

"Where's Pierce?" Randy glares at your desk with malicious intent.

"Cowering in a corner somewhere, waiting for Roman Reigns to disappear." You quip and lay your head in your hands. "I'll ask again, what do you want?" You ask him again.

"Don't get snappy with me," Randy warns you.

"Or what?" You scoff. "You'll beat my ass? Come on then, I'm right here." You challenge him dryly.

"I said, watch your mouth!" Randy growls and takes a step towards your desk.

"Why don't you make me?" You smile at him from across the desk.

You sit and wait in place with a smile as Randy glares at you. After a minute or so of starting, he scoffs and promptly exits your office, making sure to slam the door as he goes.

"That's what I thought." You laugh to yourself and go back to looking at papers.

You only get two or three lines down the page when someone else knocks on the door.

"What now?" You groan. "Come in." You call out and set the paper back down.

"Adam Pierce?" The door swings open and a man you haven't seen in years walks in.

"Damian?" You question from your desk.

"Y/N?" Priest looks equally confused. "Well damn, what the hell are you doing here baby girl?" He asks you with a smirk.

"I work here." You let out a small laugh. "Adam is busy hiding from Roman Reigns so I'm here filling in." You gesture to the desk.

"Y/N L/N, in charge of a whole show. I see you've been moving up in the world sugar." Damian chuckles. "Guess that means I answer to you now, huh?" He pulls a chair from the front of your desk.

"As a matter of fact, it does." You nod. "But how is that any different from before?" You ask with a grin. "Sit, what can I help you with?"

Damian sits down in the empty chair and waits for you to tidy up your desk a bit before he says anything.

"I just started here like two weeks ago, all I know is Pierce wanted to see me." Damian shrugs his broad shoulders at you.

"Of course." You snicker and shake your head. "I swear that man is the most unorganized bastard I've ever met." You open the drawer below you and shuffle through the papers.

"Yeah?" Damian laughs. "He seemed kind of flighty the last time we spoke." He admits as he watches you from across the desk.

"Mhm." You hum and continue to look around in the desk.

You sift through countless papers and other miscellaneous items in the drawer. After a minute or two, you come across a purple sticky note stuck to the back wall of the drawer.

"Here we go." You grab the note and read the shitty handwriting. "Okay yeah, Pierce wants you to hang around and help out Edge." You toss the note in the bin at your feet. "Lucky you, getting screen time with the big boys." You grab your phone from the desk and dial the extension for Edge.

Damian nods and waits while you get a message to Edge to come down to the office for an introduction.

"Okay! He'll be down in just a minute." You hang up the phone and set it down back on your desk. "It's good to see you again, Damian." You turn to him with a grin. "What's it been? Three years?"

"More like four." Damian corrects you. "I gotta say, being the boss suits you well." He teases you.

"I do fit the position well." You giggle. "And being the boss is so much more fun than working my ass off for bits of screen time." You add.

"Well, you've always been bossy." Damian comments.

"Have not!" You protest.

"Oh, you are so bossy." Damian presses you. "Don't lie to yourself sweetheart, you like the authority." He laughs.

"Bite me, Priest." You roll your eyes at him.

"That an order? Boss?" Damian teases you again with a grin.

You stand to reach across the room to smack him when Edge comes knocking at the door.

"Come in." You sit back down with a glare.

Edge comes into the room and shuts the door behind him. You rise back to your feet and come around the desk.

"Edge, this is Damian." You introduce the two. "Pierce thought that it be wise for you guys to hang out." You explain with a friendly smile.

Edge and Damian shake hands and mingle for a few minutes before Edge heads off for work.

"Well, you two seem like fast friends." You comment after Edge leaves.

"Jealous? Already, Y/N?" Damian goes right back to teasing you.

"Eat me, Damian." You fire back and sit back down in your chair. "You should really start showing me some more respect you know." You warn him. "All I have to do is type up a few papers and I'm shipping your ass back to NXT."

"Nah. We both know my ass is way too fine for that. You'd miss me." Damian flashes you that stupid smile of his.

You roll your eyes and the phone vibrates against your desk. You answer it and quickly get back to your feet.

"Well, looks like we're gonna have to cut this conversation short." You pocket your phone. "Duty calls, now do me a favor and stay out of trouble Damian." You warn him and grab your keys as well from the drawer.

"Yes ma'am, will do." Damian purrs as you walk past him.

"I said, behave!" You warn him again.

"And if I don't? You gonna discipline me, boss?" Damian leans against the door so you can't get out.

"Goodbye, Damian." You push on his chest and he lets you out.

"I'll be seeing you around sugar because we both know I won't stay out of trouble! I'm difficult like that!" He shouts at you as you walk off.

Chapter Text

When Triple H was kind enough to give you a position managing for NXT you imagined that it would be a breeze. You're a natural-born leader after all not to mention headstrong as hell and not afraid to take a chance to get what you want or to take a risk for a friend.

What you didn't count on, however. Was that William Regal the current GM of NXT would be fighting you on every decision that you make. You swear that it's like Regal argues on purpose and thinks that he can essentially cockblock you out of your new job. You aren't about to let that happen though, which is why you're currently in your boss's office in a heated argument with your workplace rival.

"He's a condescending twat, Hunter." You fume, hands balled into fists as you speak. "Always has some backhanded comment to make or a decision to ignore. He actually thinks his geriatric ass can do this job better than me." You shoot a glare at the hall of Famer standing a few feet to your right.

"That's because I can do this job better than you, love." Regal snicker with that stupid condescending smile.

"See!" You point a finger at him. "Hunter I cannot work like this." You insist in a huff. "Either you do something about this or I start wailing on the old man." You cross your arms across your chest with a glare.

"Ha! I'd like to see you try sweetheart." Regal laughs in your face with a smug grin.

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Hunter slams his fist onto his desk and the room falls silent. "Another worked out of either of you and you're both fired." He warns you both.

You nod and sink down into your seat, Regal doe the same. Hunter nods relieved that he's finally managed to restore some order in the room for the time being.

"Now since I know that neither of you is going to consider moving from NXT to another brand," Hunter speaks calmly and eyes both of you. "I'm going to book a match for the main event of the next Takeover okay? Regal, Y/N, you'll both throw together a 5 man team that will meet at Takeover in two weeks." He explains. "The winner of said match will win majority rule over NXT management. That sound fair?" He asks you both.

"Sounds fair to me." You nod, liking the sound of Hunter's idea.

"Fine with me." Regal nods as well.

"Alright then." Hunter rises from his seat and shakes both your hands. "Best of luck to the both of you, you've got two weeks to throw together your teams." He dismisses both of you for the night.

You leave the boss's office and immediately get to work on building your team. Knowing how Regal works you figure that he'll go for some of the heavier hitters on the brand, Imperium most likely. You however play much smarter than that. And you know just who to start with to captain the team.

The Wednesday show is winding down to a close now so you make your way back to the locker room to catch your first candidate for your team before he disappears for the night.

"Damien Priest." You flash the tall man a grin outside his locker room.

"Boss." Damien grins right back at you. "What can I do for you?" He asks you with a purr.

You and Damien have been close ever since you arrived at NXT and started working. The two of you have the perfect will they won't the chemistry that Is addicting to both watches and participates in. Though you know that neither you nor Priest have any intention of ever actually sleeping with one another.

"I've got a proposition for you Damien, one that you can't refuse." You grin up at him and push off his locker room door.

Damien chuckles and swings open his door then gestures for you to follow him inside for a little chat.

On the other end of the hall, Finn Balor, fresh off of his latest shenanigans with Undisputed Era, watches as you slip into Damien's locker room with a friendly giggle. Balor and you used to date way back when before either of you worked for WWE. You broke up after almost three years of dating when your jobs mutually pulled the two of you apart. Finn was soaring to fame in Japan alongside all his Bullet Club buddies and you had a promising gig in a different promotion halfway around the world.

Years later and it seems to Finn like fate has brought you back to him. Deep down he never really did want to break up with you back then. He was head over heels for you back then and he still is now. Problem is, you don't seem all that interested in catching up with him. You've been working the same show as him for almost two months now, and you haven't even tried to talk to poor Finn.

"Shit!" Finn ducks into his locker room doorway when you come out of Damien's room a few minutes later.

"I knew I could count on you, Damien!" You exit the Archer in Infamies room with a pleased look on your face. "We'll be in touch!" You add and shut the door.

It was easy enough to get Damien on board with your plans to kick Regal out of power and off of his high horse. And you've already got plans for three more members of your team. Adam Cole and his Undisputed Era buddies are the perfect mixes of agility and talent. Damien brings the hard-hitting power and that brings you to four people on your team since Bobby Fish is still out on an injury for a few weeks.

"Let's see, one more." You twirl a strand of hair in your fingers and think.

Then it hits you. You know just the person to make your team the perfect machine to take out Regal. Finn Balor.

Your last two months have been hectic as all hell so you haven't gotten the chance to have a proper conversation with your ex. But you know that sweet Finn isn't the type to hold a grudge. Plus the two of you broke up on mutual terms. Sure they were some rocky terms, but mutual nonetheless.

"Hello? Finn?" You saunter up to the champion's locker door and knock softly.

"Yeah? Oh! Y/N, lass." Finn opens the door with a blank face that quickly morphs into a smile when he sees who it is.

"Finn, hey!" You greet the man with a smile as well. "It's been much too long, sorry I haven't gotten the chance to say hi." You rub the back of your neck sheepishly.

"No skin off my back, lass." Finn waves his hand and lets you inside. "You're here now right? What can I do for you?" He sits down on a bench and glances at you nervously.

"Well, I've got a favor to ask you." You rub the back of your neck again and sit next to him. "If you don't mind hearing me out that is."

When Finn doesn't protest you explain your situation with Regal to him and your plans for the other four members of your team. You make sure to add that you understand if Finn doesn't want to get involved, being the champion and all.

"Nonsense! I'd love to help you out, lass." Finn insists with a wide grin.

"Really? And you're sure that you're okay with working with Damien and Undisputed Era?" You make sure.

"Won't be a problem." Finn insists again with a nod.

"Okay! I'm gonna go make sure Adam and his buddies are all on board then. Thank you so much, Finn! I knew I could count on you!" You bounce with joy and pull him into a hug.

"Happy to help." Finn laughs and relishes your hug.

You take off to go and talk with Adam and leave Finn in his locker room. He let out a heavy breath he was holding in as soon as the door clicks shut.

A week later you call a meeting of all five of your men so you can get acquainted and strategize about your game plan for Takeover. Damien is the first one to show up.

"Damien." You greet him with a grin and a side hug. "Why does it not surprise me that you're the first one to show up?" You tease him.

"You know me, sugar. I'm an overachiever." Damien shrugs his shoulders at you with a wink.

"Mhm." You laugh and smack his arm. "Behave yourself, I don't need both you and Adam making advances at me." You warn him casually.

"No promises." Damien grins down at you again.

A few minutes later Finn arrives at your office space and heads inside to find Damien already present and standing a little too close to you for comfort.

"Y/N, Damien." Finn greets both of you in a friendly manner and heads over to you.

"Finn!" You turn away from Damien and to Finn. "Glad you could make it." Your hand brushes his arm. "Now we just need Adam and his buddies." You comment.

"Ask and you shall receive darling!" The door swings open and Adam files in with Kyle and Roderick behind him.

You laugh at his forwardness and everyone takes a seat at your table. You stand at the head of the table and get to work.

"I just wanna say thank you again to all of you for agreeing to be on my team for this." Thank everyone again. "Now I don't know who Regal has recruited for his team yet, but you can bet that he's not gonna come up short." You start your speech.

All five men in the room sit and listen to you intently while you jabber about your general game plan for a bit. You promise them all that if you win then they can be sure that they'll all have your support in the future.

"Great to hear it doll." Adam chimes in after a minute. "But all we need is the guarantee that we'll get to smack Regal and his boys around." He and Kyle laugh and high-fives Roderick.

"Glad to hear." You laugh with them casually.

After your meeting, everyone files out of the room but Finn hangs around for a minute.

"Y/N, I was wondering if I could get a minute with ya?" Finn walks over to you talking with Damien.

"Hmm? Yeah, just a second Finn." You nod and turn to dismiss Damien. "We're still on for drinks later right Damien?" You ask him casually.

"Hell yeah." Damien grins at you. "See you later, shorty." He winks at you and heads off.

You wait for Damien to exit the room before you turn your attention to Finn. He wears a sort of disappointed look on his face.

"You alright Finn?" You furrow your brows at him.

"Yeah, I'm alright lass." Finn nods and flashes a fake smile.

"What did you wanna talk about?" You tilt your head curiously.

"Umm, nothing." Finn shakes his head. "It wasn't anything important." He insists and walks over to the door.

"Okay!" You nod. "I'll see you later Finn." You wave at him with a soft smile.

Part of your heart hurts when you watch Finn go. You wish that he would talk to you more. Part of it is your fault. You were the one to suggest the split back then and you haven't exactly made an effort to hang out with him again now that you two are working on the same show again.

"Hell." Finn makes his way back to his locker room and smacks the door on his way out. "Damnit, Damien." He curses his rival's name.

You're going out with Priest! Finn thinks to himself. You have to be seeing him. The way you flirt, always smiling and standing within inches of one another. He's losing you to some tall dark wannabe rockstar.

Chapter Text

"Alright, we're here dad." You park the car in the loading dock and step out to help Ric out of the back.

"Thank you, sweetie." Ric thanks you as he climbs out of the back seat.

"No problem, dad." You nod and push the door shut.

When you turn back around Ric is already halfway down the hall. You swear for as old as he is the man sure can move. You sigh and jog down the hall after him. You reach his side with a huff and pat his back.

"Where are we headed?" You ask him curiously.

"Not sure yet." Ric shrugs. "Wherever a fun time is." He grins at you and continues his jaunt into the building.

You silently follow behind him to keep your father out of trouble. You text Charlotte that you've arrived while you walk and let her know your current location.

Ric makes his way backstage and people flock to his side as soon as they see him. You stand off to the side unnoticed and scroll through Twitter while you wait for your father's admirers to dissipate. This isn't anything new to you, unfortunately.

The youngest of the Flair children you're by far the most overlooked in the family. Not for a lack of talent. You're just a good of a wrestler as Charlotte is, hell you might even be better than her. You're also usually much more comfortable on the mic. But that doesn't really matter much. Charlotte's always been the one to steal the spotlight, and you know for a fact that she's Ric's favorite. Though you've never heard him actually say it.

"Dad, Char's here." You look up from your phone just in time to see Charlotte walking over to you.

"Charlotte!" Ric's wide grin when he sees his eldest daughter makes you roll your eyes. "How have you been, sweetie?" He dotes on her shamelessly.

"I'm fine dad." Charlotte laughs and hugs him, paying almost no attention to you.

You roll your eyes again and continue to scroll through Twitter while they talk for a few minutes. It isn't until Charlotte has to take off and Ric is ready to go looking for something else to do does either of them acknowledges you.

"Y/N, you coming?" Ric calls after you from a few feet away.

"Coming, dad." You pocket your phone with a sigh and jog back to his side.

Ric's adventure takes him further backstage and it isn't long before he's surrounded by old friends and fans alike again. You just slide off to the side and pull out your phone again. It isn't until you feel a pair of intense eyes on you do you look up from the screen.

"Randy." You find the Viper inching your way from across the room.

"Well if it isn't little Y/N Flair," Randy smirks down at you. "What are you doing out here?" He asks you curiously.

"Looking out for my dad." You eye Randy cautiously. "From people like you mostly. Why? What do you want, Orton?" You ask him firmly.

"Ouch." Randy clutches his chest with a dramatic grin. "Those are some harsh words darling. I'm just looking for friendly conversation is all." He insists.

"Mhm, sure." You don't buy a word of Randy's spell. "And I'm the favorite child." You snark to more yourself than Randy.

Randy's interest is piqued by your comment. He tilts his head at you as you glance over at Ric and roll your eyes at the crowd that's pooled around him.

"That bad huh?" Randy chuckles and decides to see if he can get anywhere with you.

"Oh, you've no idea." You snark again with a shake of your head. "It's always Charlotte this and Charlotte that." You groan with disdain for your sister. "I have twice her talent and I'm not nearly as annoying and full of myself." You suddenly feel the need to vent.

"Not to mention twice as pretty," Randy adds with a grin.

"What?" Randy's comment catches you a bit off guard.

"What?" Randy shrugs casually. "I'm entitled to an opinion sweetheart." He reminds you.

"Yeah...I guess." You shrug with him and barely catch Ric moving on from the corner of your eye. "Bye, Randy." You nod to him and take off to catch up with your father.

Randy watches you go with a grin. You just may be the perfect person to help him really get under Ric's skin and earn Randy some publicity. He makes Ric Flair's precious little daughter turn on her family in a brutal fashion? He can imagine the headline now.

"Why don't we go out and watch Charlotte's match?" Ric suggests to you once you're caught back up with him.

"Really?" You whine. "You never wanna come out and watch me wrestle." You complain to him like a child.

"She's in the main event tonight," Ric replies dryly. "Don't you wanna support your sister?" He tries to make you feel guilty for whining.

"Whatever." You roll your eyes, a twinge of pain in your heart at your father's dismissal.

You follow behind Ric while he makes his way out to the ring to watch Charlotte work. You stand next to him by the barricade and scoff at the fact that he never even offers you a seat. Charlotte comes out to the ring and her match starts.

"You've got quite the legacy, Ric," Tom comments to Ric as Charlotte works.

"Yes! She's the pride and joy of the family." Ric laughs into his headset.

Another blow to your ego. It astonishes you that your own father seems to have little to no regard for hurting his daughter's feelings now.

Charlotte's match comes to an end and she heads backstage with her opponent to cool off. You help Ric into the ring like a good daughter so he can blab to the crowd for a few minutes and bask in his glory like the old days.

"Dad?" You perk up from the corner of the ring when the lights suddenly go out.

The lights flash back on and Randy is standing on the other side of the ring, ill intent laced in his eyes as he stares down Ric. You step in front of your father and shoot Randy a glare.

"What are you doing?" Ric pushes your arm to the side and steps next to you. "You think you'd ever have a chance against him?" Ric shakes his head at you.

"What?" You furrow your brows. "Dad, I was just trying to help." You insist.

Ric shakes his head at you again and pushes you off to the side. This is the last straw for you. Overlooked by your sister and tossed to the side by your dad. It's safe to say that you're done with both of them.

"Wow, I can really feel the love from here," Randy calls for your attention from the apron. "You really gonna make me go through you?" He asks you with a grin, knowing the answer.

"Screw it." You scoff and step off to the side fully. "Kick his ass." You gesture to your father and let Randy in the ring without another word.

You can hear the shocked reaction of the crowd around you but you don't care much. If anything you crave the attention that you're getting. Randy starts his assault on Ric and Charlotte comes sprinting down the ramp to help.

"Don't even think about it!" You block your sister's way into the ring.

"Y/N, what the hell?" Charlotte questions you.

"What the hell? What the hell?" You laugh. "God, are you really that self-centered? You know I am so tired of you, of dad. Always ignoring me? Treating me like I'm not as good as you two?" You shout at her with clenched fists. "I'm twice the wrestler you'll ever be Charlotte and we both know it. The only difference is I don't walk around using my name like some cheap way to get ahead. Screw you! And Screw him." You advance towards her and catch her by surprise.

A swift dropkick to the chest sends your sister to the floor and you've never felt more alive in your life. Randy slips down from the ring, done with Ric, and joins your side.

"Well, that went better than expected." Randy chuckles and steps nearer to you. "You coming along darling?" He holds his hand out to you.

"Hell yeah." You nod with a proud grin. "I'm done playing the good girl." You let him sling his arm over your shoulder and the two of you head off.

Chapter Text

"You've reached the office of Tony Khan, how can I help you?" You repeat the same tired line while also filling out the form in front of you. "Mhm, yes I'll transfer you right away please hold." You hold down the bottom button on the holder. "Tony! Phone!" You call out and hang the phone up.

Your wrist aches from writing all day and your eyes are itchy from staring at a computer screen. You press on though, the fact that your shift is over in under an hour.

"Hey, Y/N?" You look up when Tony pokes his head out from the back office.

"Yeah?" You turn your head over to him. "What's up boss?" You ask him.

"I just sent you an email, can you look it over for me? You're so much better at wording shit." Tony explains.

"Sure!" You nod and glance back down at your computer. "I'll do it right now." You turn your attention to the computer.

Tony heads back into his office and you look over the email. You cherish the moment you can leave and go home as your eyes scan each word of the email.

"Come in." You let out a sigh when someone knocks on the door. "Maxwell, what can I do for you?" You flash a friendly smile Max's way.

"Y/N, just the lovely lady I wanted to see." Max grins down at you. "I've got something to ask you, actually." He explains, one hand behind his back.

"Okay." You quirk a brow at him and turn your attention to him.

"Valentine's day is tomorrow." Max starts and moves his hand in front of him. "And I was hoping you'd let me take you out." He hands you a rose.

"Oh!" You reach up and take the rose then give it a sniff. "Max, I don't know what to say." You're a little surprised at his offer.

"Just say yes," Max replies with a rare hopeful look.

"Okay, yeah." You giggle. "I didn't have any plans." You can't help but have a wide grin on your face.

"Perfect!" Max claps his hands together. "Let me pick you up at let say 8?" He asks you eagerly.

"Sure." You nod.

"Okay! I've got a reservation at this nice French place so wear something nice." He warns you.

"Alright." You give him a nod and a smile. "I guess ill see you tomorrow night."

"Yeah, can't wait. Bye, gorgeous." Max flashes you that debonaire smile of his before he leaves.

A few minutes later Tony comes out of his office with an odd smile on his face.

"Well well well, it's about time you two went out on a date." He teases you with a laugh.

"Shush." You shake your head with a laugh.

You finish up work and head home thinking about what's to come tomorrow. Max finally asked you out on a date.

He's always been flirty around you like he is with most beautiful women. And you can't deny the fact that you like Max and you'd be a fool not to think that he's handsome and charming as hell.

"Oh, God. I don't have anything to wear." You are changing into your PJs when you realize that you don't have any dresses that would qualify as fancy.

The next morning you head out to get a nice dress first thing in the morning. You find a perfect red one in a boutique that a friend recommended to you a few months back.

Later in the night, you finish up your hair and makeup while you wait for Max to show up. You slip your shoes on just in time for someone to ring your doorbell.

"Coming!" You barely contain your excitement and head for the door. "Max, hi!" You get to the front door and find Max waiting for you.

"Y/N, wow! You look stunning." He compliments you and hands over a bouquet of roses.

"Thank you!" You take the roses. "Just let me put these away." You smell the roses and turn back into the house.

"Sure!" Max nods and follows behind you.

You put the flowers in a vase with some water then follow Max back out to his car. He opens the door to his black Rolls Royce for you like a gentleman then goes around to the driver's side and climbs in.

You enjoy the smooth ride and classic music that plays softly in the background while you and Max chat casually on your way downtown.

"Here, let me get the door for you." Max pulls up to the front of a fancy-looking restaurant and comes around again.

You nod and watch as he comes around and pulls open the door for you before he tosses his keys at the valet standing idly by a few feet away.

"Right this way, sweetheart." Max offers his arm to you as the doors are pulled open for you by another valet guy.

A sharply dressed host takes Max's name down them ushers you both through the bustling restaurant and passed various well-dressed couples enjoying their meals. He doesn't stop until he comes to a neat table set up by a large window that overlooks a large chunk of the city.

"Oh, wow." You marvel at the view as Max pulls a seat out for you. "It's beautiful." Your eyes twinkle and reflect the city lights.

"Only second to you." Max chuckles and sits down in the chair opposite you.

"No, stop." You blush with embarrassment and shake your head.

"Why? It's true." Max replies as his eyes lightly scan the wine list in his hand. "You're the best-looking girl in here, hands down." Max insists.

"I try." You giggle with a shrug.

A waiter comes by so you and Max both orders dinner and some dessert to go with it. You sit and have a lovely chat with him while the two of you eat.

Once dinner is done Max gets the check and then pulls out something from the inside pocket of his blazer. He slides a velvet box across the table at you with a grin.

"For you." He watches you carefully.

"Oh, Max. You didn't have to get me anything." You blush deeply in embarrassment from the gift.

"I know, but I wanted to." Max shrugs and waits for you to open it.

You carefully pop the box open to reveal a stunning silver bracket with gold inlays. You take the bracelet out of the box and slip it onto your wrist.

"Max, thank you so much. It's beautiful." You admire the way the shimmer compliments your skin. "I feel bad though, I didn't get you anything." You suddenly feel awfully guilty.

"Your company is enough." Max shakes his head. "I'm glad that you like it, you ready to go?" He asks you.

"Yeah." You nod.

Max helps you out of your chair and out of the restaurant where his car is waiting for you. He takes you home and leads you to your front door.

"I hope you had a good time." Max stops at your front door.

"I did!" You laugh lightly. "I'd say this has got to be in my top 5 dates." You add with a grin.

"Well, I'm glad." Max laughs with you. "Hopefully you'll let me take you out again?" He asks you.

"Yeah, I'd love that." You nod as Max grabs your hand.

"I'll see you at work then tomorrow, gorgeous." Max raises your hand and places a kiss on your knuckles gently.

"Bye, Max." You blush again and take your hand back from him.

Chapter Text

The sun is just about to set around 9 pm when you shut the door of your gaming room behind you and switch on all your lights. The room goes from being lit up by harsh white light to a much more aesthetic purple one from the various lights and lamps in the room. You swing yourself into your black and purple swivel chair and roll up to your desk.

A three monitor setup stares back at you as you boot up your PC and get ready for your nightly twitch stream. The first thing you do is hop on your discord and enter a private room then invite Austin to it so you guys can chat while you get set up for the stream.

"Creed?" You slip your headphones on and unmute yourself.

"Y/N, you made it!" You hear Austin's voice crack over the call.

"Of course! Always happy to play with you, Creed." You reply as you click through a few programs on your monitor. "What are we playing tonight?" You ask him.

"I was thinking about some COD," Austin replies. "A little two vs two action?" He suggests.

"Sounds good to me, as long as you're ready for me to wipe the floor with you that is." You laugh in a cocky tone. "Who are the other two players?" You add and load up Twitch.

"Kofi will be here soon, and my buddy Adam is also down to play," Austin explains and suddenly another person appears in the call. "Adam, this is Y/N." Austin introduces the two of you.

"Hello? Great to finally meet you Y/N, love your content on Twitch." Adam clears his voice before he speaks.

"Great to meet you as well, Adam." You repay the compliment. "I love watching you play on Austin's channel." You add.

Everyone in the call hangs out and chats for a bit while you all get set up and wait for Kofi to join. You set up your stream and send a quick message to your editor and usual moderator then start your stream.

"Hey guys, thanks for tuning in tonight. We're gonna be playing some two v two in COD with Austin and some of his buddies. Say hi to the stream guys." You unmute discord so your chat can hear everyone.

"Hey, (streamer name)'s chat!" Austin is the first one to speak up.

"Yeah, hey (streamer name)'s chat," Adam adds as well.

"Everyone says hey back." Your eyes scan over the chat on your third monitor for a second. "I believe that we're going with Adam and I vs Creed and Kofi right?" You answer a viewer's question aloud.

"Yep!" Creed answers quickly as Kofi joins the call.

You all take a few minutes to load into the game and get a lobby set up then you all switch into separate chats so your teams cant hear one another.

"Okay, Adam you all good?" You finish up your custom loadout and wait ready up for the round.

"Yep, I'm good," Adam replies and readies up as well.

A few moments later and the first round starts. You round corner barely loaded into the map and run into Austin. You pull your shotgun out and quickly take him out for a first blood kill.

"Nice!" Adam praises you over the chat.

"Thanks, watch out for Kofi, he's rooftop east." You call out when you spot enemy movement through a window you pass.

"I see him," Adam replies, and a kill tag flashes across the top of the screen.

"Nice!" You repay the compliment.

The round goes on for around ten or so minutes and ends with you managing to pull the last kill on Kofi with a hand-to-hand fight in a small room. Your killcam flashes across the screen as the round ends and everyone defaults back to the lobby.

"Wow, that was a dope finish. Nice work, Y/N." Adam compliments you again.

"Thanks, but that snipe you hit Creed with from across the map was epic!" You reply and check chat again.

You see the usual number of comments about your play style and people talking about the action of the round. But you also notice a few comments about how much natural chemistry that you and Adam seem to have.

"Woah, hey Adam." You laugh at a few comments.

"Yeah?" Adam chimes in immediately.

"Chat seems to think that we have some super good chemistry going on here." You explain with a giggle.

"I mean, we did kick Creed and Kof's ass just now." Adam laughs with you. "So I guess that I'd have to agree with your chat."

"Hey! Don't get too cocky now!" Austin cuts in. "That was just the first round." He reminds you both.

"Yeah yeah, big talk for a loser Creed." You tease him.

The next round starts and Austin's team manages to get some redemption. The four of you play for a few hours before everyone starts to call it a night. Austin and Kofi are the first to go, which leaves you with Adam for a while.

The two of you play some duo's games for an hour or so before you end your stream and default back to just the discord call.

"It was super fun playing, Adam." You comment as you close your Twitch for the night.

"Yeah, we make quite the pair." Adam chuckles on the other end of the call.

"That we do." You laugh with him. "Hey, I'm gonna be in town for a gaming tournament in a few days. We should link up and meet." You remember that you have that Fortnite tournament coming up.

"Yeah? I'd love to meet up!" You can hear Adam's excitement through the call.

"Perfect!" You grin to yourself. "I'll IM you my number and we can chat more about it." You quickly type your phone number into an instant message.

"Cool, thanks," Adam replies. "You logging off for the night?" He adds as he types his number in as well.

"Yeah, I've got an early Resident Evil remake stream tomorrow." You explain.

"Ah, dope, maybe ill drop by and watch it," Adam replies.

"I'll keep an eye out for you, night Adam." You say your goodbyes and close discord for the night and head to bed.

The next morning you wake up and check Twitter to see that some of your fans are buzzing about you and Adam from last night. You laugh at a few and head back into your game room to set up Resident Evil for your usual weekend horror stream.

About half an hour into your stream you recognize Adam's Twitch name pop up in the chat as well as your notifs since he gifts a few subs for you.

"Hey! Looks like I made quite the impression last night. Thanks for the 10 gifted subs, Adam!" You thank him and quickly get back to the game before you die.

The chat interacts with Adam as you play which makes you laugh and he stays for most of your morning stream. When you log off for the day you get a text from Adam about your meet-up in a few days.

Adam isn't shy about asking you out to dinner after the tournament and you agree to the date of course. Over the next few days, you and Adam play some more games until finally, your meet date comes up.

"Here you go." You hand an autographed photo to an eager girl with a grin.

You've been at the convention center all day, playing games and taking photos with fans. But you've yet to see Adam. You can't help but get excited when you spot Austin through the crowd as well as his companion. You've come to recognize that signature smile anywhere, Adam has finally arrived.

"Austin!" You hop over the stall and hug your bestie. "So good to see you!" You smile and hug him tight.

"Yeah! It's been too long Y/N." Austin agrees. "I brought your boyfriend along." He jokes as he lets you go.

"Adam!" You move over and let Adam in for a hug as well. "So good to actually see you in person." You laugh and let him go.

"Yeah! You look even better off-camera." Adam winks at you.

"Aww, stop." You blush and hit his arm lightly. "You look shorter in person." You tease him with a grin.

"Oh, that's low." Adam protests.

"Yeah, I know. You are low, to the ground that is." You and Austin both laugh.

"Oh, so you're pretty and have a sense of humor? Quite the package hmm?" Adam rolls his eyes playfully at you.

"I try." You shrug with a grin. "Now, we still on for that dinner date?" You ask him with a raised brow.

"Hell yeah." Adam nods and turns around. "Right this way gorgeous, I know the perfect spot to get some great dinner." He assures you.

"Great, because I'm starving." You nod and follow him. "Bye Austin." You wave to Creed as you leave with Adam as he weaves through the crowd.

"Bye!" Austin shakes his head as he watches you go. He knew it would be a great idea to introduce the two of you.

Chapter Text

The bell rings and Adam hoists himself to his feet. His opponent sulks away backstage without a word and Adam follows after him. Another hard-fought victory for the Hangman, but it somehow doesn't feel that way for him.

This has been going on for a while now, that feeling deep down in the cowboy's stomach that something is missing. Alcohol manages to dull the emptiness he feels, but Adam knows he can't drink his problems away. Not if he wants to make it past 60 anyway.

Adam makes his way back to the locker room with a blank expression, his face a perfect match for his mood. He gets to his door and comes to a stop when an angelic laugh breezes past his ears.

"Knock it off, Kenneth." A female voice drifts from inside his locker room.

"Y/N?" Your name falls from Adam's lips.

Slowly Page opens the door and finds Kenny standing in his way. But Page has no interest in his former tag team partner. His interest is fully fixed on the girl further inside the room. You.

"Page!" You push your brother aside when the door opens. "Surprise!" You let out a laugh and gesture to yourself.

The empty feeling in Adam's chest is gone in an instant as he gazes at you. Your laugh is like music to his ears as your smile seems to knock the air from his lungs.

"Y/N.....hi." Is all Hangman can manage to get out as his eyes glue themselves to you.

"Hi!" You laugh again. "You just gonna stand there? Or do I get my hug?" You ask him with a grin and step into his arms.

You gasp with a giggle and brace yourself as Adam lifts you off your feet and hugs you tightly. He smells slightly sweaty which is to be expected. But you also inhale that sweet musk of his. Like a mixture of whiskey and smooth cologne.

"Sorry," Adam mumbles and sets you back on the floor sheepishly.

"Never apologize for a hug, Adam." You shake your head. "It's good to see you, it's been way too long." You take a second to look Adam over.

It's been a little over a year since you've seen your brother's unreasonably attractive bestie. When Kenny offered to help with a hotel so you could come and visit Jacksonville you jumped at the chance to come down.

You find it comforting that in the year that you've been gone Page hasn't changed much. Still as handsome as ever with those sparkling blue eyes and infectious smile.

"Y-yeah." Adam agrees with you.

"Kenny didn't tell me you were coming?" He glances over at Kenny sitting silently in the corner of the room.

"I know, I wanted it to be a surprise." You explain and wave your brother off.

"Well, I'm surprised that's for sure." Adam chuckles nervously.

"Perfect! My plan worked then." You laugh with a grin.

Adam's stomach does a backflip as you laugh and flash that perfect smile at him. The man's been head over heels for you for years now.

"Listen, I'm taking you out for drinks. No protests." You tell him. "So get changed, I'm gonna go say hello to Matt and Nick then I'll be back." You inform him before you promptly exit the room.

It takes a moment for Adam to compose himself after you leave. Kenny waits idly by before he speaks up.

"I knew I should have warned you." Kenny laughs and smacks Adam on the shoulder. "You really just need to tell her you're in love with her before it kills you." He insists.

Adam shoots a glare at Kenny, his nose scrunching as he does. Kenny laughs again and heads out of the locker room.

After you visit with Nick and Matt and promise to come and visit their kids you head back to Adam's locker room.

"Adam?" You knock on the door twice before you enter.

You slip into the locker room and find Page shoving his gear into his duffel bag. His hair is still a bit damp from the shower he just took and he jumps a bit when you shut the door.

"You all ready to go?" You lean against the door with a grin.

"Yeah." Adam nods, avoiding eye contact with you. "I'm good." He slings his bag over his shoulder.

"Great! Let's go." You nod to the door and slip back out.

Adam follows you silently out of the arena and to your rental car. You drive out to a small bar across town that's nice and quiet.

"Jack and coke for me, please." You sit down at a barstool.

"Whiskey, iced." Adam sits down next to you and swallows hard.

The bartender brings over your drinks and you take a long sip from yours.

"Are you alright Adam?" You set your drink down and swivel to look at him.

"Hmm? Yeah, why?" Adam nods, obviously lying.

"Adam, come on." You shake your head, your fingers tapping on the side of your glass. "It's me you're talking to. I can tell somethings bothering you." You insist.

"I don't know." Adam sighs. "I'm just tired." He shrugs and downs the content of his glass.

"Tired? Or lonely?" You reply which makes Adam look at you.

A grin plays on your lips when his eyes meet yours. You down the rest of your drink and set the glass down.

"You know when I took that job up in Canada I thought it was the right thing for me." Your hand glides across the bar and rests on top of Adam's. "But I'd be lying if I said I haven't missed you." You admit. "And I know you missed me, so don't even try it." You warn him.

"You missed me more than your brother?" Adam lets out a small chuckle.

"Duh." You laugh. "My brother is annoying, I could never get tired of you. Come on, let's get out of here." Your hand clamps down on Adam's and you pull him from the barstool.

You head back to your hotel room with Adam in tow and he doesn't protest one bit when you arrive at your room.

"Umm Y/N, what are we doing?" Adam asks you nervously when you shut the door behind you.

"We're ending the night on a high note." You walk over to the minibar and mix two quick drinks. "Here, liquid courage." You hand Adam one and lean on the bar. "I believe that you've got something you wanna tell me? According to Kenny anyway." You take a sip from the glass.

"I...um yeah." Adam rubs the back of his neck with his free hand. "I'm well....kind of...." He struggles to come up with the right words to say.

"Hopelessly in love with me?" You cut in with a grin.

"Y-yeah, I think so." Adam nods and knocks back his drink. "This past year has been hell without you around." He continues.

"I know." You agree and walk over to him. "I love you too, dork." You take a seat on the edge of your bed and pull Adam down with you. "You gonna kiss me now? Or do we need to make you another drink?" You tease him.

Adam laughs but kisses you anyway and you're more than happy to run a hand through his hair.

Chapter Text

"Adam, will you calm down?" You scoff at the man groveling at your feet. "Come one, you look pathetic." You roll your eyes at the pathetic display.

"Please Y/N, I'm begging you. Even if it's just for a week, I need help." Pierce begs you, at the end of his rope.

"Alright!" You give in to his pleading. "One week, that's it. Now shut up."

"Okay, thank you." Adam nods and reaches up to fix his tie, trying to keep what little dignity he has left.

Pierce leaves your office and you go back to the paperwork that you were in the middle of. Now you need to make sure that you find someone to watch your NXT roster while you're helping Pierce on Smackdown since you have a feeling that this is going to take longer than a week.

You knew just what Pierce came for when he showed up at your door Thursday night. You've been watching Smackdown lately and it's blatantly obvious that Pierce had a crippling Roman Reigns problem.

"Come in." You glance up to the door when someone knocks about an hour after Pierce leaves.

"Y/N Mcmahon." Paul Heyman steps into your office. "Just the lady I wanted to see." He flashes you a friendly smile and shuts the door.

"Paul. You get one of Roman's buddies to beat some answers out of Pierce after he left?" You set your papers down and turn your attention to the weasel.

"Me? I did no such thing." Paul puts his hands up in defense. "I simply heard on the grapevine that you're coming to Smackdown. I'm here on behave of my client, that's all." He spins you some bullshit jargon.

"Mhm, I'm sure." You quip and gesture to the empty chair sitting in front of you. "Sit. What can I do for you?" You ask him.

"Well, I just wanted to make sure that you and my client are on the same page," Paul explains casually.

"And what page would that be, exactly?" You reply with a raised brow.

"That like Adam Pierce, you are more in a position of suggestion rather than power." Paul continues his explanation.

"Oh, of course." You roll your eyes. "Look, Paul." You rise to your feet with a smile. "I like you, your a nice guy. Good at your job." You reach around the table and flick his tie. "But let's get one thing straight, I'm not Adam Pierce." Your smile drops from your face. "If you think that I'm gonna let Roman boss me around like some defenseless little bitch then you got another thing coming. Roman wants to talk like a civilized person and not some third-world thug from some shitty c rated movie? He knows where to find me." You finish your little speech just as someone else comes through the door.

"Umm, this a bad time boss?" Roderick Strong pokes his head through the door.

"Roderick!" You flash a smile at him. "Not at all, actually I could use your help." You beckon him inside the room.

All four Undisputed Era members file into the room one by one as Paul trembles in his seat.

"What's up?" Kyle is the next one to speak up.

"Paul was just leaving." You direct your smile at Heyman. "In fact, Kyle, Adam, make sure he gets out of the arena alright for me." You ask them.

"Sure thing, boss." Kyle nods and hauls Paul up by the arm. "We'll take good care of him for you." He smiles as he pushes Paul out of the room.

You sit and chat with Roderick and Bobby for a few minutes about the show on Wednesday. You've come to trust the four of them to be straight with you when it comes to the inner workings of NXT.

"We look forward to seeing you and Roman go at it on Friday." Roderick wishes you good luck.

"Yeah, and you're sure that you don't need any backup?" Bobby adds.

"For Roman? No." You shake your head at them. "But I appreciate the offer, boys." You give them credit for being willing to back you up. "Take care, all of you." You dismiss them when Kyle and Adam come back.

Friday night rolls around and you head into the office for Smackdown. You meet with Adam before the show starts so he can drop off his office key for the week and still has a chance to get out of the arena before Roman arrives.

"Thank you." You take the keys from Adam.

"Be careful, Y/N," Adam warns you before he leaves.

"Yeah yeah, just leave it to me, Pierce." You wave him off and head to your office.

The show kicks off and everything seems to be going smoothly. That is until Roman inevitably comes out to the ring to talk shit and act tough after Jay has his match against Kevin Owens.

"Cut the shitty music!" You step out of your office and head down to the ring with a mic. "Roman, do us all a favor and get out of my ring." You step out onto the ramp as the arena falls silent.

"Your ring?" Roman turns to look at you. "Last I checked you didn't work in this ring, Y/N." He glares at you from the ring. "You're just another one of the cooperate stooges, Mcmahon or not."

"Id watch my mouth if I were you, Roman." You quip back calmly. "See I'm not like Pierce. I don't fear you, and I'm sure as hell not going to let you run around here like you're in charge of shit." You start to make your way down to the ring.

Kevin sits on the floor clutching at his shoulder as Jay keeps him on the floor. You walk over to them both and shoot a glare at Jay.

"Unless you wanna be on the unemployment list I suggest you step off." You warn him.

Jay takes a step back and glances at Roman as he does.

"Backstage now!" You warn Jay again. "Don't pay attention to him, you're my little bitch now." You nod to the ramp.

Jay hurries up the ramp and backstage. He fears Roman because he knows Roman can beat his ass. But Jay fears losing his job more than any ass-kicking.

"Jey!" Roman shouts as his cousin scurries away.

"Pipe down, Reigns." You roll your eyes and help Kevin to his feet. "You alright Kevin?" You ask him.

"Yeah, thanks." Kevin nods. "You want me to stay?" He glances at Roman still in the ring.

"No, I've got this. You just go get that shoulder looked at." You shake your head as a few medical staff come down the ramp.

Kevin leaves with the staff and you head into the ring with Roman. He towers over your small stature but you don't flinch as he stares down at you.

"You're awfully brave, Y/N." Roman gives you credit for facing him.

"I'd say the same about you." You reply with a laugh. "I could have your job in an instant. Benefit of being the favorite daughter of the boss."

"You wouldn't dare." Roman snickers and shakes his head at you.

"You so sure about that?" You challenge him. "Sure, you're a popular and talented guy Roman." You add. "So are half the men back there that don't get any screentime. Your problem is you think that you're irreplaceable."

"Watch yourself," Roman warns you again, but he can't help but get a bit of pleasure out of the conversation.

"Why don't you make me, Roman." You challenge him again. "I'm right here."

Roman laughs again and eyes you up, standing in front of him without an ounce of fear.

"Fine." Roman finally gives in. "I'll go, for now." He walks over to the ropes of the ring. "But some think that this is over." He adds.

"I look forward to it." You wave at Roman with a grin as he leaves.

Chapter Text

"Hey, Gedo? Have you seen Jay?" You step into your best friend's locker room and peer inside.

"No." Gedo shakes his head. "Why, what's up?" He asks you.

"Umm.....nothing." You think about it for a second but decide to keep things to yourself. "Just tell him I'm looking for him, yeah?" You ask Gedo.

"Sure thing." Gedo nods and you shut the door behind you.

With a sigh, you decide that you'd mind as well head back to the hotel. This had been happening as of late. You've been the best of friends with Jay for a long time. But lately, it seems like he's never got time for you.

You are making your way down the hall out to the parking lot when you spot someone and an idea forms in your head.

"Chris!" You flash a smile at Sabin. "How've you been?" You saunter up to him.

If there is one thing that is sure to get under Jay's skin it's seeing you hanging out with a man that he absolutely hates. And that man is Chris Sabin.

"Y/N! What's up shorty?" Chris stops in his tracks and flashes a grin back at you.

"Oh, you know me." You giggle. "Just looking for some trouble to get into." You hop up onto a box to chat.

"Naturally." Chris laughs and leans against the box you're sitting on.

You sit and chat with Chris for a while, knowing that Jay is bound to be by at any moment now. The two of you chat about work and a few other things until you see Jay come around the corner.

"She what?" Jay comes back to the locker room and finds Gedo waiting with a message. "Did she say why?" He asks.

"Nope." Gedo shakes his head. "She didn't look happy though." He adds.

"Alright." Jay nods and changes quickly before he goes looking for you.

Jay heads down the hall in search of you and is appalled by what he finds when he rounds the corner.

"What the hell?" Jay asks himself as he gazes at the sight in front of him.

You sit on a stack of crates backstage, your legs swinging casually. In front of you stands a man that Jay cannot stand. Chris Sabin.

Chris stands in front of you, a smile on his face as the two of you chat casually.

"Y/N." Jay strides up to you. "Gedo said that you were looking for me?" He ignores Chris as he walks over to you.

"Yeah, I'm surprised you found me so quickly." You quip. "You mind, Chris?" You turn to Chris and hold your hand out to him.

"Sure thing, sweetie." Chris nods and helps you down from your perch.

Jay rolls his eyes at Chris's chivalry as you're returned to your feet.

"Thanks, Chris. Bye." You flash another smile at Chris and wave as he leaves.

Jay waits until Chris is gone from sight before he turns to you with an annoyed look in his eye.

"Chris Sabin? Really?" He scoffs at you.

"Yeah, so what?" You shrug. "He's charming. More so than you, that's for sure." Your comment makes Jay roll his eyes again.

"I'm here, what did you need to talk about?" Jay asks you.

"You know what? Forget it." You shake your head. "It wasn't anything important." You insist and go to walk away.

"You sure?" Jay turns with you. "Y/N?" He watches you walk off.

You ignore him as you walk away satisfied with the know-how that you're getting on his nerves.

You decide to go drinking before you head back to the hotel and front at the local bar that everyone hangs out at after the show. You aren't there for long until Chris shows up and heads over to you.

"Y/N, funny seeing you here." Chris jokes as he takes a seat next to you.

"I know! You stalking me now, Sabin?" You joke with a laugh.

"Is it stalking if you want me here?" Chris laughs with you.

"Good point." You nod and pick up your beer bottle.

The two of you chat for a while again until the last call. When the bar is about to close you and Chris both head out at the same time.

"Well, thank you for the drinks." You pull out your phone to call an Uber.

"Yeah, no problem." Chris nods. "You can drive back with me if you want. I doubt you'd get an Uber anytime soon." He points out that it's late on a Saturday.

"Alright, thanks." You nod and take him up on his offer.

Chris drives you both back to the hotel and takes the elevator up with you. You're both staying on the same floor so you exit together as well.

"Thanks for the ride." You come to your door and stop. "I had a much nicer time than I thought." You admit.

"And ill take that as a compliment." Chris grins at you. "You know your boyfriend hates my guts right?" Chris nods to Jay's door across the hall.

"I know." You nod. "That's all part of the allure." You poke at Chris's chest.

"Oh, so you're using me to make your boy toy jealous?" Chris gets the hint.

"Maybe." You shrug and wrap your hands around his neck. "You alright with that?" You ask him.

It turns out that Chris isn't really as annoying as Jay always makes him out to be. He's charming and sweet enough for you to like him a bit.

"Sure." Chris raises his brows at you. "If it nabs me the chance at you that is." He adds.

You and Chris are just inches apart when the door across the hall swings open and Jay comes through it.

"Get lost, Sabin." Jay barks, ill intent in his voice.

"Oh screw off Jay!" You let Chris go and snap at him.

"Now!" Jay shoots Chris a glare that sends him running.

You scoff and turn around to head inside your room. Jay pushes you lightly inside the room and shuts the door behind him.

"You know it was kind of cute the first time, but now? Now it's just annoying." Jay turns around to face you. "You wanna tell me what your deal is sunshine?" He asks you firmly.

"You!" You snap at him again. "You're my problem you egocentric dickhead." You shake your head.

"Me? What did I do now?" Jay throws his hands up in frustration.

"It's what you didn't do, Jay!" You sigh heavily. "It's always a fight with you. You ever think that maybe I get tired of having to fight for your attention?" You ask him.

"What?" Jay calms down for the moment. "That's what this is about? You get all cute and flirty with a man you know I hate because you want attention?" He shakes his head.

"I'm sorry, okay." You shake your head. "It's just, you never seem like you want to spend time with me anymore. You're always either busy with work or I can't find you." You explain your anger.

"Well shit, Y/N. Why didn't you just say something?" Jay takes a step forward and pulls you into his side. "I'm sorry I've been busy and it seems like I've been ignoring you." He wraps his arms around you tightly. "You know I love you right? I didn't mean to ignore you."

"I love you too." You sniffle and wrap your arms around him. Your head resting on his chest. "Just, try and spend a little more time with me okay? Even if it's just a little bit?" You ask him.

"Of course!" Jay nods above you. "I'll clear my whole schedule tomorrow, just for the two of us. Okay?" He pushes you away so he can look at you.

"Okay." You nod.

"But you gotta promise to leave that twat, Sabin, alone." He adds.

"Deal." You grin.

Chapter Text

"Mhm, thanks for the ride dad." You thank Taz for the ride to the arena and head in your own direction.

"No problem, pumpkin!" Taz calls after you. "Stay safe!" He adds before you're out of shouting distance.

You make your way down to the woman's locker room. You are a member of your father's team, yes, but being the only girl you feel more comfortable changing in your own room. Especially with Ricky around.

You get changed and talk with Kris Stantlander for a minute before you head out to meet your dad and the boys in their locker room. You are walking the Inner Circle locker room when you hear an argument inside.

"Hmm." The loud voices pique your interest so you stop and listen.

You can hear two voices on the other side of the door. One, you're sure is Max, you'd recognize that condescending tone anywhere. The other sounds young as well, so most likely Sammy.

The arguing continues for a bit followed by a loud grunt and then someone walking to the door. You quickly take a step back just as the door swings open.

"Y/N?" Sammy furrows his brows at you.

"Hi, Sammy." You flash him an innocent smile. "Everything alright in there?" You look past Sammy and find Max lying on the floor clutching at his ribs.

"Just fine." Sammy grits his teeth for a moment before he switches to a smile. "Don't worry about it." He assured you.

"Alright." You shrug. "See you later, Guevara." You wave to him and are on your way again.

You arrive at your father's locker room and knock twice on the door before you enter.

"Everyone decent?" You ask loudly.

"All clear!" You hear Brian shout back.

You trust Cage to be truthful with you, Ricky not so much. But since Cage is the one who shouted you head inside.

"Where is everyone?" You slip inside the room to find Just Brian inside.

"Taz is in a quick meeting, Ricky went looking for you, and I have no idea where Hobbs is," Brian replies as he pulls his shirt over his head.

"Oh." You nod and toss your bag to the floor. "Well, I guess we wait then." You plop down into a chair.

"Mhm." Brian agrees and sits down as well. "What've you been up to, shorty?" Brian asks you casually.

"Not much." You shrug. "Guevara and Max were going at it when I went by the Inner Circle locker room. 20 bucks say that Sammy leaves tonight." You offer Cage a bet for fun.

"Ooo, I'll take that action." Cage grins and leans over to shake your hand.

"What are you two plotting?" Taz comes through the door with Ricky at his side.

"Just a friendly bet dad." You assure him.

"Yeah." Brian backs you up. "Y/N has twenty on Guevara dropping Inner Circle tonight." He explains.

"Oh yeah, I'll get in on that." Ricky butts in. "I'm with Y/N on this one." He slides down onto the couch next to you.

"Right on." You laugh and high-five him.

Soon everyone is in on the action. It's you and Ricky against Brian and your dad. Will's bet is to be determined when he finally shows up for work.

"So, how come you didn't wait for me to come to get you in your locker room?" Ricky asks when the subject changes. "We could have had a little fun before work." He teases with a grin.

"That's precisely why I didn't wait." You grin and push Ricky's nose away from you.

"Tease." Ricky purrs.

"Manwhore." You retort and raise from your seat with a wink.

The time comes for everyone to head out for Brian's match against Darby, so you all file out of the locker room.

You and Ricky fall to the back of the group and chat for a bit. Ricky of course slings his arm around you as you walk. You let it remain for the time being.

Your group reaches the tunnel entrance just as Sammy finishes up with Inner Circle. The words "I quit!" ring in your ears sweetly.

"Ooof, cough it up, boys!" You laugh as Taz and Brian both groan.

Taz hands you and Ricky each a twenty and Brian promises to deliver when he gets back to the locker room where his wallet is. You pocket your money and high-five Ricky again.

"Be right back, guys." You stay behind as Sammy comes through the tunnel.

Taz nods as you jog after Sammy and the rest of the group make their way out to the ring.

"Sammy! Hey! Wait up!" You hurry after Sammy.

"Y/N, hey again." Sammy stops so you can catch up to him.

"Hi." You catch your breath. "You doing alright? I heard what you said out in the ring." You ask him.

"Ha! Yeah, I'm good." Sammy laughs. "Finally free of stupid Max." He sounds pleased at that at least.

"Well, that's a plus." You laugh with him.

"But seriously, you good?" You ask him again. "I know that you and Chris were close."

"Yeah, that part definitely sucks." Sammy nods quietly. "You wanna walk with me to grab my shit?" He asks you.

"Sure." You nod. "Dad and the boys can handle stuff."

You and Sammy walk side by side and you listen to Sammy get out all his pent-up anger about Max. You just walk and agree that Max is an asshole.

Sammy grabs his stuff from the locker room and you walk him out to the parking lot.

"Well, if you're interested in it. The boys and I would be happy to back you up in kicking Max's ass." You pull out your phone and unlock it. "Here, give me your number and we can talk. About Max, or not. Up to you." You hand him your phone.

"Thanks, Y/N." Sammy nods and types his number in. "I might just take you up on that." He gives you back your phone with his number saved then hands you his.

"About Max or other stuff?" You ask him with a grin.

"Guess you'll just have to find out." Sammy winks at you as you hand him his phone back.

"Oh! Suspense!" You giggle. "I like it. Bye, Guevara." You wave to him as he leaves.

Chapter Text

"Jon! How are you?" You are in the middle of running a quick errand for Tony when you run into a familiar face.

"Y/N, darlin'." Jon cracks a grin and opens his arms for a hug. "I heard a rumor that Khan was hiring you. It's been what? Ten years?" He asks you as you hug him.

"Shit, more like fifteen." You laugh. "You're looking, good old man." You joke and poke at his chest.

"Awe, I try." Jon rolls his eye at you. "And hey, you ain't looking that bad yourself sugar." He adds.

"Please." You are the one to roll your eyes this time. "I look like I haven't slept in a week."

"Eh, I still dig it." Jon shrugs. "We should catch up later though, after the show?" He suggests, seeing that you're kind of busy.

"Yeah, definitely." You nod. "I'll meet you after the show." You agree to meet Jon and send him on his way.

As soon as he is gone you are shaking your head. Boy is he different but still the same since the last time you saw him. Jon is still a smug bastard that knows how to push people's buttons. But this time he's traded in the fluffy hair and puppy dog eyes for a more intense and mature look.

You aren't back at work long when you happen to run into another familiar face from your past.

"Y/N, that you sugar?" You hear a male voice call from behind you.

"Eddie!" You turn around to find your other old running buddy staring at you. "Yeah it's me, how are you?" You trot over to him for a hug.

"I'm doing good, gorgeous." Eddie hugs you tightly. "I didn't know you were working here? What they got you doin'?" He asks you after he lets you go.

"Khan hired me." You explain. "New assistant job. Just pushing papers and shit like that." You shrug.

"Oh, no ring action then?" Eddie quirks a brow at you.

"Nah." You shake your head. "I took a pretty bad spill a few years back and messed up my back pretty good." You explain. "So I try and stay away from the ring if I can help it now."

"Awe, that's too bad." Eddie nods. "Man back in the day? You were a sight to see sugar." He reminds you.

"Ha! Thanks, Eddie." You laugh. "Hey! Mickey and I are getting drinks after the show. You should come with us." You suggest.

"Yeah? Alright." Eddie agrees to your offer. "I'll be seeing you after the show then." He gives you one more hug before he leaves.

You head back to work doing random stuff for Tony. Part of you can't wait to get a chance to hang out with Mox and Eddie again.

Back in the day the three of you made quite the team. Not to mention there's always been this unspoken thing between you and Moxley. And you're eager to see if it's still there after all these years.

After the show, you head out in search of Jon and Eddie. You run into Jon first as he comes out of his locker room.

"Mox! Hey, you seen Kingston?" You ask him.

"No, why?" Jon shakes his head and pulls his jacket on.

"I asked him to get drinks with us." You explain. "Let me text him real quick." You pull out your phone and shoot him a text.

Jon rolls his eyes when you look down at your phone. It's obvious that after over a decade you're still clueless about the fact that Eddie and he used to fight over you all the time.

"Okay! He says that he's got to stay a bit late for work but he'll meet us at the bar." You put your phone away after Eddie texts you back.

"Cool, let's get going then." Jon nods. "I'm dying for a drink right about now." He chuckles.

"You're always dying for a drink." You laugh with him and head out of the building.

A little more than an hour later you and Moxley are copied up in a corner booth at some local bar when Eddie finally arrives. He scans the room, eager to finally get some time to talk to you when his gaze fixes on you two.

"Oh, you gotta be fucking kidding me?" Eddie scoffs at the sight.

Jon and you are sitting on the same side of the booth and sharing drinks shoulder to shoulder. A dusting of blush is bright on your cheeks. Whether it's from Mox or the drinks he doesn't know.

"Eddie!" You spot him from across the bar and beckon him over.

Eddie quickly heads over to the booth and slips into the opposite side. A bartender comes over and gets him a beer before you all settle back into a conversation.

"Glad you could make it, Eddie." You nod to him, a beer in your hand.

"Yeah." Jon nods, a glare on his face at Eddie. All the alcohol making his protective side come out.

"You two been here long?" Eddie asks casually.

"About an hour or so." You shrug and pick up your beer. "We've just been catching up is all. I was just telling Jon about what I've been up to lately."

"Yeah?" Eddie nods. "What have you been up to?" He asks you.

"Not much, really." You shrug. "Just some odd jobs here and there, you know how it is."

Eddie nods again, starting to feel the effects of Moxley glaring at him when you aren't paying attention to him next to you. You dismiss yourself to head to the bathroom and the fight is on as soon as you are out of earshot.

"You know, you've got some nerve Jon," Eddie growls as he leans across the booth at his so-called friend.

"We're really gonna have this argument again?" Jon scoffs. "She wasn't into you back then, Kingston. And she's still not into you now." He insists.

"And how the hell would you know?" Eddie scoffs as well and rolls his eyes. "Last time I checked you were the one that made her leave because you couldn't leave her alone!" He snaps.

"Ha! Is that what she told you." Jon laughs.

You come out of the bathroom a few minutes later and sigh when you sot Eddie and Jon across the room arguing with one another. Both men are red in the face and neither of them looks pleased. You make your way over to them and push both of them back into their seats with a shove.

"Knock it off! Both of you." You warn them and pull an empty chair from a different table. You have a feeling that you know what they're arguing about. "I swear, I leave for five minutes and you two are at each other's throats." You shake your head. "What could it possibly be about this time?" You shoot them both an annoyed glare.

"You." Eddie is the first one to speak up.

"Me? For what?" You furrow your brows at them.

"We were arguing about which one of us likes you more. Who has the right to ask you out." Jon explains further.

You look between both men as a smile starts to crack on your face. The whole situation is comedic. And you are about to make it so much worse with the news that you have.

"Oh, well that's easy." You nod and grab your beer from the table. "Neither of you are taking me home tonight, or any night for that matter." You drop the news on them and down the rest of your drink. "The two of you had your chance when we were young. And you'll be happy to know that I've already got a boyfriend, guys." You inform them of the bad news.

"You do?" Mox and Eddie reply in unison. "Who?" They ask you.

"Well if the two of you spent more time listening than you did fighting then you'd know that I've been working in New Japan and Impact a lot in the last few years and I met someone. I'm sure the two of you know Juice Robinson?" You ask them.

"Juice Robinson?" Eddie scoffs at the name.

"Mhm." You nod as your phone buzzes in your pocket. "And speak of the devil, just a second." You hold up your finger and grab your phone with your free hand,

You find a message from your boyfriend waiting for you and you quickly reply. It's a reminder that his plane should be landing in about an hour and you should be heading down to the airport to meet him soon.

"Well, this has been fun." You put your phone back as well as the chair. "I'll let you two work this thing out, I've gotta go meet Juice at the airport. I'll see you two at work okay? And please, stop acting like toddlers fighting over a toy and learn to get along." You pat both men on the shoulder and leave them to make up.

Jon and Eddie both watch you disappear from view then they both order some harder drinks between them. They both sigh and shake hands across the table.

"Guess we're both idiots." Eddie chuckles and grabs his glass.

"Guess we are." Jon agrees and does the same. "She would have chosen me though." He adds with a grin.

"Not a chance, Moxley." Eddie shakes his head. "It would have been me, no doubt."

Chapter Text

"You know there is no reason for it to be this cold." You complain and pull your shirt closer to your body.

"It's like 50 degrees, hardly cold," Tony replies next to you.

"This is Florida." You complain again. "It's not supposed to dip below 70 here." You shake your head.

Tony and Excalibur both chuckle at you shivering between them as you all wait for the show to kick off on the air. It's about ten minutes till kick-off and you are seriously considering booking it down to the parking lot to retreated the sweater you keep in the back.

"Yeah, screw it. I'll be right back guys." You pull off your headset and hop over the desk before anyone can get a word in.

Excalibur and Tony watch your sprint through the tunnel and out of sight. Tony rolls his eyes casually and Excalibur laughs.

"Think she'll be back in time?" Tony asks casually.

"She better be," Excalibur replies as the clock counts down.

You weave through staff backstage to get to the parking lot across the building and back in time. You ran track in school so you're fast, but are you that fast.

You come to a halt when a door swings open in front of you and blocks your path. The door closes as you stop and Jungle Boy looks at you with a friendly smile.

"Y/N! Where are you headed in such a hurry?" He asks you casually.

"Trying to get to my car for a sweater." You reply quickly. "I'm freezing to death and the show starts in like five minutes." You explain.

"Oh. You wanna borrow mine?" Jack pulls his jack off of his shoulders and hands it to you. "I've gotta change anyway." He adds as he offers it to you.

"Really? Thanks!" You gladly take the jacket and slip it on. "You're a lifesaver, Jack." You give him a small hug.

"No problem." Jack shrugs with a grin. "See you out there." He lets you go.

With Jungle Boys jacket now warming your shudders up, you rush back out to the commentary table. You hurry back over to the table and sit down between your colleagues.

"Wow, that was fast." Tony comments.

"Yeah, not to mention that looks awfully like Jack Perry's jacket," Excalibur adds.

"Quiet." You hush both of them and pull on your headset.

The show kicks off and you jump into work mode for the time being.

About an hour or so into the show and it's time for Jurassic Express to come out for their match against some Inner Circle members. JB waves at you as he passes with his buddies and you silently wave back at him.

"Oh! Could we be seeing something budding between you and Jungle Boy? Y/N?" Excalibur teases you when you wave.

"It's called being friendly, you should try it sometime." You quip back at him.

This earns you a laugh from him and Tony which you chose to ignore as the bell rings and the action kicks off in the ring. After the match comes to a conclusion after Santana and Ortiz manage to win with the help of Max and Wardlow hanging out at ringside with them. Max decides that this is the perfect time to come over and bother you. One of his favorite new hobbies as of late.

"Y/N, looking good tonight babe." Max saunters up to the commentary table.

"Maxwell." You roll your eyes at him. "Nice job out there. You know, cheating to win and all." You fake a smile at him.

"Hey, a win is a win sweetheart." Max shrugs.

"Mhm." You scoff. "Don't you have somewhere to be Max?" You ask him.

"Wherever you're going will do just fine." Max grins at you, ever the persistent jackass.

"She said she wasn't interested." You are a little surprised when Jack comes over and gives Max a decent shove. "So get lost." He warns Max.

"Awe, does Jungle Boy have a little crush?" Max laughs and waves him. off. "Whatever, loser boy. I'll talk to you later, babe." Max winks at you before he leaves with Wardlow.

You shoot Max a glare as he walks off with Wardlow and the rest of his crew. When they are gone you turn back to JB.

"Thank you." You thank him for his help. "I could have handled it though." You add.

"I know." JB nods. "But I wanted to help. He's an asshole, anyway."

"Can't argue with you there." You laugh. "Take care, Jack." You smile at him before he heads backstage so the show can continue.

Jack waves at you as he leaves and Tony and Excalibur are both on your case as soon as he's gone. You roll your eyes at them both and focus on the task at hand.

"You two are real professional, you know that?" You scoff at them.

"We aren't the ones flirting on the job." Excalibur teases you.

"I wasn't flirting!" You protest.

"No? I'd hate to see you in action then." Tony joins in on the fun.

"Quiet, the show is back on the air." You shake your head as the show comes back from commercial break.

After the show, you head backstage and down to the locker rooms so you can return Jungle Boy's jacket to him before he leaves. You manage to catch him just as he's about to head out for the night.

"Jack! Hey!" You call out to catch his attention.

"Y/N, hey." He turns to you as you hurry over to him. "What's up?" He asks you.

"I just wanted to return your jacket." You hand the garment back to him. "Thanks again for letting me use it. And for telling Max off as well, not that I needed help with that." You giggle.

"No problem." JB takes his jacket back and slings it over his shoulder. "Hey, I don't know about you, but I was gonna grab some dinner before I head home for the night." He explains quietly. "I don't suppose that you'd maybe wanna join me? For dinner, that is?" He asks you semi-nervously.

"Yeah! I could grab some dinner." You nod with an eager smile.

"Really?" Jack looks a little surprised that you said yes. "Okay! Yeah, let's go then." He cracks a smile at you and gestures for you to follow him.

"Lead the way then." You laugh and follow behind him. "But if we're spending any extended time outside then I may have to ask for that jacket back." You joke.

"Naturally." JB laughs with you. "It looks better on you anyway." He adds with a grin.

Chapter Text

It's Wednesday afternoon when you meet Kyle and Roderick in the gym for a workout. The first thing you notice is that Adam is nowhere to be found.

"Kyle, where is Adam at?" You ask him when you get over to him.

"No clue." Kyle shrugs. "You seen him at all today, Roddy?" You both turn to Roderick.

"Nope." Roderick shakes his head at all. "He's your boyfriend, N/N. Shouldn't you know where he is?" He teases you.

"Quiet." You roll your eyes at him. "Oh well." You shrug and pull a hair tie from your wrist. "If he shows up he shows up." You pull your hair up.

Kyle and Roderick both agree with you and break away for separate workouts. You join Kyle at the weights for a little bit while Roderick does legs.

The two of you aren't there for long when Adam finally shows up. He walks over to you and Kyle as soon as he arrives.

"Adam!" You greet him. "I was beginning to think that you ditched us." You joke and turn your head to him.

"Woke up late." Adam shrugs, and you can tell by his tone that he's lying. "You wanna spot for me?" He asks you.

"Sure!" You nod.

You finish up talking to Kyle then follow Adam over to a separate bench. You stand in front of his bench and spot him while he lifts. You notice that Adam seems a bit on edge today so you decide to ask him about it.

"Hey, Adam?" You look down at him below you.

"Yeah?" Adam looks up at you.

"You feeling alright today?" You ask him as casually as you can. "You seem a little off."

"I'm all good, baby." Adam flashes you his signature grin.

You nod but you can tell that Adam is hiding something. You decide to save it for later though, choosing not to press him.

"Alright." You nod and idle by while Adam finishes his set.

After the gym, you go to grab some lunch with Adam at some ramen place a few blocks away. You use the time to check up on your charismatic best friend.

"So, what's our fearless leader been up to?" You take a sip of your tea casually.

"Me? Not much." Adam shrugs as his eyes gloss over the menu. "Why?" He glances up at you.

"Just checking up is all." You shrug and pick up your menu. "You know I worry." You add.

"I know." Adam chuckles a little and sets his menu down. "And we all appreciate it. Honestly, I don't know what we'd do without you." He admits quietly.

You laugh with him and the waiter comes by to take your order. You order a pork ramen bowl and another drink besides your water.

You and Adam eat in silence and enjoy one another's company for a while. After you both eat Adam insists on paying but you convince him to let you tip.

"I've got a few errands to run before the show tonight." You walk out to the parking lot with Adam. "But ill see you at the show." You pat his shoulder.

"Alright." Adam nods and pulls you in for a side hug. "I'll see you later then, babe." He winks as you leave like he normally does.

You run your errands and then head down to the arena for the show. When you get there Kyle and Roderick are already there and ready to go.

"Hey, guys." You greet them and set down your bags. "Where's Adam?" You notice that he isn't there.

"No clue." Kyle shrugs. "Didn't you have lunch with him?" He asks you.

"Yeah." You nod and pull your clothes from your bag. "He seemed a bit off." You explain.

"We've noticed." Roderick and Kyle share a look.

You step into the other room to change into your ring gear and a UE jacket. When you come back out Adam shows up to the locker room.

"Hey!" You are the only one to greet Adam as he shuts the door.

"Hey, Y/N." Adam nods to you.

You idle by while the boys get changed and then you all head out for your usual shenanigans. You break away from the boys for a bit while they mess around with Finn Balor.

While you're away you hang around the woman's locker room to talk with your friend Toni Storm for a bit. You are in the middle of talking with her when Candice Lerae comes barrelling into the room.

"Y/N! What the hell is going on with your buddies?" She asks you.

"What do you mean?" You furrow your brows at her.

"You know Adam Cole is throwing a fit right now right? He attacked your buddy, Kyle." She explains.

"What!?" You stand to your feet and Candice gestures out towards the ring.

You hurry down to the ring as fast as you can and stop when you get to the ramp. You find Kyle and Finn both on the floor of the ring with Roderick checking on them. Adam stands outside the ring with a sort of broken look on his face.

"Adam?" You call to get his attention.

Adam turns around and locks eyes with you. You swallow hard when he advances your way and grabs ahold of your arm.

"I'm sorry." He pulls you into his side.

"Adam, what did you do?" Your arms drop to your sides.

"What I had to," Adam replies. "Come with me? Please." He breaks away so he can look at you.

"What?" You shake your head.

"Please?" Adam asks you again. "They don't need you, I do." He tells you. "Please Y/N, there isn't any me without you."

You look up at the ring as Finn comes too as well as Kyle. They all look up at you standing with Adam. You feel a twinge of guilt but you can't bring yourself to leave Adam like this.

You wrap your arms around him and can feel the tension leave his body as you do. Kyle and Roderick both look angry but understanding at the same time.

"I've got your back, honey." You hug Adam tightly.

"Thank you," Adam whispers back. "I love you."

"I love you too, Adam. Come on." You grab his arm and pull him backstage before Kyle and Roderick decide to make a move.

Chapter Text

It's early in the morning when you wake up. The sun is barely up and your room is bitterly cold. With a shiver, you haul yourself up into a sitting position and wrap the sheets around your barely covered top half.

Next to you, Trent is fast asleep and still snoring. You sign and run a hand through his messy hair with a small smile. Moments like this are usually so rare. But with Trent home recovering from his bicep injury you've been able to spend way more time with him.

"Hmm?" Trent stirs when you run a hand through his hair.

"Sorry, baby." You smile down at your boyfriend as his eyes blink open.

"What time is it?" Trent stirs awake and stares up at you.

"Like 6, is all." You reply, hand still playing with his hair. "We've plenty of time to sleep in." You assure him and lean down for a kiss.

Trent hums against your lips before you break away to go to the bathroom. Trent snuggles back into the bed and yawns.

"It's cold." You complain as you climb back into bed.

You pull your covers back around you and you snuggle back up to Trent's warm body. He wraps his arms around you with a content yawn.

"I could get used to this." Trent smiles into your hair.

"I know what you mean." You agree.

The silence of the house is comforting and the cold gives you an excuse to snuggle up to your boyfriend so you don't mind it much. You and Trent fall back asleep for a few more hours until you know that you should be getting up.

Trent opts to shower first while you start a pot of coffee and make a quick breakfast for both of you. Just some waffles and eggs, nothing fancy. You just finish his plate when Trent finishes his shower and comes into the kitchen.

"Mmm, thanks babe." he kisses your forehead before he takes his plate from the counter.

"Mhm." You hum at him and focus on making your plate so you can eat as well.

You finish up your plate of food then take a shower yourself while Trent washes the dishes for you. When you get out of the shower he's busy looking for his shoes.

"I swear this is where I left them." He complains and scratches his beard as he thinks.

"You did." You laugh as you watch the confused look on your boyfriend's face grow by the second. "The cat was attacking them so I moved them over by the front door." You end his search with a laugh.

"Well, why didn't you say so?" Trent pouts.

"It's fun watching you try and look for them." You tease him. "Have fun at the docs, babe." You kiss his cheek before he leaves.

With Trent gone you make a quick trip to the gym and then swing by the grocery store for some milk and a loaf of bread. On your way home, you get a call from Trent's other half, Chuck.

