Summary: When things were bleak in the Bloodline, you were the sunshine that brightened the place. Having been The Usosā manager for years, you had become close with the family. Once Sami Zayn gets involved, you reveal that your feelings for Jey extend beyond friendship; you have to make a choice.
Only a few warnings. Reader gets hit with a chair, and also language.
Whoo! We got a long story here!
This is kayfabe compliant!
If you want to be added to my tag lists for oneshots, let me know!
I hope you enjoy!!
Long before Sami Zayn had walked into the Bloodlineās locker room, you were there. Optimistic and lively, you brought a much needed sense of cheerfulness to the group; heaven knew they needed it.
Jey Uso had been your best friend for years, as you had served as The Usosā manager since their heel turn. Jimmy was awesome and all, but you found yourself vibing more with Jey. With Jimmy, you could let loose and have fun, but with Jey, you felt like you could truly be yourself and open up.
When he offered you a spot in the Bloodline, you had accepted immediately. Letās just say it wasnāt for reasons the leader of the Bloodline would have liked.
Your best friend was under the Tribal Chiefās thumb; he had no freedom, no will of his own. Seeing him in that state broke your heart, but you knew if you didnāt make an effort to āfall in line,ā you would never see your best friend again.
So, you acknowledged Roman.
The rest was history from there. You had the groupās complete trust. Much of your time with the group consisted of one of two things: you were brightening everyoneās mood, or you were defending the rest of the Bloodline against Roman.
Roman didnāt treat you like he did his cousins or Paul Heyman; rather, he treated you as competent and intelligent. You figured that because you had served as Jimmy and Jeyās manager for years, you had proved your worth.
Whatever the reason, you took full advantage of it. As much as you may have not liked the guy, you found yourself frequently sticking up for Heyman; his jealousy of you was clear as day. You also aided Jimmy and Jey when they needed it.
For awhile, being in the Bloodline wasā¦ fun. You hated to admit it, but being on top of the world ignited a sense of ego within you. Too bad for you, your time in the Bloodline was as joyful as it was painful.
Many nights were spent comforting Jey as he sobbed into your shoulder. He wouldnāt dare reveal his feelings to his brother or Heyman, and especially not to Roman. He had too much of a mind to do that.
Everyone was hurting ā you knew that. You also knew that you couldnāt stand against Roman from the outside, so you instead focused your attention on the inside.
Parties were your speciality. Whenever you felt that morale was dropping, you would pull a night of fun out of thin air. Good thing it had always been easy for you to be spontaneous. Structure was nice and all, but your ability to improvise proved the most useful.
When Sami Zayn had approached the group, his āinitiationā was quite unlike yours. While you had been accepted almost immediately, Samiās journey was filled with trials and tribulations.
Jimmy had been the first to accept him into the group, with you following close behind. Why wouldnāt you have? Not only had Sami proved loyal, he was just someone you liked having around.
When he eventually joined the group, Solo also liked having Sami around. Hell, even Roman seemed to like the guy. Unlike everyone else, however, Jey didnāt. It was no secret that Jey despised Sami.
This led to an in-ring confrontation that Roman forced Jey and Sami to have. You stood on the sidelines, staying as silent as possible.
āSo, uh, look, Iāll be honest; I donāt understand whatās going on here. I... I like you! Man, I like you; Iāve always liked you! And weāve always gotten along, and ever since I started hanging out with the Bloodline, I donāt know what it is, but you justā¦ canāt seem to stand me, and I donāt understand it! Everybody- Jimmy seems fine, Solo seems fine, Y/N seems fine!ā he gestured to each of you; you gave him a thumbs-up. āEverybody seems fine, just you, and I donāt know what I did to offend you, I really donāt, but whatever it is, Iām sorry, okay? Iām sorry! I just donāt want this to keep going on like this anymore.ā
The crowd erupted in applause. Sami continued, āOkay? So, what- thank you,ā he addressed Paul Heyman, who had patted him on the back. āSeriously, whateverā¦ whateverā¦ whatever I did, Iām sorry. Can we just be cool? Can we justā¦ can we bury the hatchet once and for all?ā
Offering his hand, Sami stood there waiting, but Jey you knew your best friend better than that. Like you figured, Jey wasnāt too receptive to Samiās apology.
