A/N: Excuse the corny name, I decided Dean would live in a Duplex and couldn't help myself 0:). Lots of ideas in the works but I had to get something going for WWE's newest it-couple, and was feeling a slow burn with these two. Set in a slight AU where Renee doesn't work for WWE but for cable news and where wrestling is for real, mostly. Also where Dean Ambrose is a much more forgiving friend, but that's for later ;)

XXX

January 2013

"So when are you going to let us bring you into the WWE?" Brie said with a little laugh as she leaned back on the cushy sectional.

"Oh my god, Brianna, leave her alone," Nikki called from the kitchen, "she literally just got the new gig, and this great new place,"

"Um I don't think that's what literally means, Nicole,"

"I didn't-"

"Guys!" Renee cut them off before the bickering got out of control. She handed Brie a glass of wine and sat down across the sofa from her. "I will call you next time I'm unemployed, okay?"

"I could've done it last time," Brie reminded her.

"I know, but I love Philly, and I felt like something was coming," she picked a chip off of the platter that Nikki brought over, "and now I have my dream job."

"See Brie, she's doing pretty well for herself all on her own."

"This place is really nice," Brie admitted. "And no roommates."

"And no roommates," Renee nodded through a mouthful of chips and guac. "I mean it's fine I'm just at a point where I'm like, I don't wanna deal with someone else's dishes, you know?"

"Yeah I definitely do," Nikki rolled her eyes.

"Oh, shut up."

"It'd be nice to have like, a boyfriend to move in with, but that wasn't happening."

"You dating right now?" Nikki asked, sipping on her wine.

"Not really, Work's been an adjustment."

"Yeah, I bet,"

"It's what I wanted, though, to be working six nights a week, heading up a sports desk, being the name of a brand. It's everything I wanted, I just, I don't really have time for men right now."

Renee moved her long hair behind her ear. She had to admit that it was a little bit lonely in this beautiful one-bedroom. It was the first time she'd lived on her own in when…well, ever. She'd gone from her parents to college, where she spent most of that time sharing bathrooms with the Bellas, and then right after bouncing around roommate to roommate. For a most of the last five years, it'd been out of necessity. Reporters didn't exactly make a lot of money, and she'd been up to her eyeballs in J-school loans. But now that she had the new place all to herself, she realized how much she was just that, by herself.

"But no big deal," Renee shook her head, "the building is super friendly."

"Make some friends," Brie smiled.

"Meet some men," Nikki suggested, tipping her glass towards them.

Renee laughed, "alright, alright, enough. Pass the bottle." She reached out and Nikki passed her the wine to pour herself another glass. "What're you guys have going on at work?"

"Mostly Total Diva's stuff, honestly," Nikki shrugged.

"I mean that's why we did it in the first place," Brie said, "and it's really done a lot to help us get traction…"

"Just not necessarily matches."

"It'll happen for you girls," Renee tilted her head, "but I do not envy you."

"We'll pull you in yet," Brie teased.

"Yeah, right."

XXX

Driving back from work the next day, Renee hummed along to the radio. It was a rainy morning in the Philadelphia traffic and maybe it was just the weather, but she was in a bit of a gloomy mood. Seeing Nikki and Brie always made her smile, and she couldn't wait to see the two of them wrestling tonight, but it also reminded her how long she'd been since she'd talked to either one. Or any of their other friends from college, for that matter. It just kept getting away from her, every time she thought to herself to pick up the phone something came up. Everyone was busy and they all understood that. She just missed them.

The parking lot of the apartment building behind the Starbucks was fairly empty, most people were off to work or school by now. It made her day a little better at least to get the closest spot to the door. She pulled the hood of her puffer coat over her head and dug through her bag for her keys before making a run for it. Rounding the corner she tried to get the key into the front door as fast as possible in the freezing rain.

"Excuse me! Hey!" a scruffy voice came from behind her as she opened it. "Hold the door?"

A tall man was jogging after her with an English Bulldog on a leash. She recognized him from the building, she'd seen him once or twice yucking it up with the baristas next door or one of their other neighbors. He seemed to know everyone. Renee held the door for him and smiled at the puppy.

"There you go,"

"Thank you," he smiled, dimples showing and chomping on gum. His dirty blond hair stuck to his forehead.

"No problem," she looked back to the dog again, after all she talked to cute guys all the time. Cute dogs, now that was another thing. "Hi there bud,"

"Ha," he chuckled, following her into the elevator, "his name's Moxley,"

"Moxley! That's a nice name Moxley," she squatted down and gently pet his head.

"And uh," he cleared his throat, "I'm Dean,"

"Hey, Renee," she laughed, smiling up at him.

"I don't think I've seen you around here before Renee,"

"Just moved in, actually."

"Aw, welcome to the neighborhood. You gotta buddy up with Casandra at that Starbucks, she makes the best espresso I've ever had."

"Thanks," the elevator dinged and Renee stood up, "this is me. I'll see you around."

"Yeah, see ya,"

"Bye Moxley!"