"Chuckie! What's up?" You answer the call from your car dash so you can still drive.

"Y/N, hey," Chuck replies on the other end of the line. "You don't mind if I swing by right?" He asks you.

"Not at all." You answer. "Trent will be happy to see you, and I'll be home in a few minutes." You explain.

When you pull the cat into your driveway Chuck's cat is already parked in the extra spot. You grab your groceries from the back and head inside.

"Chuckie! Good to see you." You greet your boyfriend's best friend.

"Y/N, hey." Chuck smiles at you from his spot next to Trent. "You're looking good." He compliments you.

"Thanks." You grin and put the groceries away. "You staying for lunch?" You ask him casually.

"I don't see why not." Chuck shrugs.

You nod and let Trent and Chuck walk off to another part of the house while you make up some lunch. It isn't long before you can hear them both laughing and talking in the other room.

It brings a smile to your face that Trent's absence from work doesn't seem to be affecting him too much. You were initially a bit worried when his doctor told him how long he was gonna be on the shelf.

"If you two are done gossiping lunch is ready." You finish up cooking and even out the food onto three plates.

"Smells delicious." Trent and Chuck come trotting into the room.

"Yeah, why'd you have to go and scoop up the chef?" Chuck jokes and sits down next to Trent.

"For the food." Trent grins and grabs his food from you.

"Glad to know you only love me for my cooking." You laugh and hand Chuck his plate.

The three of you sit and chat about work while you eat. You're a personal chef so there isn't much to talk about there. Chuck does most of the talking for you.

"I talked to my doc early. He said that I'm looking all clear." Trent announces the news shortly after Chuck quiets down.

"That's great babe!" You nod with an enthusiastic smile. "You can finally start pulling your weight around here again." You joke.

"Well, we can't wait to have you back at work." Chuck insists. "OC has been missing you." He adds.

"I can't wait to get back." Trent sighs. "Not that I don't love spending time at home with you, babe." He quickly turns to you.

"None taken." You shrug it off and collect the dirty dishes.

Trent and Chuck go back to chatting while you clean up the dishes then check your email for any news about work.

You busy yourself with menial tasks around the house until Chuck heads out and you are left with your boyfriend again. He finds you in the kitchen like usual, flipping through your recipe book.

"Yes?" You hum when you feel a pair of arms wrap around your waist. "What can I do for you?"

"Why don't we get takeout?" Trent suggests. "Let's watch a movie?" He suggests. "Spend some time together. Quality time."

"Yeah?" You turn around in his arms. "Alright. You go pick out a movie and ill go get some takeout." You kiss him gently then grab your keys.

"Hurry it up!" Trent teases as you walk away from him. "Don't keep me waiting." He adds.

"Wouldn't dream of it!" You call back to him with a grin.

Chapter Text

Your bag slung over your shoulder and a jacket covering up your dress you quietly make your way to the front door. You can hear Mike and Maryse chatting in the other room.

You've got a date with Damian in about half an hour and Mike had no clue that you've been seeing one of his newest enemies.

"Mike! I'm heading out to meet a friend!" You call out from the front door so Mike doesn't have a chance to ask questions.

"Okay! Have fun!" He shouts back.

You've only been in town for a few weeks now, coming down to help babysit your nieces while Mike and Maryse work.

You brought the kids to the arena with Maryse when you initially met Damian. The two of you only spoke for a few minutes but there was a spark. That was until Mike found out and shut the encounter down immediately.

"Damian?" You arrive at your meeting location and look around for your secret lover.

"Right here, sugar." Damian steps out into the open from behind his car. "You look gorgeous." He compliments your dress.

"Thanks." You blush. "What are we doing tonight?" You ask him curiously.

"Seeing a movie at this new theatre." Damian walks over to your side and slings an arm around you. "Then I was thinking that we'd grab some dessert at this dope place I know a few blocks away." He adds as he leads you to a dim-lit building off to the side of the road.

"Oh, sounds fun!" You crack a smile. "What movie are we seeing?" You press for further details.

"Some horror movie." Damian shrugs. "A few buddies of mine say it's really good." He explains.

"Mkay." You nod. "But you better not make fun of me when I get scared." You add.

"Me? Never." Damian laughs. "I'll keep you, safe baby. Don't you worry." He insists.

You head into the theatre that lights up as soon as you step inside. You grab some popcorn to share then make your way to the screening room. You and Damian are a bit early so you manage to get a good spot near the top of the rows right in the middle.

Not 15 minutes into the movie and you are jumping out of your skin. You love horror movies but this one is delightfully creepy. Damian chuckles next to you as you clutch onto his arm when the villain flashes across the screen.

"Ah!" You yelp and Damian pats your shoulder with a laugh.

"You're cute when you're scared." He teases as you snuggle against him.

After the movie, you check your phone when you get outside. You find a few texts from Mike and roll your eyes.

"Everything alright baby?" Damian sees you looking down at your phone in displeasure.

"My brother." You groan and put the phone away. "I swear he is so overprotective for no reason." You insist.

"Well, I know just the thing to keep your mind off of him." Damian grins.

"Oh yeah?" You quirk a brow at his suggestive comment. "And what would that be?" You ask him.

"I sure do." Damian nods. "Fro-yo." He nods his head at a neon sign hanging on a building down the block.

"Frozen yogurt?" You laugh, it not being the answer you were expecting.

"Yeah. What? Don't tell me that you don't like frozen yogurt?" He asks you.

"Of course I do!" You laugh and follow him down to the shop.

The two of you head inside the small shop and each order a cup of fro-yo with a heap of topping each. You pick a table near the window of the shop and sit down to enjoy dessert.

"Really Mike?" You groan when your phone buzzes in your pocket. "Hello?" You roll your eyes and answer the phone.

"Y/N, what are you up to?" Mike asks you.

"I told you that I was out for drinks with some friends. Why?" You answer as Damian pokes your bowl of fro-yo with his spoon.

"It's getting kind of late. You sure?" Mike replies.

"Mhm." You insist.

"Alright." Mike hangs up and you put your phone away.

"Sorry about that." You shake your head and put your phone away.

"No problem, baby." Damian shrugs and you finish your treat.

After the fro-yo Damian walks you back to your car. You stop when you get to it and turn to your date with a smile.

"Thanks for the movie and dessert." You thank him. "I had a nice time."

"Yeah, me too." Damian leans against your car. "I do have one more thing before I let you go through." He tells you.

"Okay." You nod, having a feeling you know what he has in mind this time.

Sure enough, Damian leans down and kisses you sweetly goodnight.

"Night, sugar." Damian gives you a wink before he heads back to his car on the other side of the lot.

"Night." You shake your head with a grin as he leaves.

You head back to Mike's and find him waiting up for you when you get back. You instantly notice that he doesn't look pleased.

"Y/N." Mike stares at you as you set your keys down.

"Mike." You nod to him.

"So, how were drinks?" He asks you coldly.

"Fine." You nod to him and grab a drink from the fridge.

"Really, Y/N?" Mike scoffs. "You're just gonna lie to me like that?" He confronts you.

"What?" You keep your act up.

Mike pulls out his phone and slides it across the counter at you. You pick it up and find a photo of you and Damian coming out of the movie theatre.

"You were following me? Really Mike." You slide his phone back to him in anger.

"You lied to me!" Mike protests.

"I'm an adult Mike!" You raise your voice at him. "I can see whoever I want." You remind him.

"Not him!" Mike shouts back at you. "You know I've put up with your affinity for bad dudes since we were kids Y/N. But I draw the line at Damian Priest." He continues to shout at you.

"You aren't dad Mike!" You poke your finger at him. "So you should stop acting like it!"

You and your brother are both startled when Maryse comes stomping down the stairs and into the main room. She stomps over to her husband and smacks him hard on the shoulder.

"Both of your kids are upstairs sleeping. You raise your voice above a whisper and wake either of them up and ill kill you." She grits her teeth at him, deadly serious.

Mike swallows hard but remains silent as his wife stares him into submission.

"Sorry, Maryse." You apologize to her quietly.

"It's okay, honey." Maryse nods to you with a friendly smile before she turns back to Mike. "Mike your sister is an adult you have no say in who she sees. Now go upstairs and check on the kids!" She demands.

Mike nods and heads upstairs before he angers his wife any more than he already had. Maryse turns to you when he's gone and hugs you.

"I'm sorry about that sweetie." She hugs you. "Personally I think Damian is a good fit for you. I'll talk to Mike in the morning." She informs you.

"Thanks." You nod and watch her climb the stairs again.

Chapter Text

It's still early when you hear your girlfriend make her way downstairs from your bedroom. You're standing in the kitchen making pancakes for breakfast when she comes into the kitchen to greet you.

"Morning, princess!" You greet her with a smile as she yawns at you. "Pancake?" You offer her one of the fluffy cakes.

"Yes, please." Kris nods as she rubs her eyes.

You nod and plop a few pancakes onto a plate for her. She gladly takes the plate and grabs some syrup and butter from the fridge.

You make yourself a few pancakes as well then switch off your hot plate. You sit down next to Kris and eat with her.

"These are good, babe." Kris praises your pancake-making skills.

"Thanks!" You nod. "I'm gonna go catch a shower real quick." You finish off your plate and toss it into the sink.

"Okay." Kris nods. "I'm gonna head down to the gym. I'll see you at work tonight right?" She grins when you kiss her cheek as you pass her.

"Yeah, I'll see you tonight weirdo." You tease her and head up the stairs.

You head upstairs and hear the front door shut as Kris leaves. You pass a few framed photos of you and her on the way to the bathroom.

Most of them are vacation photos. The two of you at the beach or riding horses out on the trails. All great memories of when the two of you had way more vacation time.

You still remember the first time you met the bubbly blonde that you've come to absolutely love and adore.

(Flashback)

"Thanks, Matt." You walk with your older brother down the hall. "I could really use this job."

"Of course!" Matt nods. "You should have asked sooner." He insists.

"I know." You nod. "But, I wanted to see if I could make it without help for a while. You know me."

Your brother nods again, knowing how much you like to be independent. And how much strength it took for you to call him and Nick up to tell them that you were in a pinch and needed a job.

Matt drops you off at Tony Khan's office and lets you get to work for your new boss. You met with Khan a few days before this and he was quick to hire you as his new creative assistant.

"Tony?" You knock before you enter to be polite.

"Y/N Jackson, nice to see you again." Tony swivels around in his chair to greet you.

"Glad to be here boss." You reply. "What do you want me doing to get started?" You ask him curiously.

"Right to work, I like it." Tony nods, liking your enthusiasm. "I'm working on getting you a desk in here as we speak. But you can start the night by delivering these to your brothers for me." He hands you a few folders of papers.

"Okay!" You nod and take the folders from him. "I'll be back in a little bit then." You turn on your heel and head out.

Matt and Nick gave you a tour of the facility last time you were here so you are pretty familiar with the environment.

You are making your way down to your brother's locker room when you come across a cute blonde girl being bothered by a couple of dudes. And she looks like she'd rather be anywhere else. But they don't seem to be getting the hint.

"Hey!" You nose past the guys and over to the girl. "There you are! I've been looking for you." You pretend to know her.

Your presence wards off the guys for the time being and you stand by her until they are gone.

"Thanks." The girl beams at you with a bright smile. "I'm Kris!" She pulls you into a hug.

"Oh! You're welcome." You giggle and hug her back. "I'm Y/N." You give her your name.

"Nice to meet you Y/N." Kris grins again and presses the tip of your nose with her finger before she skips off.

You sit for a second and watch her skip away in utter awe. 'She sure is strange', is the first thing that you think. 'But she sure was cute.' You also think.

You deliver the folders to your brothers and decide to ask them about her.

"These are from Tony." You hand Nick the papers since he's closer. "Hey, do you two know a blonde named Kris?" You ask them casually.

"Yeah, we know a Kris Statlander," Matt answers you. "She's a little strange if you ask me. Why?"

"I just met her on my way here." You explain. "And yeah, she's a little weird. But she's cute." You add.

"Oh, you two would make an adorable couple." Nick teases you.

"I just said she was cute." You protest.

Matt and Nick both laugh, they are always teasing you about your odd taste in girlfriends. You roll your eyes at them and leave to head back to Tony's office.

Later that night you are just finishing up at Khan's office and about to leave when Kris shows up.

"Kris, hello again." You flash a friendly smile at her.

"Hi!" Kris returns your smile. "I just wanted to thank you again for earlier." She giggles at you.

"It was no problem, really." You shrug at her. "You just looked like you could use some female company."

"Amen to that." Kris giggles again. "If you're not busy, I was gonna go get some ice cream." She adds.

"Ice cream?" You find the food to be a little odd, but still charming. "Yeah, ice cream sounds great."

"Yeah?" Kris seems pleased with your answer. "Yay!" She bounces on her heels and grabs you by the hand.

You laugh with her and let her pull you along and out of the building.

(End of Flashback)

"Yep, goodnight Tony." You say goodnight to your boss then head out to meet your girlfriend in the girl's locker room.

You make it outside the girl's locker room and find Kris talking with a couple of Dark Order guys.

"Boys!" You push past them both and walk over to Kris. "Sorry, she's taken." You sling your arm around her shoulder and kiss her cheek.

"Bye!" Kris waves at them as they turn to leave. "Thanks, babe!" She turns and kisses you again.

"No problem." You laugh. "You ready to go home?" You ask her.

"Yeah." Kris nods. "Ice cream first?" She suggests.

"Ha! Of course. Ice cream first." You laugh and nod.

Chapter Text

"He's up to something, I just know it." Sammy grits his teeth as he paces the room.

"Mhm." You hum, paying your anxious brother no mind as you scroll through your phone.

"Are you even listening to me?" Sammy stops and turns to you. "Y/N! Who are you texting?" He stalks towards you and reaches out for your phone.

"Hey! Hands off!" You protest when his hand comes into view. "Mind your own business." You warn him.

"Please tell me you aren't texting him." Sammy groans as he tries to snatch your phone again.

"I am. What of it?" You pocket your phone and glare up at your brother.

"Come on! Really?" Sammy groans. "He's a snake Y/N."

You roll your eyes and push Sammy away from you. This is starting to get annoying. Ever since Max joined up with Inner Circle your brother has been on his case. And it's getting on your nerves.

You happen to like Max, and Wardlow as well. Max is charming and always fun to talk to. With Sammy hanging around you all the time you don't get much chance to be around any men.

"You're paranoid, Sammy." You pat your brother's shoulder. "I'm gonna head to the locker room, I'll see you there." You head for the door and hear him groan again behind you.

You head down to the Inner Circle locker room and knock before you enter in case someone is changing. Santana is the one to check the door and grins when he sees you.

"Y/N, what's up mami?" He steps away from the door so you can come inside. "Where's your brother at?" He notices that you're alone as you come in.

"In his room sulking." You roll your eyes. "I swear it's like he's obsessed with Max or something." You complain.

"Well, people do tend to obsess over me." Max laughs as he comes through the door.

"Oh, shut up." You laugh with him as he walks over to you. "You are so full of yourself."

"I know." Max nods and sits next to you. "It's because I'm so great." He lets his arm come to rest across the back of your shoulder.

"Mhm, sure." You roll your eyes playfully.

"Where's your mousy brother at?" Max asks you casually.

"Off worrying about you somewhere." You reply sourly.

"Glad to know I'm on his mind." Max cracks a grin.

"More like annoying." You disagree. "And speak of the devil." You sigh when Sammy comes through the door.

Sammy sees you sitting with Max and grits his teeth again but remains silent. He walks over to sit with Santana and Ortiz on the other side of the room until Chris decides to show up.

After everyone arrives at the locker room you have a quick meeting then it's about time for your match against Diamante followed by Santana and Ortiz's tag match after that.

"Wardlow, go with them." Max nods to his large buddy. "I'll catch up in a bit." He insists.

Wardlow nods and takes off with you and Santana with Ortiz. You all head out to the ring while Sammy and Chris opt to stay behind with Max.

Chris heads out soon after for a staff meeting and leaves Sammy and Max alone in the locker room.

Out in the ring, you knock off Diamante easily with Wardlow there to back you up. You give some words of encouragement to Santana and Ortiz then head backstage with Wardlow to check on Max and Sammy.

"What the hell?" You near the locker room and hear a commotion inside.

You and Wardlow share a look before you both jog to the door and swing it open.

"Sammy! What the hell?" You get to the door and find Max on the floor, your brother standing over him. "Max! Are you alright?" You push past your brother and kneel on the floor.

"He's a snake Y/N, he tried to attack me!" Sammy lies, his face red with anger.

"What?" You furrow your brows at him. "Max?" You help him up to his feet.

"I didn't do anything." Max groans in pain. "I swear."

"What? Y/N, you're gonna believe him over your own brother." Sammy protests as he looks to you for some backup.

"He was the one on the floor, not you Sammy." You shake your head at him.

"Are you serious?" Sammy looks at you dumbfounded. "I'm your brother."

"You're also paranoid." You point out his behavior. "Max hasn't done a thing since he joined up with us. But you've been acting like an ass."

"Fine!" Sammy scoffs and turns his head at you. "I'm out of here." He storms off.

You watch your brother storm out of the room like an angry toddler then you turn back to Max.

"Are you alright Max?" You ask him gently as he holds his ribs.

"Yeah, I'll be alright." Max nods with a groan.

"I'm sorry about my brother." You shake your head. "He's a hothead. And as you can see, I'm the one that got all the brains." You explain.

"Oh, you got the looks too sweetheart." Max grins at you.

"Really?" You laugh. "You just got your ass handed to you and now you're flirting?" You gently push him off of you.

"No time like the present." Max shrugs.

Chris comes back from his meeting and you explain what happened with Sammy and Max. He seems more distraught than any of the rest of you do and insists that he needs to call a team meeting.

You all agree and head out to the ring with the group. You walk with Max and Wardlow since Sammy isn't there. You all file into the ring and Chris gets a mic. A few moments later Sammy comes out to the ring as well.

"Sammy, come on man," Chris speaks first. "We can work this out." He insists.

"No." Sammy shakes his head. "Not with him here. No, I cant be on the same team as him." He glares at Max and you standing next to him.

"Sammy, you're being ridiculous." You take the mic from Chris. "We're family, you can't just leave like that."

"I can and I will." Sammy protests. "You should come with me, Y/N." He adds. "No sister of mine should be hanging out with that scumbag."

"Sammy." You shoot your brother a tired glare.

Sammy scoffs and declares that he's done with Inner Circle before he storms off again. You feel a twinge of pain as your brother walks off.

Max grabs your arm and comforts you silently as Sammy walks away.

"You alright?" He asks you quietly while everyone heads backstage.

"Yeah." You nod with a small sniffle. "I just can't believe he did that." You shake your head. "What am I gonna do?"

"You can stay with me if you want." Max offers. "I know you and Sammy share a room usually." He adds.

"Ha, thanks." You crack a small smile at his forwardness. "That's alright, I'll just get my own room." You pat his shoulder.

"You sure?" Max asks again, softer this time. "I'm here if you wanna talk."

"Thanks again." You nod. "But I'm okay." You insist again.

"Alright." Max takes the hint and opts for a hug instead. "I'll walk you back to the hotel then."

"Alright." You laugh again. "Thanks, Max." You thank him.

Sammy may be acting like a selfish brat but you're glad that Max is here to keep you company.

Chapter Text

"God, I hate you." Your laugh reverberates through the hotel room as Jay comes out of thr bathroom.

"Well if this is how you treat people you hate I can't wait to see what happens when you eventually fall in love with me." Jay laughs with you as he towels off his hair, another towel around his waist.

"I'm gonna fall in love with you am I?" You roll your eyes as he approaches the edge of the bed.

"They all do eventually." Jay shrugs, that smug smile plastered on his face.

You kick his thigh with your leg in annoyance and let your head fall back down onto the pillow below you.

"Maybe I'm different." You protest his claim.

"You're definitely something that's for sure, sugar." Jay hums as the bed drops slightly with his weight.

Your view of the ceiling is blocked by Jay when he appears above you. He leans down and kisses you softly, his damp skin making your shirt stick to your skin.

"Like I said, I hate you." You grin against his lips. "You're getting me wet." You complain as your shirt continues to soak up water from Jay's damp body.

"I do have that effect on woman, yes." Jay teases you with that absolutely stupid smile.

"Whatever." You giggle and push your arms into his chest to get him off of you.

Jay rolls off to the side and you sit up in bed. You grab your phone off of the nightstand and check the time. 2 am reads on the screen, a few missed calls from your travel partner below it.

"Anything interesting?" Jay purs in your ear, his cold hands now on your waist.

"No." You shake your head. "Just Juice wondering where I am is all." You set the phone back down on the nightstand and roll around to face Jay. "He worries too much." You push Jay flat on his back and hook a leg over his waist.

"Well if my travel partner looked like you do sugar? I'd be worried about who's banging her too." Jay grins up at you, his hands clamping down on your waist.

"Dickhead." You laugh and hit Jay's chest.

"And yet you're still here." Jay winks at you.

"I can leave at any time you know?" You remind him firmly.

"Not while I have ahold of you." Jay's hands press into your skin with a bit more force.

You laugh again and lean down for another kiss, your hands keeping you propped up above Jay's body.

This has been the norm as of late. You're the new favorite for Jay's late-night booty calls. Not that you mind it much. You've always had a thing for the egocentric Bullet Club member.

This is probably the sixth or seventh time that you've found yourself in Jay's hotel room late at night. But this time it feels a little different.

Usually, Jay have you gone by the time he showers. But this time he insisted that you stick around while he cleaned himself up. And you agreed to stay.

"Jay, what are we?" You sit back up for some much-needed air after a minute or two.

"What are we?" Jay repeats the question. "What do you mean, love?" He asks you to clarify for him.

"I mean, usually you just dismiss me after a few hours. But tonight you asked me to stay. Why?" You try and explain what you mean.

"Maybe I just enjoy your company." Jay shrugs under you.

"Jay." You urge him to be serious for a minute.

"Fine." Jay rolls his eyes playfully at you. "You want the truth?" He asks you.

"Yes. Please." You nod, your hands resting on his chest.

You feel Jay's chest heave as he takes a breath before he speaks. He remains silent for a second as he stares up at you.

"I know when we started hanging out we said it was no strings attached." Jay starts, his hands laying on your hips.

"But now you're hopelessly in love with me?" You joke, knowing that Jay doesn't really like being serious.

"Hey! I'm trying to be sincere here!" Jay whines under you.

"I know, sorry." You laugh but let him continue.

Jay shakes his head under you and collects his words for a moment again before he speaks.

"I don't know." Jay sighs. "It feels different doesn't it?" He asks you. "Like maybe there's actually something here besides just really good sex?"

"Yeah, maybe there is." You agree with him. "So you are in love with me then?" You joke again.

"Maybe." Jay laughs with you. "Come here." His hands trail up your back and pull you back down into him.

You let out a yelp and a giggle as you're pulled down into him. You kiss him lightly while your hands play with his still-damp hair.

Your phone buzzes on the nightstand and you pull away for a second to check it. Jay doesn't stop kissing your jaw and neck making you laugh as you look at your phone.

"Stop." You giggle as you try and unlock your phone. "Jay!" You smack him with your free hand.

You manage to get your phone unlocked and see a few more missed calls from Juice. You sigh and try to text him back that you're busy so you can get back to Jay still under you.

"Jay, come on." You can't stifle your giggles at Jay's lips against your skin as he attempts to pull your shirt off of you.

Your phone buzzes in the middle of you texting as Juice attempts to call you again. You go to decline the call when Jay snatches the phone from your hands and answers it for you.

"Y/N?" You hear Juice's voice over the phone.

"I'm afraid she can't come to the phone right now mate," Jay speaks with that stupid grin. "She's about to have her mouth full." He winks at you and hangs up the phone.

"Jay!" You smack him hard in the chest.

"What?" Jay grins at you. "Was I lying?" He laughs and pushes you to the side and over onto your back.

Chapter Text

"Do you mind?" You're in the middle of reading an email when you feel something on your shoulder.

You glance over at your shoulder where your fiance has decided to rest his head.

"Not really, no." Cash answers your question with a grin.

You snort and push his forehead with your free hand off of your shoulder. Cash then opts to come around your chair and out in front of you.

"You're awfully nosey today." You glance at Cash from above your phone screen.

"I like to call it staying informed." Cash replies with snark.

"Ha! Sure." You laugh. "Where's your other half at?" You notice that Dax is nowhere to be found.

"He's with Tully." Cash replies and grabs your arm to pull you up from your chair.

"Cash!" You yelp as you're pulled to your feet.

Cash pulls you into his chest and lets himself fall into the chair with you in his lap.

"There, that's better." Cash grins to himself as he settles into the chair.

"You're a dick." You shake your head and shove your phone into your front pocket.

"I know." Cash flashes you a grin.

Tully and Dax finally arrive at the locker room and you say goodbye to Cash.

"I'll see you after work babe." You kiss his cheek and pull yourself up from his lap.

"Alright, be careful honey." Cash nods and lets you go.

"I will, bye Dax, Tully." You wave to the other two men before you leave.

You head down to the woman's locker room so you can get changed for the show. You've got a match against Britt Baker tonight for a future title opportunity at Shida's belt.

You get down to the locker room and change into your gear with Britt. The two of you sit and discuss some stuff about in-ring action for the match while you wait for your turn in the ring.

"Are you sure that you wanna try your new finisher tonight?" Britt questions you.

"Yeah, I think that I've finally got it down pat." You nod to her. "Plus you've got my back." You grin at her.

Britt and you are actually good friends in real life. She's nothing like her in-ring persona when you really get to know her.

"Alright." Britt nods. "If you wanna try it out then I've got your back." She reassures you.

"Thanks, Britt." You trust her word completely.

The time comes for your match with Britt so both of you head out to the ring. You head out first and Britt after you. The bell rings and you get to work.

The match drags on for a little over ten minutes. Britt and you exchange blows and some words for theatrics.

Near the end of the match, you finally set up for your new finisher. You climb onto the top rope and turn to Britt in the middle of the ring. Britt lays out in the middle of the floor and waits for you to do your move.

"Okay, I can do this." You hype yourself up quietly.

You take your dive and do a 360 flip on the way down. As you land your leg stiffens a bit and you jam your knee pretty hard on the landing.

"Shit." You seethe the under your breath and pin Britt for a win.

"You alright?" Britt whispers to you from the floor.

"No." You groan as the pain starts to crawl up your leg. "Fuck, my leg." You grip your knee.

The referee kneels beside you and starts asking questions. Britt says a quick word and hops out of the ring to keep the ambiance alive for the moment.

As she heads backstage she passes Cash and Dax with Tully. And Cash doesn't look like he's holding it together very well. He rushes over to Britt as soon as he sees her.

"Baker! Is Y/N okay?" Cash asks her with a worried look on his face.

"She messed up her knee," Britt answers him. "Doesn't look good either." She adds.

"Shit." Cash shakes his head, running a hand through his hair.

Dax and Tully walk over to his side and try and comfort him.

"She's okay, I'm sure," Tully assures him.

"Yeah, just calm down," Dax adds.

"She's hurt!" Cash protests. "I've gotta go out there and help her." He moves to head out to the ring.

"Cash!" Tully warns him.

"Eat me!" Cash snaps and pushes out of Dax's grip.

Cash hurries through the tunnel and down to the ring where you sit on the edge of the ring surrounded by some medical staff.

"Y/N! Are you alright?" Cash pushes past a few of them.

"Cash!" You glance up at your fiance. "I think I fucked up my knee pretty bad." You are still holding your knee in pain.

"Come on." Cash slings your arm around his shoulder and lifts you off of your feet. "Let's get you backstage." He helps you hobble up the ramp, making sure to hold you close.

"Ouch!" You wince as make your way up the ramp. "Thank you, Cash." You thank him as you get backstage and are met by some more medical staff armed with a stretcher.

"Of course baby." Cash nods and helps you onto the stretcher. "You want me to come with you?" He asks, his hand sitting on your other knee for support.

"Doesn't Dax have a match later?" You shake your head.

"Yeah, but they don't need me." Cash insists.

"I don't wanna pull you away from work." You protest.

Cash shakes his head at you with a small smile playing on his lips.

"You're way more important than work." He grabs your hand reassuringly.

"Alright." You nod as the medical staff wheel you out to the ambulance in the loading dock.

Cash climbs into the back of the ambulance with you along with the paramedics. As the van pulls out of the building Cash gets a call.

"Yeah?" Cash answers his phone quickly.

"Cash? Where did you go?" Tully is on the other end of the line?

"I'm heading to the hospital with Y/N." Cash answers. "Sorry man, tell Dax we'll catch up later." He hangs up the phone and slips it back into his pocket. "You doing okay baby?" Cash turns back to you.

"Yeah, I'll be okay." You nod. "Thanks for coming Cash." You thank him for insisting on coming with you.

"Of course babe." Cash nods. "I've got your back, sweetie." He rubs the back of your hand gently.

Chapter Text

"Okay, are you ready guys?" You fix your blouse a bit and pick up your microphone.

The cameramen nod a few feet in front of you as one of them raises their camera to frame you in the shot.

"I'm here backstage with the current AEW champion, Kenny Omega." You flash the camera a smile as Kenny steps into the shot. "Kenny, how do you feel going into your match with Jon Moxley later tonight?" You ask him.

"Well Y/N, I feel just fine," Kenny replies. "Jon isn't going to be much of a problem after tonight." He chuckles down at you.

"Well, I'm sure that I speak for everyone when I say that I'm looking forward to the match." You smile back up to him.

"Naturally." Kenny winks at you and walks off.

You watch him leave before you let your microphone and arms fall to your side. The camera switches off and you walk back over to them to hang out before your next interview.

"Ooo someone might wanna get Y/N a cool drink." One of the cameramen jokes.

"Quiet." You roll your eyes at him.

"He's right. You put on extra blush today, Y/N?" Another one joins in the teasing.

"Maybe I did." You sneer at both of them.

Back in the locker rooms, Kenny finishes up changing into his ring great for his match with Moxley.

"So that interview girl, she's cute," Don comments next to him.

"Yeah, I guess so." Kenny shrugs and ties up his boots.

"You guess so?" Don snickers. "She was totally into you man." He insists.

"I doubt that," Kenny replies.

"I'm being serious, Kenny." Don pushes him. "Did you see the way that she was looking at you? With those bright puppy dog eyes?"

"I guess." Kenny shrugs again.

Don drops the subject for the time being and both men head out to the ring for Kenny's match.

While Kenny has his match with Moxley, Don hangs backstage and looks for you. He finds you hanging by with the camera crew next to the tunnel entrance backstage.

"Y/N, right?" Don walks over to you with a smile.

"Don." You nod to him. "What can I do for you?" You ask him casually.

"Just looking for a friendly chat is all." Don shrugs and leans against the wall next to you.

"Naturally." You laugh lightly. "Well, what would you like to talk about then?" You ask him.

"Let's talk about you," Don replies.

"Me?" You laugh again. "What do you wanna know, Don?" You quirk a brow at him.

"Let's start with a simple question." Don eyes you through his sunglasses. "You single?" He asks you.

"Single? Yes, I am." You nod, wondering what Don is up to.

"Okay." Don nods. "You have a thing for my buddy, Kenny?" He asks you.

"There it is." You laugh a bit harder this time. "Is that really any of your business, Don?" You ask him.

"If the answer is yes then it is," Don replies, more serious this time. "The last thing he needs is some pretty little piece of ass distracting him from his work." He leans towards you.

"Oh, well in that case." You snort. "It's still none of your business Don." You grin at him with a snarky smile.

Don goes to speak again but you both hear the bell out in the ring. Don rolls his eyes behind his sunglasses and walks out to the tunnel.

You grab your microphone and wait for Don and Kenny to come through the tunnel. One of the crew informs you that Kenny managed to pull the win over Moxley.

"Kenny! A word?" You ensnare Kenny as soon as he comes through the tunnel. "Congrats on your victory against Moxley, how do you feel champ?" You ask him with a flirty grin.

"Thanks, Y/N. See, I told you that I'd best Moxley." He grins down at you.

"You did, yes." You laugh. "So what are the plans for tonight champ? You and Don planning on celebrating?" You ask him.

"Oh you know it," Kenny confirms proudly.

"Well, you have fun with that." You laugh and let him leave.

Don lingers for a second as Kenny walks off so you wave at him to bother him.

A few hours later you sit on your bed, one leg crossed over the other. You casually watch your tv screen, a switch controller in your hand. You can hear the shower turn off in the bathroom.

"You winning?" The door swings open and Kenny steps out with a towel wrapped around his waist.

"Yes." You nod, not taking your eyes off of the tv. "You could say that."

You feel the bed dip as Kenny sits down. Still enthralled in your video game you ignore him while he dries off and gets dressed.

You and Kenny have been in a relationship for about four months now. Only a few select people know about you. And Don isn't one of them.

"You know Don thinks that I'm a flirty little minx now?" You comment on Don's earlier behavior at the show.

"Oh yeah?" Kenny replies.

"Mhm. You should have seen him earlier tonight. Chest all puffed out of his suit. Asking me all these questions about you." You laugh.

"He's protective is all." Kenny finishes pulling his sweats on and rolls over to the other side of the bed.

You glance over at your boyfriend as he inches his way towards you. He's wearing that dumb smile on his face as his hand snakes over to your bare thigh.

"Mhm, is he right though?" You quirk your brow at him and drop your controller to the mattress. "Am I a distraction to you?" You push Kenny's chest down into the mattress and swing your leg over his torso.

"Yes, you are!" Kenny chuckles. "In all the right ways baby." His hands press into your back and pull you down into him.

"You gonna tell Don about me?" You laugh against your boyfriend's lips.

"I'm seriously thinking about it." Kenny laughs with you. "Why? You planning on messing with him some more?"

"It is fun to mess around with him." You laugh again.

"God, you're hot when you get all evil." Kenny signs against your lips.

Chapter Text

"Oh no." You stare down at who's due for a backstage interview next.

"Y/N! Baby!" You don't even get a chance to prepare before Kip is suddenly at your side.

"Kip." You swallow hard and nod at him. "You ready for the interview?" You ask him politely.

"Of course I am babe!" Kip grins and his arm reaches out to snake around your shoulder.

You take a step back away from him and grab a microphone from the bag of camera equipment. Kip remains still and you can feel his eyes glued to your body as you bend down to grab the mic.

"So Kip, is it true that you and Penelope Ford are over with?" You ask him, trying your beat to sound interested.

Truth is, you'd rather be anywhere else right now. Kip has always had eyes for you. Even when he was still with Penelope. You've told him time and time again to get lost because he has a girlfriend already. But now with Ford out of the picture, Kip seems even more motivated to make you his.

"Better believe it darling." Kip winks at you. "Penelope and I have parted ways. So I'm back on the market and ripe for the picking." He grins into the camera and you internally roll your eyes.

"Well, I guess that's good news to all the single ladies out there." You fake a laugh.

"Speaking of single ladies." Kip turns to you. "Y/N, you are looking smoking tonight darling." He compliments your dark green dress.

"Thank you." You nod, getting more desperate to end the interview by the second.

Kip goes to make what is sure to be another sleazy comment about you and him getting together when you are saved in a knight in shining armor. Or denim in this case.

"She doesn't look that interested in you Sabian, leave her alone." Chuck Taylor and Orange Cassidy arrive for their prematch interview.

"Excuse me?" Kip whirls around to Chuck and Orange.

"You heard me," Chuckie answers him with a glare. "She's not interested, trust me." He repeats himself anyway.

"And what would you know about that?" Kip scoffs at him.

"Umm?" You go to step in before the two men start brawling when Orange beats you to the punch, literally.

You watch as Orange reels forward and socks Kip in the nose. Kip falls back and onto his ass as blood gushes from his nose.

You take a step back from all the commotion and take this as a sign to put away your mic. Chuck steps over Kip and over to you with a comforting smile.

"Dude just doesn't seem to know how to take no for an answer does he?" Chuck laughs to lighten the mood. "You alright, Y/N?" He asks you softly.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks, Chuckie!" You thank him for asking. "And you too, Orange." You giggle when Orange fakes a hurt look for a moment.

"It's no problem, Y/N." Chuck insists. "Take care okay? We've gotta run." He nods to the tunnel entrance on the other side of the room.

"Of course! Good luck." You nod and let them both go.

You glance across the room just in time to see Kip being helped out by one of the medical staff. His face is smeared in blood and he doesn't look pleased.

About half an hour or so later you are just finishing up an interview with Eddie Kingston and his buddies when you see Kip coming down the hall.

"Kip." You nod to him as he reaches you.

The first thing that you notice is that Kip doesn't look happy at all. He huff's before he speaks in a low tone.

"So Y/N, I think that it's safe to say that you owe me a date sweetheart." He tells you more than he asks.

"I do?" You furrow your brows at him. "For what?" You shale your head.

"For this!" Kip points to his nose.

"Umm, no I don't." You shake your head again. "I didn't have anything to do with that." You remind him.

"Like hell, you didn't!" Kip raises his voice at you. "You owe me, and you're gonna pay up princess." He growls at you.

Before you can get a word in Kip gets shoved hard to the ground by your feet. You are a bit startled to see Chuck and Orange back to the rescue again.

"You really don't learn do you douchebag?" Chuck bends down and hauls Kip to his feet by his jacket.

Orange walks over to your side and stands with you as Kip comes out of his daze and starts to fight back. You watch as he and Chuck start trading blows.

"What the hell is going on?" You turn to Orange for some answers.

"Chuckie has a crush on you," Orange explains casually. "And he's tired of watching Sabian over there hitting on you like an animal." He nods down to Kip on the floor.

"He does?" You're a little surprised by this answer.

You've always found Chuck cute. And you've done enough interviews and stuff with him to know that he's charming with an adorable personality.

Not to mention that this more serious and badass side of Chuck that you're seeing is super hot as well.

A few of the backstage officials break Chuck and Kip up then send them out to the ring. You hang back with Orange and watch as Chuck beats the shit out of Kip for a while before he finally ends the match and marches back up the ramp.

"Hey, sorry about that." Chuck is his usual chipper self again when he exits the tunnel.

"No, it's okay." You nod. "Thank you for that, I didn't think he was ever gonna leave me alone." You admit your worry about Kip.

"Well, he won't be bothering you again anytime soon. I can guarantee that." Chuck laughs and wipes some blood from the corner of his mouth.

"You umm.....you missed a spot." You giggle at the smeared blood on Chuck's face. "Here, let me get it." You lick your thumb and wipe away the blood on his cheek that he missed.

"Thanks." Chuck flashes a grin at you.

"Okay, I'll see you two tomorrow." Orange takes this as his cue to leave.

You wait until Orange is gone before you ask Chuck if he wants to grab a drink with you. He of course agrees to drinks and even suggests that the two of you hang out for the rest of the night. He also casually mentions that with Trent gone, for the time being, he's alone in his hotel room.

Chapter Text

"Matt and Nick are super excited that you two could come out for the show!" You walk with the Bucks' parents on either side of you.

"We're just glad that we were able to make it out here." Papa Buck nods. "It's nice to get out and see the boys work."

"Yes! The house was getting stuffy." Mrs. Jackson agrees.

"Right this way you two, the show should be starting soon." You lead them to their ringside seats and make your way backstage.

You've been engaged to Matt for a few months now, the wedding is set in June. You've met his parents plenty of times since you've been a couple and they adore you. And you adore them just as much.

"Matty?" You head to the Bucks locker room and knock before you head inside.

"Y/N, hey honey." Matt greets you as you close the door behind you. "My parents get here alright?" He asks you.

"Yep." You nod. "I just dropped them off at their seats ringside." You inform him as Nick comes into the room from the attached bathroom.

"Good, they say anything about us?" Nick asks you casually.

"Nope." You shake your head. "They love me more now." You grin at him.

"That wouldn't surprise us." Matt teases with a laugh.

The three of you hang out in the locker room for a while until the time comes for Matt and Nick's match against MJF and Chris Jericho. You all head out to the ring together and you hop the barricade to sit with Mr. and Mrs. Jackson while Matt and Nick have their match.

"Mind if I join?" You ask them both as you hop over the barricade.

"Not at all." Mrs. Jackson shakes her head and pulls her purse off of the empty seat next to her.

"Thanks." You smile at her and sit down as the bell rings.

You sit and shout with the Buck's parents while they work in the ring. You've come to hate Jericho and Max as much as your fiance and his brother do. Both of them are snakes that aren't afraid to cheat in order to win.

Towards the end of the match, Max comes over to the barricade where you and your future in-laws are sitting. Max leans against the barricade and starts talking shit to them. You pop out of your seat and walk over to him.

"Get lost, Maxwell." You glare at him, arms crossed over your chest.

"Ooo, look who it is." Max teases you. "Matt Jackson's little whore for a fiance."

"Shove off." You push his chest firmly with both hands and send him to the floor behind him. "Asshat." You scoff at him and turn back to your in-laws. "You two alright?" You ask them.

"Yeah, we're fine." Mrs. Jackson nods. "Thank you for that." She thanks you.

"Of course!" You grin at her. "Max is all bark and no bite anyway." You assure her and sit back down.

The match finally comes to a close with Matt and Nick barely picking up a win. You hop back over the barricade and rush over to Matt who engulfs you in a hug when you get to his side.

"Hey, babe!" Matt laughs when you leap into his arms. "Parents are okay right?" He glances over at his parents for a second. "I saw Max talking to them earlier."

"Yeah, they're fine." You nod and kiss his cheek. "I handled it." You tell him proudly.

"Atta girl!" Matt laughs at the thought of you telling Max off.

The brothers head back to the locker room to change and you go ahead and grab your in-laws to take them backstage to meet up with Matt and Nick. The three of you walk backstage and Mrs. Jackson asks you a few questions about your upcoming wedding.

"Have you made a decision about a dress yet?" She asks you casually.

"No, not yet." You shake your head. "One of my girlfriends is supposed to be flying in from the UK in a couple of weeks. She's my maid of honor so I wanted to wait for her to get here to go dress shopping. You're welcome to come as well if you want." You explain.

"I'd love to." Mrs. Jackson nods.

You turn the corner that leads to Matt and Nick's locker room when you hear shouting from down the hall. You break out into a sprint and find Matt and Nick both on the floor when you come around the corner.

"Matt!" You rush over to Matt first and kneel down beside him. "What the hell happened?" You help him to his feet slowly.

"Ugh, it was Max and Jericho," Nick answers you as his dad helps him up.

"Of course." You grit your teeth at the mention of their names. "Mrs. Jackson, help Matt. I'll be right back." You hand your dazed fiance to his mother and stomp off down the hall.

Your rage-filled journey takes you down to the Inner Circle locker room. You knock hard on the door and Santana answers it. He immediately moves out of the way without a word when he sees you giving him the death stare.

"Look out!" He calls into the room as you stomp past him.

"Maxwell Jacob Friedman." You make a b-line for Max when you spot him.

"Y/N?" Max looks surprised to see you.

"You best keep your grubby rich bot hands off of my fiance and his brother!" You get right up in his face.

"Yeah? Or what?" Max snickers.

You raise your hand and punch him square in the nose without a second thought. Max reels back as blood gushes from his nose but no one dares try and stop you.

"Or that, you entitled dickhead." You growl at him. "Touch my fiance or his brother again and I break it next time." You warn him.

You glare at Chris as you pass him and he flinches as you do. You slam the locker room door behind you and hurry back to check on Matt and Nick.

When you get back to the Buck's locker room Matt and Nick look much better than before. Matt stands up and hurries over to you when you come through the door.

"Is that blood?" Matt notices the bloodstain on your knuckles when he reaches your side.

"Yeah." You nod and hug him tightly. "I punched Max in the face." You explain nonchalantly.

"Really?" Nick laughs from the other side of the room. "Right on."

"Well, no one messes with my family and gets away with it." You kiss Matt's cheek gently.

"You better get to marrying that girl a little faster, Matthew." Mr. Jackson chuckles. "Definitely don't wanna lose this one."

Chapter Text

Your stir your boba with the straw sticking out of the cup as your laughter fills the air. Juice sits across from you making a face from across the table at you.

"Dork." You tease him.

"I try." Juice laughs with you.

The sun shines in through the store window and warms your skin as you enjoy your drink. You live for moments like this. When it seems like you and Juice are the only two people in the world.

"I still don't see how you can drink this stuff all the time." Juice shakes his cup in a small circle.

"It's good." You grin and raise your straw to your lips. "You just have bad taste, Robinson." You tease him knowing that calling him by his last name drives him up the wall.

"Hey!" Juice protests. "I'll have you know I have phenomenal taste, princess." He claims.

"Mhm, sure." You giggle at his frustrated expression.

The two of you finish up your drinks and head out to the park across the street from the shop. Fingers laced between one another, the two of you walk along the sunny path in silence for a bit.

"Hey, Y/N." Juice suddenly comes to a stop in front of a small duck pond with a bench sitting in front of it. "Let's sit for a minute." He pulls you gently to the bench.

"Okay!" You nod and sit down next to him on the warm bench.

You snuggle up to Juice's side and lean your head on his shoulder. The two of you rarely get moments like this. With your relationship being secret and all the two of you don't spend as much time as you'd like with each other.

"We should get out like this more often," Juice comments quietly.

"I wish we could." You agree with him, letting out a small sigh with your reply.

"You know you could always tell your dad about me." Juice brings up the one subject that always leads to an argument.

"Juice." You raise your head so you can look at him properly. "You know how my dad is. I don't want you to get hurt." You press your hand to his chest gently.

"I love you." Juice's hand raises to his chest and covers your own. "Your dad doesn't scare me, Y/N. And I want everyone to know just how much I love you." He whines.

"I love you too, Juice." You lean up and kiss him gently. "But it's not the right time." You shake your head. "Please, just give it a little more time?" You plead to him with wide eyes.

"Alright." Juice nods with a sigh, unable to tell you no when you look at him like that.

"Thank you." You kiss him again as thanks for his patience.

The two of you spend a bit more time in the park before you part ways until work. Not that you'll get the chance to spend any time with your boyfriend when you're at work.

You have your father to thank for that. Karl Anderson, your father that happens to be infamous for being a ruthless aggressor in and out of the ring. And he's especially protective of his eldest daughter. You.

"Hey, dad." You arrive at the gym for a pre-show workout.

"Y/N! Hey, sweetie." Karl greets you with a smile.

"Hey, uncle Doc." You nod to your dad's best friend and partner in crime.

"Y/N." Gallows nods to you.

"So, what have you been up to today pumpkin?" Anderson asks you casually.

"Not much." You lie with a casual shrug. "Went out and got some boba, took a walk in the park for a bit. Shit like that."

Anderson nods, pleased with your answer. The three of you workout for around two hours before you all head out to work.

"Okay, I'll meet up with you later dad." You part ways with your father when you get to the filming arena.

"Yeah, take care pumpkin," Karl calls after you.

You head to the girl's locker rooms and quickly get changed. You find a text waiting from Juice asking you to meet with him after you change. You text him back to meet up with you over by catering and head out.

"Juice?" You arrive at your designated meeting spot and glance around for your boyfriend. "What's up, babe? Something wrong?" You find him leaning against a stack of wooden crates.

"Hey, princess." Juice greeted you with a wide smile. "Thanks for meeting up with me." He thanks you.

"Of course." You nod as he pulls you into a tight hug. "What's going on, Juice?" You opt to ask him what's going on again.

"I know that you hate meeting up at work like this." Juice rubs the back of his neck. "But I couldn't help myself. I've got that big match with Sabin later tonight and I'm not feeling too hot about it." He admits to his uncharacteristic lack of confidence.

"Oh, baby." You pull Juice into a hug again. "You're gonna do fine." You assure him with a smile. "It's just Chris Sabin. Easy money for my uber-talented and handsome boyfriend." You run a hand through his hair to comfort him.

"Yeah? You think so?" Juice starts to feel a bit better about his match.

"Hey!" You pull your head back a bit so you're face to face with him. "I know so, you got this." You give him a kiss for an extra boost of confidence.

The kiss is short but sweet like they often are between the two of you. But your world comes crashing down when you break away from Juice and your eyes fall on a tall figure standing at the end of the hall.

"Dad?" Your heart drops like a rock.

"Y/N M/N Anderson!" Your father roars as comes striding down the hall.

You quickly try and push Juice behind you to attempt to protect him from your father but his feet are set in stone.

"Juice." You plead for him to move. "Juice, please!" There is urgency in your voice as your father grows closer with each agonizing second.

"You've got some fucking nerve!" Anderson snarls as he reaches out for Juice.

You watch in horror as your dad harshly grabs Juice by the collar of the shirt and yanks him off of his feet.

"I'm gonna kick your ass boy!" Anderson snarls again, ill-intent written plainly on his features.

"Dad! No!" You step towards him with a cry. "Please, I love him!" You plead as Anderson begins to drag your poor boyfriend down the hell.

You know Juice better than just about anyone, which is why you know that he won't fight back. Juice has always been way smarter than he appears. This is why you know that he knows that fighting back will only land him in more trouble.

You follow helplessly down the hall as Juice gets dragged down to the ring. You run into your uncle on the way to the ring and he stops you in your tracks.

"Don't." He warns you not to advance any further.

Tears brim your eyes as you watch helplessly while your dad starts to beat the shit out of Juice who doesn't flinch as he's hit over and over again.

"Uncle Gallows!" You plead to your uncle. "Please! Stop him." You cry out to him. "I love him, please." A few stay tears begin to cascade down your hot cheeks.

Gallows gazes down at your tear-stained face as you struggle to keep it together and lets out a sigh.

"Come on." He lets out a breath then turns on his heel towards the ring.

You struggle for a second to wipe away your tears as you quickly follow him down to the ring. Gallows climbs into the ring and walks over to your dad still beating on a defenseless Juice.

"Anderson, come on. That's enough man." Gallows insists. "Look at your daughter, you're breaking her heart." He points to you standing behind him.

Anderson looks over at your tear-stained face and it's enough to snap him out of his blind rage.

"Fuck." He mumbles and drops Juice to the mat.

Gallows escorts him from the ring as you hurry over to Juice and sink down to the mat.

"Juice? Juice are you okay?" You feel your tears welling back up in your eyes as you hold his bloodied face.

"I'm okay, princess." Juice cracks a weak and bloody smile. His hands weakly reach up and wipe a stray tear from your cheek.

"I'm so sorry." You shake your head as Juice sits up.

You hug him tightly as soon as he's up. Juice hugs you back and rubs your back gently.

"It's okay baby, I'm okay," Juice assures you. "I'd take a million beatings from your dad for you." He jokes.

"Please don't." You manage a small laugh at his joke. "I love you." You kiss his bloodied lips ignoring the metallic taste to them.

"I love you too." He cups your face gently and kisses you again.

Chapter Text

"Hold still, dad." You scold your father as he fidgets in his chair.

"Sorry." He apologizes and tries his best to hold still.

You dip your brush in the white face paint again and finish up the design. Just as you finish up someone knocks on the door to the locker room.

"Coming!" You set down your brush. "All done dad." You wipe your hand on the towel sticking out of your pocket and walk to the door. "Yeah? Oh, Darby!" You find your dad's latest partner in crime at the door.

"Hey, Y/N." Darby greets you.

You let him inside the room and shut the door behind you. Sting greets his protege casually as his facepaint dries.

"Did you need paint too, Darby?" You ask him.

"Could you?" Darby nods and takes a seat on a stool.

"Sure!" You grab your kit and walk over to him. "Any preference?" You ask him.

"Nope." Darby shakes his head. "Go nuts, I trust you." He insists.

"Thanks!" You giggle and dip into the white paint.

Darby sits and watches you while you dip into your paint and get to work on his face paint. He and Sting talk casually while you work until you finish.

"There." You make the last stroke of black near the cheekbone. "Here, take a look." You hand him your pocket mirror from your case.

"Wow, it looks great!" Darby examines his face delicately.

"Thanks!" You beam and close your case up. "You two have a match scheduled soon don't you?" You glance up at the clock on the wall.

"Yeah." Sting nods. "You can come with us if you want." He offers.

"No, that's okay dad." You shake your head. "I've got to do Britt's makeup soon, but I'll see you back here in a bit." You kiss his cheek gently. "Bye, Darby." You wave to Darby with a smile.

Darby waves back and both men head out to the ring. Sting watches Darby from the corner of his eye as they walk. He's got a sneaking suspicion that Darby may be developing a thing for his daughter.

The pair head out to the ring for their match with the Varsity Blonds silently, and wait for their opponents to arrive.

Backstage you arrive at Britt's locker room and knock twice, rebel opens the door and lets you in before she leaves to go do some errands for Britt.

"Sorry, I'm late Britt." You quickly apologize for your tardiness. "I was helping my dad and Darby do their facepaint." You explain it to her as you open up your bag.

"No worries." Britt grins at you with an understanding smile.

Sometimes you forget that Britt is actually super nice and sweet in real life. The first time that you met her you were expecting the foul bitch that you see on TV all the time.

"Good, what were we thinking tonight?" You pull out your various pallets and other stuff so she can look through them.

"How about these?" Britt points to a few colors in a pallet.

"Sure." You nod and put everything away before you get started. "So, what's up?" You decide to chat while you work.

"You know me." Britt smiles. "Just working." She shrugs. "I did get a chance to go out with Adam yesterday." She tells you about her date.

"Sounds cute." You nod, too focused on work to do anything else.

"Speaking of cute." Britt looks up at you through her eyelashes. "You and Darby? Now that would be a cute couple." She teases you.

"You think?" You reply. Not about to deny that you like Darby.

"Yeah, totally." Britt nods again. "The two of you together would be adorable." She insists. "You should ask him out." She suggests.

"Maybe." You giggle. "Okay, all done." You pick up your hand mirror from your bag and hand it over to her. "What do you think?"

"Gorgeous, as always." Britt examines herself in the mirror with a content grin. "You're the best Y/N, thanks." She thanks you and waves as you leave.

"Anytime, Britt." You nod and go to head back to your dad's locker room since the show is winding down to a close.

You are in the middle of making your way back to the locker rooms when you happen by a tv monitor with the show streaming on it. You glance at the screen and find your dad and Darby taking a pretty gnarly beating at the hands of Taz and all of his associates.

"Shit!" Worried about your dad you drop your bags and sprint out to the ring to make sure that he's okay. "Dad! Dad are you okay?" Taz and all his buddies are retreating when you arrive on the scene.

You find Sting laid out on the mat of the ring unmoving. You rush over to his side and help him up into a sitting position.

"I'm alright." Sting groans and holds his side in pain. "Where's Darby at?" His eyes dart around the ring for his companion.

"I don't know." You shake your head. "I didn't see him when I rushed out here." You explain and help your dad to his feet.

A sinister laugh sounds behind you and startles you away from your dad's side. You whirl around to see Ricky Starks smirking at you.

"We ain't quite done with the old man. So why don't you step out of the way sugar?" He grins at you.

"Screw off." You shake your head at Ricky and remain in place.

"Come on!" Ricky rolls his eyes. "I don't want to hurt you." He warns, his smile dropping from his face.

"You won't be touching her at all." Relief washes over you when Darby shows up behind Ricky and yanks him down from the apron.

Ricky comes crashing down to the floor and groans as Darby climbs into the ring to make sure that you're okay. After recovering from the fall Ricky retreats once more with his group.

"Hey, you alright?" Darby sets a gentle hand on your arm.

"Yeah, I'm good." You nod and look up at him. "What about you? There's blood on your face." You notice the red stain near his left ear and on his cheek.

"Just a cut." Darby insists. "I'll be fine." He shakes his head at you.

"Are you sure?" You press him for details. "It doesn't look good." You worry about him more.

"I've had much worse." Darby chuckles and shakes his head at you.

"What are you laughing for?" You scold him with a worried glare.

"You." Darby continues to laugh. "All worked up and worried about me. It's cute." He admits.

"Oh so now I'm cute?" You question him, a smile playing on your lips. "I'm entitled to being worried. If you get hurt then whose gonna watch my dumb dad's back? Hmm?" You poke his chest.

"I'm fine, see look." Darby grabs your hand and raises it to the cut on the side of his face that's already starting to slowly scab over.

"Fine." You are a little surprised at his actions. "I guess you're okay." You take your hand back.

"Mhm." Darby nods. "Plus, if I left then who would be here to protect you from checking up on your dad?" He pokes fun at your earlier words.

"I guess you do make a pretty good protector." You giggle and hug him. "Thank you." You thank him with a hug.

"Of course." Darby hugs you back. "I've got your back." He insists.

Darby's eyes fall on Sting as he hugs you. Sting flashes the man an encouraging thumbs-up, a sort of go-ahead to validate Darby's growing feelings for you.

Chapter Text

"I appreciate you inviting me over for drinks, Chris." Max thanks his host with a friendly smile.

"No problem." Chris nods next to him. "With the kids in school all day it gets pretty lonely here." He jokes light-heartedly.

"Yeah, I bet." Max snorts, he's never been a fan of children.

The two of them make their way through the large estate house to get to the den. On their way, they pass the large oak staircase that leads to the second floor.

Movement at the top of the stairs causes Max to stop. Chris comes to a stop as well and his gaze follows Max's to the top of the stairs.

"Hey, dad!" Max watches flabbergasted as a girl around his age comes sliding down the rails of the stairs in an oversized sweater and jean shorts.

"Hey, sweetie." Chris doesn't seem phased by the stranger.

The girl sticks her landing at the bottom of the stairs and pays Max and Chris almost no mind as she trots past them like she's on a mission. Max notices the large set of headphones flattening her h/c hair down and is bewildered, to say the least.

The girl disappears through a door at the other end of the room and Max promptly turns to Chris for answers.

"Who in the hell was that?" He asks Chris in confusion.

"Who, Y/N?" Chris laughs. "She's my oldest." He explains. "She moved back in a few months ago after she broke up with her boyfriend." Chris shrugs and begins walking again.

Max nods, unaware that Jericho had a daughter that's his age. He was always under the impression that all of Chris's kids weren't even teens yet.

"Oh." Is the only reply that Max can muster at the moment.

He turns around for a second when he hears footsteps behind him again. His eyes follow Chris's daughter as she hauls ass back up the stairs with urgency, a few various food and drink items in her arms.

"So, is she like a hermit or something?" Max continues to be bewildered by Chris's mystery daughter.

"Haha, no." Chris laughs and shakes his head. "She's a full-time twitch streamer." He explains your occupation. "Probably filling back up on snacks....yeah she's due to start another stream soon." Chris glances down at his watch briefly.

"Oh." Max nods again.

The pair finally reach the den and share drinks as well as chat for a few hours. It's dark by the time that Max finally decides to call it a night. Chris walks him back to the front door to be polite and Max is about to leave when you happen to show up again.

"I'm headed to the store for some stuff dad, need anything?" Max lingers near the doorway when he hears you approaching.

"No, I'm all good. Thanks, sweetie." Chris shakes his head.

Max peers over Chris's shoulder and is shocked at what he sees. Your appearance has done a complete 180 from earlier. You've traded your sweater and shorts for a pair of tight ripped jeans and a crop top.

"Alright, oh hey!" You nod at your dad, twirling your keys in your hand when you notice someone in the doorway. "Maxwell right?" You recognize him as a friend of Chris's.

"Yeah." Max nods sheepishly.

"Y/N!" You grin and flash him a wink. "I'm Chris's oldest daughter if you didn't know." You add. "Anywho, nice to meet you but I've got places to be. Bye!" You give Max a small wave and slip past him.

Max nods again, finding himself unable to get any words out, and lets you walk off. He says a brief goodbye to Chris and rushes home.

As soon as he's through the door Max rushes to his computer and types in the URL to twitch. This is his first time on the site so it takes him a moment to figure things out. But as soon as he does he types your name into the search bar.

"Here we go!" Max is forced to scroll for a moment before he finally finds your twitch page. "Oh....wow." He finds himself enamored by your page as he scrolls through clips and other stuff. "Hey, what time is it?" He gets to your streaming schedule and looks at the time.

You have another stream starting in just a few minutes. Curious to learn more about you, Max grabs a drink and waits for your page to load.

"Okay! What is up everyone!" Max is startled a bit when the stream starts? "Welcome to our weekly late-night horror stream, everyone." You make eye contact with the webcam. "Tonight we're playing some Resident Evil Village, so prepare to get scared." You laugh and start up the game.

Max sits and watches the whole stream silently. He pays almost no attention to the actual game, just you in the corner of the screen.

A few hours later and you are getting ready to end the stream. You just have a few more things to go over with chat before you log off.

"Okay, so tomorrow is Wednesday." You turn your attention to your webcam again. "And I thought that it would be a brilliant idea to do a special subscriber-only stream since it's usually my day off." You explain to everyone. "So, tomorrow at 5 o'clock pacific time, if you're a subscriber then come hang out and watch an episode of AEW Dynamite with me!"

With your announcement done you end the stream and take a break from work finally. You stretch and head out to grab some actual dinner.

"Hey, dad." You find Chris in the kitchen when you arrive.

"Hey, sweetie." Chris nods to you. "What's up?" He asks casually.

"Not much." You shrug and pull open the fridge. "I finally took your advice, I'm doing a live AEW reaction stream tomorrow." You inform him.

"Yeah? That's great." Chris grins because you're using his idea finally.

"Mhm, thanks again for the idea dad." You giggle.

"Anytime." Chris laughs with you.

The next evening you load up your stream a few minutes before Dynamite starts and chat with viewers for a bit.

"Okay! Let's answer some questions while we wait!" You scroll through the chat as questions pour in. "Hmm, my opinion on Kenny Omega?" You read one. "He's cute, a bit too old for me though." You giggle. "Who's my favorite member of Inner Circle? Well assuming that my dad doesn't count, I'd probably have to say MJF." You answer.

In the Daily's Place locker room Max spits out his water suddenly. His phone in his other hand as he watches something on it with headphones.

"Max, you alright?" Santana asks him.

"Y-yeah." Max nods and wipes his mouth.

"He and I are like the same age, plus he's cute." You continue answering your question on stream. "He's actually at my house a bunch now, maybe I'll have to ask him out sometime." You grin at the camera. "Anyway, next question?" You move on to the next question.

Max's heart thumps in his chest as the idea of you liking him. He hasn't even said a word to you yet, and here he is blushing like a little girl. He can already tell that you're gonna be trouble for him. A lot of trouble.

Chapter Text

It's around 8 AM when the bell on the front door chimes, you stand crouched behind the counter as you search for some spare lids for the coffee cups.

"Just a second." You chime as you dig around for the lids. "Ah, there they are!" You find the sleeve of degradable lids and stand back up. "Okay, how can I help you? Oh, hello Mrs. Jackson!" You recognize the patron right away.

Mrs. Jackson, the wonderful lady that's been coming in for a coffee almost every morning for a little over two years now.

"Good morning." The cheerful woman smiles at you.

"Just your usual?" You ask her, knowing her order by heart.

"Yes, please." Mrs. Jackson nods. "Are you the only one working today, Y/N?" She takes notice of the lack of staff behind the counter.

"Today, yes." You nod as you begin her coffee order. "Both the parents are sick with the flu and Mandy, the new hire? She had a family emergency." You explain as you pop a new lid onto the coffee.

"Well, that's just awful for you, dear." Mrs. Jackson shakes her head.

"Oh, I don't really mind." You smile at her with a shrug. "It's not usually that busy on Wednesdays anyway." You slid the coffee across the counter with a muffin as well.

Mrs. Jackson takes her order and forks over her usual $6.50 with a smile. She is also kind enough to place a few bills in the brightly painted tip car next to the register.

"You have a nice day, Mrs. Jackson." You wave at her as she leaves.

"You too, Y/N." She waves back as she exits the coffee shop.

You've been working at the family coffee house since you were barely 16 and Mrs. Jackson is by far the sweetest regular customer you've ever had. With her gone you get back to stocking lids and straws before the morning rush starts.

A few days go by and you don't see Mrs. Jackson for any of them. A part of you begins to worry about her and why you haven't seen her in a few days. That all changes one Sunday morning when you encounter a rather handsome stranger with the same last name as your regular.

"Hello! How can I help you today, sir!" You ask the same cheerful question when your only customer in the shop at the moment comes up to the register.

"Hi yeah umm." The man seems a little nervous about just ordering coffee. "I'm sorry to bother you miss, but are you Y/N?" He asks you.

"Yep! That's what the nametag reads anyway." You joke with a grin.

"Oh good." The man relaxes a bit. "Hi, my name is Matt. Matt Jackson." He informs you. "My mom comes in here almost every day?"

"Oh my gosh? Is she okay?" You ask with a worried tone. "I haven't seen her in a few days which isn't like her at all." You explain.

"Yeah, she's alright." Matt nods. "She had a small spill and hurt her leg." He informs you. "I came by today to check up on her and she insisted that I come down here." He lets out a small laugh.

"Well, that sure sounds like her." You laugh as well. "Here, let me make her usual. Can I get you anything?" You go to make Mrs. Jackson her usual order.

"She has a usual?" Matt furrows his brows at you.

"Mhm." You nod. "Medium coffee with two sugars and a muffin." You recite the order aloud as you make it. "I've been serving your mom the same order here almost every day for around two years." You inform him.

"Wow." Matt stands and watches you work. "I didn't know that." He admits.

"Yep, and she sure does like to talk about her famous sons." You giggle and hand him the coffee and a small bag for the muffin.

"She does?" Matt swallows.

"Mhm." You nod. "Always coming in here when I'm not busy talking up her wonderful sons that just so happen to be around my age." You giggle again.

"Oh god." Matt shakes his head in horror. "I am so sorry."

"Don't be!" You beam. "I think it's cute the way that she's so proud of you and your brother. You know this place is a family business? I've been working here since I was like 16 and your mom is by far my favorite customer."

"Ha! Yeah that sounds like mom." Matt takes the coffee and the bag. "How much do I owe you?" He reaches into his jeans for his wallet.

"Nothing, this one is on me." You shake your head. "Just tell your mom I said hello." You insist.

"Alright, I will. It was nice meeting you, Y/N." Matt smiles and leaves his wallet alone.

"Yep! Likewise, Matt." You wave to him and turn to get back to work.

Matt leaves and the store grows quiet again. You busy yourself with rearranging the pastries but you can't help but think about Matt. You've been hearing about him and his brother for ages now, but you never thought that either of them would actually be as handsome and charming as their mother always makes them out to be.

Later that day you are just closing up the shop when someone comes sprinting up to the front door of the shop. You look a little bewildered when you find Matt staring at you from outside. You unlock the door again and let him inside.

"Matt, hello again." You smile at him as he steps inside.

"Hey." Matt huffs, out of breath.

"Did you run here?" You ask him with furrowed brows.

"Y-yeah." Matt pants and takes a second to catch his breath. "I'm glad that I caught you." He stands up straight and turns to you.

"Oh?" You look a little surprised. "Well, what can I do for you?" You ask him.

"Look I know this is gonna sound a bit weird. But I've been at home all day listening to my mom talk about you and how great you are. Plus when we met earlier today you just seemed so nice and frankly really pretty." Matt confesses.

"I'm flattered." You giggle and blush.

"So I was wondering if maybe you'd wanna go out on a date with me?" Matt asks you sheepishly.

"Yeah, I'd actually love to." You flash a smile at him.

"Really?" Matt seems a bit surprised that you said yes.

"Yeah," You nod. "Your mom did a really good job talking you up." You joke.

"Damn, I guess she did." Matt laughs with you. "Great! My mom insisted that she cook us dinner at her place, so do you wanna meet me there at like eight?" He suggests.

"Yeah, sounds like a plan." You nod. "I'll be there."

Matt nods again, unable to hide his eager grin as he leaves. You lock the shop back up and hurry home to change out of your dirty apron and shirt.

Chapter Text

"No really, I am getting so tired of his shit, Matt." You complain to Matt about Kenny for the thousandth time today. "You know I love Kenny, but Callis is seriously messing him up man." You shake your head.

"I know." Matt nods in agreement. "You know I love him too, but is fighting with him really the right way to go?" He questions your suggested motive of putting the champ in his place.

"Well can you think of anything else?" You ask him.

Matt shakes his head in frustration, unable to formulate any other way to deal with Omega. You both stand and silently brainstorm for a bit until Nick interrupts your flow.

"What are you two up to?" Nick asks when he comes into the locker room.

"Trying to find a good way to deal with Kenny and Callis." You answer him, coming out of your thoughts.

"Oh." Nick nods, "Yeah, we should probably figure something out." He is quick to agree with the topic at hand. "I just saw him with Doc and Karl again." He informs you.

"Great." You roll your eyes. "You know I put up with a lot of shitty people when we worked in Japan, but those two and AJ were by far the worst." You shiver at the ugly memories.

"Ha! Tell me about it." Matt snorts next to you.

"I miss Adam and Marty." You sigh.

You still regret letting your brothers push Hangman away from the group. You still get drinks with him every now and again but it's not even close to being like it used to be.

"We know you miss Adam." Nick teases you.

"Quiet!" You snap back at him with a raised fist.

Matt and Nick both laugh, neither of them ever willing to let down the hopeless crush you used to have on Hangman years ago.

"Do it!" Nick challenges you.

"Whatever." You roll your eyes and drop your arm. "I'm gonna go find something to do, be back later." You decide that sitting around isn't going to fix your Kenny problem and head out.

Matt and Nick both nod and you head out to the backstage area and collect your thoughts. What you need is someone new. Someone that Kenny will never see coming. Matt and Nick are already eager to silence Gallows and Anderson, and you're more than capable of handling spineless Don Callis when the time comes. All your missing is that wild card to knock Kenny down off of his high horse.

"Excuse me?" You're pulled from your thoughts again when someone taps your shoulder. "Hey! I know you." You almost choke on air when you turn around.

"Yeah, I know you too." You laugh nervously.

Blood rushes to your cheeks as you stand in front of a man that you've had a thing for since you can barely remember. Christian Cage.

"Good, can you help me out?" Christian asks you.

"Yeah, of course." You nod, still internally composing yourself.

"Great! You're Y/N Jackson, right? The Young Bucks sister?" Christian nods with a pleased smile.

"Yeah." You nod, still freaking out on the inside. "That's me, and I of course know who you are." You laugh again and go to shake his hand.

"Naturally." Christian laughs with you and shakes your hand. "Huge fan of you and your brothers, by the way. All three of you are real talents. Especially you." He winks at you with a charming smile that's enough to make your chest tighten.

"Th-thanks." You blush even harder at the compliment. "So um...what can I help you with?" You finally remember that this conversation started because Christian needed help.

"Oh yeah, right." Christian laughs like he lost his train of thought as well. "I'm trying to find Tony Khan's office? We're supposed to go over what he's got planned for me while I'm here." He explains.

"Oh, Khan's office is this way." You turn around opposite where you're standing. "Come on, I can show you." You offer.

"That be great, thanks." Christian nods.

"No problem." You nod and lead him down the hall. "So, any idea what Khan has in store for you?" You ask him.

"Vaguely." Christian nods. "All I really know is he wants to start me out in the main event picture." He explains.

"Naturally." You nod.

"I've been watching the show lately and I don't think that I'll be getting involved with Darby Allin and Sting." Christian continues. "So my best bet is something with Kenny Omega?" He shrugs.

Your heart skips a beat at the mention of Kenny's name. This could be it! The wild card that you've been looking for! Christian Cage could be the handsome missing piece of the puzzle.

"Well, I'd certainly pay to watch that match go down." You joke with a laugh. "Here's Tony's office." You stop in front of the boss's door and knock.

"Thanks again." Christian flashes you a smile.

You are about to reply when the door swings open and Tony pokes his head through the door. He looks at you then over to Christian and you can tell by the look on his face that he's planning something.

"Y/N, perfect. And Christian, hello. Come in, both of you." Tony demands as he swings the door open for both of you.

"Both of us?" You question him.

"Mhm, come on." Tony gestures for you to step inside his office.

Puzzled, you do as told and step into the office with Christian. You both take a seat in front of Tony's desk and he sits back down behind it.

"It's good that you two have met already," Tony comments as he sits. "Because you'll be seeing a lot of each other in the next few weeks." He adds.

"We will?" You question him again.

"Mhm." Tony nods. "I believe that you and your brothers have been trying to find a solution to the whole Kenny and Don thing. So here he is." He gestures to Christian who's just sitting quietly and listening.

"Really?" You try your best to hide your excitement.

"Mhm, assuming that's okay with you Mr. Cage?" Tony glances over at Christian.

"Yeah, it's all good." Christian nods.

"Perfect!" Tony claps his hands and stands up again. "Y/N, take Mr. Cage to meet your brothers and fill them in on what's going on. We'll discuss the finer details later. Christian, pleasure working with you." He shakes Christian's hand firmly.

Once the handshake is complete Tony evicts you both from his office to deliver the good news to your brothers. Christian laughs as the door shuts behind him.

"Wow, he sure works fast." He chuckles.

"Yeah, that's Tony." You laugh with him. "He's always got ideas swimming around in his head. Come on, our locker room is this way." You turn to make the trek back to the Buck's locker room.

"Great!" Christian nods and follows. "I can't wait to get to work with you three." He beams. "I assume that Nick and Matt are going to handle Gallows and Anderson?"

"Yeah, that's the plan. And with you dealing with Kenny that means I get a piece of slimy Don Callis." You relish in the idea of getting to punch Callis so hard his stupid aviators shatter.

"Oh, so you get the fun part then?" Christian jokes.

"Yes, I do." You laugh. "Don is easy money so I guess that I'll be backing you up as well." You tease him.

"Oh, will you now?" Christian quirks a brow at you.

"What? Afraid that I might upstage you?" You tease him.

"Maybe." Christian teases back.

Back in Tony's office, he chuckles to himself with a self-satisfied smile. He knew the moment that Christian signed just where he needed to go. Tony just knows that you and Christian will have amazing chemistry with one another. And boy his he right once again.

