Thanks for reading thus far.
Since this chapter is focused around Alexi rather than the Miz, it took a lot to work out how much to reveal, what his strengths and weaknesses are, etc.
No smexx in this chapter, purely story building.
Hope reviews are left, criticism helps people to learn. =]
CHAPTER 2 - ALEXI
Alexi sighed in disappointment as he awoke from his dreams into the land of reality. His hotel room was small, it smelt like the last people here had slightly too much to drink, and the night before, he had to flip his pillow because there was an odd stain that looked like rancid mustard. It was here. Sunday the 20th of May, the day he would make his pay per view debut, albeit in a non-wrestling role, Extreme Rules.
He slowly rolled out of his creaky queen sized bed. A large bed was probably the highlight of the substandard room he was caged in, but since he was so small and preferred to curl up in the corner, that was hardly much use. He staggered sleepily into the bathroom - or the part of the room that was designed to be the bathroom. This certainly was a single, because the toilet didn't even have its own private cubicle.
He looked at the mirror and smirked to his reflection. Man, that was some epic bed head. He still had all the makeup on from last night's clubbing with Kofi and AJ, being too tired to shower and gone immediately to bed. The eyeliner had smudged and gone smoky in his sleep. He placed his elbows on the counter and stared blankly into the mirror, remembering the events that had taken hold in the last month.
One month ago, he had been called up to FCW after eight months of working local shows back in Leeds. Much to the shock of his family and friends, and the obvious jealousy from his fellow wrestlers, WWE representatives had been looking for someone who used innovative and somewhat unorthodox wrestling, something Alexi had always prided himself on.
So off he went to America. To train at FCW, hopefully to be called up to the main roster. After four weeks and wrestling one match, he indeed had been called up to the main roster. It was difficult quitting the job at Supre that he had only just received to support himself (a secret he kept from everybody who worked with him at FCW) but honestly, he was over the moon.
Three weeks ago, he had been set to main event Raw immediately. And that's exactly what he did, teaming with established veterans, The Miz and Chris Jericho, to combat the WWE Champion CM Punk, Alex Riley and the face of WWE, John Cena. Alexi had been booked strongly, using a distraction from the Mike to pick up the victory over Punk with a Somersault Stunner.
Alexi began to chew on the longest part of his fringe that hung over his left eye, a bad habit of his, as he continued to reminisce. Man, the last few weeks sure have been a blast, no doubt, but it's been so demanding and exhausting. The loose diet he had went right out the window and finding time to eat was now near the bottom of the totem pole - at least, to WWE. Alexi loved his food.
Sometimes, it feels like the strenuous lifestyle is too much. He's tired... a lot. He's still overcoming anxiety from performing in front of huge crowds. And as much as he's thrilled that Creative has been trying to push him off to a red hot start in his career, he really is only a baby wrestler. Alexi had started training to be a wrestler at the age of seventeen, and he had only just hit nineteen now.
His last three matches have been acceptable, but sloppy on average. The following Raw after his debut, Alexi and Mike Mizanin teamed up to face Punk again, with Santino as his partner. Alexi and Santino performed incredibly well, but Alexi wasn't ready when Santino performed a running crossbody which was supposed to be countered into a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker, and the pair stumbled out of the ring.
At the WWE Superstars tapings, Alexi faced Alex Riley in a singles match, and was booked to win. Alexi and Riley didn't perform a masterpiece, but as far as hitting all spots well without any major botches, it was good. Alexi pinned Riley with a variation of his Somersault Stunner to Riley as a reversal to the Back Suplex Side Slam.
And last week, he faced Punk in a singles match with the Mike in his corner, which was the final segment to build up Mike and Punk before they faced off at Extreme Rules. It should have been the main event, but management's obsession with Cena prevented that. Halfway through the match, Alexi felt overwhelmed and lost, and Punk had to take control of the match. However, it eventually became a success, with Punk reversing the Somersault Stunner by dropping Alexi on his butt and performing a GTS before Mike attacked Punk immediately after.
How was Mike, by the way, Alexi wondered. He hadn't seen Mike since the live show they both performed at three days ago. He'd made some good friends already, lovely Layla, most notably. And he'd become really close with Kaitlyn, AJ and Nick Nemeth. He also had an instant rapport with the Mike, the man who carried his nerves through his first night at Raw, although Mike didn't spend a lot of time doing much but wrestling and fighting with Maryse over the phone. People said Maryse was a brilliant woman, but the only impression she gave Alexi was one of a total prima donna.
Alexi was jerked out of his flashbacks by a loud banging on the door.