āSami, you got about two seconds to get that out my face,ā he threatened. Enraged, he continued, āI donāt like you! Huh? I donāt like your hair, I donāt like your face, I donāt like that shirt you wear! Hey hey, I donāt like him being around my family every single week! My dog this, my dog that! Hey,ā he whipped around to face Sami, āhow you think youāre part of the Bloodline, if you aināt blood?!ā
Shocked and hurt, you narrowed your eyes at Jey.
Jey didn't notice, and he kept ranting. āHey hey hey! Newsflash for you, Sami: you never will be, Uce! You donāt belong here! Donāt nobody in this group like you; Iām just the realist one to say it out loud ā youāre a fake ass Uce!ā
Sami looked crushed, but Jey didnāt stop. āYou know what the difference between you and me is? I shed blood for every single one of my family members in here, because itās my family! Not yours! Huh?! Would you do it? Will you?!ā he demanded. āIām asking you a question! Will-ā
āWhy- Why are you yelling at me, huh?!ā Sami shouted. āWhy are you yelling at me ā Iām trying to make peace! The Tribal Chief says, he wants peace!ā
āMan I donāt give a damn what the Tribal Chief say!ā
~~~~~~~~~~~~
āSo I donāt belong here, huh?ā
Jey took a moment to process your question, before he spat, āYou know damn well that aināt what I meant!ā
āOh, I do, yeah? What you said sounded pretty cut and dry!ā you fumed.
Jey scoffed. āOut of everyone, I thought my best friend would understand!ā He turned, refusing to look you in the eye.
āJey, I get it, okay?ā you stressed, your tone softening. āI do understand why youāre acting like this, but Jey, Samiās proven his loyalty time and time again. If anyone should be accepted into the Bloodline, itās him!ā you argued. Jey shook his head in disbelief.
āCome on, Y/N! You donāt mean that shit!ā
āPlease, Jey. Letās just sit with Sami and talk about this,ā you begged.
āJust drop it!ā he commanded. āI donāt wanna listen to this shit!ā
Gritting your teeth, you spat, āFine! We can continue when you decide not to be such an asshole. Until then, I donāt want to see you!ā
With that, you turned on your heel and stormed away.
āY/N, come on!ā Jey pleaded.
You chose not to respond, instead increasing your speed. Eventually, you came to an isolated part of the arena. Letting out a heavy sigh, you buried your face in your hands. Your attention was piqued when you heard footsteps coming from the direction you came.
āI told you, I donāt-ā you cut yourself off when you saw who it was. Embarrassment made your face hot. āOhā¦ hi Sami.ā
āHey,ā he grinned. āSorry if I surprised you, that wasnāt my intention.ā
āNah, youāre good,ā you dismissed. Leaning against the wall, you said, āThat was quite a stunt you pulled.ā
Sami scratched the back of his neck. āWell, umā¦ it worked, didnāt it?ā
You nodded. āIt did,ā you looked away, āand Iā¦ thanks for pulling Jey out of the fire.ā
āYeahā¦ yeah, it was no problem! I mean, family sticks up for each other, right?ā he asked.
āThey do,ā you agreed. āToo be honest, Samiā¦ā you hesitated for a moment, āthatās typically my position.ā
āWhat do you mean?ā
You sighed, āWellā¦ Romanās got a temper, you know?ā
Sami nodded. You explained further: āSee, sometimesā¦ he scares me. I donāt want my friends to get hurt, so I, umā¦ placate him. I know what he wants to hear.ā
Sami didnāt say anything. Anxiety rushed through you. You made a mistake. Why would you ever think it was a good idea to tell Sami anything? He was at Romanās beck and call!
But Sami did something that surprised you. He rested a gentle hand on your shoulder, and stated, āDonāt worry, Iāll help any way I can.ā
āIā¦ thanks,ā you whispered, looking down at your feet. āJeyā¦ Jeyās my best friend. I love him with all my heartā¦ this meant the world to me. Iāmā¦ very grateful for you.ā
There was a moment of silence, before Sami questioned, āCan Iā¦ Can I ask you something?ā
āSure,ā you shrugged. āWhat is it.ā
He pursed his lips into a line. āYou, uhā¦ donāt view Jey as just a friend, do you?ā
āWhat?ā you stammered. āWhat do you mean? Thatās ridiculous!ā Attempting to hide your nervousness, you laughed, but Sami wasnāt fooled. You sighed, āOkayā¦ okay, fine. Yeah, maybe I do.ā
āItās nothing to be ashamed of,ā Sami assured. āI wonāt say anything, I promise.ā
You smiled. āThank you.ā
Sami took your hand. āWe should return to the others. I know Jey feels bad about all this. Heās probably itching to apologize.ā
You giggled, āYeah, we should.ā
Jey did end up apologizing, and things went back to the way they were. Even better, after WarGames, Sami and Jey were finally on the same page. Everything seemed to be looking up!
