Sometimes it's More Fun to Fight (wwe, 18+)

[Yunalesca]

John forced a pause halfway through their run to talk with her properly, though that was a big no no in proper cardio training. He felt they could manage a lax run, however, as this was their time. He didn't know if he would get barred from the road so he had to take advantage of this time. "You know I'll take every moment I can get with you. I won't be Trish Stratus, but I can help you get stronger." He offered, lightly punching her arm affectionately before nodding and starting to run again. This was just the warm up to their day.

He didn't talk much during the rest of their run, other things on his mind despite having wanted to focus on her while she was around. He slowed once they were closer to his doorstep, the windows open signalling his parents were up. He had the day planned and they were assisting with it, though Elisha didn't know that yet. "You need to shower first?" He questioned as they stopped at his door, breathing a little hard on his behalf due to the pause in his run earlier. "Go ahead and get ready, I'll get breakfast around." He offered, opening the door and stepping in to his parents already cooking food and drinking coffee. He winked at them as he gestured for Elisha to go ahead. "What, you worried I was going to cook?" He smirked at her before stepping into the kitchen. Once she was gone he pulled the picnic basket out from under the sink and set it on the island. He was going to make this a relaxing experience for her and that was going to include breakfast out on the town.

She hadn't moved much since perching herself behind the tech crew while they worked the show. She found herself to be more interested in this than what wrestlers' were going to offer for her to watch. Just seeing their set up and how the beginning of the show went off without a hitch under the care of their hands was more mystifying. Wrestlers were paid the big bucks to entertain the crowd but this was clearly where the magic happened. She wasn't going to say it changed her outlook much, but clearly this opened her eyes a little to what Seth may have been trying to say to her. It took a team to make everything happen so fluidly, but this team definitely worked better than what she had seen in the locker room. Sure nobody seemed to want to get anyone else killed but rivalry had resulted in what happened to her last week. She didn't want to be a techie, but it seemed to be a far friendlier environment she could at least admit to.

She watched as the show started, trying to make herself find interest in what the talent would do but she was more in tune to how the tech team were switching between views and carefully monitoring noise coming from commentary and microphone, from the crowd to the communication between the camera crews. This was impressive and she wondered if anyone ever considered it when they watched a show. She was drastically pulled from her reverie, however, when the mood shifted and something finally caught her attention.

She sat a little straighter as what had been unfolding had gone mostly unnoticed by her until now as the crowd erupted when wrestlers were appearing from the seats, jumping the ring and making a statement. Among them was Seth Rollins and despite her feelings toward him she had to admit what he was doing was getting attention. People were reacting, truly reacting for the first time in a while. She watched intently and tried to take it in, trying to understand that maybe he had been trying to tell her that he wasn't just some jobber and had big things coming his way. What he had been doing paid off, but she wasn't sure that would be the way for her. Finally she vacated her perch and moved to the back to stretch in preparation for her part of the show, something that would be more difficult now on the backs of that bit of charisma from Rollins and his crew. They weren't done yet, she was sure, but if this was a way to rush in a new era she might be on board with it.

Despite her surety that she would be taken out quickly by her competitors to eliminate the biggest threat, they kept her out of the match as much as they could. There seemed to be an understanding between the competitors, that was, until Summer got cheapshotted by a Bella and had enough. With a glare on her face she tagged Mika in and she couldn't keep the grin from her face as she stepped in the ring and stated down her competitor. She could see the woman was giving her a distasteful look but she was also trying to hide that apprehension in her eyes. Brie locked up with her, but then she quickly slipped away and tagged her sister in who didn't seem happy about the event. As the two argued, Mika grew tired and threw Brie out and pulled Nikki in over the top rope. It wasn't long until all hell broke loose and it was no longer known who was legal as the women battled in and out of the ring. Eventually Summer and Nikki went over the top rope and hit the floor hard, leaving Mika down in the ring with Brie. The redhead was struggling to gain her vision while staring at the lights, everything blurry after someone had kicked her in the head and made her fall from the top turnbuckle. She was conscious of Brie gaining her feet and rushing for a cover. Instinct kicked in and as she got close enough, Mika threw herself around the unsuspecting Bella and locked in the Hell's Gate. In shades of Taker, the crowd erupted while the Russian screamed her rage as the Bella swung her arm to reach for a rope. With her mind on autopilot she found she couldn't let go as the referee tried prying her off, thus disqualifying her from the win as Brie had passed out and was drooling across Mika's tights. "Let go!" Chad Patton yelled and it finally registered. She came back from that dark place and finally released Brie to her sisters care, sitting in the middle of the ring and staring at nothing as she caught her breath. Her submission training had taken over and she hadn't been able to come out of it, a dangerous way to defend herself if she didn't keep situational awareness.

[starlight]

She was happy to have made it home, their short stop to talk had made the last leg a little more difficult however Elisha was only slightly puffed when she made it back to John’s parents house. “ Following him inside she glanced at his parents, offering them a sweet smile before continuing up the stairs. “ I was a little scared for a moment that you were.” She called back to him. Neither of them were great cooks, they didn’t need to be. Hotels had kitchens that were happy to provide them with prepared meals from their meal plans – Elisha’s culinary skills didn’t go much further than a grilled cheese sandwich, but it was the best grilled sandwich you’d ever taste. She was suspicious of what John had planned for their day, she knew it would be sweet, and well thought out, but it didn’t mean that she wasn’t suspicious of his plans.

She showered and made herself a little more presentable in a pair of ripped skinny jeans, a plain black t-shirt, white converse All Stars and a black jumper. She didn’t want to look too fancy for whatever they had planned. He did say practical after all. She came back downstairs once her hair and make up was done, glancing around the kitchen at John and his parents. “…You know, you’re all acting very weird.” She explained to them, moving over to the picnic basket and opening it with a small smile. “ Oooh. Danishes. Very fancy.” She teased, looking over her shoulder at John. “ I take it we’re going on a picnic then?” As for the rest of the day she really had no clue what John had planned – had he really planned out a whole day for them to spend together? It was so sweet, they’d never really had the opportunity to do things like this. Dates were a bite to eat after the show before bed, or breakfast in the hotel restaurant – it had never been overly special. But that was the same with everyone in the business.

*

Once Seth had made it backstage, everything was a blur that had happened before. His adrenaline had really taken him to the next level. It all felt a little extreme. He loved it. It was no wonder guys found it hard to leave the road if this was the feeling they got every time they walked out onto that stage. The crowd had gone absolutely nuts, they’d loved it. Probably because it was something a little different, something they hadn’t seen in a long time. No one had done anything like this in years – someone probably thought that a writer had gone rogue or something. Walking out the back through the curtain and getting claps on the back from management and other superstars felt good, it was rewarding to know that hard work was paying off. Perhaps his dream of being Champion in twelve months really would happen. He had a plan. He knew it would work if he kept working as hard as he was, if he could show that he was profitable then they would push him.