"C'mon kid, buses leave in twenty." came a gruff voice.
"Gotcha. Thank you!" Alexi replied deceptively sweetly, with a face that looked like he'd sucked a lemon.
As the footsteps marched away, Alexi considered not taking a shower. Lazy. Tired. Mehhh. But his motivation won out and he stripped off his boxer shorts and got in the small shower cubicle. The floor was wet... the showerhead was leaking. Alexi turned on the water, and got shot in the eye by a leak in the metal. Rubbing off his eyeliner the lazy way and massaging his scalp under the thankfully satisfactory water temperature and pressure, he read a small notice on the wall of the cubicle about short showers saving water. Hah, that's rich.
After finishing up, he quickly dried himself and put on some briefs. Although he was totally alone, had a rocking hot body and behind a locked door and high rise window, Alexi hated to be naked. After drying his hair with the complimentary blow dryer, he began to straighten his slightly wavy platinum locks, and picked out a simple yet presentable outfit of a short sleeve charvet shirt covered with a slim fit black vest, slim fit black jeans and his black hi-tops.
To top it off, he picked out a pair of black fingerless gloves with cute white skulls on them. He knew AJ loved accessories and clothes like this, and there was no way it wouldn't put her in a good mood during the bus trip. Checking his phone, he had seven minutes to get to the lobby, no rush. He found a text from Layla, received at 4:40 AM. Did that girl ever need to sleep? We'll never know.
shotgun sitting next 2 u on the bus 2moro! muuaaahhhzzz!
Alexi audibly laughed as he pocketed his phone and wheeled his luggage out of the room. Down the cold and honestly uninviting hallway, around the corner, and the lift has a sign saying OUT OF ORDER. Despite it being an inanimate object, Alexi decided to flip it off before taking the stairs, slowly with his suitcase on wheels, flinching with every massive BANG it made on each step. Right... one flight down, eleven more to go. Sucks to be Kofi on the nineteenth floor.
The eighth floor door to the stairs burst open, and Sheamus charged right out, saw Alexi, and gave a quick but polite nod, before picking up his suitcase and charging down the stairs. Alexi grinned, and wondered if anybody would accidentally step in front of Sheamus and get cleared out, before continuing his trek. Alexi reached the lobby and found it empty. Confused and somewhat worried, he scanned the three exits to the room, until Tyler Reks poked his head around the corner of the wooden doorframe of the exit to the south.
"Out here, man." Tyler called and beckoned.
Alexi laughed nervously. "Gratitude Gabe." he replied gratefully, and wheeled his bursting at the seams suitcase out of the exit and into the parking lot where the bus was waiting, and several WWE employees were getting ready for the trip. Alexi mentally slapped himself, if only he were paying attention to Johnny Ace's instructions when they got here yesterday, but dang it, that man is such a bore and sounds like nails on a board.
Smiling and giving polite and somewhat insincere greetings to everyone, he stuffed his luggage in the storage compartment under the bus, and leant against it, resting his head on his forearm. It's ok, he could sleep on the bus, providing that he wasn't sitting too close to JTG, who has a reputation for playing pranks on those who snooze on the trips. Suddenly, a hand squeezed his left buttock, making him jump in shock, and quickly turn around to confront whoever it was, but Nattie's cheeky grin was what greeted him.
"Lexi!" she cheerfully greeted him with her arms open. How in hell Nattie could be a bucket full of bloody rainbows every damn day was a mystery.
"Nattie!" he replied, just as cheerfully, before leaping into her arms for their regular embrace, wrapping his legs around her solid body, like a romance movie but with roles reversed. That Nattie, she never buckled under his weight for a second.
Nattie plonked Alexi somewhat unceremoniously back on his feet, before ruffling the hair he'd worked so hard to fix.
"How's my big man, all ready for his big night?" she asked, full of sunshine, lollipops and rainbows, that Nattie grin a permanent fixture on her face.
"No." Alexi replied, joking but sort of not really. Already the nerves were intense, but he was truly excited.
Nattie laughed again. "You'll be fine, big man," she said. In a way, Nattie had become like his supportive big sister. It was also amusing to others that she called him 'big man', because she was roughly an inch taller than him. "You don't have to do Undertaker and Shawn Michaels, you just have to run in and stir the pot, word on the old grapevine says."
"You make it sound so basic!" Alexi retorted playfully. "How do I know they're not going to make me lose a year's worth of matches, do the can-can and flatuate?" He teased, poking fun at the things Natalya had been made to do in recent times, all things she did quite happily, mind you.