Well, almost everything.
Kevin Owens was still a thorn in Romanās side. If he was a problem for Roman, then he was a problem for the whole Bloodline. Around this point, you could tell the manās paranoia was rising, especially when it came to Sami.
More than once you had to come to Samiās defense. Roman calmed down and listened to you each time, but you couldnāt help but wonder how much longer you could keep convincing him.
As Romanās paranoia increased, your patience decreased. At this point, you were becoming ever more dissatisfied with your place in the Bloodline.
The Royal Rumble soon arrived; before his match with Kevin, you and Roman discussed a plan. Well, too be honest, it was more you rambling away while Roman sat in silence.
āI still think itās a good idea to have the twins out there,ā you stated. āWho knows if Kevin has some friends in high places? We canāt be too cautious. Itā¦ would alsoā¦ā
You trailed off upon noticing Romanās face. The man seemed inattentive; as if he were thinking of everything but what you were talking about. Pursuing your lips into a line, you waited for him to speak.
When he did, it wasnāt remotely about your plan. Instead, he asked, āWhat do you think of Kevin Owens?ā
āHeās a formidable opponent,ā you shrugged. āKevin will go great lengths to get what he wants; you have first-hand experience with that. Why do you ask?ā
āBesides my Wiseman, youāre my closest confidant,ā Roman stated, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. āI want your opinion.ā
You sighed, āWith all due respectā¦ you say that, but I feel as if youāre ignoring me.ā
From the corner of your eye, you saw Paul Heyman cover his mouth in shock. Besides him, you and Roman were alone.
You fought the urge to roll your eyes. With your patience thinning, Roman wasnāt going to sit and blatantly ignore you, and then lie to your face.
Still, you knew better than to make your anger clear.
āApologies,ā Roman said. āThereās a lot on my mind. I should be paying better attention.ā
You shrugged. āItās alright, I understand.ā
Asshole.
Roman sat forward in his seat. āWhat do you mean by friends in high places?ā
āIf youāre suggesting that I mean Sami, I donāt,ā you stated.
Roman cocked an eyebrow. āWhy would you assume Iām talking about Sami?ā
āWellā¦ā you hesitated, āThings havenāt been theā¦ most harmonious between the two of you. Itās been like this even before the Tribal Court; I raised my one up because Sami has proven that he will go to bat for those he cares aboutā¦ that means us.ā
āI seeā¦ā Roman nodded. āSpeaking of Sami, did you know about Jeyās plan?ā
You shook your head. āNo. I had no idea. If Iām being honestā¦ I believe it was a good plan.ā
He pondered that for a moment. āIt means a lot coming from you,ā Roman said. āThank you for your input. I can always rely on you.ā
āThank you.ā
You went to take your leave, but Roman spoke before you could. āI want you out there tonight.ā
Turning around, you questioned, āWhat? Why me?ā
āYouāre the brains of this operation. As such, you should be on the field; itās only fair.ā
āIā¦ Yes. Yes, of course Iāll be out there.ā
You wished nothing more that you hadnāt been.
As a beaten Kevin Owens laid in the ring, the Bloodline began delivering the beatdown on him. Sickening attacks were dealt to Kevin one by one; they increased with intensity every passing second.
You stood on the ring apron, a million thoughts running through your mind. Everything became clear as the sobering reality hit you. This was wrong. You were wrong.
How could you have let this happen? How could you have sat there for years and done nothing? Were you still able to act? Should you stop this? Could you stop this?
They handcuffed Kevin to the ropes and continued laying into him. One kick. Another kick. One after the other.
What made you finally step into the ring was Roman raising a steel chair. You stepped between the ropes, preparing to act, but Sami beat you to it. He begged Roman to stop, pleading that this was beneath him, and that he didnāt have to do this.
For a moment, it seemed like Roman was listening; your heart sank once you realized his true plan. Extending his arm out, Roman waited for Sami to take the chair. He wasnāt asking anymore.
As expected, Sami hesitated. You fought the urge to turn away; you had to face the situation. When Sami didnāt act, Roman shoved his face, screaming at him.
That was the straw that broke the camelās back. āRoman, hey!ā you exclaimed, getting between him and Sami. āStop stop stop! Hey, hey! Thereās no need for this!ā You pleaded, clasping your hands together. āWe can just go into the back, and leave Kevin out here! Thereās no need for this ā please stop!ā
Tears began to run down your face as you stayed glued to your spot. You couldnāt let this happen. This couldnāt happen!
Roman stared at you, before turning to Jey, commanding, āMove her.ā
Jey grabbed your arm; not enough to hurt, but enough to pull you away with no problem. You didnāt bother fighting against him. All hope was goneā¦ you knew what came next.
Squeezing your eyes shut, you turned away. The crack of a steel chair filled the air, and what followed was the sound of someone collapsing to the ring. The screaming came next.
You backed yourself into a corner. You opened your eyes, watching in horror as Jimmy Superkicked Sami right in the face. Digging your nails into the sides of your face, you couldnāt help as loud sobs escaped out. Shocking you, Roman looked as if he was having as big of a breakdown as you were.
Jimmy began laying into Sami, only for Solo to push him off and begin hitting Sami himself.
The Bloodline then turned their attention to Jey, who was in adjacent corner to you. He hadnāt acted the entire time. Instead of copying his familyās actions, he left the ring, crying. You watched after him, fighting to urge to join his escape.
Enraged, Roman hit Sami with the steel chair. Once. Twice. Three times. Without thinking, you acted ā you had to stop this.
A sharp pain jolted through your back as the chair came crashing down onto you. Roman stumbled back in horror as he realized what he had done; you had gotten in between the two men once more. Writhing in paint you collapsed to the ground, your previous cries becoming amplified.
The rest of the hour was a blur. Someone had pulled you away from the scene. You blinked, and you were backstage.
You left that building as soon as you could.
Time went by, with no one in the Bloodline hearing a word from you. You made your choice clear at Elimination Chamber, when you walked out side-by-side with the traitor. Guess that made you one, too.
So be it, then.
Much to your horror, Sami hadnāt managed to convince Jey to join the two of you; he fell right back into the same spot he had been in for the past two years.
On one episode of Smackdown, The Usosā music suddenly hit, with Jey walking down to the ring, angry. When he grabbed the mic, he demanded, āGet out here, Y/N!ā
When there was no response, he screamed, āI know your ass is back there! Come out and face me!ā
You did eventually. Expressionless, you contrasted Jey, whoās face held nothing but rage.
āHow could you do this to us?!ā he demanded, angry tears forming in his eyes. āHow could you do this to Jimmy?! To Solo?! To ME?! After everything we been through?! How could you do this to me?!ā
āJey,ā you pleaded, ālisten to me! If anything, I betrayed Roman, but itās hard to do that to someone who you were never truly loyal to in the first place!ā
āWhat? What the hell you talking about?!ā Jey began pacing in the ring.
āI was always loyal to you and Jimmy!ā you argued. āItās why I joined the Bloodline! Someone had to placate thatā¦ that son of a bitch! How many times did I pull your ass out of the fire?ā
āThat makes no damn sense! Youāre telling me you willingly joined alongside a man you hate?! Why?!ā
Your fingers tightened around your microphone. āDo you think heād ever let me see you? He held an iron grip on you! On Jimmy! I couldnāt let the most important people in my life suffer even more than they already had,ā you closed your eyes, taking a breath, āso, I joined. If I couldnāt stand against him outright, Iād stand against him in secret.ā
In disbelief, Jey slid his hands down his face. Nothing would have been better than to comfort him, to be able to convince him to finally join you and Sami.
Heartbroken, Jey muttered, āI was rightā¦ how is someone supposed to be part of the Bloodline if they aināt blood? Not only is Sami a fake ass Uce, but youāreā¦ youāreā¦ā Whatever Jey wanted to say, he couldnāt.
āListen to yourself!ā you exclaimed. āBesides Jimmy, whoās been there for you more than Sami and I? If anyone is right, itās Sami ā heās always been right! You wanted to get to Roman first, and it eats you up inside that you didnāt!ā
āDonāt,ā he warned, but you didnāt listen.
