A/N: Taken from the 2/25/11 Rosa v. Layla match.
*****'*****
CODE WORDS
Layla sat curled into the corner of the couch with her arms locked around her knees as she watched her most recent segment on the television. She looked small, smaller than usual, with defensive posture as if she were attempting to ward off a physical blow. Her fists clenched when on the screen Michelle climbed into the ring and the yelling began.
Michelle stood leaning against the door frame watching Layla watch the screen. She cringed seeing herself on the screen pull her hand out of reach of Layla's grasp, denying the contact and the implied apology it stood for, and felt her chest constrict at the look on Layla's face both on screen and in person.
"I don't like what they're doing to us, Chelle," Layla said quietly, obviously sensing Michelle's presence though she hadn't turned to look at her.
Michelle swallowed hard, once, and sighed. She stepped into the room, limping a little in her boot, and carefully took a seat beside her English counterpart. Carefully she put her arm along the back of the couch behind the smaller woman afraid that touching her just then wouldn't be welcome. "I don't either, Lay. But that's what they're giving us to work with."
Layla shook her head and hid her face against her knees. "I know," she murmured, the words muffled, "I know. And I hate it." She lifted her head and looked at Michelle directly, "What was so wrong with what we did before? We were happy! We made an excellent team, everyone could see that! And now they're looking to break us up! Over what? Eve getting the title? Stupid mistakes? Misunderstandings? Your damn boot in my face?"
"Hey!" Michelle protested that last one, "I wasn't kicking that hard!"
"Tell that to the tread marks I had to cover up," Layla shot Michelle a rueful grin taking the bite out of the words.
Michelle dropped her arm from the back of the couch and put it around Layla's shoulders, drawing her against her side, "I am sorry about that."
"I know, Chelle. Wasn't your fault." Layla sighed and allowed her head to find Michelle's shoulder. She uncurled her arms from around her legs and put her feet on the floor. Both of her hands reached for Michelle's free one and held tightly. "Why couldn't they have just left us be?"
Michelle kissed Layla's temple, "Because that would have been boring television, right? We were happy but they'd never have let us get near the title again, not as a team. And they didn't really have anyone we could fight as a team, so the next step was to have us fight each other."
"This is going to be painful," Layla sighed, "I don't like fighting with you, even if it is all for show."
"I know, Lay. I don't like it either," Michelle squeezed Layla a little tighter, "But it was this or not have any story line at all. And your acting out there is incredible. No one would guess from all our yelling that you come home with me every night. I'd hate to deny the audience the full range of your many skills."
"That's true. I am a fabulous actress," Layla grinned as Michelle laughed.
"And so humble, too," Michelle said fondly while rolling her eyes.
"I'm going to miss our on screen 'love fests' though," Layla said teasingly.
"Guess we'll just have to make up for lost time here at home," Michelle replied suggestively, pulling Layla with her as she laid back on the cushions.
Layla adjusted herself until she lay comfortably on top of the tall blonde, her arms wrapping effortlessly around Michele's waist. She looked up into Michelle's eyes and smiled a little before stealing a brief kiss. Michelle made a small sound of protest when Layla pulled away too soon. "We should come up with some code words for in the ring when we do fight."
Michelle grinned, "Like what?"
"Oh, I dunno," Layla said, "Like I've a feeling one or both of us will be using 'bitch' quite a bit talking at each other in the ring, so let's say it really means 'I love you and this whole thing is stupid and ridiculous'."
Michelle chuckled, "That's a lot of meaning for such a small word."
"Bitch," Layla mumbled into Michelle's neck making her laugh and tickle Layla's sides. Through laughter of her own Layla managed to wheeze out, "See, it even works at home!"
Michelle stopped tickling Layla and hugged her tightly instead, rocking them side to side, "Okay, okay. We'll use your code words, but we've got to come up with some better than that and a lot more than just one. You know they'll draw this out as long as they can so we'll be having lots of confrontations. They'll probably bring up our history too and how you seduced me to the dark side," Michelle continued, her voice turning a little mocking at the end.
"Yeah, well," Layla said primly, "Someone had to make the first move and it sure wasn't going to be you, what with you being a proper Southern lady and all."
Michelle scoffed at Layla's affected Southern accent, entirely amused, "I was a face at the time, too, you'll remember."
"Of course," Layla agreed mock solemnly, "And you couldn't be seen cavorting with the enemy."
"But your powers of seduction were too strong for my delicate sensibilities," Michelle flipped her hand up and lay it across her forehead while closing her eyes to assume the fainting position made popular by soap operas everywhere. She popped one eye open to see Layla biting her lip in amusement and continued in a deadpan voice, "You also had cookies. And I love cookies."
Layla didn't stop her laughs this time as the pealed out of her and filled the room. When she calmed enough to speak she joked, "Oatmeal raisin will be the death of you."
"But what a way to go!" Michelle grinned and craned up to get a little sugar which Layla willingly gave.
"Mm," Layla rolled off of Michelle and stood. "Speaking of food, I'm starving and it's your turn to cook," she left a stunned Michelle flat on the couch as she sauntered out of the room.
Michelle's huffed but happy "bitch" was met with laughter and Layla's voice calling back from the direction of their kitchen, "Love you, too, Chelle!"
THE END
*****'*****
A/N: They're hurting my heart with all the tension and the sad faces and the arguments. I don't like it when my favorite ladies are on the outs. Please review.