Prologue
"Adapt or perish, now as ever, is nature's inexorable imperative."
—H.G. Wells
Seth stumbles backstage and doesn't get farther than the locker room door before the entire room explodes into applause and cheers. Startled, he reels back and manages only in bumping into Randy, whose hands dart out to rest on his hips and steady his shaky steps. Flushing slightly, Seth grins back at the older man before turning to face the rest of the locker room as the full weight of the last few minutes settles on his shoulders. Even though they had planned for that moment for weeks on end, he's still nervous and shaky and he can still feel the disbelief from the crowd even though he can no longer hear them. But he did as he was told, and the Shield is no more. Just remembering the moment of standing above Roman and Dean laid out on the mat makes his knees weak and his head ache; he tried his hardest and he has no idea how it came out in the end. From his angle, things seemed to go okay and he can only hope he did exactly as Hunter and Randy wanted him to do so they could pull all of this off.
Wade Barrett is the first one to step forward, gripping Seth's gloved hand tightly and giving his arm a firm shake, an incorrigible smile spreading across his handsome face. "You did amazing out there, Rollins. Didn't think you had it in you to turn to the dark side. Congratulations on being the heel who just stole the territory right from under the rest of us."
"Um, thanks?" Seth's words come out in a half-squeak and Barrett laughs in response.
As soon as he steps back, though, Heath Slater is there and picking Seth up off of his feet, spinning him around before setting him down again. Not that he spends much time on his feet before Drew McIntyre hefts him far more easily and crushes him in an embrace that knocks the wind out of him and he's sure makes his ribs grind together. But he's known the two of them for a long time and laughs as he hugs back, tears stinging the backs of his eyes. He's still nervous enough to admit he wants to puke, but at least everyone seems to be in support of him.
"You've made heels cool again," McIntyre informs him. "Thank fucking Christ for that."
The locker room door swings open again and Dean shoves everyone out of the way, tackling Seth to the floor but somehow landing him gently on the concrete. "Sethy, you fucking did it! You kicked our asses all over that ring and the crowd was going insane."
"You think?" Seth asks, biting his lower lip as he peers up into Dean's glittering blue eyes. Pinned to the floor by Dean's weight, there isn't much else he can do but look at him.
Roman is there a breath later, shoving Dean off of him and hefting Seth back up to his feet before pressing a bruising kiss to his lips. The locker room goes off again and Seth feels heat flood his cheeks as he wraps his fingers in Roman's long, dark locks. "You were amazing out there," Roman whispers, his deep voice sending chills along Seth's spine. "I'm so proud of you."
"Thanks, Roe," Seth whispers, and then the door swings open again.
When Roman lets him go, Seth wants to protest and then stops when he realizes Hunter is standing in front of him, shrugged out of his suit jacket and the tie is gone. Good. He looks better in just the button-up anyway. But more than anything else, his eyes are glowing with pride and adoration, and Seth's knees threaten to give out as he grins up at the man he calls his lover.
"You," Hunter breathes, gently cradling Seth's cheek, "just killed that in the best way."
Seth's teeth sink into his lower lip and he nods slowly even though he doesn't quite believe it yet himself. "Did I? I wasn't sure about the chair shots at first… Are Dean and Roe okay? I just—"
Hunter shuts him up with a kiss that steals his breath and threatens to steal his mind and his heart all in once touch. Helpless to do anything but lean into it, Seth wraps his hands around the back of Hunter's neck and gives his all into the kiss even as he feels Randy, Roman, and Dean curl in.
"Dean and Roe are just fine, sweetheart. The chair shots were executed flawlessly. I knew they would be." Hunter kisses him again when he tries to object and Seth giggles. "You are perfect. You are flawless. You are the best damn heel in this company right now and you just made Randy and I look awful in the process. Congratulations, Seth. I'm so proud of you."
I'm so proud of you. The words sink deep into his body and steal his resolve, leaving him a mess in Hunter's arms just like the first time they were ever whispered in his ear.
The first time being the chance meeting between them that started everything they have now.
A/N: The story of how Hunter Hearst Helmsley and Randy Orton became the Dominants of Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose, and Roman Reigns. Because you guys seemed to like it and I always wanted to go back to the very beginning to show you. And also because Seth's heel turn was perfectly executed and I just imagined them all being so proud of him.