XXX

Anytime WWE came through Philadelphia, the twins got Renee a backstage pass. She didn't really watch wrestling except for when they had big matches, so she'd much prefer hanging out backstage with them and their friends while the show took place on monitors. They were chatting with Brie's boyfriend, Daniel, while a match between two big dudes happened on the screen above them.

"So do you have to go in super early tomorrow again?" Brie asked her, leaning back against the wall in a sparkly red get-up that matched both her sister and her lips.

"Nah, that's just on Mondays when we do the early morning show. Tomorrow we film a bunch for the YouTube channel, Wednesday to Friday I have the sports desk at 6 and Saturdays we usually have big projects to work on."

"Pretty busy schedule," Daniel said earnestly and Renee laughed, tilting her head.

"It's not exactly yours," that wasn't what he had meant, but it was true. "But yeah, it's a lot. It's great though, really."

"Good co-workers?" he asked.

"Pretty nice,"

"Cute co-workers?" Nikki laughed.

"Uhh, there are a couple," Renee smirked and Daniel rolled his eyes as they laughed.

He caught sight of someone over Renee's shoulder and called, "hey Dean!"

One of the tall muscular guys stopped and reached out to shake Daniel's hand.

"How's it goin' man? Ladies?" He was dressed head to toe in black with a tactical vest that she honestly thought looked like it belonged in a costume shop. His hair was slicked back with gel, a gaudy championship belt sat across his waist, and a single stud earring sat in his right ear.

"You guys going out there?"

"Next segment, gotta teach the Big Guy a lesson if ya know what I mean."

"Dean and his friends play bad guys so they go around beating people up for fun," Nikki explained to Renee.

"It's not for fun, it's for justice, read the mission statement," he clacked on some gum and looked over at Renee. He paused, "you live in my building."

"Oh! You're the guy with the dog," she grinned at him and he gave her another one of his dimply smiles.

"Yeah, Dean,"

"I thought it was Moxley?"

"No, I'm Dean,"

"Wait, you two actually know each other?" Nikki asked, looking from one to the other.

"You have a dog?" asked Brie.

"You both are way off base," Daniel declared, "the important thing is you named your dog Moxley?"

"Yes, yes, and yes," Dean laughed, "he's a stray, followed me home a few weeks ago, still a pup. I'll show you pictures when I get my phone. Street dog and street dog, seemed appropriate."

"We ran into each other this morning," Renee nodded, "sorry, didn't recognize you in the, uh,"

"What this?" he looked down at himself and smirked, "can't imagine why. Alright, I gotta bounce or Seth's gonna have my head. Good seeing you guys, Renee,"

"Bye Dean," Nikki watched as he walked away and then rolled her eyes at Renee. "Not really thinking about men right now."

"I literally just met him, I don't know anything about him."

"What do you want to know?" Daniel offered.

"You'd just tell me?"

He shrugged, "I mean I don't know the guy's deepest, darkest secrets, but yeah. He made his way through the hardcore indie scene, known for big bloody spots. Always had a reputation for being a bit unpredictable but also really solid in the ring,"

"I don't think she cares about his wrestling rap sheet, Daniel," Brie laughed.

"What's he like?" she asked, finding herself genuinely interested in the mysterious man with the alter ego.

"Smarter than most give him credit for, probably because his risks aren't always the most calculated. Kept to himself for the most part until he partnered up with Roman and Seth, they're inseparable these days. He likes to play the front man out there but backstage he doesn't really have any interest in being a leader."

"Huh," she glanced up at the monitor, watching as Dean and two guys dressed just like him walked down the stands of the arena. "They always do that?"

"Yeah it's part of the act."

He hopped over the barricade with a cool smirk on his face. It was the polar opposite of the warm, dimpled smile he'd given her as he tried to introduce himself. She'd seen the girls wrestle for years, so she knew the whole performance aspect of it. But it made her chuckle to see his overzealous personality, confident as he clacked his gum and narrowed his eyes at his opponent. The guy out there didn't work to get a girl to remember his name, that was for sure.

The twins had a match right after him, so they left Renee on her own to make their entrance. She took a seat in front of the monitor to watch and scrolled through her phone.

"How's it goin?"

Renee looked up and smiled, "hey, again."

Dean smiled through his chewing gum. She had to admit, he was pretty cute. He sat down in the seat next to her, not waiting for an invitation.

"So you know the Bellas?"

"Yeah, we went to school in San Diego, worked together our first year."

"At Hooters?" he tilted his head.

She felt her cheeks flush and laughed, "yeah, at Hooters,"

"No shame," he said with a little smile, "one time I wrestled stone drunk just to pay the bills."

"Really?"

"Yeah, it was probably the dumbest thing I've ever done. But deathmatches pay pretty well for the indies."

"Deathmatches?" her eyes widened.

"They only lead to death if you're really, really bad at them." He grinned at her as she laughed nervously, "can I see that?"

"My phone?"

"Yeah, here," he gently pulled it from her hand, ignoring a raised eyebrow, "if you ever need anything," he started typing on the keypad, "you just call. I'm not home a lot, but I'll do what I can."

He smiled and handed it back to her, a new contact under Dean Ambrose added.

"So what," she teased, "you'll call me in three days?"

Dean shrugged and stood up, beginning to walk away, "I don't have your number."