āNo, Jey! Romanās always been the bad guy here, you know this!ā you pleaded. āYou talk about family, but family doesnāt do what Roman does! You shouldnāt have to sit in constant fear that youāll be kicked out of the family! You shouldnāt have to be treated like second-class!ā
You stepped closer to him. āHe doesnāt love you! Jimmy loves you! Solo loves you! Sami loves you!-ā
āSami donāt love me!ā he screamed, āand you sure as hell donāt!ā
āIāve been in love with you for years!ā
Jeyās eyes widened. While the anger faded away, the confusion and grief didnāt. āā¦what?ā
āI said Iāve been in love with you for years! Is that what you want to hear?! I love you! I love you so much, Jey!ā Tears began to run down your face as your tone raised in volume. āDo you know how much itās pained me to have to sit and watch the man I love be treated like heās worthless? Like he means nothing?! Jey, you mean everything to me! I love you!ā
Stunned into silence, Jey couldnāt find anything to say. You wiped your eyes, asking quietly, āDo youā¦ do you know what I would give to see you smile again? To see you trulyā¦ happy?ā
While he raised the mic to his lips, Jey lowered it again almost immediately. A number of emotions flashed throughout his face in only a few seconds.
āAt Wrestlemaniaā¦ this comes to an end. Thereās still time for you to make the right choice. Please, Jey,ā you begged, āyou donāt have to do this. You can come with meā¦ā
Instead of giving an answer, Jey kept his eyes glued to the floor. He was crying at this point, and guilt overcame you. Unable to find anything more to say, you left the ring.
You had never hated Roman Reigns more than in that moment.
A Game of Chance! | Part 1: Seriously, Whatās the Worst that Can Happen?
Pairing: Seth Rollins x Reader x Austin Theory
Summary: After over a year away from the business, you decide that screw it, itās time to make a return; you have the support of your closest friends to help you along the way. Whatās the worst that can happen?
There are a few general warnings in this story. Our main character is melancholic. She has struggles with self-image, depression, anxiety, etc etc. Sheās just like me fr. But in all seriousness, if you are triggered by things like self-hatred, s/h, or anything of the sort, I recommend you stay away for your own safety.
Warnings for this part are a mental breakdown, language, and a mention of taking opiates for an injury.
Strong language will always be a common thing in my stories!
This is kayfabe compliant!
If you want to be added to the taglist, let me know!
Please enjoy!
A year is supposed to be a long time, but to you, it seemed like just yesterday you had left WWE. Life had always been little more than a blur to you. Remembering what you had to eat yesterday was a challenge, but even you were surprised at the nonchalance you began to feel toward the business.
That all changed when early September 2022 rolled around. Even after avoiding the show like the plague, something ā you didnāt know what ā made you turn on Raw. Your eyes remained glued to the T.V. as the program continued to run.
You began to realize just how much your apartment walls seemed to close in on you; just how isolated you felt. Your shitty apartment wasnāt comparable to long drives on the road with an open window and the night air chilling your skin.
You stared at her cell phone on the coffee table, processing your options. After some thought, you grabbed it off the table, unlocked it, and went to your messages, clicking on the first option.
The last time you had talked to this person was almost three weeks go. Guilt churned in your stomach. Pushing it down, you began to type your message.
Hey.
A couple minutes later, a message popped up on your screen.
Hi, how are you?
Iām fine. What about you?
Everythingās mostly okay. Work can get on my nerves a bit, but overall, nothing I canāt handle.
Thatās good.
You paused between messages.
Can I talk to you about something?
Yeah, sure, anything.
Can I call you?
A few moments later, your phone began to ring. You picked up and put it on speaker, setting it down on the table.
āHey, is everything okay?ā a male voice on the other end questioned.
āMostly. Thereās just something on my mind.ā
āWhat is it?ā
You took a deep breath. Were you actually ready for this? Having to force the words out of your mouth should have been a good indication that maybe you werenāt. Perhaps it was just nerves. Either way, you eventually decided, āI think I wanna come back.ā
There was a pause, before the man asked, āAre you sure?ā
āIā¦ I donāt know, honestly. Wrestling took a toll on my body, and I donāt feel like going on opiates again. My leg was fucked for way too long.ā You sighed. āProblem is, I miss the business. There are other things besides being in the ring that I love.ā
āThere are other positions.ā
You blinked. āWhat are you suggesting?ā
āWell, thereās always a spot as an official. I wouldnāt mind having some extra help around the place.ā
Your eyes widened. āReally? Youād do that for me?ā
āThatās what friends are for.ā
Unable to contain your joy, a grin appeared on your face. āThanks, Adam. You donāt know how much this means.ā
āItās no problem. Iāll talk to management, and get back to you as soon as possible.ā
āIā¦ Adam, thank you so much.ā
With that, the two of you wished each other well and ended the call. You leaned back on your couch with a new sense of newfound excitement. For the first time in a long time, you felt like you had something to look forward to ā that only lasted for a brief moment. As soon as those feelings of optimism arose, so did anxiety and fear.