Chapter Text

"Hey, Ken?" Your boyfriend's bag in your hands you knock on his locker room door lightly.

"Can I help yo- Oh." Don is the one to answer the door.

"Don." You roll your eyes at the businessman. "Move, please." You ask him politely.

"Kenny is busy, what do you want?" Callis stands his ground in the doorway.

"I'm his girlfriend, I'm allowed to see him." You grit your teeth. "He forgot his gym bag at the apartment again." You hold the bag up for Don to see.

Before Callis can work up another excuse as to why you can't get into your own boyfriend's locker room. You hear Kenny on the other side of the door.

"Don, man. Who's at the door?" Kenny asks and pushes past Don? "Y/N, hey babe! What are you doing here?" He asks you with a friendly smile and steps away from the door.

"Hey, baby." You step inside the room and hug Kenny. "You forgot your gym bag at the apartment again." You let go and hand him the bag.

"Oh! That's where I left it." Kenny takes the bag from you. "Thanks, baby you're the best." He kisses the top of your head gently.

"Of course!" You nod. "I'll be in the front row for the show tonight." You add. "Matt got the ticket for me."

"Yeah? That's awesome." Kenny nods. "I guess I'll see you out there then." He leans down and kisses you again before he walks into the next room to change.

As soon as Kenny is gone Don is back on your case like usual. He glares at you through his aviators with a sour expression.

"Can I help you with something Don?" You ask him sourly.

"Just keep to yourself when Kenny is out in the ring," Don warns you. "I don't need you distracting him when he's working."

"Screw off, Callis." You snap back at him. "God, I don't know why Kenny puts up with you." You grit your teeth at him.

You head out before Don can make another rude comment at you.

It's been like this for months now. Don has been a thorn in your side ever since he and Kenny partnered up and started working together. You despise Don with every fiber of your being. He's never been shy about his disdain for you being Ken's girlfriend. To Don, you're just a distraction and burden on his moneymaker.

You make your way out to the arena and take your seat in the front row. The show kicks off a few minutes later and you enjoy seeing your friends in action.

The main event rolls around and you stand when Kenny makes his way out to the ring. You cheer for him and he blows you a kiss as he walks by. You giggle and sit back down after he passes.

"Yeah! Go, Kenny!" You cheer for him when the match starts.

Hearing you cheer for him prompts Kenny to look your way and show off a little during his match. You adore that he takes the time to showboat when he knows you're watching. It also brings you a little joy that you know Kenny messing around for you pisses off Don.

"Woohoo!" You cheer when Kenny picks up the win for the night.

Kenny grabs his belt and walks over to ringside. You stand again and lean over the barricade when Kenny gets over to you.

"Congrats babe." You congratulate him with a kiss.

"Thanks, meet me backstage yeah?" Kenny asks you with a grin.

"Sure." You nod and let him walk off.

You wait a few minutes before you head backstage to meet Ken in his locker room again. You knock when you get to the door like usual and wait for an answer.

"Come in!" You hear a voice call out to you.

You slip into the locker room without question and groan when you find Don on the other side of the door.

"Oh God, not again." You roll your eyes. "Can't you just leave me alone Callis?" You ask him.

"Not when you're messing with my investment, honey." Don snaps back at you.

"He's not an investment you money-hungry dickhead!" You shout in a rage. "He's a human being. He's MY boyfriend, and I'm not going anywhere, Don." You insist.

"Ha! You're irreplaceable." Don laughs. "You really think he cares that much for you?" He shouts back at you. "You're just another whore on a long list of Kenny Omega's conquest. Get over it." He doesn't let up in his assault.

Every word stings on the inside. Don doesn't even give you a moment to breathe as he berates you with zero mercy. Your emotions start to get the best of you and you can feel tears start to prick your eyes.

"I.....you...He..." You find yourself unable to come up with a coherent sentence.

"Awe, what's the matter?" Don laughs. "Gonna cry, sweetie?" He snorts.

You move to the door intent on fleeing the scene when it swings open. Kenny steps into the room with a smile that instantly drops when he sees your upset face.

"Y/N, babe? What's wrong?" He asks you as he steps over to you?

"Nothing." You sniffle and compose yourself. "I'm fine, Ken." You insist. "Listen, I'm just gonna head back to the apartment okay? I'll see you there babe." You kiss his cheek and hurry out of the room before Kenny can get a word in.

"I....okay." Kenny nods and watches you flee.

You head back to the apartment and can feel your rage bubbling to the surface as well as fear. What if Don is right?

"No, he loves me." You tell yourself.

You aren't home alone for long when you hear the front door slam. Confused you make your way to the front room and find Kenny there.

"Ken?" You approach him cautiously.

"Y/N." Kenny turns around and his expression softens. "Baby I'm sorry." He moves over to hug you.

"Sorry? For what?" You let him hug you tightly.

"Babe I just want you to know that I love you. You know that right?" Kenny tells you. "And sweetie, if I had known all the shit that Callis has been giving you I never would have let him stay." He explains with a shaky breath.

"I know." You wrap your arms around your boyfriend to hug him back. "I love you too, Ken." You push his chest gently so you're standing in front of him.

You lean up and kiss your boyfriend, a weight lifting off of your chest knowing that the parasite known as Don Callis is finally out of your life. You've finally got the man you love back and there isn't a doubt in your mind that he absolutely loves and adores you.

Chapter Text

You wake up to the sound of your alarming droning in your ear like usual at 7 am. You roll over with a groan and switch it off for some peace and quiet.

"Morning, babe." You roll over to the other side of the bed expecting to run into your boyfriend's warm body. "Kenny?" Your eyes fly open when you just keep rolling to the edge of the bed instead of being stopped by a body.

You glance around your bed and the rest of the room for your missing boyfriend but find yourself alone. Confused you rise from bed and smooth out Kenny's shirt that you wore to bed before you go in search of your missing boyfriend.

"Ken?" You call out as you search through the house for him.

Once you've checked most of the house you go to retrieve your phone. It's not like him to be gone without telling you that he's leaving. You dial Kenny's number and worry when it goes to voicemail. You call one more time and leave him a message.

"What the hell?" You ask yourself and decide to take a quick shower to help wake yourself up a bit more.

'Maybe he just went out for coffee or something' You tell yourself. When you get out of the shower there is still no sign of Kenny. You call him one more time and are in the middle of listening to the phone ring when it dawns on you what day it is.

Today is the anniversary of when you and Kenny became an exclusive item. Three years to be exact. 'He must be planning something special for me.' You tell yourself and get dressed. You eat a small breakfast then go about your day like you normally would.

You head to the gym for your usual morning workout and catch Adam there as well. There is still no sign of Kenny but the fact that it's your anniversary makes you worry less than you should, given the circumstances.

"Adam! Hey." You greet the blond while he's in the middle of a set.

"Y/N, what's up?" Adam flashes you that award-winning smile of his.

"Just came to get a workout in, like always." You shrug and lean over him. "You seen Kenny today?" You ask him, wondering if maybe Page is in on Kenny's anniversary plans.

"No, why?" Page shakes his head under you.

"Oh." You are a little surprised by his answer but shake it off.

"It's our anniversary today, and Ken was gone when I woke up earlier." You explain with a little disappointment.

"Oh, damn." Adam sounds a little surprised as well that you haven't seen Kenny today of all days.

"It's fine, he'll probably be waiting for me with a surprise when I get home." You insist with a hopeful smile.

"Yeah, I'm sure." Adam nods assuringly.

What Adam doesn't tell you is that he saw Kenny hanging out late at the bar with Don Callis the night before. He can't help but notice that Kenny has been spending an awful lot of time with Don, and not much with you as of late. This fact alone is enough to fuel Adam's disdain for his former tag team partner and friend.

You hang out with Page for the remainder of your workout. He's always been a great friend to you. You even considered going out with him back in the day. But Kenny was the one that asked you out first.

"I'll talk to you later, Adam." You wave to Page as you leave the gym.

"Yeah, bye." Adam waves back.

As soon as you are gone Page pulls out his phone and calls Kenny up. The line rings a few times before it goes to voicemail. Unable to contain his anger Adam decides to leave a message.

"Hey Kenny, it's Adam. I was just hanging out with Y/N, and she was worried about you. She said that she hasn't seen you today? And it's your anniversary today?" He does his best to stay calm as he speaks into the phone. "Please don't tell me you forgot about your anniversary because you were out drinking last night? Because that's really fucking shitty of you man."

Meanwhile, arrive back at your place and find Kenny's car in the driveway. Excited you hurry inside and search around for him. You find Don loitering in your hallway when you get inside.

"Don? What the hell are you doing here?" You ask him.

You've never really liked Don. He's just a money-hungry cooperate stooge as far as you're concerned. But you put up with him for Kenny's sake.

"I'm waiting for Kenny to grab a change of clothes," Don replies. "We've got a busy day ahead of us." He informs you.

"Busy day?" You furrow your brows.

Kenny comes into the room and you confront him about it.

"Ken, Don says that you and him have plans all day?" You ask him to confirm.

"Yeah, why?" Kenny nods, nonchalantly.

"Are you kidding me?" You scoff. "Kenny, do you even know what today is?" You ask him accusingly.

"Friday." Kenny shrugs. "Look I'll see you later babe, I'm gonna be late." He goes to move past you.

Your mouth hangs open in disbelief at what you're hearing. He actually forgot what today was. The self-centered idiot actually forgot your anniversary.

"Are you fucking serious Kenny?" You give him one more chance for this to all be a joke.

"What?" Kenny replies, clearly annoyed that you're making a scene.

"Wow, you know what? Forget it." You shake your head. "Go! Have a nice time with your new boyfriend Kenny, because I am done!" You screech in frustration. "You know I've been putting up with a lot of your shit the past few months Kenny, but this is the last straw."

Before Kenny can get another word in you leave before the tears start to flow from your eyes. You hop in the car and head to the only place you can think of where you can be yourself without having to worry about being judged.

"Hello?" Around half an hour later Adam answers his front door only to find you feeling sorry for yourself at his doorstep. "Y/N, what's wrong?" He can clearly see that you're upset.

"He forgot, Adam." You hold back a sob.

"He? Who? Kenny?" Adam thinks for a moment and starts to put the pieces together. "Oh, sweetie." He holds his arms open as soon as he gets what's going on.

"We're over Adam, I can't deal with him anymore." You hug Adam closely with a frustrated sigh. "Three years down the drain all because he cares more about hanging out with his new buddies than he does me."

"He's a fucking idiot." Adam holds you close.

He knows it's wrong but part of Page is thrilled that you and Kenny are finally over. It mind sound selfish of him but he's not about to let you leave without you knowing how he feels about you. Not this time.

Adam leads you into the house and makes you both a drink. You sit on his couch with him and talk about Kenny. Deep down you knew that this day was coming up. Ever since Kenny met up with Don he's been way different than before. He's just not the same dork that you were in love with anymore.

"I just can't believe that it took me this long to realize how bad he was." You shake your head at the thought.

"You wanted to believe that he hadn't changed." Adam shakes his head as well. "You're one of the strongest people I know, Y/N. You're gonna be okay." He insists.

"Thanks, Adam." You thank him with a smile as a memory comes to the forefront of your mind. "You know what's funny? Originally I was planning on asking you out on a date." You laugh.

"You were?" Adam's heart skips a beat.

"Yeah, Kenny just managed to ask me out first." You nod. "Weird huh? To think if Kenny hadn't asked me out then I could have been with you these past few years?"

"Yeah, If only." Page laughs quietly and takes a drink from his glass.

"What?" You didn't quite hear him and tilt your head to sigh.

Before Adam is forced to confess the doorbell rings again and he hurries off to answer it. He swings the door open to find Kenny on his porch.

"Where is she?" Kenny asks firmly.

"Inside. Why?" Adam snaps back.

"I wanna talk to her." Kenny insists with a serious tone.

"Trust me, she doesn't want to talk to you." Adam scoffs and stands his ground.

"Like hell, she doesn't." Kenny fumes. "Now move Adam. And I got your little message from earlier. News flash Adam, she's with me not you." He adds.

"Not anymore she's not." Adam shakes his head, still unmoving from the doorway. "She broke up with your egotistical ass remember?"

Inside you make your way o the front door when you hear arguing. You stop and listen for a minute when you hear what Adam starts to say.

"You know letting you ask her out before I did was the biggest mistake of my life," Adam admits. "For three years I've stood by and watches you neglect and take the girl I love for granted. Well, it ends tonight, Kenny."

His words hit you like a brick. 'He's been in love with me this whole time?' You think to yourself. You can't help but wonder what really would have happened if Adam managed to be the first one to ask you out back then. How different would your life be?

When you think back Page has always been there for you. All these years you've been settling for Kenny when the real perfect man for you has been waiting idly by for you to realize just how wrong Kenny is for you.

"Do you even hear yourself?" Kenny snorts. "Talk about pathetic." He sneers.

"No, he's right Kenny." You step into the doorway next to Page and silence your now ex-boyfriend. "We're through Kenny, I'm fed up and done playing second fiddle to Don Callis." You tell him firmly. "Adam, I am so sorry." You turn to the blond at your side. "This whole time you've been right there waiting for me to realize that I should have picked you back then." You admit.

"It was worth the wait." Adam grins and kisses you, completely opting to ignore Kenny standing just a few feet in front of you both.

All Kenny can do is stand by and watch as he's completely pushed out of your life in an instant. With a scoff, he turns and around and leaves you to get with his former best friend. And he knows that there's nothing that he can do about it.

Chapter Text

"Eddie! Will you wait up, you ass?" You groan and hurry after your brother.

"Come on then, shorty. Hurry up." Eddie teases you with a laugh.

"Dick." You grumble at him.

The two of you walk into Daily's Place and head backstage towards the locker rooms. Eddie has been working at AEW for a while now but this is your first time backstage since you've been busy in Japan the last year or so.

"Eddie where are we going?" You notice Eddie's name on a locker room door as you both walk past it.

"I've got to make a stop first, relax," Eddie assures you.

"Whatever." You roll your eyes and follow after him.

The two of you walk a bit further down the hall and come to a different locker room door. You lean against the wall not paying attention while Eddie knocks on the door sharply.

"Yeah? Oh, Eddie." You jump in your skin at the sound of the stranger's voice.

"Mox!" You watch the sly smile on your brother's face grow as Moxley steps into the doorway. "Hey man, you remember my sister right?" Eddie grabs you by the shoulder and shoves you into Moxley's chest.

"Hey, Y/N it's been a while." Jon chuckles as you push off of his chest shyly.

"Jon, hey." You smile up at him awkwardly. "Yeah, it has been a while." You chuckle nervously.

"Come in, both of you." Jon steps back into his locker room and lets you both inside.

You shyly take a seat next to your brother as Jon shuts the door behind him. You glare at Eddie who wears a sly grin.

You've had a crush on Jon since the moment you met him way back when. You were just supposed to be helping Eddie out with some stupid stunt he wanted to try out when Mox showed up to help as well. From the moment Jon flashes that toothy smile at you as he made his way over to Eddie you were head over heels for him.

"So Y/N, I haven't seen you since Japan," Jon comments and sits down in the other chair in the room. "How've you been?" He asks you.

"I've been fine." You nod. "My contract with New Japan expired so I came down here to see if I couldn't land a job here." You explain.

"Right on." Jon nods. "You still working in medical?" He asks you.

"Mhm." You confirm his suspicion. "Still patching up all the dumbasses like my brother." You give Eddie a small shove.

"And me." Jon grins at you. "I can recall a few times that you've patched me up." He chuckles.

You blush and nod, embarrassed by his comment. Not wanting to make eye contact with him at the moment you glance down at your watch and notice the time.

"Oh crap, I'm gonna be late for my interview with Khan." You rise to your feet. "It was nice seeing you again Jon, Eddie behave, please." You hug them both and hurry off before you're late.

Jon waits until he's sure that you've gone to speak up again.

"So your sister still single right?" He asks Eddie.

"She is," Eddie confirms. "But don't even think about it, Moxley." He warns his buddy.

"Oh, I'm definitely thinking about it." Jon laughs.

Jon has always thought you were cute and he's also always known just how to push your buttons. Problem is, Eddie is never on board for Jon to date his baby sister.

You report to your interview with the boss and it goes swell. Tony reports that he would love to have you on the medical team and that you can start on their Monday night show. You thank him for the opportunity and head out to find where your brother had wandered off to.

"Eddie? Hey, I'm back!" You find your brother in his locker room this time.

"Hey, there she is!" Eddie greets you loudly. "How'd it go? You get the job?" He asks you.

"I did." You nod excitedly. "I start on Monday." You inform him.

"Nice!" Eddie laughs. "Congrats sis, now come on. We're gonna meet Mox for drinks." He tells you.

"Great!" You love the idea of a celebratory drink right about now.

The two of you head out and meet Mox at some musty bars for drinks. Eddie drops you off at the booth and makes a B-line for the bar.

"I take it you got the job?" Jon asks you as he thumbs around his glass.

"I did." You nod and glance over at Eddie chatting up some blonde girl at the bar. "Looks like it's back to patching you and my brother back up weekly huh?" You joke with a laugh.

"Looks like it. Just like the old days." Jon laughs with you. "Looks like you might even have to start early doc." He adds and quickly gets to his feet.

You furrow your brows at Jon's comment until you hear shouting across the bar. You follow the source of the noise to your brother in the face of some drunk dude at the bar. You sigh and watch as Jon goes to back up Eddie and get sidelined by one of the drunk guy's buddies.

"Yep, just like the old days." You sigh and finish off Jon's drink for him.

About an hour or so later you get Eddie and Moxley back to Eddie's apartment to get them cleaned up. You drop Eddie off in his room since he didn't get any serious injuries.

Once Eddie is in bed you make your way back out to Jon who has a few minor injuries that need to be looked at.

"Sit." You command as you pull Eddie's emergency kit from the shelf.

"Yes ma'am." Moxley nods and takes a seat on a stool.

You open up the kit and take out the supplies you need then walk over to Jon.

"You know sometimes I think you like getting hurt just so you get attention." You joke to him and pour some hydrogen peroxide on a wipe.

"Maybe I do." Jon laughs with you. "You know your brother thinks I should stay away from you." He tells you.

"Yeah? That doesn't surprise me." You reply, focused on cleaning Jon's wound.

"Why? Do you agree with him?" Jon asks as he grabs your hand and moves it away from his face.

"Jon." You protest.

"Come on darlin', I know you love me." Jon insists, still ahold of your arm.

You could protest and tell him no. You know all you have to do is say no and Jon will drop it. He's polite like that. But you also know that this is what you've wanted since you were young.

"And what if I do?" You pry your arm free from Jon's grip and wrap them both around his neck.

Jon's response is to gently lean in and kiss you. A kiss that you've been waiting to happen for almost a decade now. And boy was it worth the wait.

Chapter Text

You are in the middle of filling out some papers for Pierce when someone knocks on the office door.

"Come in!" You chime out, not looking up from the papers. "If you're looking for Adam, he's in a meeting at the moment." You continue as the door clicks open.

"And what if I didn't come to see him?" A familiar accent graces your ears.

"Drew." You glance up from your papers. "Pleasure seeing you." You grin up at him.

"Pleasure is all mine, sweetheart." Drew winks with a grin of his own.

"Mhm, what can I do for you?" You ask him your head sitting in your folded hands.

Drew shuts the door behind him and stands leaning against the back of the chair on the other side of the desk.

"I was actually looking for Pierce," Drew admits. "He said he wanted to see me."

"Oh, yeah he'll be back soon." You nod, a bit disappointed. "You can take a seat if you want." You offer.

Drew nods and sits down in the chair silently. You glance down at the papers that you still need to fill out when you feel Drew's eyes on you.

"Something you need to get off your chest, McIntyre?" You glance back up at him.

"Me? Not at all, love." Drew shrugs.

"Okay." You don't believe him but go back to your papers anyway.

You barely get a few lines down the first paper in front of you when you can feel Drew starting again. You glance up at him and he is quick to avert his eyes to his lap. A small grin plays on your lips at his little game.

"Okay." You set your pen down and fold your hands. "Are you just gonna sit there and stare a hole through me or do you wanna speak up?"

Drew looks a bit surprised by your response first. But his look of shock is easily replaced with a smile.

"What's the matter, love? Can't handle the heat?" He asks you with a sly smile.

"Coming from you?" You scoff with a grin. "Child's Play." You boldly claim.

"Is that so?" Drew chuckles and leans forward in his chair. "That's a pretty bold claim their lass." He eyes you up without a care in the world.

Your laugh fills the small space of the room as you shake your head. Drew continues to eye you up from his seat. You meet his gaze and the two of you stare at one another for a moment until the door swings open.

"Umm....am I interrupting something?" Pierce shuts the door behind him.

"Hmm? No, not at all." You shake your head at Adam. "I believe that you have a meeting with Mr. McIntyre here." You gesture to Drew still in his seat.

"Yes, sorry I'm late." Adam nods.

"I'll leave you two to talk." You grab your papers and exit the room. You've got a few papers to deliver and a trip to the production truck to make anyway.

You make your way down to the production truck and have a quick conversation with the crew about the camera for the show.

After you're done you head back to the office to see if Pierce is done talking with Drew. You get to the office and find Pierce at his desk.

"Your meeting go well?" You casually ask him as you head over to your desk.

"It did." Pierce nods. "How did yours go?" He mocks you.

"Very funny." You roll your eyes at him. "Nothing is going on with Drew and me." You remind him.

"Sure." Pierce laughs. "Just so you know, I am so not looking forward to the day I walk in on you two screwing in my office chair." He quips.

"Pierce!" You shoot him a look.

"What?" Adam grins at you. "We both know it's true. The two of you have chemistry, there's nothing wrong with that." He shrugs at you.

"It's also none of your business." You remind him.

Your argument is cut short when someone knocks on the door. You both clam up and Pierce shouts for whoever is at the door to come in.

"Oh look who's here." Adam grins as Drew enters the room.

"Pipe down!" You warn him. "Drew, what can we do for you?" You turn your attention to Drew.

"Bad time?" Drew can sense the tension in the room.

"No, what's up?" You beckon him over to your desk. "Please, sit."

Drew walks over to your chair and sits down. You shoot a glare at Pierce who teases you from his desk.

"I just came by to drop these off." Drew hands you a few papers from his jacket.

"Oh! Thank you." You take the papers and pull your glasses from your desk drawer.

You slip the glasses on and look over the papers. Just a few standard forms that all of the talents have to update once in a while.

While you're busy looking at the papers Pierce heads out of the room without you knowing. This just leaves you and Drew in the room again and it isn't long before you feel his eyes on you once again.

"You just can't help yourself, can you?" You look up from your papers and at Drew.

"From staring? No, not when you look like that." Drew shakes his head.

"Drew." You start, not wanting to start something with Adam in the room.

You glance over at Adam's desk and find it empty so your nerves relax a bit.

"Yeah, love?" Drew quirks a brow at you.

"You know this has really got to stop." You shake your head and pull your glasses off. "This whole eye-fucking thing? You making excuses to come see me?"

"Oh? What do you propose we do then?" Drew asks with a sly grin, leaning forward in his chair again.

"Not sure." You chew on the edge of your glasses, eyes glued to the man in front of you.

Adam's jokes about eventually catching you and Drew in the act pang around in your head as you and Drew stare at one another.

"Oh, I think you've got something swimming around in that sexy brain of yours love." Drew protests. "I can tell by the way you're staring at me." He winks at you.

"Well as much as the idea of you and me together sounds." You laugh. "I'd really hate to give Pierce the satisfaction of catching us together."

"Oh, but the risk is half the fun, lass." Drew teases you.

Thankfully Adam comes back into the room before you're poised to finally give in to Drew's little game. Drew flashes a frown that he got interrupted before he could seal the deal but when you hand him a note across your desk he knows that he'll be seeing you later.

Chapter Text

"Oh come on!" You slam your hand down onto the arm of your chair as you once again die in-game. "You've gotta be kidding me." You run a hand over your face in frustration.

"You good, Y/N?" Your teammate asks through your headphones.

"Yeah." You sigh again. "But I think I'm out for the night. Talk to you later." You close your game application and say goodbye to your friend.

"Okay!" Your friend understands and you end the call.

With your game all shut down, you stretch and head out to the kitchen for a snack. You hear Kip in his office talking with his gaming buddies when you pass by the door.

In the kitchen, you throw a bag of popcorn in the microwave and pour yourself a drink.

"You winning?" You greet Kip when he comes into the kitchen.

"Not at all, love." Kip shakes his head with a smile. "We're showing a newbie the ropes, nothing serious." He walks over and steals your glass of juice from you.

"Hey!" You shoot your boyfriend a stern look.

"What?" Kip chuckles as he drinks from your glass.

"Dickhead." You swipe your glass back from him.

"Ah, you love me." Kip winks at you.

You roll your eyes and pour some more juice in your glass then grab your popcorn and make your way out to the main room.

You settle down on your couch and switch the tv on then put on your favorite show. As the show starts up you can vaguely hear Kip down the hall shouting with his buddies.

You smile to yourself at Kip's voice carrying into the room. With your popcorn in your lap, you sit and enjoy your show for a while. About an hour or so later Kip comes into the room and drops onto the couch next to you.

"Yes?" You glance at Kip from the corner of your eye.

"Mind if I join?" Kip asks you, his hand traveling towards your popcorn bag.

"Maybe I do." You pull the bag away from his hand. "Ever heard of, please?" You ask him.

"Please?" Kip flashes you that award-winning smile of his.

"Ugh, fine." You roll your eyes and hand over the bag.

Kip takes the bag from you and helps himself to some popcorn. You go back to your show while he eats next to you for a while in silence.

After a bit, you start to get uncomfortable in the position you're sitting in and lean towards Kip. He easily gets the hint and shifts his arm so your head can rest easily on his shoulder.

"Tired, love?" Kip glances down at you.

"No, not really." You reply, eyes still glued to your tv.

"Mhm." Kip hums, knowing that you're lying to him.

Even though he knows you're lying Kip remains in place and lets you enjoy your show for a while longer. It isn't until he feels your body go limp under him does he switch off the tv and try to move you.

"Mmm." You twitch when Kip tries to move you.

"Shhh." Kip runs a hand through your hair to soothe you back to sleep.

You settle back down and fall back asleep in Kip's arms. He gently lifts you and carries you back to your bedroom. As soon as your body hits the soft mattress you snuggle into your pillow.

"Sleep well, sweetie." Kip kisses the top of your head and pulls your blanket over you before he heads to the bathroom for a shower.

When Kip finishes up his shower and heads to bed himself he finds you hogging the bed like usual. He gently pushes you off to the side and crawls into bed next to you.

It doesn't take long for you to roll back over and snuggle up to Kip. He sighs as soon as your arm hits his torso but he doesn't make any effort to move it off.

The next morning you wake up on top of your boyfriend sound asleep under you. You blink the sleep from your eyes and roll off of him.

"No, stay for a bit." Kip wraps his arms back around you and pulls you into his chest.

"Kip." You laugh and wiggle against him. "Let go." You demand.

"Shhh, we're still sleeping," Kip replies groggily.

"Let go you, dork!" You struggle against his chest more.

With one swift movement, Kip turns you both to the side and pins you down to the mattress. He leans down and plants kisses all over your face as you laugh.

"Tell me you love me," Kip demands, refusing to let you go.

"I...I love you. I love you." You struggle to find the words through fits of laughter.

Kip lets you go from his grip you are freed from his torture. He grins at you innocently while you collect yourself.

"Shower?" Kip suggests with raised brows.

"After that?" You scoff at him. "Not a chance." You smack the back of his shoulder. "And I'm showering first." You march past him and into the bathroom.

Kip watches you head into the bathroom with a grin. He lays back down in bed for a bit and listens to you singing in the bathroom while you shower.

After a while, Kip hears your singing stop and he gets out of bed. He silently slips into the bathroom and finds you leaning over the sink in a towel while you get your skincare routine done.

"Wow, man am I, one lucky bloke." Kip grins to himself.

"What are you on about?" You turn around to him.

"Nothing." Kip shakes his head. "Just marveling at how much of an absolute babe you are. I mean do I have game or what?" He teases you.

"Oh, whatever." You laugh and roll your eyes. "Your game isn't as good as you think, I just felt bad for you." You lie to tease Kip.

"Oh, we both know I've got game, honey." Kip wiggles his eyebrows at you and leans in.

"Maybe." You let him kiss your damp lips.

Chapter Text

"Alright, I'm knocking out early." You drop your weights to the floor and wipe some sweat from your forehead.

"What? Already?" Nick protests next to you. "What? You have something better to do than hang with your brothers?"

"Yeah, she's got a hot date with her new sugar daddy." Matt teases you.

"Can it Matthew." You growl at him. "And Christian isn't my sugar daddy, we're just friends." You correct him.

"Mhm, and how many years is the age gap again?" Matt replies with a grin.

"Okay, ew." Nick scrunches his face at the thought of Christian with his baby sister.

"Will you both knock it off?" You scold them both. "I'll see you two tomorrow night." You turn to leave.

"Yeah if you can walk tomorrow." Matt comments. "You gotta be careful with those older men little sister, some of them are into some weird shit." He shouts as you walk off.

"Okay, Matt stop." Nick gags.

Matt laughs as you disappear through the front entrance to the gym.

You quickly head home and get in a quick shower. You are barely finishing up changing into some fresh clothes when your doorbell rings. You hurry to your feet and sprint down the hall to answer the door.

"Y/N, hey." You answer the door to Christian twirling the keys to an expensive car in his free hand. "Thanks for agreeing to grab dinner with me." He grins at you.

"Of course!" You nod. "I'm a sucker for a good meal, just let me grab my purse." You giggle and turn back into the house to grab your purse off of the end table.

"Good to know." Christian nods as you shut the door behind you.

He walks you back to his car and is polite enough to open the door for you. You thank him and climb into the passenger side of the vintage car.

"So, I hope you don't mind but I made reservations at this new Japanese place downtown I've been wanting to try." He glances at you as he pulls out of the driveway.

"No problem." You shake your head. "I'm not a picky eater, and I actually love Japanese food." You add.

"Yeah?" Christian sounds relieved by your answer.

"Mhm, perks of working in Japan for so long. You get a taste for the local cuisine." You laugh.

"Right." Christian nods. "I forgot that you wrestled in Japan with your brothers for so long."

The drive downtown takes you to a fancy-looking restaurant in the heart of the upper-class district. You know it's got to be a high-class joint since threes a valet at the front and the workers are all dressed in nice suits.

Christian helps you out of the car then tosses his keys to a guy around your age before you both are ushered inside by the other guy your age. A sharply dressed lady stands behind the podium and smiles when Christian walks up to her.

"Umm reservation for Christian Cage?" Christian gives the lady his name.

You glance around the lobby while the hostess searches your date's name. The place is elegant, to say the least. You stand on an expensive red carpet and a tank full of exotic fish is to your left. Everyone that passes by is sharply dressed which makes you question your choice of dress.

"Ah, here we are, right this way Mr. Cage." The hostess smiles and grabs two menus from her pile before she turns into the restaurant.

You and Christian follow her through the main floor and over to a table off to the side of the room. She seats you both then is replaced by a sharply dressed waiter.

"What can I start you two off for drinks?" The man asks you both.

"Water is fine, thanks." You reply with a smile.

"Yeah water is fine, but could I get the wine list, please?" Christian nods as well.

The waiter nods and walks off to fetch the water and wine list. You glance over all the exotic options on the menu and settle on sushi rolls since you haven't had them in a while.

"The sushi rolls sounds great, what are you getting?" You set your menu down off to the side of the table and glance over at your date.

"I was just thinking the same thing." Christian agrees and sets his menu down as well.

The waiter comes back and sets down two glasses of crisp-looking water and hands Christian the wine list. He glosses over the list and chooses one you've never heard of before.

"You okay with red wine?" Christian glances up at you briefly.

"Mhm." You nod.

You've never really been much of a wine drinker, or any alcohol for that matter. But this is a special occasion so you don't really mind.

The waiter walks off again leaving you and your date to mingle for a while.

"You look fantastic by the way." Christian comments. "I forgot to mention it earlier."

"Oh, thank you." You blush a little bit. "If you ask me I'm a bit underdressed." You can't help but notice the various woman enjoying their meals in elegant dresses.

"Not at all." Christian waves his hand. "Prettiest girl in this place, hands down." He insists.

"Thanks." You blush again.

The waiter comes back by with your wine bottle and is almost immediately followed by another waiter with your food.

"Here you both are, please enjoy." Your dinner is served with chopsticks on the side.

"Thanks." You nod and pick up your chopsticks.

You easily take your chopsticks in your hand and pick up one of your rolls. You dip it in some sauce provided with the dish and take a bit. On the other side of the table, you notice Christian struggle to pick up his food.

"You alright over there?" You can't help but laugh a bit.

"No." Christian laughs with you. "47 years on this earth and I've never managed to get the hang of using them." He shakes his head.

"Here." You giggle and reach across the table. "Let me see your hand."

Christian offers you his hand holding his chopsticks and you adjust the way he's holding them.

"See, the key is to use the side of your fingers to hold them in place." You explain the best you can and take your hand back.

"Okay, thanks." Christian nods and gives it another try.

He's still a bit wobbly but he manages to pick up a roll and get a bite out of it.

"Hey! There you go." You praise him for his effort.

The two of you finish your dinner up and Christian pays the bill before you leave.

"Thank you for dinner." You thank him on the ride back.

"Yeah, no problem." Christian nods. "Hey, you don't think this is weird right?" He asks you nervously.

"Weird?" You're a little confused by the question.

"I mean, I'm about to hit 50 and you're barely what? 26?" He laughs to hide his nervousness. "I'm old enough to be your dad."

"So?" You laugh, finding his worry cute. "It doesn't bother me any. Does it bother you?"

"No! Not at all." Christian shakes his head. "I just didn't want to make you uncomfortable." He insists.

The car pulls into your driveway and Christian walks you to your door.

"I can assure you that you're not making me uncomfortable at all." You giggle at the silly inference. "I had a wonderful time, Christian. And I'll see you at work tomorrow." You lean up and kiss his cheek.

"I'm glad. Goodnight, Y/N." Christian takes what he can get and leaves it at that.

Chapter Text

"Do you mind Jay?" You glare up at your brother's egomaniac for a best friend.

"Not really, no." Jay shakes his head, that stupid grin on his face. "You could always make me though." He adds suggestively.

"You'd like that wouldn't you?" You roll your eyes. "In your dream Jay."

"Oh, ever night doll." Jay's smile doesn't falter.

"Chase! Please tell me that you're almost done?" You whine to your brother.

"Yeah yeah." Chase rolls his eyes at you. "You know you're allowed to but check him right?" He reminds you.

"No, that be too easy." You shake your head and glance over at Jay now talking to Tama.

"Oh yeah, I forgot." Chase snorts. "You secretly have a thing for him." He teases you.

"Do not!" You snap.

"Mhm." Chase laughs. "There, I'm done. We can go now." He slings his bag over his shoulder and turns to you.

"Finally." You let out a content sigh.

Chase says a quick goodbye to everyone and the two of you head out back to the hotel. You aren't there for long when Chase gets a text from his fearless leader.

"Hey Y/N," Chase calls you over as he looks down at his phone.

"Yeah?" You close your laptop and walk over to him. "What do you want?"

"Jay invited us both to a party Tama is throwing." He informs you. "Tonight at 11, wanna come?" He asks.

"Sure, I've got nothing going on." You nod.

Chase nods and quickly texts Jay back that you'll both be attending. You walk over to your bags and begin rifling through them for an outfit fit for a party.

"I thought you'd of had your fill of Jay for one day?" Chase teases as he looks for a change of clothes as well.

"Jay won't be the only one there." You retort and pull your favorite ripped jeans from the bottom of your bag.

"Yeah, he's just the only one you'll be interested in." Chase laughs.

"How many times do I have to remind you that I'm not into him, Chase?" You shoot your brother a glare.

"Sure." Chase rolls his eyes playfully. "That's why you're about to dress in an outfit you know he's gonna tease you for wearing." He nods to the jean shorts and fishnets lying on your bed.

"I could wear a sack and Jay would still manage to comment on it." You retaliate.

Chase gives up on his little charade and opts to take a quick shower instead. You change clothes while out of the room and touch up your makeup a bit. You're busy digging around your jewelry bag for your chains when Chase finally exits the bathroom.

"Well, don't you look lovely." He comments as he towels off his hair.

"Can it!" You growl and finally find what you're looking for.

Chase finishes up getting dressed and the two of you head out to the party location. Some buildings that Tama rented out for the night.

When you and Chase pull up to the block you can already hear music pouring out of the building.

"I see Tama went all out again." You comment as Chase parks down the street a bit.

"Leave it to Tama." Chase agrees and locks the car up.

You and Chase head into the building and random people pass by you. Tama made the event all-access, like usual, and probably let everyone on his socials know about it as well.

"Y/N, Chase!" Tama himself is the first person that you run into that you know. "Glad you guys could make it." He shouts over the music.

"Yeah, thanks for the invite!" You shout back.

Chase gets distracted by some hottie that walks past you and is gone in an instant. You laugh and head over to the bar for a drink.

"Well well well. Your brother let you out of his sight dressed like that?" Jay just so happens to be at the bar.

"My brother isn't my keeper." You reply and grab a drink.

"And amen for that." Jay grins and hands you a cup.

"Thanks." You take the cup and drink from it.

"Course, doll." Jay winks at you. "You'll see though." He adds.

"For a drink?" You scoff. "Getting desperate don't you think Jay?"

"Well, when you're the prize." Jay grins at you.

"I'm no prize." You shake your head. "And I'm not some late-night piece of ass either." You remind him.

"Of course not!" Jay agrees. "Girl like you? Now that's a keeper. Come on baby! When are you just gonna admit you're into me?" He asks you.

"Never." You down the rest of your drink. "I'm difficult like that." You flash a smile and disappear onto the dancefloor.

Music pounds in your ears and you sway to the music with a few other girls that happily accept you into their little group. You laugh and dance with them without a care in the world.

Against the wall, Jay sips his drink and watches you sway to the beat of the pounding music. Plenty of stunning girls pass by him and send flirty smiles and winks his way. But Jay ignores every one of them. He's only here for one girl, and he's determined to get her.

Jay makes his move when a slower song starts to play and a good amount of people disperse from the dancefloor for drinks. He links his way over to you with a grin.

"Long time no see gorgeous." He grins down at you.

"You just don't quit, do you?" You shale your head.

You've had a few more drinks since the last time Jay came to bother you. The alcohol swimming around in your veins is making your ability to make good decisions impaired.

"Nope. And I always get what I want." Jay shakes his head as he inches closer to you.

"And you want me right?" You laugh.

"Come on baby, I know you wanna kiss me so bad right now." Jay teases you.

"Maybe." You giggle and start to lean in. "But you're gonna have to try way harder than that." You pull away at the last minute and pat Jay's chest.

"Oh, you little fucking tease." Jay laughs. "Okay then doll, you wanna make it a game then?" He chuckles darkly.

"And what if I do?" You tease him further. "What? You scared to lose?" You taunt him.

"I don't lose," Jay replies.

"Sounds like you're a sore loser." You giggle and begin to slowly slink away from him.

"Oh someone's gonna be sore alright." Jay lurches forward and catches you by the arm. "Dance?" He stares down at you with that sly grin of his.

"Why not?" You shrug as another song begins to play.

Chapter Text

"Move over, I wanna sit on the edge tonight." You urge Tony to switch seats with you.

"Why? You always sit in the middle." Schiavoni furrows his brows at you.

"Just do it, Tony. Please?" You bat your eyelashes at him.

"Fine." Tony gives in and switches seats with you.

"Thank you." You grin and sit down at the edge of the commentary table.

AEW is set to kick off in around ten minutes and everyone is getting ready. You settle down in your office chair and mic yourself up with the headset sitting in front of you.

"Y/N, you want to start tonight?" Excalibur asks from the opposite end of the table.

"Sure." You nod as the screen on the table counts down from ten. "Hello everyone! And welcome to another explosive episode of AEW Dynamite!" You do the intro with enthusiasm. "I'm Y/N L/N, here with Tony Schiavoni and Excalibur, as always."

"And boy do we have a jam-packed episode for you all tonight!" Excalibur picks up the commentary.

Tony and Excalibur do a quick rundown of most of the cards for the night before you deliver the main event.

"And if all of that doesn't excite you all then this is sure to!" You speak up when Tony stops talking. "In our main event, we are getting what is sure to be nothing short of amazing when Death Triangle takes on The Young Bucks!" You explain.

With that, the first match of the night kicks off and you grab a quick drink of water while the participants make their way down to the ring.

When the show goes to a commercial Tony turns to you again. Determined to find out why you all of a sudden want to sit on the edge of the table.

"Excalibur, who do we have set for commentary tonight?" He asks Excalibur next to him.

"Umm, tonight just PAC I think," Excalibur replies, looking down at his notes.

"Oh, so that's what this is about." Tony turns back to you with a grin.

"What are you on about now, Schiavoni?" You roll your eyes.

"Nothing." Tony grins as the show comes back on the air.

Later in the night and it's time for the main event of the evening. You shift in your seat when Pac and the Lucha Brothers come down to the ring. Pac gives the brothers a small pep talk then heads over to the commentary table.

"Tony, Excalibur." Pac nods to both men as he passes them. "Y/N, mind if I sit?" He gets to you and nods to the empty chair next to you.

"Not at all." You shake your head and hand him a headset.

Pac sits down in the empty chair and takes the headset from you just as the bell rings and the tag match gets underway.

"And it looks like Matt Jackson will be starting the match off with Rey Fenix." You comment.

The match gets off to an explosive start and Excalibur makes most of the commentary with Tony. While the two of them talk you can't help but be enamored by your special guest.

"Pac, how do you feel about your partners the Lucha Brothers going into their match with the Young Bucks?" You ask Pac when Tony and Excalibur pipe down for a moment.

"Fenix and Penta have been working hard, they'll be fine," Pac replies.

"Well, it certainly looks like Fenix is having no problem holding his own against Nick Jackson." You comment on Rey in the ring as he keeps Nick at bay.

The show goes to commercial again and the conversation shifts from the action in the time to a more personal one.

"Y/N, you look lovely tonight. That dress really brings out your eyes." Pac comments, adamant about ignoring Tony and Excalibur next to you.

"Thank you!" You giggle at the compliment. "I didn't take you for the flattery type, I have to admit."

"Well, when you're talking to a woman as lovely as you." Pac grins at you. "Drastic measures doll."

You can feel the heat radiating off your cheeks at Pac's words as the show comes back on the air. Thankfully Tony and Excalibur are on top of things so you don't make a fool of yourself on national television.

The action in the ring continues for around 20 minutes and you provide the best commentary your can with Pac sitting next to you spitting subtle game every chance he gets.

"Well, what a finish!" You comment when the match comes to an end. "Rey Fenix picks up the win with a beautiful springboard lariat!"

"Pleasure speaking with you all." Pac gets up from his seat. "Good day, Y/N." He winks at you as he hands back his headset.

You wave as Pac walks off with Rey and Penta backstage as the show comes to an end. You sit and unhook your headset and jot down a few more notes as the show closes.

"Well, I'll see you two next Wednesday." You finish up and raise from your seat.

"Mhm, have a nice weekend Y/N." Tony nods.

"And watch out for Pac." Excalibur laughs as you walk off.

"Screw off." You shout back at him.

You make your way backstage and down to the commentary office to pick up your jacket and purse. On your way out you find a certain someone lingering outside the office door.

"Pac! Hi." You shut the office door behind you.

"Hello, Y/N." Pac smiles at you.

"What can I do for you?" You ask him curiously.

"I came by to ask you something," Pac informs you. "I was wondering if you'd like to have dinner with me tonight?" He asks you.

"Dinner sounds great, I'd love to." You are quick to say yes to his request.

"Perfect!" Pac seems ecstatic at your answer. "You already look stunning, but if you just give me 15 minutes I'll hurry and get changed into something more appropriate." He explains.

"Okay." You nod. "I'll just hang out here then." You turn to head back inside the office to wait.

"Great, I'll see you in a bit then doll." Pac nods and hurries off to change.

Chapter Text

"You know I still don't get why you insist that I come along, Cash." You roll your eyes at your brother as you both head down to his new locker room.

"Because I don't trust Chris and his buddies will leave you alone." Cash replies. "I don't get why you're making such a big deal about it."

"Because, if I'm hanging out with you and Dax that means I have to hang out with Max." You complain.

"So?" Cash scoffs. "What's wrong with Max?" He turns and raises a brow at you.

"Umm hello? He's always hitting on me?" You reply. "Wow, some brother you are."

"And since when do you not like attention?" Cash fires back.

You roll your eyes since you don't have an answer to Cash's question. He just flashes you that dumb grin of his and continues to walk ahead of you. You huff behind him but follow anyway. When you get to the locker room Cash immediately heads over to Tully and Dax, you try and followed but Max manages to get to you first.

"Cash, you didn't tell me you were bringing your sister," Max comments as he steps in front of you. "Y/N, gorgeous! How've you been?" He grins at you.

"Fine." You reply dryly. "Bummed out because I'm stuck hanging out with you losers." You flash him an obviously fake smile.

"Ouch, harsh words sweetheart." Max laughs. "I'm a joy to be around."

"Yeah, you keep telling yourself that." You scoff and move to sit down next to Cash.

Max starts one of his long-winded pep talks that he picked up hanging out with Chris Jericho and you are quick to tune him out.

You love your brother to death, but you cannot fathom why he'd wanna team up with Max and Wardlow. Before, you had a sweet little something going on with Santana. Now that's out the window thanks to Max and your brother.

"God, you really do love to hear yourself talk don't you?" You scoff after you grow tired of listening to Max ramble on and on.

"What was that sweetheart?" Max turns on his heel to look at you. "You got something to say?" He challenges you.

You move to stand up but Cash grabs your arm and hauls you back down into your seat. You huff at him but he doesn't budge. Max laughs on the other side of the room with a smug grin.

"It's alright Cash, let her go." Max insists with a grin.

Cash goes to protest that it's not a good idea but you jump up and best his reflexes. Cash sighs and braces himself for the argument that he knows is about to ensue.

"You know you've got some nerve, Maxwell." You growl and march up to him.

Max remains unphased and just laughs again as his eyes meet yours.

"You wanna kiss me so bad right now, don't you?" He chuckles. "I mean it has just got to be eating you up inside, isn't it funny?"

"Excuse me?" You choke and raise your hand.

Cash jumps to his feet and grabs your arm. Knowing full well that you aren't afraid to nail Max in the face for his comment.

"Y/N." Cash warns you.

"Relax." You drop your arm back to your side. "I wasn't gonna hit him. I was just thinking about it." You insist.

Cash trusts that you're composed so he lets you go and sits back down. Max still stands in the same spot, the smug grin of his on his dumb face.

"You know what Max?" You decide to take a different approach this time. "Maybe you're the one that's dying to kiss me." You're the one to challenge him this time.

"Oh is that so?" Max chuckles again, his gaze meeting yours again.

You can cut the tension in the room with the swipe of a hand. The silence is deafening as both of you refuse to be the first one to break.

"Ugh!" You unfortunately are the one to give in first.

You hate yourself for it but find yourself unable to keep your composer under Max's gaze any longer. He laughs as soon as you look away.

"Guess I was right." He taunts you.

You seethe with rage directed at yourself for letting Max push your buttons and make a B-line for the door. Fresh air is the only thing on your mind as you swing the door open and instantly collide with a solid chest.

"Y/N." Santana glares down at you as you regain your composer.

"Fuck me." Your eyes widen as you attempt to take a step back into the room and shut the door.

Santana braces his arm against the door making it impossible to close. His other arm reaches out to grab you but someone else beats him to it.

"Looks like your cue, princess." Max pulls you back into his chest as Wardlow and Cash both step in front of the two of you.

"Wait, Max!" You protest as he shoves you behind him to the back of the room.

It doesn't take long for a brawl to ensue in the locker room. Men throw punches all around you as you huddle in the corner and try your best to stay out of the way.

Max stands directly in front of you acting as your last line of defense as chaos flies around the locker room.

"Wardlow, get her out of here!" Max shouts when an opportunity to get you out of the room shows itself.

Before you can protest Max has you by the arm again and is shoving you against Wardlow who grabs ahold of you and pushes past everyone else.

"Hey, wait stop." You struggle against your protector's grip as you pass your brother being beaten into a pulp by Shawn Spears.

Wardlow doesn't say a word as he finally gets you out of the room and shoves you into the hallway.

"Stay!" He commands firmly as he shuts the door behind you.

"Wardlow!" You screech and scramble to the door as it closes. "Damnit." Your fist hits the door.

Panic sets in and you take off down the hall and around to the other locker room door. At this point, you are desperate to make sure that your brother and everyone else is okay.

"Cash?" You burst through the other locker room door and find everyone still brawling.

"Y/N!? What the hell?" Max is on you in an instant. "Will you get out of here?" He shouts as Ortiz and Santana stalk his way.

"Like hell, I will." You protest as Max glares at you, panic behind his anger.

"I'm trying to protect you!" Max groans in frustration. "So just listen for once and go!" He gives you one last shove out the door as Santana and Ortiz finally get ahold of him.

You tumble back out the door and onto your ass as Max manages to kick the door shut while Santana and Ortiz are dragging him away.

You are slower getting to your feet this time as the commotion in the other room slowly starts to turn into silence. Cautiously you crack the door open to find your brother and his companions all laid out on the floor.

"Cash!" You rush over to his side.

"I'm good." Cash coughs as he holds his side. "It's okay, I'm okay." He insists as you help him to sit.

You nod and stand back up to survey the room. The only person that doesn't look like they just went through hell is Wardlow in the corner. You do a quick headcount and come up one short.

"Max? Wardlow, where's Max?" You turn to Wardlow as he shakes off his fatigue.

"Jericho has him," Wardlow replies.

"Shit, come on then." You waste no time in planning a rescue mission.

Wardlow nods and the two of you take off while everyone else recovers from the beating they all just took.

It's not hard to figure out where they've taken Max. All you have to do is follow the shouts and laughter of Chris and his buddies floating down the hall.

You and Wardlow arrive just as Jericho and Inner Circle are finishing up their punishment. The sound of glass breaking urges you forward into the room with Wardlow in front of you.

"Max?" You step into the room and find Max half inside a concessions machine.

"Oh look Max, your sweet little girlfriend came to help." Jericho laughs at Max.

"We've really got to work on your listening skills." Max groans as glass crunches at his feet.

Wardlow drives Jericho and his buddies off for the time being while you rush over to Max and make sure that he's okay.

"Just shut up, okay?" You roll your eyes and brush some glass from Max's shoulder. "You're an idiot? You know that?" You help him to his feet slowly.

"Yeah, and idiot that you're still dying to kiss right now." Max teases you with a pained laugh.

"Quiet." You reply softly. "Besides, I don't date reckless fools that have a pension for getting their ass beat for no reason other than ego."

"What about reckless fools that get their asses best for pretty girls that don't know how to listen?" Max replies.

"Don't push your luck, Maxwell." You roll your eyes playfully.

Chapter Text

"Will you knock it off?" You swat your fiance's hands away from your waist with a giggle.

"What? I'm helping?" Sammy insists from behind you.

"You really aren't." You turn around and push his shoulder. "Plus, shouldn't you be getting ready to go?" You ask him.

"I should," Sammy replies. "But why waste time getting ready for work when you're so much more fun to mess with."

"You're a horrible person." You laugh and zip up your bag. "Why my dad ever agreed to let you marry me I don't know." You joke.

"Because I'm handsome and charming. And you love me." Sammy replies.

"Mhm, will you go get ready? We're gonna be late." You push Sammy's shoulder again.

Sammy rolls his eyes playfully but does as he's told and walks off. You finish up packing your work bag and head downstairs to wait for Sammy to join you.

A few minutes later Sammy joins you by the front door with his duffel bag slung over his shoulder.

"You ready to go?" You ask Sammy and reach for the door.

"Yep, let's go." Sammy nods.

You head out to the garage and set your bags in the trunk with Sammy's. He pulls the keys from his pocket and walks over to the driver's side of the car. Your phone buzzes in your pocket as you shut the trunk.

"Crap.....dad? Hey." You answer the phone.

"Y/N, hey pumpkin," Chris replies on the other side of the line. "You headed into work yet?" He asks you.

"I am, yes." You reply. "We're leaving right now. Why? What's up?"

"I was just checking up on you is all. I'll see you at Daily's Place." Chris explains.

"Okay, love you, dad." You nod and hang up.

You join Sammy in the car and head out to the arena.

"Your dad?" Sammy glances at you as he pulls out of the driveway.

"Mhm." You nod and turn the radio on.

"He's been calling you an awful lot don't you think?" Sammy comments.

"I know." You nod with a sigh. "He's just worried about me is all."

"It's my job to worry about you last I checked." Sammy protests.

"You can both worry about me. Not that I need it." You laugh.

The drive to the arena is short and you are quick to make your way into the arena and off to the locker rooms. Sammy idles behind you taking him time to move out.

You break away from Sammy and head to the backstage hair and makeup station to drop off your bags and check your schedule.

"Okay, let's see." You set your bag down at your station and check your schedule on the vanity.

You are busy looking over the names on your list and messing around with the stuff in your bag when you suddenly feel a pair of eyes on you. Unphased you continue to pull stuff out of your bag.

"Kris, that you?" You ask, eyes still turned away from your guest.

"Not quite, sweetheart." A male voice answers you.

Your back stiffens up and you slowly turn around to find your ex leaning against the door of the room.

"Maxwell." You reply dryly with a scoff. "What do you want?" You ask him.

"What? This is a free country." Max shrugs. "Maybe I need a touch-up."

"You? I doubt it." You roll your eyes. "Again, what do you want Max?" You ask him again.

"Okay, you caught me. I came by for a visit." Max replies. "I know you miss me, Y/N." He grins.

"We dated for a month, Max. Get over yourself." You scoff.

Max steps fully into the room and advances towards you. You take a step back and weigh your options.

Recently Max has broken away from your dad and the rest of Inner Circle. He's been adamant about making everyone's life a living hell. And what better way to do that than not only messing around with Chris's daughter but Sammy's fiance.

"Let her go, Maxwell." You relax when Sammy comes through the door.

"Sammy!" You greet your fiance with a smile. "What's going on, babe?" You ask him while also ignoring Max.

"Just came by to check on you," Sammy replies and pushes past Max. "What's up?" He slings an arm around your shoulder.

"Just getting ready for Kris to come by is all." You shrug. "And I'm pretty sure Max was just leaving. Right, Max?" You turn to him.

"Right, I guess I was." Max nods. "I'll be seeing you around, Y/N." He winks at you.

"Bye, Maxwell." You roll your eyes.

Max walks out of the room and back to wherever he came from. Sammy turns to you as soon as he's gone to make sure that you're okay.

"You alright, baby?" Sammy pulls you into a hug.

"I'm fine, Sammy." You nod and pat his back. "I can handle Max just fine." You insist.

"I should kick his ass," Sammy growls. "Messing around with you like that. Come on, Chris wants to see you." He adds.

"I've got work, Sammy." You protest. "I can't just stop work because my dad is worried about me."

"Y/N," Sammy replies.

"If he wants to see me he can come down here." You insist. "Now go, Kris should be here any minute."

Your point is proven when Kris knocks on the side of the door. You greet her with a smile and shove Sammy out the door.

"Fine, but if you see Max or any of his buddies you call me," Sammy warns you.

"I will. Now go." You shut the door on him.

You and Kris chat for a bit while you do her makeup for her. When you've got it all finished up Kris thanks you and hurries out to her match. You begin to clean up the mess you made when someone else knocks on the door.

"Come in!" You shout with your back to the door.

"Sammy told me that Max came by to bother you?" Your dad steps into the room.

"Dad." You turn around and nod to him. "Yes, Max was here." You confirm.

"Did he do anything to you?" Chris walks over to you.

"Besides annoy me? No, he didn't get the chance." You shake your head. "Sammy showed up and scared him off. Where is he anyway?" You glance around for your fiance.

"Right here, babe." Sammy comes through the door breathing heavily.

"What have you been up to?" You furrow your brows at him.

"Kicking Max's ass," Sammy replies.

"Oh." You laugh. "Good, he deserves it."

Chapter Text

It's been a week since the latest installment of NXT Takeover and you are gearing up for another NXT taping for Wednesday.

Your dress sticks to your thighs in the Florida heat as you pick at the hem. Next to you your cameraman Josh is busy getting your microphone ready to go.

"What are you all dolled up for?" Josh asks you with a grin.

"What? I can't just dress up for myself?" You giggle.

"No, as a matter of fact, you can't." Josh laughs with you.

He hands you the microphone after it's been all wired up just as your first interview for the night arrives.

"Adam! A word, please?" You ask him.

"Sure, why not." Adam saunters over to you with a smug grin.

"Now that Undisputed Era is done and you've settled your debts with Kyle O'Reilly, what's on the agenda for Adam Cole?" You ask him and lean the microphone his way.

"Well Y/N, I'm glad you asked sweetheart." Adam chuckles. "Now that I've been freed from my former buddies I think that it's time to prove that I've always been Undisputed. With or without help." He insists.

"Well, bold claims coming from Mr. Undisputed." You laugh in your usual flirty tone.

Adam grins down at you with his signature smug smile and you ask him a few more casual questions before he walks off.

Once Adam is gone you drop your microphone back to your side and relax for a few minutes. As soon as Adam is out of earshot Josh grins at you.

"Could Adam Cole be who miss Y/N is pining over?" He teases you.

"Ew, no." You scrunch your nose. "Yeah he's hot sure, but he's also an ass."

"Point taken." Josh laughs.

The two of you sit and hang out for a bit until you're due for your next interview. You sit bored in your folding chair while you wait but light up when you see someone coming down the hall.

"Y/N?" Josh questions you when you stand up.

"Kyle! Hey, how are you?" You ignore Josh in favor of your favorite former Undisputed Era member.

"Y/N, hello." Kyle walks up to you with a soft smile. "Wow, that dress looks stunning on you by the way." He adds.

"Thank you!" You blush heavily. "What can I do for you?" You ask him.

"I just came by to say hello on my way out to the ring." Kyle shrugs.

"You've got a match?" You reply with surprise. "It's only been a few days since you and Adam went at it. Shouldn't you be resting?" You ask him with a bit of worry.

"Nah, I'm fine," Kyle replies. "Healthy as a horse, see?" He flexes his bicep at you.

"Well, I'm no doctor." You giggle. "But I guess that you seem okay."

"Exactly!" Kyle grins. "It was nice seeing you Y/N, but I'm gonna be late for my match." He nods to the door.

"Alright." You nod. "I'll see you later then. Take it easy, and good luck." You grin at him.

Kyle walks off and leaves you with Josh again. As soon as Kyle is gone Josh is on your case again.

"Oh, so I wasn't that far off then?" Josh laughs at you. "Not Adam Cole, by Kyle O'Reilly is who cute little Y/N is pining after." He teases you.

"Be quiet, Josh." You scold him. "I'm a big girl I'm allowed to have crushes."

"I know." Josh rolls his eyes playfully. "Doesn't make it any less fun to tease you though."

"Whatever, just get ready for our next interview." You roll your eyes back at him.

Out in the ring, Kyle makes his way over to his corner and climbs up onto the apron. Adam stands across from him on the other side of the ring for their squash match to end the feud for good.

"You see Y/N today, Kyle?" Adam grins at him. "She was looking hot in that little dress of hers." He teases Kyle.

Adam has known about Kyle's crush on you for a long time now. And he's also painfully aware that Kyle has never been able to work up the courage to ask you out on a date.

"Shut your mouth, Adam!" Kyle warns him with a growl.

"Aww, what's the matter, O'Reilly? Still too much of a little bitch to ask Y/N out on a date?" Adam laughs.

"I said shut it!" Kyle shouts and lurches forward at Adam.

The two of them brawl for a while until Kyle manages to roll Adam up for a win. Adam slinks out of the ring in defeat, but not before teasing Kyle on last time.

"You know maybe I'll go ask Y/N out right now." Adam laughs. "I know she'd say yes, who wouldn't?"

Kyle's fist hits the mat in frustration at Adam's words. Why doesn't he have to be such a dumbass when it comes to you? Kyle sighs and makes his way backstage so he can get changed in the locker room. On his way down to the men's locker room, he spots Adam again, and he's talking to you.

Anger washes over Kyle in an instant at the sight of Adam standing so close to you. He marches down the hall with ill intent and over to Adam.

"Get away from her!" Kyle demands when he reaches your side.

"Kyle?" You are surprised to find Kyle at your side suddenly.

"Stay back Y/N, I'll take care of this," Kyle replies firmly.

You are a bit confused as to why Kyle is so pissed off but you do as told and step back from him and Adam. Adam remains unphased as Kyle glares at him.

"Problem, Kyle?" Adam asks him.

"Yeah, a big one," Kyle replies dryly. "Stay away from Y/N, she's not into you. Trust me on that." He warns Adam.

"Is that so?" Adam continues to push Kyle's buttons.

"It is," Kyle growls. "Now get lost before I put your head through that wall." He warns again.

"Fair enough." Adam chuckles and puts his hands up in defeat.

Kyle stares a hole in Adam until he is out of sight then turns to you when he's gone. You still wear a look of intrigue on your face from the whole incident.

"Sorry about that." Kyle rubs the back of his neck.

"It's fine." You giggle a bit. "But I can definitely handle Adam Cole."

"Yeah, I'm sure you can." Kyle laughs a little with you. "But you shouldn't have to, is the point."

"Well thank you anyway." You take a step forward and hug Kyle's side.

"Hey, Y/N. There's actually something I've been meaning to tell you. If that's okay?" Kyle hugs you back gently.

"Of course." You nod and push off Kyle so you can look at him properly.

Kyle nods and takes a second to compose all his thoughts. He mulls over how he's supposed to confess his feelings he's been keeping from you all this time without sounding like a total loser.

"Look, I know that this sounds super cheesy." Kyle sighs and decides to just go for it. "But the truth is Y/N. Well... I've been into you for so long now I couldn't even tell you when the crush started." He confesses. "It's just. You're so fun and easy to talk to, and laid back, and gorgeous. And well... I... I honestly don't know why you'd give a dorky mess like me the time of day."

You are a little taken aback by Kyle's words. You've always sort of suspected that he might have liked you a bit. But for him to come out and say something like this?

"I don't think you're a mess, Kyle." You giggle and step over to him again. "A dork? Sure. But not a mess." You hug him again. "And I'm glad that you finally came out and let me know that you like me because I like you too."

"Really?" Kyle glances down at you against his chest.

"Absolutely." You nod with a smile. "You've always been my favorite on this roster of entitled egomaniacs." You joke.

"Well, that was easier than expected." Kyle laughs. "Does this mean that you'd say yes to dinner if I asked?"

"It does, and I'd love dinner." You nod.

Chapter Text

SmackDown kicks off on the air like usual and you cautiously make your way out of the woman's locker room.

With Seth Rollins back from his paid leave you are on edge once again. Rollins has always had a weird thing for you. And no matter how many times you tell him you aren't interested he always comes back to bother you.

"Y/N?" Your name being called startles you.

"Hmm? Oh, Bianca. Hey." You relax when you see it's just Bianca.

"What's up girl? What's got you all on edge hmm?" Bianca asks you.

"I'm not on edge." You play it off casually. "Just looking out for myself, you know me, babe." You insist.

"Hmm, alright girl." Bianca nods. "You ready for this tag match?" She asks you.

"Yeah, I'm good." You nod.

Bianca came to you last week and asked for some help with Sasha Banks and Bayley who are back to tagging now. You gladly accepted the offer to help her out. Bianca and you have always been good friends. The two of you even started in NXT around the same time back in the day.

Bianca nods as well and the two of you make your way out to the curtain to wait for your cue. When you get there you stop and swallow hard when you see who's out in the ring at the moment. Seth Rollins is out for his match with Cesaro.

"Oh, great." You complain and run a hand over your face.

"Hmm? Girl, you sure that you're okay?" Bianca asks you again.

"Yeah, it's just. Seth Rollins." You say his name like it leaves a bad taste in your mouth.

"What about him, girl?" Bianca presses you for more detail.

"He's always bothering me is all." You shrug. "Man cant take no for an answer."

"Oh yeah, he seems like the type." Bianca nods.

Seth's match ends and he makes his way up the ramp and through the curtain. You hold back the urge to gag when he comes sauntering up to you and Bianca.

"Ladies!" Seth grins at you both.

"Seth." Bianca nods to him.

"Rollins." You nod as well.

Seth's gaze makes your skin crawl as he blatantly eyes you up. Bianca stands next to you and raises her brows at him.

"Well, that's our cue, Bianca." You are saved by your entrance music and grab Bianca by the arm to leave.

You can feel Seth's eyes on you as you walk through the curtain and down to the ring. You and Bianca make your way to the ring and wait for Sasha and Bayley to join you for your match.

The match lasts around 20 minutes and both of you are exhausted by the time you are done. In the end, Bianca is the one to pin Bayley while you handle Sasha outside the ring. You celebrate with a hug and head back up the ramp and through the curtain again.

"Well, I don't know about you, Bianca. But I am exhausted." You breathe heavily as you step backstage.

"Tell me about it girl." Bianca agrees.

When you get through the curtain you find Montez and Angelo waiting for Bianca. She heads over to greet her husband and his BFF while you hang back and grab a water from the pile sitting on the edge of the room.

You've barely gotten the cap off of your water when suddenly Seth comes into the room. You roll your eyes and look for something that could save you from engaging in another conversation with Rollins. Your savior comes in the form of Buddy Murphy when he comes into the room after Seth.

"Murphy!" You spring into action and get his attention.

"Y/N? Hey." Buddy is a little surprised by your little outburst.

"You know, I was just looking for you." You walk over to his side which is enough to warrant Seth stopping in his tracks.

"You were?" Buddy still wears a look of moderate surprise. "Can I ask why? Not that I don't enjoy your company doll." He asks you.

"Maybe I just missed you." You laugh lightly. "Come on Murphy, it's been ages since we've hung out." You remind him.

Your little ruse isn't entirely false. Back when you used to work commentary for 205 Live while you had a leg injury you and Muprhy hung out quite a lot.

"Alright then." Murphy shrugs. "I've got a match right now, but I'd love to catch up after." He suggests.

"Perfect!" You nod and pat his arm. "Drop by the woman locker room after the show and we can get drinks." You make sure and voice this part loud enough for Seth to hear.

Murphy nods and also notices you glance back at Seth when you tell him to meet up with you after the show. It slowly starts to make sense to Murphy as you walk off.

When he used to run with Seth, Murphy notices Rollins eyeing you up more than once. Part of him was jealous of that fact. Murphy has always quite liked you. Always finding you fun and easy to talk to. And pretty easy on the eyes as well.

"Alright, bye doll." Murphy waves to you as you take off for the girl's locker rooms.

You head back to the locker room and get changed into your normal clothes. Bianca arrives a few minutes later and plops down next to you.

"Okay girl, I see you." She grins at you.

"See me what?" You laugh and pull your blouse over your head.

"I heard you miss thang." Bianca teases you. "Chatting up Buddy Murphy all sly, and right in front of Seth too."

"Oh, yeah!" You laugh. "Great idea huh?"

"You know it." Bianca nods. "Seth gets the hint that you've got a new beau and you get a hunky new man!" She high-fives you.

"Okay okay, calm down." You continue to laugh. "It's barely even a date, Bianca." You remind her.

"Mhm, got get yourself some girl! I don't wanna see you until tomorrow morning." She jokes just as someone knocks on the door.

"Hush." You stifle your laugh and walk over to the door. "Murphy, hey." You find Buddy at the door.

"Hey, you ready to go?" Buddy nods down at you.

"Yeah, just let me grab my jacket." You nod and turn around as Bianca tosses your jacket at you.

"You better take a bite out of that!" Bianca shouts as you shut the door.

"Do what now?" Buddy raises a brow at you.

"Nothing. Ignore her." You blush a bit.

Chapter Text

Your first day on the job and you're already late. It could only be you.

Your security pass jangles around your neck as you rush down the hall to make it down to the commentary table in time for the show to start.

"Shit, I'm so sorry." In your blind rush down the hall, you collide with someone.

"Woah there, where's the fire now love?" Drew saw you coming and his hands rest on your shoulders to cushion your stop.

"Sorry, again it's just I'm in such a...Drew?" You are surprised to see an old friend has braced your impact.

"Well, I'll be damned, Y/N?" It takes a second but Drew soon recognizes you as well.

"Yeah, wow Drew. What's it been?" You relax a bit, completely forgetting that you're about to be late for work.

"A few years I reckon." Drew replies. "What brings you down to WWE?" He asks you.

"I'm replacing Samoa Joe on commentary." You answer and it instantly dawns on you that you're in a rush. "Shit, speaking of work. I'm about to be late."

"Well, I'll let you go then." Drew grins and steps off to the side.

"Yes. Great seeing you again, Drew." You nod and hurry off back into a rush.

Drew chuckles as he watches you disappear down the hall. It's been about 8 years since he last laid eyes on you. The two of you were buddies back when Drew used to wrestle for TNA and you did backstage work for them.

"Look, there she is." You can hear Corey as soon as you get down the ramp as the cameras finish getting set up.

"Y/N, great seeing you again! Welcome to the team." Byron greets you with a smile.

"Byron! Thanks." You grin back at him and take your place at the end of the table. "So sorry I'm late. I swear I can be such an airhead sometimes." You shake your head.

"Don't worry about it," Byron replies. "You made it in time, that's all that matters." He assures you.

"Right." You nod and pull on your headset.

The show kicks off on the air and Corey does the into with Byron while you get settled in. You silently thanks them for handling it and jump in when you see a good opportunity to do so.

"And joining us on the team today is, Y/N L/N." Byron introduces you.

"Thank you, Byron!" You thank him for the intro. "It's a pleasure being a member of the team here on Raw."

The show moves on in an instant and the first match of the night starts. You let Corey and Byron do a good chunk of the work but you jump in when you can. You're still getting settled into the job so you don't want to be overbearing on your first day.

About halfway into the show, there's a commercial break for a moment and Byron takes the opportunity to check in on how you're doing.

"You're doing great, by the way, Y/N," Byron assures you.

"Thank you!" You appreciate the assurance. "Doing constant commentary is so much harder than being backstage. But I like it, much more exciting."

"Byron's right. You're doing fine." Corey agrees with Byron for once. "In fact, I think that you're ready to have a guest on commentary." He adds.

"I am?" You sound a bit unsure of yourself.

"You'll do fine." Byron insists. "We've got Drew McIntyre down here next for Bobby Lashley's match. You can take him right?" He asks you.

"I suppose so." You nod. "I imagine that it can't be too hard, right?" You try and give yourself a small confidence boost.

"Exactly!" Byron nods.

The show comes back from a commercial and Drew's music blasts through the arena. You have to stifle a laugh at his ridiculous kilt. But you know deep down that he makes it work.

"And joining us on commentary, former WWE champion Drew McIntyre." You hand Drew the extra headset when he comes over to the empty chair next to you.

"Thank you, Y/N." Drew thanks you and puts the headset on.

"So Drew, how do you feel going into Backlash this Sunday for the WWE championship?" You ask him while you wait for Bobby to arrive.

"I feel fantastic!" Drew replies. "I'll be taking that championship back on Sunday, mark my words." He insists.

"Well, I'm sure it'll make for a fantastic match." Byron comments.

Bobby gets down to the ring and his match starts. You chat with Drew about his Backlash opponent as well as comment on the match.

Disaster comes to part after Bobby picks up his win and decides to mess around with Drew a bit. The pair end up in a brawl that ends up near the commentary table.

"Y/N, look out!" Byron is quick enough to grab you and pull you out of the way when Drew sends Bobby through the table.

You stick next to Byron out of the way as you watch Bobby crash through your table. You glance over at Drew who flashes you a brief sorry look before he gets back to business.

You laugh internally at his antics. Back when you worked for TNA you'd often find yourself avoiding backstage brawls at the hands of Drew and whoever he happened to be fighting with at the time.

"Well. That was exciting." You comment with a laugh as some backstage hands come and replace your table.

"You'll get used to it." Byron chuckles with you.

After the show is over you head backstage to pick up your purse and jacket you dropped off in a hurry earlier in the night. When you come out of the office for the commentary team with your things you find Drew outside the door.

"Well well well." You giggle when you see Drew. "Some things just never change do they Drew?"

"No, they don't." Drew chuckles with you. "I believe I owe you an apology for trying to hit you with Bobby Lashley."

"Oh! How kind of you." You giggle again.

"Well you know me lass, I'm a right gentleman." Drew grins downs at you.

"Are you now?" You raise a brow at him. "I'm not quite convinced I'm afraid."

"Really now." Drew chuckles. "Well then, guess I'm going to have to change that."

"I guess you are." You agree. "Have you got anything in mind?" You ask him suggestively.

"I can think of a few things, yes." Drew nods. "But I figure that I'll start with drinks?"

"I could go for a drink." You try your best to hide your growing smile. "Celebrate my new job."

"Well then, drinks are on me tonight love." Drew steps to the side to let you out of the room.

"Lead the way then." You grin.

Chapter Text

The sound of your brother's obnoxious voice wakes you up from your sleep. You groan and throw your covers off with a grunt.

The door to your conjoined rooms sits wide open and you can just see Max's shoulder leaning against the wall on the other side of the door.

"Do you have to talk so loud?" You pass the door on the way to your bathroom.

"I'm on the phone," Max replies, removing his phone from his ear to reply to you.

"Okay? That doesn't mean you need to talk so loud." You complain and trudge to the bathroom.