He moved into the group locker room, straight for the shower to cool down. He wanted to enjoy the rest of RAW without being sweaty. He pulled on his jeans and a t-shirt, sitting down on one of the chairs with the other guys, hair in a double coloured top knot. He didn’t realise Mika was up next. He’d like to see her follow that. There were snickers and whispers about her as she moved down the ramp and the match started, obviously the Bella Twins were a favourite in the locker room. Seth stayed quiet, not wanting to get involved in the locker room banter. It wasn’t his place. He did however noticeably wince as she refused to let go of one of the twins (he’d lost track of which one was legal.) “ She’ll probably kill her if someone doesn’t get her to release that hold.” He heard himself say with a grumble. That was uncalled for, and certainly wouldn’t get her anywhere in this place. It was dangerous, and no one wanted to be put in danger when they were in the ring with someone. WWE wouldn’t be putting their top money-makers in dangerous situations.

[Yunalesca]

Concern that she might expect something or try and figure out what he had planned for the day was nagging at the back of his brain as he packed the basket with danishes, fruit, and hard boiled eggs, but he didn't let it eat at him. She could wonder all she liked, he wasn't going to let her in on anything until it occurred. Of course a basket sitting on the counter would give it away, but that was hardly the pinnacle of the day or breakfast. When she came downstairs and peeked into the basket he smirked at her. "Always so intuitive," he joked which got a light smack on the arm from his mother. "What, I can't banter with my girlfriend? I'm such a heathen." He responded with before skipping the steps upstairs to clean himself up quickly and change. He wasn't dressed in anything special, olive t shirt and nice jeans, as it seemed they always had to dress to impress when on the road. Being relaxed was more his style and he was glad to have that back for the time being.

He returned to the kitchen as quickly as he could, swooping up the basket in one hand and taking hers in the other. "Let's go before the food gets warm," he offered in an effort to usher her along and away from his parents before they told any embarrassing stories. Traditionally they weren't like that but he couldn't always trust them. She was the first girl he had kept around for so long and they were bound to try and teach him a lesson for having broken her heart not so long ago. He was still working to make that up to her though she had forgiven him by now. They had both been different people at that point and the past was best left to lie, but it would always be on his mind in some effect.

He let her get into his SUV on her own as he knew treating her like a princess annoyed her at times. He had to keep her on her toes, anyway. Didn’t want her to get used to anything or how would he ever surprise her? "Stop trying to figure out where we're going, just relax and let me drive." He urged to her as he could almost see her mind thinking about the route he was taking. It was getting them a little further out of the city and luckily it was still early enough that not many drivers were on the road to block his path. He was sure she was recognizing the area, though, as he drew nearer and began driving a little slower. What better place to have breakfast than the overlook where he'd given her that necklace, what better time than when the sun was still rising in the sky? He had told her it would be a stress free 72 hours and he would make sure that happened.

Once again she didn’t bother with exiting the area via the ramp as she didn’t particularly want to run into her competitors or risk having to talk to another talent behind the curtain. She didn’t want advice and she didn’t want someone to tell her she could’ve seriously hurt Brie out there. She understood she was the new kid who had to go through it all, but people seemed to be overlooking the fact that the Bella’s had attacker her last week and one of them, she was sure, had nearly knocked her out with a kick to the head during the match. In that ring you had to defend yourself and react accordingly or you would never win, you would always get hurt. The Bella’s were obviously the locker room favorite because they looked the part and she didn’t. She knew what people would tell her for hurting one of their precious little darlings and she didn’t need to go looking for that pep talk. If they weren’t strong enough to compete with her they should probably stop requesting matches against her. Why else would there have been a four way with the odds stacked against her? She hadn’t won because her inability to let go of that hold, but she still felt like she came out as the winner. She got to show she knew how to wrestle and there were people out there that were appreciating that over gallivanting around in her panties. Talent weren’t going to say that to her because they didn’t want her to succeed; They liked seeing the women make fools of themselves.

With much of the talent hovering around monitors at this point in the night she took her chance to try and sneak in a shower, but before she could get there she was stopped by a .Com rep with a load of questions she probably didn’t want to answer. She was sure this was a good sign, a sign that she was getting somewhere since they wanted to interview her, but right now she was sweaty and wanted nothing more than a shower before leaving the arena. “Mika, we had a few questions for you.” They began and she about blew them off but reconsidered as the little voice in the back of her mind told her to play the game for once. The questions were generic and boring up until the end where she was asked if she wanted to say anything to the current Champion. That gave her pause as she realized she hadn't been thinking about actually competing against the Champion, just been focused on fighting through the division. The gold was the ultimate prize, but it hadn't quite crossed her mind lately as she didn't think she was that close to actually wrestling the woman.

"I have nothing to say. I think my actions speak far louder than anything that would come from my mouth." She ended before slipping into the locker room and away from the journalist. It was a little bit of a cop out way to end the interview, but it made a statement. Her actions were causing a ripple through the women's division which surely spoke louder to the Champion than any threats Mika could come up with. Physical prowess was sometimes all you needed.

[starlight]

Elisha had been chatting to Carol with her hands wrapped around a warm mug of coffee as she waited for John to come back down from getting changed. The woman was kind, and clearly still felt a little terrible for her son breaking up with her. As Elisha had explained to her on the phone once or twice, it was all in the past and it was best to move on. If Elisha could forgive John, then surely Carol could let it go. John just needed to remember that whilst she had forgiven him, she certainly hadn’t forgotten. She hadn’t forgiven him for the weeks of heartache and loneliness she had felt, for the sick feeling she felt in her stomach because she’d been so angry. It was a feeling she never wanted to feel ever again. She hoped it was something she would never feel again - they’d both grown a hell of a lot since then, times had certainly changed.

The surroundings became familiar as they neared the overlook, a soft smile creeping across her lips. She knew where they were. This was the place where he’d given her that necklace. How could she forget, it’d been incredibly sweet. “ I’m relaxed, I swear.” She held her hands up defensively and placed her hand atop of his as they continued to drive. It was just relaxing enough to just be in a car that wasn’t rushing to an airport, or a hotel with hundreds of fans surrounding the car. Whilst it was normal these days, it was nice to have a couple of days of proper normalcy. No fans had gotten wind of where she was - yet. It would only take a few hours, and since she’d headed straight out of the airport the previous night it was no wonder, but if they were heading out and about for the day, someone was bound to spot them.