You were making a mistake. You werenāt ready. You werenāt ready! Fuck, why did you think you were ready?!
Without thinking, you grabbed one of your couch pillows and chucked it at the wall. āFuck!ā you exclaimed, burying your face in your hands. Damnit, damnit, damnit!
āCalm downā¦ā you mumbled to yourself. āGet a grip ā get a damn grip!ā
Getting a grip was harder than it looked. You didnāt know why you were panicking so much; you wanted this, right? Or was it just a spur-of-the-moment decision? Yeah, it was probably that.
It was too late, the decision had been made. Part of you wanted to back out, but you shoved those thoughts aside. Now or never, you figured.
Now or never.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
āY/N?!ā
No sooner when you turned around that you were engulfed in a big hug. You stumbled back, the sudden weight of the person threatening to send you both to the floor.
āHey, Johnny,ā you greeted, patting him on the back. He pulled away, resting his hands on your shoulders.
āItās good to see you! What are you doing here?ā he questioned excitedly.
āWellā¦ Iām coming back,ā you stated. Johnnyās eyes widened.
āComing back? As in coming back to WWE? Thatās great!ā he exclaimed.
āIt wonāt be as a wrestler, though,ā you said. āIām taking on a position as an official.ā
āHey, if thatās what you think is best, Iāll support you 100%,ā Johnny assured.
You smiled. āI wanted this to be a surprise,ā you added, āwhich is why I didnāt tell you anything.ā
Johnny nodded in understanding. āI am indeed surprised.ā You were grateful that he wasnāt upset.
Looking around, you asked, āWhereās Candice?ā
āOh, right! I would imagine sheād want to see you,ā Johnny said, motioning for you to follow him. āSheās this way. Wonāt she be in for a shock!ā
And she was. Candice reacted like Johnny, only she didnāt almost knock you to the floor. You also got to say hello to Dexter Lumis, who gave you a thumbs up when you explained that you were returning.
āIām still so unsure about this,ā you admitted. āItās been over a year. I donāt know if Iāll be able to handle it ā mentally, I mean.ā
āHey,ā Candice put a reassuring hand on your shoulder, āyou got this! Do you know when youāre scheduled to return?ā
You nodded. āTonight.ā
āTonight?!ā Johnny exclaimed.
āLike I said, I wanted it to be a surprise.ā
āWe better get ready, then,ā Candice said. āIām heading over to the makeup department right now. Do you want to come with?ā
āY/N? Wearing makeup?ā Johnny sputtered. āWeād be putting the staff in danger.ā
You deadpanned. āYouāre lucky I like you.ā You knew he had a point, and after thinking about it for a little bit, you shrugged, stating, āThereās no harm in wearing it for one day. Itās my return, after all.ā
Johnny blinked. āWho are you and what did you do to Y/N?ā
Rolling her eyes, Candice said, āWe should get going if we want to be done in time.ā
You nodded in agreement, and after waving goodbye to the two men, you and Candice headed toward the makeup department. Even if you were partially overjoyed, the other half of you felt bleak. There was something missing.
Candice mustāve noticed, for she asked, āAnything you want to talk about?ā
You sighed, āI was hoping to see Indi. I also saw what happened with Austin. I wasā¦ also looking forward to seeing him, butā¦ yeah.ā
Candice didnāt say anything, but she did nod. You chose not to continue the discussion. Once the two of you arrived to the makeup department, you chose a simple look for the artists to do. Natural makeup was the only kind you ever wore.
Candice started conversation with Bianca Belair. Silence was your choice of the night. Head filled with racing thoughts, you tried to piece them together. It was almost surreal to be back.
You left as quickly as possible, heading off to find Adam Pearce. Once you arrived at his office, doubt quickly came in. You stared at the door in front of you, your fist frozen in the air. After taking a deep breath, you knocked.
"Come in," a voice on the other side called. You opened the door; Adam looked up at you, and a smile appeared on his face when he did.
"Y/N!" he greeted, standing up and walking around his desk. "It's great to see you." He went to shake your hand, but you brought him into a hug instead.
"Hey, Adam," you said, pulling away with a smile. Adam raised his eyebrows.
"A hug and a smile?" he gawked. "Who are you and what did you do to Y/N?"
Y/N rolled her eyes playfully. "You know Johnny said the same thing? What? Can't I be excited to see my friend and be back at work?"
"I guess you can," Adam shrugged, before he looked at you with concern. "Speaking of being back at work, are you sure you're alright starting right away?"