You take your usual morning shower to wake yourself up and wrap one of the large bath towels hanging on the rack around yourself when you get out.

You clean your face up with the skincare products from your makeup bag then head out to grab some clothes from your bags.

"She's still in the shower probably." You hear Max's voice carry from the other room again when you close the bathroom door. "I swear she takes longer to show than anyone I've ever met." You hear him complain.

"Beauty like this takes time little brother!" You tell back from your room. "And are you still on the phone?"

"No, I'm not," Max shouts back.

You walk over to your bag and open it up to sift through it for some clothes. You pull out a pair of jeans and a blouse as well as your usual panties and bra then set them all out on your bed.

You quickly get dressed and put back your suitcase before you pull out your jewelry bag for a little bit of bling.

"Max, I'm gonna grab some breakfast from that little cafe down the block. You want me to..oh! Wardlow, hi." You turn around and accept Max to be on the other side of the door.

"Hey." Wardlow nods down at you.

"You must be who Max was talking to on the phone earlier." You grin back up at him as you fix your earring.

"I was." Wardlow nods. "Now what is this I hear about breakfast?" He asks you.

"Yeah." You nod and walk over to your shoes. "There's this little cafe about a block away that's supposed to have super good breakfast sandwiches. You're welcome to come if you want." You offer.

"Sure! I could go for some breakfast." Wardlow nods.

"Great! Just let me grab my phone and my sweater." You nod. "Maxwell! You want anything?" You shout back at Max.

"Yeah, coffee. Black, two sugars!" Max shouts back at you.

You grab your stuff and head out with Wardlow in tow. It's been a little over a year since Max introduced you to his large partner in crime. Since you work in AEW's creative merchandising department you often see him around Daily's Place.

"So, what are you and my little brother up to this early in the day?" You ask Wardlow curiously as the two of you walk down the block.

"I have no clue," Wardlow replies. "He called and told me to meet him at the hotel." He shrugs.

"I'm sure he's got some kind of scheme rattling around in his brain." You laugh and walk up to the cafe's door.

Wardlow reaches over you and pulls the door open for you. You glance up at him and nod as thanks.

You both step inside the sweet-smelling cafe and step up to the back of the moderate line winding out from the counter.

"Wow, it smells good in here." You sniff the fresh smell of pastries and freshly brewed coffee.

"Yeah." Wardlow agrees with you.

You both wait in line for a few minutes until it's your turn at the counter. You order yourself a coffee and a breakfast sandwich. Wardlow does the same and you make sure to order an extra coffee for Max.

"Alright, that'll be $13.98, miss." The friendly barista names your price.

"Okay, just a second." You nod and reach into your pocket to pay with your phone. "Hmm? Oh, you don't have to do that." You stop when a hand lands on your shoulder gently.

"Please, I got this." Wardlow insists and hands the barista a twenty over your shoulder.

"Alright, thanks." You nod.

"No problem." Wardlow nods and takes his change. "I'll make sure Max knows he owes me 6 bucks." He jokes with a hearty laugh.

You step away to the other counter and get handed your coffee and sandwich. Wardlow comes over and grabs his coffee before the two of you head back to the hotel.

The two of you find a table outside the cafe and opt to sit and eat before you go back to the hotel.

"Mmm, this is really good." You take a bite of your sandwich.

"Yeah, way better than the shit they serve at the hotel." Wardlow agrees. "Plus the view is way better." He adds with a casual wink.

You pick up on the sly compliment and giggle as you chew.

"You know Max hates it when you do that?" You swallow and set your food down to grab your coffee.

"I know." Wardlow nods. "That just makes it all the more worthwhile." He grins at you.

"Tell me about it." You agree. "It's so fun to see him get angry when he catches one of us flirting." You giggle.

"I know!" Wardlow laughs with you. "Imagine if we actually went out on a date?"

"Oh, he'd be so mad." You can just imagine the angry look on your brother's face.

"You know what? We should." Wardlow suddenly suggests it.

"Should what? Go out on a date?" You reply.

"Yeah." Wardlow nods. "Why not? We do enough flirting that a date can't be that much of a stretch right?"

"Yeah, you're right." You decide you like the idea of a date with Max's buddy. "Fine then. I guess we're going out on a date then. Tonight?" You suggest.

"Works for me." Wardlow nods.

"Great!" You finish your sandwich and grab both yours and your brother's coffee. "Let's go then. You've got scheming to do with my brother and I've got outfit shopping to do."

"Lead the way then." Wardlow chuckles and happily follows you.

Chapter Text

You head out to the ring in between your dad and Darby for Darby's match against Will Hobbs. Sting swings his bat in his hand absentmindedly as he walks and Darby's hands are clenched into fists.

You, on the other hand, are barely managing to seem angry as you come through the tunnel. You loath this stupid feud between Darby, your dad, and Team Taz.

"Come on." Sting ushers you over to Darby's corner while he climbs into the ring.

"Yeah yeah, I know dad." You nod and stand in your spot right below the ring post in Darby's corner.

Sting relaxes against the ring a few feet away from you as Taz and his lackeys all file down the ramp. But there's only one man among them that you have any interest in. Ricky Starks.

You met Ricky almost a year ago on your dad's first night back on Dynamite. And you knew as soon as you locked eyes with him backstage that he was gonna be trouble.

"Watch out for them." Sting reminds you as Ricky and Brian take their places below the ring post of Hobb's corner.

"I know dad." You nod.

The bell rings and you gaze across the ring over at Ricky. You know that you should be focusing on watching out for Darby. But you find it kind of difficult when the man that had his hand up your shirt not two hours ago is standing like 20 feet from you and no one knows except for you and him.

Originally you had no intentions of keeping your relationship with Ricky a secret. Why would you? You're both adults after all. But then Taz just had to go and start this idiotic feud with Darby and Sting. Now you're stuck sneaking around with your boyfriend so your dad doesn't hospitalize him.

"Hey, Darby!" Your gaze breaks away from Ricky when you hear Taz open his big mouth.

"Stay here," Sting warns you as he marches towards Taz on the other side of the ring.

You roll your eyes and your gaze falls back on Ricky whom you find staring right back at you. He flashes you that million-dollar smile and you have to force yourself not to smile.

With Taz keeping your dad occupied Brian steps up onto the apron intent on helping Hobbs cheat to win against Darby. You huff and start making your way over there when Hook steps in front of you.

"Going somewhere?" Taz's snobby kid challenges you.

"Move." You roll your eyes at him.

"Ha! Why don't you make me?" Hook snickers.

"She's a little above your pay grade kid." You are about to tell the kid off when Ricky pushes him aside. "Ain't that right, sugar?"

"He's right, the grownups are talking now." You dismiss Hook for Ricky.

You hate when you and Ricky are forced to interact at work. You hate pretending that you see Starks are no more than some shallow fuck boy with no boundaries. When that can't be further from the truth.

Sure, when you first met Ricky he threw plenty of shallow comments your way. But they were always just a ruse that got you to let your guard down to make way for the real Ricky. A dorky sweetheart that's more considerate and sweet than a majority of the men you've met. The only person that comes to mind that even comes close to Ricky's personality is Adam Cole. And you barely knew him when you still worked for WWE years ago.

"Sorry about that," Ricky speaks in a hushed tone at you. "The kid can be so annoying sometimes I swear." He jokes.

"Don't worry about it, babe." You shrug quietly as well. "You mind?" You see your dad spot you from the other side of the ring.

"Lay one on my sugar." Ricky grins and nods.

You raise your hand and smack him in the face. Making it look like Ricky came to spit some game and you sent him packing. Sting rounds the corner and Ricky backs off to his corner again.

"You okay, sweetie?" Sting checks up on you.

"Yeah." You nod and walk back over to your corner.

Darby manages to pull his win from Hobbs and the three of you head backstage. You clock out early and leave Darby and your dad to shower and get changed.

Cautiously you head over to the other side of the locker rooms and catch Ricky just as he comes out of his room.

"Oh, ouch." You frown when Ricky turns to you and you see his reddened cheek where you hit him. "Babe I'm sorry, I didn't think I hit you that hard." You apologize as Ricky makes his way over to you.

"I know. That's some arm you got on you sugar." Ricky chuckles and pulls you into his side.

"Sorry." You whine and kiss his cheek.

"It's fine, angel." Ricky insists as he wraps his arms around you. "I can handle a little slap any day."

"Mhm, okay tough guy." You giggle and kiss him gently.

"Ricky?" Your heart drops into your stomach when the locker room door opens again and Brian steps out into the hall.

"Brian...hi." You squeak out a hello to Ricky's buddy.

Brian stares a hole into both of you. You know that it's kind of hard to play the situation off when Ricky's got his arms around your waist.

"Cage! Listen, man." Ricky frees one of his hands from your waist and pulls you into his side just in case.

"I knew it!" To both your surprise Brian doesn't seem bothered one bit by what he's encountered.

"Umm, pardon?" You furrow your brows.

"You and Ricky. I knew there was something between you two." Brian replies. "You guys really gotta work on the whole eye-fucking across the ring thing." He chuckles.

"So? You're cool with this?" Ricky relaxes a bit when Brian laughs.

"Yeah." Brian nods. "Now I don't know about Taz or Hobbs. Or how your dad feels about this for that matter." He adds. "But I'm cool with keeping the secret. You two make a cute couple by the way."

"I...thanks, Brian." You nod and thank him.

Cage nods and walks off leaving you and Ricky alone again.

"Well, that was odd." Ricky shakes his head.

"Yeah. Very." You agree. "But come on, let's get out of here Ricky." You grab his hand and pull him down the hall. "We've got the whole night ahead of us."

"Alright. Let's go get up to some fun then sugar." Ricky nods.

Chapter Text

The locker room is in chaos as you stand frozen in the middle of it. Your brother and Chris Jericho are exchanging blows to your right, Shawn Spears is busy fighting with Wardlow. Cash and Dax you don't even see anymore. Plus more people fighting behind you.

You lock eyes with Santana as he steps in front of you and you tremble. These last two weeks have been absolute hell for you. And to think it all started with a phone call.

(Flashback)

"Hey!" You giggle when Santana plucks a French fry from your plate.

"What?" Santana replies innocently from the other side of the booth.

"What if I was gonna eat that?" You complain.

"I think you can make do without one fry, mami." Santana chuckles and dips the fry in some ketchup.

This is your fifth or sixth date with Santana in the span of about a month. The two of you hit it off as soon as Max introduced the two of you when he started hanging out with the Inner Circle.

The two of you finish up eating and head out after Santana pays the bill. You both step out onto the sidewalk and Santana slings his arm around your shoulder, pulling you flush against his side.

"Your place or mine tonight babe?" Santana asks as you walk back to his car.

"How about mine?" You suggest. "You're neighbors are loud."

"Alright." Santana nods.

Your phone buzzes in your pocket and you check the caller ID. You roll your eyes as your brother's name flashes across the screen.

"Max? What do you want? I'm busy." You answer the phone annoyed.

"Y/N, glad you picked up. I need you at the apartment. Now." He insists.

"I told you I'm busy, Max." You reply.

"Now, Y/N. It's important. About work." Max urges you on.

"Ugh, fine." You roll your eyes again. "Give me like half an hour."

You hang up the phone and put it back in your pocket. Santana looks down at you and sighs.

"Guess I'm dropping you off at yours then?" He asks you.

"Mhm. Sorry, babe." You nod.

"It's fine, mami." Santana insists and kisses your forehead. "It's not like I'm going anywhere."

Santana drops you off in your driveway and you hop in your car to head to your brothers. Blissfully unaware that your brother is about to fundamentally ruin your life.

You get to your brothers and find a gaggle of men you've never seen Max hanging out with, in his living room. Cash Wheeler and Dax Hardwood as well as Shawn Spears all sitting on his couch.

"Max? What the hell is all this?" You ask him when you arrive.

"This, little sister. Is the beginning of a new era." Max grins.

"What?" You shake your head. "Max, what are you on about?" You ask him.

Max explains his brilliant plan to ditch Inner Circle and form his new elite team. You don't even get a chance to protest this plan before all the men in the room are chatting and making plans.

You sit down and all you can think about is Santana. Your brother sits five feet from you and goes on about beating the man you are falling in love with to a bloody pulp.

That night is the night that Max and his new buddies take out Inner Circle member by member. And you're forced to stand back and watch the whole thing. Unable to do anything about it.

(End of Flashback)

The fighting still rages on around you as Santana advances across the from. He reaches out and pushes you out the door into the other part of the locker room.

"I'm sorry." Is all you can manage to get out.

"What?" Santana replies as he kicks the door shut behind him.

"I'm sorry. I.....I tried to call you." You sniffle and shake your head. "Santana, I didn't want even of this to happen." All you can think about is how much Santana must hate you right now.

"I know." You are surprised at Santana's answer. "Is that what you think? Mami, I don't blame you." He closes the gap between the two of you and pulls you into a hug.

"You don't?" You sniffle again.

"No. Of course not." Santana insists. "I knew you weren't a part of this. And I'm sorry I haven't been able to get ahold of you these past two weeks."

"What are we gonna do?" You push off of Santana's chest so you can look at him. "My brother won't let this happen. He hates Jericho." You shake your head.

"We'll figure it out." Santana insists again. "You ain't gonna get rid of me that easily baby." He kisses the top of your forehead gently.

In the other room, you can hear the commotion start to die down. You know that you're time is running out to be alone with Santana.

"I'll call you tonight, okay?" Santana explains.

You nod and he kisses you one last time before he quickly slips back into the other room with the rest of Inner Circle. You can hear Chris ordering around Jake and Sammy to grab your brother and take him with them.

You wait until the other door slams before you come into the room. You find Cash and Dax both on the floor along with Wardlow who's just now picking himself up off the floor.

"You guys all okay?" You help Cash off the floor.

"We're fine." Cash groans. "What about you? I saw Santana drag you into the other room." He asks you.

"Yeah, I'm okay." You nod and go to help Dax up as well.

Later that night you are at home feeding your cat when the doorbell rings. You go to answer and find Santana standing on your porch with a bouquet of flowers.

"Oh my gosh!" You gush as Santana grins at you through the flowers.

"I know I said I'd call, but this seemed so much better." Santana hands you the flowers.

"Thank you!" You take the flowers and let him inside.

"Sorry about your brother," Santana replies as he comes inside.

"Don't be." You roll your eyes. "He's an ass that deserved to get his ass beat." You insist.

"Okay, whatever you say babe." Santana nods.

You put your new flowers away and turn back to Santana. He leans against your kitchen counter and opens his arms up for a hug. You graciously accept the hug, having missed him these last two weeks.

"I missed you." You lay your head on Santana's chest.

"I missed you too." Santana rubs your back. "I told Chris that I've been seeing you." He explains. "He's pissed off, but I told him that if it came down to it I'd pick you over him. And Ortiz will back me up." He explains.

"What?" You stand back up straight. "Santana."

"Don't. It's okay." Santana shakes his head. "I love you." He cups your face. "And Jericho accepts that."

"I love you too." You kiss him gently. "Max is gonna flip when I tell him that we're together." You suddenly giggle at the idea of letting your brother know that you're in love with his new enemy.

Chapter Text

It's around 5 O'clock when you get back to your place from work. You park your car in its usual spot next to Adam's in the driveway and head inside.

"Adam?" You shout when you come through the door. "Oreo, hey sweetie." You are greeted by Adam's cat rubbing your leg.

"In here, Y/N." You hear Adam shout back from further in the house.

You drop your keys in the bowl on the counter and make your way to your room. You pass Adam's room on the way and peer inside the open door to find him fixing the tie on one of his nicer suits.

"What are you getting all dolled up for?" You lean in his doorway with a curious grin.

"Taking Britt out to this nice Italian place that just opened up downtown," Adam replies as he struggles with his tie.

"Wow, fancy." You nod and step inside the room. "Here, let me. Any special reason you're having such a fancy dinner?" You walk up to Adam and fix his tie for him with a grin.

"I mean, our anniversary is coming up in a day or two," Adam replies and stands still while you help him. "I guess I just wanted to do something nice. Britt's been bugging me about going out more anyway." He adds.

"Well, I'm sure she'll love it." You pat Adam's chest once his tie is fixed and straight. "I'll see you when you get back." You leave him to finish get ready and head to your room to change.

You change into some sweats and a tank top and throw your work clothes in the hamper then make your way out to the kitchen. You wave to Adam as he leaves and wish him good luck on his date.

A part of you hates that he's putting so much effort into making Britt happy. You've known Adam since the two of you were teens and Britt Baker is by far the worst girl he's ever dated. And Adam has dated some really stuck-up chicks in your time.

With Adam gone on his date, you make some dinner and then head to your game room to play some games for a bit. Oreo decides to join you and settles down in the extra chair you keep in the room while you play.

A few hours later you are in the middle of a Warzone match with some randoms when you hear the front door slam hard. Curious as to why the door slammed so hard you exit the match and go in search of Adam.

"Adam? How'd the date go?" You step into the main room just as Adam comes in.

The first thing you notice is that Adam's suit jacket is soaked and his hair is damp. The second thing you notice is the man looks absolutely defeated.

"Adam? Why are you all wet?" You approach him.

"She broke up with me. She...she cheated on me." Adam replies in the most defeated tone you've ever heard come out of his mouth.

"Britt? She cheated on you?" You can feel the anger bubbling to the surface. "Why are you wet? Did she do something to you?" You turn around and beckon Adam to follow you into the house further.

"My stupid car broke down on the way home," Adam explains. "I wasn't paying attention and I accidentally blew a tire. Then of course it started raining while I was trying to change it."

"Oh, honey." You grab a towel off of the counter and turn back to Adam. "I'm sorry, you don't deserve this." You dry the water from his face gently.

"I thought she was the right one." Adam whimpers. "I.....Y/N she cheated with Ethan." He refers to one of the newer buddies from AEW that Britt's been hanging around as of late.

"Of course." You sneer. "I knew he was a manwhore." You shake your head. "Ken is always warning me about staying away from him." You add.

You finish drying Adam's face off and let him get changed into some dry clothes while you quickly shut off your game and let Oreo out of the room. When you come back out to check on Adam you find him sitting on the couch still looking miserable.

"Look." You sit down next to Adam gently. "I know this probably won't make you feel any better Adam. But Britt wasn't right for you. And I know that you probably don't want to hear this right now of all times but it's true. I know you loved her Adam but she's always been so condescending and rude to you and me."

"I know." Adam sniffles. "It's just. I thought she was the best I could do."

"Adam Cole!" You shake your head at him. "You are one of the best men I have ever met. You're charming and talented. I've never seen you be anything but charming and kind to just about everyone you've ever met. And I know you can do so much better than bitchy manipulative Britt Baker." You insist. "And don't you ever try and think differently. Or I may just have to kick your ass." You make sure and joke about the last part to lighten the mood a bit.

"Thanks, Y/N." Adam manages to give you a small chuckle and a smile.

"No thanks needed. It's the truth. Now come on, we're gonna sit here, watch movies, and forget all about tonight." You hand him the remote to the tv and get up to grab a few beers from the fridge.

Adam nods and watches you walk off. You. Y/N L/N. The girl that's been with him through every bad day at work. Every bimbo he's brought back to the apartment to boost his self-esteem. The one girl in the world that's always there to listen to him when he needs to get something off his chest.

"Okay, here. What are we watching while we drink our cares away?" You sit back down and hand him a cold beer.

A couple of hours later you are deeply invested in the third movie that Adam chose to watch when you feel a weight press against your shoulder. You turn your head to the side to find Adam asleep and falling off to the side. Feeling bad you shift your weight and let his head fall in your lap while you finish the movie and let poor Adam rest.

It isn't until someone rings the doorbell do you gently move Adam off of you to answer it. You find Britt standing on the porch with a nonchalant look on her face.

"What do you want?" You sneer at her and roll your eyes.

"Where's Adam at?" Britt replies with an annoyed tone.

"He's sleeping. Why? Come to break his heart some more?" You ask her.

"What business of is it of yours?" Britt asks you. "I need to talk to him." She steps forward.

"Umm no." You laugh. "Not gonna happen." You remain in place blocking the doorway.

"I said let me through." Britt challenges you and steps towards you again.

"Take another step and I'll knock you flat on skanky little ass." You warn her firmly.

"Please." Britt scoffs and does it anyway.

In this place and time, you are ecstatic about the fact that Britt doesn't know that you fought in the UFC for a few years before you retired and became a full-time personal trainer. The look on her face as your fist raises and collides with her nose is priceless.

"I warned you." You grin down at her as Britt holds her nose in the grass. "Now get off of my property before I call the cops and report you for trespassing." You smile at her as she scrambles to her feet.

"Oh my god!" Britt fumes in a whiney tone as she scrambles to her feet. "Ethan!" She shouts to her car on the curb.

You watch as Ethan Page steps out of the car and hurries over to her. He checks on her quickly then locks eyes with you.

"Do it. I dare you!" You challenge him with a grin. "I'll knock those perfect teeth into the dirt." You warn him.

"Come on babe." Ethan turns back to Britt and urges her to leave.

"What! No!" Britt protests. "She hit me! Bitch." She turns back to you.

At this point, all you have to do is take a step forward and raise your hands up for Britt to change her mind and turn back to her car.

"Bye!" You wave to her and Ethan with a smile as they retreat.

When you turn back into the house you find Adam leaning against the wall of the hallway. You sheepishly shut the door behind you and walk over to him.

"Are you mad that I hit her?" You ask him, understanding why he'd be angry.

To your surprise, Adam leans forward and presses his lips to yours in a kiss that you would have never seen coming.

"Oh. So I'll take that as a no then?" You laugh.

"Thank you." Adam thanks you again. "You're right. I can do so much better than her. I've got you." He beams and pulls you into his side.

Chapter Text

"Hey, are you okay?" Matt offers his hand to help you off the floor.

"Fine." You swat his hand away with a sour expression. "I'm not a damsel in distress Matthew." You insist and help yourself to stand.

"I never said you were." Matt protests. "I was just trying to be friendly."

"Save it." You shove past him with your nose turned in the air. "I don't need anyone's help."

"Okay." Matt watches you walk off with a confused look. "What'd I do?" He turns to Nick who just shrugs.

Just yesterday you were happy to hang out and crack jokes with Matt and Nick. And this is the first time that you've acted hostile towards either of them. Usually, the three of you get along just fine. Especially you and Matt.

You storm back to your locker room and find Don waiting for you. You scoff when you shut the locker room door.

"What do you want Callis?" You sneer at him.

"Just came by for a chat." Don gets up from his seat and walks over to you. "Nice work out there by the way." He adds.

"I got my ass handed to me." You laugh. "Now what do you want, you weasel?" You ask him again.

You've known from the moment you met Don that's he's nothing but an arrogant dick. But your brother seems to admire Don so you put up with him.

"I want to know why you're being pissy with the Jackson brothers all of a sudden?" Callis finally gets to the point. "Because we've all worked way too hard to get them on our team for you to ruin it." He adds.

"It's none of your damn business Don!" You snap at him. "Now get out. I need to change." You point at the door.

"Fine." Don nods, seeing that now isn't the best time to talk.

Callis leaves and you pull off your sweaty ring gear and rinse off in the shower quickly. You are in the middle of changing again when someone knocks on the door.

"Who is it?" You groan and pull a tank top over your head.

"Just me," Kenny answers from outside the room.

"It's open!" You shout back and your brother comes into the room.

Kenny shuts the door behind him while you dig around for your shoes and jacket.

"What's up?" You glance over at your brother as the door shuts.

"You alright?" Kenny replies. "Don told me you were being pissy. What's up?"

"So Callis is a narc now?" You scoff and roll your eyes.

"You're avoiding the question," Kenny calls you out.

"Am not." You counter.

"Y/N." Kenny raises a brow at you. "Come on. I can tell somethings bothering you." He persists.

"I'm fine." You shake your head and pull your jacket on.

"You're not." Kenny shakes his head as well. "You've been acting like someone hit your dog all morning. So spill." He demands.

You blink hard and sigh. You hate how persistent your brother can be sometimes.

"It's about Matt, okay?" You give in and sink into a chair.

"Matt? What about Matt?" Kenny replies and sits as well.

"I just..... I thought that it be different." You shake your head. "You know? He finally gives in and joins back up with us and it's been cool and all I guess." You shrug.

"But it's not what you wanted?" Kenny finishes your thought for you and you nod.

"I thought I was gonna get the old Matt back. The Matt that was always flirting and teasing me. The Matt that I could talk circles around because he always had something to say back." You sigh heavily.

"So why don't you just tell him that?" Kenny suggests. "What? You think Matt just all of a sudden isn't into you anymore?" He chuckles.

"Don't laugh Kenneth!" You snap at him.

"I'm not." Kenny laughs again. "Matt's feelings for you haven't change Y/N. Trust me." He assures you. "Just give him some time okay? And be nice to Don."

"No promises." You crack a small smile.

Outside the locker room, Matt sits outside and listens in on the conversation happening inside. After you stormed off from the ring earlier he couldn't help but wonder what was wrong so he planned on stopping at your locker room to see what was up.

"Oh. Well, I can fix that." He snickers to himself and walks off before Kenny comes out of the room.

The next evening you are due in the ring for a match against Britt Baker so you exit your locker room to find Matt and Nick lingering by the door.

"What are you two here for?" You ask them.

"Here to back you up, sweetie." Matt flashes a wink and a smile your way.

"Ha! Like I'd ever need your help." You snicker back at him.

You're a little bit surprised at Matt's comment at first. But this is how it used to be when you all worked in New Japan and ROH. Your reply comes out of your mouth before you even have time to process what you're saying.

"You sure about that?" Matt leans against the wall and slightly forward at you. "Because I recall a certain someone losing last night." He teases you.

"Watch your tone with me, Matthew." You warn him.

Your mouthy side kicks in like second nature. It's almost like Matt heard your conversation with Kenny last night. This is the Matt Jackson you adore. A flirty bitch not afraid to say what's on his mind.

"Why? You gonna do something about it shorty?" Matt stares down at you with a grin.

"You wish!" You push his chest. "Come on then. I could use an entourage." You push past him and beckon for him and Nick to follow you.

"Well lead the way then your majesty." Matt chuckles and follows at your side.

Nick rolls his eyes and follows you as well. This is by far his least favorite version of his brother. Always making sure the sexual tension in the room is high when you're around. Something that Nick is forced to sit back and endure silently.

Chapter Text

Another AEW show kicks off live on the air and you backstage like per usual. The Inner Circle locker room sits in front of you while you ponder if it's a good idea or not to head inside. You take a deep breath and knock twice then wait as you hear shuffling on the other side of the door.

"Yeah? Oh, hey Y/N." Jake is the one to answer the door.

"Hey, Jake." You nod to him with a friendly smile. "Is my dad in there?" You ask him.

"Yeah, he's here," Jake confirms your father's whereabouts. "Why, what's up? You want to come in?" He takes a step back from the door to open it some more.

"Can you just tell him I'm here?" You shake your head.

"Sure, hold on." Jake nods again and shuts the door.

You lean against the door of the hall and wait for a minute. The door opens again a few minutes later and Chris steps into the hall.

"Y/N, Jake said you wanted to talk to me?" Chris asks you.

"Yeah." You nod. "Look, Dad, I know that you said that you didn't want me to. But I've been talking to Tony Khan and I did it. I signed a deal for a two-year contract with AEW." You inform him.

Ever since you were little Chris has always voiced his opinion about you following in his footsteps to become a wrestler. And for a while, you were perfectly fine with the backstage jobs that you've been working since you were barely 18. But now things are different.t You've always admired pro wrestlers and the work they put in to entertain people and pull off amazing matches.

"You what?" Chris furrows his brows at you.

"Yeah." You nod, with a proud smile. "Khan's got me starting out on Dark Elevation on Mondays right now. But it's a start." You explain.

"And you did all this behind my back?" Chris scoffs. "Y/N, you know how I feel about you being a wrestler." He reminds you.

"Well yeah, but I've been working so hard dad." You reply. "I've been training in the gym with Kris and Britt for well over a year now." You tell him. "Plus you know I wrestled in high school."

"So what?" Chris shakes his head. "What? You think that a year's worth of playing around with your friends and watching some old tapes automatically makes you good enough to be a pro?" He asks you.

"I never said that." You protest. "God dad why are you being such a dick about this?" You ask him. "Can't you just be proud of your daughter for once?"

"Not when she's doing shit like this behind my back." Chris fires back at you.

"Whatever." You scoff and turn on your heel. "You know I almost forgot. When it comes to the spotlight Chris Jericho doesn't know how to share." You begin walking down the hall and decide that your dad really isn't worth it at the moment.

You walk off and decide to head back to the female side of the locker room. It looks like your dreams of being Inner Circle's first female member and hanging out with your dad at work is a bust. But at least you know that Kris and Britt won't turn you down to hang out with them.

On your way to the girl's locker room, you pass by the Pinnacle locker room and get there just as Max and his buddies are all coming back from the ring.

"Well well well." Max spots you as soon as you turn the corner. "Look who it is boys, Jericho's precious little thing of a daughter." He grins at you with that stupid smirk of his.

"Maxwell." You grin back at him. "Coming back from another cheat to win, match?" You ask him.

"Funny." Max chuckles. "But you should stick to looking pretty, sweetheart." He adds.

"I'll make sure to keep that in mind." You laugh with him. "You should really try it sometime. You know, looking pretty." You flash a wink his way and walk off.

You've always found Max charming, ever since you met him when you started working backstage at AEW. You haven't seen much of Max as of late due to the fact that Chris despises the entitled rich boy.

The next morning you are in the gym as soon as it opens. Your original plan was to hang out with Kris and Britt for a few hours and train a bit. But Kris ended up having a family emergency and Britt jumped at a rare chance to spend a day with her boyfriend from WWE. So now you're alone at the gym working out by yourself.

You lock eyes with your father when he arrives at the gym with all his Inner Circle buddies but he doesn't so much as try and come over to say hello or over you to join them. You scoff at just how arrogant your dad is being and go back to your punching bag.

A little bit later your assault on the heavy bag is interrupted when Max passes by and can't help but come over and make a comment.

"Woah there." Max chuckles as he reaches your side. "Give the poor guy a break, Y/N. I think he's had enough." He jokes.

"Max." You huff as you catch your breath. "Do you mind?" You ask him with a raised brow.

"Not at all." Max shakes his head with a grin. "A little birdie told me that Khan signed you for a two-year deal? Congrats sweetheart, cant wait to see the little Jericho in action with her dad." He teases you.

"Sure." You scoff and tighten your ponytail.

"Which reminds me." Max remains in his place. "Why arent you over there with daddy and all his buddies?" He asks you.

"No need." You reply and roll your eyes. "Did you forget already Max? Inner Circle only has room for one egocentric dickhead on the team. And apparently having your hot young daughter on the team might jeopardize all that glory." You scoff and hit the heavy bag again as hard as you can without hurting yourself.

"Damn." Max's reply comes out in a different tone than his usual cocky one. "Well if you need a training partner me and the boys are over there." He points over to the opposite side of the gym. "And unlike your dad, we don't mind some female company. Especially if they look like you." His flirty tone comes back in an instant accompanied by a wink.

"Ha! In your dreams Maxwell." You laugh.

"If only, honey." Max winks again and walks off.

You watch Max walks off for a second before you go back to your workout. You glance over at Chris and the rest of Inner Circle every once in a while and it only fuels your rage. You've known your dad to be an egocentric dick since you were little. It's just part of his personality. But to deny his daughter a chance at being just like him is absurd. Why should he be the only one in the family that is known for being a great wrestler?

"Hey, Friedman!" You decide to take a chance and make your way over to Max and his buddies. "That offer for a workout buddy still stand?" You ask him.

"Of course!" Max nods as soon as he sees you. "Boys, say hello to our new friend."

Everyone happily sends a casual greeting your way and you easily fall back into working out without another problem. It's not until a few hours later when Max offers to buy you lunch as you're leaving does a problem arise. Chris comes over to you as soon as he sees you with Max and confronts you.

"Really, Y/N?" Chris stops you at the front door of the gym while Max walks ahead so he doesn't get involved with family drama.

"What?" You scoff back at him.

"You're in a pissy mood still from last night so now you're gonna cozy up to Max?" Chris scolds you.

"Ha!" You laugh. "Screw off dad." You roll your eyes. "You've known I was in the gym since it opened. And tell me? Did you even consider asking me to come over and work out with you? No. You didn't. So not my fault." You shrug and walk off.

You join up with Max in the parking lot and the two of you head out to lunch. To your surprise, Max is a much chiller guy when he's not working. The two of you grab some lunch at some smoothie bar not far from the gym.

"So, it's really that bad huh?" Max asks you casually while you wait for your order.

"What is?" You reply curiously.

"Your dad. I mean what's that all about really?" He asks you.

"Ha!" You laugh a little. "I didn't take you for the type to actually care, Max." You admit. "But yeah, it is that bad." You confirm his suspicion. "I've wanted to wrestle since I was a little girl watching him in the ring on tv. But I guess the idea of Chris having to share the spotlight with another Jericho is just too much for him."

"Wow." Max nods. "Some father he is." He chuckles. "Well for what it's worth. If you've even got half the talent that Jericho does you'll do fine." He assures you.

"Thanks, Max." You nod as well.

"And hey. If you've got that evil conniving gene like Chris does and want to start plotting some revenge. Well, nothing is a better fuck you to dad than linking up with his worst enemies." He grins across the table at you. "Pinnacle would love to have you."

"Well then." You laugh. "I'd be an idiot to refuse. So yeah, I'm in. Let's make my old man's life hell."

(A couple of months later)

Diamante's shoulders hit the mat and you pull her leg up to keep her to the floor. Aubrey's hand smacks against the mat three times and the bell rings.

You let go of Diamante's leg and haul yourself to your feet. Aubrey raises your hand in victory and sends you on your way backstage.

You make your way through the curtain and find Max standing on the other side of the room with Wardlow lingering not far from him.

"Well well well, what brings the great MJF to Elevation?" You walk over to him with a grin.

"Talent scouting," Max replies. "A little birdie told me there was some sexy new talent hanging around on the show." He happily lets you settle against his side. "What's that now? Eight wins?"

"Nine." You correct him. "And Khan is considering letting me work Dark and maybe Dynamite soon." You inform him.

"Ha! Of course, he is." Max kisses your forehead. "A gorgeous talent like you should be working the main show. Dinner to celebrate?" He suggests.

"Ugh, I can't." You frown. "It's the second Monday of the month. We always have family dinner today." You explain.

"Shame." Max shrugs. "I'll see you tomorrow then, babe." He winks at you before he walks off with Wardlow.

You clean up and head back to your parent's place for your usual dinner.

For the past two and a half months, you've been working on Dark Elevation after signing a two-year contract with AEW. Much to your dad's dismay.

All you've ever wanted since you were a little girl you've dreamed of being a pro wrestler like your dad. But the idea of sharing the spotlight with another Jericho is sickening to your dad.

"Mom! Hey, I brought these." You are greeted at the front door by your mother.

"Y/N, sweetie." Your mom hugs you then takes the bouquet you brought along. "So good to see you, honey." She lets you inside and leads you into the dining room.

"Dad." You nod to Chris when you come into the dining room.

"Y/N, sweetie." Chris nods back at you. "How've you been?" He asks you.

"Fine." You shrug and pour yourself a glass of water.

"So glad you could make it." Your mom comes back into the room. "I heard that you're on a winning streak at work." She smiles at you softly.

"I am, yeah!" You grin back at her. "Nine in a row as of today." You happily report.

"Good for you!" Your mom nods. "A budding star just like your dad." She smiles at you both. "Don't you think, Chris?"

"Mhm." Chris nods quietly from the other side of the table.

For the rest of dinner, the tension in the room is high. You and your dad exchange glances all during dinner. You have to hold your tongue so you don't upset your mom sitting next to you.

After dinner, you help your mom clean up real quick then go to head out. On your way home, you check your messages and find one from Max informing you of a team meeting at his place tomorrow for lunch.

The next day you arrive at Max's apartment and he greets you at the door.

"You're early." Max comments

"I didn't have anything else to do." You shrug and follow him inside.

"Lucky me." Max chuckles. "How was dinner?" He asks you.

You scoff and sit down in one of the chairs sitting in the dining room. Max comes up behind you and leans against the back of your chair.

"That bad huh?" Max leans down for a kiss.

"Don't even get me started." You roll your eyes. "My mom just has to sit there while Chris asks like a dick silently from the other side of the table."

"Want me to kick his ass for you?" Max jokes.

"That would be wonderful." You laugh at his joke.

The rest of the team arrive a few minutes later and your team meeting gets started. You get to sit back and listen while Max goes over his plans for the Blood and Guts match on Wednesday.

"So, any protest from you? Mini Jericho?" Shawn glances over at you when Max is done talking.

"Not one bit. I can't wait." You shake your head.

"Atta girl!" Max grins. "What better way to psych the old man out than reveal that his daughter has moved to the dark side." He laughs.

"Poetry in motion." You agree.

Wednesday night rolls around and you see your dad backstage per usual. You may not work Dynamite yet but you still like to hang around and watch the show from backstage. It helps you learn and make friends that could be useful in the future.

"Dad." You fake a smile at Chris when you pass him in the hall.

"Y/N, sweetie can we talk for a second?" Chris asks you with a semi-worried look on his face.

"Sure." You furrow your brows for a moment, wonder what he looks worried for.

Chris pulls you aside from all the traffic backstage and sets a hand on your shoulder. He glances around to make sure that no one is around before he speaks.

"Look, Y/N. I know that we haven't been getting along as of late." He explains. "But you're still my daughter, and I still love you. That's why I think that you should go home tonight." He informs you.

"Go home?" You scoff and shrug his hand off you. "For what?" You give Chris a chance to explain himself.

"You know I don't trust Friedman. And I wouldn't put it past him to use you in order to get to me." Chris explains.

"Oh, so you don't think I can handle myself?" You roll your eyes.

"Damnit, Y/N. I'm trying to protect you." Chris shakes his head. "Please. If you're gonna be stubborn and won't go home then at least make sure one of your friends is with you. Like Kris or Britt." He pleads.

"Okay okay." You nod. "I'll see if Britt wants to hang out since she's not on the card."

"Thank you." Chris nods and takes off before he's late.

You laugh when he's out of range. The fact that he suddenly acts like he cares what happens to you baffles you. You skip along backstage and head to the Pinnacle locker room. You arrive just as everyone is done changing and ready to go.

"Well don't you all look sharp." You comment on everyone's matching white gear. "I'm sure those won't be pristine white for long."

"That's the hope." Dax nods as he finishes lacing up his boot.

"You all ready for tonight?" Max pulls you into his side.

"Born ready." You nod and kiss his cheek. "Now go! Have fun and kick my dad's ass." You let him leave with the rest of the boys.

Your plan is to stay backstage until the end of the match. That's when you'll come out and reveal to Chris that you're with Max and his buddies. The ultimate revenge for Chris treating you like some second-class citizen all these years.

The match kicks off with Sammy starting it with Dax. The two of them go at is for a while before more people start to trickle into the ring one by one. You hang back until finally everyone is in the ring and the door gets locked. That's when you head down to the ring.

"Y/N?" Chris questions from inside the cage when you walk around the side of it.

"Hi, daddy!" You wave to him with a grin.

You walk over to the side of the ring and stand over by Tully who's been hollering from outside the cage this whole time. Chris is much too busy fighting off his opponents to notice you chatting with Tully. But when he does his face brings you joy as realization starts to set in.

The match continues until eventually Max ends up on the top of the cage and Chris climbs up after him. You stand on the floor and watch the commotion from Tully's side. Chris and Max fight for a while on top of the cage but Max ultimately gets the better of Jericho and leads him to the edge of the cage.

"Surrender!" Max shouts with a fistful of Chris's hair. "Surrender or I toss him off the cage!"

Sammy is the one to officially call for the surrender and the bell rings. You rush over to the side of Inner Circle for a bit of theatrics.

"Max! Max, please!" You fake worry and push through the rest of the Inner Circle.

"What was that sweetheart?" Max shouts back down at you.

"Do it!" You laugh. "Toss him off!"

All eyes land on you for a split second before Max tosses Chris off of the cage. You take a step back and walk over to the side of the cage to greet Max once he's climbed down.

"Now that was beautiful." You laugh with a satisfied smile when Max reaches the floor.

"Oh, you should have seen his face baby." Max laughs with you.

He pulls you into his side and the group makes their way to the top of the ramp. Chris is just barely being helped to his feet when you make Max stop for a moment.

"See you at dinner next month dad. I'm sure we'll have lots to talk about." You taunt him.

Then, to put the icing on the cake. Max makes sure Chris is in full view when he pulls you in for a slightly bloody and sweaty kiss.

"Looks like you lose Jericho!" Max taunts him once last time before you all head backstage.

Chapter Text

"Yes, thank you, Sonya." You take the files from your beloved sister.

"No problem. Was that all you needed?" Sonya nods, leaning against the door of your office.

"Yep, I'm all good here." You nod. "You know you're welcome to stick around for a bit." You gesture to the empty seat off to the side of your desk.

"Why not?" Sonya nods. "I've got nothing else going on. Plus it's been way too long since we've chatted." She adds and sits down.

"I know! With you helping on Smackdown and Raw and me here running 205 Live and helping Regal with NXT. There's just not enough time in the day."

You and Sonya sit and catch up for a bit before someone ends up knocking on the door.

"And, duty calls." You chuckle with Sonya. "Come in!" You call out.

Sonya gets up from her seat and goes to leave when Tony and Ariya come into the office.

"Well well well, look what we've got here Nese," Daivari comments when he sees Sonya. "It's double the girl power tonight." He grins.

"Be quiet." You roll your eyes. "Sonya was just leaving. What do you two want?" You raise a brow as Tony also comes into the room.

"Yeah, you have fun with these two." Sonya teases you before she leaves.

"Oh, she will." Tony chuckles and shuts the door behind Sonya.

The door clicks shut leaving you alone with Nese and Daivari. You raise a brow at both of them as Tony leans against the back of your extra chair.

"I'll ask again. What can I do for you two?" You ask them again.

"What if we just came for a chat?" Tony asks you.

"Yeah? No strings attached. Just good company?" Daivari backs him up.

"Because you didn't." You roll your eyes and set your chin in your hands. "Now are we gonna play this game or are you two gonna get to the point?"

"Now what's the fun in that?" Tony grins.

"If you have to ruin all the fun," Daivari adds. "We came to ask a favor." He explains.

"I kind of figured that." You nod. "What do you two want this time?"

Tony and Ariya both share a look. One that you've come to learn means that they're scheming something.

"A match." Tony finally answers you. "Me and Daivari against Santos and whichever goon he decides to bring along." He explains.

"Well of course! Why don't I just get right on that?" You laugh. "And what makes you two think that I'd even consider that?"

"Because we asked," Daivari replies.

"And we can make it worth your while," Tony adds.

You quirk a brow at both men sitting in front of you. Both of them wear smug smirks on their faces as they wait for your answer.

"Yeah? What's in it for me then? Hmm?" You decide to humor the pair for now.

"How about a date with one of us?" Daivari suggests.

"A date? With one of you?" You laugh. "Tell me, do I get to choose who I date? Or is this like a rock paper scissors thing between you two?" You ask them.

Tony and Ariya both share another look, not expecting your response.

"Look, I'll give you two the match if it gets you out of my office." You inform them.

"We can accept that." Tony nods. "But you're missing out on a stellar date with one of us." He adds with a wink.

"Mhm. Here, now get out." You hand over the paper to Ariya to give to the production truck.

"You're loss." Daivari teases you.

"Out!" You warn both of them.

Tony and Ariya both exit the office with their match set and leave you at peace once again. A few minutes later Sonya comes back into your office with a coffee in hand.

"So, those two seem like trouble." She hands you a coffee and sits down.

"You've no idea." You laugh and take the coffee. "I swear those two are the bane of my existence." You roll your eyes with a small hint of a smile.

"I bet. But you secretly like it don't you?" Sonya grins as well.

"I...maybe." You laugh. "But what's wrong with a little attention?" You add.

"True." Sonya nods. "Which one do you like more?" She asks you.

"Oh, I don't know." You shrug. "They both have a certain charm about them. And they're both also trouble."

"I don't envy you." Sonya chuckles. "Let me know when you figure out which one you like more." She leaves you to your work.

"Bye, sis." You wave to her as she leaves.

You fall back into your paperwork and other stuff you need to get done until the show is over. You lock your office up at the end of the night and make your way out of the arena.

"Y/N, there's our favorite girl!" Your journey out to the parking lot is interrupted by Tony and Ariya once again.

"Don't you two have anything better to do with your time?" You glance at Tony on your right then Daivari on your left.

"Not really." Tony shrugs.

"We could be taking our favorite girl out for drinks," Ariya adds.

"Really you two?" You laugh. "I'm just not gonna catch a break am I?" You ask them.

"Not until you say yes." Tony shakes his head.

"And we know you want to," Daivari adds. "Plus this way you don't have to choose."

"Well, I'm glad that you're making it easy for me." You laugh. "Fine, drinks and that's it." You insist.

"We'll see." Tony and Ariya both grin.

Chapter Text

The sun warms your skin as you sip on your smoothie sitting in front of you. Jack sits across from you sipping on his smoothie. The two of you eat in a sweet silence just enjoying the company of one another.

"What's up?" Jack tilts his head at you when your phone starting buzzing on the table.

"Just my dad." You roll your eyes and switch it off to stop the buzzing. "It's fine."

"You sure you don't want to get that?" Jack asks you.

"Mhm, I'm sure." You nod and play with the straw in your glass. "He can wait, trust me." You smile over at Jack softly.

"Okay." Jack nods, trusting your judgment.

The two of you finish up your lunch and Jack walks you back to your car.

"Thanks for lunch sweetie." You kiss Jack on the cheek. "I'll see you at work, okay?"

"Yeah, see you tonight sweetie." Jack nods and kisses the back of your hand before he leaves.

On your way home, you get another call from your dad. This time you answer his call with a roll of your eyes.

"Hey, dad." You answer the phone after a few rings.

"Y/N, finally!" Chris replies. "Where have you been?" He asks you.

"I was out on a date." You inform him. "Why? What's up?" You ask him.

"A date?" You can hear your dad's sneer through the phone. "With Jack Perry again?"

"Yes, with Jack." You confirm. "And I don't wanna hear anything about it." You add.

Ever since you started dating Jungle Boy, Chris has been adamant about his disdain for your boyfriend.

"I won't." Chris sighs. "You're gonna be at the show tonight right?" He asks you.

"Yeah, I've got a match against Thunder Rosa remember?" You remind him.

"Right, I'll see you at work then," Chris replies.

"Okay, dad." You nod and hang up the phone.

You head home and pull together your work bag before you hop in the shower fast then head to work.

When you arrive at Daily's Place and get your car parked you find Sammy waiting for you by the side entrance of the building.

"Y/N, hey." Sammy greeted you.

"Hey, Sammy." You wave at him with a friendly smile. "What are you doing out here?" You ask him.

"Chris sent me out here," Sammy explains.

"Of course he did." You laugh. "He doesn't want me sneaking off to see Jack is all." You roll your eyes.

"Yeah, I figured." Sammy nods. "For what it's worth, I think you two make a cute couple." He adds.

"Thanks." You nod. "Come on, we'd better get going." You nod to the door and follow Sammy inside.

You both head down to the Inner Circle locker room and unite with the rest of the group.

"Real cute sending Guevara out to get me, dad." You comment when you see Chris.

"You and Sammy are buddies aren't you?" Chris shrugs. "No harm a friend checking up on a friend right?"

"Mhm." You roll your eyes.

You get changed in the bathroom and then come back out to the main room so you can hang out for a while. You decide to check your phone and find a message from Jack. He's asking you to meet him after his match against the Varsity Blonds.

"I'll be back in a minute guys." You dismiss yourself from the room and head out.

You make your way down to the tunnel entrance just as JB and Luchasaurus are coming back from their match.

"You came!" Jack greeted you excitedly.

"Of course." You laugh when he picks you off your feet in a hug. "You guys win?" You ask him.

"Yeah." Jack nods and sets you back down. "Good luck against Thunder Rosa tonight by the way." He adds.

"Thanks, babe." You nod. "I should be getting back before Chris sends someone after me though." You insist.

"Alright." JB nods. "See you after the show?" He asks and kisses your cheek sweetly.

"Yeah, for sure." You nod. "Bye." You wave and make your way back to the locker room.

When you get back to the locker room Chris shoots you a dirty look. You roll your eyes at him and plop down into a seat.

"You can mean mug me all you want dad. It isn't going to change anything." You inform him.

"I can sure as hell try," Chris replies.

"Whatever." You roll your eyes again. "Like I said. You can try all you want dad. But Jack isn't going anywhere anytime soon."

"We'll see about that." Chris grins.

You're thankfully given a way to get away from your dad when the time comes for your match. Chris sends you out with Sammy as backup and you head out to the ring.

You and Thunder Rosa go at it for a while before you finish the match with a reverse moonsault from the top rope.

After the match, you head back to the locker room with Sammy.

"Hey Sammy, do you think that you could run interference on my dad so I can get out of the locker room early?" You ask him on the way back.

"Going out with JB again?" Sammy asks you.

"Yeah." You nod.

"Then sure." Sammy nods as well. "I got you."

"Thanks." You thank him.

You get back to the locker room and change quickly. When you come back out Sammy spring into action and distracts Chris while you slip out.

You meet up with Jack in the parking lot by your car like you planned.

"There she is!" Jack greets you with a hug. "You ready to go to dinner?"

"Yeah." You nod. "I'm starving, and it's your turn to buy." You remind him with a laugh.

Chapter Text

"Okay! You are all set dad." You finish the same face paint pattern that your dad always wears.

"Thanks, sweetie." Sting nods and checks himself in the mirror.

"Yep!" You nod and move over to the sink to wash off your makeup brushes. "Darby should be around soon, shouldn't he?" You glance up at the clock on the wall.

"Yes. Loverboy will be here soon." Sting laughs.

"Dad!" You scold him. "We're just friends." You insist.

"Mhm." Sting quirks a brow at you.

You are just finishing up washing the brushes when someone knocks on the locker room door. Sting goes and gets it since you're busy.

"Darby, I was beginning to think that you wouldn't show." Sting sounds from the doorway.

"Hey, Darby." You call out from the sink.

"What? And get someone else to do my body paint for me?" Darby snorts and closes the door behind him. "Hey, Y/N." He gives you a small wave before he sits down.

You wave back with one hand while you dry your brushes with the other. Once they are dry you set them back into place and walk them over to your makeup bag sitting on the counter.

"See Dad? Darby just has a good taste is all." You giggle. "So. What will it be today then?" You ask him, black and white paint already at the ready.

"I was thinking start here, then go up to my nose?" Darby points to just below his pec line on his torso.

"Okay, and what's the pattern?" You nod.

"Skeleton ribs? Then I'm not sure for the face." Darby replies.

"Alright, I can work with that. Shirt off, please." You nod and dip into the white paint first. "Then go ahead and stand up." You add.

Darby tosses his shirt to the side and then stands up in front of you so you can work easier. Sting sits on the other side of the room and rolls his eyes.

He knows that you've got a crush on Darby, even though you keep insisting that the two of you are just friends. And Sting also knows that Darby is slowly falling for his only daughter the more that Darby spends time with you.

Personally, Sting doesn't mind the idea of you and Darby dating. He's gotten to know Darby well enough that Sting is confident that Darby will treat you right and be an amazing boyfriend.

"Hold still!" You half frown as Darby squirms under your makeup brush.

"Sorry. It tickles." Darby chuckles and tries to compose himself.

"Oh, so big bad Darby Allin is ticklish?" You giggle. "So scary." You tease him.

"Oh what? And you're not?" He grins down at you.

"You'll never find out." You reply. "Now lift your arms." You demand.

Darby does as told and lifts his arms while you hover around him with your paint in one hand and brush in the other. Your concentrated face making your nose scrunch cutely.

"There. You can sit back down now." You finish painting Darby's torso and the base of his neck. "You decide what you want the face to look like yet?" You ask him.

"No. Just do whatever you think will look best." He shrugs.

"Well, I am the expert." You nod. "Look up for me." You tilt his chin up with a finger."

Darby watches you work intently while you finish up his facepaint.

"Staring problem much?" You tease him as you finish.

"What else do you suggest I look at the whole time? The wall?" Darby replies.

"Maybe." You shrug. "Here, all finished." You hand him your small mirror from your bag.

"Wow, it looks fantastic." Darby admires your work in the mirror. "Thanks."

"Mhm." You nod. "You've got a title match against Miro, right? Be careful with that." You warn him.

"Always am." Darby insists.

"Well with that I'm off." You collect your stuff in your bag. "Dad, you be careful too." You turn to Sting.

"I will." Sting nods.

You head off to see about getting Kris Stantlanders makeup done for the night.

Sting and Darby make their way out of the locker room and down to the tunnel.

"So." Sting decides to make small talk. "How are you feeling about this?" He asks Darby.

"A little nervous," Darby admits. "I'm still not fully recovered from last week."

"You'll do fine, I'm sure." Sting pats him on the back for a confidence boost.

Darby nods and they both head out to the ring and are met with Miro who immediately attacks Darby on the ramp.

On the other side of the arena, you are getting set up in Kris's locker room when she flips her tv on.

"Oh ouch." Kris winces at the TV.

"What's up?" You turn and look at the TV with her.

You watch Darby get easily tossed around by Miro who doesn't seem to have a care in the world.

"Oh no." Your comment. "Come on Darby, get up." You urge him on through the tv.

"You wanna go down there?" Kris suggests. "I've got plenty of time."

"I... Yeah. Thanks, Kris." You nod and drop your things.

"You better end up kissing him!" Kris shouts as you leave.

In the ring, Darby groans in pain as Miro tosses him hard into the corner of the ring. He grunts as he collides with the ring post.

This whole bout has been straight hell for Darby and he doesn't think he can go much longer at this rate.

"Come on Darby! You can do this!" All of a sudden he hears your voice.

You stand at the top of the ramp near the tunnel and shout as loud as you can. You flash a confident smile when Darby's gaze snaps to the top of the ramp at you.

Seeing you at the top of the ramp cheering for him urges Darby to his feet. He finds a new reserve of energy and goes at Miro with all that he's got. A few punches and kicks later ad well as a well-maneuvered coffin drop. Darby manages to roll Miro up for a three-count.

"Yes!" You cheer again when the bell rings.

You pass Miro as you sprint down the ramp and into the ring while Sting helps Darby to his feet.

"You did it! I knew you could do it." You rush over to Darby's side where he immediately hugs you.

"Yeah, all thanks to you." Darby pants.

You are a little startled when Darby promptly presses his lips to yours.

"Finally!" You have to laugh when your dad starts celebrating next to you.

"Dad!" You laugh.

"What? I've been waiting for that to happen since you two met." Sting insists.

Chapter Text

It was just a normal day for you working backstage at Tony's side. As usual, he had you running some various errands for him so he could focus on the more important stuff. Which you've never minded.

You were in the middle of filling out some paperwork for Tony when someone had knocked on the door.

"Come in!" You'd shouted. Too busy with work to get the door yourself. "Hi! How can I help yo-" Your sentence stopped in your tracks when you looked up.

"Y/N, hey." Eddie Kingston smiles at you from the door.

"I...Eddie." You swallow hard. "Umm...Tony!" Your heart pounds in your chest as you shout for Khan in the other room.

"Yeah, Y/N?" Tony pops his head through the door. "Oh! Eddie Kingston, glad you could make it. Please come in." He sees Eddie and opens his door fully.

"Pleasure being here, Khan." Eddie nods. "Y/N, great to see ya again doll." He nods to you as he passes.

You barely manage to get out a nod before he and Tony disappear behind the door. As soon as the door shuts you manage to breathe again.

"No. Oh no." Your head falls in your hands. "Not him, God. I can't do this." You shake your head and rise from your chair.

You glance around the office for something, anything to get you out of the office. A stack of performance review sheets catches your eye and you scoop them up. You write a quick note about being right back and stick it to your computer monitor in case Tony comes looking for you and exits the room.

Eddie Kingston might just be the last person in the world you thought you'd ever see again.

Your brain instantly flashes back to the last time that you saw him. Over a decade ago.

(Flashback)

"Y/N, come on doll." Eddie stands in front of you. "Can't we at least talk about this for a second?" He asks you.

"What's there to talk about?" You scoff at him. "I asked, and you gave me your answer. That's the end of it." You insist.

"Babe come on! At least here me out here?" Eddie pleads.

"Why!" You turn around sharply on your heel at him. "Give me one good reason why I should stand here while you attempt to make some half-ass excuse for what you said? Hmm?"

"I..." Eddie stutters out what barely qualifies as a reply.

"You know what the worst part is Eddie? My brother warned me about you. God. He begged me not to agree to that first date. But no!" You scoff. "I gave you a chance. Because hey! You certainly couldn't be as bad as Jon was making you out to be right? Guess I'm the idiot then huh?" You turn back around and walk over to your suitcase.

"At least let me give you a ride to the airport," Eddie speaks up after you finish yelling.

"Ha! Don't bother." You roll your eyes and grab your suitcase. "I already called a cab."

With your suitcase in hand, you pull it with you out of the room and down the hall to the front door. Eddie wanders aimlessly after you all the way to the front door.

"So this is it then?" Eddie flashes you one last sad look.

"It didn't have to be. But you made your decision already." You reply as the cab pulls up to the curb. "And Eddie, leave Jon out of this. He doesn't need the drama." You add.

(End flashback)

The stack of performance review papers grows smaller and smaller in your hand as you hand them out to anyone you can think of.

The thought of going back to Khan's office and running into Eddie again fills you with a sense of dread. But you know you can't hide forever.

Your last stop before you are forced to go back to the office is your brother's locker room.

"Johnathan! You better open this door!" You bang your hand against the wood.

"Y/N, hey pipsqueak." Jon opens the door with a smile.

"Don't hey me you asshat!" You barge into the room. "Were you even gonna tell me?" You spin around sharply as Jon shuts the door.

"Tell you about what?" Jon replies. Confused.

"Eddie fucking Kingston." You growl at him.

"Oh." Jon nods quietly. "Eventually."

"Damnit, Jon." You snap at him.

"Will you just calm down?" Jon replies. "This is exactly why I didn't want to tell you. I don't know what he did to make you so monumentally pissed off at him. But you need to get over it." He insists.

"Get over it? Oh yeah! I'll get right on that." You scoff. "He...he hurt me, Jon. You know that." You calm down a bit.

"I know." Jon sits down and pulls you by the arm down with him. "You got off that plane a mess." He recalls picking you up from the airport. "Look, we've been hanging out for a few months now. And Eddie isn't the same guy, Y/N." He explains.

"Yeah, I'm sure." You laugh. "Just... I gotta get back to work." You stand back up and walk to the door.

"Talk to him," Jon replies as you walk through the door.

Jon's words echo around in your brain as you make your way back to the office. Thankfully you arrive to find it empty again so you get back to work.

You are back into the groove of filling out more papers when Tony comes through the door.

"There she is! Y/N, Can you please file Eddie here down for one of our standards two-year contracts please?" He asks you.

"Yeah, sure." You nod and gesture for Kingston to sit down.

"Thank you. Eddie my man, just sit down and Y/N here will get you all set." Tony explains then disappears out the door.

The room fills with an awkward silence as you quickly type up a standard contract on your computer.

"You still wrestling under the same ring name?" You glance at Eddie for a split second.

"Yep." Eddie nods. "Y/N look I-" He goes to start a sentence.

"Don't." You stop him. "I don't need to hear some sob story about how sorry you are for what happened over a decade ago." You inform him.

"Okay. Fair enough." Eddie nods. "You still look as gorgeous as ever... Is what I wanna gonna say." He adds.

"Yeah! Sure you were." You laugh and roll your eyes.

"Okay. Maybe that's not what I was gonna say." Eddie nods. "But doesn't mean that it's not true."

"You sure still like to push your luck don't you?" You snicker.

"You know me," Eddie replies.

"I did know you, yeah." You correct him.

Silence falls over the room again for a few moments while you continue to type.

"Y/N, doll. Look, I'm sorry okay? Would you please just stop giving me the cold shoulder?" He asks you.

"Fine. What would you like to talk about then?" Your gaze moves from the computer monitor to Eddie while your fingers still type.

"No talking. Just listen." Eddie shakes his head. "You know I never stopped loving you right? I can't even count how many times I almost booked a flight after you."

"But you didn't, did you?" You reply.

"No, I didn't." Eddie nods. "Because I knew that running after you would have been selfish. And you didn't deserve that. You didn't deserve any of it." He adds.

"No, I didn't." You agree with him. "But like I said. It's in the past. I'm over it. And you should be too."

"Get over what happened? Sure, I can do that." Eddie nods. "But getting over you? Impossible."

"Eddie." You shake your head.

"I mean what I said, Y/N. I never stopped loving you." Eddie repeats himself from earlier. "And I know that deep down you're still pissed at me. But all I ask is that you give me a second chance." He asks you. "Me and Mox are going out for drinks tonight. You should come." He suggests.

"Maybe." You give him an answer that he can live with. "Here, sign at the bottom." You print out the paper and hand it to him.

Eddie does as told and signs on the bottom of the page and then hands the paper back to you. You take it and sign as well at the bottom then stick it away to file.

"Congratulations Mr. Kingston. You're officially a member of AEW. You start next week on Dynamite." You hand him a stack of other shit he needs to go over and sign.

"Thank you." Eddie nods and takes his papers. "I'll see you at the bar tonight? Like old times?" He asks you.

"I'll be there." You sigh.

"Good." Eddie nods and leaves for the moment.

You shake your head and lean back in your chair. You hate to admit it but Eddies right. It's been more than 10 years and the man deserves a second chance. And as much as it pains you to say it. But you never really stopped loving Eddie either. It just looks like now you're gonna have to give yourself as much as him a second chance at a new beginning.

Chapter Text

You check your phone one last time at the address that Trent sent you. You are sure that you're in the right place, but you can't seem to be able to find your brother. You are just about to call him up and ask where the hell he is when a black car pulls up next to yours in its parking space.

"Y/N, hey! Sorry, we're late." Trent stops the car in front of you and greets you.

"When are you ever on time?" You tease him with a laugh.

Trent pulls his car into the empty space next to yours and you turn around to retrieve your gym bag from the trunk of your car.

"Y/N!" You are engulfed in a hug by Chuck as soon as you turn around.

"Hey, Chuckie!" You giggle and hug him back. "OC, long time no see." You nod to Orange Cassidy over Chuck's shoulder.

"Hey." OC nods back.

Chuck returns you to the ground and you walk over to your brother just getting out of the car. You get about halfway around the car when someone new slips out of the back seat.

"Oh, sorry." You apologize in a flustered huff to the stunning girl now standing in front of you.

"No problem!" The girl beams back at you. "You're Y/N, right?" She asks you.

"Yeah." You nod back at her. "Trent's sister."

"Cool! I'm Kris, I work with your brother and his buddies." She explains.

"Nice to meet you, Kris." You regain your composer and flash her a smile.

"Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you." Trent chimes in. "Kris is gonna be joining us for the day. Kind of a team bonding exercise. If that's okay?"

"Fine with me." You nod.

The group all gathers up their bags and heads out of the parking lot. Trent recently landed five exclusive tickets to Universal Studios in Orlando and asked if you wanted one of them. Not about to refuse a free ticket to Univeral Studio you took a week off from work and accepted your brother's invitation.

"So, Kris. Have you ever been to Universal Studios?" You fall into step with your brother's new friend.

"No, I've been to Disney though." Kris shakes her head. "What about you?" She asks you.

"I've been once or twice." You reply. "Once when I was little then again a few years ago."

"Nice, glad to have someone with experience with me." Kris giggles.

"I'm happy to help." You laugh with her.

The group checks into the hotel across the way from the park then head out to the actual park to start what is sure to be a packed weekend of fun. You take the chance to talk to Trent for a few minutes when Kris starts chatting with Chuck ahead of you.

"So, Kris seems nice." You comment and fall into step with Trent.

"She is." Trent nods. "And she's single." He adds with a wink.

"Trent!" You smack his arm. "This is supposed to be a family vacation." You remind him.

"And when has that ever stopped you?" Trent laughs.

"True." You shrug. "But just because she's single doesn't mean that she'd be into me." You counter him. "Not every single girl is a lesbian." You remind him.

"Not all girls no, but Kris is," Trent replies.

"No." You shake your head. "Deadass?" You ask him.

"Mhm." Trent nods. "So go get 'em, tiger." He urges you on.

You laugh and smack his arm again before you both catch up to Chuck and Kris.

The group gets to the park and you all decide to split up for a bit. Trent and Chuck opt to head down to the opposite side of the park while you and Kris decide to go ride some rides. Orange disappears from sight as soon as you are all in the park.

"Revenge of the Mummy is always a fun ride." You suggest a ride to Kris once everyone breaks up into separate groups.

"Ooo, that sounds fun." Kris agrees.

"Cool! It's this way if I remember right." You nod and lead her down the path towards the ride.

"So, Y/N. Trent told me that you box?" Kris falls into casual conversation with you on the way.

"Yeah!" You nod. "I haven't had an official fight in a month or two but I'm always training." You explain.

"I'll have to come to see you fight next time you have one," Kris replies with a nod.

"That be awesome, I'd be happy to get you tickets." You agree. "And I have got to get some Dynamite tickets to see you and my brother sometime in the future."

"Yes! That would be so fun!" Kris agrees.

The two of you finally make it to the ride and fall into line to wait for your turn. You and Kris chat for a bit longer about random stuff while the line slowly moves forward bit by bit.

"Just two?" The man at the gate asks when you get to the front of the line.

"Yeah, just us two." Kris nods excitedly.

The man nods and swings open the gate then signals for you and Kris to go through. You laugh when Kris eagerly pulls forward and grabs your hand to pull you with her. You both head over to one of the cars and settle into your seats.

"You aren't afraid of heights by any chance are you?" You ask Kris as you both buckle in.

"No, not really." Kris shakes her head.

"Good." You giggle.

Other people pile into the other cars and the ride inches forward after everyone is in. It's a slow train of accent at first and the train stops when it gets to the top of the first hill.

"You ready?" You ask Kris before the cars take off again and offer her your hand.

"Yeah!" Kris nods and grabs your hand.

The train of cars inches forwards and goes barreling down the hill in an instant. You and Kris both throw your hands in the air and scream as the train pulls forward and through loops at a high speed.

A couple of hours later the group all meets up for lunch. You and Kris spot Trent and Chukie already at a table when you get to the restaurant you all agreed on.

"Hey, guys!" You wave and head over to the table with Kris. "You two have fun looking at all the Harry Potter stuff?" You ask them.

"Yeah, loads." Trent nods and rattles the bag of stuff he has at his feet.

"What about you two?" Chuck asks you.

"We rode a bunch of the rides and got a few photos." You explain and hand over your copy of the ride pictures.

Most of the photos are virtually the same. You and Kris holding hands in the air with huge grins on your faces as you zoom past the camera points.

"Cute." Trent comments.

"We are. Thank you very much." Kris laughs.

"Yeah! You two are just jealous that we make a cuter couple." You laugh with Kris.

Chapter Text

"Split the bill like usual?" You pull your wallet from your purse sitting next to you.

"Sure." Shida nods and does the same.

The two of you both pay your dues and head out of the sushi restaurant you grabbed lunch at.

"I'll see you at work, Y/N." Hikaru gives you a small hug before you part ways.

"Yeah, bye Shida." You wave to her.

You hop in the car and head home for a few hours before you have to head to work later. When you get home you spot Kenny's car parked in the driveway.

"Ken? I'm home!" You shout when you come through the door.

"In the office, babe!" You hear Kenny yell back from inside the house.

You drop your keys off and head towards the sound of your fiance's voice. You slip into his office to find him playing something on his PC.

"You winning?" You walk up behind his chair and lean over the back of it.

"I always win," Ken replies confidently and cranes his neck back to look at you.

"Okay." You snicker and lean down for a kiss. "I think you've been spending way too much time with Don."

"Maybe." Kenny chuckles with you. "How was the gym?"

"Fine. I had lunch with Shida after." You inform him.

"Oh?" Kenny nods. "Trying to get on her good side for a title shot?" He asks you.

"No." You scoff. "If I want a title shot ill get one. I don't need to kiss ass for that babe." You insist.

"Right. My bad." Kenny laughs.

You roll your eyes and swipe your hand across his keyboard for payback. A smile graces your feature as you exit the room and Kenny shouts about losing.

Later in the day, you are in the middle of packing up your work bag when Kenny comes in so he can do the same. He carries his AEW championship with him and you admire it for a moment as he passes you with it.

"See something you like?" Kenny teases you.

"Maybe." You wink back at him.

"You know." Kenny sets his belt down on your bed. "You're more than capable of beating Shida's ass for the woman's title." He reminds you.

"I know." You nod. "Hikaru is my friend." You remind him right back.

"I know that." Kenny nods. "It's just.. Man wouldn't it be sexy ass hell for us to both be champions?" He flaunts the idea at you.

"I suppose so." You shrug. "Doesn't mean that I'm gonna beat up my best friend for no reason, Ken."

Kenny drops the subject for the time being and packs his bag for work. You finish packing before him and watch him attempt to get dressed for the night.

"No. Absolutely not." You swat a shirt out of Kenny's hand as soon as he picks it up. "I swear, who taught you how to dress? A blind man?" You toss the ugly shirt aside and pick out a much nicer man.

"Hey!" Kenny protests. "I like that shirt." He frowns.

"You'll get over it." You pat his shoulder and hand him the new shirt.

Kenny grumbles but puts the shirt you picked out anyway then you both head to work.

When you get to the arena you are immediately greeted by Don.

"There's my favorite champion!" Don greets Kenny. "And his lovely fiance." He nods to you as well.

"Don." You nod back at him.

You all head back to the locker room to hang out until you are needed. Don chats with Kenny and you chat with Matt when he and Nick arrive.

It isn't until a conversation that Don is having with Kenny do you walk back over to your fiance.

"What are you two gossiping about over here?" You sit on the arm of Kenny's lounge chair.

"Don was just telling me that he heard Shida was having an open challenge tonight is all," Ken explains.

"Yeah, for her 1st anniversary as champ," Don adds.

"Oh. And what does that have to do with you two?" You ask them.

"Well..." Don clears his throat. "I was just telling Kenny about how the old you would have been all over that is all." He shrugs.

"The old me?" You raise a brow at Don.

"Yeah." Don nods. "You know? The old Y/N? The dominatrix of the ROH woman's division? The conquerer of Impact?" He recalls some of your old nicknames. "I'm talking about the Y/N that kicked ass and demanded respect from everyone. Men or woman."

"Are you saying that I've lost my edge, Callis?" You stand to your feet, angered at his words.

"Babe." Kenny gently grabs your arm.

You pry your arm away from Kenny and huff. You shook Don a dirty look and leave the locker room.

Once your away from Don you think about his words for a second. Is he right about you? Have you really lost that much of your edge? You used to command respect. You used to have every member of Bullet Club running for the hills at the sight of you and you weren't even wrestling back then.

It's been ages since you even held a title. Lately, you've barely even been putting any effort when you're in the ring.

"Oh, God." You shake your head. "He's right."

Before you know it you're standing at the entrance to the tunnel out to the ring. You know Hikaru is in the ring waiting for her opponent for the night.

Hikaru has been your friend for a while now. But you know what you have to do. You'd rather die than let Don be right about you being a washed-up has-been.

"Okay, hit my music." You nod to the backstage hand standing by.

Your entrance music cuts through the arena and you stalk through the tunnel with ill intent. You know just how you have to play this to win.

"Shida." You fake a smile when you get to the ring.

Hikaru of course looks happy that her friend is here to give her some friendly competition and the bell rings. Shida walks over to you with a smile to shake hands. Just like you knew she should.

"Shida, sorry about this." You drop your smile and go for the kill.

Shida barely has time to react before you're off your feet and drop-kicking her into the corner as hard as you can. You waste no time in getting to your feet and knocking her into the ring post as hard as you can.

"Holy hell!" You can hear Tony up at the commentary table and smile to yourself.

After Shida has been laid into enough you fling her out to the middle of the ring then quickly apply your chokehold. It doesn't take long for the ref to stop the match and ring the bell.

"Sorry Hikaru, but there's a new boss in town." You let Shida go and stand to your feet.

The ref raises your hand and then hands you the title belt. You sling it over your shoulder with a grin and turn back to the tunnel to find Kenny and Don waiting for you.

"Hello, gorgeous." Kenny grins at you when you make your way over to his side.

"Hey, baby." You wink at Kenny. "Oh, and Don, don't ever assume I won't beat your ass next time you talk shit about me." You flash a grin at Don.

"Yes ma'am." Don nods.

Satisfied that you've gotten your pride back you turn back to Kenny who is happy to kiss you to end the show and your night on a high note.

Chapter Text

"Uno! Colt?" You step into the Dark Order locker room on your first night back in months. "Oh...hello." You close the door behind you and find Adam Page sitting in a chair.

"Umm...hi." Adam looks up from his phone at you. "I'm Adam." He gives you a small wave.

"I know." You nod. "You know this is the Dark Order locker room right?" You ask him curiously.

Busy taking care of some urgent family matters the past few months you haven't been keeping up with work. But last time you checked Hangman wasn't a member of Dark Order.

"Yeah, I'm just waiting for John and Alex to get back." Page nods. "Hey, I swear I've seen you somewhere before." He adds.

"Well, I'd hope so." You giggle. "Y/N L/N? I'm Colt Cabana's cousin? The right hand of Evil Uno?" You explain where Adam might have seen you.

"Right!" Page nods. "I haven't seen you around here in a while. That's why I didn't recognize you."

