"Hey."

Roman picks his head up to look at Dean. "Hey."

"How's your back?" Dean's hand slides out toward Roman, but it hovers over Roman's shoulder, like Dean's afraid to hurt him.

Roman cracks a sad smile. "Fuckin' hurts," he admits. "But don't give the guys the satisfaction of knowing it. They'll tell me those were love-taps."

Dean bares his teeth slightly. "Some fuckin' love-taps," he mutters, eyes taking in the bruising and welts littering Roman's back. "You look like shit."

"Yeah, thanks. You too." Roman flashes a grin at Dean, though it doesn't light up his face like his smiles usually do. Dean can't blame him. It's been a long few days. Dean's got more energy than most people, finding a spectacular high from the performance of it all, but Dean's never felt so drained in his whole life.

Roman slowly sits up a little more. "Medics said I took a beating, but I'm fine. Just... watch for signs of internal distress."

"Distress. You a fuckin' damsel?" Dean cracks. He dodges Roman's hand as it shoots toward his side in retaliation.

"Asshole," Roman says, little heat in the words.

There's a tap on the doorframe, and when Roman lifts his head to look, he can see Seth standing there, just out of the room, watching. Seth seemed to be hovering anxiously.

"Seth," Dean says. "Hey."

"Are you ok?" Seth asks, his eyes locked onto Roman.

The air carries some leftover tension from the ring, but a turn is a turn and a heel is a heel, and it was bound to happen sometime. Roman can't blame Seth for going along with the turn. Contracts exist for a reason, and eventually, stables break up and their members move on. Frankly, Roman is pretty proud of the three of them for putting on such a show. Seth's turn was spectacular, and when Roman saw the recap of the segment, Dean's acting was on-point, selling the hell out of the turn.

"I'm gonna be fine." Roman tries to give Seth his most reassuring look. "Had worse."

"I didn't ask if you had worse." Seth takes one step into the room, and looks from Roman to Dean, before looking back to Roman. "I'm sorry if it was hard, over the bruising you already had."

"I'm fine," Roman says firmly. "Seriously. Relax. If you apologize again, I'm gonna kick your ass hard."

Seth gives him a small smile. "Ok," he says quietly.

"Why aren't you with your new boyfriends?" Dean teases. "Go kiss some ass. Maybe they won't make you chop your hair."

Seth groans and turns to leave. "Fuck you, idiot."

"Hey," Dean says quietly. "Hey. Turn around."

Seth turns. "What, Dean? What?"

Dean gives him a rare, genuine smile. "You did good out there. It's breakin' me up inside, just a little, but you did good."

"Thanks." Seth can feel heat rising in his cheeks at the praise from one of his best friends.

"Go on. I think they've still got food set up if you're lookin' for it," Roman says.

Seth nods and slowly leaves the room, glancing over his shoulder more than once at Dean and Roman as he disappears down the hall.