Becky pulled at the skirt of her metallic dress, wishing she hadn't worn something so short. Dasha sat next to her at the bar and laughed.
"Will ya calm down Becky? Ya look great. Ferg's been drooling over ya all night."
"I don't want your family thinking I'm some floozy."
"They're not gonna think you're a floozy over a little leg. And it's not that bad."
"Alright, if ya say so."
"Listen, Bex," Dasha leaned forward on her elbows, "I think Fergal's really lucky to have you in his life."
Becky chuckled, "no, no I'm the one who's lucky. I owe 'im everything, what he did for me all those years ago."
"He knew you were special. That ya were gonna be somethin' incredible. And he was right wasn't he?" she smiled.
"Maybe," she sighed, "who knows."
"He does. He believes in you."
"He tell ya how grumpy he is about this new angle?"
"You an' him? He might've…groaned about it once or twice. Thinks you deserve better than being his arm candy."
She rolled her eyes, "he's so dramatic, it's just a tag team thing."
"I don't know anythin' about it. But I know he's protecting you. As usual. Look alive." She nodded as Finn was making his way over to them, an older woman on his arm.
"Nan, you remember Becky? From the wrestlin' show?" he said softly as Becky adjusted her skirt again.
"O' course I remember Becky. Very strong, very tough, and her thong hangin' out," she laughed and Finn did too.
"It was cool," Becky shrugged, chuckling and blushing.
"It's good to see ya darlin'," his grandmother kissed her on the cheek. "Dasha, I think I'd like to go up to bed,"
"Sure Nan," she took their grandmother's arm from Finn and walked her out of the hotel bar.
"She likes you," he said, taking the seat that Dasha had left.
"How can you tell?"
"Because she wouldn't mention somethin' so…unmentionable unless she thought you were basically family."
"So because she brought up my thong she likes me?"
"She thought it was funny. She likes you," he nudged her and ordered another drink. "You havin' a nice time?"
"yeah, Dash an' I talked for a while."
"Bout me?"
"Not everythin' is about you, Finn."
"But most things are about me," he teased, "tomorrow I can spend more time with ya, promise."
"It's fine, Finn, I know you had to step in."
"Sorry to leave ya all alone during dinner while I was handlin' family drama."
"Oh, Kassidy made sure I wasn't too lonely."
"Did he now?" Finn's smile twisted.
"Ya jealous?" she challenged.
"Nope, just wonderin' if I should wait up for ya tonight."
"Maybe I should just bring 'im round our room."
"Oh, gross, I don't want to hear that!" he laughed and she did too. They'd been drinking for hours, it was starting to get to both of them. "Honestly Bex, I can't stand the thought of you with anyone else. Noam, Rollins, Kassidy…"
"Well lucky for you, there is no one else."
"Lucky for me," he smiled softly, his eyes moving over her in that pink pleated dress.
"Why'd you set me up with Noam if you hated it?"
"Because I thought you deserved better. Still do. So if me bein' in pain meant you were happy, I had to try."
"I wasn't happy."
"Thought you had fun?"
"Fun and happiness aren't always the same thing, Finn," she sighed and looked down at her strappy shoes. "Just kept wishin' it was you instead."
"Since we're bein' honest tonight," he started, waiting for her to look up into his eyes to continue, "I've always wondered…"
"Yeah?"
"Kassidy. Did ya move on him that night because…well, he sort of…"
"Looks just like ya?"
"Yeah. When I was 18."
"It was part of it. Seemed like the best I was bound to get." She blushed, "it was immature, sorry if he-"
"He was just happy to get his hands on a girl like you, Bex. Still remembers you were a good kisser. I told him nothin' changed."
"Oh," she blushed some more. "Well I'm surprised you even remember, since it's been so long."
"Since last night?"
"That was the Demon, you don't remember it."
"Touche." He chuckled, "he thinks you only did it to make me jealous. I said it worked."
"It did?"
"Yeah, even Paul could see it. Made me promise I'd never lay a hand on you. Haven't had the heart to call him since…"
"I'm sure he meant while I was one of your students and a teenager."
"I said never," he sighed with the last sip of his drink. "See how well that went for us."
"I think it went just fine, and frankly, considerin' the dynamic, I'd say my opinion is the one that matters here."
He looked at her and couldn't help but smile. Becky always knew exactly what it was she wanted.
"Yeah, I suppose it is. Do ya have your key? I think I'm ready for bed but you can-"
"I'll come."
"Ya sure?"
"Yes. C'mon." She downed one last gulp of her drink in one go before hoping off of her stool.
Their room was small, two queen sized beds across from a dresser, old furniture, and fluffy blankets. Finn was eager to get out of his slacks and tie, but he didn't bother putting on sweats or basketball shorts. It was just the two of the now, the modesties were unnecessary.
"Finn?" her voice came from the bathroom as he folded his clothes on one of the beds. She came out of the bathroom with her hands behind the nape of her neck. "I'm stuck."
"Turn," he said gingerly, moving her hair to one side. A few strands were caught up in the zipper of her dress. "Hmm, how'd ya manage this one, Bex?"
"I ask myself the same thing all the time,"
"Alright," he pulled out as many as he could, a few strands wouldn't budge, "hey, ready?"
"Mhmm, ow!" she cried out as he yanked the zipper down, pulling out a couple of the hairs with it. "That your only strategy?"
"You had a better one?" he ran his hands over her hair, and rubbed her shoulders.
"No. Thanks," she laughed, "woulda needed that down anyway."
"Yeah," his eyes scanned over her exposed back, desperate to press his lips to it.
"You gonna go for it this time?" she challenged.
He slid his fingertips under the band of her strapless bra, hesitating with the clasp and letting his hot breath tingle on her ear.
"Ya such a tease!" she elbowed him, and slid out of his grasp.
She slipped it over her head and hung it neatly in the closet. Finn laid back in bed, watching as she unclasped it herself, her back to him, and pulled on a thin black tank top. He scrolled through some tweets on his phone while she took off her makeup and washed her face. There were a few house shows while they were away, Finn looked through pictures from the arenas.
As she returned back to the bedroom, he looked up, following the lines of her body while she did the most trivial things, folding clothes, plugging her phone into a charger.
"Did you-did ya want to… finish from last night?" he asked sheepishly.
"Oh Finn," she ran her hand over his hair, "we don't haveta do anythin'."
"I know I musta left ya pretty worked up," he pulled her down into the bed.
"Yeah well," she shrugged, "pretty sure he did it so that I'd be all yours tonight."
He shook his head, "I don't want it like that. I don't want you thinkin' ya have to…please me."
"Maybe I want to."
"Yeah? Well maybe I want to please you too."
"Then kiss me. Like I mean somethin' to ya,"
"Bex," he tipped his head and brought her into a gentle kiss, "ya mean everythin'."
She kissed back, soft and slow, shifting her weight to rest her body on his. His hands wandered over her back, keeping them above her waist. Becky pushed him down and climbed into a straddle, deepening the kiss.
"Ya know, I was enjoyin' that innocent little-" he trailed off as she leaned over him, spilling out over the low neckline of her tank top, "well, fuck."
Becky let down her bun and let her long orange hair fall over her shoulders. He tangled his hands in her hair and pulled her down into his lips. Her hands wandered over his chest and he chuckled as she rolled each finger over his nipples.
"Ya love that, don't ya?"
"Your body? It's alright I guess," she traced his abs with a finger and followed with her tongue.
He laughed and squirmed, "that tickles!"
She kept going, her fingers looping the waistband of his boxer briefs, and he stopped, placing a hand on the back of her head, "Bex, are you sure?"
"Yeah 'course I'm sure," she placed another kiss just above the waistband, "what's wrong?"
"I just…we haven't, you haven't…before…"
"What?" she looked him in the eye, "O' course we have."
"Maybe you have. With the Demon. But not with me."
"Ya gotten one of these before, yeah?"
"Yeah," he gulped nervously.
"Well it's basically the same,"
"Not with you."
She sighed, crawling up to meet his face, "we don't have to, if it makes ya uncomfortable or nervous or somethin'."
"I just wanna know you're taken care of. Doesn't exactly seem like…fun. On your side that is."
"Depends," she smirked. "Look, ya wanna take care of me? Run your hands through my hair and don't hold back anythin'."