Nattie chuckled and ruffled his hair again. "Then you might learn to stop running that mouth of yours!" Alexi smiled that lopsided smile of his.
Nattie stood next to him and looked around. "So who are you waiting for?"
"Layla." Alexi replied, looking at his phone. "But she's probably still half naked and trying to discreetly walk a man out of the hotel before Ace catches her."
Nattie whistled. "This kitty has claws!" she laughed. "I bet she'll be shoving him out the exit, wearing her bed sheet!"
She patted him on the shoulder. "Tyson's coming, I'll catch you later, big man."
"Bye-bye, Big Nattie!" Alexi replied, before quickly texting a message to Layla.
omg get dressed and get out here u tart, im lonely and its awkward lol x
Before long, Alexi heard banging on the window above him on the bus. He turned around and shielded his eyes from the harsh rays of the early sun, and tried to see who it was. His phone buzzed and he read the message.
From Layla: bet u feel silly now lol come sit next to me you slut ;)
Alexi grinned and quickly ascended the steps, nodding to the driver, who was casually reading the newspaper and slowly eating a Danish, chewing with his mouth open.
Layla sat two thirds of the way to the back, in a gorgeous low cut top that advertised her lovelies without sending the message that she was a tramp. If there was one person who could be subtle about looking tarty, it sure was Layla. Strolling past Reks and McGillicutty, already seated with their earphones in, Alexi swung around into Layla's seat, and gave her a side hug.
"How are you, sweetheart?" She asked with a lot of pep. Was Alexi the only person who wasn't ecstatic this morning?
"I'm tired and sore," Alexi complained, putting on his best 'victim' face. "The bed was nasty."
Layla nodded. "You've been spoiled for far too long with beds designed for PEOPLE!"
Alexi giggled. "What, you've been on tour for about as long as I have!"
"Well yeah," Layla replied. "But for the year I was off, I was in excruciating pain!" The way she emphasized her words was nothing short of adorable.
"So anyway," she continued. "I like your getup!"
Before Alexi could thank her for her compliment, Layla continued. "You look like an adorable eighth grader going to his first ever dance!"
Percy Watson always seemed to smell like body odour and cheap deodorant, noted Alexi, as Watson strolled past them.
"And you," Alexi quickly scanned his mind for something witty. "Look like a trampy eighth grader going on her third date."
Layla poked her tongue out. Alexi poked his out too, and the pair giggled together. Suddenly, Mike Mizanin swung into the seat in front of Layla and Alexi and buckled himself in.
"Mike!" greeted Alexi.
"Mikey poo!" Layla couldn't help herself with her words. It's like they controlled her. "How are you, sweet pea?"
Mike didn't sound too good. "Doing alright, Lay, yourself? You Al?"
Alexi didn't have to answer.
"We're just gorgeous as always, Mikey, but how are you really?" Layla quickly answered for the both of them.
Mike slumped against the window, head against his hand, with his eyes closed.
"Didn't sleep much, was arguing with Maryse all night."
Alexi internally rolled his eyes. That's all the pair ever does. Fight, sulk, and have what is probably epic sex.
"Ohh you poor baby," Layla cooed. "LayLay and Alex are here for you, you can catch up on your beauty sleep now, we'll just turn our volume down."
Mike did manage a faint smile. "I'll need the freaking mute button."
Layla rubbed his shoulder comfortingly, and sat back with Alexi. Mike put his headphones in.
Layla did sound concerned. "Maryse is a brilliant girl, of course, but she is honestly such a bitch to poor Mikey."
Alexi internally rolled his eyes again. Gee, Layla, you don't say? He reached over and gently patted Mike's hair.
"Stop that Lay." Mike mumbled. Alexi grinned, and the driver started up the engine.
"Oh MsLayel," Alexi said quietly, calling Layla by her twitter name, which he sometimes did. "I wish I had someone to call me at unreasonable hours in the morning and bitch and fight with about nothing every night."
Layla shrugged. "Or you can go partying with the gang, hook up with incredibly good looking people and lose out on your sleep that way instead."
Well. She does have a point.
The bus suddenly began moving forward. On to Raleigh, North Carolina!
Alexi rested his head on Layla's shoulder, and she used her other hand to stoke his hair.
"You're such a baby." she teased, before putting her arm around him and letting him get comfy on her shoulder.
His mind drifted from topic to topic. From thinking about what new move he could bust out next time he was in a match, to thinking about how his next promo would go, to thinking about his future being paired with Mike, to wondering if he'd ever get really drunk and sleep with Layla, and finally it served as a segue for him to think about his family. Would they accept Layla as his lover? Most certainly. She's a successful athlete and not to mention, she's British as well. But the thing that mattered most to them would be that's she's female.