“ Well doesn’t this look familiar.” She grinned, getting out of the SUV and smiling as she stretched out. She took a few steps forward to enjoy the view, watching the sun come up at the overlook. It was peaceful and just what she needed. She glanced over her shoulder and looked at John with a big smile before back to the view. How had he known that this was all she needed, just time away to relax and de-stress. The last thing she wanted to think about was work, even though it was Monday - that wasn’t for a number of hours, when her phone started buzzing. She’d heard about what was going on backstage with the new talent, and was well aware of what she would be facing. What Mika failed to understand about Elisha, or realise was that she wasn’t just one of the girls who ran around in panties and cashed in a pay check. She might not have had the brute strength of the red head she had a lot more talent than she was giving her credit for. This was her turf, those were her corridors and she wasn’t going to let some chick with a bad attitude take that away from her. Mika would have to earn the Championship - just like Elisha had. Trish hadn’t given up the gold and left the division in her hands for no reason. Elisha expected Mika to underestimate her - she hadn’t seen Lil’ Michaels in action. However, until RAW was on the TV screen she didn’t have to think about training, diet, interviews, competitors or anything else - it was the first time in a long time.

*

Everyone had gone back to their business as the show went on - the image of Brie being choked out exiting everyones mind. They had more important things going on than thinking about the new girl. Seth planned on keeping his distance, that was for sure. He didn’t want to be associated with someone who put other peoples lives in danger. Whilst he knew Mika would argue that she had nearly been knocked out, that was an accident - they happened in the ring all the time, with mis-timed kicks, punches, grapples, it happened. What wasn’t acceptable was deliberately holding onto a submission hold to cause someone prolonged pain, put them in danger. It was clear that she had no regard for anyone else in this business, and quite frankly Seth didn’t want to be anywhere near that.

He changed into his street clothes, lacing up his boots and swinging his bag over his shoulder. What a night. He was still on cloud nine and planned to stay there for as long as possible. He pushed past some people, and through to the back where his car was, tossing his bag in the trunk of the truck. He wasn’t special enough to get driven to his hotel yet - hell, he wasn’t even fancy enough to stay at the expensive hotel the main eventers got to stay at. He was down the street around the corner and like two blocks away. He waved to a couple of the other guys, telling them he’d meet them at the bar.

[Yunalesca]

Elisha exited the vehicle first and seemed to be enjoying the view as he reached in back and got the basket and blanket before following her. He let her keep watching the horizon as he set out the blanket and set the basket to the corner of it before he noticed her head down seemingly checking her phone. Frowning slightly he got up and came up silently behind her. He hugged her against him, seemingly, but a hand came over hers and he took her phone away, tucking it in his pocket before she could protest. "No phones this morning," he murmured in her ear with a slight smirk. His own was probably buzzing in his cupholder, but he didn't care to hear about work or anything else at the moment. He was doing this for her, for them, because it was what they both needed right now.

"Let's enjoy those hand made danishes." He commented with a slightly laugh. His mom was a great cook but she hadn't made the breakfast desserts and he was sure Elisha knew it. The bakery had done it so he wasn't exactly lying about them being handmade. As he urged her to sit down he took her phone and locked it in the truck to keep her from trying to sneak it away from him. He was following the current environment of the Fed in his absence and so knew about the new girl that his girlfriend was undoubtedly watching. He didn't want whatever was going on there to affect her morning.

"I hope you appreciate how long it took me to think of this," he said with a smirk as he settled down on the blanket with her and unpacked the basket, handing her a plate once the platter was set out.

She showered quickly so she wouldn't be subject to an attack, attacks in the shower weren't unheard of, and had changed into street clothes just as fast. She had a tendency to choose activities on the fly so she wasn't dressed for anything specific. Weathered jeans and a black racerback were good enough for her, her hair pinned and a small fedora donning her head to help cover up who she was. She didn't think of herself as well known yet, but people were talking about her enough to get the .com attention so maybe she should take more precautions. Her hair didn't help, but she wasn't about to change that given how much she loved the color. It was a part of her now and she wouldn't be dying it out until she grew tired of it.

With her ring bag in tow she exited the arena and slid into a cab waiting for her, yellow cars lined up the back of the arena patiently waiting for the lower level stars to hail them to take them back to the hotel. She barely glanced at the black cars separate from the cabs, reserved for the cash cows and main eventers. It wasn't worth her time to be bothered she didn't have a nice sedan waiting for her, it was all the same to her. "Holiday Inn?" the driver asked and Mika furrowed her brows slightly. If she went back she would just go to the gym then call it a night, sharing a room with Summer Rae most likely. After the match she didn't care much more for the girl, but she couldn't say she minded her either. They had been roomed together for a few weeks now and the girl kept to herself, thankfully.

"Local pub. Wherever they go to be unbothered." She requested in reference to other wrestlers. Most cabbies had to be accustomed to the request by now. There were only so many cities the Fed would visit these days.

*

She didn't pay any mind to anyone who was currently drinking in the bar when she entered, most people distracted by the current game on the television. She got her usual at the bar and took a spot at a free table, hoping to enjoy her drink quietly and think about what had occurred earlier. She had zoned out and had been unable to let go of the hold. She had heard the Bella was fine and furious, but that was not who she had set out in this business to be. She was strong and a technical wrestler, she didn't need to get herself disqualified to make an impact. True as it was, she couldn't help but wonder if it needed to happen. How else would she send a message to the Bella's to leave her alone?

"Another for you?" Came a voice and she looked up, eyes mostly shadowed by her fedora still.

"I'm fine," she said with an edge, fingers curling over her still half finished drink protectively. He had brought a drink with him and she wasn't about to trust that.

"I'm not a bad guy, you should get to know me," he offered with shining white teeth. He was a bro through and through, she'd seen plenty of them in her time in New York.

"I'm kind of preferring to be alone right now." She stated quite simply, voice urging him to move on.

[starlight]

There was no protest as her phone was locked away in the SUV - it was for the best. It meant no distractions from them. Today was important, they only had seventy two hours together, the last thing she needed to be doing was focusing on a Russian red head with a fierce attitude. Elisha had no doubt that Mika was her next opponent at a PPV, it would be a matter of weeks until the two came face to face. Mike might have thought she was just another blonde haired bimbo in The Fed, but she’d be sorely mistaken. It was best not to think about it, what other people thought of her, and what was being said in the halls of the locker rooms was making her skin crawl and her blood boil. If she had to prove herself one more time, then she would. Hell, she hadn’t beaten Trish Stratus out of luck. She turned her focus from the horizon back to John, a soft smile moving across her lips as he spoke.