You nodded. "It won't be a problem," you assured. At least, you hoped it wouldnāt be.
"Great! I wish we could stay and talk, but the show has already begun,ā Adam said. āWeāre on first.ā
You nodded. āWe should get going then.ā
Your heart was pounding in your chest, but you tried to ignore it. Sweat collected on your forehead, but you paid it no attention. Your hands began to shake, but you steadied them.
You were ready. You were ready. You had to be ready.
Summary: You finally get to go on a date with the man of your dreams.
We got some overthinking in this chapter! I tried to materialize how my thoughts bounce off the walls and go to the worst possible outcome, and idk if I did a good job or not haha.
As always, language will probably be used!
Yay, Iām back with part 9! School has been a little bit of a bitch, but weāre good now! Iām excited for this part, as Cody and the reader finally go on a date! Theyāre eating at Olive Garden. Iām sorry if you donāt like Olive Garden š
This chapter is pretty short. Letās just say the writerās block hit me in this one.
This is kayfabe compliant!
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Please enjoy! š„°
You woke up to a dimly lit room, the curtains still covering the windows. Yawning, you turned over to face the nightstand by the bed and picked up your phone. Your eyes widened after reading the time: 2:03 P.M.
You sat up abruptly and looked around the room. The first thing you searched for was your jacket, which was hanging up on the coat rack. The second thing you searched for was Cody, who was nowhere to be found. At first, you thought he left for good, but that couldnāt have be true, since Codyās things were still in the room.
Panic set in. Where did he go? When did he leave? Did someone find him? Something bad happened. They found him. The Bloodline knew, and they wereā
No, that was absolutely ridiculous. It was absurd.
Cody was fine. He was fine. He was probably just out at the gym or out with friends. Everything was fine!
But what if he wasnāt?
You shook your head.
āHeās fineā¦ā you whispered. Barely able to soothe yourself, you leaned back down into bed and stared at the ceiling. You closed your eyes. Sweat collected on your forehead; your breathing became shallow.
The sound of the door opening broke you from your thoughts. Sitting back up, you immediately rubbed your eyes as new light entered the room. Cody walked in, smile on his face.
āHey, you feeling better?ā
You took a few seconds to nod. āYeah. Whereād you go?ā
āThe gym,ā he answered, closing the door. He sat down on the other bed. āDid you sleep okay?ā
You shrugged. Anxiety still consumed you, and you struggled to push it down and replace it with nonchalance. āPretty good,ā you said, managing to keep your voice from shaking. āWhy didnāt you wake me up?ā
Cody shrugged. āI figured Iād let you sleep. You deserve it.ā
You nodded. āThanks,ā you said. You stood up from the bed and crouched down to open your suitcase. āIām gonna shower and get dressed. Thanks for staying the night.ā
āIt was no problem,ā Cody assured. āAlso, can I ask you something?ā
Beginning to dig through your suitcase, you answered, āSure, go ahead.ā
Cody didnāt respond right away. When he did, he seemed hesitant, and he asked, āI know itās kind of late, but do you want to go out for lunch?ā
You raised and eyebrow, turning around to face him. āAre you asking me out right now?ā
He didnāt look you in the eye, instead focusing on the wall. āOnly if you want,ā he said, voice quiet.
āYou seem nervous,ā you stated. You werenāt mocking him ā you just couldnāt believe it.
āA little bit,ā he admitted, grinning. āI honestly didnāt think itād be this difficult.ā
You smiled. āIād love to go out with you. Iām thinking Olive Garden?ā
Whatever panic you had before was completely gone. You were nothing but overjoyed! Finally, you and the man of your dreams was going out! Somehow, you kept your excitement mostly internal, and kept only a small smile on your face.
āOlive Garden sounds nice,ā Cody said.
āGreat!ā you exclaimed. āIām gonna get ready. Canāt wait!ā
For the first time in a long time, you felt truly optimistic.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Although you feared that the date would be awkward, it was anything but. Cody and you talked for hours, but for you, it felt like only minutes.
You were laughing so hard that you couldnāt get your words out. āAnd then,ā you managed to say, āwhen I go to bounce off the ropes, I trip over my own feet and land right on my face!ā
Cody joined you in laughter. Truthfully, the story wasnāt even that funny, but you were in such a good mood that the slightest thing could make you laugh.
Still, there was something burning in your mind.
āYou know,ā you began, āIā¦ I never expected you to actually be into me,ā you admitted.