Alexi let out a somewhat sad sigh. He nuzzled closer into Layla's shoulder. Layla cooed, and Alexi felt comforted. Why, oh why, must I be so clingy? Perhaps it's safer to be alone. Alexi's phone buzzed, snapping him right out of his thoughts. He fished it out of his pocket. Kaitlyn had finally sent back a drawing on Draw Something. ... what the hell is that?
"Lay?" he asked, showing Layla the picture of a ... thing.
Layla squinted.
"Is that a vagina?"
Alexi giggled. "It may as well be." He leaned over the seat in front of him, and lightly tapped Mike's shoulder. Mike took out an earphone.
"Mike," Alexi said. "Check out Kaitlyn's drawing of a twat."
Mike laughed. "It's a clam, you dick."
Alexi turned his iphone on the side. Oh, NOW I see it!
"Bollocks." he said in disbelief, and typed it in, patting Mike on the shoulder, Mike chuckling to himself.
"No," said Layla, as he was busy drawing a lasso. "I'm certain that was a nude drawing of a vagina! Clam my arse!"
A loud, condescending laugh erupted a few seats back. It belonged to Chris Jericho.
"Please," Jericho mocked. "As if that pretty little transvestite knows that a pussy looks like. Unless he looked in a mirror."
Before Alexi could reply, a bunch of voices piped up all at once. Alexi kept up his expression of disbelief, but in reality, he was feeling nothing but smug satisfaction.
The adorable Alicia Fox, the quiet Primo and the obviously tired Tyler Reks weren't in the mood to listen to Jericho try to bully another person because he felt robbed of his spotlight, and told him to lay off the new kid.
Layla retorted with "You showered with boys in high school gym, he baked cakes with girls, now go figure!"
But the most surprising reaction was Mike's.
Mike swung around and leaned over the back of his seat, towering over the mini-pair that comprised of Layla and Alexi. His face looked nothing short of furious, and his voice was oozing with contempt.
"Jericho," Mike snarled. "I don't know what your problem is, but if you ever say shit like that about my friend in my presence again, I'll take you down in a real last man standing match, you hear me?"
Alexi smiled. It was nice to know that despite being on the outside of the inner clique the wrestlers had all formed together, they obviously liked him enough to stand up for him. He was aware that, although not directly his fault, he got on the rough side of many wrestlers when he was booked so strongly upon his debut, but it almost felt like Mike didn't want anything to do with him at all - to have Mike so viciously, and so passionately, defend his honour was something that truly touched Alexi's heart.
Chris however, took a different approach to the situation.
"Oh I see, sticking up for your new bitch because you can't keep your old one on a leash." Chris said, cruelly. "I bet that's why you're never around with the groups anymore; you're busy at the room wanking over your pretty new boy toy!"
Although nobody knew it, that was partially true. And the look on pure regret on Chris' face let everybody spectating know that he was aware he had gone too far - much too far. Mike leaned further and grabbed Chris by the scruff of his shirt. "You fucking-"
"Hey!" cried Layla, and Alexi grabbed Mike's arm and pulled him away from Chris, Mike's face dark with rage.
"That's enough, boys!" came the voice from the Glamazon, Beth Phoenix, ex-divas champion and the unofficial troop leader of the current bus.
"Do I have to separate you two?" she warned, her words structured like a joke, but the message was clear, and her face backing it up, before she sat down again, playing cards with Nattie, Tyson and Justin Gabriel.
Jericho derisively laughed, and Mike sat down again, slumping down against the window, obviously hurt, somewhat embarrassed after losing his cool. Layla made a comical face appropriate to the outburst, making the close company chuckle lightly, and Alexi's eyes met with Chris Jericho's. Chris didn't quite understand the somewhat blank stare coming from Alexi, but it sent chills down his spine. Jericho flipped him off and glared, making sure Alexi knew that the business between them wasn't over.
"Thank you Mike, you're a great guy."
Mike bit his lip as his heart began to beat faster and his crotch stirred. Alexi wasn't aware of it, but Mike was slowly becoming obsessed with him. His gorgeous accent, his sweeter than candy attitude, his quirky and funny personality, his gorgeous, feminine looks... gah. Maryse was becoming an afterthought. And it's like she knew it. Mike began to silently cry. Layla noticed this, and reached through and rubbed his shoulder. She hoped that the next week would run a lot more smoothly.
But it's the WWE. Anything can happen in the WWE.