"Yeah, I had some family stuff I had to take care of." You nod and take a seat next to the blond. "So, does this mean that Silver and Reynolds managed to get THE Hangman Adam Page to join the Dark Order?" You ask him.

"Not exactly." Adam shakes his head. "We're just friends is all." He clarifies the situation a bit for you.

"Oh." You nod. "So you haven't been totally converted yet then? Well, we're gonna have to change that." You joke.

"Ha! Is that so?" Adam quirks a brow at you. "And what makes you think that you could finish what Silver and Reynolds have been trying to do for months?" He asks you.

"Hey! You don't get to be the right hand of Evil Uno for nothing." You laugh. "I can be very charismatic Mr. Hangman, I can promise you that." You wink at him for good measure.

"I'm sure." Page laughs with a nod.

The locker room door swings open and a small group of people file into the room.

"Y/N!" John is the first one to greet you.

"John! Hey!" You laugh when he lifts you off your feet in a hug.

"Y/N, we missed you." Your cousin is the next to greet you.

"Missed you too you dork." You hug Colt gently. "Uno, good to be back." You nod to your boss next.

"Happy to have you back at my side." Uno nods and shakes your hand like usual.

"Happy to be back, Uno." You agree with him. "What are we up to lately? I've been way too busy with family to keep up with all that's been going on." You explain.

"No problem, let's walk." Uno nods and turns to the door.

"Okay." You nod. "See you guys later, bye Page." You wave at Adam before you leave.

You and Uno head out into the hall then fall into step with one another. He catches you up the best he can on what Dark Order has been up to. The most prominent thing being their beef with Taz and his goons.

"Okay. And what about Hangman? What's his deal? He told me that he's just been hanging around?" You ask Uno.

"Yes. We've been working to get him to pledge as a member. But he's proven a hard one to persuade. Reynolds and Silver have been buttering him up for months now." Uno explains with disappointment.

"It sounds like me you've been missing that feminine touch of mine, Uno." You tease him. "Leave Page to me, I'll get him to seal the deal." You promise.

"I don't doubt that one bit." Uno chuckles with a nod. "On Wednesday's I want you here with me. But you can work with Silver and Reynolds Mondays and Tuesdays on the Hangman." He gives you your orders.

"Alright." You nod. "Just leave it to me, Uno."

Later in the night, you come back from a quick meeting with Tony Khan to ensure that you're fully ready to be back when you run into Adam on the way back to the locker room.

"Hangman! Just the cowboy I was looking for." You greet him with a grin.

"Hello again to you too, darlin'." Page nods his head at you.

"Right back at you partner." You giggle. "Where you headed off to Page? And more importantly, you looking for a partner in crime?" You ask him.

"Dynamite's over and I'm off until Monday so I'm headed to the nearest bar," Adam replies. "And I suppose it never hurts to bring a drinking buddy along. Especially when they look like you." He winks at you.

"Wow." You giggle again. "Laying it on thick tonight aren't we Hangman?"

"You should be thankful." Adam purrs back at you. "I'm rarely interested in dating co-workers."

"Well lucky me I guess." You wink back at him. "I say we drink to that then." You add.

The two of you head down to some local bar not far from Daily's Place and settle down at the bar. The place bustles with locals and a few people from work but you and Page pay them no mind. You're both much too enthralled in your own little game to notice anyone around you.

"You know if Uno was smart he would have sent you after me the moment he wanted me in Dark Order." Page gazes at you as his thumb traces the rim of his beer bottle.

"That so?" You gaze right back at him with w grin. "Trust me, he wouldn't have had to ask."

Your little game is in full effect now. Normally you'd have whatever pour soul Uno sent you to prey upon in the palm of your hands by now. But Adam is surprisingly good at this game as well. Neither of you can keep your eyes to yourselves. Both of your gazes flitting between your respective eyes and lips.

"I bet Uno sends you out to seduce all of his new potential recruits doesn't he?" Page asks you, eyes not breaking from your own.

"Only the really special ones." You answer him. "And I always deliver." You warn him.

"Well I hate to inform you, but this ain't my first rodeo sweetheart," Adam replies with a grin.

"No. It definitely isn't." You agree with him. "You're much too good at this. But I like a challenge."

"Good." Page grins again. "Because I'm a big fan of the chase." He informs you.

"Oh, I don't think it'll be much of a chase." You laugh. "I've got you right where I want you, cowboy, and don't you forget it." You lean in until your lips are just barely brushing against Hangman's then you abruptly pull away.

You stifle your laugh at Adam's bewildered expression as you pull away from him. He thought he had you dead to rights just now.

"Like I said, cowboy. Right where I want you." You grin and pull a twenty from your wallet as you stand up. "Keep the change." You nod to the bartender. "And I'll be seeing you Monday Hangman." You flash the blond a wink before you take your leave for the night.

Chapter Text

Your head pops off your pillow extra early today, the excitement too much to keep you asleep.

"Yes! Today is gonna be fucking awesome." You grin at yourself in the mirror as you get ready for the day.

Today is your 23rd birthday, and to say that you've got big plans is an understatement. You've got your whole day planned out. Starting with breakfast with your family, and eventually ending with what has got to be the biggest party of the year. And it's all thanks to your dad.

"Morning sunshine. Happy birthday." Chris greets you in the kitchen when you finally head downstairs.

"Thanks, dad!" You give him a side hug. "Where's mom at?" You notice the absence of your mother in the room.

"She's upstairs getting ready. We're going out for breakfast remember?" He reminds you.

"I know." You nod. "Hand me a cup." You nod to the coffee maker on the counter.

Chris nods and fetches your coffee while you check your phone for the first time today. Your notification bar is full of people wishing you a happy birthday. Family, friends, and fans in all.

"Thanks, dad." You accept Chris's coffee and start to answer some of the more personal messages you received. "So, are you and mom sticking around for the party tonight?" You ask him.

Chris was nice enough to let you use his place instead of your much smaller apartment for your party. Which is why you slept here last night.

"God no." Chris laughs. "I booked us a couples retreat for the weekend. We're planning on leaving around noon or so." He informs you.

"Oh, mom will like that." You nod.

"Mhm, just try not to trash the house." Chris laughs again.

"No promises." You giggle with him.

Eventually, your mom arrives downstairs and you all head out for a lovely lunch. When you get back they pack up and leave while you call up your friends to help get ready for the party.

"Bye, guys." You wave to your parents as they leave. "Have fun."

"You too sweetie!" Chris calls back.

With your parents gone and the house now empty you start getting things ready for the party. Kris and Britt arrive soon after with some of the stuff needed for your party.

"Y/N! Happy Birthday!" Kris is the first one to greet you.

"Thanks, glad you could make it." You hug her back tightly.

"Of course!" Britt walks over and hugs the other side of you. "We've gotta make sure that this is a banger birthday bash." She insists.

You all head inside and start throwing up decorations and shit for the party. It doesn't take Britt long to bring up the topic of guests at the party.

"So, who'd all you invite?" Britt asks as she helps hang some lights.

"Just about everyone I could think of." You shrug. "You know, Trent, Chuck, Ricky, Max. Both Max's I should say." You list off a few names.

"You invited Max Caster?" Britt scoffs.

"Yeah, he's cute." You reply. "And Bowens too. Then let's see, all three of the Varsity blondes, Kenny, Wardlow." You list off a few more names.

"Oh is that all?" Kris laughs from below you.

"Not even close." You giggle with her. "This place is gonna be packed with pretty much everyone at work under 30. Plus some friends from outside work of course." You explain.

"I cannot wait." Britt grins.

Her recent breakup with Adam Cole has left her open to prey on wherever poor unsuspecting guy she can get to at the party tonight.

You are all still setting stuff up when someone knocks on the door. You leave Britt and Kris to go answer.

"Yeah? Oh, Ricky hey!" You greet Starks at the door.

"Y/N, what's up baby?" Ricky greeted you with a grin. "I figured you could use some help getting set up for the party. So I brought reinforcements." He steps to the side to reveal Brian behind him.

"Awesome, we could use the muscle." You joke and let them both in.

"Happy birthday by the way gorgeous," Ricky adds when you let him in and hands you a bag.

"Awe, thanks, Ricky." You thank him. "I and the girls are in here." You take him and Brian into the main room. "Kris, Britt, look who showed up to help out."

Kris and Britt both wave to your guests and you give them instructions on what they can do to help out.

A few hours later and the sun finally starts to set. You've gone and changed with the ladies for the party leaving Ricky and Brian downstairs to greet guests as they arrive.

By the time you've changed and made your way downstairs, people are everywhere and music is blaring through the house and vibrating off the walls.

"Y/N, there's the birthday girl." You are greeted by Max and Wardlow when you hit the main room.

"Maxwell." You greet him over the music. "I would have thought house parties were above you." You tease him.

"Let's call this one an exception, honey," Max replies with a grin and pulls something out of his pocket. "Here." He hands the box to you.

"Hey! Thanks, Max." You thank him and take the box. "Ricky got me a gift too." You add and pocket the box for later.

"Ricky? Starks got you a gift?" Max scoffs.

"Yeah, and speak of the devil." Your eyes and on Ricky as he makes his way across the floor over to you.

"Y/N, wow. That dress is killer." He compliments you.

"Thanks." You giggle. "I'm gonna grab a drink, guys, be right back." You dismiss yourself from the pair, unaware of the tension between them.

Ricky and Max lock eyes as soon as you are out of range.

"You'd be wise to back off tonight, Starks. Y/N's mine." Max warns Ricky.

"Ha! Not a chance Friedman." Ricky laughs. "Y/N's mine." He insists.

Not wanting to be a part of this little bickering session, Wardlow walks off and leaves Max to his battle.

You come back a few minutes later after grabbing a drink and saying hello to a few more people.

"Y/N, dance with me?" Ricky beats Max to the punch and asks you to dance.

"Sure." You nod.

Before you head out to dance with Ricky you entrust your drink to Kris who's hanging out with Trent and Chuck nearby. You know it'll be safe with her.

With your drink secure you head out to dance with Ricky just as a good song comes on. The two of you dance close without a care in the world. The music vibrating through your body as it reverberates off the walls of the house.

"Mind if I cut in?" Max soon grows jealous of watching Ricky all over you and butts in.

Not wanting to make a scene, Ricky backs off and lets Max take his place behind you.

"Oh, Maxwell. We meet again." You grin when you turn around and see Ricky has been replaced with Max.

"Pleasures all mine, honey." Max flashes you a wink.

The two of you dance for a while until your feet grow tired and you decide to take a break for a bit. You retrieve your drink from Kris and relax for a bit.

"Y/N, you open your gift from me yet?" Ricky walks over to you after a few minutes.

"No." You shake your head.

"Well come on then." Ricky grabs your hand and pulls you into one of the empty rooms in the house.

You laugh and pull out the small bag Ricky gave you earlier today. He leans against the doorframe and watches you open it.

You open the box to reveal two strings of gorgeous dazzling diamonds with hooks on one end and little crystal weights on the others.

"Are these for my glasses?" It takes a second to realize what you're looking at.

"Yeah." Ricky nods. "I remember you seeing Shida wearing a different pair a few weeks ago and you saying that you liked them." He explains.

"Awe, Ricky that's so sweet." You gush. "Are...are these real diamonds?" You examine the chains a little closer in the dim light.

"They are." Ricky nods. "Only the best for the birthday girl."

"Ricky... You didn't have to." You blush a bit at the gesture. "Thank you." You thank him again by leaning forward and kissing his cheek gently.

"You're worth it," Ricky replies.

You put the gift away and head back out to the part with Ricky. Only to be pulled away by Max a few minutes later.

"Okay, I wanna see you open your present," Max demands when he gets you alone finally.

"Okay okay." You giggle and take the box out of your pocket.

You carefully pull open the box to reveal a pair of diamond earrings. The jewels sparkle in the low light and you have to hold back a laugh.

"Wow, diamond earrings Max? I didn't realize you liked me this much." You tease him.

"What can I say?" Max grins. "I've got phenomenal taste. In jewelry and women."

"Well obviously." You giggle. "Thank you." You lean in and kiss his cheek same as Ricky's earlier.

When you get back out to the party it dawns on you. You've managed to rope yourself into a situation where two men are buying you diamonds in an attempt to impress you. And you haven't the slightest idea which one of them you like more.

Chapter Text

"Mhm, thanks, Julia." You wave to the blonde on your way out of the Varsity Blondes locker room with her straightener in hand.

You have been forced to borrow Julia's since you forgot to pack yours in a hurry to get to work on time. With the straightener in hand, you head back to your brother's locker room so you can use it. On your way back you run into the pair that Ethan and Scorpio have been bothering lately. Max Caster and Anthony Bowens.

"Well if it isn't Y/N Page." Max is the first one to greet you with a cute smile.

"Max, hello." You flash a grin back at him. "What are you and Bowens up to?" You ask him curiously.

"I could be asking you the same thing doll," Max replies with a flirty wink.

"Awe, it's cute that you care." You giggle. "I'm headed back to my bro's locker room. Care to join?" You tease him.

"Oof, tempting offer babe." Max chuckles sweetly. "But, unfortunately, Bowens and I have a match we need to get ready for."

"Shame." You shrug. "We could have had some fun, Caster." Your hand brushes his arm as you pass him.

"In my dreams doll, in my dreams," Max calls after you.

You walk off with a laugh and make your way back to the locker room. You've only known Max for around two or so months but you'll be damned if he's not infectious fun to be around. Not to mention almost annoyingly cute.

"You get lost?" Ethan comments when you get back to the locker room.

"No. Maybe I was secretly making out with Pillman Jr. " You reply and walk over to the vanity on the other side of the room.

"Or Julia. Now that would be hot." Scorpio chimes in from in front of his locker.

"Hey! That's my sister." Ethan shoots his tag partner a look.

"Yeah, your hot sister." Scorpio winks at you.

"Not a chance, Sky." You shake your head with a laugh. "You remind me too much of him." You nod to your brother.

"Shame." Scorpio shrugs. "Because I'd rock your world shorty." He winks at you.

You roll your eyes at your brother's red face as he gets up to hit his tag partner while you straighten your hair.

The thought had occurred to you when Ethan started tagging with Scorpio. You can't deny that he's hot and charming. But it only took you about a week or so to realize that like you mentioned before. Sky just reminds you way too much of Ethan for you to ever be attracted to him.

"You done with that yet?" Ethan starts bothering you after a little while.

"Almost." You swat his hand away from you. "Perfection like this takes time." You inform him matter-of-factly.

"Mhm. Just hurry up drama queen." Ethan rolls his eyes at you.

You finish up your hair and then unplug the straightener. You make sure to take your time grabbing your jacket to annoy your brother who threatens to leave you.

"Fine." You stick your tongue out at Ethan and join him by the door.

You all head out to the ring just as Bowens and Caster are finishing up their match. You catch a glimpse of Max getting the pin and smile to yourself.

You match the man's wide cheesy grin as his hand is raised by the official.

"What are you all smiley for?" Ethan scolds you. "Oh don't tell me you like that dork?" He glances at the ring then back at you.

"What? Max is sweet and funny." You shrug. "That's more than I can say about you."

"I'm funny." Ethan protests.

"Yeah, you keep telling yourself that." You giggle at him.

Max and Anthony come through the tunnel and you greet Max with a grin. He happily walks over to you and ignores Ethan and Scorpio.

"Y/N, we meet again." Max jokes.

"Yeah! Funny seeing you here." You giggle. "I saw that finish. Nice work." You compliment him.

"Thanks, doll." Max nods. "You headed out to the ring? Because me and Bowens have post-match plans if you're interested." He suggests.

"Yeah? Sounds fun." You nod. "I'll swing by yours after I help these two win. They're hopeless without me."

"Alright! See you then." Max nods and walks off with Bowens.

"Really?" Ethan groans when it's just you three again.

"Can it." You roll your eyes at your brother. "Now get to work." You bark orders at him as his music starts up.

You head out to ringside and watch your brother pick up a win against Stu Grayson from the Dark order. When the match is done you bid farewell to your brother and head out to Max's locker room.

When you get to the Acclaimed locker room you know sharply and Bowens answers then lets you in. You head inside just as Max is pulling his shirt over his head.

"Y/N, babe! Perfect timing." Max greets you with that dorky smile of his.

"Well, it is me we're talking about." You giggle. "So. What kind of plans do you have in store for us tonight?" You ask him.

"Point taken." Max chuckles with you. "If you're interested I know this killer adult arcade downtown." He informs you.

"Ooo, that sounds great!" You approve of the idea.

"Awesome. Let's me just grab my wallet and keys then." Max nods. "Bowen's, I'll be back late." He warns Anthony.

"Mkay," Bowens calls back from the bathroom.

You and Max head out to the arcade and play games all night. You adore Max's lighthearted childlike demeanor and easygoing charm. That coupled with his adorable smile and cute curls and it's safe to say that he's got you roped in.

"Ha!" You cheer when you manage to beat Max at Ski ball.

"What? Damn." Max chuckles as you bounce on your heels. "Got me again."

"Man, it's either you are really bad at arcade games. Or, you're letting me win." You quirk a brow at him as you walk back to your dim-lit booth.

"You got me, I'm really bad." Max teases you.

"Yeah, I'm sure." You giggle and squeeze into the booth with him.

You and Max huddle up to one another in the booth in a fit of giggles that ends with some very intense eye contact.

"You know I don't bite." You tease Max when his gaze keeps falling to your lips.

"Yeah... I know." Max nods and leans forward slowly.

Max presses his lips gently to yours, his hand coming up to rest on the back of your neck and play with your hair. Your hand also ventures up to his soft curls as arcade games all around you chime and click.

Chapter Text

"I'm gonna say it again. I hate this idea." You voice your displeasure as Sammy laces up his boots for his match tonight.

"And I keep telling you babe, I'm gonna be just fine." Sammy chuckles without worry.

"Mhm, sure you are." You grumble. "Chris really needs to stop putting you in these situations to feed his ego." You continue to pout.

"Okay, come here." Sammy drops his foot and walks over to you sulking on the bench. Then wraps his arms around you. "We are all going to be fine. Okay?" he insists again. "I'm gonna beat Shawn's ass for hitting on you. Chris is gonna beat Max. And Santana and Ortiz are gonna finally shut up Dax and Cash."

"What about Hager and Wardlow?" You reply with a small hint of a grin.

"And Hager is going to manhandle Wardlow. Then I'm going to come back to this locker room and sweep my gorgeous girlfriend off her feet to celebrate." He kisses your cheek gently.

"Fine!" You giggle and push him off of you. "But if you get hurt at all, Chris is getting the chewing out of a lifetime." You warn him.

"I can live with that." Sammy chuckles.

"Yeah, but can he?" You laugh with him.

Sammy's little pep talks makes you feel slightly better about letting you go. He gives you one last kiss on the cheek then heads out to meet Chris and the rest of Inner Circle. You don't want to be alone when Sammy has his match so you head out and meet up with Julia Hart.

Julia is a close friend and happy to keep you company while you worry about your boyfriend all night. She meets you halfway and the two of you head back to your empty locker room to watch the match.

"Thanks for hanging out with me, Julia." You thank her when you get back to the locker room.

"Yeah, no problem." Julia nods.

The two of you settle into chairs and wait for the stadium stampede match to start. You scoff when Max is the first one out on screen. But you know the secret of the over-the-top entrance that Chris and Inner Circle have planned.

"Woah!" Julia comments when Sammy and the rest of Inner Circle repel down from the scoreboard.

"Oh yeah!" You laugh. "Sammy was super excited about that part."

The match starts and you sit in your chair with eyes glued to the screen. Sure you care for the rest of Inner Circle, and a small part of you may still kind of care about Shawn since the two of you used to date way back when. But you are mostly concerned for Sammy.

The two of you have been dating for a little over a year now, and you are always worrying about him. You and Sammy have been through the worst when it comes to Inner Circle. You were right there for the whole Max fiasco and how it almost forces Sammy to leave Inner Circle. You of all people know just how much Sammy looks up to and admires Chris.

"Yeah! Get him, Hager!" You cheer for Jake duking it out with Wardlow on screen.

Julia cheers with you to keep you in good spirits until Sammy eventually comes on screen with Shawn. The two of them immediately start brawling it out and you can feel your blood pressure rising.

"Yes! Beat his ass!" You cheer for Sammy when he shows off his Parkour skills to avoid Spears.

Julia laughs and cheers along with you until Shawn gets the upper hand for the moment and the screen cuts back to Max and Chris.

"Shit..no. Please no." You shake your head with worry when the screen cuts away from Sammy.

"He's fine. I'm sure." Julia assures you with a pat on the back.

"Yeah, he'll be okay." You nod and assure yourself as well.

A little bit later the camera switches back to Shawn and Sammy. You jump for joy when Sammy comes back on screen and is alright. Not only is he okay, but he's driving a golf cart.

"Hell yeah!" You laugh when Sammy chases Spears down with the cart.

"Yeah! Get him, Sammy!" Julia cheers as well.

The match drags on with Sammy and Shawn and you begin to worry slightly again when things start to get intense again. You watch your boyfriend and your insufferable ex duke it out for a while. Each of them giving it their all.

Then, just when it looks like Sammy isn't going to be able to beat Spears. Sammy manages to pull out one last effort and knocks Spears out to the matt. You leap to your feet when the referee counts to three and the bell rings.

"Yes!" You and Julia both leap to your feet and hug. "Thanks, Julia." You give the blonde a quick thanks before you rush out the door.

Julia laughs and she watches you bolt out of the room and down the hall to get to the ring. You sprint all the way down to the ring and down the ramp where Chris and the rest of Inner Circle are standing.

"Suck it Spears!" You grin as you pass Shawn on your way to Sammy.

You quickly make your way through the ropes as Chris and everyone else parts out of the way for you. Sammy grins as you make the final stride to his side.

"You did it!" You practically scream and leap into Sammy's arms.

"Of course I did." Sammy laughs and hugs you tightly, partially leaning on you for support.

"You scared me for a minute there." You admit and let Sammy lean on you.

"I always scare you." Sammy chuckles again.

"Yeah, because I love you. Dork. I'm entitled to be worried." You remind him.

"Right, well I guess if someone has to worry about me." Sammy teases you.

"Damn right." You nod and kiss Sammy's cheek. "And I guess since you won I don't have to cuss out Chris. Today anyway." You add with a grin.

"Perfect. Because now we celebrate!" Sammy grins with you.

Chapter Text

"Oh! Nice try! Better luck next time Julia." You laugh as the official raises your hand in victory.

Julia groans in pain across from you while Pillman Jr helps her to her feet. Griff glares at you from their side as the official drops your hand back down to your side.

"Problem?" You flash a smug grin Griff's way.

"You cheated. That's my problem." Garrison grits his teeth at you.

"Yeah? Prove it." You laugh. "No? That's what I thought. Don't blame me for Julia being a sore loser sweetie." You add as you walk off.

You can hear Griff and Pillan Jr complain about you as you walk back up the ramp and to the tunnel, which puts a smile on your face. With another easy win in the bag, you head back to your locker room. When you get to the other side of the tunnel you find Scorpio Sky and Ethan Page hanging around.

"Well well well, if it isn't my favorite groupies." You giggle and walk over to the pair.

"We really need to stop meeting like this." Ethan chuckles with you and licks his lips.

"I know. I'm beginning to think that I have a couple of new stalkers. Hot stalkers, but still." You tease him.

"Well now, I think it may be the other way around there babe." Ethan protests with a grin. "If anyone here is stalking anyone, you might be stalking Scorp and me." He corrects you.

"Ha! Fat chance." You laugh. "You're cute Page, but you aren't that cute. And I only date the best." You poke his chest playfully.

"That so?" Ethan raises a brow at you.

"I mean, look at me." You gesture to yourself. "It takes more than dimples and a cute smile to handle all this." You insist with a grin.

"Oh, I bet." Ethan chuckles. "You take care gorgeous. Maybe stick around and get a glimpse at just how good Scorp and I are." He suggests as Scorpio's music begins playing in the arena.

"Maybe I will." You shrug to seem uninterested.

Ethan flashes you one more wink before he heads off through the tunnel with Scorpio and you head back to the locker room since you have a monitor mounted on the wall. When you get back to your locker room you are just in time to see Scorpio and Ethan right in the middle of their match with Pillman Jr and Griff Garrison.

You sit down and pull off your boots while you watch the match unfold. You have to admit. Ethan and Scorpio are much better in the ring than you made them out to be. Plus anyone that's giving the Varsity Blonds a hard time is cool with you.

You finish getting changed back into some normal clothes just as Scorpio picks up the pin against Pillman Jr. You sit back and watch Scorpio and Ethan celebrate a little bit before you turn down the tv and start packing up your things for the night.

"Hmm?" You are just about done packing up when someone knocks on your door. "Yeah? Oh, Ethan." You open the door to find Ethan leaning against the doorframe with a smug grin.

"Hey gorgeous, I figured that I'd come by and make your night significantly better," Ethan explains.

"Naturally." You roll your eyes playfully. "Where's your partner in crime at?" You glance around for Scorpio.

"Scorp is back in the locker room," Ethan replies. "I came by because I've got a proposition for you."

"Ethan Page! What kind of girl do you take me for?" You tease him with a laugh.

"The type of girl that looks like she knows how to have a good time." Ethan winks at you. "Scorp and I are getting drinks after the show. Care to join us?" He asks you.

"Hmm?" You ponder on the invitation for a moment. "Okay sure." You decide to take a chance and accept the offer.

"Excellent. I'll text you the address, see you then babe." Ethan blows you a kiss before he walks off.

You laugh and shake your head as you close the door. Okay, Ethan might be a little more charming than you initially thought. You gather up all your stuff and quickly drop it off back at your apartment just as Ethan texts you the address.

You head to the address of some swanky bar downtown. As soon as you get inside you spot Ethan and Scorpio both enjoying drinks at the far corner of the bar so you head over.

"Wow! Someone cleans up nice." You comment on Ethan's casual attire.

"Always dressed to impress babe." Ethan flashes you another wink. "What are you drinking?" He asks you casually.

You sit down on the stool next to Ethan and order a drink from the bartender that saunters over to you.

You aren't there for long when Scorpio gets up and walks off. You follow his movement across the bar to a small group of girls sitting in a booth and laugh.

"Scorp has a taste for college girls huh?" You hum and turn back to Ethan.

"It's an acquired taste, yes." Ethan chuckles.

"And what about you, Ethan? Too high and mighty for slutty college girls?" You quirk a brow at him.

"Not anymore." Ethan shakes his head. "My taste is much more mature. Like cocky little things that love to play games with their opponents." He purrs at you.

"Hmm, now those girls sound like fun." You giggle. "Too bad, they're in short supply I hear."

"Oh, I think I may have found one," Ethan replies. "What do you say we get out of here hmm?" He suggests. "Scorpio shouldn't be the only one that gets to have all the fun tonight."

"Bold of you to assume I'm that easy Ethan." You giggle and lean in close to Ethan.

"I never said that." Ethan corrects you, his eyes flitting from your eyes to your lips. "There's a difference between being easy and knowing you're gonna have a good time."

"I guess so." You giggle a bit again. "Personally, I don't think you could handle me, Page." You challenge him.

"Why don't you let me be the judge of that sweetheart." Ethan fires right back.

Chapter Text

"Will you knock it off Pete!" You give the former champion a shove.

"What? I'm not doing anything." Pete shrugs, his arms wrapped over your shoulders.

"I'm serious." You warn him again and push at his chest.

"That's not what you were saying last weekend." Pete reminds you.

"It was one date." You give his chest another shove to create some separation. "And it wasn't a very good one either." You add as you finally get free.

"I thought it was fun." Pete protests. "And God did you look sexy in that little black dress." He chuckles and leans in again.

You put your hands up to shove Pete away again with a sneer since he doesn't seem to be getting the hint when someone beats you to hit.

"Get lost, Dunne you loser!" You step back when your brother comes into the room and grabs Pete by the collar of the shirt.

"Y/N, are you alright?" Kyle files into the room behind Adam and walks over to you.

"I'm fine Kyle, yeah." You nod and watch as Adam continues to hand Pete out to dry. "Adam, he's not worth it." You speak up.

"Fine." Adam drops Pete and walks back over to you and Kyle. "Get lost Dunne, before I change my mind." He warns Pete.

"Whatever." Pete rolls his eyes and walks off.

Kyle continues to stand next to you with a hand on your arm. Adam walks over to you and immediately goes into overprotective brother mode.

"Are you okay?" Adam asks you. "Hmm? Did he hurt you at all? Yell at you?" He hovers like a parent.

"Adam. I'm fine." You assure him and lightly shove him away. "Seriously, space Adam. Space." You remind him.

"Right, sorry." Adam nods and takes a step back. "What were you even doing talking to him?" He asks you.

"We went out on a date last week." You answer. "A very bad date. But Pete seems to think that it went well." You roll your eyes.

"A date?" Kyle speaks up from the other side of you.

"Yeah, I don't know." You shrug. "Can we go back to the locker room now?"

Adam nods and you all head back to the locker room for the time being. Ever since the Undisputed Era broke up things have been hectic.

Kyle ended up being the only one to stay with Adam beside you. But he's your only brother so you don't really count. Part of you wonders why Kyle stayed when everyone else decided to part ways. But you're also glad that he did.

A little bit later in the night, Adam is busy in the bathroom leaving you and Kyle both sitting in silence in the main room.

"Kyle, something on your mind?" You notice Kyle being uncharacteristically quiet.

"Hmm? No...not really." He shrugs casually. "Why, are you okay?" He tilts his head at you.

"I'm fine." You smile to yourself at Kyle's worry. "I still can't believe that I was dumb enough to go out with Pete." You try and lighten the mood a bit.

"Where'd he take you?" Kyle asks curiously.

"Some fancy place downtown." You roll your eyes. "Made me wear this awful dress."

"You hate dresses." Kyle chuckles.

"Yeah, I know." You laugh with him. "Not to mention all he did was talk about himself for the whole night." You add.

Adam comes back from the bathroom and eyes you and Kyle laughing with one another. He narrows his eyes at you and walks over to your side.

"What are you two giggling about?" He asks you both.

"Just how bad of a date, Dunne was." You giggle.

"Well, I could have told you that." Adam snickers. "I mean come on Y/N, you're a Cole. Your standards need to be much higher." He insists.

"I'll keep that in mind." You roll your eyes casually.

Kyle and Adam are needed out in the ring for their match so you wander off backstage to wait for them to finish up.

"There she is." Pete ends up finding you again, much to your dismay.

"Again, Dunne. Really?" You roll your eyes at Pete as he walks over to you. "You just don't give up, do you?"

"Nope. Call me persistent." Pete shakes his head.

Pete furrows his brows when you suddenly take a small step back from him with a smile on your face.

"I think I'll call you dead." Adam rounds the corner and goes right for Pete.

As usual, Kyle walks around Pete as Adam tackles him to the floor. He walks over to you with a cheesy smile and leans against the wall.

"Yeah, I don't think he'll be bothering you anymore." Kyle grins.

"Yeah, me either." You agree with him. "Kyle, are you doing anything after the show by any chance?" You ask him.

"No, why?" Kyle shakes his head.

"Well, Adam did tell me that I should up my standards. So, why not upgrade to my sickenly adorable and sweet best friend?" You ask him.

"Me?" Kyle looks a little perplexed at first.

"Yes, you!" You giggle and pull Kyle into a hug. "Dork, come on." You grab his hand and walk past Adam still hitting Pete. "Adam, you can probably leave him alone now."

Adam pulls himself up from Pete and kicks him one last time for good measure. He wipes the sweat from his face and glances at you and Kyle holding hands.

"Hey! See now that's much better." He years you. "O'Reilly knows how to treat my little sister."

"Well, I really don't wanna end up like him." Kyle jokes with a grin and glances at Pete.

"Good. Because you will." Adam warns.

"Adam!" You lean forward and smack his arm. "Be nice."

Chapter Text

The sun shines bright and casts a rainbow of colors onto the alter. Your closest friends and some family are all staring at you with huge grins as you grip your bouquet.

Jon stands across from you, looking sharp in the suit you just know he hates wearing. Piano music plays softly from the side of the room as the pastor begins his sermon.

"And now, Johnathan, do you take this lovely woman as your lawfully wedded wife?" He asks Jon.

You smile at your fiance and wait for him to say the two words that will propel your life into its next chapter. You may both barely be in your twenties, but the love is strong.

"I..." Jon begins to speak but trails off.

"Jon?" You furrow your brows as Jon stares at you like he's about to apologize for something.

"I'm sorry." Your heart shatters at those two words. The exact opposite of what you've been waiting to hear all morning. "I can't do this." Jon shakes his head and turns on his heel to make his way back down the aisle.

"Jon?" Your bouquet drops onto the floor as tears brim your eyes.

Jon takes one last glance at you when he gets to the doors like he's about to come running back up the aisle. But he doesn't. He shakes his head and mouths something to you before he disappears behind the door.

10 years ago you were left at the altar by the man you thought you were in love with. Jon disappeared that day without a word and you haven't seen him since. Not in person anyway. You've heard his name countless times since then. Since you both work in the wrestling business.

Luckily for you, Jon's career took him on a very different path than it did you. Jon signed with the world's biggest wrestling company and you shipped off to Japan to work with your brother.

And not long after you moved to Japan you met someone that managed to knock you off your feet again. Jay White. You and Jay dated for nearly eight years, but deep down you knew he wasn't ready for a commitment. So you both mutually broke it off. It never really felt quite right anyway. But lucky for you, Kenny and his buddies were in the middle of starting their own wrestling company. And AEW saved you from things being weird with Jay.

"Ken, come on. You better open this door!" Your hand pounds on your brother's locker room door.

"Yes?" Kenny cracks the door open with an innocent door.

"You are a despicable human being. You know that!" You push your way inside the room with a paper balled up in your hand.

"Y/N, just calm down will you?" Kenny pleads with you.

"Calm down?!" You continue to shout. "Why should I calm down? You! Why didn't you tell me!" You chuck the paper at Kenny's head.

"Because I knew you'd act like this!" Kenny shouts back and dodges the paper. "It's not like there's anything I can do about it anyway. I'm sorry."

"I..." You take a deep breath. The first one since you read the paper. "No...I'm sorry." You shake your head. "It's just...I"

"I know." Kenny walks over to you and pats your back. "No one would blame you if you wanted to take some time off." He suggests. "I'm sure Taz would be willing to fill in for a few weeks."

"No!" You shake your head and try to hold back some stray tears. "I'm not gonna let him change the way I live my life." You insist. "Let him come! I'm over it."

Kenny nods again, knowing that you just need some time to calm down and adjust. He knew that there was going to be some discourse when Khan signed Jon to the show.

"Atta girl." Kenny nods and stands up with you. "I'll see you after the show." He pats your back again and lets you leave.

You head back to the commentary locker room so you can change and wait for the show to start. You are almost to the door when you spot Jon down the hall walking with Tony and your heart sinks into your stomach.

"Fuck." You curse the air.

"Y/N?" Jon manages to lock eyes with you from the other end of the hall.

"Shit." You mumble under your breath. "Jon...hi." You manage a small wave as Jon hurries down the hall to you.

"Oh! Y/N, I forgot that you knew Moxley." Tony follows behind Jon.

"Yeah, we were acquainted once upon a time." You nod and look at Tony instead of Jon.

"Nice! Moxley, Y/N here is one of our best commentators on the show. Her and Excalibur do excellent work." He praises you.

"I don't doubt that one bit." Jon nods and flashes a friendly smile your way. "How've you been, Y/N?" He asks you casually.

"Fine." You reply dryly. "I heard you were engaged. You leave her at the alter and pussy out over here too?" You ask him finally looking at him.

Tony visibly takes a step back at the comment and slinks away. He remembers Kenny and the Bucks mentioning that Moxley knew you once upon a time. But he had no idea blood was this bad.

"Yeah...I deserve that." Jon nods and rubs the back of his neck.

"That and so much more." You scoff. "Welcome to AEW. I sincerely hope my brother kicks your ass tonight." You flash him a fake grin and slip into the locker room.

Jon watches the door slam hard in his face and chuckles to himself before he walks off to find Tony.

"You really fucked that one up buddy." He laughs at himself. "But she didn't hit me." He adds as he talks to himself. "She still cares, I know it." He insists to himself.

Inside the locker room, you rub your face harshly from the stress and all the feelings bubbling up in your brain.

"God Y/N, get a grip!" You scold yourself.

When did Jon get so tall? And built? When you were with him the man was a bean pole. A violent and smug one. But still.

"Y/N, you okay?" Excalibur looks up from his phone once you've composed yourself.

"Yes...no. I don't know." You shake your head. "It's complicated okay? But I'm fine." You insist.

"Okay." Excalibur nods, not about to start unpacking all this baggage.

You change and head out to work with Excalibur and try to push Jon from your mind during the show. All is going well until it eventually comes time for Jon and Ken to do their thing.

"Oh, fuck me." You roll your eyes at Jon's antics both in and out of the ring.

You hate yourself for it. But you can't deny the goosebumps that litter your skin at the pop Jon gets from the crowd. And how natural he looks propped up in front of thousands that are all cheering and going mad for him.

It might physically pain you to admit it. But there might be just a small hint of some lingering feels there for Jon. And you have no idea what you're gonna do about them.

Chapter Text

Bright lights shine down on you from several different angles. A couple of guys with cameras lingering just a few feet in front of you.

"Okay, step forward a bit for me. Mhm, now flash me that pretty smile." The main photographer helps position you. "Gorgeous! Just gorgeous. Okay, hold that." He snaps a few pictures.

"What if I turned a little to the side?" You make a small suggestion and move a little.

"Yes! Beautiful." The photographer nods and snaps a few more pictures. "You are on fire today honey." He praises you.

Across the way, Scorpio and Ethan are coming back from the ring when the sound of camera's clicking catches their attention.

"Sounds like someones having a good time." Scorpio comments as he and Ethan turn around.

"Yeah, let's go see." Ethan agrees and the pair take off.

Ethan and Scorpio follow the sound of camera clicks over to the other side of the backstage area and soon find the source.

"Hello!" Ethan is the first to comment. "Who the hell is she?" He eyes you up while you're busy with the photographer still.

"That, my friend..." Scorpio chuckles and pats Ethan on the back. "Is trouble wrapped up in one oh so enticing little package."

"Amen to that." Ethan chuckles right back.

"Okay, let's take five." The photographer drops his camera against his chest.

"Great." You nod and step off of the backdrop to grab some water.

With the photographer out of the way you now take notice of your admirers that have suddenly appeared. You eye them from the corner of your eye as they whisper to one another all while they pass glances at you.

"You two gawkers lost?" You quirk a brow at them both.

"Gawkers? Ouch, so harsh." Ethan grins and puts his hand to his chest. "I'd like to call us admirers. Much more formal." He flashes a wink at you.

"Oh, well pardon me then." You laugh and walk over to them. "Names, Y/N. What about you handsome?" You let Ethan shake your hand.

"Ethan Page, doll." Ethan shakes your hand gently. "This is my buddy Scorpio." He nods to Sky next to him.

"I know." You nod and turn your attention to him. "Scorpio, how've you been?" You ask him casually.

"You know me, babe. Living my best life." Scorpio shrugs. "And I see you've been out here thriving." He looks you up and down blatantly.

"Of course." You crack a small smile at his antics. "And I see that you're making new friends. Interesting ones at that." You turn back to Ethan for a moment.

"You two know each other?" Ethan seems a little surprised but doesn't let it phase him. "Well then, I bet there's an interesting story there." His gaze flits between you and Scorpio.

"It's definitely interesting. Maybe we'll have to let you in on all the details sometimes." You tease him with a smile.

"I'd love that." Ethan nods, his mind racing with all kinds of ideas.

"Mhm, I bet you would." You laugh again. "Unfortunately I've got to get back to work. But you two are more than welcome to stay and watch." You flash both of them another wink and turn around.

Ethan and Scorpio stand and watch you walk back over to your photographer. You live for the fact that you know you've got them hooked.

The pair linger for a little while before they head back to the locker room. But you know that you'll be seeing them again very soon.

"You were on fire, today sweetheart. Pleasure working with you." The photographer thanks you for your work when the session is over and you head back to your hotel.

You are on your way back to your room when you pass Scorpio and Ethan in the lobby. You lock eyes with them both as they watch you press the button for the elevator and step inside. You flash them an inciting grin as the elevator doors slide close.

"You busy tonight, Ethan?" Scorpio turns to his friend when the elevator closes.

"Nope. And even if I did, I'm sure as hell free now." Ethan shakes his head.

The pair share a look that says it all and head for the elevator.

Back in your room, you barely get out of your clothes and are in the middle of digging through your suitcase in just your bra and underwear when a knock sounds at the door.

"Wow, that was fast." You grin to yourself at the noise. Knowing exactly who it is at the door.

You saunter over to the door and pull your robe over your shoulders to make yourself at least a bit more decent.

"Yes? Oh, what a surprise." You open the door to reveal Scorpio and Ethan both leaning against either side of the doorframe.

"Happy to see us?" Ethan asks you with a grin.

"Mmm, maybe." You shrug. "It really depends on what I can help you, boys, with." You cross your arms over your chest casually.

Scorpio and Ethan share another look. You hate it when men do that. Like they're communicating without ever uttering a word to one another.

"We know a killer club that's open late if you're looking for some fun." Ethan is the first to suggest something.

"A club huh?" You nod softly. "Packed house and loud music with all those sweaty bodies? Can't really say that's my scene."

Scorpio lets out a small chuckle, knowing perfectly well the game that you're playing.

"She's more into the private scene." Scorpio corrects his friend.

"That right?" Ethan starts to pick up the hint. "Well, I've always been a man of the people. Love to share." He chuckles.

"Yeah? Well, I love a man that loves to share." You giggle. "Why don't you two come in and have a drink?" You turn around and beckon for them to follow you.

Ethan and Scorpio share one more look before they both follow you inside and shut the door behind him. The pair both know they are about to put a new meaning to the term tag team.

Chapter Text

"Come on! Just end this already." You complain to Brian in the ring toying with his opponent.

"Pipe down!" Cage snaps back at you with a growl.

"Bite me, Brian." You snap right back.

Tired of listening to you complain Brian delivers one last powerbomb and gets his 3 count. You clap your hands and slip through the ropes to raise Brian's hand before you go.

"Happy?" Brian glances down at you when you raise his arm.

"Now I am, yes." You reply with a grin. "Now come on, let's get out of here." You drop his hand and walk over to the ropes.

Brian rolls his eyes and parts the ropes for you like a gentleman. You might be a pain in the ass but you're still his partner.

The two of you head backstage and back to the Team Taz locker room. On your way back you happen by The Pinnacle locker room with the door swung wide open. Curious you stop in front of the door and find Max and Wardlow both inside.

"Well well well, hello." You flash a grin into the locker room and lean against the doorframe.

"Y/N, what's up gorgeous?" Max is the one to reply first. "Don't be shy, come on in." He offers.

"Well, I can't refuse that offer now can I?" You giggle and push off the wall. "But I'm still gonna have to ask you to move out of the way, scarf boy." You push Max's shoulder to the side. "Wardlow, big man. What's up?" You head straight for Max's companion without a second glance.

"Y/N, where are all your buddies? You know, the twink and the big guy?" He asks you casually.

"Ha! You've got jokes. Cute." You laugh. "Ricky's got the flu and I'm sure Brian is standing in the hall with an angry look on his face as we speak." You explain.

"I can imagine." Wardlow chuckles. "What brings you in here shorty?" He asks you.

"Maybe I just like to wander." You shrug.

"Yeah. Or you're looking for trouble." Wardlow corrects you.

"Me? Trouble? Never." You shake your head with a grin. "But it's probably not a good idea to keep Brian waiting." You add. "So you take care big man. Keep doing what you're doing." You poke at his chest playfully before you turn around back to the door.

"Mhm, and you try and stay out of trouble," Wardlow replies and watches you go.

You shut the door on your way out and leave Max and Wardlow alone again. As soon as you are gone Max starts complaining.

"Why does she have to be into you?" He scoffs. "God she's hot, and a total bitch. Just my type." Max shakes his head.

"Guess I've just got more game." Wardlow shrugs and goes back to what he was doing before you showed up.

Back out in the hall, Brian drags you along back to the locker room.

"Was that really necessary?" He scolds you.

"Yes, absolutely." You nod with a grin. "You could have left without me you know?" You remind him.

"Oh yeah! And get an earful from Taz? No thanks." Brian scoffs and rolls his eyes.

"Whatever." You roll your eyes right back at him.

The two of you walk back to the Team Taz locker room in silence. You can tell Brian is gonna be in a bad mood for the rest of the night. Not that you care much.

"Y/N, Brian! How'd you two get on?" He asks you as Brian shuts the door.

"Good." You nod and sit down in a chair. "Brian won, obviously."

"Excellent." Taz nods with you. "I'm gonna head out early, your mother's been bothering me all week for a date night," Taz informs you as he collects his stuff.

"Okay." You nod. "Tell her I said hi for me." You wave to Taz as he leaves.

With Taz gone, this just leaves you and Cage in the locker room. You tap at your phone absentmindedly while he changes in the other room. When he comes back out you pocket your phone and turn your attention back on him.

"I'm going out for drinks if you wanna come with me." You offer.

"Sure, why not." Cage shrugs with a nod. "I could use a drink."

When the show comes to an end you and Cage head out to the bar out near the arena. As soon as you arrive you are plopped down at the bar and ordering yourself a drink.

Brian opts for a seat a few chairs away from you and orders his own drink. You like Brian and respect him. But holy hell does the man need to learn how to relax.

"Oh, this is perfect." You grin to yourself and press your drink to your lips when you catch the reflection of Wardlow coming through the door on the back of the bar.

Your eyes flit to Wardlow casually as he makes his way to the bar a few seats opposite you. You turn your head back to the bar and take another sip of your drink. And the game begins.

"Excuse me? Can you fill me back up, please?" You down the rest of your drink and beckon the bartender over.

Your plan works and Wardlow turns his bead your way at the sound of your voice. You ignore him and pretend that you didn't see him come in.

With your drink in hand, you stir the mix with your straw and casually glance around the bar. You cock your head to the side when your eyes lock with Wardlow. But just for a moment.

"Really?" Brian sees the whole thing from his spot at the bar and rolls his eyes with a grumble.

Sure enough, it only takes a few more casual passing glances for Wardlow to hop off his seat and walk over to the one next to yours.

"Wardlow." You acknowledge his presence, keeping your eyes at the bar.

"Y/N." Your name falls off Wardlow's tongue in a sweet tone. "Bartender, could you top us both off, please?" He beckons the bartender over with a large hand.

"Thanks." You finally turn Wardlow's way with your almost empty glass. "Where's our favorite rich boy at?" You take notice that Max is nowhere to be found.

"He had a date with some college girl he met." Wardlow shrugs casually. "So here I am."

"Here you are, indeed." You let yourself laugh a little. "Any special plans for tonight? Besides buying pretty girls drinks?" You ask him.

"Not sure yet." Wardlow shrugs those broad shoulders of his again. "Guess it depends on if certain pretty girls appreciate the gesture."

The bartender brings over your drinks and you play with your straw with a flirty grin. Wardlow downs his in one go and drops his glass back onto the bar.

"I'll always appreciate a free drink." You send a wink his way. "And I guess I could use some company tonight. If you can manage to get me out of here with Brian seeing. He's got a big mouth." You nod over to Brian eyeing you both from his seat.

"Cage? Don't worry about him." Wardlow waves his hand dismissively. "You in princess? Or do I need to buy you another drink?"

"Oh, I've been in since you walked in." You laugh. "But another drink couldn't hurt. Alcohol always makes things more interesting. Don't you agree?"

Chapter Text

"Come on! Just end this already." You complain to Brian in the ring toying with his opponent.

"Pipe down!" Cage snaps back at you with a growl.

"Bite me, Brian." You snap right back.

Tired of listening to you complain Brian delivers one last powerbomb and gets his 3 count. You clap your hands and slip through the ropes to raise Brian's hand before you go.

"Happy?" Brian glances down at you when you raise his arm.

"Now I am, yes." You reply with a grin. "Now come on, let's get out of here." You drop his hand and walk over to the ropes.

Brian rolls his eyes and parts the ropes for you like a gentleman. You might be a pain in the ass but you're still his partner.

The two of you head backstage and back to the Team Taz locker room. On your way back you happen by The Pinnacle locker room with the door swung wide open. Curious you stop in front of the door and find Max and Wardlow both inside.

"Well well well, hello." You flash a grin into the locker room and lean against the doorframe.

"Y/N, what's up gorgeous?" Max is the one to reply first. "Don't be shy, come on in." He offers.

"Well, I can't refuse that offer now can I?" You giggle and push off the wall. "But I'm still gonna have to ask you to move out of the way, scarf boy." You push Max's shoulder to the side. "Wardlow, big man. What's up?" You head straight for Max's companion without a second glance.

"Y/N, where are all your buddies? You know, the twink and the big guy?" He asks you casually.

"Ha! You've got jokes. Cute." You laugh. "Ricky's got the flu and I'm sure Brian is standing in the hall with an angry look on his face as we speak." You explain.

"I can imagine." Wardlow chuckles. "What brings you in here shorty?" He asks you.

"Maybe I just like to wander." You shrug.

"Yeah. Or you're looking for trouble." Wardlow corrects you.

"Me? Trouble? Never." You shake your head with a grin. "But it's probably not a good idea to keep Brian waiting." You add. "So you take care big man. Keep doing what you're doing." You poke at his chest playfully before you turn around back to the door.

"Mhm, and you try and stay out of trouble," Wardlow replies and watches you go.

You shut the door on your way out and leave Max and Wardlow alone again. As soon as you are gone Max starts complaining.

"Why does she have to be into you?" He scoffs. "God she's hot, and a total bitch. Just my type." Max shakes his head.

"Guess I've just got more game." Wardlow shrugs and goes back to what he was doing before you showed up.

Back out in the hall, Brian drags you along back to the locker room.

"Was that really necessary?" He scolds you.

"Yes, absolutely." You nod with a grin. "You could have left without me you know?" You remind him.

"Oh yeah! And get an earful from Taz? No thanks." Brian scoffs and rolls his eyes.

"Whatever." You roll your eyes right back at him.

The two of you walk back to the Team Taz locker room in silence. You can tell Brian is gonna be in a bad mood for the rest of the night. Not that you care much.

"Y/N, Brian! How'd you two get on?" He asks you as Brian shuts the door.

"Good." You nod and sit down in a chair. "Brian won, obviously."

"Excellent." Taz nods with you. "I'm gonna head out early, your mother's been bothering me all week for a date night," Taz informs you as he collects his stuff.

"Okay." You nod. "Tell her I said hi for me." You wave to Taz as he leaves.

With Taz gone, this just leaves you and Cage in the locker room. You tap at your phone absentmindedly while he changes in the other room. When he comes back out you pocket your phone and turn your attention back on him.

"I'm going out for drinks if you wanna come with me." You offer.

"Sure, why not." Cage shrugs with a nod. "I could use a drink."

When the show comes to an end you and Cage head out to the bar out near the arena. As soon as you arrive you are plopped down at the bar and ordering yourself a drink.

Brian opts for a seat a few chairs away from you and orders his own drink. You like Brian and respect him. But holy hell does the man need to learn how to relax.

"Oh, this is perfect." You grin to yourself and press your drink to your lips when you catch the reflection of Wardlow coming through the door on the back of the bar.

Your eyes flit to Wardlow casually as he makes his way to the bar a few seats opposite you. You turn your head back to the bar and take another sip of your drink. And the game begins.

"Excuse me? Can you fill me back up, please?" You down the rest of your drink and beckon the bartender over.

Your plan works and Wardlow turns his bead your way at the sound of your voice. You ignore him and pretend that you didn't see him come in.

With your drink in hand, you stir the mix with your straw and casually glance around the bar. You cock your head to the side when your eyes lock with Wardlow. But just for a moment.

"Really?" Brian sees the whole thing from his spot at the bar and rolls his eyes with a grumble.

Sure enough, it only takes a few more casual passing glances for Wardlow to hop off his seat and walk over to the one next to yours.

"Wardlow." You acknowledge his presence, keeping your eyes at the bar.

"Y/N." Your name falls off Wardlow's tongue in a sweet tone. "Bartender, could you top us both off, please?" He beckons the bartender over with a large hand.

"Thanks." You finally turn Wardlow's way with your almost empty glass. "Where's our favorite rich boy at?" You take notice that Max is nowhere to be found.

"He had a date with some college girl he met." Wardlow shrugs casually. "So here I am."

"Here you are, indeed." You let yourself laugh a little. "Any special plans for tonight? Besides buying pretty girls drinks?" You ask him.

"Not sure yet." Wardlow shrugs those broad shoulders of his again. "Guess it depends on if certain pretty girls appreciate the gesture."

The bartender brings over your drinks and you play with your straw with a flirty grin. Wardlow downs his in one go and drops his glass back onto the bar.

"I'll always appreciate a free drink." You send a wink his way. "And I guess I could use some company tonight. If you can manage to get me out of here with Brian seeing. He's got a big mouth." You nod over to Brian eyeing you both from his seat.

"Cage? Don't worry about him." Wardlow waves his hand dismissively. "You in princess? Or do I need to buy you another drink?"

"Oh, I've been in since you walked in." You laugh. "But another drink couldn't hurt. Alcohol always makes things more interesting. Don't you agree?"

Chapter Text

You are just about to pull out of the Daily's Place parking lot when you notice a pair of glasses sitting in the passenger seat.

"Crap. Not again dad." You pick up the glasses case with a sigh and turn the car around.

You park your car and dig around for your backstage pass in your purse. Once it's been found you throw it around your neck and head back into the building.

"Hi, I just need to get in real quick. I'll only be a few minutes." You flash the pass to the guard at security.

The guard nods and lets you inside to the backstage area. You hurry down the hall and make your way to the locker room with Christians' name stuck to the door.

"Dad? Hello?" You knock briefly before you enter the room. "Dad, you forget your..." You hold up the glasses as you shut the door but shut your mouth when you find your dad nowhere to be found.

"Hi." Someone that definitely isn't your dad waves at you with a soft smile.

"Umm...hello." You let your hand fall back to your side. "It's Jack, right? Jack Perry?" You recognize the stranger after you get a good look at him.

"Yeah, that's me." Jungle Boy laughs lightly.

"Right. Huge fan." You nod awkwardly. "Oh, I'm Y/N bye the way. Christian's daughter? You do know this is his locker room right?" You ramble a bit because you're nervous.

"I do." JB nods. "Your dad's been kind of helping me out as of late. He should be back any minute." He explains.

"Oh, cool. You don't mind if I hang around, do you?" You nod.

"Not at all." Jungle Boy shrugs. "And it's nice to meet you, Y/N." He flashes you a cute smile.

You nod as well and find an empty share to take a seat in while you wait for Christian to come back. 

"So, do you wrestle like your dad?" It doesn't take Jungle Boy long to start making casual conversation with you. 

"Me? No, not anymore." You shake your head. "I did in high school and college, but stopped after I tore my ACL pretty bad." You explain. 

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that." JB nods solemnly. 

"It's okay!" You assure him with a small smile. "I'm a personal trainer now for amateur wrestlers now. It's just about as close as I can get to the real thing, and I like it." You inform him happily. 

"Well as long as you enjoy it, right?" Jungle Boy smiles back at you. 

"Exactly!" You agree with him.

The door swings open a few minutes later and your father finally arrives.

"Y/N? What are you doing here sweetie?" Christian walks over as soon as he sees you.

"Relax." You giggle at his worry for you. "You just forgot these in my car again." You hand him over the glasses.

"Oh, I was wondering where I left them. Thanks, sweetie." Christian takes the glasses and pockets them for the time being.

"Yeah, no problem dad." You nod. "It was really nice meeting you, Jack." You turn to Jungle Boy before you leave.

"Yeah! You too." JB agrees with a smile.

"You know," Christian stops you at the door. "The show didn't fill out the ringside seats all the way if you wanna stay for the show." He suggests.

"Oh! Yeah, I guess I don't have anything else going on tonight." You think about it for a second but ultimately decide to stay.

"Great! Jack, I'm gonna get changed if you wanna show Y/N out to her seat." He turns to Jungle Boy.

You furrow your brows for a split second. Recognizing the look on your dad's face. He's up to something.

"Yeah, alright." Jungle boy nods and joins your side. "Come on." He nods to the door and you wave to your dad.

You and Jungle Boy head out of the backstage area and out to where the crowd is slowly starting to trickle into the building.

"Thanks for showing me out here." You thank him when you arrive at your seat.

"No problem." JB flashes you a grin. "I hope that you enjoy the show."

"I will. And hey! Good luck to you and my dad." You take your seat and watch Jungle Boy walk backstage.

Once in your seat, you hang out and wait for the show to start. It's been ages since you've been to a show. You used to go all the time back when you were a kid. Admittedly you miss the atmosphere of being in a packed arena watching the sport you love so dearly.

You end up having a phenomenal time during the show up until it comes time for JB and your dad to come out.

"Yeah! Woohoo!" You cheer for them both when they come out.

You sit back down when the match starts but it doesn't take long for you to jump back to your feet when the action starts getting good.

"Come on! Get him, Jungle boy!" You cheer shamelessly and bounce on your feet in the front row.

Christian watches you from JB's corner and smiles to himself. He knew the moment he saw you and Jungle Boy in his locker room earlier that you'd end up liking him.

A few minutes later the bell rings and Christian gets the pin for a win. You cheer from your seat as he and JB make their way over to you briefly.

"I see that you're having fun." Christian teases you. "Reminds me of when you were little. Always jumping around in the front row at shows." He chuckles.

"Of course I'm having fun, dad." You laugh with him. "Great work out there by the way." You add.

"Thanks." Jungle boy cracks another one of his adorable smiles.

"We should get going, but I'll see you after the show sweetie." Christian and Jungle Boy say their goodbye before they head backstage.

After the show, you are allowed backstage again to meet up with your dad again. You meet with him back in his locker room and find Jungle Boy still there as well.

"Jack! Hey." You wave at him when you enter.

"Y/N, hey. You enjoy the show?" He asks you.

"Yeah! It was great." You nod. "You and my dad were awesome."

"Thanks." JB nods. "Hey! Would you maybe wanna grab a drink with me? If you're not busy that is." He suddenly asks you.

"She would love to." Christian comes through the door and beats you to an answer. "I'll catch an Uber home sweetie. You go have fun." He insists before you can protest.

"Okay." You giggle. "I'd love drinks then, Jack."

Chapter Text

"Why does it always have to be red with you?" You sneer at your brother.

"I look good in red." Chase protests, doing finger guns in the mirror.

"Sure, keep telling yourself that." You giggle and roll your eyes.

"Leave your brother alone." Jay comes through the door and scolds you.

"What do you have super hearing now?" You question him since he wasn't in the room just now.

"I don't have to. I can just tell when you're being mean." Jay shrugs down at you.

"Bite me." You roll your eyes at him.

"Say please first." Jay fires back without a second thought.

Chase finally managed to get his ring gear on. Making him the last one ready for the 12 man tag scheduled for the card tonight. He's ready so you two head out to join with the rest of Bullet Club at the show tonight.

"Oh don't tell me that the shorty is coming with us now?" Tama comments when you walk over with Chase.

"Lean down here and say that again." You warn him with a glare.

"Nah, I'm good." Tama snorts. "You coming out to be arm candy for us? Maybe distract Fredrick's or TJP?" He asks you.

"A guy that wears frilly pants and a dude that thinks anime and video games are a personality trait?" You laugh. "I do have standards Tama." You remind him.

"Yeah Tama, she's got sophisticated taste." Jay saunters over and throws an arm around your shoulder.

"Off!" You drop Jay's arm from your shoulder. "I'm the brains of the operation, remember? You guys are the muscle, and sometimes the eye candy." You pat Jay on the shoulder.

Everyone collectively rolls their eyes at you and laughs amongst themselves. The Bullet Club theme starting playing and you all head out.

Normally you'd just come out next to Chase but Jay keeps a hold on your arm while everyone else files out to the ring.

"Wait for just a second doll, you come out with me," Jay explains.

"Fine." Nod and wait for Jay's turn to head out.

Everyone else gets out to the ring and it's finally Jay's turn. You let him sling an arm back over you and walk out to the ring.

"Here you go doll, hold onto that for me." You and Jay walk over to your corner and he hands you his jacket.

"Of course." You roll your eyes with a grin and take the jacket from him.

You slip Jay's jacket on and thankfully it hasn't started to smell like sweaty egomaniac yet.

The enemy team starts to file out of the tunnel and head over to their corner. You stand on the floor near the corner and watch them all come out. Carl Fredericks eyes you up as he comes out and you smell an opportunity.

"You've got that, I'm up to no good, look in your eyes." Jay saunters over to you. "What are you planning you devious little vixen?" He asks you with a grin.

"Don't worry about it." You reply nonchalantly.

Jay nods, trusting that you know how to handle yourself. He walks back over to the apron and you remain in place. Karl glances over at you every once in a while and you flash him a flirty grin every once in a while.

The bell rings and the match starts up. Chase starts the match out with TJP and you start formulating your plan.

"What is she up to?" Tama nudges Jay next to him when he sees you slowly making your way around the ring.

"No good probably." Jay shrugs. "Keep an eye on her." He informs Tama as Chase tags him into the match.

TJP tags Karl in and it's time for you to execute your plan. You wait for him to get into the ring then hop onto the apron. You lean against the top rope and throw on a smile.

"Fredericks!" You call after him.

Your plan works and Karl takes his eyes off of Jay for a second and walks over to you. Jay gets your plan almost instantly and waits for your cue.

"What can I do for you gorgeous?" Karl asks you with a grin.

"Well, since you asked." You giggle. "You can leave." You wink giving Jay the signal.

Jay comes up behind Karl and grabs his legs from behind. At the same time, you grab the top rope and drop down from the apron with the rope in hand. Jay uses the momentum to spill Karl over the top rope and out of the match.

You let go of the rope and go to walk back over to your corner when Karl decides to exact some revenge. He doesn't manage to get far though because Jay is quick to tag Kenta into the match before he goes flying over the ropes and into Fredericks.

"Thanks." You grin at Jay as he picks himself off the floor.

"Of course!" Jay grins. "Can't have Bullet Clubs favorite eye candy getting hurt."

"Whatever." You giggle and roll your eyes.

You and Jay both walk back over to the apron on your side of the ring and the match continues. It takes almost half an hour but it manages to come down to just Kenta and Rocky Romero.

Everyone else has been ushered backstage but you remain in Bullet Clubs' corner for Kenta.

"Come on Kenta! Finish this loser." You comment from the apron to distract Rocky.

Your comment is enough to distract Romero just long enough for Kenta to get him in a rollup. The three-count is made and the bell rings. You slip into the ring and raise Kenta's hand instead of the official as Rocky slinks away from the ring.

Jay and the rest of the Bullet Club members all file back out to the ring so they can celebrate and do their handshake. Jay walks over to you and slings an arm around your shoulder for the third or fourth time tonight.

"Good work out there boys." Jay praises everyone. "And a special thanks to the MVP of this match. Y/N." He raises your hand.

"Damn right!" You grin happily. "We all know I'm the only relevant Owens in Bullet Club." You tease your brother.

"Well, you're definitely the cuter one, anyway." Jay laughs with you.

Chapter Text

It's a relatively slow day in the office when you consider that it's almost time for AEW to be going back on the road.

You can hear Tony on the other side of the door yapping on the phone about something or other. The schedule displayed on your computer monitor is void of any scheduled meeting, which pleases you. You could use a slow work day for once. Especially in this heat.

You casually sit and organize some files for Tony to pass the time when someone knocks on the door. So much for peace and quiet.

"Come in." You chime politely and glance at the door.

The doorknob turns and a heavily tattooed individual slips into the room almost silently.

"...Hello." You can't help at stare at the man as he closes the door.

Various tattoos cover the visible parts of his arms and neck. Various colors and designs like an intricate piece of artwork you can only imagine took an absurd amount of time and money to complete.

"Afternoon." The man nods and your stomach does a backflip.

His voice isn't as deep as you'd expect given his appearance. But it's still deep enough, and velvety smooth at that.

"I'm here to see Tony Khan?" He informs you as he approaches the front of your desk.

God, he's tall. You nod and stand up on weary legs.

"Alright, just a second, please." You turn around to the door off to your side and knock once before you enter. "Umm excuse me, boss? Yeah, there's someone here to see you." You poke your head in the door.

Khan is still on the phone when you enter, but the look on your face is enough to get him to hold the call for a moment.

"Could you give me a second Mike?" Khan turns back to the phone for a second. "Mhm, thanks. Y/N, what's the matter?" Tony gets up and walks over to you.

You pull back from the door so Tony can see his new guest. You half expect him to be just as surprised as you are. But he doesn't seem phased as a smile cracks on his lips.

"Right! I completely forgot you'd be coming down today." Tony steps forward and shakes the strange man's hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Black."

You remain in place next to Tony while the pair exchange a few words. You try your best not to stare at this, Mr. Black. But all of his tattoos and the way he seems to carry himself is just so enticing.

"Right, I've got a quick call I need to finish up. Would you mind waiting here with Y/N for a moment? She'll keep you company." You switch your focus back to Tony when he says your name.

"Of course, it's no problem." Mr. Black nods and Tony disappears back into his office.

The door clicks shut and you nervously walk back over to your desk chair.

"Feel free to take a seat anywhere you'd like, Mr. Black." You inform him politely as you sit.

"Thank you. And please, just Malakai is fine." Black corrects you and takes a seat in one of the empty chairs in the room.

"Right, Malakai. Okay." You nod. "I'm, Y/N. Nice to meet you." You introduce yourself to remain polite.

"Pleasure is all mine, Y/N," Malakai replies with a somber nod.

Your stomach does another backflip at his kind words. This man's appearance screams danger. And yet, you feel completely safe when sitting just a few feet from him.

Your attention is cut away from this new stranger when your desktop chimes with a new email. You glance at the screen and see that it's from Tony in the other room. Attached to the email is a few files, and the header just says 'print these out for me please.'

"Pardon me." You click the print button on the files and walk past Malakai cautiously.

Your desk is a smaller one so the printer sits on an end table/cabinet thing in the opposite corner of the room.

"No worries, miss," Malakai assures you with a nod.

When Malakai got the call from Khan to come down and officialize his new contract he had no clue the trip would be this interesting. But here he is, sitting and watching one of the most curious girls he's ever seen work.

She's on the shorter side and dressed in a cute lavender-colored sundress and flats. Probably since it's so hot outside. Her eyes widened the moment he entered the room, which he has to admit made him laugh internally.

Despite the fact that she's so obviously Khan's assistant and he shouldn't be thinking it. Black can't deny that she's rather cute. The curious look on her face as she tries her best to very subtly glance at his tattoos is quite adorable.

"Come in." You are busy not so subtly staring at Malakai from over your desktop monitor when another knock sounds at the door.

"Y/N, sugar! Miss me?" Ricky comes through the door and you internally groan.

"Terribly." You reply dryly as Ricky shuts the door behind him. "If you're looking for Tony, he's busy. So what can I do for you?" You ask him.

"What if I came here to see you?" Ricky replies and saunters over to your desk.

"Lucky me." You flash him a friendly smile to be polite.

"Here, I just came by to drop these off." Ricky pulls a small folder of papers out from under his arm and hands it to you.

"Oh, thank you." You nod and take the folder with a look of slight confusion.

Normally when Ricky drops by the office he's throwing compliments your way a mile a minute.

"No problem sugar. I'll be seeing you around." Ricky flashes you a wink before he leaves.

"Mhm." You nod and watch him leave.

It isn't until the door shuts and you remember that Malakai had been sitting here this whole time does it hit you. Ricky didn't stay to bother you with his shameless flirting because Malakai has been in the room glaring at him this whole time.

"He seems...interesting," Malakai comments after a moment or two of silence.

"That's one word for it, yes." You let out a small giggle at the joke.

Khan finally finishes up his phone call and comes back out of his office.

"Y/N, did you print those papers for me?" He asks you.

"Mhm, right here boss." You nod and hand him the papers.

"Perfect, thank you. Mr. Black, if you'd just follow me." He turns back to his office door.

Malakai follows Khan into his office and you are left with some quiet again for a bit.

When they both come back out from the office both men look pleased with themselves.

"Y/N, could you show Mr. Black the facility, please?" Khan asks you. "And get him a security badge."

"Sure thing, sir." You nod and get up from your desk. "Right this way please, Mr. Black..er um Malakai." You are quick to correct yourself.

"Lead the way." Malakai nods with a small smile.

Your stomach does yet another flip. God his smile is so pretty. You wonder if this enticing specimen is single or not. A glance at his hands doesn't help you any since he's wearing various rings on each finger.

You guess that you'll just have to figure out if he's single yourself. Not that you're not up for the challenge.

Chapter Text

Torture. That's what this is. Pure, unadulterated torture. Eddie speaks at a mile a minute to the camera about The Bucks and you're forced to stay in place and force a smile on your lips. All the while that bastard stares a hole in your soul with a grin on his face.

You've been at Eddie's side since you both signed with AEW. He and Mox are your best friends, your brothers. So far it's been two weeks since Mox left to take care of Renee and the baby. That's two weeks running around with Eddie and having no one to back you up.

You love Eddie, you do. But the man has a natural talent for getting himself into trouble. And naturally, you're dragged right along with him.

"Alright, thanks, guys." The camera crew finally finished up recording the promo for the show and all head out.

"No problem." Eddie nods and immediately turns to you. "Y/N, you feeling alright girlie?" He asks you curiously.

"I'm fine, yeah." You nod. "Why? What's up?" You ask him right back.

"I don't know. You've been acting kind of fidgety lately. Like you're nervous about something is all." Eddie shrugs.

You nod back at him, eyes trained on the man just behind him grinning like a damn predator at you. Pac.

To say that the man makes your knees weak is a major understatement. Pac is one of those men that inexplicably knows just how to push your buttons. It's like the man holds a Ph.D. on how to get Y/N riled up. And it drives you absolutely mad.

"I'm fine Eddie." You assure him with a pat on the shoulder. "Just haven't been sleeping well the last few days is all." You lie.

You hate lying to Eddie about anything. The two have been through way too much shit for lying to one another to be a thing. But what are you supposed to tell him? Sorry Eddie it's just your new tag partner just so happens to be my darkest fantasy? Hope it doesn't bother you that I have to physically and mentally restrain myself from jumping his bones and climbing him like a tree?

God you really need to get laid.

"Alright." Eddie buys your lie easily. "Just making sure." He leaves the conversation at that and walks away.

You pull your phone out of your pocket to distract yourself from Pac sitting on the other side of the room. You barely get it unlocked and Twitter opened when you can feel his eyes on you.

"See something interesting?" You find that you can't take it anymore and blurt out something that you know you'll regret later.

"Maybe so," Pac replies without missing a beat.

You gulp when he gets up and walks over to you casually. You glance around for Eddie and find that he's left the room momentarily and internally cuss yourself out. You and your big mouth.

"That jacket really suits you, sweetheart." Pac walks over and pokes at the jacket hanging loosely off your shoulders. "And I love what you've done with your hair." He adds, taking a strand of it and twirling it in his fingers. "Frames your face perfectly."

Your brain promptly short circuits for a second. Between the sheet proximity of Pac and the look in his eye, you are just barely holding it together.

Caught like a deer in headlights you find yourself at both a loss of words and actions for one of the first times in your life. This man could kill you right now and it would be as easy as breathing for him.

"Hey! Are you coming, Y/N?" Thankfully Eddie pops back into the room.

The interruption is enough to get Pac off of your case with a smirk. And as soon as he's off of you can finally breathe again.

This is it. You aren't gonna make it through the night without combusting. You just know it.

"Yeah, coming!" You shout back to Eddie.

You see the grin on Pac's face and suddenly are very aware of your choice of words. You blush hard as you hurry to the door and silently scold yourself.

"Let's go get changed. Pac said that he'd meet up with us before the match." Eddie informs you.

"Alright." You nod and head back to the locker room, your heart still thumping against your chest.

Eddie talks almost the whole time that you are in the locker room getting ready. You swear the man never shuts up. That may be part of the reason you like Pac so much. He's one of those men that don't talk unless they need to. And god knows that he doesn't need too much. His demeanor is more than enough to make sure his point is gotten.

"Hey, Y/N." Eddie suddenly catches your attention while you're lacing your boots up.

"Yeah, Eddie?" You glance up at him.

"What's up with you and Pac?" He asks you and your heart drops like a led brick.

"Do what now?" You laugh nervously.

"Oh come on Y/N." Eddie laughs right back at you. "Don't play dumb with me. I know that he drives you insane. In the good way that is." He snorts.

"What? Does not!" You protest out of embarrassment.

"Mhm, sure." Eddie continues to laugh. "Just let the man hit is N/N. We both know you want to." He tells you. "When was the last time you got laid anyway?"

"Eddie!" Your face flushes hot. "That's none of your damn business." You insist and look away from him.

"So a while then." Eddie grins. "Knew it."

You refuse to talk to him the rest of the time you're in the locker room. Hating the fact that Eddie is 100% correct in his assumption.

When you head out to the tunnel for the match Pac is there waiting. Eddie saunters up without a care.

"Let's make this match quick, yeah?" Eddie glances at you then back to Pac. "My gorgeous friend over there is dying to let you take her home." He grins.

"Eddie Kingston!" You fume as soon as the words escape his lips.

"What? I'm just helping you out, Y/N." Eddie insists with a laugh and puts his hands up to shield himself from you.

Thankfully his entrance music starts playing and he darts into the tunnel before you can reach him.

"Come on, work time N/N." He calls after you with a grin.