“ Oh yeah, your Mom is quite the baker.” She said with an eyeroll and a soft chuckle. It was sweet that Carol had helped organise it, whilst she loved John she knew that he wasn’t capable of pulling this off himself. It just wasn’t his thing. “ Oh yes. I can imagine feeding me food for breakfast was so hard to think of.” She was only teasing, it was nice that he had thought of something different and fun to do. Not to mention it was a little sweet - of course she remembered that he had given her that necklace here, it’d meant a lot to her. It’d been his first gift to her, a special gift that she had treasured since then. She didn’t wear it too much, it was too precious and she was always afraid that she’d loose it. “ It’s very sweet, you didn’t have to do any of this, we could have stayed home and had breakfast with your parents - you didn’t need to make a fuss.” She wasn’t overly good at accepting compliments or knowing how to act in situations like this. It was all new to her.

Elisha could feel herself beginning to relax, as she chose to indulge in some danishes and other breakfast delights. It was one day in months, she knew she’d be fine, the small feeling of guilt could be pushed to the back of her mind until she got back onto the road. She hoped that John would be able to join her on the road, it was better for her mental health as well as her physical health if he was there with her. She just felt more together and with it when he was around. “ So.” She said moving to prop herself up on her elbow to watch him. “ What have you been up to while I’ve been gone? How many girls have you had around for dinner? I should tell your girlfriend you know, she’s been missing you.” The blonde teased, a smile on her face. This is exactly what the doctor had needed.


*

Seth hadn’t gone straight to his hotel room. It would have been a waste, he and the guys had gone out for a few beers having a laugh and enjoying what felt like the best night of his life. He could have sworn the adrenaline was still running through his veins, this was a high he never wanted to come down from. If this was the reason why some of the guys got addicted to performing, he understood why. If he could feel like this every damn day of the week he would be a happy man. He farewelled a few of the guys as he moved into a bar, moving past a male patron. “ You better be careful man, she doesn’t let go once she grabs on.” Seth said as he moved to the other side of the bar, ordering himself a drink before he took the beer bottle and moved to a stool near the window so he could watch the passers by.

He rolled back his shoulders and grabbed out his phone, reading through a few emails and texts from friends. Much like Mika he wanted to be alone, to enjoy the rest of the night, he wanted to be able to remember just what had happened in minute detail so that when he was old enough and his kids asked about it, he could tell them exactly what had happened on the night that he had walked out infront of thousands of people hearing them screaming, excited for a new era.

[Yunalesca]

He smirked a little at her remark of breakfasting with his parents, taking a scone and enjoying the raspberry gush before swallowing. “They know we don't get to see each other alone very much, mom felt like she'd be intruding,” he offered before finishing the Danish and turning to a hardboiled egg. A bundle of nerves was erupting in his middle but he still made himself eat so as to not give himself away. If he didn’t eat he was sure Elisha would notice and then question what was wrong when there was nothing to be worried about. Knowing how little time they still had together, especially if he wasn’t allowed back on the road, made him anxious. He wanted a relaxing morning with her but it kept nagging in the back of his mind which in turn made him the opposite of what he wanted.

He almost choked on the egg, however, as she spoke of him chasing other women off of him. It wasn’t that he had other women, just the fact that she might say something like that. He knew it was a joke, but given how apart they had been and how they were just now getting their relationship back to normal it struck him by surprise. “You really think that of me? I’m hurt,” he said jokingly back, though it was more of a reassurance to her that none of that was occurring while she was away. So much of his time had been focused on healing and trying to stay in some form of routine that he never had the time to consider what she was saying; Not to mention he wouldn’t consider it if he did have the time. He wouldn’t have groveled so much if he were just going to use her. “I could ask the same you know, all those young studs around that are surely vying for your attention. All that status attached to dating you,” he said with a smirk though some part of him warned maybe that hadn’t been the best thing to say. They had begun dating before she was Champion and he was already becoming the face of the company. He shouldn’t be concerned with her believing he was using her, but he had spent a lot of time being careful with her now that he had her back and it was a hard habit to break, not worrying.

He ate the rest of his breakfast and concluded it with a bottle of water before sitting back and watching the sun crest over the city for a time before his attention turned to Elisha. His eyes followed the curve of her jaw, her hair cascading across her shoulder, the edge of her lips. She was the most beautiful thing he could have ever had in his life and he had almost lost her for good. He wouldn’t be so foolish ever again, he vowed, and he hoped she genuinely believed that. He had a feeling Shawn didn’t feel the same, but it was her opinion that mattered. He swallowed and found his feet, offering his hand to her as he did so. He pulled her up with him, holding her for a minute before kissing her hair and looking down at her.

“I’m not really ready for you to be leaving yet. I know we’ve still got all this time, but it’s not enough. I don’t want you to be worried about us when you’re on the road if I can’t be there with you.” He paused and took a breath. “So there’s only one way I figured I could ease your mind, only one way I could show that I’m not leaving you,” he stopped as he could feel the beginning of nervous tremors threatening to take over his legs. He didn’t think he had been this nervous for his first match, but he would see it through. He took another breath and began getting down on one knee, something he hadn’t been sure he would ever do. He didn’t know if she was comprehending what was happening yet, but she had to when the white box emerged from his pocket and a ring sparkled from the rays of dawn. “Elisha Michaels, would you marry me?”

She did her best to ignore him, giving every signal a girl could, but he didn’t seem to get it or more likely didn’t really care that she wanted to be left alone. She was used to this treatment, but at least in the days when she played football she had been able to have protection from an assigned bodyguard for the team. Today she didn’t have that luxury and it seemed she would have to deal with it herself in an unpleasant way. She had already told him she wasn’t interested and had shut him down with every clue she had. “I would like for you to leave me alone, is that so hard to understand?” She questioned and stopped him in the middle of whatever he had been saying while she finished her drink.

“You’re a real bitch,” he scoffed, his ego clearly damaged as he puffed his chest as though that would impress her. She knew his type and wasn’t intimidated by him.

“If that’s what it takes to make men like you leave women alone, I’ll be whatever you want me to be.” She hissed in return before getting up and moving to the bar, irritated he had made her give up her seat. She didn’t want to be sitting somewhere so public, but she wasn’t ready to go home so maybe he would leave her alone now.

She ordered another drink, but before it was even made he was back again. “I could’ve paid for that if you’d have let me,” he whispered in her ear, breath wafting and telling her just how drunk he was. She grit her teeth and refused to look at him.

“Get away from me,” she returned, threat and malice lacing her voice as she did so. She was stuck, either she held her ground and threatened him away from her or she left and ran into the issue of him following her. She doubted he even knew who she was, just picked her out of the crowd as someone to harass into giving him what he wanted. Men like him did this for sport and anticipated 'winning' every time, whether by wearing a woman down or bullying her into submission. She wasn't going to have it, but she had to be careful with how far this went. She couldn't afford a suspension even if it was due to defending herself.

