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Act Thirteen: a whole new ball game
With everything that happened, Seth is completely overwhelmed the moment he walks into Cyberfights the next afternoon, ice tea in his hand, a huge relieved smile on his lips. Finally he's where he belongs. He takes off his beanie and greets Paige, who waves him back once he wants to walk past her.
'Got a bizarre call today,' she announces, leaning back in her chair while her curious brown eyes roam over him. 'Your secret admirer?' She must have at least ten, especially because of her British accent. For some reason Americans really dig that. He personally prefers the Spanish one, but hey. Whatever floats people's boats.
Paige grins, revealing an impressive set of pearly white teeth. 'I wish. Was a certain Dr. Rollins.' Oh no. Oh God, no. This can't be happening. He should have known that her words yesterday weren't just an empty threat.
'She did it.' He never thought she'd really go through with it. His mother never cared about him his entire life and now that he's genuinely happy she's hell-bent on interfering?
Paige takes out a nail file to do her nails; the gesture showing him that she too thinks that was totally overexaggerated and uncalled for. 'If it means complain about an alleged sexual relationship between her son – a Seth Rollins, if that name rings any bells – and one of our employees called Dean. No last name. Or rather Jon Moxley.'
Dread starts to pool in his gut the longer she keeps on talking. How far did his mother take this? Did she get Dean into serious trouble? Furthermore, did he lose his internship? Is he still welcome here after everything? He'd never forgive her if she has cost him this opportunity.
'What happened?' he croaks out, not sure if he wants to know the answer. Paige sighs and puts the nail file aside, looking him in the eyes, a tired smile dancing over her pretty face. 'You just had to be the son of the one couple that encouraged most of our former actors to leave the company and press charges against us.'
'That was all my family?' He never thought the examples of bad relationships in their self-help books were about some of his co-workers. So he read about people feeling and being abused by Dean before he even knew him? This is so weird. Now he wishes he'd never opened those goddamn guides out of curiosity and his sense of obligation.
Paige nods fervently, her black hair, that now has several blue strands too, falling softly over her shoulders. 'Oh yes. Who at Cyberfights would ever forget how they insisted that Jon was a monster and unstable – hence his Lunatic Fringe gimmick, cause he thought it was ludicrous enough to make it entirely his –, Claudio a manipulator and Randall a vicious viper. And those were only the funniest charges.'
Hunter probably keeps a whole manila folder about each guy his parents wanted to see in jail in his office, so no one can stumble over the accusations by accident. He's sometimes heard them talk about their cases – without using names of course – when they thought they were alone in the house or just forgot that he was still there, but he never thought he'd one day get to meet the people they were arguing about, let alone that they'd become his family.
Seth has never been so glad that he didn't tell them the truth about where he works, since they'd probably tear this company apart if they knew. Not to safe their son from all these bad people. No. They'd do it so no one would find out that their own offspring has been part of a company that employs sexual molesters.
They'd freak out if they knew that their underage son has already illegally appeared in a porn movie and is in possession of a fake ID – all thanks to Dean, who will be the only one facing all the consequences should anyone get wind of it; that was Hunter's sole condition to agree to this risky plan – which allows him to be part of the shootings until he turns eighteen in a few months.
'I'm so sorry.' He is. Especially because he's friends with some of these guys now, is aware that it's not who they really are and that things around here already changed to the better.
Seth understands that some people weremistreated in the past, he's not going to turn a blind eye on that fact, but they've all started to work on themselves, so stuff like that won't ever happen again.
Hunter has listened to all his proposals, has promised to modify a few things around here. Cyberfights is not that bad or otherwise Seth would have already bolted after reading some of the complaints when he had to clean out that office. He doesn't want to have anything to do with the company Cyberfights once was, but things seem to have gotten better ever since Triple H took over.
As long as his parents only know one side of the story, they shouldn't do this to people like Dean and Roman, who work their butts off – literally – to entertain, to give people some reprieve from their real lives; even if it's just for a little while. Cyberfights is kind of their second chance since they failed to make it out there. This company is a refuge and he doesn't want his parents to take that away from anyone.
Paige waves his concern off and leans back in her chair once more, her shirt rucking up a bit to reveal a navel piercing. 'People love to judge, even if they have no clue what they're talking about.' Sad yet true. But still. His own mother called here and made a scene. It can't get any worse than that.
'So, I listened to your mother telling me details about the former whereabouts of Dean's johnson and how you're an innocent, delicate creature that withers away because Dean is stealing your sunlight.' What? 'Please tell me you're making this up.' Though it sounds exactly like his mom. Complicated and just about stupid enough to be true.
'Did you know she calls my boys nothing more than street workers? Getting paid to abuse and degrade other people?' Sounds awfully familiar. God, he wishes he could rip his ears off, so he'll never have to hear those words again.