You still fume as you stomp through the tunnel. The job comes first after all. But you make one last glance back at Pac who wears the same stupid grin that indicates he's got bad intentions. Well, good intentions speaking in your terms.

Chapter Text

"It's going to be fine, don't you trust me?" Humberto grins at you with his usual bright smile as he laces his boots.

"Of course I trust you." You roll your eyes playfully. "You're my best friend. But I still don't think this is a good idea." You remind him again.

You've been at Humberto's side since he joined the WWE. Acting as his manager and helping him in any way you can.

Lately, Humberto has been butting heads with the current US champion, Sheamus. You've never really been a Sheamus fan, always finding him a bit on the rude side.

"There!" Humberto finishes lacing his boots up and turns to you. "You ready to go?" He asks you with that sweet smile of his.

"Mhm." You reluctantly nod. "You promise that you'll be careful, right?" You ask him.

"I'm always careful." Humberto chuckles.

You roll your eyes at his optimism again and head into the backstage area. On your way down to the backstage entrance out to the ring, you happen to pass by a mutual friend of yours and Humberto's, Damian Priest.

"Hey! Y/N, what's up chica?" Damian beckons at you as you pass him.

"Damian! Hey." You stop and walk over to him casually. "Humberto's got a match with Sheamus again, so we're headed out to the ring." You explain.

"Again?" Damian glances over at Humberto waiting for you. "Didn't he get his ass handed to him pretty bad last time?"

"He did." You nod solemnly. "But the guys got more fight than anyone over ever met." You crack a small smile. "He won't give up no matter how many times Sheamus beats his ass."

"Well, he's got you to watch his back. What more could you ask for?" Damian grins down at you.

"Thanks." You giggle. "I try my best. Do what I can." You shrug casually.

Too busy chatting with Damian you don't notice Sheamus come backstage and rush Humberto until it's too late. By the time either of you notices him, he's already tossing Humberto around violently backstage.

"Humberto!" You jump to attention when the sound of fighting carries over to you and Damian.

You go to rush off and try to intervene in the fight but Damian grabs your arm before you can get away. He pulls you against his chest to keep you safe while the backstage hands pull Sheamus off of your best friend.

"Damian! What the hell?" You whirl around to Damian when he lets you go.

"Sorry." Damian shrugs. "I didn't want you to get hurt." He explains.

You scoff, frustrated more at yourself than Damian. And rush over to Humberto's side.

"Humberto, God are you okay?" You kneel to help him up from the floor.

"Fine. I'm fine." Humberto insists with a cough.

You help him to his feet and let him lean on you for support. He struggles to keep himself upright as he tries to walk forward.

"Humberto. What are you doing?" You ask him, though you know the answer.

"I've got to go out there." Humberto insists. "I won't let him win like this."

You know that there's no arguing with him when Humberto gets like this. So you just nod and help him out to the ring.

Humberto manages to make his way out to the ring on his own, but just barely. You stand in his corner and support him the best that you can given the circumstances.

Sheamus snickers as the bell rings and the match kicks off. Humbert I barely manages to defend himself while Sheamus hits him with a barrage of nasty shots to the torso area.

"Leave him alone!" You yell at Sheamus since you know that you cant do anything.

Sheamus just laughs again and continues his assault on Humberto.

He eventually pins a defenseless Humberto to the mat for the three-count and the bell rings again. You hop up to the ring apron to check on your best friend but Sheamus doesn't move.

"He's had enough!" You shout at him with urgency. "You won! Just let him go!" You plead.

Left with no other choice you enter the ring and give Sheamus a shove off of Humberto. He's a little taken aback by your brash decision and towers above with a grin.

You keep your head held high to stand your ground. But you're trembling on the inside. The whole reason that you're a manager and not an in-ring talent is because you're not much of a fighter when it comes to the physical side of things.

"Leave her alone!" You are saved from having to fight when Damian comes rushing out from backstage.

With Damian here to help you out, you kneel down and help Humberto up and out of the ring. Damian distracts Sheamus long enough for you to get Humberto backstage and to the medical staff waiting for him.

"Y/N, wait up." You are about to head off with Humberto and the med staff when Damian stops you.

"Damian! Thank you so much." You turn around and rush over to him.

Damian reels back a bit when you nearly tackle him into a hug. He just grins to himself and wraps his arms around you while you hug him.

"It wasn't a problem. That guy is a dick anyway." He chuckles.

"I mean it." You stop hugging Damian so you can look up at him properly. "I'd be in really hot water right now if it wasn't for you. And so would Humberto." You insist. "There's gotta be some way I can make it up to you."

You watch Damian's face as he contemplates his next decision. You can almost see the mischievous wheels turning in his head before he replies.

"Alright. How about dinner then? Say tomorrow night?" He finally comes up with an idea.

"You mean like a date?" You blink a few times in reply. "Yeah, I think I could do dinner." You giggle a little bit.

"Great! I'll call you tomorrow then. You should go check on our boy though." He nods behind you.

"Yeah, thanks again, Damian." You thank him one last time. "I'll see you for dinner tomorrow I guess." You wave to him as you walk off.

"Mhm, bye chica!" Damian waves back.

Chapter Text

The sun beats down and warms your skin nicely as you lounge next to the pool. It's hot out today, but not hot enough to constitute you hiding inside. The perfect temperature for you to soak in some sun and enjoy a nice afternoon outside.

You can hear the television inside the condo on and playing something random. You can also hear your boyfriend inside arguing on the phone with someone. This is supposed to be your vacation time. And Kenny's inside arguing about work. With Don no doubt.

Tired of listening to the faint sound of arguing, you get up from your lawn chair and push your sunglasses up. You stomp inside the condo and over to Kenny sitting in the kitchen on the phone.

"Give me this." You take the phone from Kenny and put it up to your ear. "We are on vacation Don!" You scold him over the phone. "That means the ONLY reason that you should be calling this phone is for an emergency. Is it an emergency?" You ask him.

"N-no." Don stutters on the other side of the phone.

"Exactly." You reply firmly. "Now. I am going to hang up this phone, and if you call again I can promise that you'll be catching hell next time I see you. Got it?" You make sure that Don 100% gets your point.

"Yeah, I got it." Don finally replies, and you can hear the annoyance in his voice.

"Good. Now, goodbye, Don." With that, you hang up the phone and hand it back to Kenny.

He stares up at you with a look of awe plastered on his handsome face. Sometimes he forgets just how scary you can be when you want to.

"What?" You giggle and glance down at him while he takes his phone back.

"When was the last time I told you I love you?" Kenny asks you softly.

"You remind me from time to time." You shrug with a giggle and lean down for a kiss. "Now come on, the pool is waiting for us." You grab his hand and pull him up from his chair.

Kenny leaves his phone on the counter and walks with you back out to the pool. You walk back over to your neglected lounge chair and lay back down on it. The sun feeling good as it begins warming your skin again.

"You know you really need to get into the habit of turning your phone off when we're out, sweetie." You remind Kenny who walks over to the edge of the pool.

"Yeah, I know." Kenny agrees and dives in. "I'm just not used to getting any free time to be without it." He reminds you.

"I know babe." You nod with your eyes closed. "But that's what this vacation is for, remember?" You remind him. "One whole week of nothing but soaking up the sun and doing absolutely nothing." You sigh contently.

"Well, I don't know about, nothing." Kenny pops back up at the edge of the pool in front of you. "I can think of a few things to keep us occupied." He grins at you.

"Oh really now?" You giggle and peer at him through your sunglasses as he rises from the pool and walks over to you. "I think that you're being a little optimistic babe." You tease him.

"Oh yeah?" Kenny fires back as he gets to your side.

You yelp as Kenny picks you up in one swift movement and tosses you into the pool before jumping in after you. You kick your way to the surface and laugh loudly.

"Hey! That wasn't nice." You search around for Kenny but can't seem to find him. "Ken?" You call aloud again.

Suddenly you are being lifted out of the water and onto Kenny's shoulders as he appears below you. You quickly card your hands through his hair to regain your balance.

"Kenneth!" You squeal. "What is the matter with you?" You laugh.

"What?" Kenny replies innocently below you. "You're the one that said I needed to relax and have some fun." He reminds you.

"Normally that means lounging by the pool or catching up on a tv show. Not harassing your fiance." You reply.

"Oh, you're fine." Kenny chuckles. "What? You want me to let you go?" He teases you.

"Don't you dare!" You warn him.

"Too late." Kenny laughs again and dumps you off his shoulders and into the pool.

"You are a horrible human being." You come back up to the surface to find Kenny grinning at you.

"Yeah, but you love me anyways." He swims over to your side.

"I guess." You roll your eyes and swim over to the side of the pool.

You get to the side of the pool and are about to lift yourself out of the water when Kenny gets ahold of your arm and turns you back around. He traps you in with his arms on either side of you and your back against the wall of the pool.

"What are you up to now?" You quirk a brow at him.

"Just enjoying my vacation the best way I know how." Kenny shrugs and leans in for a kiss.

You giggle but wrap your arms around the back of his damp neck anyway. You both taste slightly like the chemicals from the pool but neither of you really mind. You're both alone for the first time in months, and it's in a tropical setting no less.

With both you and Kenny working multiple promotions throughout the week, neither of you really find any free time in your schedules. That's why you insisted that you both take a week off and rent a condo at the beach to get some downtime.

Eventually, you and Kenny get out of the pool and head back inside the condo. You opt for a shower to wash away the chemicals from the pool as well as the sunscreen residue left on your skin.

"Do you mind?" You glance back at Kenny who wraps his arms around you from behind when you turn on the shower.

"Not really, that's one of the many reasons you love me." Kenny purrs in your ear.

"Is it?" You snicker. "Are you planning on showering with your clothes on or are we finally gonna have some fun on this vacation?" You turn around in his arms with a grin.

"Now we're talking." Kenny grins right back at you and hurries to strip his board shorts off.

Chapter Text

"I still don't care, and the answer is still no." You shake your head at your brother.

"Come on, Y/N. We're family." Johnny protests.

"Yes, we are." You agree. "I love you Johnny, but there is no way I'm joining you and Candice's weird-ass little group. No." You put your foot down on the matter.

"Fine, whatever." Your brother rolls his eyes at you.

"Oh don't act all salty now." You roll your eyes right back. "You still love me." You grin at him.

Johnny doesn't dignify you with a reply, still pouting at your answer to his proposition. You pat his arm gently to smooth things over.

"You'll get over it. Love you, bro." You chime at him with a smile and walk off.

You initially met Johnny backstage near catering so you make your way back to the women's locker room. You've got a match scheduled against Toni Storm later in the night and you still need to get changed.

On your way down the hall, you pass by the men's locker room just as the door swings open.

"Oh, sorry." You unconsciously apologize as your shoulder hits the door.

When you don't get a reply you turn back around and a blush instantly hits your cheeks.

"Dexter, sorry. Didn't mean to run into you." You apologize again upon seeing who came through the door.

Dexter doesn't give you a verbal reply. In fact, don't think that you've ever heard the handsome enigma ever utter a word to anyone.

Instead, your rather large and strange crush just stares down at you with a blank face and shrugs it off.

"Right, sorry I've gotta go." You nod back down the hall and turn around.

Dexter nods solemnly and lets you go. Again all without uttering a word to you.

You have no fucking clue why you find him so attractive. The man doesn't speak. Ever. And you don't think you've ever seen him smile, or frown. Or really show any emotion for that matter.

But here you are. Simping for a man that never speaks to you. God, you need help.

"Hey, Indi." You make it to the women's locker room and find Candice's buddy there.

"Hey, Y/N." Indi greets you with a smile. "Hey, did you talk to your brother yet? I know he said something about wanting to talk to you." She explains.

"Mhm." You nod. "I just got done talking to him." You confirm.

"Okay." Indi nods. "Oh, hey! Good luck against Toni tonight." She adds with a smile. "And don't forget that she's been hanging around with Pete Dunne again."

"I won't." You nod. "See you later Indi." You wave to her before she leaves.

Pete Dunne. You know all about him. You and Pete used to date for a while way back when. He's another one of those men that don't show a whole lot of emotion. Because you've apparently got a type.

You get changed into your ring gear and do some stretches to get ready for your match. The locker room is quiet today for some reason. And you don't see any sign of Toni anywhere. She must be hanging out in Dunne's locker room then.

"Y/N, there you are. Glad that I caught you." You are just about to leave for your match when Candice shows up.

"Candice! What's up?" You greet you, sister-in-law, with a friendly smile.

"I just wanted to let you know that Johnny is planning on bothering you again after the show." She warns you. "I swear he just won't give up." She shakes her head.

"Trust me, I know." You laugh a little. "He's a persistent one. Had been our whole lives."

"Tell me about it." Candice laughs with you. "Anyway, are you sure that you don't need any backup with Toni?" She asks you.

"Nope! I'm sure I'll be fine, Candice. Dunne doesn't scare me. And neither does Toni." You insist and wave your hand dismissively.

"Okay." Candice nods. "I'll see you later then." She waves to you before she leaves.

You head out to the ring for your match with Toni and make it just in time to be able to skip her obnoxious entrance. When you get out to the ring you find Pete is hanging out in her corner tonight.

A part of you regrets not letting your brother and his buddies come and help you out. But if you're being honest. You think that you'd be able to put up a pretty good fight against your ex if needed.

The bell rings and you and Toni get to work. The two of you stalk around one another for a bit before Storm makes the first move.

"Out here all alone, Y/N?" Toni makes an effort to get into your head.

"Yeah. Because I don't need anyone's help to beat your ass, Toni." You reply dryly. Trying not to let her taunts get to you.

The two of you go at it for a bit until Toni gets fed up with rolling around with you. She goes for her finisher to end things but you manage to counter and roll her up for a pin. The official makes the three-count and the bell rings.

"Ha! Eat me, Storm!" You laugh in her face as the bell rings.

"Not so fast." Pete of course feels the need to get involved and jumps up to the apron.

"Oh please." You scoff in his face. "Move out of the way, Pete." You warn him.

"Or what?" Dunne chuckles and enters the ring.

You take a step back, exhausted from the match with Toni. Okay, maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all.

You keep stepping back until your back hits the ring ropes. Pete just keeps on coming towards you. You watch him carefully, waiting for the perfect moment you can drop down and make your escape.

Suddenly Pete comes to a stop in the ring and you notice that he's looking past you. You take a chance and glance back to find Dexter standing behind you. Your knight in shining denim pants.

"Whoops, looks like you're outmatched this time Dunne." You laugh in his face and exit through the ropes.

Pete stares at you but doesn't dare advance with Dexter right next to you. Dexter reaches his hand up and offers to help you down. You take it and he lifts you slightly before setting you flat onto the ground.

The two of you share a look and you someone know exactly what he wants to say. Even though he still never says a word to you. Dexter accompanies you to the safety of backstage before you both come to a stop.

"Thank you for helping me out." You find yourself blushing again ad he stares down at you and nods. "Not that Pete would really hurt me. But still, thank you." You thank him again.

Dexter nods again, but you can sense that it's a sort of, you're welcome nod. Silence fills the room and he walks off after giving you one last look.

You watch him go before you go to move again.

"Well then." You shrug to yourself and turn to head back to the women's locker room. "That was...an encounter." You talk to yourself.

You're still a little unsure why the hell you find Dexter so hot and interesting. But you do. And with the events of the night, it seems like he might have a thing for you as well.

Chapter Text

You've been working as Regal's assistant for a little over two years now. And it's safe to say that you've seen your fair share of shit.

But in your two years of working as the assistant GM of NXT, no man has ever been a bigger thorn in your side than Karrion Kross. Especially after he managed to pick up the NXT championship.

With Karrion constantly causing trouble Regal decided that you could use some extra security. And that extra blanket of protection and order surprisingly came in the form of Samoa Joe.

"Afternoon, Regal." You arrive to work a bit early like usual.

"Y/N, afternoon love." William greets you from his desk. "You're looking sharp today." He comments when he glances at you for a brief moment.

"Thank you." You nod with a small smile. "You know I wasn't really sure about the dress when I bought it." You do a cute little twirl.

"Well, I think you look stunning," Regal assures you.

Over the past couple of years, Regal has become somewhat of a father figure in your life. He's always insisted that you're his favorite person to work with on NXT.

"What's on the agenda for this week?" You walk over to the slightly smaller desk in the room.

"Schedule is on your desk." Regal replies. "I've got to make a trip down to the production truck, Joe should be here soon though." He informs you before he gets up to leave.

"Okay, be careful, old man." You tease him with a small smile.

"Mhm." Regal rolls his eyes.

Regal leaves you alone in the office and you look over the schedule. You are in the middle of squinting at the page since you neglected your contacts today before work. When the door swings open silently.

"Y/N, you doing alright over there doll?" Joe closes the door behind him and sees the odd look on your face.

"I'm perfectly fine." You groan, not looking up from the paper. "Just forgot my contacts at home again." You explain.

"Glasses are in the top drawer of your desk," Joe replies nonchalantly.

"They are?" You slid open the drawer and sure enough, there are your spare pair of glasses. "Oh! I'm not even gonna ask how you knew that." You shrug and slip them on.

"Probably best that you don't." Joe chuckles. "Where's Regal at?" He asks you.

"Out at the production truck." You reply. "He'll be back soon. Why?" You take a second to glance up at Joe.

"It's kind of my job to worry about you two. Remember?" Joe replies. "I'm gonna go check up on the old man. You good here?" He asks you.

"Yep. I'm not going anywhere." You nod.

Joe nods and walks off to find Regal. You boot up your laptop in the meantime and start reading some emails. You are busy with replying to one when the door swings open without a knock.

"You find the old man, Joe?" You assume that it's Joe coming back into the room and don't bother to look up to confirm.

"Not quite." A voice not belonging to your muscle man or your boss replies.

"Karrion." You are startled away from your email. "What can I do for you?" You ask him calmly.

"What? The champ just cant drop by to see his favorite assistant GM?" Karrion replies as he makes his way over to your desk.

"I'm your only assistant GM." You swallow hard and gaze up at him.

"Right." Kross chuckles. "And it just so happens that you're the prettiest as well. Two for one deal, honey." He leans against the front of your desk with a grin.

"Me? Thanks." You take the compliment as sincerely as you can with a nod.

"Of course." Kross nods. "Now, to business." He grins down at you.

"Y/N? Hey, this idiot bothering you?" You are saved from spending another moment alone with Kross when Joe thankfully shows back up.

Karrion whirls back around at the sound of Joe coming in the room. The two of them glare at one another while you're stuck glued to your desk chair.

"He just dropped by for a chat." You answer Joe with the best answer you can come up with.

"A chat. Yeah, I'm sure." Joe scoffs. "Well the chat is over, boss is busy. Leave." He stares a hole into Kross.

"Fine. I'll go, for now." Karrion nods. "You take care now, Y/N." He turns back around and flashes a wink your way.

Joe bumps shoulders with Kross as he walks by and you can swear the two of them almost end up in a brawl right there.

Joe waits until Karrion is out of the room and the door is shut before he walks over to your desk.

"You alright?" He asks you calmly.

"I'm fine." You nod. "Kross may give me major stalker vibes. But I can handle him. Honestly, I think I'm more scared of Scarlett than him." You joke.

"Yeah you and me both." Joe laughs with you. "But seriously. Just say the word and he'll get an ass beating." He adds.

"I thought Regal made it clear that you aren't supposed to be fighting unless you're provoked?" You raise a brow at Joe.

"I think I can spin Kross stalking you as a pretty good reason for me being provoked," Joe replies.

"Fair enough." You snort. "But really, it's fine." You insist. "You should be more worried about Regal than me. I can take care of myself, Joe."

"See now that's something I'd love to see." Joe grins. "Y/N L/N knocking big bad Karrion Kross on his ass." He chuckles.

"Ha! Maybe one day." You laugh with him. "Did you manage to find Regal?" You ask him.

"Yeah, he's fine." Joe nods. "You're much more entertaining to hang around anyway."

"Awe, well thank you." You blush a bit. "You know Adam is bound to come down here wanting something from me tonight. Maybe you should stick around and scare him off for me." You suggest.

"Nothing would make me happier." Joe agrees with a laugh.

Chapter Text

Ah, Saturday night. By far your favorite night of the week. No boss breathing down your neck about projects. No entitled clients complaining about your abilities and questioning your every move like they know better.

Just you, a cute dress, a bar chock full of alcohol, and mysterious men dying to buy you a drink.

"Hey, Jack? Can I get another round, please?" You're here almost every weekend without fail, so you know the bartenders pretty well.

"Sure thing, Y/N." Jack, the bartender for the night nods and grabs your empty glass.

You wear a look of slight boredom on your face. So far there haven't been many men that have caught your eye out tonight. Just some regulars and a plethora of obnoxious frat boys from the nearby college campus.

"Thanks, Jack." You're handed your drink and stir it with your finger casually.

Looks like you'll be going home alone tonight. For the first time in a few months too. Shame. Sure you could always pull the bartender. You know he likes you well enough to come home with you after his shift. And Jack is cute enough to warrant a brief night to occupy your time.

You sit and ponder over the idea when the bell on the door chimes. You glance at the door out of boredom but perk up instantly when your eyes fall on the new patron.

As soon as you lay eyes on the guy you're intrigued. Which says a lot in of itself. He's tall, gotta be over six feet easily. Dressed in a pair of grey slacks and a matching grey button-up, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows.

"Hmm." You humm to yourself and press your drink to your lips.

Your shameless staring seems to catch the stranger's attention because he locks eyes with you mid-drink. You watch as he cocks his head to the side for a brief moment as his eyes seem to scan down from your face to your body. Typical.

And the game is on. You raise a playful brow at the man before you turn back around to the bar and set your drink down. Jack walks by and stands in front of you with a curious look on his face.

"Finally find someone that catches your interest?" He playfully jokes.

"Looks like it." You let out a small giggle. "Fill me back up, yeah?" You slid the half-empty glass his way.

"I got you." Jack nods and takes the glass.

Your fingers drum on the counter casually while you wait for your drink. You don't have to look back to know that your handsome stranger is walking your way now. You can feel his gaze getting closer by the second.

"Bartender! A beer, when you get the chance, please." Sure enough, your stranger takes a seat on the stool next to yours.

"Yeah, be right there," Jack calls from the back wall.

"Evening, gorgeous." You wait to be addressed to actually turn towards the stranger.

"Hi." You turn your head and bat your eyelashes with a smile.

God, he's even more handsome up close. You were right, he's tall all right. And he's built like a sculpture as well. You can easily see muscle straining against the fabric of his silk shirt.

"Can I get you a drink, honey?" The stranger asks you with a grin that could very well knock a girl dead.

"I've got one, but thanks, sweetie." You giggle at him just as Jack hands you your drink.

"Of course." The man nods. "Let me get the next one then. A girl as pretty as you shouldn't be paying for anything." He insists.

"Well, I'm not one to turn down a free drink." You bow your head playfully.

"My pleasure." The man replies with a nod. "What's your name gorgeous?" He asks you.

"It's, Y/N." You answer him with a playful smile.

"Y/N, huh?" He repeats it and you shiver at the way it sounds coming from his mouth. "I like it. It's fitting." He smirks to himself.

Jack brings over the beer that he requested and you watch him pick it up. He's got big hands. Bonus points for you.

"Do I get to know your name?" You pick your full glass back up for a drink.

"I've gone by a few." The man replies.

"Oh, mystery man huh?" You giggle and set your glass back down. "I love a good mystery."

"Oh, I'm full of surprises, sugar. Believe that." He chuckles with you before he presses his beer to his lips.

The guys got major game. You'll give him that. Normally all these guys are all talk and no action. But you can tell by the way this guy carries himself that he can easily back up all the talk he's been spitting at you.

"You a local?" You decide to press for some more details.

"Nope." He shakes his head. "In town for work is all. Just a couple of weeks." He explains.

"Shame, the locals can be loads of fun." You tease him with a grin.

"I bet." He chuckles again.

You raise your glass to your lips again and wonder how much this guy is gonna make you work for a name. You've gotta have something to moan later after all.

"So, Mr. Mystery man." You turn to him fully. "What's a girl gotta do to get a name out of you?" You ask him. "Or do you prefer your dates are the silent type after hours?"

"Ha! Not at all, sugar. I love 'em loud." He chuckles with his chest and flashes you a wink. "Knight, you can call me Knight." He informs you.

"Knight?" You test the name aloud. "Hmm, I guess I could work with it." You shrug.

"I bet you could make any name sound heavenly." Knight replies and finishes off his drink.

"Guilty." You giggle and do the same. "So, Knight. Your place or mine?" You ask him casually as you hop off your barstool.

"I've got a hotel room a couple of blocks away." He flashes his keys at you. "Penthouse with a view."

"Yours then." You nod with an eager grin.

Penthouse with a view? Hot stranger, that you know is gonna make sure you get the most out of your night? Looks like things are looking up for your Saturday after all.

Chapter Text

It's Wednesday night and you sat in the locker room listening to Eddie and your brother laugh and joke with one another like they're kids.

"Do you two mind?" You look up from your phone over at them.

"And what are you so grumpy for today?" Eddie glances over at you sitting slumped in a chair.

"She's pouty because the doc hasn't cleared her to compete yet," Jon answers for you.

"Awe, poor Y/N." Eddie laughs and ruffles your hair gently. "You'll be alright, kid." He insists.

"Mhm." You roll your eyes, still in a grumpy mood.

Eddie walks back over to Jon and your phone chimes. You slide down the notification bar and a smile graces your face.

You've got a text from your new boyfriend. You smile at your phone happily and Jon instantly grows suspicious of your grin.

"What? You're all smiley for no reason now?" Jon raises a brow at you.

"Hmm? What I'm not allowed to smile now." You finish your text and put your phone away. "Now what are you two over here yapping about?"

Eddie and Jon share a small look before they both turn back to you casually.

"We've got that big tag match coming up later tonight and your knucklehead brother forgot to find us, someone, to tag with," Eddie explains.

"I forgot!" Jon rolls his eyes. "I've been busy, okay? Why didn't you find us, someone, to tag with then? Hmm?" He counters.

"I've been busy too!" Eddie shakes his head.

You stand by for a moment while Jon and Eddie bicker for a bit. You grow tired of the argument quickly and smack them both on the back of the head to shut them up.

"Enough! God, you two are annoying." You grumble. "Stay here, I'll take care of getting you guys a tag partner." You inform them and turn to the door.

You turn sharply on your heel and exit the locker room. Jon and Eddie both watch you go silently.

"Man, she's going stir crazy isn't she?" He chuckles.

"Tell me about it." Jon agrees. "She was helping Renee with the baby, but she's got it handled pretty much by now." He explains.

"I wonder who she was talking to?" Eddie points out your smile from earlier.

"Oh she's definitely seeing someone." Jon nods. "I just haven't figured out who yet."

Eddie and Jon both settle back down and wait for your return. They both trust that you're capable enough to round them up someone to tag with them.

A little bit later and it's about time for the tag match. Eddie and Jon both start to get a bit worried that you haven't returned yet.

"Maybe she wants to meet us out at the tunnel?" Eddie suggests as time ticks down.

"Yeah, makes sense." Jon agrees and the pair decide to head out.

They both make their way down to the tunnel and look around for you. Eddie is the first one to spot you and chuckles to himself when he sees who you're with.

"There she is, and look who's with her." Eddie hits Jon's shoulder lightly to get his attention.

"Hmm? Oh! Well would you look at that." Jon chuckles as well when be spots you.

You make your way down the hall urgently with Darby trailing behind you. You've got his hand in yours as you pull him down the hall to meet with your brother.

"She must have kidnapped him." Jon jokes.

"Nah." Eddie shakes his head. "Look at the expression on the kid's face. He's got it bad for her. Is just along for the ride."

Jon looks a little closer at Darby as he draws nearer with you, and Eddie is right. Darby looks like he's right where he needs to be. Happy to be dragged down the hall by you.

"There you two are!" You huff when you finally reach your brother and Eddie. "Here's your tag partner." You point to Darby.

"Nice work!" Eddie ruffles your hair.

"Darby, you don't mind, right? Or did my sister bully you into this?" He jokes with Darby.

"I don't mind helping out." Darby shrugs. "You know me, always up for a fight. And he doesn't mind helping out either." He nods to Sting as he finally catches up with everyone.

"Perfect." Jon nods.

Everyone heads out to the ring and Jon keeps a close eye on you and Darby. He notices that your hand lingers next to Darby's even though you aren't holding hands. Yeah, you've definitely got the kid wrapped around your finger.

"So, this your new boy toy?" Jon asks you in a whisper as you walk to the ring.

"Shush." You scold Jon. "We've been on a few dates. He's sweet." You inform him.

"Okay, okay." Jon nods. "I guess that I'll be nice then."

"You better be." You shoot him a look.

Everyone makes their way over to the corner and Jon, Eddie and Darby all jump up on the apron. You stand on the floor with Sting while the bell rings.

"You're, Y/N, right? Moxley's little sister?" Sting leans down to talk quietly with you.

"Yeah." You nod.

"Darby, he talks about you an awful lot." Sting replies. "You must be quite the girl." He smiles at you.

"He does?" You blush a little.

"Mhm." Sting nods.

The match starts to heat up a bit so you and Sting both go back to the action. You both stand on the floor and cheer on your team for support.

Later in the match Sting is busy watching the other side of the ring and doesn't notice a member of the opposite team walking over to you. You of course don't back down when he approaches, but Darby suddenly appears via a dive from the ring and knocks the guy to the ground.

"Hey." Darby flashes you a playful wink.

You roll your eyes playfully back at him and let him get back to business. Sting comes back over to your side so he can look after you a little more closely.

The match comes to an end when Darby executes a picture-perfect coffin drop onto his opponent and gets the three-count.

You slide into the ring and raise his hand along with your brothers and Eddies.

"Hey! Nice work, kid." Eddie congratulates Darby with a ruffling of his hair and Jon does the same.

"You should be honored." You giggle at Darby's surprised look. "That means that they like you."

Chapter Text

The shuffle of feet across your bedroom floor wakes you early Tuesday morning. You yawn and sit up, pulling your covers with you.

"Oh! Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you up babe." Karrion slips back out of the bathroom seconds later with a yawn.

"It's fine." You can't help but mimic his yawn.

Karrion falls back into your bed on his side and props himself up with an elbow. You avert your eyes from his gaze. Still embarrassed by the whole ordeal.

This isn't the first time that this has happened. Not the first morning you've awoken with a man that's supposed to be your enemy by your side.

"Now, what's that face for?" Karrion pokes at your arm with his free hand. A smug smile on his face.

"What face? I'm not making a face." You reply dryly, still staring at the wall.

"Oh, but you are." Kross reaches over and grabs the bottom of you chin gently. "Come on now, what's wrong?" He asks you again.

"I said that I was fine." You roll your eyes. "What are you a mind reader all of a sudden?"

"No. But I think that I've gotten to know you pretty well, sweetheart." Karrion replies. "Now are you gonna tell me what's bothering you? Or am I going to have to pry it out of you?" He asks you.

"Pry it out of me?" You laugh. "I'd like to see you try." Your stubbornness rises to the surface for a moment.

"Oh yeah?" Karrion mimics your laugh.

In almost an instant you are pinned to your mattress by the behemoth of a man in your bed. You squeal as he pins your arms above your head with one hand and threatens you with the other.

"Don't you dare." You warn him with a look of false confidence.

"And what are you gonna do to stop me? Hmm?" Karrion replies and continues with his assault.

He tickles your sides gently making you burst out into laughter. You struggle against his grip and laugh until your ribs hurt.

"My brother was right you know? You're a monster." You kick him in the side when he finally lets you go.

"I don't ever recall saying that I was a nice guy." Karrion shrugs off your kick.

You roll your eyes again and sit back up. Your phone vibrates against the nightstand and you glance over at it.

"Shit." You grumble when you look at the screen. "It's my brother, so be quiet." You warm Kross with a glare. "Hello?"

"Y/N? What took you so long to answer?" Joe answers you immediately.

"I was showering." You scoff. "What's got you all worked up?" You ask him.

"Nothing," Joe replies dryly. "Regal wants us at work a bit early today for a meeting. 3'oclock." He informs you.

"Alright." You nod. "Anything else or can I go back to what I was doing?" You ask him.

Joe scoffs on the other end of the line before he hangs up the phone. You scoff right back at him and toss your phone onto the bed with a sigh.

"Man, you just aren't having a good morning, are you sweetheart?" Karrion teases you.

"Shove it." You roll your eyes. "Regal wants us at work at three for a meeting." You tell him.

"Kicking me out so soon?" Karrion teases you again.

"I am." You nod. "Now pick up your pants and make yourself scarce." You joke.

"Oh, but I'll be seeing you at work. Don't forget about that fact, sweetheart." He reminds you.

Karrion eventually picks up his discarded things and leaves as you asked. You shower and clean up a bit around the house after he leaves.

In the back of your mind, you know what you're doing is wrong. Regal is almost like a father to you. And Joe is one of your best friends. Karrion on the other hand is the exact opposite. A pain in the ass of Regal and one of Joe's worst enemies, you should hate him. But you don't.

For all that you're worth you just can't seem to stay away from him. No matter how hard you try. It's like Kross always knows just what to say or what to do to rope you back into his web. Most people would find Kross's personality to be an immediate red flag. But he's managed to steal your heart.

"Okay, keys, wallet, phone." You do one last check of all your things before you leave the house to head for work.

When you get to work Regal and Joe are already waiting for you in the office. You hurry in and sit down in your chair, mumbling an apology as you go.

"Right, now that we're all here." Regal starts the meeting once you get settled in. "Let's get this meeting started, shall we?"

You nod and pull out your notepad just in case you need to write anything down. Regal stands at the front of the table and clears his throat.

"As you both know, Karrion Kross has been causing quite a bit of problems for us these past few weeks." Regal reminds you all.

"Well, that's the understatement of the century." Joe scoffs. "He's a menace is what he is."

Your heart rate picks up at the mention of your late-night rendezvous. Keeping the secret from your boss and your best friend is becoming harder and harder by the day.

"Well, what do you suggest we do about it, Joe?" Regal turns his attention to Joe.

"Let me handle it," Joe replies simply. "I'll put him in his place." He insists with a look of ill intent on his face.

"You forget, he hasn't done anything wrong." You counter without trying to sound biased. "We can't just go out and punish him for something that he hasn't done now, can we?"

"As much as it pains me to say it, she's right." Regal sighs. "We can't just go around and punish our champion because we don't like the way that he acts."

The meeting drags on to a few more topics that need to be discussed but you know that Karrion remains in the back of both Regal and Joe's minds. Not that he isn't on your mind most of the time. Which he is.

NXT kicks off the air for the night and you remain in the office to do some last-minute paperwork while Regal and Joe head off to do something or other. You are busy chewing on the end of your pen and looking over some documents when the door swings open.

"Yeah? Something you need?" You ask without looking up.

"Oh, I could think of a few things." Turns out Karrion is the one that came in.

You instantly look up from your papers with a raised brow. Usually, Karrion leaves you alone at work. Easier to keep your dirty little secret that way.

"Karrion? What can I do for you?" You shift in your seat and try to remain professional. Knowing that Regal or Joe could come in at any moment.

"Not here for me, for once," Kross replies. "Which is a real shame because the way you look? I mean, wow." He chuckles. "I'm here for Scarlett."

You roll your eyes at the mention of Karrions on-screen girlfriend. But to be fair you didn't like Scarlett even before Karrion started coming after you. The fact that she's normally all over Karrion like a fly that won't go away when she's at work, irks you to no end.

"Of course. What do you want, Scarlett?" You fold your hands and glance at her.

"Where's Regal at? I'd much rather talk to him." Scarlett replies in an annoying tone.

"Tough luck, he's busy. So you get me." You flash her an endearing smile.

"No. I want to see Regal." Scarlett protests and you roll your eyes. You can't imagine how annoyed Kross must be with her every week.

Before you can tell the spoiled blonde no again, Regal comes through the door.

"There you go, spoiled wench." You nod to Regal but keep the last bit of your comment more to yourself.

Karrion must have heard you because you catch a small hint of a smile on his face as Regal beckons for Scarlett to follow him into the main part of the office. This also leaves you and Karrion alone for a moment.

"You're an ass, you know that?" You go back to looking down at the papers in front of you. "making stupid comments like that when you know Joe or Regal could show up at any moment." You keep your voice hushed since Regal is just on the other side of the door.

"Oh come on." Karrion rolls his eyes and walks over to your desk. "You know that you love the attention." He teases you, his arm reaching across the desk over to yours.

"Hands to yourself." You swat his hand away from you.

Swatting Kross's hand away requires you to look up at him and the two of you lock eyes. Karrion stares at you to psych you out. But you refuse to let him win.

"You know I don't know how you put up with her." You can faintly hear Scarlett on the other side of the door, eyes still locked with Kross.

"Is that a hint of jealousy I detect?" Karrion teases you.

"Jealous? Of what?" You scoff. "Some blonde bimbo rubbing herself all over you for fun? Never." You insist.

"See, I think that you are though," Karrion replies with a smug grin. "You wish that you were the one always hanging off me in front of all those cameras."

Your eyes begin to strain a bit with all this staring and you know that you can't keep it up forever. Luckily for you, Karrion cant either. His eyes flit down to your lips and back up a couple of times which just entices you to do something that you know you shouldn't.

Your little staring contest is cut short when Scarlett finally finishes up in Regal's office and comes back out. She stomps over to Karrion and grabs his bicep with a frown.

"Come on Karrion, let's go." She whines and pulls him away from your desk.

You roll your eyes unconsciously as she pulls Kross out the door and Regal walks back over to you.

"You alright, Y/N? Kross didn't give you a hard time did he?" He asks you.

"No. Don't worry, Regal. I can handle Kross just fine. It looks like you had the hard job." You joke.

"Don't I know it." Regal nods and turns around to head back to his desk.

You glance back down at your papers to finally finish them but your mind wanders a bit. Maybe Karrion is a little bit right. Maybe sometimes you do wish that you were the one always at his side when he's being an ass on camera.

Chapter Text

You finish the last curl on your hair and shut the iron off. Perfection. Staring at yourself in the mirror you admire the way your hair frames your face.

"Okay, now shoes." You get up and walk over to your closest with various shoes all sitting neatly in a row.

Today is a special occasion, so you want to make sure that you look, killer. You've been in the bathroom for a little over an hour and a half making sure that every hair is in place and your makeup looks stunning and even.

"Let's see." You browse the vast selection of shoes and come to a pair of cute chunky heels. "Perfect." You grab the shoes from the line and walk over to the bed so you can put them on.

Your outfit for the night is a pair of snug black jeans and a gold top. Colors that will match your fiancee's ring gear perfectly.

After you are fully dressed and ready to go, you grab your clutch off of the counter and call yourself an Uber since Christian took the car when he left earlier.

Excitement courses through your veins as you mess with the backstage pass hanging around your neck. It's not every day that you get to experience a wrestling shows backstage shenanigans. But tonight is a special occasion. Your fiance is challenging for a championship title.

Christian left the house a bit early so he'd have plenty of time to get ready for his match. You took an Uber to the arena to meet him a bit later. The only problem is now you find yourself a bit lost backstage.

"Woah, check her out." Kenny is hanging out outside the locker rooms with Matt and Nick when he spots you. "She's cute, and she looks like she could use some help. Be right back." He pushes off the wall and slips past Matt and Nick.

"What is he talking about?" Matt furrows his brows. "Oh no. Nick, look." Matt follows Kenny's path and spots you as well.

"Hmm? Oh, shit!" Nick laughs.

Matt and Nick have met you a couple of times on the job. And they are both very aware that you're engaged to Christian now. Kenny on the other hand, well he's never met you before.

"This outta be fun." Matt starts to laugh as well as they watch Kenny approach you.

"Excuse me miss? You look like you could use a little help." Kenny saunters over to you with a confident smile.

You are a bit surprised when Kenny Omega of all people is suddenly at your side and offering you some help.

"Oh, hello." You quirk a brow at the man in front of you. "I guess you could say that yeah." You nod.

He must not know who you are. That's the only explanation you can muster why Kenny Omega of all people would be flirting with you.

"Well, I am more than happy to help you out." Kenny insists. "Anyone, in particular, you're looking for?" He asks you.

"Umm yeah." You nod as an idea pops into your head. "Christian Cage? He's a friend, I guess you could say." You keep your answer vague to mess with the champ.

You notice movement behind Kenny and shift to glance behind him. You almost crack up right there when you see the Jackson brothers laughing their asses off.

"Oh, yeah he'll be in his locker room," Kenny replies with just a hint of saltiness in his tone. "It's the third door on the left side." He points to the hallway.

"Really? Thank you." You flash the champ a friendly grin. "I hope I get to see you on the show tonight." You tease him.

"Yeah? Well, I look forward to seeing you cheering out there. Take care, sweetheart." Kenny nods and returns your smile.

You nod and head down the hall. You pass Matt and Nick on the way and shake your head at them.

"You two are evil for now stopping him." You tell them quietly.

You make it to Christian's locker room and knock once firmly before you head in.

"Hello? Babe you in here?" You shut the door behind you and look around for Christian.

"Wow! Your man lets you leave the house dressed like that?" Christian pops up from the back of the locker room with a grin.

"He likes it when I dress up for him." You giggle and walk over to him. "Don't you look handsome?"

"Always do." Christian replies.

"Okay captain charisma." You giggle again. "I ran into your big-headed opponent in the hall. He's got a big mouth." You inform him.

"Oh yeah?" Christian quirks a brow at you. "And what did you have to say?" He asks you.

"Not much." You shrug and wrap your arms around his neck. "I figured that I'd let him speak his piece. Not very interesting if you ask me."

"Good. It'll just make it funnier when I beat him tonight." Christian chuckles. "Speaking of, shouldn't you be heading out to your seat?" He asks you.

"Yeah, but I wanted to come by and give you this." You lean up a bit and kiss your fiance gently. "For good luck. Not that you'll need it." You pat his chest.

"God I love you." Christian shakes his head.

"Love you too, baby. I'll see you after the show. You and that shiny title belt." You say a quick goodbye and head out.

You head back out to the main part of the arena and take your ringside seat. The atmosphere in the arena is electric on this warm Friday night.

You sit and have fun during the whole of the show, all up until it's time for the main event. The lights flash above you and Kenny makes his grand entrance. You flash him a grin when he passes you just in case Matt and Nick didn't set him straight after he talked to you.

"Ha!" You hear Kenny chuckle as he passes you.

Christian makes his way out to the ring next on the opposite side you are sitting on. You cheer for him anyway. Both men get in the ring and the bell chimes for the match to start.

The match is grueling and you wince each time that your fiancee takes a bad hit. But eventually, his hard work pays off. Christian manages to roll Kenny up for a three-count and the bell rings again.

"Yes!" You are up and out of your seat in an instant.

Christian is given his shiny new belt and you don't hesitate to hop over the barricade to get to him.

"You did it! Baby, you did it!" You rush over to Christian when he slides down to the floor.

Christian breathes heavily but accepts your bear hug anyway.

"It was that good luck kiss. Couldn't have done it without you, honey." Christian insists as he hugs you.

"Nonsense. You did it all by yourself babe." You shake your head and opt to hang on his arm instead.

Kenny manages to finally pick himself off the floor and looks around for the man that just beat him. You almost laugh when you see the look on his face when his gaze lands on you.

"Babe." You lean into Christian once more with a grin. "Kiss?" You suggest with a grin.

"God, I love you." Christian chuckles, happy to give in to your request.

Chapter Text

"Are you kidding me, Katie?" You hold one of your brand-new controllers in your hand.

"What? It was an accident." Your sister shrugs. "It's just a dumb controller anyway." She rolls her eyes and pulls out her phone.

"It was brand new!" You continue to scold her. "And I told you to stay out of my office." You add.

"I was bored." Katie whines. "Just buy a new one and stop yelling at me." She fakes a sniffle like you're hurting her feelings.

"Stay out of my office!" You warn her again. "Better yet, stay out of everything." You clarify.

Your mother and father are out of town on a cruise for a few weeks so you offered to let your teen sister Katie stay with you while they are gone.

You know that your sister has always been a spoiled brat. But she's barely been at your place for a day and you're already ready to kill her.

"Well then what am I suppose to do? Your place is so boring." Katie whines again.

"Watch tv. Play on your phone. Catch up on homework. I don't know." You roll your eyes. "But please go so something."

"Whatever." Katie rolls her eyes and walks off without another word.

With a sigh, you silently curse under your breath and head to your closet to change. You've got work in under an hour and you need to get going before you're late.

You quickly change and throw your work bag together before you head back out to the main room of the house. You find your sister sitting on your couch on her phone silently.

"Hey." You walk over to her and swat at her head. "I'm heading to work. Do you wanna come watch the show or stay here?" You ask her.

"Eww." Katie grimaces. "Why would I wanna come to work with you?" She scoffs.

"You know what? Fine then. You're coming anyway." Tired of her bad attitude you haul her up by the arm and push her towards the door.

"What? No." Katie protests.

"Yeah? Mom said I could take your phone if you didn't listen to me." You remind her. "And we both know taking it from you wouldn't be a challenge. So get in the car." You threaten her.

"Fine." Katie groans. "When did you become such a bitch?" She scowls at you.

"When did you become such an annoying little twit?" You fire back dryly.

Katie complains the whole way to work and you do your best to ignore it. You know that all you need to do is drop her off backstage and be done with her for a few hours.

"Come on." You dig your work pass out of your bag and head inside the building.

You take Katie through the building and down to the locker rooms in the backstage area. After unlocking the door you usher your sister inside and shut the door again.

"Why does it smell like sweat in here?" Katie complains as she shuts the door.

"It's a locker room." You roll your eyes and set your bag down. "Deal with it."

You open your bag up and pull your ring gear out of it. You set it all out before you pull your shirt off.

"Eww, now you're gonna change in front of me too?" Katie looks up from her phone and scoffs.

"Get over it." You chime.

A few seconds later someone knocks on the door so you walk over and check to see who it is.

"Ricky? I wasn't expecting you until later." You find Ricky on the other side of the door.

"Hey, sugar." Ricky winks at you with a grin. "I like to be early, gives me more time to admire you." He teases you.

"Naturally." You laugh. "Come in." You let him in. "Oh, this is my bratty little sister, Katie." You quickly introduce him to Katie.

"What? Oh! Who's this?" Katie looks up from her phone at the sound of her name.

"Ricky Starks," Ricky answers for you. "Man of your sister's dreams?"

"Ha! You wish." You laugh. "He's a friend." You correct him.

"Nice to meet you, Ricky." Katie throws a flirty smile Ricky's way and you roll your eyes.

"Ricky." An idea suddenly forms in your head. "Did Taz bring Hook to work with him today?" You ask him.

"Yeah, he always does." Ricky nods, a bit confused as to why you're asking.

"Great." You nod and get ready a little bit faster.

You finish up changing meanwhile Katie bothers Ricky with just about every low-key way to flirt that she can. And it doesn't take long for Ricky to pick up why you asked about Hook.

"Okay! You ready to go, sugar?" Ricky asks once you're all changed.

"Mhm. Come on Katie." You beckon for her to follow.

With Ricky at your side, Katie doesn't protest the movement. She happily attempts to flirt with Starks some more while you walk.

When you get to the Team Taz locker room you grab Katie by the arm and haul her inside. You scan the room for Hook and make a B-line for the kid as soon as you spot him. Hook is 22 and Katie just turned 19 to they'd make a swell pair for the night.

"Hook, my man." You walk over to Taz's kid with a smile. "This is my little sister, Katie." You introduce them. "Keep her company while we're out in the ring, yeah?" You ask him.

"Yeah, sure." Hook shrugs then nods to Katie.

With your sister now occupied by Taz's heartthrob of a son, you now have some peace and quiet.

"That was real sneaky of you, sugar." Ricky is back at your side within minutes and slings an arm over your shoulder.

"Yeah well, she's out of my hair and Hook has something to do other than standing around." You shrug. "So I'd call it a win."

"I think that maybe you got a little jealous that your sister was trying to get all over me." Ricky teases you.

"Umm, no." You laugh. "Plus, you know better. She's way too young for you." You remind him.

"True. And we both know that you're the only one for me, sugar." Ricky adds.

"Whatever." You roll your eyes again.

Ricky leans over and kisses your cheek. You roll your eyes one more time while you watch Katie flirt it up with Hook. Okay...maybe Ricky is a tiny bit right. Just a tiny bit though.

Chapter Text

"Y/N, come on. What the hell are you waiting for?" Dustin beckons to you from the ring apron.

Cody's blood is soaking into the pressboard at your feet as medical help carry him up the ramp. Your head swims with a million different thoughts.

On the other side of the ring stands a man you can only describe as your wildest dream and your worst nightmare all rolled up into one. Malakai Black.

"Go on then doll, make your choice." Malakai teases you with a wicked grin as he leans against the ring post in the corner opposite your eldest brother.

"I..." You begin to stammer out a response but your words get caught in your throat.

How in the hell did it come to this?

(Flashback)

"Thanks for volunteering to do this for me, N/N." Cody pats your shoulder gently as he leans against his front door. "With Brandi and the baby, everything has just been so hectic. And Dustin is so busy with the trainees." He shakes his head.

"It's fine, Cody." You pat his arm back gently. "Really, you know I don't mind going in to work a bit early. You just take care of Brandi and the baby." You insist.

"Yeah, thanks again. Really, I don't know what I'd do without you." Your brother thanks you one last time.

"You and Dustin would be lost." You grin.

Normally when Tony signs any big-name talents to AEW, Cody is the one to personally greet them and welcome them to the company. And when Cody is busy, which he rarely is, the job lands on Dustin. But today is a special situation. Both of your brothers are preoccupied with other important tasks today, so you get the privilege of flaunting the Rhodes family name to the new hire for a change.

You head into Daily's place on Tuesday evening right when they are about to start filming this week's episode of AEW Dark. Flashing your pass at the security check you head straight for Tony's office.

"Tony?" You knock twice sharply on the door when you reach thr office before you enter.

"Y/N? Hey, what's going on?" Khan seems a little surprised when you come through thr door.

"Hey, sorry about this." You shrug and shut the door behind you. "Cody is busy with thr baby and Dustin is up to his eyes in training right now. So they sent me down to greet our new signee." You explain quickly.

"Oh." Tony nods. "Alright then." He gets up from his desk and hands you the paper sitting on it. "Are you at all familiar with the work of the man formerly known as Aleister Black?" He asks you.

"Aleister Black? Like from WWE?" You glance down at the paper. "That's who you signed?" You quickly look back up at Tony.

"Yeah." Khan nods. "Got him for a pretty sweet deal as well. Sit, he should be here any minute." He gestures to one of the two empty chairs in the room.

"Right." You nod and take a seat in the chair closer to Tony.

You've heard rumors about Black before. And most of them make a chill run up your spine. He is truly a man that takes the dark and mysterious trope to a whole other level. And you've got a notorious background with mysterious men.

For some reason, a nervous feeling bubbles up inside you as you wait for this new signee. You shift in your chair impatiently until a knock sounds at the door. Your body stiffens at the sound as Tony calls for the mystery person to enter.

"Ah, Mr. Black. Pleasure to finally meet you." Tony rises from his seat with a friendly smile. "As I am sure you know, this is Y/N Rhodes. She's here to formally induct you into the company, per usual here in AEW." He explains.

You stand to your feet as well and turn around. As soon as you do another cold chill cascades down your body. Your eyes meet a pair of dark ones and it's like a spark of electricity you can't explain fires in your brain.

"Y/N Rhodes, huh?" Your name falls from Malakai's lips like an enchanting song. "Pleasure to meet you, doll." He eyes you up with little regard as to what anyone else might think and holds his hand out to you.

"Right, welcome to AEW, Mr. Black. I'm sure that you'll go on to do great things here." You swallow hard before you shake his hand.

The handshake is firm, and Black's hand is easily twice the size of your own. You can feel the callouses formed on his hands grating against the relatively smooth surface of your palm.

Once the introductions have been formerly made everyone sits down. You can feel a change in the atmosphere of the room now. Malakai's presence is essentially impossible to ignore as he sits down next to you.

You take a small glance over at the seemingly haunting man next to you and time suddenly comes to an agonizingly slow halt. You meet his steely gaze for what in reality is barely a second, but it feels like an eternity before you look away.

Tony's words are drowned out by an ethereal feeling that washes over your body as Malakai sits next to you. And it isn't until you're called by name do you snap out of your trance-like state.

"Y/N? Can you please give Mr. Black here a quick tour of the facility?" Tony asks you casually.

"Me? A tour?" It takes you a second to collect yourself. "Yeah, sure." You answer before you even fully know what you're doing.

"Perfect! I leave you in the capable hands of Miss Rhodes, sir." Khan nods to Malakai before promptly moving on to other things.

You step out into the hall quickly to get a hit of fresh air. You take a second to compose yourself and turn around only to be met by a solid chest dressed in all black.

"Fuck!" You curse under your breath. "Sorry, about that." You mumble out an apology and scratch the back of your neck.

"It's forgiven," Malakai replies simply, as he carefully watches you squirm under his gaze.

It's like a game to him. Y/N Rhodes, the pride of the family. Like a pathetic little doe in headlights under his gaze. With one glance he can tell that he makes you nervous beyond comprehension, and he's obsessed.

"Right." You nod and swallow again. "Right this way then, sir." You turn on your heel to avert your gaze easier.

You swear you hear a small hint of a chuckle come from Malakai as you turn around. But it's got to be your imagination. Right?

The tour of the facility is by far the most nerve-racking 10 minutes of your life. It's almost like Black has cast a spell on you and you're powerless to break free from it.

"Okay! That's about it." You reluctantly turn around to meet your guest's gaze once the tour is over. "I look forward to seeing you on Dynamite next week, Mr. Black." You offer him a small smile.

"Yes, I surmise that it will be quite entertaining." Malakai nods, his face fixed down on you. "Until next week then doll, I'll be seeing you."

Another shiver runs down your spine at his words as he turns and walks off. It's like a weight lifts off your shoulders once he's gone. But oddly enough you find that you might just miss that feeling a little bit.

(End Of Flashback)

"I..." It's like your brain suddenly kicks into autopilot. Your legs move forward without your consent and towards Malakai's corner of the ring.

You can vaguely hear Dustin calling your name behind you, but it's like suddenly all other noises in the arena have been drowned out.

You make it almost an arm's length away from Black when suddenly someone grabs you from behind and pulls you away from him. With the sudden impact, you are broken out of your trance and turn to see Dustin holding your arm protectively.

"Y/N, are you okay?" He asks you softly and with genuine concern.

"I...yeah I guess." You nod, though really you're unsure.

Dustin starts to pull you further away from Malakai but you are compelled to glance his way. He flashes you a wicked grin and stands straight to your feet.

"Go ahead." The enigma finally speaks up. "Comfort your brothers while you can little dove. But mark my words. You will be mine."

Chapter Text

It's been almost a week since the incident with Malakai. Cody has quickly recovered from his head injury and decided to stay home with Brandi and the baby for a while. He trusts you and Dustin to take care of the problem in his absence.

Dustin on the other hand. He doesn't think that letting you near Black again is such a good idea. He was nice enough to keep your little incident from Cody. As to not worry your brother any further. And you can't thank him enough for that.

"Y/N, are you sure that you're gonna be okay out there?" Dustin asks you.

"Yeah, it's just a tag match. I'll be fine." You insist.

Dustin is a bit busy filling in for Cody on tonight's episode of Dark so you insisted that you go out to the ring with Lee and Brock for their tag match.

"Alright." Dustin nods, trusting that you've got it handled. "I'll be keeping an eye out though, just in case." He informs you.

"Thanks, Dustin." You nod and give your brother a small hug. "Alright, come on boys." You turn around to Lee and Brock with a smile.

Brock and Lee have a tag match against 2.0 tonight. Usually, you'd be the one hanging backstage while Dustin or Arn does the heavy lifting. But you're in the hot seat tonight. Not that you mind.

You head out to ring with the boys and stand in your team's corner for support. 2.0 comes out and the bell rings.

"Come on!" You stand and cheer for Lee and Brock as they work to pick up the win.

The match drags on for around 10 minutes and an uneasy feeling grows in the bag of your mind each extra second you are out near the ring.

Lee manages to pick up a quick crucifix pin and the bell rings. You rush into the ring for a short victory, eager to get to the safety backstage.

"Good work, you two!" You praise Lee and Brock. "Now, let's get backstage." You step forward to the ring ropes.

Your hand barely grazes the ring ropes when the lights in the arena suddenly go out. You gasp aloud and turn around to find Lee and Brock in the darkness.

The lights snap back on seconds later and your stomach drops. Malakai stands in the ring between a fallen Brock and Lee. That same sinister smile from before graces his face as he stares at you.

"Forgive me dove, but they were in the way." He gestures down to your fallen friends.

"What do you want?" You swallow hard, hyper-aware of the situation that you're in.

"You, dove. I mean what I said." Malakai replies in a calm and cool tone. "I will make you mine."

"I'm no ones." You shake your head. Mind racing for an exit strategy.

"You'll never make it out," Malakai states simply like he could hear what you've been thinking.

His voice sends a shiver down your spine. So sultry and deep, like velvet. No. You cant be thinking things like that. Not now.

Malakai takes a step forward and you instinctively take one back. This continues until your back hits the ring post in the corner.

"Think about it, dove. Every King needs a queen." Malakai insists as he continues to advance towards you.

"I...no." You shake your head vigorously.

Malakai is only about a foot and a half from you now. And you've got nowhere to go. His face is oddly calm as he comes to a stop about a foot from you. Your eyes never falter from his hand as it rises from his side to touch your face.

"Admit it, you want this," Malakai claims, just above a whisper.

His hand gets just mere inches from your face when suddenly Malakai is being shoved down to the side of the ring. You blink a couple of times and before you know what's going on Dustin has you in his arms and is hauling you up the ramp.

You peer over your brother's shoulder and out to the ring. Lee and Brock managed to get out okay so it's just Malakai in the ring. You watch as he moves to stand, his fist colliding hard with the mat as he does. You can damn near feel his anger from the top of the ramp.

"You can't keep her from me!" Malakai bellows from the ring.

"I'm gonna kick his ass!" Dustin fumes and sets you down once you are a safe distance away. "Are you okay? Did he hurt you?" He hovers over you like the protective older brother he is.

"I'm fine." You nod, another shiver running down your spine. "Brock and Lee. Are they okay?" You glance around for them.

"They're fine," Dustin replies. "Damnit! I knew it wasn't a good idea to send you out there." He shakes his head.

"What the hell is going on?" You shake your head as well. "Why does he only seem interested in me?"

"I don't know." Dustin sighs. "But I won't let him get to you. I promise." He insists and hugs you.

"Thanks, Dustin." You hug him back gently.

You love your brother more than anything in the world. But you have a feeling that this is one man that he won't be able to hinder. Malakai's eyes flash in your mind. Intense and beautiful, just the same. You can almost feel his hand on your cheek. God, he was so close to getting what he wanted.

The next night you arrive at work for Dynamite. Tony offered you the night off, but you refused. You aren't one to let people get in your way when it comes to working. Dustin and Cody both protested as well, of course. But you insisted.

"I still think that you should be at home," Dustin complains in the locker room.

"Look at me, Dustin." You reply softly. "Lee and Brock haven't left my side since I got here. Plus I have you." You gesture to the two men sitting not far from you.

"I just don't like it." Dustin shakes his head.

Eventually, Dustin gives up on trying to make you go home for the night. He leaves to go talk to Tony about something for Cody and you are left in the locker room with Lee and Brock.

All is quiet in the locker room for a while. Until you notice that Dustin has been gone for an awfully long time. You start to worry a lot when a knock comes at your locker room door. Lee goes to answer it for you, just in case.

"Julia?" You hear Lee ask at the door.

"Y/N?" Julia pushes past Lee. "Y/N, you gotta come quick. It's Dustin!" She informs you with urgency.

"What?" You jump to your feet and follow Julia out of the locker room.

"I was just finishing up my match when Black dragged him out to the ring." She explains.

Lee and Brock follow you and Julia out to the ring. You get to the tunnel and gasp at the sight in front of you. Malakai has Dustin in the middle of the ring and beaten to a pulp.

"No!" You sprint up to the ring and climb the apron. "Malakai, please." You beg him. "Please, let him go."

"He got in the way. He needed to be punished." Malakai growls. "I told you Y/N, no one is going to keep you from me."

"Please!" A few stray tears cascade down your cheeks as you enter the ring and approach Malakai.

"Y/N, don't." Dustin manages to choke out a few words.

"Just let him be, please." You ask again, and advance towards Malakai.

"Don't cry, little dove." Malakai reaches up once again.

You keep yourself from flinching when he reaches up and thumbs a stray tear away. His touch is surprisingly tender as he does so. You find yourself frozen in place as Malakai leans in and closes the gap between the two of you. He kisses you with no fight.

His lips are soft and gentle against your own, his hand holding your chin delicately. Then the lights go out.

"Dustin?" You call out to your brother when the lights come back on.

Malakai is nowhere to be found and you sink to your knees to help your brother.

"Dustin! I'm sorry." You whine and try to help him up.

"It's alright." Dustin coughs violently. "It's not your fault." He assures you as you help him to his feet.

Lee and Brock take over helping Dustin up and Julia is nice enough to console you with a warm hug. You can't bring yourself to tell her, or anyone else that you can still feel Malakai's lips against your own. Like a haunting warmth that oddly you don't want to go away.

Chapter Text

Another episode of AEW dark is being tapped in Daily's Place and Brian is just coming back from catering when he happens to spot you talking to someone.

He initially stops so he can say hello to you. Having the biggest crush on you, Brian is always looking to talk to you where he can. He comes to a halt, however, when he sees who you're talking to. Max Caster. A man that Brian absolutely cannot stand.

Brian stops and silently listens to what you and Caster are talking about.

"Come on Y/N, baby. It's just one little date." Caster pleads with you for the millionth time.

"I said no, Caster." You shake your head in frustration. "Now will you please stop asking me?" You ask him.

"What? Are you too good for me all of a sudden?" Max scoffs.

This is what you were afraid of. You know that Caster and Bowens are both very capable men in their own right. And Max has been asking you out on a date for weeks now. Each time you shoot him down, and each time he's gotten angrier with your refusal.

"That's not what I meant." You shake your head, desperate to devolve the situation.

"Isn't it?" Caster scoffs again. "So sorry for thinking I could date you, your highness." His flirty smile turns into a sour glare. "But by all means, act like an entitled bitch. See how far that gets you."

"I.." You go make your reply. Anything to calm him down.

Your reply is interrupted when suddenly your view of Caster is blocked by a head of curly blond hair.

"Hey, Caster! You think that you can just get off talking to her like that?" Brian confronts the wannabe rapper.

While you were busy trying to get Caster to leave you alone, Pillman has been on the other side of the room listening to the conversation. And it's safe to say that he's heard enough out of Caster.

"Brian?" You are startled, to say the least, to find Pillman coming to your aid.

"Sorry, Y/N." Brian turns back around for a second. "But I'm done listening to this dickhead treat you the way that he does." He informs you before he turns back around.

"Scram, blondie." Max scoffs again. "This conversation is between me and the shortie. Don't you have a cheerleader to bang or something?" He snickers at his quick joke.

"That's it," Brian growls.

You watch as Brian lurches forward and tackles Caster to the floor. The two of them start trading blows as soon as they are within reach of one another.

"Shit!" You panic and get to your feet.

Your first thought it to pull Brian off of Caster to get them to stop. But Brian is twice your size and you really don't think that you could if you tried. You make a quick glance around the backstage area and remember that the Varsity Blond's locker room isn't that far away.

You take off in a sprint to fetch Griff before Pillman beats Max into a pulp. Sure Caster is a total asshole, but that doesn't mean you want him seriously hurt.

"Griff? Griff?" You swing the door to the Blond's locker room open without care. "Garrison! Come quick, Brian is about to put Caster in the hospital." You explain as quickly as you can.

Griff doesn't need much more detail before he's following you back out to the backstage area in the sprint. Julia also tags along just at a slightly slower pace since she's smaller.

When you get back to the scene of the fight Brian is still on top of Caster and raining down punches like his life is on the line. Griff hauls ass over to his tag partner and yanks him up from the floor by the shirt.

"Brian! That's enough man." Griff insists as he holds a livid Pillman in place.

Before you can get a chance to ask Brian what the hell he was thinking backstage security is on the scene and hauling him away. Julia comes over to you and puts a hand on your shoulder.

"Caster must have been bothering you again, yeah?" She asks you.

"Yeah, how'd you know?" You confirm with a nod and watch as Pillman gets walked away from the scene.

"Duh," Julia replies like it's obvious. "You do know that Brian has like the biggest crush on you right?" She furrows her brows at you.

"What? He does?" This information is completely new to you.

"Yeah." Julia giggles. "He's like totally got it bad for you, Y/N. Just ask Griff." She nods to the other blonde now talking to one of the security guards.

You nod and wait for Griff to finish his conversation. Brian likes you? You never would have guessed it. Not that you don't like him.

You've known Pillman casually for a few years now. You just know him as the sweet blond that you always see around at work or the gym.

"Hey, Garrison." You catch Griff's attention once he's free again.

"Y/N, hey." Griff walks over to you. "Please tell me that Brian finally told you that he likes you?" He asks you.

"He didn't mention it, no." You shake your head. "Julia had to tell me." You nod to Julia behind you.

"Great." Griff chuckles. "Hell of a way to let a girl know how you feel, Pillman." He mumbles to himself. "He really does like you, Y/N. Like, a lot."

"Yeah, so I'm told." You nod. "I don't know any guys that would wreck another guy for me like that." You rub the back of your neck.

"Yeah...sorry about that." Griff chuckles nervously. "We've already been having problems with The Acclaimed these past few weeks. I guess that seeing Caster bugging his girl was Brian's last straw." He shrugs.

"It's okay. It was sweet in a way, I guess." You shrug as well.

With your newfound information, you go and check up on Brian so you can talk to him. You find him just as security is all done talking with him about the fight.

"Brian, hey." You wave to him. "How are you doing?" You notice the blood staining his knuckles.

"Y/N, shit. Hey." Brian stutters out and answer. "Sorry, you had to see that." He rubs the back of his neck in embarrassment. "I don't really know what came over me." He admits sheepishly.

"It's okay." You insist with a soft smile. "Griff and Julia kind of told me everything." You explain.

"Crap, they did?" Brian shakes his head.

"Yeah." You nod and lean forward to place a soft kiss on Pillman's cheek. "And I think what you did was sweet."

"You do?" Brian bushes a shade of red that rivals his bloody knuckles.

"Yeah!" You giggle. "The way you just jumped in and went at it with Caster? You're my hero." You tease him a bit.

"It was nothing, really." Brian continues to blush. "I just got tired of listening to him talk." He insists.

"Well, it was still appreciated." You go in for a hug this time. "We should get some drinks. Drinks are always customary after a fistfight after all." You joke.

"Sure! I could definitely use a drink." Brian chuckles with you.

Chapter Text

A freshly baked batch of cookies come out of your oven and fills the kitchen with a sweet aroma. You hum to yourself as you set the hot baking sheet down and grab a spatula to get the cookies off of it.

"Holy hell, what are you doing in here honey?" The scent of cookies brings your husband out of his home gym.

"Baking cookies." You hum sweetly as you transfer cookies from sheet to plate.

Chuck walks over to the counter and reaches out to grab one off the plate. You swat his hand away with a stern look.

"Hey! What was that for?" Chuckie whines.

"I don't recall saying these were for you." You reply sharply. "They're for my sister, her school is having a bake sale and you know she's horrible at it." You explain.

"But what if I wanted cookies?" Chuck whines again, giving you that adorable puppy dog look of his.

"You've got money and a car." You quip back. "Go buy some." You tease him.

"You're a cruel woman, you know that." Chuck sighs and turns around.

"Mhm." You roll your eyes at your overdramatic child of a husband.

You finish getting the cookies onto a cute plate that you bought and wrap them up to keep them fresh.

After you put the cookies away you start to clean up all the stuff that you got out to make them. As you're wiping up the counter you vaguely hear Chuck in the next room chatting with someone. You let out a small sigh and turn back around to your ingredients.

"The things I do for you." You shake your head and begin a new batch of cookies for your man-child husband.

A little bit later and Chuck comes back into the kitchen to grab a beer. He curiously notices you cleaning up a bowl and walks over to you.

"Geez babe, how many cookies does your sister need for the bake sale?" He asks as he comes up behind you and wraps his arms around your waist.

"I'm making you cookies now, for your information." You reply as you scrub the bowl clean.

"What? You are?" Chuck replies in a surprised tone.

"Mhm." You nod.

"Gosh babe, you didn't have to do that," Chuck replies. "I was just kidding earlier." He shakes his head. "Shit, now I feel bad."

"It's okay." You giggle a bit at Chuckies instant guilt.

"No. Move over honey, I'll clean up the dishes and kitchen." Chuck insists firmly.

"Okay." You giggle again and step aside.

Chuck instantly takes over in cleaning up your dirty dishes. You take a seat on a stool and relax while he works and the cookies bake.

Sometimes you really don't know how lucky you managed to get in your life. Your working in AEW doing what you love. You've got a husband that you are almost certain loves you more than life. Your sister lives close by and you have an angelic little nephew. Life is good.

"You make an absolutely adorable housewife, you know that?" You comment as you watch Chuck work.

"Maybe I should get a maid outfit then. Yeah?" Chuck glances over his shoulder at you.

"Oh, that would be great." You laugh. "You in a pair of thigh-highs and a cute garter? That would be a sight to see."

"I'll only do it if you get a matching set," Chuck replies.

"Hmm." You tap your chin gently. "Maybe. Your birthday is coming up, isn't it?" You ask him.

"In a couple of weeks, yeah." Chuck nods.

The oven beeps indicating that your cookies are done. You slide off your stool and take them out before you shut the oven off.

You grab another plate from the cabinet and begin taking your second batch of cookies off of the sheet. Chuck finishes off the dishes just in time as you get the last cookie off of the sheet.

He walks over and wraps his arms around your waist again. You can hear him sniff the air and take in the scent of more of your fresh baking.

"Finally." Chuck reaches around and goes to grab a cookie.

"Wait!" You smack his hand away once again. "Patience, they're still hot." You remind him.

"Ouch." Chuck groans.

"Oh don't be a baby." You roll your eyes.

You shrug Chuck off of your back and toss the baking sheet in the dishwasher to be cleaned. You giggle at Chuck hovering over the plate of cookies like he's starving.

You shake your head and grab two glasses from the cabinet then the milk gallon from the fridge. You pour some into both of the glasses then put the milk back.

"Here." You walk back over to the counter and hand Chuck a glass. "Now you can eat them." You nod to the cookies and sit down on a stool.

You watch as Chuck happily takes his glass of milk and grabs a cookie off of the plate. You smile to yourself and grab one as well to taste your work.

"Hell, these are good." Chuck bites into a warm cookie.

"Thanks." You nod and bite into yours as well.

"I mean it, babe. God, what did I do to deserve you?" He asks you with half a cookie in his mouth.

"Do you really deserve me?" You joke.

"Probably not," Chuck replies with a shrug.

"Oh, I was just kidding." You giggle and hope off your stool to make your way around the counter. "You know I love you." You slip yourself into his side.

Chuck wraps his free hand over your shoulder, still munching on his cookies.

"Love you too, honey." He takes a second from eating to lean down for a kiss.

You can still taste warm cookies on his lips when he kisses you. Not that you mind much. You are a phenomenal baker after all.

Chapter Text

"I still don't see why I need to come along, dad." You complain up until the moment you pull into the arena.

"Hush." Ted scolds you. "Just think about it this way. There's probably a plethora of young men for you to terrorize." He reminds you.

"I guess." You roll your eyes at pick at your nails.

Recently your father, the Million Dollar man himself. Ted Dibiase, has decided to bring his prestigious Million Dollar championship to WWE's hot new show. NXT. And he's also decided to drag you along with him. Because nothing gets men motivated to win more than a title belt and a pretty girl to go with it.

The limo pulls up to the loading docks backstage and the driver climbs out to get the door for you and your father. Ted gets out first and you hear him say hello to someone as soon as he's outside the doorway. You swing your legs out first since you're in a short dress and peer outside the door.

"William, you remember my daughter right?" Ted turns back to you still sitting in place.

"Right. You've grown up quite a bit since I last saw you, Y/N." Regal greets you with a friendly smile.

"Regal." You return his smile to be polite. "Nice to see you again, and thank you. But would someone like to help me out of the car?" You ask both of them.

Before Regal or your dad can offer you a hand so you don't have a 2000's Britney Spears moment, a strong hand grabs yours gently. And for the first time, you notice that a couple of other men are idling around Regal.

"Allow me." One of the men, the oldest by the looks of it. Offers his hand to you.

You take his hand and he helps you out of the car. You stand up straight and get a good look at him and the other prospective men around you. The first thing you notice is the man that helped you is by far the most interesting looking one of the lot.

"Thanks." You thank the stranger and turn back to your dad.

"William, I assume that these are the men that you've gathered for my little tournament?" Ted asks Regal.

"They are." Regal nods. "This is Cameron Grimes and LA Knight." He introduces both men.

LA Knight. You think to yourself. So that's this charming stranger's name. Interesting.

Regal and your father reminisce for a few minutes before everyone heads backstage. You fall a bit behind Ted and soon find both of his new prospects on either side of you.

"Please tell me that DiBiase's belt comes with you too, sugar?" Knight is the first one to speak up.

"Oh, you wish, big boy." You laugh and roll your eyes at him. "I'm afraid that I'm not that easy, baby." You inform him.

"No doubt." Knight chuckles with you. "Hell, a girl like you? I bet that you're ten times more fun than the old man's title belt." He continues to shamelessly flirt.