"Ya want me to be noisy like you?" he teased.
"Yeah," she kissed him softly, "that's exactly what I want."
XXX
In the hotel ballroom later the next night, Finn handed her a glass of wine from the bar. His eyes scanned over her as he did, the tan color of the embroidered cocktail dress making her skin glow, her hair in curls falling softly. Her makeup was perfect, shimmery apricot lips that made him want to lean in and kiss them. He reached out and lightly touched the necklace around her neck.
"What?" she laughed, looking down as he played with it between two fingers.
"I bought this for you."
"Did you?" she blushed, as if she hadn't known that, packed it specifically hoping he recognized it.
"When ya signed with WWE. Nearly 4 years ago."
"Yeah, ya sent it by mail. Didn't even make the trip to see me."
"I'm sorry, I was in the middle of a championship run. Ya got the note, though?"
"The one that just said Fergal? Yeah. Still do."
He chuckled, put his hand on the small of her back and lead her over to their table. Kassidy asked her to dance with him and she didn't hesitate to accept.
"Why's she not dancin' with you?" Dasha leaned in to ask him.
"I don't like to."
"Even with her?"
"Yes, Dash, even with her."
"She looks beautiful tonight."
"I noticed," he smiled lightly. Kassidy spun her around and her hair whipped around, laughing.
"She's really all grown up."
"Ohh, I noticed that too."
Dasha eyed him from the side, "so how long 'ave ya been with her?"
He sighed and leaned back in his chair, "well that depends on what you mean by with 'er."
"Datin' her?"
"I'm not."
"Sleepin' with her?"
"A few months ago."
"I see," Dasha took a sip from her wine glass, "ya sure that's a good idea? She's your best friend, you live together."
"Actually I'm nearly certain it's not."
"But what? Can't keep your hands off each other?"
"Maybe," he smiled smugly. It was true after all.
"Don't be childish, Fergal. You expect me to believe you two just keep stumblin' into bed together?"
"It's a long story, Dash, I don't wanna get into it."
"Yeah ya always liked Kassy better."
He rolled his eyes, "what did he tell ya?"
"Nothin'. Bro code or somethin'? Just that he thinks you ought to be together. I told him I thought so too."
"But not sleepin' together?"
"Not if that's all ya gonna do. Friends with benefits? You?"
"There might be a few things ya don't know about me, Dasha."
"Oh please, I know all about the girls. I know you enjoyed your little slice of fame and all the attention it got ya. I know you swore off the distraction when you almost lost your opportunity in Japan. I know she's the only one who's made you question that decision since."
"Yeah and how do ya know everythin'?"
She smiled slyly, "I know my big brother. So tell me again, why isn't she dancin' with you?"
He sighed, sending her a defeated eye roll. Putting down his glass, he pushed his chair out and made his way to the middle of the floor and placed a hand on Kassidy's back.
"May I?"
"Told ya he'd cut in," Kassidy laughed, "thanks for the dance, Bex."
Becky chuckled, placing her arms around his neck and tipped her head. His hands slid around her waist.
"Rude," she teased.
"Hey he knows the deal."
"What, that he only gets me when ya don't want me?"
"Bex," he held her tighter and pressed a kiss to her temple.
"Forget it."
"You look beautiful tonight, did I tell ya that?"
"No, actually you hadn't,"
"Well," he looked down at her, his fingers playing ever so slightly with the fabric of her dress, "you do."
"Not so bad yourself," she scanned up and down his tailored suit, the tie she'd picked out for him drawing out the bright blue of his eyes.
"Dressed up just for you. Might've shown up in my pants if ya weren't here."
She giggled and her hair shook over her shoulders, he couldn't help but tuck a strand behind her ear. His thumb ran down the side of her cheek and neck and she bit her lip ever so slightly.
"Seriously, Becky, thank you. This week has been…"
Becky pressed her head to his heartbeat, "perfect?"
He chuckled, tightening his arms around her.
"Almost like I belong here," she murmured.
His stomach dropped. From the corner of his eye, he could see his parents watching them and knew the grins that would be on their faces. It was so easy here to give into the feeling, let himself be with her, maybe even love her. And it was so, so dangerous.
