ATM: The Bonehead and the Brain – Rage in the City
Bayley Black Heart goes too far in her pursuit to take NXT away from Triple H and Bianca Belair makes her main roster debut against Charlotte Flair. Alexa Bliss finally finds out the Truth about what happened the night Chyna died in New York and the Damsels of Destruction give the 3Cs advice on what to do with the DX family inheritance.
Chapter Twenty One – I'm Hair for You
The Ortons, Manhattan, New York City, NY
Trish was doing curls as Randy pulled out the coffee table to make sure everyone's legs could get around it. Some of the roster had come around to join them after Sasha Banks suddenly returned to Los Angeles, without her husband by her side. Seth Rollins was distraught and was currently crying with his head on a nervous Bianca Belair who was playing with her braid eager for Alexa Bliss to show up so that Seth could cry on her instead. The Ortons were also waiting for Bliss but they were not as eager to relieve Bianca of Seth's need for comfort. The Truth Couple were amused at her discomfort but she was Blissfully unaware of why that was. As they all waited for more people to arrive Bianca finally had to ask them why they weren't helping her comfort Seth.
"You guys might be used to men crying all over you but I'm not, can you please say something to cheer him up?" Bianca asked while scrolling down her phone. "I need to call a certain someone whose name shall not be mentioned,"
She was talking about Sasha Banks but she dared not say her name less Seth cry even harder than he was already. His face was a swirl of tears, shea butter and loose strands of curly black hair.
"Are you talking about Sasha?" Trish said and Bianca stared at her furiously as Seth continued to leak pain through his tears onto her abs.
"You know what forget I said anything, let's just wait for Bliss she knows how to handle Seth, you clearly don't know what to say at a time like this," Bianca said to Trish while admiring her tricep curls. "Nice grip, try not to exert your wrist too much though,"
"Noted, thanks E S T. I would suggest you get comfortable because Bliss won't be coming over anytime soon," Trish said casually and Belair's eyebrows almost lifted off her head.
"What?! Where is she, doesn't she know Seth needs her?!" Bianca cried out while pulling Seth's hair out of his face. She reached into her handbag and pulled out a short brush and raked it across his head.
"Ow!" Seth yelled sitting straight up with an angry look on his face. "What are you doing to me?!"
"I'm trying to help you, I thought if I brushed your hair it would help you relax," Belair said and Seth looked at the short brush critically.
"You can't use that on my hair, I'm not your husband," Seth said and Trish threw a comb to Belair.
"What the Hell is this?" Belair said looking at the comb. "This can't do nuthin,"
"Ow!" Seth cried as Belair went back to the brush refusing to compromise and use the more suitable comb.
"Belair just use the comb," Trish said simply and Belair sighed before taking the rather thin black comb and gently moving it through Seth's hair.
"I feel like I'm combing a dog," Belair said unimpressed but Seth still looked sad. "Seth I'm sorry you and Sasha had a fight but it won't be like this forever. Once you get rid of Bayley you can and the Boss can go back to being happily married. Being around Bayley is really bad for your marriage,"
"So what are you saying I should just go to Los Angeles, make up with my wife and forget Bayley ever existed? Bayley's really trying E S T, all I want is for things to go back to the way they were and we have a chance to make that happen. My wife needs to accept the fact that even if Bayley is attracted to me - "
" - she's not attracted to you Seth, she's in love with you there's a big difference," Belair said clearly. "You cannot ask your wife to accept that,"
"She has to Belair," Seth said firmly. "She has to trust me,"
"Seth you can't ask her to trust you around Bayley, the woman is clearly trying to get with you. You can't expect your wife to be okay with you wanting to be friends with her anymore," Belair said.
"Why not? I have been nothing but up in my wife's a** both literally and figuratively. I kiss Bayley one time as a plan to get her out of going to Hell and my wife freakin' loses it! I was trying to make things better and she goes on this jealous school girl trip. She hit my armour bearer and all Bliss was doing was trying to help me. We're talking about saving someone's life here Belair, not who got to take who to the prom," Seth suddenly recoiled with displeasure, "Don't comb the curls out of my hair,"
Belair frowned, "Sorry I wasn't paying attention," she said and she stopped combing Seth's hair and stared down at the comb thoughtfully.
"I didn't want you to stop I just didn't want you to comb the curls out," Seth said and he ran his fingers through his hair impressed, "You did a good job, maybe I could return the favor if your husband doesn't get here soon,"
"Yeah right, you ain't never getting in my hair dude," Belair said stroking her braid and Seth hugged her.
"Are you okay?" he asked her gently while Belair played with the teeth of the comb.
"I just worry that what's happening with you and Sasha might happen with me and my husband," