A/N: So, this is a new ship I've gotten into thanks to 4EverShieldFan's fanfiction Nights Like This. You should totally check it out! It has supernatural beings and wrestling, I mean what more can you ask for in a fic right? Lol. Anyways, I left this fanfiction pretty open to interpretations as what Bayley and Roman's relationship is. You could see them as friends or lovers, there's no real specification in here other than that Roman cares for Bayley and vice versa.
Either way, hope you enjoy! See you at the bottom!
Disclaimer: No one you recognize is mine.
A warrior's walk was to be strong, fearless and sturdy. He was to show the world that he was the man to fear yet a man to trust as well. Each stride was to be taken with dignity and pride in what you are and who you plan on being. Those were the words Roman Reigns lived by. They were carried around his family, from generation to generation, to whoever was going to continue on the sacred path of being a professional wrestler. He wondered, sometimes, if people would see him as too serious when he'd walk down the corridors like he did. Not in fear that people did or what they thought of him, but from general curiosity. There were many people around the building that all seemed to take their wrestling careers different than the other. Some were more laid back others, like him, were always on high alert. They worked hard, they played hard and they never let themselves give up. Roman wasn't always too sure on what he was stopping himself from giving up on, but he knew he was pushing himself and he was making sure he had the best body and mentality for the job. He liked being seen as intimidating and serious.
Sure, of course, the man showed his goofier side from time to time. It was hard not to when you had interesting people like Seth and Dean around you all the time. They had unintentionally cracked the brick wall that was Roman earlier in the year and found a way to let his true self shine through. But, he was thankful to know that he still had that aura of danger…of competition. He always had others staring him down with glares of promises of brawls. Other times it was looks of respect and, if he was lucky, looks of fear. Bone shaking, face paling fear.
So perhaps that was why, when Roman entered the catering to find pair of eyes with humor on him, he couldn't help but get thrown back. Maybe if the eyes belonged to Seth or Dean, he'd understand but they belonged to other guys. They were Xavier's and Sami's and Cesaro's. Looking past the three men his eyes zero'd in on the girl that had, somehow or another, grabbed the attention of the Samoan man for a while now. She was smiling at her phone, not yet noticing that he had entered and that people had stopped listening to her. He walked to the group, making sure to keep his stride prideful, before stopping in front of the girl.
"What's up?" He asked, looking between the three men and Bayley.
Bayley looked up quickly at his voice, a huge smile on her face as she quickly got up and wrapped her toned arms around Roman's torso. He reciprocated back slowly; realizing that if he reacted like he did when they were in private his whole reputation could get damaged. Not like he was ashamed to show who he really was around Bayley, he has been truly himself in public with her before, but there were some things best kept between them. Plus, he still needed to make everyone think he was a top dog. He was getting bigger and bigger in the industry and he wanted to make sure he was taken seriously while doing it.
She pulled back from him finally, a huge child-like smile on her face as usual. His grey orbs momentarily moved from her bubbly features to those of their wrestling peers. He had noticed that they were exchanging words in hushed tones but he couldn't hear because once they noticed he was staring they all stopped; though their faces still held ghosts of laughs waiting to be exposed.
"What's so funny?" He asked with his voice stern as his eyes burned through the men. He was sure that was going to shake them up a bit but they didn't seem to care much about his tone. Cesaro was the first to smirk as he pointed to the short woman in front of him.
"Ask Bayley." He spoke, causing Roman to look down at the bubbly girl. Before he could officially ask her she shoved her phone up to his face.
"I was just showing them this! You are so cute in it!" She gushed, her hand resting on her cheek as she spoke about it. She had long ago dropped her usual awkwardness and had moved on to open admiration; which is a lot like her past fangirling except she's more comfortable around him.
Adjusting to the light in his face, he craned his head back and looked down at the picture. His eyes instantly bulged out at it. Chuckles that were quickly turning into laughs started to ring through the hall as his eyes shot over to Bayley.
"Why did you show them this?" He asked, his tone embarrassed and slightly annoyed.
"Because they asked me about my weekend and I was just showing them what we did!" She explained, her smile faltering slightly at Roman's tone.
He snatched the phone from her hand, taking a better look at the picture. The picture was of Roman with one of Bayley's bows in his hair. His mouth was wide open with his tongue out, the usual silly face he'd make for pictures and the like. At the time he was fine with Bayley taking pictures. He didn't think she'd show people but now he wish he had been sterner about things like this. A soft blush worked in his cheeks from embarrassment as Sami spoke up.
"For the record, you look beautiful Roman." He joked, gaining chuckles from the group and even a giggle from Bayley. He took her arm, nearly dragging her away from the hollering pack of hyenas that was Xavier, Sami and Cesaro. He stopped her, flashing the phone in her face.
"Why'd you show them this?" He asked, shaking the phone slightly. "I thought this was gonna be private. You can't just be showin' people these pictures! I've got a reputation to keep up here."
"But but but…you looked cute." Bayley tried to explain herself, her arms shrugging as they did when she'd get nervous. "I didn't mean to upset you I just thought it was funny…"
Roman hated when Bayley would get sad. Her big doe-eyes would downcast and her shoulders would tense up immensely. One would probably describe it like a child but not Roman. He had learned from Bayley that she didn't like being treated or compared to a child. She had told him she was just being herself and she was just into those kinds of things, but what most people didn't pay attention to was how intelligent Bayley really was and how adult she was. In the ring and around friends she had an aura of innocence but when they'd be alone, she would surprise him with her thoughts and feelings. It almost made him think she held a façade but she really was the way she was. And, in some form or another, he had found himself growing attracted to it. Like how a positive is always attracted to the negative in science; he was serious and she was not and together they brought out the other in each other. And he liked being goofy around her but he just wanted to keep it around her. Not with everyone in his job.
He let out a sigh, placing his colossal hand on her shoulder. "I'm not mad, baby doll." He said, letting a grin grow on his face to calm down her nerves. "I just wanted these to be private."
Bayley nodded. "Sorry for showing them." She said calming her shoulders by un-tensing them. "I just like showing it off…not many people get to see how you really are and I feel selfish being the only one who knows." She smiled.
A smile easily grew on his face as he brought his head down and placed a soft kiss on her cheek. He watched as a soft blush crept on her face and he couldn't help the small ego boost he felt when her cheeks reddened. And, just like that, her hands flew up to her face as she ducked her head down. She was adorable and so very precious. To the outside world a guy like Roman being near or behaving like this to a girl like Bayley was considered nonexistent. Stoic and serious men were always expected to be around women who acted and waltz around like they were better than everyone else. But, Bayley was not like that. She was sweet and good-hearted. To the naked eye she had all the characteristics of a doe-eye'd child-like woman, but she had so much more in her. She was all woman. She may be easily impressed and quite sensitive, but underneath that held a fighter; a fire cracker that had the right amount of heart and fuel to make it big. She was a bag of surprises. People put her in a 2 dimensional box when she had sides and angles that made her who she was. She was intelligent, playful, humorous, talkative, beautiful, mature yet immature at the same time, she was an optimistic and most importantly she was Bayley. Her own brand of person. She could touch the heart of millions just by spreading the message she so desperately wants everyone to grasp. Love and happiness is the cure to all and she definitely found a believer of those words in Roman.
So, maybe that was why he stuck around with her so much; because in a world full of negativity and heartbreak she was the ray of sunshine willing to make him and everyone feel better. He'd be there for her and have her back in everything but in the end she was the one having his. She brought out the best in him and would often make him see that life wasn't as morbid as everyone put it out to be. Even in those work days where everything was so tiresome she had a ball of life that would illuminate the whole damn arena. Maybe he glorified Bayley too much in his mind, and sometimes he thought she glorified him, but she was that amazing. The girl who still had a pogo-stick, who constantly hugs everyone, who thinks headbands with bows on them are the best thing ever, was the girl that Roman enjoyed being with. And he could only hope the man who loved a good brawl, who was proud of his heritage, who still got his animals wrong despite always going to the zoo was the man Bayley enjoyed being with.
"You're not mad?" A bubbly voice escaped Roman from his thoughts. Bayley had calmed down her embarrassment now.
"No, I promise." He spoke, gaining a huge smile from the girl.
"Schweet!" She exclaimed, throwing her arms around his torso and wrapping him in another hug. He wrapped his arms around her toned body much more openly now.
"Let's get out of here…I'm starving." He said when she pulled back. She playfully rolled her eyes at him.
"When are you never hungry?" She asked, looping her arm around his and walking through the corridors with him.
"Never." He answered, a chuckle escaping him.
Walking down the hall he noticed Sami, Xavier and Cesaro snickering between themselves. He knew this would get around the locker room but right now he couldn't care. He always had ways to keep his rep alive; that was the thing about being an Anoa'i. Despite what you did or who you are; you always get your rep back. And you always kept the special ladies in your life happy.
A/N: I had fun writing this! It was a tad bit difficult as this was my first time writing Bayley so let me know if I wrote her right! I may want to write more for these two as I see them as super cute! I love the dynamic of a playful and serious ship. Anywho, I hope you enjoyed this! Please review? ^.^