[starlight]

There would be a time, years from now when their kids would ask about this day, hell, there would be people that would ask them within days, and Elisha would never be sure if she could tell the story. Honestly she hadn’t seen this coming, he’d been moving at such a glacial speed with their relationship she figured she’d be about eighty by the time he got down on one knee. “ What’re you doing?” She questioned quietly as he began to get down on one knee. The words that he was saying all sounded like gibberish, her whole world spinning. This was not what she expected when he had asked her to come for a relaxing few days, of course she was blown away but completely blindsided for sure. She’d given up on wondering if it would ever happened and had resigned herself to the thought that maybe they would just never get married. She was sure if there was a camera around right now to capture the look on her face, it would be something of surprise and dumbfoundedness. Her hands moved over her face as she swallowed hard, just staring at John trying to get her composure back. How many minutes had passed where she hadn’t said anything? No matter how much she tried, words weren’t forming, she was so shocked she could barely speak.

She blinked a few times quickly, staring at John as finally she spoke. It felt like hours but it had only been mere moments. Her eyes moved to the beautiful ring in the white box, and then to him. God, she needed to say something, anything. “ Of course I will.” She told him as she removed her shakey hands from her face so he could put her ring on. She couldn’t steady her hand and let out a soft chuckle at the fact. Whether it was adrenaline or shock she really had no idea. Briefly she wondered if he’d asked her father’s permission, she knew that things were a little tense with them, but her father was a traditionalist and she didn’t want another reason for Shawn to dislike John. She knew that he didn’t hate him, or even dislike him - he was threatened by John, completely threatened by him. Elisha was his Princess after all, no matter how old she was.

The blonde watched as her engagement ring was slipped on her finger, helping him up off his knee and giving him a big grin, throwing her arms around him and pressing her lips to his. She was surprised she hadn’t caught on, usually she wasn’t blindsided by things like this. Her Dad hadn’t mentioned anything but then he was as sly as they came. “ Please tell me that you asked my Dad.” She said quietly as she kept him close. There was no way this could go ahead without her Dad at least knowing what was going on.


*


Seth kept his mouth shut as he sat in the corner of one of the booths, sipping from his beer and looking down into the glass. He really couldn’t be bothered if he was really honest. He couldn’t be bothered fighting her fight or helping her - she hadn’t wanted his help in the first place so he was going to keep his distance. She had put another talent in danger and none of that was okay. He didn’t really know what her background was, but he was beginning to see that she thought she knew better than everyone else. He might not have been a locker room leader, but he had paid his dues. He knew a lot about the business and had worked hard to get into the WWE. Whilst he might have been a shit kicker still, a young talent he had been working in the business for many, many years. He could give her advice, but she didn’t want it and he really didn’t want to give it to her anymore.

He was finding it hard to turn a blind eye to the gentleman annoying his female work colleague. He needed to keep his mouth shut and continue to enjoy his adrenaline rush. If he went over there he was sure he would punch the guy out - then he would have ruined his chances just to help someone out. Helping Mika wasn’t worth risking his shot for.

[Yunalesca]

He’d be a liar if he said he wasn’t nervous and that he wasn’t concentrating so hard so as to not shake the box presented before his would be fiancée. It didn’t take her very long to answer him, but it still felt like an eternity as she stared at the ring with her hands at her face. He hadn’t ever considered she’d say no, but with the amount of time he counted his heart pounding in his chest he began to wonder if maybe she was evaluating all that had happened between them which might lead to a dreadful ‘no’. He was sure a brief flash of panic crossed his face before she was accepting his proposal. He almost shot up from his bended knee to take her up in his arms but he recalled he was supposed to slip that band on her finger. With immense control he did so, not wanting to show her how badly he would shake otherwise.

It fit snugly, catching slightly on her knuckle which made him take in a breath in fear he had sized wrong, but then it fit perfectly. She didn’t waste time to pull him to her for a kiss. It was tender, not ravenous like in the past. He returned the gesture before slipping his hands down to scoop her up, signaling for her to wrap her legs around him as he lifted. When she asked about whether he had requested her hand from her father he nearly dropped her, however. It was a damn good way to kill the moment and he was reluctant to say anything just yet. The woman of his dreams was in his arms with his ring on her finger, of course her father would somehow manage to ruin the moment. “You’re not going to like what I have to say to that,” he started and sighed, letting her down. He had gone over this in his head and knew he should have done it, but he hadn’t thought it such a great idea.

“I didn’t talk to him because you are your own person. I know it’s fighting tradition especially where you’re from, but I think I already know what he would have said. I didn’t want that lingering over my head when I asked you. I want you to speak for yourself.” He explained, hoping it was enough of an explanation for her. He wasn’t afraid of her father, but he was a little afraid he might try and take her from him. Elisha wouldn’t let it happen, he was sure, but he worried he might be upset with her for accepting his proposal after he told John ‘no’. He would prefer Shawn be angry with him than his daughter. Elisha might not see it that way, but John couldn’t help but be protective of her, even from her own father.

Mika had hopes that the man would have grasped her hints and now a thinly veiled threat, but he continued to persist. She could likely knock him out with a well-placed right hook, but she knew how badly she would get fined for doing that even if it was a form of self-defense. She couldn’t imagine the male wrestlers ever had to go through what the women did and it occasionally made her a little bitter. She’d been able to skirt this kind of behavior due to team bodyguards when she played football. However, this man wasn’t being lecherous because of her station but because she had denied him. He had a bruised ego and felt the need to make her submit, it was nauseating. She could get up and leave but that would either send a message that he had been able to make her do so, it also might lead to him following her which would surely make the night not end well. She had little tolerance for aggressive men. “Just take the drink, babe,” he murmured in her ear now, close enough to smell the alcohol. In a dive bar like this it was doubtful anyone would come to her rescue, especially with how she had asserted herself form the moment she stepped into the bar. She could handle this, but she really shouldn’t if she wanted to keep her job.

“The lady doesn’t want and doesn’t need your attention, kid.” Came a voice and she resisted the urge to look at who it was, his voice registering in her mind though she couldn’t put a face to him just yet. If she looked at him now the punk might not go away, thinking whomever her apparent rescuer was had intentions of sliding in on his ‘prize’. She thought there might be an argument for a second, but apparently whoever was at her back was impressive enough to shoo him away. After a few moments, the person moved in next to her and she gave a sideways glance while taking a drink. She didn’t know him persay, but knew enough about him. “Figured you could use a little help before you risked your job again,” he said with a slight smirk and her eyes narrowed.

“Appreciate it, now what is it you want in return?” She questioned without looking at him still. She could feel the smirk spreading over his face after she said it. A small chuckle escaped him before he asked why she thought he wanted something. “Because Dan Sowold doesn’t just help girls out. Have you forgotten I worked next to you for half a year? I appreciate your help with the jerk, but you had quite the reputation back then.” She commented, finally turning to look at him. They surely had never had a thing, but sometimes she wondered if he thought they might have.