Paige chuckles and watches him with her hawk-like eyes before she takes a sip from his drink and holds up a post-it. 'I told her that I have never heard of a Seth Rollins,' she says in a conspiratorial voice and Seth reads the note, remembering very vividly how he wrote it as a matter of prudence – If anyone, especially a Rollins, asks, Seth Rollins does not work here –, 'and that our employees have better things to do than seduce minors.'
She sticks the note back at the corner of her desktop, so that Summer Rae and Emma will see it as soon as they look at the computer. He suddenly feels a very deep, thankful kind of affection for the woman. She's like a little ray of sunshine in the dark and cloudy world his mother threw him in with her stupid stunt.
'Mrs Rollins then wanted to talk to someone who wouldn't sass her, so I passed the call a person who knew what to do. Roman.' Rome? Of all people. 'Oh, oh.' That means trouble. A lot. Also a possible beheading. The Samoan will eat him alive.
Paige's smile turns malicious and she says in a too sweet tone, 'He's waiting for you in his office.' Believe him, Seth has no intention of going up there. After all, he loves living. 'With or without a weapon?' he wants to know, staring at his ice tea in her hands to not see the glee on her pretty face.
'With Dean.'
Now that doesn't exactly make things any better. Or gives him much hope. After having to deal with his overzealous mother, Roman must be beyond pissed and Dean's I don't give a fuck attitude probably isn't very helpful either. 'In case I don't make it out alive, I always liked you the most.'
Paige holds up her hands defensively, shaking her head with a mocking glint in her eyes. 'No chance, pumpkin. Your mom made it very clear that I'm not smart enough for her prodigy son; you know, working at the front desk and all.' She ducks her head as if his mother really hurt her, fanning herself with quivering lips.
His co-worker is obviously making fun of the insults, but he's still ashamed Sara went this far and even insulted someone as lovely as her. 'I am so, so sorry.' This gorgeous woman is anything but stupid. If he'd be straight or even remotely bisexual, he'd totally have the hots for her. She is funny, quick-witted, rebellious and so unbelievably nice.
'She's freaking out because Dean told her he's working here.' Paige laughs out loud, a red light starting to flash on her phone but she ignores it for now to finish their conversation. See? She's an amazing person that he'd love to call a friend one day. 'I could tell. Now stop stalling for time and go. Roman doesn't like to wait and if he's in rage mode he might just kill your sweetheart.'
'We're not really,' he tries to deflect – even though her words are balm for the soul – but she won't have any of that. 'Oh please, my sweet muffin. It's just a matter of time. Everyone here knows.' So there isa betting pool. This day just had to go from bad to worse.
He steps into the elevator while Paige answers the call, waving him goodbye with a playful wink that cheers him up until the moment he stands in front of Roman's office door. This is so humiliating. He's sure they never before had this kind of trouble and he hates his mother for getting him into this jam.
She didn't even talk to him first or ask him about his feelings, what Dean means to him, if he knows who the man truly is and so on. The normal my son has his first boyfriend and I care a lottalk. No, she just took matters in her incapable hands and gave Paige and Roman the dirt on his crush.
The only person who would do anything to make Seth feel better. The one who takes care of him day and night.
He knocks hesitantly, hoping that Dean didn't drive Roman up the wall yet and opens the door when there's an enervated, 'Come in.' Uh oh, that doesn't sound good.
'Paige said you wanted to see me.' He steps into the room and sees Dean sitting on a chair, his legs resting on the windowsill, looking like nothing could ever faze him. If anything, he seems to find this whole situation amusing. Only Dean can get shit on and still think it's funny. Seth really envies that attitude so much. Though he sometimes wishes the other would take things more serious.
'Yes,' Roman answers brusquely, impatiently waving him to come closer and take a seat. The Samoan does look ticked off; awfully tired too. There are huge, dark circles beneath his eyes and he seems kind of restless. The problems he has at home really start to wear him down and to make things worse, Seth and Dean behave like little children.
'Your mom called today, threatened to sue Cyberfights if Dean dares to come near you again. Now you two retards explain to me the fuck's going on.' He throws Seth a stern look that clearly says I trusted you to not interfere with his wrestling ambitions.
Fudge, Seth didn't get anyone into trouble, did he? That really wasn't his intention. He just wanted to give his parents the shock of their life – mission accomplished, by the way – and be close to his crush at the same time.
Dean clears his throat and rolls his eyes at his best friend. 'I already told you. I pretend to be his boyfriend to buff up his reputation at school and, my specialty, to piss off his parents.'
It's quiet for a moment, Roman pinching the bridge of his nose as if a headache is about to bring him down to his knees. He then snarls at Dean, 'You've done that perfectly. Well done you.' Wow, that's oozing with sarcasm and doesn't bother his companion at all.