"Guess you'll just have to find out, hmm?" You glance at him from the side with a sly smile. "But there's one thing you should know first." You come to a stop and turn his way.

"Oh yeah?" Knight stops as well and towers above you with a flirty smile.

"Mhm." You nod and trail a delicate hand up that deliciously chiseled chest of his. "I only date champions, baby." You lean up and pat his cheek, just inches from his face. "Chau." You wink and leave him and Grimes both with their thoughts.

Both men are speechless as you walk off to catch up with Regal and your dad. But after a second Knight shakes his head and turns to Grimes with a serious look.

"Oh, you are so getting your ass fucking beat." He warns him.

"Y/N, there you are. What have you been up to?" Ted asks when you get back to him.

"Oh, just doing a little bit of motivating is all, dad." You shrug.

"Right." Ted raised a brow. "She means that she's been off causing trouble." He turns back to Regal.

"Good." Regal nods. "It'll just make for a more entertaining match."

Regal and Ted get everything set up and announce the match. You go out to the ring with them and show off the belt that the men will be competing for. Knight and Cameron both come out when they are called so everyone can get a glimpse of what's to come.

"The winner of the ladder match will take home the Million Dollar Championship, artfully presented by my lovely daughter," Ted explains to the participants and the crowd.

You present the title belt with a sultry smile. Making sure that you do a twirl with it just to show off a bit.

The presentation ends and you are ushered backstage with your father.

"Regal, I look forward to seeing you this weekend." Ted shakes the GM's hand firmly.

"Yep, be seeing you Regal." You add with a smile.

You and Ted go to leave and you see Knight and Grimes come backstage as well. You flash both men a flirty smile as you walk off for good measure.

Saturday rolls around and you are back in the NXT arena with your dad and his championship. You hang backstage with him until it comes time for the ladder match.

"LA Knight, Cameron Grimes. I wish both of you men luck." Ted wishes both participants good luck.

"Yes, good luck to both of you. And let the best man win." You add, eyeing up the man to your right. Aka LA Knight.

You get a flirtatious smile that could knock a girl dead back from him. Both men file out to the ring and you sit back and watch the chaos that's about to ensue.

The ladder match is downright brutal. Both men giving it their all. You claim that you are unbiased when it comes to who you want to win. But secretly you hope that you'll be handing the belt over to LA Knight and not his grimy, for lack of a better word, opponent Cameron Grimes.

"Yes!" You quietly cheer to yourself when LA Knight manages to pick up the win.

A gesture that doesn't go unnoticed by your father. He rolls his eyes at your enthusiasm, knowing that this means he'll be seeing a lot more of the new champ.

"Well well well." LA Knight greets you when you walk out to the ring. "So it is true then. The winner does get the belt and the girl." He purrs at you.

"Okay, don't get ahead of yourself their champ." You roll your eyes playfully. "Your belt, sir." You hand him the belt.

DiBiase comes into the ring to congratulate the new champion and shakes his hand. You idle backstage while he gets his showboating done.

"Dad." Ted passes by and you nod to him.

"Be careful tonight, please," Ted replies as he nods back to you.

DiBiase walks off and you stand and wait for a moment. Your shiny new champion comes through the curtain next and makes a B-line for you.

"So, I'm thinking drinks, loud music, and a really fun night. What about you?" He saunters right over to you and slings an arm over your shoulder.

"Sounds like something I'd be interested in." You shrug with a grin. "I do have a request though." You look up at him.

"Oh?" Knight seems intrigued by your inquiry.

"You're handsome. I'll give you that." You poke at his chest. "But I'm curious to see you with that belt. Nothing but the belt, to be exact."

Chapter Text

"Holy crap." You wince as Rey comes crashing down onto a ladder precariously laid across the edge of the ring apron and the barricade. "Eddie! Watch out!" You warn your brother of Nick Jackson stalking towards him.

Eddie is once again tagging with the Death Triangle against the Jackson brothers, Kenny Omega, and Brandon Cutler.

Eddie manages to get out of the way of Nick's kick and goes on the offense. You quickly turn around and go to check on Rey and make sure that he's okay.

"Rey? Are you alright?" You kneel down and try to help him to his feet.

"Woah, I don't think so." Kenny comes around the corner to keep you from Rey. "Back away, sweetheart." He grins at you.

"Shit." You grumble and take a small step back. "Okay okay, I'm backing away." You put your hands up, heart pounding in your chest.

"Leave her alone!" You relax when Pac comes crashing down from the top rope and takes out Kenny. "Y/N, you okay?" He gets back up and walks over to you.

"Yeah, thanks, Pac." You nod and walk back over to Rey. "Rey, are you alright?" You once again help him to his feet.

"Yeah, I'm alright." Rey nods as you help him over to the apron.

Back at your team's corner, you go back to cheering them on. Eddie is desperate for a tag-in and Penta is itching to get in on the action. Pac consoles Rey to make sure that he doesn't need to be seen by medical and you aren't paying attention to anything around you.

With pretty much everyone on the team distracted at the moment. Matt takes the opportunity and climbs up to the top rope. From his position, he can easily take out Pac and Rey for good in the match. But there is a small chance that he might also end up hitting you as well.

"Come on, Eddie!" You bounce and cheer Eddie on as he tries to break out to the corner.

As you cheer you manage to get a small glimpse of Matt in the corner right as he goes to jump. You realize what he's aiming for and spring into action before you even have a chance to think about it.

"Watch out!" You reel forward and give Rey a small shove out of the way.

Fenix tumbles out of the way and you smack into Pac. He's smart enough to realize what's going on and quickly turns his body to shield you from the brunt of the dive.

You both hit the floor but Pac manages to keep himself hovering just above you, arms on either side of your head. Matt hits his back hard with his feet before he rolls off to the side.

"Sorry." You squeak out an apology hands resting on Pac's chest.

"It's alright," Pac replies and rises to his feet. "You okay? You hit the ground kind of hard. How's your head?" He asks you softly.

"It's okay." You nod. "My brother and I both have hard heads." You insist. "How's your back? Matt had to have kicked you pretty hard. Especially because you didn't let yourself fall after being hit." You ask him right back.

Before Pac can reply Eddie is at your side checking up on you. He rushes over and grabs your arm to direct you towards him.

"Y/N! Are you alright?" Eddie hovers near you.

"Yes! God, I'm okay." You roll your eyes at everyone pining over you. "I can take care of myself you know?"

Eddie nods and turns back to the corner where all the action is. You sigh but follow him over to the corner where Penta is going at it with Cutler.

Pac comes over to the corner as well and tags in. Penta hops down to the floor exhausted and rests against the apron.

Eventually, the match comes to an end when Rey gets back into the match and ends things with Nick.

"Yes! Finally." You sigh in relief that the match is finally over.

"Oh, thanks for that sis. Real enthusiastic." Eddie rolls his eyes at you.

"What? We've been out here almost half an hour." You reply. "Watching your back is hard work." You joke.

"Yeah yeah." Eddie rolls his eyes again. "Penta, nice working with ya again buddy." He nods to Penta.

"Yes. Thank you for helping us out. You too, Y/N." He nods to you.

"No problem, Penta. Always happy to be a part of the team." You nod. "Come on Eddie, you smell awful." You beckon for your brother to hurry up.

"Alright alright." Eddie nods and follows you up the ramp.

You get back to the locker room and wait for Eddie to clean up so you can leave. It's a Friday night so you just want to be done with work so you can go out and get some drinks and relax.

Eddie gets done cleaning up and packing his bags so you can leave. But right before you're about to head our he gets an idea.

"Hey Y/N, you know what? Maybe we should invite Penta and the boys out for drinks. Yeah?" He suggests.

"I guess." You shrug. "If you want to then I don't mind."

"Oh, I know you won't mind." Eddie laughs.

"What is that supposed to mean?" You glare at your brother.

"Oh come on sis." Eddie laughs again. "We both know that you've got a thing for Pac." He boldly claims.

"What? No, I don't." You shake your head.

"Mhm, sure." Eddie teases you.

"Fine. I'll admit I like Pac if you admit that you're in love with Penta." You tease him right back.

"Fair enough." Eddie drops the subject with a chuckle.

Eddie heads off to ask if Penta and the boys want to join you for drinks and you head out to the car to put the bags away. He comes back a few minutes later and joins you in the car.

"Well?" You turn to your brother when he shuts the car door.

"They said that they'd be happy to join us," Eddie replies. "They'll meet up with us at the bar." He explains.

"Great." You nod.

You and Eddie get to the bar a little early and grab a table for everyone. You order yourself a drink while Eddie of course just opts for a beer while you wait for your companions to arrive.

Penta and the boys arrive a little bit later and make their way over to the table. Eddie of course immediately orders a round of drinks and you know that it isn't long until things start to get rowdy.

"And so it begins." You comment when Eddie and Penta opt for a game of pool.

"What was that?" Pac turns to you at your comment.

"Oh, it's nothing." You shrug and pick up your glass. "But fair warning, things are about to get loud." You warn him.

"What makes you say that?" Pac presses you for more details.

"When it comes to my brother and pool things never end well." You reply. "Just wait. It won't be long until things start to escalate."

"Anything I should be worried about?" Pac asks you.

"Nah." You shake your head. "If Penta is anything like Moxley. Which I have a feeling he is. It'll all just be in good fun. Not that it's not annoying." You assure him.

"Right." Pac nods.

Sure enough, it doesn't take long for Eddie to start getting rowdy with Penta at his side. Just like he does when getting drinks with Jon.

"Y/N." You are busy glaring at your brother being loud when Pac catches your attention.

"Hmm? Yeah, Pac?" You turn his way.

"You wanna move a little further away?" He suggests. "I'm sure that they won't mind."

"Yeah, sure." You shrug and pick up your drink.

You and Pac both move to a smaller booth in the corner of the room.

"So, how's your back doing?" You decide to ask Pac about his injury.

"A bit sore." Pac shrugs. "But the match ain't interesting if you don't come out sore." He adds. "And your head?"

"I'm good." You giggle. "Like I said, hard-headed." You remind him.

"Right." Pac nods. "You should really try and be more careful next time though." He warns you. "I can't be there to save you every time."

"Well, I don't know about that." You giggle. "You seem to like me enough to warrant overprotective boyfriend status." You joke.

"Oh?" Your joke seems to piques Pac's interest. "And you don't think your brother would have a problem with me sticking around?" He asks you.

"I don't see why not." You shrug. "He's already in love with Penta." You joke again. "Besides, who cares what he thinks. Pretty sure that you could take him anyway."

Chapter Text

When Tony first offered you the job as AEW's newest ring announcer and backstage interviewer you were ecstatic, to say the least. Some of the men and women you've been a fan of since you were a little kid work for the company. And you get the pleasure of seeing them every day.

So far you've been working as AEW's lead interviewer and ring announcer for three months. And in those short three months, you've already managed to catch some unwanted attention. Specifically from the AEW champion, Kenny Omega.

"Y/N, there's my favorite girl." Kenny saunters over to you for his interview and slings an arm over your shoulder.

"Kenny, evening." Your face remains blank, a professional tone to your voice. "Off, please." You remove his arm from your shoulder gently.

"Still playing hard to get I see." Kenny seems mostly unphased by your glaring lack of interest in him.

"Mhm." You nod and turn to the cameraman standing a few feet away. "You ready, Tom?" You ask him.

Tom nods his head and counts down from three. You put on a friendly smile and raise your microphone.

"I'm back here with AEW champion Kenny Omega, fresh off of a win in fact! Kenny, how are you feeling heading into All-Out in September?" You ask him.

"Well, I feel fantastic, Y/N!" Kenny winks at you.

"That's great." You nod. "And what are your thoughts on your opponent at All Out, Christian Cage, being here tonight?" You ask him another question.

Before Kenny can answer for himself, Don cuts in and takes over. You roll your eyes internally but let him speak. Don spits some rambling about how Christian is overrated and won't be able to get the job done and you struggle not to appear bored at his claims.

"Well then, tell me what you really think, Don."

You can't help but crack a small smile when Christian comes around the corner with his TNA belt slung casually over his shoulder. 'Now this is a man more my speed.' You think to yourself as he walks over to your side.

"Christian, what are your thoughts on the matter?" You turn your body to the older blond with a pleasing smile.

"Well, Y/N, since you asked." Christian chuckles and looks down on you. That million-dollar smile gracing his handsome face. "Frankly, Kenny, I think that you're scared of me. That I'll take the AEW championship just like I did this one." He pats the TNA championship belt lightly.

"What? Scared of you?" Kenny scoffs with a look of disgust.

You stand between the two men while they trade words for a few more minutes. Kenny ends up storming off with Don and the camera cuts out.

"Well, that was fun." Christian turns to you once the cameras are all gone.

"It was definitely entertaining." You giggle. "I really do hope that you beat him." You add.

"Yeah, you and me both, sweetheart." Christian nods. "And hey, keep your chin up, sweetie. He'll stop hitting on you eventually." He adds with a wink.

"Here's hoping." You nod with a smile even though your stomach is doing backflips.

Christian walks off and leaves you to hyperventilate in peace for a few minutes. The man really is much too good-looking and charming for his own good. He's old enough to be your dad. But that fact does absolutely nothing from keeping your attraction away. You can blame your childhood and actual dad for that one.

You calm yourself down and prepare for your next job for the night. An introduction for the ring this time. Frankie Kazarian. 'Damn, the dilfs just keeping coming tonight.' You think to yourself as you read the name on the list.

"Y/N, hey doll." You're startled from reading your notes when Kaz shows up a bit early.

"Frankie!" You greet him with a smile as he strides up to you. "You're a bit early." You comment on his timing.

"Yeah..." Kaz nods. "I'd be lying if I said I had a good reason." He admits. "I guess I just like hanging out with you, doll." He shrugs.

"Well, you won't get a complaint from me." You giggle and shake your head. "Always happy to have you around, Kaz. Keeps all the degenerates like Omega away." You add.

"Ah. Fancy pants still hitting on you, doll?" Frankie asks you.

"Yep." You nod. "He's persistent, I'll give him that. But he's not really my type." You comment absentmindedly.

"Oh?" Kaz seems interested in your comment.

"I...yeah." You quickly realize what you'd said. "I'm used to dating older guys I guess." You swallow your words.

"Right." Kaz nods. "Well, I'm sure that he'll get the hint eventually doll." He shrugs.

You nod and busy yourself with grabbing your microphone so you can do Kaz's intro for him. He flashes you what you swear is a flirty smile as you introduce him and he disappears through the tunnel.

A few days later and AEW Rampage is winding down for the night. The main event is Kaz and Christian against the odd duo of Kenny and Brandon Cutler.

"Well, don't you two make a team." You joke when Kaz and Christian show up for their intro.

"We do, don't we." Christian jokes with a laugh.

"Cage and I are actually old buddies," Kaz adds as he smacks the back of the champ's shoulder.

"Oh, well then you two should be able to pick up this win easily." You wave your hand with a smile.

You get the intro for the pair done then take a seat for the match. Christian and Kaz both smile at you as they walk off.

"Man, she is just gorgeous isn't she?" Christian shakes his head as they walk off.

"That she is my friend." Kaz chuckles in agreement. "I heard that she's into older guys you know?" He adds and both men share a look.

"I don't know Kaz," Christian shakes his head and glances back at you. "But... I guess I'd be willing to share if you are."

"I can get down with that." Kaz is quick to agree.

Backstage you sit and watch the match unfold. Blissfully unaware of the dream scenario that's about to happen when the match is over.

Chapter Text

It's around 3 pm on a Friday night and you are in the gym as usual. Sweat sticks to your skin as you head off to put your weights back on the rack. You've been here since noon so it's safe to say that you've put in the time today.

On your way to put the weights back you pass Kenny who looks like he's about done with his daily workout regimen today as well.

"Kenny." You nod to him with a friendly smile.

"Y/N, hey." Kenny nods back to you, matching your smile.

You and Kenny are mutual friends outside of work, despite the fact that you are working for opposite factions while in AEW. Ken runs with the rest of his Elite buddies and you are with Best Friends.

When you aren't at work though, you and Kenny get along swell. Both of you share a love for video games and going to cons in your spare time. Though as of late you haven't had the chance to hang out with him. Which you hate.

Once your weights are put away you head back to the locker rooms and get changed. After you change you collect your bags and are headed out when you run into Kenny again.

"Oh great, Y/N. Glad that I caught you." Kenny steps into your path and catches your attention for the moment.

"Ken, what's up?" You step and flash him another smile.

"I actually had a question for you," Kenny informs you.

"Alright, I'm all ears." You nod.

"You dye your hair a lot right?" Kenny asks you. "Like, I've seen you with a million different hair colors. And you do it yourself, yeah?" He explains a bit more.

"Yeah, I do it myself." You nod. "Why?" You ask him with a quirked brow.

"I was wondering if you'd maybe help me get mine dyed?" Kenny asks you with pleading puppy dog eyes. "I'm planning on going back to blackish-blue hair and my usual girl is out of town for the rest of the month." He explains.

"Oh, like when we worked in Japan?" You recall Kenny having the same hair color years ago.

"Exactly." Kenny nods. "So, can you help me out?" He asks you.

"Sure." You nod. "I'd be happy to help. Just bring all the stuff by my place tonight at let's say eight." You inform him. "I was planning on dying mine again soon as well, so this'll be fun." You beam.

"Perfect. Thank you." Kenny leans forward and hugs you gently as thanks.

"Yeah, no problem." You giggle and pat his back.

Kenny lets you go and heads off. You head out to your car and toss your bag before you make a quick stop at the store to pick up some supplies.

You head inside the store and straight to the dye and product aisle. You pursue the shelves for a bit before you come to a color that you haven't done in a while. You pick up a hefty bottle then move on to some brushes and containers as well as gloves.

With your hair care purchase made, you head home to properly shower and clean up your place a little bit before Kenny comes over. For some reason, you feel a hint of nervousness about his arrival.

You and Kenny used to be much closer before. There was even a hint of a spark between the two of you back then. You can't deny that Ken is a charming and attractive guy. Most girls you come across, and even some guys, agree with you.

"Okay, now for some food." You get all cleaned up and ready to go.

You pick up your phone and dial the number for a really good pizza place that you frequent and order a couple of pies. After a little bit, someone rings the doorbell. You grab your wallet from the counter and head to the front door.

"Hey, how much do I owe you?" You swing the front door open without looking to see who it is.

"Umm, isn't it me that should owe you money?" Kenny furrows his brows at you standing in front of him with your wallet open.

"What? Oh, Kenny!" You laugh. "Sorry, I thought you were the pizza guy." You put your wallet away and step to the side. "Please, come in."

"Right. You had me scared for a second there, Y/N." Kenny laughs and steps inside. "I didn't think this was gonna be that kinda visit."

"Ha!" You giggle. "You wish, Omega."

You take Kenny through the house and to the kitchen where you've set up some chairs and made sure that your sink is clear to be splashed with dye colors.

"You can just set your stuff down there." You point to the counter and grab your bag from the opposite counter.

"Okay." Kenny nods and sets down his bag of stuff. "So, how does this all work?" He asks you.

"Well." You grab a chair from the corner of the room and slide it over to him. "The first step is you sit down here, then hand over your shirt." You explain with a grin.

"Right. Didn't know dying hair could get so saucy." Kenny jokes.

"Mhm, you wish." You roll your eyes playfully. "Don't you walk around without a shirt on national tv every week?" You remind him.

"Yeah, but we're all alone here," Kenny replies with a grin.

"Just sit down, Omega." You giggle and grab his bag off of the counter.

Kenny grins but does as told and sits down in the chair before he pulls his shirt over his head. You hand him an old towel for his neck then ready the dye.

You get everything set up for Kenny's hair just as the door rings again. You set your stuff down and grab your wallet again. Kenny sits and waits for you to come back with two pizza boxes in your hand.

"Mmm, that smells good." He comments when you come back into the room.

"It's great. Best place in the area." You nod and set the boxes down. "Now, where were we?" You go back to what you were doing before.

You get to work on Kenny's hair and the two of you chat and catch up for a bit. You finish saturating his hair then pull up another chair opposite of him.

"Woah, what are we doing Y/N?" Kenny is a little taken aback when you sit down and pull your shirt off.

"Relax." You roll your eyes. "I've got an undershirt on." You laugh and toss the shirt aside.

You pull your prepared bowl of dye off the counter and get to work on yourself. Kenny sits and watches you go to work on your hair while he helps himself to some pizza.

"Now, is that green?" Kenny comments on the color of the dye.

"Yeah." You confirm. "Why?"

"Nothing." Kenny shakes his head. "You had green hair a while back too if I remember right. You make it look good." He comments.

"Please, I look good with any hair color." You joke.

"True." Kenny agrees with a laugh. "I miss this." He adds. "Hanging out with you. It's been way too long."

"Yeah, me too." You agree. "It has been way too long."

You finish saturating your hair then grab a slice of pizza for yourself. You and Kenny talk a little bit more while you wait for your timer to be up.

"Okay, that's time." You get up when your timer for Kenny's hair goes off.

"Great. What's next?" Kenny nods and waits for instructions.

"Now we clean all that off." You reply and nod to the sink.

"I'm supposed to wash off in your sink?" Kenny replies.

"Yeah, problem, Kenneth?" You raise a brow at him.

Kenny gets up from his seat and walks over to you. You continue to raise your brow at him as he advances towards you.

"Kenny?" You ask him what he's doing.

Kenny doesn't reply and instead leans down to your level for a kiss. You are surprised by his actions but can't stop yourself from trying to rake your hands through his hair. You realize what you're doing the moment that you do it and break away from Kenny.

"Hey!" You complain.

"What?" Kenny replies innocently.

"You did that on purpose." You poke his chest.

"Did not." Kenny counters. "But hey, now we're both covered in dye." He points out. "We should both probably shower to get this all cleaned up. Wouldn't wanna ruin your sink."

"Oh, you are a manipulative dick." You laugh but aren't actually mad.

"I know." Kenny grins. "Shall we?" He doesn't stray from his original plan.

Chapter Text

"Kenneth, I swear. Quit fooling around." You scold Kenny from the ring apron.

You hate spending too much time in the ring whenever Kenny is messing around in the Impact Zone. Not now that Don basically has no control over the place. God knows what trouble could be lurking around the corner.

In AEW you are aware of most of the potential threats to Kenny's championship. And you've learned how to keep a handle on most of those threats. As Kenny's best friend and his most trusted ally, it's your job to make sure he keeps ahold of those belts you both worked so hard to get.

"Relax, Y/N." Don scoffs from below you on the floor. "We're fine." He insists.

"Shut up, Don." You roll your eyes. "Until I see you busting your ass to make sure Ken stays champ I don't wanna hear a word from you." You warn him.

Kenny continues to mess around in the ring, despite the obvious glare that you're giving him. You've been at this idiot's side for damn near a decade now, and he's barely changed. Still, the same childish moron that you can't deny you, love. But a part of you is also growing tired of the same old shit with Ken. Not that you'd tell him that.

You love Kenny. You could never see yourself doing anything else but being by his side. Him and the Bucks.

"Come on Ken, end it already." You shout from the apron again.

Kenny sighs and does as told, growing tired of his little game. The bell rings and you sigh in relief. 'Now to get out of here.' You think to yourself.

You step into the ring and raise Kenny's hand in victory. Don claps from outside the ring and all swell for a moment. Winning is your passion. What you live for. You love the spotlight. Always have. And always will.

"Well well well. Look who it is."

Your breath catches in your throat when music starts to play in the speakers of the building. And it's definitely not Kenny's them. You turn around and lock eyes with a stranger as he comes through the curtain. Jay White.

The Bullet Club logo stars back at you from his chest as he raises a microphone to his lips. You can feel his eyes on you for a brief moment as his music dies down. 'Oh no.' Is all you think. 'This can't be good.'

"Bullet Clubs former fearless leader. Kenny." Jay greets Kenny with a sinister smile. "Oh, and who could forget about the lovely, Y/N." Jay then turns his attention on you. "Kenny's secret weapon. The real reason behind his success. How are you darling?" He asks you.

"Pfft, and what praytell is Bullet Clubs sorry excuse for a leader doing here anyway?" You fire back, not about to take any of Jay's shit.

"Ouch." Jay grins. "Words hurt you know, darling." He reminds you.

"You're a big boy, suck it up." You roll your eyes.

You stand next to Kenny while Jay advances towards the ring. You stand between them just in case Jay came to try something stupid.

Jay gets to the ring and steps inside, the smug grin remaining on his face. You wedge yourself between the two of them once more.

"Y/N Y/N Y/N, what are you still doing hanging out with this stooge." Jay surprisingly keeps his attention on you.

"Hey! Leave her alone." Kenny steps in front of you. "Why the hell are you even here Jay?" He asks him. "Because you sure as hell aren't coming anywhere near this title belt."

You push Kenny back a little, a fight being the last thing that you want. Jay chuckles and continues to ignore Kenny standing right in front of him.

"Pipe down Omega." Jay glances at the champ. "I don't have any desire to talk with you. I'm here for her." He turns back to you.

"Me?" You're surprised by the statement, to say the least. "What in the hell would you want with me?" You scoff at the idea.

"What the hell would I want?" Jay laughs. "Darling, do you know who you are? You're Y/N L/N! This idiot wouldn't even be here if you weren't by his side." He scoffs at Kenny.

While Jay has been messing with you and Kenny in the ring, Don has slunk off and fetched help. He comes back out to the ring with Anderson and Gallows at his side. And this is enough to send Jay packing for the moment.

"Think about it, darling. They're nothing without you!" Jay calls after you as he retreats. "You should be with a group that appreciates you. Doesn't make you hide from the spotlight."

Jay hauls ass off backstage and you remain next to Kenny. Ken puts a hand on your shoulder and catches your attention back to him.

"Y/N, are you alright?" He asks you.

"Yeah." You nod. "I'm fine. It takes a lot more than some sweet words to lead me on. You know that." You assure him.

Kenny nods and you all head backstage after a few minutes. Ken's locker room is the biggest backstage but you can't help but feel crowded inside it.

Ken and Don are busy chatting with one another and Anderson is doing the same with Gallows. No one seems to notice you sitting alone in the corner of the room.

"Ken, I'll be right back." You call out but Kenny doesn't seem to care.

You step out of the locker room for some fresh air and wander off. You get about halfway around the arena when you notice out of the corner of your eye someone is following you.

"You're a stalker now, Jay?" You stop walking and turn around.

"Well, when the prize is as grand as you." Jay turns the corner and reveals himself.

"Shove it." You roll your eyes.

"Ouch. See that's what I like about you, Y/N." Jay chuckles. "You always speak your mind. Don't take any shit from anyone." He walks over to you.

"Doesn't that fact make this conversation a little counterproductive?" You reply, hiding a hint of a smile in the corner of your mouth.

"Touchè." Jay chuckles again. "Come on Y/N, you can't tell me that you're content sitting around in Omega's shadow all the time." He pokes at you.

"Loyalty, Jay." You roll your eyes. "That ring any bells?"

"Of course it does." Jay nods. "We're all loyal guys. We look out for one another."

"We?" You scoff again. "You're telling me that everyone over there wants me just as bad as you do?" You ask him. "You're not just here because you have a hard-on for me?"

"Well, I won't deny that I'm not here for personal reasons." Jay shrugs. "But yeah, the boys and I are all interested in your expertise." He confirms your question.

"Of course they are." You laugh. "Men. So hopeless without a strong woman to back them up." You shake your head with a grin.

You'd be lying to say that Jay's offer isn't tempting. He's a snake. You know that. But damn is he a persuasive one. Charming and handsome. Charismatic as hell. The perfect prospect for a fresh start.

"Amen to that darling." Jay nods. "The question is, are you in?" He asks you with a grin.

"Maybe." You shrug, liking the allure of the game. "Guess you'll just have to stick around a bit and find out." You turn away from him to walk back to the locker room.

"Fair enough, darling." Jay accepts the game that you're playing. "I've got some other business here. We'll be in touch, princess." He lets you go for the moment.

"Until next time then, switchblade." You turn around and flash him a wink before you walk off.

Chapter Text

It's a crisp Wednesday night when you arrive at the arena with Colt, Uno, and Stu. This is the third show you're doing in the area and it's safe to say that you're more than ready to move on.

"What's on the card for tonight again, Y/N?" Uno asks you once you all get inside.

"Umm, John and Preston have a tag match." You stop for a second to think. "Then Colt is in a singles later in the night." You inform him.

"Right, thank you." Uno nods. "Could you make sure that John and Preston are ready to go?" He asks you. "I'm not really in the mood for more arguing."

"Yeah...sure thing boss." You nod, rolling your eyes internally.

Things in the Dark Order aren't exactly running smoothly as of late. Uno has been especially argumentative with Alex, and a couple of other members of the team.

"Just make sure that you're back for my match," Colt adds from Uno's side.

"Yeah yeah." You nod. "I'll be back."

You make your way back to the Dark Order locker room. All eyes are on you when you come into the room. You can feel the tension in the room fade as soon as you shut the door.

"It's just me." You assure everyone. "I just came to check on John and Preston. You two ready for your tag match tonight?" You ask both of them.

"Yeah, we're good Y/N." John nods.

"Are you going to come out with us?" Preston adds curiously.

"I'd love to." You sigh. "But Colt wants me out with him for his singles match." You inform them.

"Aww, do you have to?" John complains.

"Trust me, John." You sit down with another sigh. "I'd love to come out with you guys. But Uno is already in a bad mood." You roll your eyes.

"He's always in a bad mood." John rolls his eyes with you.

"I know." You pat his shoulder. "Alan, are you going out there with them?" You turn to a silent Five I'm the other side of the room.

"Yeah, I'll be out there." Alan nods.

"See! Alan's got your guys' back." You assure John. "What do you need me for?"

"It's more fun when you're with us," Preston complains this time.

You let out another sigh. Uno acting like a child is ruining your friendship with the rest of the guys. You love Colt, he's family. But you hate that he's siding with Uno in this fight.

"Alan, talk with me for a second?" You rise from your seat and walk over to the other side of the room.

"Sure, what's up?" Angels walks away from John and Preston with you.

"How are those two really holding up?" You ask him in a whisper.

"They're pissed off. Confused." Alan shrugs. "We all are."

"I know." You pinch the bridge of your nose. "Just...try and keep them happy yeah?" You ask him.

"I'm trying," Alan replies.

"I know." You sigh again. "And I love you for it. I'm trying my best to get through to Uno." You remind him.

"I know you are." Alan nods. "If anyone can get through to him, it's you." He assures you with a smile.

The two of you are standing close to one another. Just a few inches apart. Out of all the Dark Order members Alan has always been your favorite. He's sweet and loyal to a fault. Just your type.

"Thanks, Alan." You touch his arm gently. "Make sure they win." You add.

"Leave it to me, Y/N." Alan winks at you playfully.

You giggle and say goodbye to John and Preston before you head back to the other Dark Order locker room.

When you get to the alternate Dark Order locker room you find Uno and Colt scheming with one another.

"What are you two up to?" You ask them both.

"Just discussing plans," Uno replies dryly. "How is everyone else?" He asks you.

"They're alright." You nod. "Confused, and hurt. But okay."

"Hurt?" Your comment catches Colt's attention. "How are they being hurt?" He asks you.

"They're hurt by you two." You answer him dryly. "You and Uno are both acting like children." You raise your voice a little.

"That's enough, Y/N," Uno warns you.

"Is it, Uno?" You shake your head. "This is your fault you know. You're the reason that none of us can get along anymore." You find that you can't keep your feelings anymore.

"I am trying to keep us together!" Uno's fist hits the arm of his chair.

"Well, you are doing a bang-up job with it, Uno!" You scoff and walk away. "Uno can go out to your match with you, Colt. I'm going out with Preston, John, and Alan." You inform them.

You hear Uno mumble something under his breath as you leave. But neither he nor Colt gets up to stop you.

You make your way down back to the other Dark Order locker room just as everyone is about to leave.

"Y/N, what's up?" Alan is the first one to greet you.

"I changed my mind. I'm coming out with you guys." You inform him and the rest of the group.

"Really? Hell yeah!" John rushes to your side and hugs you.

"Alright!" You giggle. "Come on, we're gonna be late." You insist.

Everyone heads down to the ring for the tag match. John and Preston step into the ring and you sit by with Alan. He waits until the ball rings then turns to you.

"Everything alright?" He asks you.

"Yeah, I just got into an argument with Uno is all." You nod.

"About?" Alan presses you for details.

"I might have gone off on him about how he's been acting." You shrug. "I guess I just got tired of him pretending that we were all okay."

"Right." Alan nods. "And what about Colt?"

"He's probably pissed off at me." You shrug again. "But we're family so he'll get over it."

"If he's smart he'll get over it." Alan chuckles. "Something tells me it's not a good idea to get on your bad side, Y/N."

"Damn right." You laugh with him. "Hey, Angels, you doing anything after the show?" You ask him.

"No, why?" Alan shakes his head.

"You wanna grab a bite to eat with me?" You suggest.

"Sure! Yeah, sounds like fun." Alan nods in agreement.

"Great!" You beam. "Can't wait."

Chapter Text

A few cameramen are idling to your left while you are busy scrolling through about seven unread emails. All marked important in the header.

With both Adam and Sonya out for at least two weeks due to a certain health scare, you're working overtime on Raw, Smackdown, and NXT as well. And it's safe to say that your stress levels are at an all-time high.

"Pierce? Pierce where the hell are you?" A thick Irish accent cuts through the silence of the backstage area.

"Sheamus, will you keep it down?" You grumble and put your phone away. "What do you need?" You ask him.

"I need to see Pierce. Now, where is he?" Sheamus asks you again.

"Gone." You sigh again. "He and Sonya are both gone for the rest of the month." You inform him. "Now, again. What do you want?" You ask him again.

Several of the cameramen standing by taking a couple of steps back from the large yelling Irish man. You stand your ground and stare right back up at him.

"You're telling me that I've got to deal with your annoying snobby little ass for the rest of the month?" Sheamus sneers. "Great. Just great."

"Yes, because you are such a delight. Sheamus." You roll your eyes. "Did you just come down to bother me? Or do you actually have something you need?" You ask him once again, growing more annoyed by the second.

"What was that?" Sheamus reels. "You think that you can just talk to me like that and get away with it?"

The cameramen have all scattered off by now. In fear that they may become collateral damage in this little spitting match. You're still standing though. If you back down now it'll just end badly for everyone involved.

Sheamus takes a step towards you and for a split second you regret mouthing off. You and your big mouth huh? Thankfully, before Sheamus can close the gap between the two of you someone grabs him by the arm and shoves him to the side forcefully.

"Alright, that's enough. Get lost!" Damian, who happened to be walking by, comes to your rescue.

"Well, that was fun." You watch Sheamus huff and storm off.

"Looked like fun." Damian chuckles. "You alright? He was getting awfully close." He asks you.

"I'm fine." You laugh. "Nothing that I cant handle." You assure him. "I am curious, however. As to why you're hanging around on this side of the arena?" You ask him.

"Me? Just hanging around." Damian shrugs. "You know me, I go with the flow." He grins.

"Right. Smooth criminal like yourself. I should have remembered." You roll your eyes playfully. "Anyways. Thank you again, but I do have a job to do."

"Right. Big bad boss lady on campus. Keeping everyone in line. Get it done doll." Damian nods and winks at you before he walks off.

You roll your eyes again and are quick go back to what you were doing. You are also quick to notice that all of your cameramen have all managed to slink away for the moment.

"Come on. Back to work!" You beckon for them to resume work.

"Right. Sorry, ma'am." The main cameraman nods as an apology.

"It's fine. Let's just get this finished up." You pinch the bridge of your nose.

Work is poised to resume and you get back to recording a few pieces to air at different times during the show.

It takes briefly a half an hour to finish up all the recording work before you're let go. You mean to head back to your office to start back up on the mountain of paperwork that Adam and Sonya left you. But an urgent security message stops you.

"Paging GM L/N." The head of security gets your attention.

"I'm here." You pick your walkie-talkie from your belt. "What's the matter?"

"We've got a situation in the ring, ma'am. Sheamus and Damian Priest are both engaged in a fight that it getting out of hand." He explains.

"Right. I'll be right there. Page the rest of the backstage security team." You keep your annoyed sigh to yourself.

This job is proving to be way more annoying than you originally thought it would be. Even with the pay bump, you're getting for it.

You meet with the security team on the way out to the ring. You all file out to the ramp just as Sheamus and Damian are heading your way in the middle of a brawl.

"Separate them!" You give the order.

The security team struggles to pull the two men apart and you step between them once there is space.

"Just can't stay out of trouble, can you?" You muse to Damian as the security team holds Sheamus back.

"He started it." Damian shrugs.

"I'm sure." You roll your eyes. "Take him backstage. Sheamus, I'm suspending you for two weeks. No pay." You inform him.

"Ha!" Damian laughs.

"You're not off the hook either." You turn back around to him. "You're suspended for a week as well." You inform him.

"Without pay?" Damian asks you to clarify.

"Depends on how much longer you're gonna run your mouth." You reply.

The security team drags Sheamus off and leaves you and Damian alone.

"You know you can be scary when left in charge." Damian comments.

"Quiet. You're suspended, remember?" You remind him. "You should be packing your bags and heading home for the week."

"Yeah yeah." Damian shrugs. "He was running his mouth about you. That's why we were fighting." He explains casually.

"Oh, my knight in shining armor." You laugh. "You're still suspended."

"Oh come on! I was defending your honor!" Damian protests.

"And I appreciate it." You reply. "But I don't need a man to come save me every time I piss someone off. I'm no damsel in distress, Damian." You remind him.

"I know." Damian nods. "Doesn't mean I won't still defend you." He shrugs.

You sigh and give his shoulder a shrug towards the tunnel. He turns around and grins at you. Knowing that despite your insistence that you're an unbiased boss, you appreciate that he's always got your back.

"Goodbye, Damian." You roll your eyes one last time.

Chapter Text

Fans are yelling and chanting from all angles behind you while you sit in your steel chair at ringside. The timekeeper hits the bell and ends the match in the ring and the noise rings in your ears.

This is the third straight episode that's being recorded tonight. And your throat is beginning to get scratchy. Not to mention you are about at your limit of hurrying out to the ring to do ring announcements every 10 minutes. Your feet are beginning to ache from the heels you're wearing.

"Y/N, that's your cue." The timekeeper nudges you to work.

"Right. Who's next?" You glance down at the schedule in front of you.

You read the name on the paper. Lance Archer and some local are up next. Lance's name piques your interest for a second though.

"The following contest is a singles match set for one fall. With a twenty-minute time limit" You start the usual announcement for the match when some unsuspecting local gets tossed at your feet.

You look down at the poor kid with a raised brow before someone large blocks the light in front of you. You look up at Lance and nod to him, stepping over the local kid he's about to toss around.

"Pardon me." You nod to Lance and walk back over to the timekeeper's area.

Lance nods back at you and picks his newest victim back up from the floor and tosses him into the ring. You barely get back to your seat when the bell finally rings for the match to start. You sit down and watch Lance beat the poor kid to a pulp and make almost no attempt to pin him.

You sigh and get back up from your chair. You grab your mic and walk back out to the ring. Lance is nice enough to part the ropes for you with a smug grin on his face.

"And your winner, Lance Archer!" You raise his hand with your free hand. "Having fun?" You whisper and drop his arm.

"Very much so," Lance whispers back.

"Glad someone is." You grin at the camera. "It's like this night is never going to end. I mean can a girl get a break?" You sigh and walk back over to the ropes.

"Management working you into the grave, sweetheart?" Lance chuckles and parts the ropes for you again.

"Maybe." You roll your eyes at his pet name. "You're being awfully gentlemanly tonight, Archer." You raise a brow at his behavior.

"Force of habit, sweetheart." Lance shrugs. "I thought you said that you're feet hurt?" He grins, pointing out the fact that you're still standing next to him.

"Don't you have somewhere to be, Archer?" You roll your eyes playfully again.

"Yeah, but messing with you is so much more fun." Lance teases you.

"Well the fun is over I'm afraid." You wave him off. "Now get backstage before security feels the need to come and get you."

You walk back over to your little slice of heaven behind the timekeeper's area. You sit down and watch Lance walk backstage again.

The man is a resident thorn in your side. Tall and charming yeah. But an egotistical pain in the ass nonetheless. Not that those types of men aren't your type. You like 'em big and full of themselves. More entertaining that way.

You are out working for about another hour before the tapings finally come to an end. You head backstage as soon as you're free. Feet aching, you head to your locker room without a second thought.

"Finally." You sigh in relief and kick off your shoes. "God, this job is gonna kill me." You plop down into a chair to relax.

You sit and let your feet breathe for a few minutes. That is until someone comes knocking at the door and your relaxation comes to an abrupt stop.

"Oh come on." You groan and pad over to the door. "Yes?" You slide open the door.

"Well, you look like you're in a good mood." You find Lance smiling down at you.

"You just can't keep away can you, Archer?" You lean against the doorway. "Is there something I can help you with?" You ask him.

"I mean you looked pretty exhausted out there when I saw you, sweetheart," Lance replies. "I figured that the polite thing to do would be to check up on you." He explains.

"How chivalrous of you." You laugh. "Now what do you want?" You ask him.

"What? A guy has to have an ulterior motive now?" Lance chuckles.

"Yes. Yes, he does." You nod. "But I'm pretty sure I know what you're here for, Archer." You add.

"Oh is that so?" Lance nods.

"Look, Archer. If you're gonna ask me out on a date you mind as well just get it over with now." You tell him. "My energy for the day is about to run out. Despite my like for you."

"Well, I guess I'll just skip the formalities then." Lance shrugs. "What do you say then, sweetheart? You and me? A nice steak dinner?" He asks you.

"I guess I could eat." You nod. "Give me a minute to get those awful shoes of mine back on? Unless you don't like the dress, that it." You take a small second to tease him.

"The dress can stay." Lance grins. "For now at least." He winks at you.

"Don't get your hopes up, sweetie." You giggle and pat Lance's arm.

"Oh, I don't know." Archer shrugs. "I think you'll find that I'm very charming and persuasive if given the chance." He insists.

"Of course you are." You roll your eyes. "Just hang here for a minute big guy. I'll be right back." You close the door in his face to mess with him and sit down to get your shoes back on.

You make sure and take your time to put on your shoes and grab your purse will all your stuff in it. It pleases you to know that Lance is almost certainly standing on the other side of the door waiting for you. Probably growing impatient by the second.

Chapter Text

It's a hot night in Miami and you are deeply regretting your choice in attire for the night. Black turtleneck and a matching pair of black ripped jeans adorn your body, both making you sweat.

"Cheer up, sugar. What's with the frown? We're winning." Ricky walks over to you with that signature smug grin.

"Miami." You groan. "I hate the heat." You pick at your shirt.

"So what's with the getup then?" Ricky questions your choice of attire.

"Because I was under the impression that we'd be working in an air-conditioned building. Not an open-top one." You continue to complain.

"Just hang in there, sugar. We're almost done here." Ricky assures you.

You groan again and lean against the apron as the match drags on. Hobbs currently stands in the ring manhandling Jeff Parker from 2Point0. Across the ring, Daniel Garcia is mimicking your slightly bored look.

It's an accident, but you lock eyes with him for a second, and Garcia flashes you a smile. You grin back at him before Ricky starts poking your shoulder.

"What?" You turn to Ricky to get him to stop.

"Quit flirting with the enemy," Ricky warns you. "It's unprofessional."

"Leave me alone Starks." You roll your eyes. "I'll flirt with who I want."

"Come on, sugar. Don't be like that." Ricky doesn't give up. "Why you making doe eyes at that newbie when I'm right here?" He asks you.

"Garcia talks less. That's definitely an improvement." You snark.

"Ouch." Ricky presses his hand to his chest. "Way to hurt a guy's feelings, sugar." He shakes his head.

"Shouldn't you be helping Hobbs?" You turn all the way to face him directly, poking at his bare chest.

"Nah. That's what we brought your brother for." Ricky nods to Hook standing on the apron helping Hobbs.

You roll your eyes again, just wanting this match to be over already. It's obvious that HOOK isn't doing a good enough job. So you decide to take action.

You leave Ricky in the corner and walk around the ring to your opponent's corner. Hoping up onto the apron you coo a few words at the referee to get his attention.

"Hey, Remsberg!" You call after him.

Your comment is enough to take the ref's eyes off of Hobbs for a moment so HOOK can provide a little help against Jeff Parker.

Your plan ends up backfiring a little bit when Hobbs shoves Jeff hard and he hits the ropes right next to you. The momentum shakes the ropes enough to make you lose your balance and tip backward towards the floor.

"Woah, careful there, Y/N." You fall back and find yourself in the arms of Daniel who came around the corner and caught you.

"Daniel, hey." You giggle at his charming smile as he sets you down on your feet. "Quick thinking, Garcia. Thanks." You thank him.

"Don't mention it, sweetheart." Daniel nods and winks slyly at you before he walks back around to his corner.

You blush to yourself and turn around to find Ricky at your side in an instant.

"You alright, sugar?" Ricky asks you with concern.

"Fine, Ricky. I'm good." You nod. It's a bit annoying but you appreciate his concern nonetheless.

"You really gotta be more careful sugar." Ricky scolds you. "I don't want you getting hurt out here. Plus your dad might kill me if something happens to you on my watch." He adds.

"Well like I said, I'm okay, Ricky." You insist. "Daniel caught me before I hit the floor." You glance back at Daniel.

Garcia waves at you with a grin before Matt smacks him on the back of the head. You laugh and walk back to your corner with Ricky.

"Of course he did. He's been drooling over you since we got out here." Ricky grumbles to himself.

"Hey! Be nice Ricky." You roll your eyes. "He cute, and sweet."

"I'm cute! And way sweeter than he is!" Ricky protests. "How come you're not eyeing me up all the time, sugar?" He asks you.

"Ricky, I love you." You pat his shoulder. "But you make it way too easy Starks. I like to play games." You inform him.

"Well, why didn't you just say so, sugar. I know how to play games." Ricky insists with a grin.

"Mhm, we'll see." You nod and turn back to the ring just in time for Hobbs to pick up the win.

The bell rings and you are joined by Hobbs and HOOK. With everyone ready to go you all make your way up the ramp and backstage. The show is close to coming to an end so you all decide to hang around and wait for Taz to join you.

"Y/N, hey shorty." You are busy waiting when Daniel catches your attention again.

"Well hello again, handsome." You greet Garcia with a smile. "What can I do for you?" You ask him with a raised brow.

"First off you can keep that adorable smile on your face." Daniel jokes. "It's super cute. Also, I was wondering if you were free after the show at all?" He asks you.

Before you can answer Daniel's proposition an arm links over your shoulder. You look to your left and find Ricky glaring at Daniel. And to make matters worse, HOOK joins in on the mean-mugging of poor Daniel.

"She's busy tonight," Ricky answers for you.

"Yeah, so get lost newbie." HOOK adds with a stern look.

Daniel nods and flashes you one last wink before he walks off. You sigh and turn around to Ricky and your brother.

Part of you is angry that they are both constantly getting in on your business all the time. Especially HOOK. But the other part of you finds the fact that Ricky is so protective to be kind of hot.

"You two are impossible." You roll your eyes.

"Yeah yeah, you can thank me later sugar." Ricky purrs at you.

"In your dreams, Ricky." You laugh.

"Oh, you've no idea, sugar." Ricky grins back at you.

Chapter Text

You arrive at the arena with your bag slung over your shoulder. It's been months since you've competed in a match. But when Matt called you up and begged you to come by and help out your mutual friend. You just couldn't resist.

"Y/N, thanks again for coming." Matt greets you at the gate.

"Matty! Hey, yeah it's good to see you too." You let him hug you. "Where's the man of the hour?" You glance around for your tag partner to be.

"He's in the locker room getting changed," Matt replies. "Come on, I'll take you down there."

You nod and follow behind Matt into the backstage area. You eventually fall into step with Matt and he can't resist chatting with you casually.

"So, I assume that the knee is doing well?" He asks you.

"Yep. I am all good Matt. The doctor cleared me a couple of weeks ago." You nod. "You know I'm surprised that you called. I mean, Ken's got to have a plethora of people wanting to tag with him. No?" You ask him casually.

"Oh yeah." Matt laughs. "There are plenty of girls in the locker room that would love a chance to tag with Kenny. But the two of you work so well together. And we all missed you here." He adds.

"Awe, thanks, Matt." You blush a bit. "I guess I missed working as well." You admit. "At least a little bit anyway."

"See!" Matt jokes. "It's destiny, Y/N."

"Mhm, sure." You roll your eyes at him playfully.

A little over a year ago you took a nasty dive off of the top rope and almost completely ruined your knee. Most of your doctors told you that you'd never wrestle again. And the ones who weren't telling you it was impossible were making it clear that you'd never be the same in the ring again.

It scared you. Wrestling has been your passion since you were a kid. And to be told that it would never be the same for you again was terrifying. But your love for the sport and your friendship with Kenny and the Jacksons has brought you back. Despite the risks.

"Ken will be in there. I've got something to do, but ill see you later, Y/N." Matt stops in front of the larger locker room doors.

"Alright, thanks, Matt." You nod.

Matt walks off and you take a small breath before you open the door. It's been well over a year since you've seen Kenny after all.

"Hello?" You turn the knob and slip inside the locker room.

"Y/N!" As soon as the door is closed you are lifted off your feet into a crushing hug.

"Oof. Hey, Kenny." You groan with a small laugh. "How've you been?" You ask him as he sets you back down.

"I've been good. I am so glad that you're back. God knows I missed you." Kenny grins down at you.

"I'm just glad that I was allowed to come back at all." You laugh to hide the hint of nervousness in the pit of your stomach.

"Hey, you're a tough girl, Y/N. I had no doubts that you'd be back." Kenny replies with sincerity in his tone. "And thanks again for agreeing to help me out against Penelope and Kip." He adds.

"Really, it's no problem, Ken." You insist. "I'll be back in a minute. I'm just going to go change really fast." You nod to the bathroom and walk off.

Kenny nods and takes a seat to wait for you to get done changing. He sighs when you close the door behind you. He can tell that you are a little unsure of yourself at the moment, and he hates it. Kenny fell head over heels for the confident and self-assured Y/N. The Y/N that wasn't afraid to take chances. And harbored a fiery passion for her work.

Kenny knows that you are still that same confident woman that he's been smitten with for years. So at that moment, he vows that he's going to do whatever he can to make sure that you get your confidence back.

"Okay, how do I look?" You come out of the bathroom with your pink and white ring gear on.

"Nice thinking, Y/N!" Kenny beams since he just so happens to be wearing the matching gear.

"Well great minds do think alike." You giggle. "We all ready to go then?" You ask him.

"Yeah, come on." Kenny nods and walks over to the door. "Man I can't wait to hear the crowd when they find out that you're back." He grins to himself.

"Yeah, I definitely miss hearing them cheer for me." You agree with him.

The two of you head down to the tunnel and you start to feel a little bit nervous the closer you get to the entrance. It's been almost two years since you've seen the inside of a wrestling ring. Since you've felt that electrifying feeling of the crowd chanting your name in pure excitement and adoration.

"Hey." Kenny notices your hesitation when his music starts to play. "You've got this." He assures you with a soft smile.

"I know." You nod and throw on a look of confidence.

Kenny walks out first and does his entrance than your music hits and your brave smile turns into a genuine one when you hear the pop for your entrance music. You walk through the tunnel with your heart beating in your chest as the crowd cheers almost deafeningly for you.

You walk over to Kenny's side and the two of you pose with one another, both wearing huge smiles. Kip and Penelope are already out in the ring so you and Kenny head down and over to your corner.

Kenny starts off the match with Kip so you have a few more seconds to adjust to being back. You glance over to Penelope in her corner and she gives you a hint of a reassuring smile. You've known her for a while and know that she's a wonderful person in real life. She and Kip both are.

"Tag in." Kenny hustles over to your corner after a minute or two and tags your outstretched hand. "Go get 'em Y/N." He whispers as he passes you through the ropes.

You hop into the ring and focus all your attention on Penelope as she steps into the ring. You take a second to size her up and compose yourself for the last time. Then it's like your body moves without you having to think about it and Penelope is in a side headlock.

The groove comes back to you like it's second nature and you get to work on wearing Penelope down. While you work you can hear Kenny cheering you on from the corner. His encouraging words and wide as all hell smile gives you an extra dose of confidence and you pick up the pace.

"Tag in. Omega." You tag Kenny back in once you've tired yourself out fighting with Penelope.

Kenny happily tags in and goes at it with Kip for a few more minutes. Then Kip manages to make the tag back to Penelope and you are in the ring once again.

With a nice rest in your system, you finish things off with Penelope who is happy to let you pull the win on your first night back. You pin her for the three-count while Kenny distracts Kip and the bell chimes in your ears.

"Yes! We did it!" You once again find yourself being lifted off of your feet by Kenny when he slips back into the ring. "I knew you could pull it off Y/N!" He praises you.

"Thanks, Kenny." You laugh in his arms before he sets you back down and raises your arm in his hand.

You and Kenny then take a moment in the ring for you to soak up the feeling of being back in the ring, and to give the fans a second to properly see you. You walk around the barricade and give a few kids high fives as well as take a selfie or two for good measure. The whole time Kenny watches from the ramp at just how ecstatic you look.

'Now that's my Y/N.' Kenny thinks to himself as he watches you. This is the Y/N that he's in love with. The Y/N, that he would do anything for. And this time Kenny has no intention of letting you slip away from him again.

Chapter Text

You first heard about Adam coming to AEW from a Twitter link. Of course, you didn't think that it was true. Most shit you see on Twitter isn't. But sure enough, a week later there he was. Standing in the ring with Matt and Nick Jackson. And it was right there that you knew you HAD to have him.

Britt Bakers irresistibly cocky ex-boyfriend as of a month ago. And what better way to once again prove that you're better than Britt than pick up her man. You've already taken her championship belt. So Adam will just be the icing on the cake for you.

"Matthew, just the man I was looking for." You catch Matt Jackson backstage on the latest Dynamite show.

"Y/N, what's going on?" Matt raises a cautious brow at your friendly smile. He knows better than to trust you.

"What? A girl can't want to hang out with her favorite tag champ?" You laugh. "She's got to have an ulterior motive all the time?"

"I guess not." Matt shrugs, still wary of you. "It's just, usually you don't make a habit of ever hanging out with Matt and me." He reminds you.

"Well, I'm here to change that." You reply smoothly. "Speaking of Nick? Where is your lovely brother? And your new boyfriend of course?" You ask him casually.

Matt picks up on what you're up to fast. You're not here for him to Nick. You're here for one man. Adam Cole. Matt knows your little ego spat with Britt Baker. You took the championship belt off of her after three months of back and forth spats. And now he's sure that you're after her ex.

"They'll be by soon," Matt answers you despite your ulterior motives. "Have you met Adam yet?" He decides to see how you play this one.

"Nope." You shake your head with a grin. "But I'm looking forward to it. That's for sure. Adam seems...well let's just say interesting and leave it at that." You laugh.

"Mhm, I'm sure." Matt nods.

Sure enough, Nick and Adam arrive a few minutes later while you are busy chatting with Matt about who you think will be the first person to try and take your title from you.

"Matt? Y/N! Well, aren't you two an odd couple." Nick walks over to you first.

"Nick! I was wondering where you were." You greet the other Jackson with a friendly smile. "And it seems that you brought a friend." You glance past him at Adam.

You look past Nick to get a good look at your prey and end up locking eyes with him for a second. 'Boy can Baker sure pick 'em.' Is your first thought upon seeing him up close.

You're a big girl so you're taller than Adam by an inch or two. Not that it bothers you much. If anything you love being taller than guys and watching them squirm under your gaze. But Adam's gaze doesn't seem to falter as you lock eyes with him. 'Interesting.' You think to yourself.

"Y/N, right?" Adam steps past Nick and gazes up at you with a confident smile. "You're the girl that my ex could never shut up about, yeah?"

"Well, I do tend to stick with people." You laugh. "Y/N L/N, a pleasure to finally meet the infamous Adam Cole. I've heard stories about you, you know."

"All bad ones, I'm sure." Adam laughs with you.

"Oh, I wouldn't say they were ALL bad." You reply. "But I have to admit, you've got quite the reputation, Adam." You add.

"Well you know what they say, honey. The reputation is what makes the man." Adam chuckles with a wink.

Matt and Nick are both standing off to the side of this little display by now. Nick is internally gagging at the banter and Matt has rolled his eyes an impressive amount of times in the last 5 minutes.

"Yeah, I'm gonna go before they start making out in the middle of the hall." Matt is the first one to tap out.

"I'll catch up." Nick nods. "I kinda wanna see who wins this." He jokes.

"My money is on, Y/N," Matt adds before he walks off.

Nick sticks around and listens in on this rare chance at seeing two alpha personalities interacting with one another.

"You said that you heard of me from Baker?" You ask Adam. "That's cute. The fact that I'm always on her mind that is." You laugh.

"Cute." Adam chuckles with you. "You know I bet that's why you're here isn't it?" He asks you. "You think it is funny if you got Britt's title AND her man? Hmm?" He purrs at you. "If so, I gotta say. I'm flattered."

"Awe, you must think you're so smart." You coo and smile down at Adam. "I like you, Adam. Not because you were with Britt. Because make no mistake. I don't do sloppy seconds." You inform him smoothly. "I like you because I heard that you're a winner."

"Is that so." Adam grins up at you. "And what makes you think that I'd even be interested in you, Y/N?" He fires back.

"Ha! Please baby." You laugh and lean down a bit so you're level with Adam. "There are only two types of people in this world babe. People who want me, and people who want to be me." Your eyes lock with Adam's again and you lean in until the two of you are just a breath away from a kiss.

Nick still remains in place since earlier watching the whole thing go down. He can barely contain an outburst when you stand back up tall before anything happens and go to walk away from Adam.

"Hit me up sometimes, Cole. You know that you want to." You wink at Adam. "And close your mouth, Nick." You add as you walk by Nick.

Nick coughs and does as told before he rushes over to Adam's side to check on him.

"Adam, man. What the hell was all that?" He chuckles at Adam as he watches you walk off.

"That, Nick my good buddy. Was the beginning of a VERY fun game." Adam chuckles and shakes his head.

Chapter Text

You take one last look in your car's mirror before you get out, fixing the hair that's come loose and is blocking your aviators. Tonight is NXT Halloween special, and as Regal's young and charismatic assistant he insisted that you dress up for the event. Thankfully, you never threw away your costume that you wore last year, cop outfit. So you opted to just recycle that one since in a way it fits your job. At least a little bit anyway.

"Alright, phone, keys, wallet." You do a quick patdown of the various pockets on your outfit to make sure that you've got all your essentials and head out.

Your outfit warrants a few passing glances from the backstage crew as you make your way down to Regal's office. Not that turned heads have ever been something that's bothered you any. You manage to make it to the GM's office without seeing anyone else that's supposed to be in costume.

"Regal? You busy in here?" You knock on the GM's door before you enter.

"Y/N, come in love." Regal calls from the other side of the door. "Oh, well don't you look lovely." He comments as soon as you enter.

"Hey, you told me to wear a costume. This is all I could do on such short notice." You walk over to his desk and lean on the corner of it. "The show is kicking off Live soon, where is our host?" You ask him, getting right to business.

"He should be here any minute." Regal replies. "And I want you to keep a close eye on him, Y/N." He adds. "I don't trust him."

"Oh, well why not Regal? I'm a nice guy." LA Knight, the man that won the right to be NXT's special host for the night, comes sauntering into the room. "And Y/N, wow." He chuckles when his eyes land on you. "Guess I'll have to be on my best behavior if officer sexy here is gonna be watching me."

"And what are you supposed to be?" You scoff at his tacky suit and cape.

"I'm the heartthrob vampire, honey." Knight replies. "The supernatural hunk of your dreams." He winks at you with a grin.

"Gag." You roll your eyes. "Come on then, teen romance. You've got a show to host." You push off of Regal's desk and walk by him to the door.

"Yes, Ma'am. Or is it officer, tonight?" Knight can't help but make a joke.

"Move!" You shove him out the door by the arm. "Have a nice rest of your night, Regal. I've got this." You add before you pull the door to Regal's office shut.

When you turn back out to the hall Knight is waiting idly by for you. You roll your eyes again and gesture for him to get moving.

"You know Regal making you dress up for this show may just be the best decision he's ever made." Knight wasted no time talking game with you again. "Because man do you make it work." He shakes his head with a grin.

"Mhm, stop staring at my chest and focus on hosting the show." You push his arm to get his attention off of your blouse.

"And what if I don't, hmm?" Knight comes to a halt and grins down at you. "You gonna handcuff me?" He asks you with a suggestive smirk.

"No, but I might beat you with this nightstick. And not in a fun way." You warn him with your own grin. "Now, go." You point out in front of you and urge him on.

"Whew, tonight is going to be so much fun." Knight chuckles but takes off walking again.

Eventually, you do make it to the backstage part of the ramp and wait for Knight to introduce the show. You hang backstage while he works and monitors the display from one of the TVs on the wall. A couple of backstage hands and security are idling in a few places around you, and you can hear the crowd out in the arena being rowdy.

"Woah, well hello there gorgeous." You are minding your own business when Carmello Hayes happens by. "Y/N? Damn girl, you are rocking that look." He grins at you.

"Get lost, Carmello." You roll your eyes playfully at him.

You act all entitled and annoyed at the prying eyes and obvious lines that these boys come at you with. But deep down you adore the attention.

"Right, sorry Ma'am." Carmello chuckles and eyes you up one last time before he walks off.

Just as Carmello walks off, Knight comes back through the curtain and saunters over to you again. He's got that same unwavering smirk on his face too.

"Is it pushing it to say that you've gotten hotter in the five minutes I've been gone?" Knight asks as he slides next to you.

"You just don't know when to quit, do you?" You shake your head to hide your smile.

"With you honey? Not at all." Knight mimics the shake of your head. "Let's just say I'm trying to get myself in trouble with the authorities tonight." He jokes, eyes raking over your outfit again.

"God that's so cheesy." You laugh. "Come on, you can do better than that." You decide that you'd mind as well have some fun tonight while you've got the chance.

"Why don't you come over and make me then, officer?" Knight challenges you.

"Oh? Well, why don't you, Mr. scary vampire..." You poke his chest with a grin. "Go out there and spin that wheel for the audience." You lean in just close enough to get his attention before you push him off of you.

"Oh, you are so bad." Knight chuckles and walks backward out of the curtain so he keeps eye contact with you. "I love a dirty cop." He jokes and winks before he turns around.

You laugh and shake your head at his second attempt at a cheap joke. This one is slightly better than the last one. But only slightly. It is a holiday today, so it's only right that you have a little fun. And it's been a while since you've put these handcuffs to good use anyway. So why not?

Chapter Text

Rain pours down from the sky as you gaze out of your living room window, a warm cup of coffee in your hand. A sigh escapes your lips just as a crack of lightning flashes across the sky.

"Well then." You shake your head, plans for a run ruined. "Guess that today is an inside day." You muse to yourself and walk away from the window.

You walk over to your couch and sit down on the edge of it. You set down your coffee and pull the throw blanket off of the back of the couch and cover yourself with it.

Grabbing your laptop, you pull it open and switch it on. The house is silent except for the heavy downpour of rain. But you find the sound comforting. You enjoy the peaceful silence until your phone buzzes.

"Hello?" You answer with a sigh.

"Y/N, hey," Max answers on the other end of the line. "Are you busy at the moment?" He asks you.

"Not really, why? What do you want?" You roll your eyes at your twin.

"Ouch. I can feel the hate through the phone." Max replies casually. "Anyway. I have a favor to ask you."

"Of course you do." You shake your head. "Out with it. What do you want?" You ask him again.

"I need to borrow your kitchen skills, sis," Max explains. "I'm having a friend over and I want to wow her with dinner."

"So cook the girl a meal." You reply. "Don't make me do it."

"Come on, Y/N." Max whines. "Look. I'll pay you back for the ingredients and I'll even come and pick it up." He pleads with you.

"Fine." You grumble. "But your ass is coming over to help. You know that I hate cooking alone." You insist, already annoyed.

"Umm yeah...about that." Max chuckles. "I'm a bit busy at the moment. But. I can send Wardlow over with the money and his promise of company."

"Really, Max." You huff. "You're roping poor Wardlow into this too?"

"Look, are you in or not?" Max avoids the question.

"Fine." You grumble and roll your eyes again. "There better be extra money involved in this for me." You warn him.

"Love you, sis." Max chuckles on the line before he hangs up.

You groan and shut your laptop back up again. Company is coming over so you should probably change out of your pajama pants and homemade crop top.

About half an hour later you are in the middle of washing up a couple of dirty pots and pans when the doorbell rings. You turn off the sink and head to the front door.

"Wardlow. Now, what did my brother do to rope you into all this?" You answer the door with a friendly smile.

"You don't want to know." Wardlow chuckles, carrying a few grocery bags in his arms.

"Well, come in I guess." You step to the side and let the big man in.

You walk with Wardlow into the kitchen and help him with the grocery bags. You rifle through the stuff and look at the ingredients that Max sent for you to work with.

"This is also for you." Wardlow digs through his pocket and hands you a few bills.

"Thank you." You take the money and pocket it. "Any idea what I'm supposed to be making here?" You ask him curiously.

"No idea." Wardlow shrugs. "But I'm here to help." He insists.

"Hmm." You hum to yourself. "Know anything about the girl that Max is seeing?" You ask him.

"She's French." Wardlow shrugs again. "He met her at some art show yesterday. That's about all I know."

"French huh?" You chuckle. "Okay, I can work with that. Can I ask how you know she's French?"

"I met her briefly earlier today," Wardlow explains. "Her accent kind of gave it away." He laughs.

"Of course." You laugh with him. "Max must be on the prowl for foreign girls again." You joke.

"He always seems to be on the prowl," Wardlow replies, taking a seat on a stool.

"Yes. My brother is a manwhore. Trust me I know." You roll your eyes playfully. "Every family has one."

"And what does that make you?" Wardlow asks you with a raised brow. "The innocent homebody?"

"Homebody, I guess you could say that." You giggle. "Definitely not innocent though. I just prefer to get to know my men before I get weird." You joke.

"Good to know," Wardlow replies.

His response catches you off guard for a moment. You lock eyes with your brother's best friend for a brief moment before you both break out into casual laughter.

"You know there is enough stuff here for two separate meals. If you're interested." You offer while chopping up some veggies. "Max can come get his meal, and we can enjoy an evening without my annoying brother."

"That sounds great." Wardlow agrees. "I've heard great things about your cooking." He adds.

"Yeah?" You glance over at him. "Well, I'd hope that I'm a decent cook. Or else those 2 years of culinary school were kind of a waste." You joke casually.

"Max talks it up all the time. Not that he ever offers to share anything when he does have food from you." Wardlow nods.

"That's sweet of him." You smile to yourself. "There's beer in the fridge if you want one." You offer. "And if you could hand me that bottle of red wine in that cabinet that would be great."

"Sure, thanks." Wardlow walks over to the fridge and grabs two beers then the wine.

"Thank you." You take a beer and the wine.

Your impromptu meal for yourself and your brother takes a little over an hour to make. You and Wardlow chat casually while you cook and text your brother to come to pick up his imposter meal.

"That be Max, could you get the door, please? I'm just finishing up here." You ask Wardlow when the doorbell rings.

Wardlow nods and disappears out of the kitchen. He's got Max with him when he comes back.

"Y/N, it smells great in here," Max comments when he comes into the kitchen.

"Mhm." You nod as you pour a couple of different things into your good Tupperware. "Here, French dinner for two. Just toss it in a skillet for about ten minutes and you've got the perfect dinner for a liar." You grin at him.

"Thank you." Max takes the container. "And what's that over there?" He notices a different skillet full of a delicious-looking meal.

"That's for your lackey and me to share. Now kindly get out." You push your brother's shoulder lightly.

"Awe, you know I had a feeling that you'd end up with the big man." Max chuckles.

"Out." You warn him again. "Go have fun with your French art bimbo." You wave him off.

"Mhm. And you have fun with your All American beefcake." Max teases you.

"Goodbye, Maxwell." You roll your eyes and give him a shove.

Chapter Text

It's a rather busy day in the medical office backstage at AEW. With the usual head doctor out on a vacation at the last minute, you've been playing catch up all day. And now the show is on the air, which just adds to your plethora of problems.

"Okay, that's done. Now, these need to be filed." You mumble to yourself as you meander around the office aimlessly.

"Umm, Dr. L/N?" One of the assistants pokes his head in the door. "You've got a visitor." He quickly explains.

"Of course I do." You groan to yourself. "Sit him down, I'll be right there." You inform the assistant.

He nods and the office door shuts again. You move at a quicker pace to find what you're looking for. Once you've found the papers you need, you grab your coat and shrug it on.

"Okay, what can I do for you, sir?" You step into the main room as you fix the collar of your coat.

"Well, hello there." Christian sits on your exam table, a charming smile on his face. "You're definitely not Dr. Reese." He chuckles.

"No, I'm Dr. L/N." You reply. "Dr. Reese is on vacation. So I'm here to fill in for him. Now, again, what seems to be the problem, Mr. Cage?" You ask him curiously.

"Oh, I just came in to get my shoulder taped for my match later," Christian explains with another smile.

"Okay, easy enough." You nod and turn around to the supply cart. "What shoulder is it?" You ask with your back turned.

You dig through the cart for the medical tape, and you can feel Christians' eyes on you as you are bent down. You roll your eyes at his blatant disregard for proper etiquette, but you don't have time to scold him.

"My left one." Christian replies as you finally turn back around.

He pulls his t-shirt over his head and sets it down next to him. You roll out the tape and get to work so you can go back to drowning in paperwork and filing again.

"You know you look awfully young to be a doctor, Miss L/N." Christian comments as you work.

"I'll take that as a compliment." You reply, trying your best to focus on work. "But I can assure you, Mr. Cage. I did in fact graduate from medical school. Have the diploma and everything." You joke.

"Well, you won't be getting a complaint from me, regardless of that fact." Christian chuckles. "You're much easier on the eyes than Dr. Reese, trust me."

"So you think I'm prettier than a 60-year-old man? I'm flattered, Mr. Cage." You stifle a small laugh.

"You're a better conversationalist too," Christian adds.

"I'm sure." You giggle again. "I've been working with Dr. Reese for almost a year now. The man isn't one for engaging conversations, is he?"

"Not at all." Christian agrees with you.

You finish up taping his shoulder and discard the remaining tape back into one of the drawers of the trolley.

"There, you are all done, Mr. Cage." You turn back around. "I assume that you'll be able to get it off by yourself?" You raise a brow at him.

"Most likely, yes." Christian chuckles. "Why? Are you saying that I'm being invited back here if I can't, doc?" He teases you.

"Well as a medical professional, I can't exactly turn you down." You shrug with a small smile.

"I'll keep that in mind." Christian replies as he pulls his shirt back on and hops off the table.

"Mhm, take care. I'd hate to have to take a call about you getting hurt after I went through all the trouble with that tape." You joke, but still, manage to keep professional.

"Will do, doc." Christian flashes a wink as he slips through the door.

You roll your eyes at his undeniable charm and walk back down to the office and the mountain of paperwork waiting for you.

You get settled back into the office chair and grab a couple of papers. Curse your colleague for leaving you with all this shit to take care of while he's off having fun somewhere tropical.

"Okay, now where did I put those forms..." You talk to yourself casually as you work.

A little over an hour later you are finally putting a good dent into all the paperwork when someone knocks on the office door.

"Come in." You chime, not looking up from the papers.

"Wow, that looks like all kinds of fun." Christian chuckles as he steps inside the door.

"Don't tell me, you get your ass handed to you?" You look up from your papers casually.

"Ouch. Ye of little faith, doc." Christian puts a hand to his chest. "We won, a matter of fact. I just came by to see you." He explains.

"Me? For what? You need help taking that tape off after all?" You snark.

"Maybe." Christian grins. "Come on, help a guy at, doc." He charms you.

"Fine." You sigh to hide the smile breaking on your face. "Go sit down." You gesture to the other room and finish signing your current paper.

You push your papers to the side with a sigh and glance out at the other room. Christian hops up on an exam table with a grin and settles into place. You roll your eyes, pushing your smile back again.

He's hot. That's for sure. Maybe a little too hot for his own good. But hell does he make it work. You think it over for a moment, knowing full well what Christian's intentions are. You've got a huge load of work that you need to get done. But it can wait a day.

"Alright, shirt off Mr. Cage." You grab a pair of gloves from the box on the wall.

Christian does as told with no hesitation and you walk over to his side. You peel off the carefully placed tape from his shoulder and toss it in the pin.

"Tell me doc, what's a gorgeous babe like you working overtime on a Friday for?" Christian asks you.

"That would be money, Mr. Cage." You laugh a little. "It is what makes the world go round after all."

"Come on doc." Christian replies, that charming grin rearing its head. "You and me, dinner. I know this killer place downtown. Guaranteed good time." He insists.

"I'm on the clock, Mr. Cage." You shake your head.

"Until?" Christian replies.

"Nine O'clock." You toss the last piece of tape and lock eyes with him.

"I can wait." Christian insists again.

You glance at the clock on the wall. 8:25 PM.

"Mr. Cage..." You shake your head again. The idea swimming around in your brain.

"Please?" Christian pushes you one last time, his eyes never faltering from yours.

"Fine." You give in with a sigh and a smile. "One date." You assure yourself more than anything else.

"Yes! I knew you liked me!" Christian celebrates with a chuckle.

"Mhm. Now you get to sit and wait for 45 minutes." You snap your gloves off and walk back over to the office door.

"Worth it!" Christian calls as you shut the door behind you. "Every minute!"