“Maybe you’re right. But I don’t want anything from you, Ivanka. Not yet anyway. Have a good night.” He nodded to her with that same smile before tossing a ten dollar bill on the bar to cover her drink before walking off. She sat unmoving for a moment before she slammed the rest of her drink and left the bar. She’d used his real name as a mild snipe and had not expected him to do the same. For some reason she was annoyed all over again. Was he bitter she had moved on from NXT so quickly? He was their champion, she saw no need for him to feel that way but what did she know about men?

[starlight]

Elisha felt her stomach drop as John spoke, whilst he was right she was her own woman and could make her own decisions tradition was important to her. Shawn might have put on a big front in front of John, and certainly didn't keep his ego in check but while John had been gone Shawn had seen just how much his daughter really loved the Chain Gang Soldier. He had forgiven him for breaking her heart, and whilst he would always be protective of his Princess he knew at some point he needed to let go. Elisha's feet his the ground and she kept her eyes on her feet for a brief moment. Talk about rock and a hard place. What was she meant to do now? Running a hand through her hair she placed her hands in her back pockets of her jeans and looked at John awkwardly " Can you call him?" She asked meekly, already feeling terrible for how this was panning out for them. Of course it couldn't be easy or straight forward. " I'm sorry." She apologised taking a step closer to him. " It's just, he's my dad and I need him to approve." It sounded sad, and a little pathetic but take away stage names, egos, careers and wrestling rings he was her father.

" Please?"

She passed him her phone that she'd grabbed from the car, handing it to him. This was certainly a way to ruin their engagement. When they had kids this was being omitted from the story, for sure. Elisha knew that Shawn would be happy for them, her father had swallowed his pride about everything the moment he saw Elisha go to the hospital with John and not leave his side. They loved each other, but like everyone had their rough patches. Their's had just been particularly rocky.

She sat nervously on the edge of the lookout, swallowing hard as she looked out at the view, she could only imagine Shawn's face in all of this. Of course she wished that everyone could completely put their egos aside, and this was a situation to do it in. She understood why John hadn't asked, but there was no way they couldn't get this past Shawn first. She twisted the ring around her finger nervously, it fit perfectly - she wondered how long he'd been working on this and just who he had gotten involved to help. Of course she knew who she was calling straight after this - calls to Canada weren't expensive were they?

[Yunalesca]

He knew in his gut that this would happen, that she was a traditionalist and no matter how much time was spent on the road, the Texan would never be taken out of the girl. He wouldn’t say it ruined his proposal, she had still said yes and was still twirling his ring around her finger, but it definitely put a bit of a damper on the morning. He couldn’t have hoped for a better day to do this. He had been holding onto that ring for a little while now and when he woke this morning he knew it was the right time. His parents had been in agreement, and this would be a part of the story he would leave out for them. He didn’t know if it was embarrassing that he hadn’t done the gentlemanly thing and asked her father or that she was making him call the man and explain it to him. He was sure in the near future this would be humorous but it most definitely wasn’t right then.

Her phone flopped into his palm and he had to bite back the heavy sigh that threatened to come from him. He was sure that wasn’t going to make her very happy so he quelled it and looked down at the face of the phone, already ringing to her father. This was going to go well he was sure. He glanced over at her taking a seat away from him before pulling the phone to his ear in time to hear Shawn answer. At first he wasn’t sure he could say anything but then he remembered he was a man and this conversation had to happen. “Hello, Shawn,” he started, choosing not to go the route to use his true first name. They weren’t that personal just yet.

Immediately the man sounded worried on hearing John’s voice coming from his daughter’s phone number, but John quickly stopped his train of thought toward going to the negative, though surely that was going to happen anyway wasn’t it? “No, Elisha is fine, she is here with me. There was something else I need to talk to you about.” He started and could already hear Shawn sighing silently. The man wasn’t stupid, he had to know what was coming. “I’ve asked your daughter to marry me.” He paused briefly to let Shawn think about that momentarily before he cut in again. “We were looking for your blessing.” He stopped again to let Shawn speak this time. He was sure the man was seething on the other end and John would have to take it.

“Are you going to stand behind those vows? Always? Forever is a long time and I will be expecting her husband to be worthy of her,” Shawn said with guarded voice and John had to admit it was a little quieter than expected, but then Shawn wasn’t very explosive.

“I’ve made the only mistake with her I ever intend to make. To me, forever isn’t long enough.” He responded and heard silence on the other end for some time, long enough that he thought he may have hung up, but he heard him take in a breath on the other end.

“Tell my baby girl that I’m happy for her.” He said and hung up. John took a deep breath and turned back to Elisha. He slipped her phone back to her and sat down beside her, glancing at her twirling of the ring before looking her in the eye.

“You got your blessing.” He said with a grin before leaning in to kiss her.

[starlight]

News of the engagement travelled fast. Of course Elisha had told Trish, she was the first person to be told apart from Shawn. The last few days had been a whirlwind of messages of congratulations, even from people she never expected. But the best part? John was back on the road with her. He might not have been back in the ring and she was sure it would kill him but he was with her. They had their own locker room again, their own hotel room, and their own car – things were back to normal. Well, their kind of normal. As normal as they could be with this life.

Of course as soon as they had left West Newbury it was back to business. Elisha had been studying Mika’s matches like a hawk, tossing around ideas with John on the best way to approach the situation. Elisha may have been champion but she wasn’t exactly an old hand at this. Navigating the whole thing was fresh and she felt like she was a complete novice. Having John to throw ideas around with made life a lot easier. Of course, the red head was no doubt trying to intimidate the whole division with her strength, but her demeanour and attitude would be her downfall. Elisha was hardly scared of Mika, and really thought the whole ‘tough girl’ demeanour was hilarious. There had been numerous ‘tough girls’ in this business, Victoria, Molly, Jazz, Jaqueline and none of them had put another competitor in danger like Mika had. Elisha would be sure to let Mika know that whilst she had power, and had been going through the division, that Elisha was Champion and this was her division. Trish didn’t leave it in her hands for some dangerous new girl to come in and try and take over.

.Com had asked her numerous questions over the week about what she thought of Mika, and Elisha of course had been her polite self. She spoke of how the woman showed a lot of talent, but that was as much credit as she was giving her. Now she was sitting behind the commentary desk watching the match infront of her. She may not have liked the Bella Twins but she could understand why they were going so hard. Her eyes never left the ring, her comments kind but stern. If this girl was after her title then Elisha was going to make sure she was breathing down her neck and applying the pressure.