Roman then tries his luck with Seth, turning towards him and suddenly the anger from before is back. 'Pretend? That's all it is?' His tongue is as heavy as a brick and he throws a quick glance at Dean who, of course, wears his trademark smirk that says everything and nothing at all.
Seth doesn't know if it's better to answer no, for now or lie right at Rome's face. Three very tempting options. Thankfully Dean saves him once more. 'Ro, it's okay. We know what we're doing.' Are they? Because Seth is clueless how to proceed or where this will lead them to.
'I'm still gonna go to the tryouts, Seth still wants to go to college.' Does he? Yes, he got the acceptance letter but he's hiding it under his bed, so he doesn't have to deal with it. How can Dean be so sure about everything? 'I won't let this chance pass by.'
They should have a talk about their future. Not just the fake boyfriend part. Like, right now. Especially because Dean seems to have an idea what the future will hold for them, that the heck they're going to be.
Roman sighs defeated, rubbing over his face tiredly. 'What am I supposed to do with your hysteric mom? We can't have her sue us.' So he's fine with them being boyfriends. No pesky argument or what happened to our agreement? Nothing. Why can't he believe that?
'Don't worry, she won't,' Seth promises hurriedly, too hyped that the Samoan lets them get away with this for now. 'She'd never risk her name in the papers right next to Cyberfights'. She will only take it out on me.' So to speak, he'll take one for the team, especially since this is his fault anyway.
His big friend stares at them for a very long time – Seth crumbling under his exasperated glare, Dean meeting it head-on. 'You're dismissed.' He made it and he still has all his limbs. Seth is certain that Roman went easy on him because Dean was in the room, but he counts this as a victory nonetheless.
He closes the door, doesn't move though, staying behind to eavesdrop on them since he has this distinct feeling that this conversation isn't over yet.
It's awfully quiet for a while, and Seth's body tenses, since he's not allowed to make a single sound or he might blow his cover. If only he could look into the office through the glass walls, but he's trapped behind this wooden door. He's sure he'll fall to one side any moment when a voice finally rings out. 'You know what you're doing with him?'
Dean laughs derogatory, stating a bit proudly, 'I never know what I'm doing.' That doesn't sound too good but if he's being honest with himself, he isn't surprised that Dean said that. Especially because he's a live for the moment, cross my bridges when I get there type.
Roman moans grumpily, making Seth's chest swell with something akin to love because it sounds like the Samoan cares a lot about him. Which is astounding, considering his recent erratic behavior that leaves Seth puzzled all the time. 'Don't promise something you can't give him in the end. His mom was right with one thing. Kid's got a bright future ahead.'
Anyone ever thought that maybe he doesn't want to have this so-called bright, academic future? What if he's way happier here, sweating in the ring; not as a porn actor, but as a wrestler?
Dean's voice is laced with anger when he speaks up next. 'So even my own buddy is convinced that I couldn't give him anything. That I have nothing to offer, because I'm basically a living sex doll.'
'Don't be like that,' Rome retorts immediately, groaning so loud that even Seth can hear it very clearly. 'I know you could. I just ain't sure you should.' Whoa, what is that supposed to mean? Wasn't the point of his whole Dean is dangerous speech to keep Seth at bay? Because now it sounds as if Dean would be perfect for him, but Roman doesn't want it to come true; thanks to him being a Rollins and generally too young. Or someone's lingering feelings that won't go away.
What is Roman really concerned about?
'Look at it like this, it's a test version of a relationship. Anything could happen.' That's a good answer. One that doesn't scare the living daylights out of Seth either. Dean is very diplomatic. More than he ever thought him capable of.
'That's what I'm afraid of.' As one of Dean's former partners, Roman should know what he's talking about. Was Dean such a bad boyfriend? Seth still has some difficulty believing it. The man he got to know is so different from the one in Rome's stories, though that person matches with what he read in his parents' books.
Man, this couldn't be more confusing. What would Lita say in this moment? Trust your own judgment, sunshine. That he shall do. If Dean would be such a horrible human being, surely Roman would have cut him out of his life already. The Samoan seems like someone who would have no hesitation whatsoever doing that.
'Don't you want me to be happy?' It sounds as if Dean's asked that with a smile on his lips that's close to being cold and calculating. The whole question has a sharp edge to it and Seth is really glad he's no longer perched in the room with these two.
'You know I do, dickhead. All I'm asking you to do is– think this through for once, okay? It ain't a game for him.'
So Roman is indeed worried about Seth not being able to differentiate between pretense and reality. Quite frankly, it's an insult to his intelligence, but he still appreciates the sentiment. Rome is a great guy; jealous and over-protective ex-lover of his crush or not, Seth is starting to like this guy like his brother.
He's almost forgotten that Dean still owes his best friend – and Seth, even though no one knows he's listening in on them – an answer and when he's able to make out the other's next words, his mouth drops open and his heart stutters inside his ribcage.
'Who says it is for me?'