āWhy do you say that?ā he asked.
You laughed. āTo be honest, if I were in your position, Iād view me as some lovesick idiot.ā
Cody chuckled, āI donāt view you like that at all. No one ever said these things would be easy. I mean, did you see me earlier?ā
āYeah,ā you nodded, āand it surprised me. Youāre normally soā¦ sure of yourself. You radiate confidence. Thatāsā¦ thatās why fell for you as hard as I did, honestly.ā
You waited for him to respond, but he didnāt, signaling to you to keep talking. āImagine being able to walk into a room and just command the place. You can shove any adversary aside. Iā¦ I wish I was like you in that sense.ā
āDonāt discredit yourself,ā he reprimanded gently. You sighed. At the end of the day, you knew he was right; still, you couldnāt shake away what you were feeling.
Part of you wanted to tell him more; you wanted to tell him about how you felt earlier. You knew he wouldnāt judge you ā he wouldāve done that by now.
āHowā¦ā you swallowed, trying to collect your words, āhow do youā¦ how do you actually feel about me?ā
You forced yourself to look him in the eye. Cody mulled it over, and it was him to break eye contact first.
āTruthfully? I think youāre a great person. Youāre thoughtful, capable, passionateā¦ someone who reminds me what Iām fighting for.ā
āIā¦ thank you. Iā¦ I think I want to try andā¦ and make this work. What do you say? How aboutā¦ how about another date?ā
Cody grinned. āIād love that.ā
Your heart couldāve seized in your chest. That sealed the deal; there was no going back now ā not that you were complaining. In that moment, you made up your mind. Elation and fear equally consumed you.
On one hand, you were terrified of what Roman could do. If he physically saw the two of you together, you knew he was fully capable of fulfilling his promise to you. Just the image of such a thing made you sick to your stomach.
On the other hand, it was clear now that Cody was attracted to you, and wanted to pursue a relationship. Even if you were afraid, you werenāt going to let Roman stop you. If you wanted to be happy with the man you adored, you wouldnāt let him come between you.
Fear did not control you. Roman did not control you.
āYou donāt know how happy I am right now,ā you said, wiping joyous tears from your eyes.
Before he could respond, your phone began to ring. Taking it out, you looked down at the caller I.D. āItās Sami,ā you stated. āIāll be right back. Donāt go anywhere.ā you teased.
You headed toward the bathrooms, and once there, you answered the call.
āHey, Sami,ā you greeted. āIs everything okay?ā
āI need to tell you something,ā he stated. The tone of his voice caused a rush of anxiety to pass through you. Whatever he wanted to say, it couldnāt be good.
āGo on.ā
Sami didnāt answer right away. When he did, he sighed out, āIām going to have to confront Jimmy. If thereās any chance that I can, I have to take it. Iāll be on Smackdown on Friday.ā
āOkay,ā you nodded, āthatās understandable. Iāll join you.ā
āY/N,ā Sami hesitated, āI donāt want you to be there.ā
āWhat? What do you mean?ā you demanded. You couldnāt believe what you were hearing.
āYour dinner with Reigns got out to the roster; no doubt Paul Heyman said something. The Judgement Day would be my best guess. Nobody knows that weāre working together, except for Cody.ā
āYouāre not serious, Sami!ā you exclaimed. āThis is my fight, too! If I want to show up to Smackdown, Iāll show up!ā
āWe canāt have it getting out that weāre working together ā not yet, at least. The more we can keep it a secret, the better you-ā
āYou want to have opportunities where Reigns will let his guard down. Heād never do that ā not after what transpired yesterday. Besides, Iām almost certain heād go after Cody before heād go after you.ā
āDoubtful. He hates me more than anyone.ā
You rolled your eyes. āFine, whatever,ā you snapped, āthen donāt come to Raw.ā
āOkay,ā Sami agreed immediately, surprising you.
āThat easy?ā you asked.
āYeah, itās only fair. I wonāt come to Raw, and you wonāt come to Smackdown.ā
Begrudgingly, you agreed. āDeal.ā
Not bothering to listen to him further, you hung up the call. Anger left a scowl on your face, something that Cody picked up on once you returned.
āEverything okay?ā he asked. You shrugged.
āYeah, itās fine,ā you answered, voice flat and holding obvious resentment. āWe should go.ā
To your relief, Cody chose not to ask any questions, instead nodding in agreement, and the two of you left after paying.
For Samiās sake, you hoped whatever he was playing at would end in his favor.