*
Seth Rollins was not expecting to see John Cena roaming the halls of any arena for quite some time. From what he had understood he was out with a pretty severe injury that could scream retirement. For most wrestlers it would have been retirement, but John Cena was the guy that just kept giving. He was the guy that you knocked down once, and he got up a thousand more times. But back from injury already? Surely not. It’d only been a couple of months. Needless to say the locker room was buzzing. Buzzing with news of the engagement, and what it meant for everyone else – the two of them were money making machines, no doubt they were going to be top of the pack for a long time now. Rumours were circling of how to keep Elisha champion, of screw jobs, and pimping out Cena at every opportunity they had.

Seth was sitting in catering taking to Dean Ambrose about the whole situation. Of course voices were hushed, but everyone was talking about the same thing. Had Cena asked Elisha to marry him because then he married into the ‘family’ and would have a long and successful career because of it. Of course everyone was sceptical and an asshole about the situation. Everyone was pretending that they were happy for them, but really they all knew it was about to become the John & Elisha show. Worse than it already was.

“ You think he’ll ever get back in the ring again?” He asked his friend who shrugged his shoulders. “ I heard it was a pretty serious injury.”

[Yunalesca]

The outpouring of congratulations and love from so many was not what John had expected when he –finally- proposed to the girl of his dreams. Then again, he wasn’t sure he would have ever met a girl like her in his lifetime. Wrestling had given him so much, Elisha included, so it felt like nothing else when he was able to be back on the road with her. He wasn’t cleared to be anywhere close to a ring just yet, but just being near that squared circle was enough for him right now. Of course being able to be at Elisha’s side far more often was a hell of a perk as well. It seemed once he had proposed to her, the executives realized it was pointless to keep them apart. He hadn’t really figured they would clear him for road travel, but it appeared things were finally going to align for them.

They rolled into the arena together, chauffeured as apparently he wasn’t trusted enough to drive yet. Any other day he might have protested, but he was content in the backseat with Elisha half draped over his lap. He was given a little more time to relax with her before they would face those looks. He was used to that look going down the hall, but the oncoming ones would be a tad different. He had been gone for some time already and would have something to prove now even though he had been the locker room leader. If he was going to keep that respect he would have to work at it. He wasn’t allowed to wrestle yet so he would have to regain his spot in other ways until then. He would be there to support his fiancée and make his presence known. “I’m not going to be too much a distraction for you, am I?” He questioned playfully, kissing the top of her head as they came to a stop in the arena parking.

Mika hadn’t heard much from anyone after the bar ‘incident’ which she was grateful for as she wasn’t about to trust Austin Aries. He said he wasn’t asking anything of her ‘yet’ which ensured he would be coming back to her for something in the future. It made her a little on edge, but having not heard anything as she walked into the arena for RAW she felt more relaxed. Despite what had been occurring she felt like she was starting to secure her spot in the roster. She may not have a ‘personality’ just yet, outside of being technical and a powerhouse, but she was still being told to appear on shows. With her current station she didn’t feel Aries would be cashing in any supposed favors but if she kept climbing like she felt she was he would be calling her. It was something more to be concerned about if she had the time to be concerned.

“Vse otlichno” she said into her phone as she descended the rampway toward the locker rooms. Her parents had decided now was a good time to call her. Her boots clicked on the pavement and the decorative chains on the hip of her tight black pants jingled just under the sound of her mothers voice. She looked like a biker with her outfit completed by a simple t shirt and black leather jacket over top, as well as leather newsboy cap and sunglasses she had failed to take off just yet. With Russian being rattled off in her ear she couldn’t exactly remove them and still hold onto her bag. She was tempted to drop the phone in her pocket and let the woman talk to silence, but she would know and Mika would surely hear about it later. It was better to suffer through her parents concerns now than get scoldings later.

She didn’t bother to check the card just yet as she didn’t believe it would be completely set this early in the day. She was forced to stop by it, however, when she noted two nearly identical bodies standing in her way to prevent her from furthering into the building. She set her jaw and whispered an ‘I have to go’ in Russian to her mother before her phone was stored away and the Bella’s advanced on her. Given the opportunity she removed her sunglasses and let them dangle from the neck of her shirt as she waited to hear what they were going to insult her with this week. “You don’t belong here,” Brie started and Mika’s brows rose slightly. Was this the best they could do? “You put people in danger, nobody will work with someone like that.”

At that Mika couldn’t help the smirk hitting her face. “It’s funny, really. You’re standing here looking just as fine as you were before we ever encountered eachother and you’re talking to me about being dangerous? I’m curious how you constitute me as a dangerous person and yourselves as ‘safe’ when you attack the new girl in catering? Someone could’ve broken an arm, someone could’ve had a concussion when we were flying over a table. Before you criticize me for being a little pissed off maybe you should pull out your compact and see your own reflection.” She stepped up closer to them now, her nerve strong as irritation welled within her. “I’m not going anywhere no matter how much you try intimidating me. People have played that game before, clearly it never worked. Nothing personal, ladies. It’s just a show, remember?” She sneered back before throwing her shades back on and forcing her way between them. She wasn’t sure if it was shock from her set of balls or how well she spoke English (why people thought her illiterate she would never know), but they just stood there and let her go.

With her bag still swinging from her shoulder she entered catering to grab an apple and some water in peace, though it would seem fate would not be so kind to her. She noticed the men sitting in the corner discussing something, but she wouldn’t let herself pay a mind to them. It was quite possible that Seth may have just been trying to be nice to her and help her out, but she was not the type of girl to trust anyone, especially outright when she entered a company. Everyone wanted something and she was sure he was no different. She couldn’t help herself, however, when she overheard what it was they were discussing. “It’d be stupid of you to underestimate him, to even question ‘if’ he will get back out there. It’s a matter of when.” She commented to the only other bodies in the room, back to them still as she picked her fruit carefully before turning to face them. She was playing with fire when it came to communicating with Seth, but she couldn’t seem to help herself. “You can’t take the fight out of someone like that. This is his life, he knows nothing else but to fight.” She concluded before making her exit. She didn’t know John in the least, but she had been cut from the same cloth ; she knew what a fighters heart beat like.

[starlight]

“ Oh, I think I’ll be okay. You’re hardly a distraction these days, more like part of the furniture.” Elisha teased as the car came to a stop. It was time to work, there was no more relaxing or enjoying John’s company. She had a division to look after and a championship to hold onto. Whilst she might have been absent for a week, it didn’t mean she’d taken her eye off the ball. Some onlookers would argue that her head hadn’t been in the game for a few weeks, but she’d disagree. She might not have paid Mika much attention backstage, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t watching. If Mika wanted a shot at the belt, then she was going to have to earn it – and not just in the ring. Respect wasn’t just handed to anyone, and just because you were strong didn’t mean you immediately had everyone’s respect. Quite the opposite. If Mika wanted a shot at the belt, then she was going to have to earn it.
Moving past the Bella Twins who had sour looks on their faces, she was about to move into catering when she overheard the conversation happening between three rather new faces. She didn’t stay long enough to hear the whole conversation, moving off to catch up with John once she’d heard enough. Maybe the Russian wasn’t as bad as the other females had painted her out to be. But she wasn’t going to jump to any conclusions. She’d learnt her lesson big time on that one.