Chapter Text

It's a rather busy day in the medical office backstage at AEW. With the usual head doctor out on a vacation at the last minute, you've been playing catch up all day. And now the show is on the air, which just adds to your plethora of problems.

"Okay, that's done. Now, these need to be filed." You mumble to yourself as you meander around the office aimlessly.

"Umm, Dr. L/N?" One of the assistants pokes his head in the door. "You've got a visitor." He quickly explains.

"Of course I do." You groan to yourself. "Sit him down, I'll be right there." You inform the assistant.

He nods and the office door shuts again. You move at a quicker pace to find what you're looking for. Once you've found the papers you need, you grab your coat and shrug it on.

"Okay, what can I do for you, sir?" You step into the main room as you fix the collar of your coat.

"Well, hello there." Christian sits on your exam table, a charming smile on his face. "You're definitely not Dr. Reese." He chuckles.

"No, I'm Dr. L/N." You reply. "Dr. Reese is on vacation. So I'm here to fill in for him. Now, again, what seems to be the problem, Mr. Cage?" You ask him curiously.

"Oh, I just came in to get my shoulder taped for my match later," Christian explains with another smile.

"Okay, easy enough." You nod and turn around to the supply cart. "What shoulder is it?" You ask with your back turned.

You dig through the cart for the medical tape, and you can feel Christians' eyes on you as you are bent down. You roll your eyes at his blatant disregard for proper etiquette, but you don't have time to scold him.

"My left one." Christian replies as you finally turn back around.

He pulls his t-shirt over his head and sets it down next to him. You roll out the tape and get to work so you can go back to drowning in paperwork and filing again.

"You know you look awfully young to be a doctor, Miss L/N." Christian comments as you work.

"I'll take that as a compliment." You reply, trying your best to focus on work. "But I can assure you, Mr. Cage. I did in fact graduate from medical school. Have the diploma and everything." You joke.

"Well, you won't be getting a complaint from me, regardless of that fact." Christian chuckles. "You're much easier on the eyes than Dr. Reese, trust me."

"So you think I'm prettier than a 60-year-old man? I'm flattered, Mr. Cage." You stifle a small laugh.

"You're a better conversationalist too," Christian adds.

"I'm sure." You giggle again. "I've been working with Dr. Reese for almost a year now. The man isn't one for engaging conversations, is he?"

"Not at all." Christian agrees with you.

You finish up taping his shoulder and discard the remaining tape back into one of the drawers of the trolley.

"There, you are all done, Mr. Cage." You turn back around. "I assume that you'll be able to get it off by yourself?" You raise a brow at him.

"Most likely, yes." Christian chuckles. "Why? Are you saying that I'm being invited back here if I can't, doc?" He teases you.

"Well as a medical professional, I can't exactly turn you down." You shrug with a small smile.

"I'll keep that in mind." Christian replies as he pulls his shirt back on and hops off the table.

"Mhm, take care. I'd hate to have to take a call about you getting hurt after I went through all the trouble with that tape." You joke, but still, manage to keep professional.

"Will do, doc." Christian flashes a wink as he slips through the door.

You roll your eyes at his undeniable charm and walk back down to the office and the mountain of paperwork waiting for you.

You get settled back into the office chair and grab a couple of papers. Curse your colleague for leaving you with all this shit to take care of while he's off having fun somewhere tropical.

"Okay, now where did I put those forms..." You talk to yourself casually as you work.

A little over an hour later you are finally putting a good dent into all the paperwork when someone knocks on the office door.

"Come in." You chime, not looking up from the papers.

"Wow, that looks like all kinds of fun." Christian chuckles as he steps inside the door.

"Don't tell me, you get your ass handed to you?" You look up from your papers casually.

"Ouch. Ye of little faith, doc." Christian puts a hand to his chest. "We won, a matter of fact. I just came by to see you." He explains.

"Me? For what? You need help taking that tape off after all?" You snark.

"Maybe." Christian grins. "Come on, help a guy at, doc." He charms you.

"Fine." You sigh to hide the smile breaking on your face. "Go sit down." You gesture to the other room and finish signing your current paper.

You push your papers to the side with a sigh and glance out at the other room. Christian hops up on an exam table with a grin and settles into place. You roll your eyes, pushing your smile back again.

He's hot. That's for sure. Maybe a little too hot for his own good. But hell does he make it work. You think it over for a moment, knowing full well what Christian's intentions are. You've got a huge load of work that you need to get done. But it can wait a day.

"Alright, shirt off Mr. Cage." You grab a pair of gloves from the box on the wall.

Christian does as told with no hesitation and you walk over to his side. You peel off the carefully placed tape from his shoulder and toss it in the pin.

"Tell me doc, what's a gorgeous babe like you working overtime on a Friday for?" Christian asks you.

"That would be money, Mr. Cage." You laugh a little. "It is what makes the world go round after all."

"Come on doc." Christian replies, that charming grin rearing its head. "You and me, dinner. I know this killer place downtown. Guaranteed good time." He insists.

"I'm on the clock, Mr. Cage." You shake your head.

"Until?" Christian replies.

"Nine O'clock." You toss the last piece of tape and lock eyes with him.

"I can wait." Christian insists again.

You glance at the clock on the wall. 8:25 PM.

"Mr. Cage..." You shake your head again. The idea swimming around in your brain.

"Please?" Christian pushes you one last time, his eyes never faltering from yours.

"Fine." You give in with a sigh and a smile. "One date." You assure yourself more than anything else.

"Yes! I knew you liked me!" Christian celebrates with a chuckle.

"Mhm. Now you get to sit and wait for 45 minutes." You snap your gloves off and walk back over to the office door.

"Worth it!" Christian calls as you shut the door behind you. "Every minute!"

Chapter Text

Ambient lights cast an eerie glow on the room as Wardlow clutches his red cup in his hand. Loud EDM music blasts through the room and vibrates through his body as people mingle around him.

Today is your birthday, and being a Friedman you of course threw a rager of a party for the occasion. Max is somewhere in the house, probably talking to one of your slutty college friends. You remember seeing him briefly talking to Wardlow earlier before he walked off.

Wardlow. Max's guard dog. And presumably your babysitter for the party. You know that's what Max was talking to him about earlier. "Keep an eye on her, please." You can hear Max's voice in your head. And sure enough, Wardlow has been standing off to the side of the room this whole time. Watching. He's always watching. Intently. Your every move like a predator watches prey. And it's been driving you nuts all night.

Tired of dancing after a while you find yourself making your way over to the big man's side. Your male friends haven't been letting up tonight, and it's getting on your nerves as well. You'd never stoop so low as to let one of them hit it. But Wardlow? Now there's a man that you'd gladly let, have you. Not that he'd ever do it. Wardlow is loyal to a fault Max. And you're pretty sure that fucking his sister is high up on the backstabbing list.

"Having fun?" Wardlow gazes down at you when you reach his side.

"A blast." You quip back, opting to lean against the wall. "You know I don't need a babysitter, Wardlow. Despite what Max thinks." You remind him.

"I beg to differ," Wardlow replies, his eyes on the crowd.

"Oh?" You snark. "What? You don't think I can take care of myself either?" You scoff at him.

"I'm just doing what I was asked." Wardlow shrugs those large shoulders of his.

'God those shoulders.' You shudder and glance up at him. He's dressed in a maroon button-up, said buttons holding on for dear life. Muscles straining against silk fabric, looking absolutely heavenly in the low light of the room.

"Right. Max's obedient guard dog." You roll your eyes. The alcohol making you speak freely and without thinking. "Always does what he's told." You scoff. "I need another drink." You push off the wall and disappear into the sea of people.

Wardlow lets out a sigh once you are gone from his side. God, what the man would give to shut your snarky little ass up right now. Push you against the wall and shut that smart little mouth up for once.

When Max asked Wardlow to keep an eye on you when they got to the party he reluctantly accepted. But then again, Wardlow was sure that he'd be able to keep himself in check like he usually is around you. Keep his dirty little secret well hidden. But not tonight. Not with that dress.

'God that dress.' Wardlow swallows thickly at just the thought of it.

You're the birthday girl so of course, you need to be the center of attention. And that's just what the dress you picked demands. Attention. Glittery Black, and strapless of course. Barely coming down to your mid-thigh. Trouble for poor Wardlow.

As soon as he laid eyes on you tonight he knew that he was in trouble. You were already in the middle of the room and dancing your cares away. A few male friends surround you. Their hands lingering a little too close for Wardlow's comfort.

"Come on Anthony, buzz off." Your voice carrying across the room snaps Wardlow back to reality.

His eyes scan the room and find you by thr bar, fending off one of the guys that were dancing with you earlier. And you don't look pleased. Wardlow pushes off the wall and makes his way over to the bar.

"Get lost, now!" Wardlow grabs this Anthony fellow by the arm and shoves him away from the bar.

"Oh, so he doesn't even have to be called." You laugh as Wardlow puffs his chest out at Anthony. Not that he needs to.

"You are just asking for trouble, aren't you?" Wardlow turns back to you.

"And what if I am?" You roll your eyes. "It's my birthday." Your voice trails off a bit.

"You know you seem real happy for it being your birthday." Wardlow's voice softens a little bit.

"Just drop it, Wardlow." You shake your head and signal the bartender to bring you a drink.

"I think that you've had enough." Wardlow grabs your hand and drops it at your side.

"For the last time Wardlow! I don't need a babysitter." You snap at him, cheeks flushed red with alcohol.

You storm back off into the crowd, frustrated at both yourself and everything else around you. Max was the one to suggest this big party. Not you. But you usually like to party.

But there's just something about tonight that's got you off your game. You want to have fun. Enjoy your birthday like you should be. You turn around in the crowd and there Wardlow is again. Leaned against the bar and watching you like a hawk. God, you hate that he's always watching you.

You hate it because you know Wardlow is too loyal to Max to ever make a move. That's all you want. Him. You've known Wardlow for what feels like an eternity now. You've gotten to know the adorable teddy bear of a man that he hides behind that sculpted body and mean look. But he'll never want you the way you want him.

"Y/N, there you are." Max finds you for the second time tonight. "You having fun?" He asks you.

"Oh yeah, loads." You shrug.

"Y/N, what's up?" Max puts a hand on your arm. "You don't look like you're having fun." He informs you of the obvious.

"It's kind of hard to have a good time when I've got your guard dog watching my every move." You grit your teeth, glancing over at Wardlow again.

"I asked him to keep an eye on you. Just I case." Max explains. "What's so bad about that?" He asks you.

"I don't need a damn babysitter!" You huff, tired of having to repeat yourself.

Across the room, Wardlow is still watching. Yes, Max asked him to. But he'd be doing the same regardless of Max. He wants you so bad it's damn near painful. He's wanted you since the two of you met and he'd barely gotten to know you. He barely had to get to know you to know that he liked you.

And here he is, over a year later. Your glorified guard dog. Your right. That is what he is. Just Max's muscle man. At his beck and call. And he's tired of it. Wardlow notices you talking to Max and the way you tense up with him near. And right there Wardlow makes a decision. This guard dog is getting a new owner.

"Leave her alone, Maxwell."

Those words startle you when Wardlow is suddenly at your side, glaring down at your brother.

"What?" Max laughs. "Wardlow, buddy. It's all good here." Max insists.

"Come on." Wardlow grabs your hand and pulls you through the crowd and away from Max. Away from everyone.

"Umm...thanks." You don't speak until you're both alone. "Wardlow...listen I-" You go to speak when your cut off suddenly.

Wardlow's hand cups your cheek surprisingly gently, his lips crashing against yours in a desperate kiss. Your hands press against his chest, the silk cool against your bare skin.

"I'm sorry, I just couldn't take it anymore." Wardlow takes a step back from you after the kiss.

"Don't." You shake your head. "Just get back over here and kiss me again." You beckon him over with a hand.

"Yes, ma'am." Wardlow chuckles at your brazen demand. But he's not complaining.

Chapter Text

It's another Dynamite in yet another city on your winter tour. The locker room is buzzing with life, various Dark Order members mingling with one another.

Your sat between Alan and Preston, chatting with them about their upcoming match with The Acclaimed.

"I swear if either of them dares make a joke about you, Y/N." Preston grits his teeth.

"Why?" You laugh. "So what if they make jokes. Let them, Preston. It's just words out of the mouths of a couple of jokers." You assure him with a pat to the arm.

"Still." Vance is ever the stoic protector.

"What about you, Angels?" You turn to Alan on your other side. "Do you think that they're funny?" You ask him.

"They have their moments." Alan shrugs. "But Preston is right. They better keep your name out of their mouths." His carefree look turns stern for a moment.

"Right. What would I do without you two?" You pat them both on the arm with a laugh. "My best protectors."

You are busy laughing with your best boys when the locker room door creaks open and John comes in with a wide smile.

"Guys! Look who I found in the hall." He gleefully announces and pushes the door open fully.

"Adam!" A plethora of cheers erupts in the room.

You pick your head at the mention of the cowboy's name. And sure enough, there he is. A smile on his handsome face, golden curls framing it perfectly.

"Hey guys, long time no see huh?" Adam chuckles as he comes fully into the room.

You remain in place and watch Adam get swarmed by the pack. Even Alan gets up and walks over to greet Hangman. Preston stays in place, knowing that he'll get his turn eventually. Just like you are.

"He seems cheerful today," Preston comments as you both watch Adam and the rest of the crew.

"I know." You agree. "So full of energy." You watch the smile on his face grow as he greets his friends.

Adam's eyes scan the room as he's being hugged and his eyes lock with yours for a second. Your heart skips a beat at the smile he's directing at you. This isn't the same Hangman as before.

As Brodie's right hand, besides Uno of course. You've been with the Dark Order from the start. You've known Hangman for a while now. A passionate but timid man with his own personal demons that he's been struggling with for some time now. But this Adam is different. This Adam seems to ooze confidence like it's second nature to him. And you're intrigued, to say the least.

"Y/N, Preston, it's good to see you both." Adam eventually makes his way over to you and Vance.

"Good to see you, Page." Preston greets him with a nod.

"Adam! It's good to see you back. Sit?" You greet Adam and offer him a seat.

"Sure, thanks." Adam takes the offer and sits down in the spot Alan was previously in.

"You look good, Hangman. More vibrant." You comment as he sits down. "It's a good look for you."

"You know? I feel good, Y/N." Adam nods with that bright smile of his. "Like I'm a new man."

"That's great to hear." You giggle softly. "We've missed having you around." You add.

"And I admittedly missed being around." Adam nods as he glances out at the room. "You've all been so kind to me. Real friends."

"I'm glad to hear that you've missed us." You smile to yourself. "We're a family here, and it wouldn't be the same without our favorite cowboy at our side." You joke a little with a laugh.

"Thanks, Y/N. I'm glad to hear that I'm missed when I'm gone." Hangman nods. "What are you guys up to tonight?"

"Preston and Alan have a tag match against The Acclaimed." You reply. "But besides that tonight is pretty much a free night."

"The Acclaimed? Aren't they those two jokers that think they're rappers?" Adam asks. "Caster and Bowens right?"

"Mhm." You nod. "They took a shot at me a couple of weeks ago in one of their raps so Preston and Alan are eager to get at them." You explain glancing over at both men.

"Oh." Hangman nods again. "You partial to some extra company out there tonight!" He asks with a friendly smile. "Not that you'll need it. I'm sure you could take out those two morons by yourself easily." He chuckles.

"Sure, why not?" You shrug with a nod. "I'm sure Alan and Preston would love to have you out there with us. Five! Ten! Come over here for a second, please!" You beckon both men over to your side.

"Yeah, Y/N?" Alan walks up to you.

"Hangman is going to join us for your tag match tonight." You explain. "I'm sure you two don't mind, right?"

"Not at all." Preston shakes his head.

"Yeah, we'd love to have you, Hangman." Alan agrees.

"Great. You two should go get ready for the match." You nod at both of them and stand. "Hangman and I will meet you two at the tunnel in a bit." You add.

Adam gets up with you and the two of you head out of the locker room into the much quieter hallway. It's a drastic difference from the chaotic chatter of the Dark Order locker room. Much more tranquil.

"Now this is much better." You joke as you walk side by side with Adam. "Those boys can get so rowdy sometimes." You shake your head.

"It can get loud, yeah." Hangman chuckles. "Peace and quiet can be nice too though." He adds.

"Tell me about it." You giggle. "Anywho. How are you really holding up, Adam?" You ask him. "Being back and all?"

"Surprisingly well, actually. Thanks for asking." Adam nods. "Normally coming back after a big loss like that would have me on edge. But I knew that I wasn't coming back to be alone this time, you know? That helped a lot."

"Of course." You nod. "Being alone is never fun. Family and friends are important for everyone. I get it."

"Yeah, you really do." Adam nods sheepishly and comes to a stop.

"Adam?" You furrow your brows and stop with him.

"Y/N, can I tell you something?" Adam asks you out of the blue.

"Sure." You nod, still confused.

"I appreciate all of the Dark Order and what they've done for me. I really do." He explains. "But I feel like you've done more to help me through all this than any of them. I...I don't know if I would have come back if it wasn't for you." Adam reaches out and grabs your hand from your side gently. "Y/N, you are my rock. My...my motivating force. And I love you."

"...Adam." You're a little speechless at Hangman's confession.

"It's okay if you don't feel the same. I totally get it." Adam continues. "I just had to tell you how I felt."

You let out a small laugh at watching this poor beautiful man struggle with his feelings this much. You pull your hand away from his grasp and wrap your arms around his neck, placing a kiss on his cheek gently.

"I love you too, Adam. No doubt about it." You assure him.

Chapter Text

"Kris, have you seen my green jacket?" You poke your head out of the hotel bathroom door at your sister.

"Right here, I borrowed it yesterday," Kris replies, holding your jacket in her hand.

"Please tell me that it's clean." You sigh, she's always stealing your clothes.

"It is, yes." Kris nods. "Why? What's so important about this specific jacket?" She asks you curiously.

"It's the only one besides the black one that goes with this dress." You exit the bathroom all dolled up.

"Wow." Kris raises her brows at your attire. "What are you all fancied up for?" She asks you.

"Stuff." You grin at her and walk over to take your jacket.

"You're going out on a date, aren't you." Kris follows you across the room.

"Is it any of your business?" You turn around to her.

"As your sister, yes," Kris replies. "Now, who is my sister going out on a date with?" She asks you.

"Will you just leave it? Let me live my life? Kris, come on. I'm older than you." You let out a small sigh as you dig around for your shoes.

"Only by a year!" Kris reminds you. "And you might be older but we both know I'm the tough one." She adds. "So, are you going to tell me or am I going to have to beat it out of you!" She pokes your shoulder.

You finally find your grey flats in your bag and sit down on the edge of your bed. Kris hovers next to you while you pull them onto your feet.

"It's one of your buddies, and that's all I'm going to say." You give in a bit to satiate your sister's curiosity.

"One of my buddies!" Kris repeats your statement. "Chuck? You're going out with Chuck? Or is it Trent?" She starts rambling.

"Kris!" You get to your feet and put a hand on your sister's shoulder. "Calm down, I'm going on the date, not you." You giggle.

"I know! But it's with one of my friends!" Kris replies. "I'm allowed to be excited."

You let her shoulders go and turn around to check your phone. Kris pokes her head over your shoulder to see what you're looking at.

"Kris!" You turn and push her away from you. "God, you're nosey." You complain to her.

You turn away from Kris and quickly write out a text while she can't see what you're doing. She tries her best to see around your shoulder but you're too fast for her.

"He'll be up in a minute." You set your phone down and turn back to your sister. "And you are going to stay out of the way." You poke her chest with a firm look.

"What?" Kris scoffs. "What am I going to do? Tag along with you?" She asks you.

"Remind me what happened the last time I went out on a date with one of your co-workers?" You stare at her accusingly. "Hmm?"

"I may or may not have had a brief conversation with him." Kris shrugs casually.

"You threatened to beat him up, Kris." You roll your eyes playfully at her.

"I was just trying to make sure you were going to have a good time," Kris replies.

"You were being nosey." You roll your eyes at her. "And this time you are going to mind your own business. Got it!" You warn her.

"Fine." Kris pouts. "But you still haven't told me which one of them is taking you out yet." She reminds you. "Chuck? Trent? Oh my gosh Is it Wheeler?"

Before you can reply to Kris's frantic claims a knock sounds at the door. Kris springs into action to answer the door but you give her a shove onto your bed before she can get far and hurry to the door.

"Umm, everything okay in there?" Your date greets you at the door.

"Who? Oh my God, him!" Kris rushes over to the door and you shut it before she can get another word out. "Y/N why didn't you tell me that Orange freaking Cassidy asked you out?" She eagerly hovers around you.

"Kris." You roll your eyes at her. "Calm down and find something to do. I'll be back in a couple of hours." You push her back onto your bed.

You walk back over to the door and open it back up again sheepishly.

"Sorry about that." You step into the hall and shut the door. "Kris can be a little overwhelming when it comes to this kind of stuff." You let out a small laugh.

"No worries." Orange replies with a soft smile. "You look stunning by the way. I love the dress." He adds.

"Thanks." You blush. "Where are we headed?" You ask him.

"I booked us at this Japanese place downtown. You like Sushi right?" He asks as he hooks his arm with yours.

"Yeah, I love it." You nod with a wide smile.

"Great." Orange nods and walks with you.

Back in the hotel room Kris can't help but wonder how your date is going to go. It's been a while since you've been out on a date so she's eager to see how it goes.

The last time Kris let you date one of her friends from work it didn't work out so well. The guy ended up hurting you pretty bad and you were holed up in your room for a couple of weeks. Kris of course blamed herself for being the one to set you up.

A couple of hours later Kris perks up when she hears you laughing out in the hall. She gets to her feet and eagerly waits by the door for you to come in.

"Yeah, I had a great time. Thanks for taking me out." You crack the door open with a smile. "So ill see you tomorrow?" You lean in the doorway.

"Yeah definitely. Have a nice rest of your night Y/N." Orange nods, grabbing your hand and kissing the back of it gently.

"You too." You blush.

You slip inside the hotel room and find Kris lingering by the door. You let out a small gasp because she scares you a bit.

"How'd it go?" Kris asks you eagerly.

"It went well." You smile to yourself. "Now back away." You push her off of you.

"Sorry." Kris takes a step back. "But tell me everything." She adds.

You laugh and walk over to your bed and fall back onto it. Kris walks over and does the same, eager to hear about what went down. You seem to be happy though. Which is really all that she cares about.

Chapter Text

It's a Tuesday night which means you're backstage for NXT as usual. The show is about to be on air and you are making your way down to the commentary table. Beth is out on maternity leave and Vic is down with the flu so it's just you and Wade tonight.

"Excuse me, I'm trying to get by." You come to a stop right before the curtain.

"Damn baby, hold up a minute. Lemme talk to you for a second." Carmelo Hayes stands in your path.

"Carmelo." A small sigh escapes your lips.

"Y/N, baby. You are looking fine tonight honey." Carmelo winks at you with a grin.

"Thanks. And where is your little goon at?" You raise a brow at Trick's uncharacteristic absence.

"He's around," Carmelo replies. "But back to you. What are you up to tonight shortie? Besides looking fine as hell?" He asks you.

"Working." You reply. "And you're in my way." You remind him.

"Well, why don't you come and move me then, baby?" Carmelo chuckles and he stares you up and down.

"You'd like that wouldn't you?" You scoff at him. "I don't have to. He will." You nod behind Carmelo as Wade peeks his head through the curtain.

"Move it." Wade steps to Carmelo and pushes him out of the way. "Come on Y/N, before we're late." He nods for you to follow him.

"Bye, Carmelo." You grin and wave at the champ as you walk off.

Carmelo watches your hips sway delectably as you walk away from him and shakes his head. He's gonna bag your fine ass one of these days.

"Melo, what you staring at man?" Trick pops up a couple of seconds later.

"Nothing." Carmelo waves his hand. "Come on man, the show is about to start." He insists.

Back out at the commentary table, Wade is busy scolding you for almost being late.

"You're acting like it was my fault, Wade." You defend yourself.

"Oh, I know that you're not innocent," Wade replies. "You're always flirting with Hayes. Edging him on."

"Am not!" You protest. "He always starts the conversation. It's never me." You insist.

"Mhm, just get your mic on." Wade rolls his eyes and does the same.

You get your mic on and rifle through your papers for a second. The show kicks off on the air and Wade makes the introduction.

"Hello everyone and welcome back to NXT 2.0." Wade starts.

"Boy do we have a packed show tonight y'all." You add.

Wade reads off some of the card before a couple of members of Diamond Mine come out for their match to start the show.

When the show goes to a commercial break Wade is back on your case.

"You know going out with the man would solve this little problem. Because frankly, I'm tired of having to save you from being a damsel in distress." He informs you matter-of-factly.

"Oh well, I am so sorry for inconveniencing you, Wade." You roll your eyes. "I'll keep that in mind next time."

"I know you like him. Why play the game?" Wade continues.

"None of your business, Barrett." You reply right as the show comes back on.

Johnny Gargano comes out to the ring with a microphone and starts yammering about getting a shot at the North American championship. He is soon joined by Pete Dunne and they start arguing.

"And here we go." You comment when the arguing starts.

"Indeed." Wade agrees.

Johnny and Pete argue for a bit until Carmelo and Trick finally show up to put an end to the bickering. Trick shuts both men up for a moment and starts talking trash about both of them of course.

Carmelo eventually challenges both Johnny and Pete to a triple threat match for the belt and promptly makes his exit.

"Well, that definitely wasn't the smartest play on Carmelo's part." You comment on his challenge.

"No, not at all." Wade agrees again. "Maybe Hayes is trying to prove a point to somebody." He suggests and glances at you.

The show goes to another commercial and you turn to him.

"And by someone you mean me, right?" You ask Wade with a raised brow.

"I just call it like I see it, Y/N." Barrett shrugs. "He was looking down here at you when he said it." He points out.

"He was looking at the crowd." You shake your head.

"Sure." Wade scoffs. "You tell yourself that."

You work the rest of the show like you normally would then head backstage when it ends. You are making your way back to the commentary locker room when you run into Trick.

"Trick." You nod to him. "Can I help you with something?" You ask him with a raised brow.

"Shortie, you've got my man Carmelo all hung up." Trick explains. "So I'm gonna need you to stop jerking him around so he can get his head on straight." He informs you.

"Right, I'll get right on that." You scoff at him.

"I mean it." Trick replies. "He's making a fool of himself and putting his belt on the line so you'll pay attention to him."

"I said okay, Trick. Now move." You ask him again.

"It ain't right. You leading him on like that." Trick gets in one last word before he walks off.

You make it to the locker room but can't seem to get Trick's words out of your head. Or Wade's for that matter. Is that what you're doing? Leading Carmelo on?

That's not at all your intention. Carmelo has always been flirty with you. But you've always just assumed that's his personality. The type of guy that likes to talk sweet with all his female companions.

"What's got you looking all perplexed?" Wade comments when he comes into the locker room.

"Hmm? Nothing." You shake your head. "Wade, do you know what locker room Hayes is in?" You ask him.

"321," Wade replies. "Why?" He eyes you up.

"No reason." You get up and grab your jacket from the back of your chair. "I'll catch you later Barrett." You dismiss yourself casually.

"Yeah. Be safe." Wade nods and watches you walk off. It looks like all his talks are finally getting to you.

You make your way down the hall and come to locker room 321. Taking a small breath in you knock twice on the door. Carmelo comes and answers it after a moment.

"Y/N, what brings you down my way baby?" He asks you. That confident smile on his face.

"Color me curious, Hayes." You reply casually. "You talk a lot of game Carmelo, and I want to know if you can back it up." You inform him.

"For real?" Carmelo replies. "So I finally wore you down huh, shortie?" He chuckles.

"Don't make me change my mind." You reply.

"Right." Carmelo nods. "Well then let me grab my jacket then baby. Then prepare to have your world rocked tonight." He grins.

"Mhm, you better hurry up. I don't like to be kept waiting." You reply as he turns around back into the locker room.

With the door open you can see Trick sitting inside the room. He locks eyes with you for a second and you nod to him. He nods back and the two of you have a silent understanding.

"Alright, let's get going baby. I'm gonna have you up all night long." Carmelo comes back out of the locker room and slings an arm over your shoulder.

"You better impress me, Hayes." You reply with a grin and let him lead the way.

Chapter Text

The winter air is chilly and the sun is about to set despite it only being around 4 pm. You get out of the car and zip up your jacket when the chilling wind hits your cheeks.

"You cold, babe?" Kyle comes around the car and notices you shiver.

"Yeah." You nod. "Are you not?" You stuff your hands in your pocket.

"Not really." Kyle shrugs. "Come here," He walks over to you and pulls you into his side. "Let's get inside."

A small smile plays on your lips at your boyfriend's attempts to keep you warm as you hurry across the parking lot and into the building.

You sigh in relief when you get inside the building. The chilly air is being replaced by warm air. And you can no longer see your breath in the air.

"I've got some time before I need to be at work. Want me to walk you to the locker room?" You ask Kyle once you're inside.

"Sure, babe." Kyle nods.

You walk with Kyle down to the locker rooms and stop when you get to the one that he and Von use.

"Okay, I'll see you later sweetie." Kyle leans down and kisses your cheek.

"Mhm." You nod. "I'll see you after the show, Kyle. Be careful out there." You add.

"I always am." Kyle nods just as the door to the locker room creaks open.

"Whos out here? Oh, Kyle, it's just you." Von pokes his head out of the locker room.

"Sorry, Wagner." Kyle apologizes casually. "I was just saying goodbye to, Y/N." He nods to you standing at his side.

"Hey, Y/N." Von nods to you with a friendly smile.

"Hey, Wagner." You smile up at him. "Kyle, I've gotta get going." You turn to Kyle again.

"Alright, bye sweetie." Kyle nods and releases the hand he's been holding.

"Bye, Y/N," Wagner adds as you go to walk off.

You wave at both of them and make your way down to the commentary desk. When you arrive Wade and Vic are already there.

"Hey, guys." You greet your co-workers as you slip past Wade and into your seat.

"Afternoon, Y/N." Vic greets you with his usual enthusiastic smile.

"Vic, how's your day been?" You nod to him.

"Fine. How about you? How's Kyle doing?" Vic returns the question.

"He's alright." You shrug. "We're both doing fine. Thanks for asking." You thank him.

"Good. I'm glad." Vic nods and goes back to his notes.

You do the same and pick up your notes sitting in front of you. You glance at the names for the schedule and spot Kyle's on the list. You look at who he's up against and sight at the name. Santos Escobar.

"Something wrong, Y/N?" Wade hears your sigh.

"Hmm? No, I'm fine, Wade." You shake your head at him.

"Alright." Wade nods and drops the subject for the moment.

Worrying about Kyle has become a habit of yours in the last few months. Back when he was with the Undisputed Era you were able to relax knowing that his buddies had his back.

But after UE broke up and Kyle went solo you began to worry about him getting hurt. You love Kyle, with all your heart. But the man has a knack for getting himself into trouble.

Later in the night, it's time for Kyle to come out for his match. You smile to yourself when his music hits and he comes down the ramp.

"It looks like Kyle O'Reilly seems to be quite fond of you Miss L/N." Wade jokes when Kyle grins at you when he passes.

"Quiet, Wade." You warn him and roll your eyes.

Kyle gets to the ring and then Santos and his buddies come out to the ring. The bell rings and the match begins.

"Of course Santos can't bother to win a match clean." You grit your teeth at Santos cheating.

"Is that a bit of bias I hear, Y/N?" Wade teases you again.

"It doesn't count as bias if someone is being a cheater to win, Barrett." You snap back at him.

The match drags on and your frustration grows every time one of Santos's friends interferes in the match. Wade of course teases you for your obvious bias for Kyle. But Vic always backs you up when he keeps on.

Eventually, the match comes to an end when Kyle manages to roll up Santos for a three-count. The bell rings and Kyle tries to quickly make his exit. He doesn't get far when Santos and his buddies are on him.

"And it looks like Kyle O'Reilly might be in some serious trouble here," Wade comments on Kyle being jumped.

You shift in your seat uncomfortably as Kyle gets jumped. Knowing that you cant do anything irks you to no end.

Suddenly someone large comes barrelling down the ramp and attacks Santos and his friends. It's Von coming out to help Kyle.

"Finally." You let out a small sigh of relief when Von saves Kyle.

Santos and his buddies all file away and Von helps Kyle to his feet. The two of them head backstage as well and the show chugs on.

You've been admittedly wary of Von when Kyle befriended him. Especially after what Kyle went through with the Undisputed Era. The last thing you want is for Kyle to make a new friend then have that friend betray and hurt him like Adam Cole did.

Seeing Von come out to help Kyle eases your worry a little bit. You head backstage when the show ends and make your way down to the locker room.

"Yeah?" Von answers the door when you knock. "Oh, hey, Y/N." He greets you.

"Hey, Wagner." You smile at him. "Is Kyle in there?" You ask him.

"Yeah, he's just inside changing." Wagner nods and leans against the door.

"Right..." You bob your head. "Hey, Von?" You feel the need to say something to him.

"Yeah?" Wagner looks down at you casually.

"Thank you, for having Kyle's back." You thank him quietly. "I know he seems tough and capable of going solo. But he could use someone to watch his back. And I'm glad that it's you." You explain.

"Yeah, it's no problem, Y/N. Really." Wagner nods his head. "Kyle and I are buddies now. I've got him." He insists.

"Well like I said. Thank you." You thank him again.

Kyle comes out of the locker room a couple of seconds later with his bag in hand. He and Wagner say their goodbyes then you and Kyle head out. You are making your way through the parking lot again when Kyle pulls you in close.

"I heard you out in the hallway, you know," Kyle informs you.

"Did you?" You reply sheepishly.

"Mhm. You really worry about me that much?" He asks you with a grin.

"I do, yes." You giggle. "Because I love you."

"Awe, I love you too, babe." Kyle gushes and leans down to kiss your forehead.

Chapter Text

It has been a chaotic day for you since the moment you woke up. Not only is it your birthday, but it's also a workday. So you've been racing to do birthday stuff and get ready for work as well. HOOK and Taz were the first ones to wish you a happy birthday, them being family and all. Next was Ricky and Hobbs when they came to get HOOK for a workout. Ricky was even kind enough to gift you a nice pair of earrings.

"Awe, Ricky thank you." You take the neatly wrapped box from him.

"No problem, sugar." Ricky shrugs with a grin. "I hope you like them." He adds.

"I do. They are gorgeous." You insist. "I'll see you guys at work later." You let them get back to their plans.

"Yeah, and don't forget that we're going out for drinks after the show." HOOK adds. "My treat."

"As long as I'm not the one paying." You joke with a laugh.

All of your best male friends leave and you take to reply to some birthday messages on social media. You are lucky enough to have tons of fans that are all hoping that you have a good day, and it warms your heart.

Later in the day you arrive at the arena for Dynamite and head back to the locker rooms so you can change. You've got a match against Red Velvet later in the show that you are eager to get to. When you get to the Team Taz locker room Ricky and your brother are already there.

"Y/N, hey sugar." Ricky greets you when you arrive.

"Afternoon, Ricky." You giggle at his flirty smile. "Hey, dork." You add to HOOK.

"Hey." HOOK nods back at you. "Dad is busy filling in for JR on commentary tonight, but he says hi." He informs you.

"Right, thanks." You nod. "Be right back, I'm going to go get changed." You disappear into the next room with your duffel bag in your hand.

Across the locker room area, Dante is aimlessly pacing around his locker room lost in his thoughts. Matt and Mike Sydal are both watching him pace a rut into the floor.

"I don't see what the big deal is." Mike shrugs. "Just go say hello to her and give her the present."

"It's not that simple." Dante comes to a stop and shakes his head.

"Dante, man. You are grossly overthinking this." Matt agrees with his brother. "We all know Y/N is super sweet. Just go talk to her."

"It's not Y/N that I'm worried about." Dante sighs and sits down on a bench. "It's her brother and the rest of Team Taz." He sets his head in his hands defeated.

"Dante. How long have you been crushing on Y/N? What? Like 6 months now?" Matt replies. "If you keep avoiding her then she's never going to know that you like her." He reminds Dante.

"Yeah, man," Mike adds. "Come on Dante, she's got a match against Red Velvet so catch her before she goes out. Or after." He suggests.

Dante picks his head up and glances at the brightly wrapped box sitting to his left. It's a bracelet that caught his eye the last time he was out shopping because it matches your eyes. He knew that he had to get it for you the minute he saw it. Regardless of price. You've got the poor boy absolutely smitten, and the Sydal brothers find it adorable.

"Fine." Dante picks up the box and gets to his feet. "You guys are right. I've got to stop acting like a little kid and just to talk to her."

Matt and Mike both give Dante an encouraging nod and send him on his way before he misses his chance to talk to you. And if Dante is lucky, he might even catch you on the rare occasion that HOOK, Ricky, or Hobbs arent with you.

By the time Dante makes it across the arena to the tunnel entrance, you are finishing up your match with Red Velvet. His heart drops a little upon seeing that you brought Ricky out with you. But he doesn't back down as you head up to the tunnel.

"Yeah, thanks for the assist, Ricky." You thank Starks as you come through the tunnel. "Oh, hey Dante!" You grin when you find Dante on the other side of the tunnel.

"Y/N, hey," Dante replies sheepishly. "Happy Birthday, and nice win out there." He congratulates you.

"Thanks, Dante!" You grin at him. "You know a bunch of us are going out for drinks after the show to celebrate. You should totally come." You add.

"Really? Yeah, that sounds like fun. I'll be there." Dante agrees but stumbles over his words a little.

"Great! I'll see you there!" You beam and walk off before Dante can get another word in.

Ricky eyes Dante suspiciously as he lingers in place while watching you walk off. You didn't happen to notice the small gift in Dante's hand, but Ricky does.

"That for, Y/N?" He asks Dante.

"Yeah." Dante nods. "I guess I'll give it to her later." He sighs, mad at himself for not being able to speak up.

"Right, good luck with that." Ricky teases Dante and walks off.

Dante silently scolds himself for not speaking up and heads back to the locker room. Why does he have to be such a mess when it comes to you? Matt and Mike both also tease him a bit when he comes back to the locker room with his gift still in hand.

Later in the night, you are enjoying drinks with some of your buddies when you notice that Dante looks like he wants to talk to you. You dismiss yourself from the small crowd of people and walk over to him sitting a couple of seats away.

"Dante! I'm glad that you came." You greet him with a smile.

"Yeah, I wouldn't miss it." Dante smiles back at you. "I actually, kind of have something for you." He pulls the box out of his pocket. "I wanted to give it to your earlier but I didn't get the chance." He explains sheepishly.

"You got me a gift? Wow, thanks, Dante!" You are surprised at the gesture and take the box.

You pop the small box open to reveal an elegant bracelet that matches your eyes almost perfectly.

"Oh wow, Dante it's beautiful." You take the bracelet out to examine it.

"It matches your eyes, made me think of you when I saw it," Dante explains and watches you put it on.

Ricky saunters over when he sees Dante give you his gift. He's got a few drinks in him by now so he's not about to pass up the golden opportunity to mess with Dante with his obvious crush on you.

"Y/N! Cute bracelet." Ricky greets you. "Did lover boy over here finally tell you that he's in love?" He asks you with a grin.

"What?" You furrow your brows and push Ricky away a bit.

"I...yeah." Dante blushes hard. "Sorry, I didn't tell you earlier."

"Awe, that's okay Dante." You blush a bit too. "Ricky get lost!" You turn and send him away. "The gift was sweet, Dante. Thanks." You lean over and kiss his cheek. "I like you too, just so you know."

Chapter Text

"Okay, that's done. Now, where are those extra pillows at?" You mumble to yourself from inside the hallway closet.

It's around 6 in the morning and you have already dressed and showered yourself in preparation for the day. Your parent's flight arrives at nine and they are staying at your place for the holidays. Normally this wouldn't be an issue since you get along well with your parents, but this time it's different. This time you aren't alone in your house. Ethan moved in a couple of months ago, and your parents have yet to meet him.

"Y/N, babe what are you doing?" Ethan comes into the hall with a yawn.

"Hmm? Oh, Ethan, babe." You pop out of the closet. "I'm just getting stuff ready for my parents when they get here." You inform him with a pillow in hand.

"Right, that's today." Ethan yawns again. "I'm gonna grab a shower really fast and then I promise that I'll help." He points back to your bedroom.

"Alright." You nod. "Trust me, I've got plenty for you to do." You tease him.

"Can't wait." Ethan jokes with a chuckle.

You find the extra pillows in the back of the closest and take them to the spare bedroom. You've already made sure that the bed has been made up with the sheets and blankets and other crap. But it needs to be perfect.

You are in the kitchen making up a smoothie for breakfast when Ethan finally comes downstairs. You greet him with a soft smile and hand him a smoothie.

"Ooo, this looks good, thanks, babe." Ethan takes the cup from you.

"Mhm, drink up big boy. You've got errands to run." You grin and pull out a list of things for Ethan to do from your pocket.

"Oh no." Ethan takes the list from you and glances down at it. "I thought that Arlo's grooming appointment was tomorrow?" He looks back up at you.

"There was a mixup at the groomers, it's actually today." You shake your head. "He's lying by the door with his harness already on." You nod to the door where your dog is lying in wait for Ethan.

"Okay." Ethan nods. "What's this grocery list? Isn't tonight takeout night anyway?" He asks you another question.

"Not tonight." You shake your head again. "What? My parents come all the way out here to see me and you expect me to feed them takeout?" You scoff.

"Right, good point." Ethan nods. "Alright, all this is going to take a few hours. I'll see you later babe." Ethan pockets the list and leans over the counter for a kiss.

"Mhm, see you later babe." You nod.

"Hey." Ethan comes around the counter to your side. "Don't stress too much while I'm gone, babe. Everything is gonna go great." He assures you with a side hug and a kiss on the forehead.

"I know." You nod. "Now go! You've got things to do." You usher him out the door.

With Ethan gone, you get back to work in tidying up the house and getting it into the holiday spirit for your company. You go down to the basement and haul the Christman decorations out in the main room then start putting them up.

By the time you've got the available decorations up, it's around time for you to go and get your parents from the airport. One of Ethan's chores is to bring home a Christmas tree so that's the only thing that's not up yet.

You head out to the airport and don't have to wait long before you spot both of your parents heading your way. You both rush to one another and meet halfway with a hug from your mom.

"Mom! Dad! Hey, god I missed you guys." You hug your mom tightly.

"Y/N, sweetie. We missed you too." Your mom lets you go.

"Thank you for offering to buy the plane tickets to get us out here." Your dad adds.

"Yeah, of course." You nod and hug him as well. "I missed spending the holidays with you guys. And I can't wait for you to meet Ethan, too." You add.

"Oh it's all your mom has been talking about on the flight over." Your dad rolls his eyes playfully.

"What can I say?" Your mom shrugs. "We only ever get to see him on tv." She points out.

"Well come on then, let's get you two back to my place." You go to help your mom with the bags. "Ethan is out running some errands at the moment, but he might be home when we get there." You add.

You catch up a bit with the folks on the ride back to your place and spot Ethan's truck in the driveway when you arrive. You park the car in the other spot and help with the bags in the trunk before taking your parents to the front door.

"Ethan? We're back!" You announce loudly when you get to the door.

"Coming!" Ethan shouts back from inside the house.

You get your mom's bags in the door as Ethan comes around the corner to help you out. He plucks a bag out of your hands and steps out of the way to let your parents inside.

"You guys must be Mr. and Mrs. Y/L/N, it's nice to finally meet you!" Ethan greets your parents with a friendly smile.

"Oh, he's much better looking in person." Your mom comments with a smile. "And taller."

You laugh and shut the front door as Ethan shakes hands with your dad firmly. 'It all going well so far.' You think to yourself.

"We'll go put these away for you guys, please make yourselves comfortable." You nudge Ethan to grab the bags that you don't have.

You and Ethan set the bags down in the spare bedroom and you take a second to relax yourself a bit. You've got 5 days to make sure that your parents both have a nice time and get to know Ethan.

"You alright, babe?" Ethan puts a hand on your shoulder gently to check on you.

"Yeah." You nod. "Come on." You gesture to the door. "Just make sure you turn up that signature charm." You add with a wink.

"You know it's my specialty baby." Ethan chuckles and winks back at you.

You both head back down the stairs and find your parents messing around with Arlo in the living room. The dog is sitting between them and wagging his tail vigorously against the coffee table.

"Arlo, you having fun buddy?" You giggle at the ecstatic dog.

"He's adorable." Your mom comments and pats his head.

"He was a gift from Ethan for my birthday last year." You explain and walk over to the armchair on the other side of the coffee table.

Ethan walks over as well and sits down with you, the armchair is big enough to house Ethan and still have room for you on his lap comfortably.

For the rest of the day, you catch up with your parents and let them get to know Ethan. He manages to charm your mom easy enough. Your dad takes a bit longer to open up to Ethan, but the two of them are swapping jokes by the end of the night.

By the end of the night, your parents have retired and you are sitting on the couch with Ethan getting ready to retire for the night as well.

"Well, I think that it's safe to say that your mom loves me." Ethan comments.

"That's because she has the same taste in men as me." You reply with a laugh. "You and my dad seemed like you were getting on, okay." You add.

"God I hope so," Ethan replies. "He kind of scares me."

"My dad?" You laugh. "No, he's a big teddy bear." You insist.

"Yeah, a scary teddy bear." Ethan chuckles.

"Well, I'm glad that they like you." You let out a content sigh. "I'd really hate to dump you and start all over again." You joke.

"Oh yeah." Ethan chuckles. "I wouldn't know what to do with myself. I'd be devastated."

"I know you would." You grin and lean over to kiss him.

Chapter Text

It's a Friday night and Rampage is in the middle of taping. You are sitting between Excalibur and Taz on commentary while you are waiting for the next match to start.

"Who's going out for this interview?" You glance down at the schedule sitting on the desk in front of you.

"That'd be you, little lady," Taz replies casually from your right.

"Me?" You protest. "Why me?"

"Because you look good on camera. And neither of us like talking to Billy and his sons." Excalibur adds from your left.

"Fine." You roll your eyes and twirl the pen in your hand lightly to pass the time.

Interviewing the Gunn Club may prove to be a little awkward for you given the fact that you've been seeing one of Billy's sons these past three weeks. Austin to be specific. But neither of you have told anyone about it yet.

Gunn Club comes out for their match against Jurassic Express and you provide your normal commentary right up until the match comes to an end.

"Alright, go get 'em, Y/N." Taz urges you out of your seat when the bell rings.

"Yeah yeah." You roll your eyes again and grab a microphone off of the table.

Smoothing out the wrinkles in your dress, you head down to the ring and up the stairs. Colton meets you at the top of the stairs and parts the ropes to make it easier for you to get in the ring.

"Thanks." You nod to Colton quietly and walk to the middle of the ring. "Gunn Club, congratulations on the win over Jurassic Express. What's next for you and your sons, Billy?" You ask the head honcho of the team.

"Y/N, we are still undefeated as a tag team here in AEW," Billy replies. "Don't you think that we've earned a shot at those tag titles by now?" He asks you.

"That is true, Gunn Club hasn't lost a match once this year." You nod casually. "Does this mean that you'll be going after Matt and Nick Jackson in the future? Or perhaps one of the other tag teams in the top 5 such as The Lucha brothers or The Acclaimed?" You ask him.

"We'll beat anyone that gets in our way." Billy leans down to your side. "And you can quote me on that."

You nod and walk back over to the side of the ring. This time Austin hurries over to your side and helps you down the stairs.

"Sorry about that, my dad can be intense sometimes," Austin whispers to you at the bottom of the stairs.

"Don't worry about it, Austin." You giggle. "I deal with way worse all the time." You assure him.

"Alright...Wait! You do?" He stops you with a perplexed look on his face.

"Yes, all the time." You giggle again at his worry. "Calm down big boy, it's nothing I can't handle." You assure him with a pat on the arm.

Back up at the commentary table Excalibur and Tony are curiously watching you interact with Austin for a little longer than needed. Tony has had his suspicions about you dating someone on the AEW roster, and now he thinks he's solved the mystery.

"They look awfully cozy down there," Tony comments as he gazes down at you and Austin.

"They're just talking." Excalibur shrugs. "He helped her out of the ring, remember?" He reminds Schiavoni.

"Still." Tony insists. "I don't like it." He huffs.

When you replaced JR on the commentary team Tony instantly took a liking to you. He's been mentoring you to be a better sports broadcaster when Excalibur is busy.

"She is an adult you know, Tony," Excalibur replies with a small chuckle.

"Yeah, I know." Tony nods. "Doesn't mean that I'm not allowed to look out for her." He insists as you come back up the ramp.

You come back over to the commentary table and slip past Tony and back to your seat. The show is on a break for the moment so you rush to get your microphone put back into place and ready to go again.

"That was nice of Austin to help you down the steps." Tony can't help but comment.

"Yeah, it was." You reply with a small smile. "I really need to stop wearing skirts when I've got interviews in the ring."

"You did fine." Excalibur cuts in. "Plus everyone loves a cute interview on camera." He adds jokingly.

The rest of the show chugs on and you head backstage once it's over so you can grab your jacket and purse from the locker room. You walk ahead of Tony and Excalibur so you can't hear what they are chatting about.

"Do you think that Austin is really trying to hang out with her?" Tony asks Excalibur again.

"I have no clue." Excalibur shrugs. "Why don't you just ask, Y/N? I'm sure that she wouldn't lie, Tony. She's got no reason too. It's not like it's frowned upon to date a co-worker here." He gently reminds Tony.

"Yeah, I guess so." Schiavoni sighs and watches you disappear in the locker room ahead of him.

By the time Tony and Excalibur get to the locker room, you have already collected your things and are on your way out. Excalibur of course minds his own business when it comes to why you are in such a hurry. But Tony is once again suspicious of your behavior.

"Leaving so soon, kid?" Tony asks you with a raised brow.

"Hmm? Oh, yeah." You nod, looking down at your phone. "I've kind of been seeing someone from the roster these past few weeks." You sheepishly explain. "And we've kind of got a date tonight." You bounce on your heels.

"Austin Gunn is a good fit for you kid." Excalibur comments from the table on the other side of the room.

"I...umm. How did you know?" You are surprised by his comment.

"Can't get much past me, kid." Excalibur chuckles. "Have fun." He grins at you.

"Right, thanks." You nod. "I'll see you later, Tony." You give him a small wave and slip out the door.

Tony waits for a second and then peeks out into the hall. He catches a small glimpse of you as Austin comes around the corner to greet you. You lean up and give him a hug to which he gladly accepts before he swings a casual arm around your shoulder.

"I say that we go get some dinner before the movie, what do you think?" Austin asks as you both walk past the locker rooms to get out of the building.

"Totally, I could eat." You agree, arm snugly wrapped around Austin's torso as you walk.

You walk by the commentary locker room and can swear you see the door quickly shut. A small laugh escapes your lips at the sight. It's Tony checking up on you no doubt.

"Something funny, babe?" Austin glances down at you.

"Hmm? No, It's all good, Austin." You shake your head. It warms your heart that Schiavoni is still checking up on you even after the show.

Chapter Text

The locker room is bustling with life as you make your way over to your locker. Lugging your gym bag on your shoulder you pull open the door and something falls as soon as it's open. Your reflexes kick in and you manage to catch the falling item before it hits the ground.

"Are those flowers?" Julia comments since her locker is right next to yours.

"Apparently." You look down at the fresh flowers in your hand.

You look back up at your locker to find a small card sitting on the top shelf. You set the flowers down behind you and pick up the cream-colored card.

-Can we talk, please? I just want a chance to explain myself. Call me. -Max

You read the card silently and roll your eyes, Julia stands idly by and watches your reaction to the card and the flowers.

"That's an odd reaction to getting flowers," Julia comments casually. "Does it say who it's from?" She asks you.

"Yeah, it does." You nod and crumple up the card then toss it in the bin. "But trust me, I have no desire to talk to him." You toss your gym bag in the locker and slam the door shut.

You storm off to the showers to freshen up before the show and Julia walks over to the trash can. Curious as to why you are showing so much blatant disdain for such a sweet gesture. She fishes the card out of the trash and carefully uncrumbles it. The ink on the card is smudged but it's still sort of legible.

"Max?" Julia reads the signed name on the card. "Not MJF?" She shakes her head. "No, Y/N would never." She insists quietly to herself.

Julia's mumbling to herself causes Kris Statlander to walk over and see what all the fuss is about. She skips over to Julia and takes the card from her hand with a grin.

"What's this?" She asks as she takes the card.

"It's the card that came with some flowers that Y/N got in her locker," Julia explains. "You don't think that Max is MJF, do you?" She asks Kris. "I mean, what the hell would Y/N of all people be doing hanging around MJF?"

"I don't know." Kris shrugs and hands the card back to Julia. "But I doubt that Max Caster is the type to send a girl flowers." She adds with a snort.

"Right." Julia nods and crumples up the card again.

Julia goes back to her business but the card remains in the back of her mind.

You come out of the showers a bit later and Julia attempts to get some answers from you, but her match takes her out of the locker room before she has the proper time to wear you down. You change into your ring gear and head out to your brother's locker room a bit later before Julia has time to come and pester you again.

"Knock knock, you decent?" You knock on your brother's door loudly before you enter.

"I'm good!" Phil shouts from the other side of the door.

You step into the locker room and shut the door behind you. When you turn back around Phil, aka CM Punk, is messing with his boots.

"Y/N, what brings you by, dork?" Punk asks you casually.

"I just wanted to get away from the commotion of the girl's locker room." You lie with a shrug. "What are you messing with those for? You don't have a match scheduled for tonight do you?" You ask him.

"No, I'm just messing around." Punk replies with a small shrug. "Don't you have a match scheduled soon?" He asks you right back.

"Yeah." You nod. "But like I said, I wanted to get away from all the noise." You remind him and plop down into a chair.

"Right." Punk nods but eyes you suspiciously.

As his baby sister, Punk is always looking out for you. He has been since you were both little kids. So when you started acting a bit weird a couple of weeks ago he instantly noticed the change. He hasn't gotten around to saying anything about it yet. But he's definitely noticed.

You hang around in Punk's locker room for a bit before you head out to your match against Penelope Ford.

The match is short, only around 5 or so minutes. But you pick up the win and head backstage again. On your way back to the women's locker room you run into Shawn Spears and Wardlow.

"Y/N, hey." Spears greets you with a friendly enough smile.

"Spears." You give him a nod back.

"Friedman wants to talk to you," Shawn explains.

"And? I obviously don't want to talk to him." You reply with a shake of your head.

"He's kind of being insistent." Spears rubs the back of his neck. "So could you just come with us please?" He asks you nicely as he can.

"What if I say no?" You scoff and put a hand on your hip.

"That's why I came," Wardlow speaks up from behind Spears. "I'll carry you back to the locker room if I have to. Because I am tired of hearing Friedman whine and complain about you." He stares down at you.

"I can walk." You sigh deeply. "Lead the way." You give in to the demands of Max's goons.

Spears leads the way and Wardlow walks behind you so you don't get any ideas about bailing. They both lead you all the way down to The Pinaccles locker room and Spears opens the door for you and gives you a small shove inside.

"Flowers don't work so you skip right to kidnapping?" The door shuts behind you and you glare at Max sitting on the other side of the room.

"Well Wardlow didn't dump you into the room, so it's safe to say that you came the easy way," Max replies sharply.

"Not like I had much choice." You grumble and cross your arms. "I'm here. What do you want, Max?" You ask him.

"I just want a chance to explain myself, okay?" Max replies.

"Whatever, say your piece." You roll your eyes. "It won't change anything." You insist.

Max sighs and gets up from his spot across the room. He walks over to you but still keeps a respectful distance for your sake.

"I'm sorry okay?" Max starts off with the obvious. "I didn't mean to do anything to hurt you."

"Ha! Bullshit." You laugh. "You know normally I'd respect you for taking a shot at someone as big as my brother Max. But it's the fact that you tried to use me in order to get to him that's fucked up." You sneer at him.

"Now that's not fair!" Max protests. "That is not what I was doing." He insists. "I didn't find out that Punk was your brother until after our first date."

"And what about the second one? Or the third? Or fourth?" You snap back at him. "Hmm? If you knew that you were about to go after my brother then why did you keep agreeing to dates then? Are you really that much of a selfish prick?"

"I kept agreeing to dates because I like you!" Max shouts back at you. "Did you ever think about that?" He asks you. "Just because I act like a dickhead 90% of the time doesn't mean that I am immune to falling for someone."

"All you had to do was tell me that you had my brother in mind as your next grab at the spotlight." You shake your head. "I would have understood completely. But no. You had to keep it from me. Just had to get to start liking you only to shove it in my face like some fucked up joke."

"I made a mistake, okay!" Max runs a frustrated hand through his hair. "But don't you think that maybe I deserve a second chance?" He asks you. "Come on. Deep down you can't really think that I intentionally meant to hurt you, Y/N."

You clam up for a second, knowing that his statement is true. And you might be overreacting just a tad.

"I'm sorry." A sigh escapes your lips. "I just...I have no idea how I'm going to explain all this to Phil." You shake your head.

"I can help," Max replies, a small grin on his lips.

"Oh screw off." You try to hold back your laugh but can't.

"So I'm forgiven then?" Max asks you.

"For now." You roll your eyes at his cheesy grin. "But you're on thin ice, Friedman." You warn him, arms open for a hug.

"Yes, ma'am." Max nods and dives in for the hug he's been missing for damn near two weeks now.

Chapter Text

AEW Dark is recording another episode at Universal Studios so naturally, Daniel is hanging around for his chance to get a match or two recorded.

Jeff and Matt are standing on the other side of the locker room from him and talking about someone named Y/N. From what Daniel can hear anyway. Not that he's paying much attention to the pair.

"Hey, Daniel," Jeff calls Garcia over promptly.

"Yeah?" Garcia sets down his phone and walks over to his mentor's side. "What's up?" He asks Jeff.

"I've got an errand I need you to run, Daniel. And it's super important." Matt informs Garcia.

"Okay, what is it?" Garcia nods.

"My baby sister is working her first AEW show tonight. She should be arriving any minute now. But Jeff and I have a match scheduled in five." Matt explains quickly. "So I need you to head down to the loading bay and catch her when she gets here. Her name, Y/N." He adds.

"Y/N. Alright, I'll see you guys in a bit." Daniel makes a mental note of the information and takes off.

Matt and Jeff also take off to head to their match down in the ring. They walk side by side like usual and it doesn't take Jeff long to start bothering Matt regarding his sister.

"Are you sure sending Garcia after your sister is such a good idea?" Jeff asks Matt with a look of skepticism about him.

"I don't see why not." Matt shrugs.

"You don't?" Jeff scoffs. "Have you met your sister? Because I have. And if we aren't careful she's going to chew that poor boy up and spit him out without a second thought." He insists.

"No. Daniels is a tough kid. He can handle Y/N. Trust me." Matt shakes his head.

"I hope your right. For Garcia's sake." Jeff shakes his head but drops the subject for the time being.

Back near the loading docks, you enter the arena with your bag slung over your shoulder. Matt promised that he'd meet you here earlier in the day. But your brother is nowhere to be found.

You reach for your phone in your back pocket and unlock it to call Matt. But just as you are about to dial his number someone catches your eye as they step into the open. You vaguely recognize the stranger as a guy that Matt and Jeff have been training with and walk over to him.

"Hey! You're Daniel Garcia right?" You ask him, catching him a bit off guard.

"Yeah, are you, Y/N" Daniel nods as he eyes you up.

"Mhm, Matt Lee's little sister." You confirm. "Where's my brother and his goofy best friend, anyway?" You glance around for Matt but still don't see him.

"He and Jeff had an earlier match. But they sent me to show you where the locker room is." Garcia explains.

"Oh, perfect." You nod. "Alright, lead the way then, Garcia." You shrug and wait to follow him.

"Right. This way." Daniel nods and walks off with you at his side.

You walk a bit behind Daniel and let yourself get a good look at your brother's new protege. He's about average height and builds. Nothing super special given his profession. Maybe a bit leaner than the average guy.

Garcia's face is what catches your eye. You take notice of his strong jaw and handsome face as he leads you down the hall without a word.

"You know if you're not careful, I might just burst into flames. You keep staring at me like that." Garcia teases you with a grin when he catches you staring.

"I'm just scouting things out. I'm a curious person." You shrug and play it off casually.

"Right." Garcia grins. "Well, I am quite the specimen if I do say so myself." He winks at you.

"Right. Of course, you are." You laugh. "You and just about every other guy that's fed me that line."

"Locker room is right here." Daniel stops at one of the doors in the hall and pulls the door open for you.

"Oh! What a gentleman." You put your hand to your chest at Garcia's gesture.

You both head inside the locker room and Garcia shuts the door behind him. You set your bag down on a bench and do a quick check to make sure you've got everything.

"You staying for the show? Or does a lady get a little privacy around here?" You put your hand on your hip when Garcia hangs around.

"Had to try." Daniel chuckles and opens the door again. "Just don't leave me out in the hall." He adds before he slips out of the room.

You laugh to yourself at his natural charisma as he shuts the door and quickly get dressed. Once you're changed you let Daniel back into the room so you can both wait for Matt and Jeff to return.

"Wow! I love the gear." Garcia comments when he comes back into the room.

"Most men do." You giggle and admire yourself in the mirror.

You and Daniel swap a few quick words about the job before Jeff and Matt arrive back to the locker room. When they come in you and Garcia are sitting nearly shoulder to shoulder and casually chatting.

"Matt! There you are." You jump up and greet your brother. "Please tell ms that you and Jeff won?" You ask him.

"Of course we did." Jeff scoffs. "Now come over here and give me a hug." He beckons you over to his side.

You hug Jeff and your brother then take a moment to catch up with them before it's time for you to head out to the ring.

"You know you guys are welcome to come with me and take notes on how it's done." You offer the trio with a grin.

"Tempting. But Garcia has a match he needs to get ready for." Jeff replies and pushes you out the door.

"Shame." You shrug. "Bye, Daniel. I'd say wish me luck. But when you've got this much talent you don't need luck." You wink before Jeff shuts the door on you.

"Damn." Daniel chuckles to himself.

"Don't start." Matt rolls his eyes. "She's trouble. Trust me on that, Daniel." He warns Garcia.

"Oh, I bet she is." Daniel chuckles to himself with a grin.

Chapter Text

The weekly episode of NXT is about to kick-off live on the air. You are sitting in Regal's office in a panic and up to your eyes in shit to do.

It's the holidays so naturally Regal is cashing in on all that paid vacation time. This means that you are stuck captaining the show alone until he decides to come back from vacation.

And to make matters even worse. Your boyfriend is busy living up to his moniker of the biggest asshole on the NXT roster.

"Come in." You roll your eyes when someone knocks on the door.

"Y/N, love. You sound delightfully cheerful tonight, sweetheart." Grayson comes sauntering into the room with a grin plastered on his face.

"No. I'm pissed off at you." You grit your teeth, back turned to him.

"At me? And why is that? I'm a loveable guy, baby. Come on." Grayson eggs you on with a grin.

"I hate you, actually. You're a terrible person." You cross your arms in a pout.

"Awe, come on sweetheart. We both know that's not true." Grayson purrs and hugs you from behind. "I'm too handsome to hate. And you love me too much to stay mad at me." He adds sweetly in your ear.

"I can try." You reply stubbornly.

Grayson keeps his hold on you in a hug from behind and you remain in place with your arms crossed. You hate that he's right. You can't stay mad at the cocky bastard. Even though he's making your job 10 times more difficult than usual.

"Come on." Grayson turns you around in his arms. "You love me. I know you do." He teases you.

"You're an ass." You give in finally and drop your arms from your chest.

"Maybe so. But I'm a cute ass. And you love me for it." Grayson grins and leans down to kiss you.

"What are you even doing here?" You sigh. "I am up to my eyeballs in work for the night already. Please tell me that you don't have any ideas about ways to make my life terrible?" You ask him.

"Yeah...about that." Grayson chuckles. "So you know how AJ Styles is supposed to be here tonight?" He asks you casually.

"Grayson. No." You shake your head.

"Grayson, yes. I'm afraid sweetheart." Grayson shrugs. "Come on. You know I can't pass up an opportunity to get at Styles." He adds.

"Of course you cant." You sigh again. "Just, for the love of God. Don't get into a fistfight with the man. For me?" You pinch the bridge of your nose.

"I think I can manage that. For you." Grayson nods.

"Mhm. Now get out." You point to the door. "Before I kick you out." You warn him.

"Ooo, I'd like to see that." Grayson grins.

"Out!" You warn him again.

"Love you!" Grayson gets one last word in before he finally leaves.

You shake your head and push the impending smile from your face. Sometimes you wonder what made you fall for such an egotistical dickhead. But you adore him for some reason.

You get back to work making sure the show runs smoothly and all goes well for the most part. You are on schedule for AJ to arrive around the middle of the show after Trick has his match with Dexter.

"AJ, great to have you here." You greet AJ out in the lot when he arrives. "Regal is sorry that he couldn't be here to see you himself." You add.

"It's not trouble." AJ shrugs. "I'm happy to be here."

"Right. Well, right this way. We'll get you out to the ring so you can have some fun with the NXT crowd." You nod and move to walk off.

"Lead the way then, Y/N." AJ nods and follows you.

You make it all the way across the backstage area and down to the ramp before you stop. You find Grayson waiting in the ring for AJ and roll your eyes.

"Grayson." You mumble to yourself. "AJ, I can get him out of there for you." You turn to Styles.

"Don't bother. I can handle this kid." AJ shakes his head.

"Of course." You nod, silently cursing. "Again, sorry about this." You add.

"No problem, Y/N. It's not your fault. This kid just needs to be shown some respect is all." Styles insists and heads out to the ring.

You pinch the bridge of your nose again and idle around while AJ heads out to the ring.

Grayson doesn't hesitate to start in on AJ of course. And Styles manages to get a couple of good words in as well. But it inevitably ends like you dreaded it would. With AJ and Grayson, almost trading blows.

A headache starts to pound in your head at the mere thought of the paperwork you'll be doing tonight if AJ and Grayson get into it.

But to your surprise, Grayson keeps his promise and hops out of the ring before he and AJ get into it.

"Sorry, mate. I think I'll let Omos get to you first. I've got next though." Grayson grins and picks up his discarded shirt before he walks up the ramp.

You are standing on the other side of the curtain when Grayson comes through it. He walks over to you as soon as he sees you with a laugh.

"You proud of me, sweetheart?" Grayson asks you. "I didn't kick his ass. Just like I promised." He grins at you.

"You weren't a dick for once. How noble." You roll your eyes at him.

"Well, I couldn't let my girl get buried in paperwork when she could be out with me. Now could I?" Grayson chuckles and leans down.

"Get out of here." You roll your eyes to hide your smile. "Before AJ comes through the curtain." You push at his chest.

"Why? Let him be jealous that I've got a gorgeous girlfriend." Grayson replies and kisses you anyway.

"I hate you." You grin into the kiss.

"I love you too." Grayson grins.

Chapter Text

Christmas is less than a week away and you are in full work mode. The holidays are always difficult when you are a general manager. People are always quick to blame the boss when they don't get approved vacation time. Not to mention the usual bulshit that comes with the regular schedule of the job. You can't ever please everyone after all. No matter how hard you try.

"Yes? Come in?" You chime when someone knocks on the office door.

"Boss? You got a minute, love?" Pete Dunne pokes his head in the door.

"Oh, Pete. Yeah, come in." You flash a quick smile and set aside the paper you were filling out. "What can I do for you?" You ask him, folding your hands in front of you.

"It's about my scheduling for the next week," Pete explains and sits down in a chair.

"Of course it is." You sigh. "Everyone wants to talk about their scheduling, today." You shake your head. "Look, Pete. I am sorry that you won't be able to have Christmas off. But we need you here for the show. Especially since they're taking Waller for RAW for a couple of weeks for his storyline with AJ Styles."

"Well, that's all well and good, love. But that's not why I'm here." Pete replies with an almost inaudible chuckle.

"Oh!" You can't hide the look of surprise that crosses your features. "It's not?" You furrow your brows at him.

"Not at all." Quite the opposite actually." Pete insists. "I was actually wondering if there was any way that you could double book me for the holiday." He asks you.

"Pardon?" You swear that you heard him wrong.

Maybe you're too distracted by the muscles straining through his athletic shirt. Or the melodic way that words sound with his accent. Or maybe it's the intense and at the time soft look that he's currently giving you. But the man did not just ask for more work during the holiday. There is just no way.

"Yeah." Pete chuckles. "I don't have any plans for the holiday." He shrugs. "So I mind as well pick up a few extra hours at work where I can. It's better than sitting around on my ass at home. If that's possible, of course." He repeats his request to you.

"Umm...yeah yeah. I'm sure that I could come up with something." You take a second to comprehend the odd request. "Sorry about that." You laugh. "It just kind of caught me off guard." You explain and start pulling out papers from your desk.

"It's no problem, love." Pete shrugs. "I can see why it would seem a bit odd."

"Mhm." You nod. "Okay, let's see." You find the right papers and sift through them for a moment.

You have a list written down of people that made requests for time off that you didn't get to. They are all filed by both who has the time saved up and who asked first.

"Alright, let me get Carmelo in here and let him know that you'll be taking his spot on the holiday card for him." You grab your phone off of its holder on the edge of the desk.

"Alright." Pete nods.

You dial the number that you have written down and it rings a couple of times. But there is no answer. You sigh and run a hand through your hair before you hang up and pick up the walkie-talkie for security sitting on the other side of the desk.

"Security, this is Y/N." You hit the button and talk.

"Go for boss," A male voice replies a few seconds later.

"Can someone please get Carmelo Hayes down to my office immediately, please?" You ask. "He's not in any trouble but I need to talk to him right away." You explain.

"You got it, boss." The male voice replies before the line goes silent.

"Okay." You set the talkie down. "He should be here soon." You turn back to Pete.

"Right. Thanks, love." Pete nods.

"Of course." You nod.

A bit of an awkward silence fills the office while you both wait for Carmelo to arrive. You shuffle around a few papers to keep busy. But that doesn't last long.

"So, you any plans for the holiday, then?" Pete speaks up to break the silence.

"Me? No." You shake your head. "No one in my family lives anywhere near here. Not to mention I am much too busy to worry about the holidays. Especially since Regal decided that he was going to take it off." You unintentionally vent a small bit.

"Well, you do work ten times as hard as the old man." Pete chuckles.

"No." You shake your head. "Well..."

A knock sounds at the door indicating that Carmelo has finally arrived and you shout to let him in. Melo slips inside the office and grins at you with his usual confident smile.

"Security said that you were looking for me, boss lady." Carmelo grins at you, unaware of Pete sitting off to the side of the room. "What can I do for you this fine evening, baby?" He asks.

"I've got some news." You roll your eyes at his advancement. "Pete here has agreed to take your place on the holiday show. So I am officially approving your time off." You slide the papers his way.

Carmelo locks eyes with Pete for a second before he takes his papers off of the desk and skims over them.

"For real? Hell yeah." Carmelo grins to himself. "Hey! Now that I'm not stuck at work anymore for New Years. Hows about me and you spend the night celebrating, baby?"

"Well, unfortunately, Carmelo. I am working on New Years, still. So it's gonna be a no from me." You turn him down and send the champ on his way.

Carmelo takes his answer with grace and exits the office with his papers. Not about to push his luck any further.

"Anyway." You clear your throat. "Moving on. Here you go, Pete." You hand Dunne his papers. "I look forward to seeing you for the New Years show." You grin at him.

"And I look forward to seeing you as well, Love. Keep your schedule open, yeah? You might just get that New Years kiss at midnight, still." He teases you with a grin.

You damn near choke on air at his words as Pete steps out of the office. Your cheeks heat up with embarrassment. 'Holy hell.' You think to yourself. 'New years eve can't come soon enough.'

Chapter Text

It's T-minus 20 minutes until Dynamite airs and you are sitting in the locker room helping Brandon with the camera so he can record for your brothers.

"Thanks again for your help, Y/N. I don't even know how I managed to mess the white balance up." Brandon thanks you.

"It's no problem, Cutler." You shrug and fiddle with the camera in your hand. "I used to mess the setting on these things up all the time." You assure him. "And...there. All fixed."

Brandon takes the camera back and looks through it for a moment to confirm that you did indeed fix it. Once he's confirmed that it's back to normal he thanks you again with a nod.

With the problem fixed you go back to what you were doing before he asked for your help. You were about to change into your ring gear since you're scheduled for a match against Julia Hart at the start of the show.

"Yeah, just a minute man." The locker room door swings open unannounced before you even get a step. "Y/N! There you are. You have a minute?" Adam comes through the door with someone behind him.

"Not really." You sigh but stop anyway. "What's up, Cole?" You ask him with a hand on your hip.

"Wow, you're all attitude tonight." Adam comments. "But anyway, I just wanted to know if you've met Kyle yet." He steps to the side where Kyle is standing quietly behind him.

"You scooped up another boyfriend?" You joke with a raised brow. "Was Matt and Fish not enough?"

"Funny," Adam replies dryly. "Kyle, this is Matt and Nick's little sister, Y/N. As you can see she is just a ray of sunshine." He introduces Kyle to you nonetheless.

"Hi, Kyle." You grin past Adam at Kyle. "Nice to meet you." You wave at him casually. "Matt and Nick want you to wait for them. I'll be in the other room changing." You inform him before you finally walk off.

"She seems nice," Kyle comments when you close the door behind you.

"She's trouble," Adam grumbles to himself. "And mouthy."

You get changed into your gear and come back out to the main locker room. When you come out Matt and Nick have arrived and are getting ready to record with Brandon for their vlog. You slink behind Brandon and over to the other side of the room where Adam and Kyle are standing.