Catching up with John she glanced over her shoulder at the red head who wasn’t far behind them and offered her a soft smile. She said no words however, and moved into the locker room. Finally, she had a match, she felt like it’d been forever since she’d hit the squared circle, and no doubt this match against Maryse was to appease the masses. Not that the other blonde wasn’t talented, quite the opposite really – she was probably stronger than the Bella twins put together. Mike had certainly put a lot of effort into training her.
“ So the new kids on the block think that you’re retiring.” She said as she tossed her bag down and looked over at him. She knew he’d heard the rumours, hell, they’d spoken about it a few times. More so, how he could start his training and get back into the ring. Of course, she didn’t want him to push himself too hard – but she couldn’t wait to see him back doing what he loved. “ Seems to me they have no idea who they’re talking about.” She said with a smile as she grabbed her tights out of her bag, excusing herself for a moment. The ‘pants dance’ she had to do to get these guys on was not something she needed her fiancé to see.

Returning slightly out of breath she offered John a playful grin, moving over to lean up onto her tip toes and kiss him. “ I’ve got to go get pretty. Don’t cause too much trouble without me around.” She teased, heading out the locker room and putting her headphones in, music beginning to play. It was time to concentrate, get in the zone and do what she did best.

*

Seth rose a brow at Mika as she spoke, of course she had an opinion. Of course she had something to say, something to offer. It appeared the Russian was going to get involved wherever she could. He imagined that was what happened when you were a bit of a loner and no one wanted anything to do with you. Probably because they thought she was unsafe and stuck up. If Seth was honest he didn’t completely disagree. He’d tried to befriend her, help her along the way but she appeared to be only about herself. The locker room was a family and if she didn’t want to be ostracised then she was going about it the complete wrong way. The fact that she thought she was better than everyone else was what was grating on everyone. She was entry level, new, had hardly earnt her keep – she couldn’t be walking around here like she owned the place. It just wasn’t how it worked.

He watched the red head go, and then the Women’s Champ enter to grab her bottle of water. No doubt she had heard everything. Once she was gone he looked over at Aries with a chuckle, “ Think Elisha even stands a chance against Mika?” Whilst he didn’t agree with everything the red head did, he could see she was talented. She had the skills and the strength to beat the smaller, more agile blonde however there was one thing she didn’t have in her corner. The Fed.

[Yunalesca]

*John*

He smirked slightly when Elisha informed him of what was being said around the locker room out of his ear shot. He wasn't surprised in the least, but the locker room should have known better by now. He wasn't the first to have a serious injury and come back, he probably wouldn't be the last, either. Triple H came to the forefront of his mind and his mood almost soured. Hunter was close with Shawn and John was engaged to his daughter. The hatchet appeared to be mostly buried with his future father-in-law, but he still had a guard up around the elder Michaels. He knew he and Elisha were in the favor of the Fed currently, but that could all change with the wind.

Before he could say anything or grab her for a kiss, she was gone to get ready for the night. He frowned and looked around the private locker room. It lacked life and it depressed him all the more. He was happy to be on the road again even if he wasn't wrestling, but now that he was alone and not getting ready for a match he was wondering if this had been a good idea. It made him miss it all the more and there wasn't much he could do for it. He could not rush his recovery or he could bench himself for the rest of his life. He had accelerated his conditioning so he would be ready the moment he was given the all clear, but that didn't make it any easier on him now. He ached to be doing something other than waiting around the locker room for Elisha.

He stood and groaned, juggling a water bottle as he decided how to fill the evening until he and Elisha would retire to their suite at the hotel. He had been permitted to accompany her on the road, but he knew there was a warning in that permission slip. He couldn't go around the locker rooms stirring up raucous to pass his time. He would surely be benched if that happened. He couldn't just sit around, however. He was already working on losing his mind and it was day one of a still undetermined road of recovery. "I was never told I couldn't leave the locker room," he said to himself before tossing the bottle on the couch and deciding to take a walk. The only thing he was told specifically was to keep his locker room presence quiet to the fans.

*Mika*

When she left the catering area she at first didn’t notice the couple in front of her, but it was hard to miss the size of John Cena and that flash of blonde hair at his side. She almost stopped dead when she realized the Golden Couple were in front of her. Had they heard what she had just said? Would they even care about anything she had to say? She wouldn’t say she was enamored with them, Elisha held a belt that Mika wanted, but she respected what they did. People didn’t think she was capable of showing anyone respect, but she could; most people didn’t earn it from her was the difference. When Elisha flashed her a short smile before ducking into her personal locker room, Mika frowned slightly. Not many had offered her a smile like that, though she didn’t really deserve it with how reclusive she had been since arriving. She knew she was an outsider and thus didn’t trust people, it was difficult for someone like her to take anyone at their word and be fast friends without thinking they might screw her over eventually. She was careful and it didn’t appear many in this locker room appreciated that.



It made her wonder if perhaps she had been overheard, but she tossed it from her mind. It wouldn’t make a difference if she had anyway as they were competitors, not friends. There were those who had been trying to make friends with her, but she wasn’t letting anyone get that close to her just yet. There were others she wasn’t sure of their intentions, those people being Seth and Aries. Seth she could understand he was irritated at her lack of regard for his advice, but Aries she was really unsure about. She felt like he was going to try and use her somehow and she didn’t like it. Saying no to him would be easy, but what if she couldn’t? What if he had something to hold against her? She couldn’t think of anything he might have learned of her in NXT that Seth wouldn’t have known when they were all there together, but his attitude suggested otherwise. Of all the people she had been in disputes with since coming to this business, he was the one that now sent the most flags up. They had an understanding while in the minor leagues but she wouldn’t say it went further then that; why was he showing up now? It went beyond her problem at the bar, that she was confident in.



“Mika? We’ve been waiting for you. Your gear is in.” A seamstress said as she approached the red head, catching her off guard. Her brow rose slightly as her anxiety ticked up. She had never been consulted about her gear and so it made her nervous to think of what they would put her in. Nothing could be worse than what she been playing football in, but she had been hopeful she would have some input in the direction of at least her clothing. She would wrestle in what they told her to wrestle in, obviously, as she wasn’t really making any friends that would have her back should she choose to buck the administration. So long as she could move around she could be relatively happy.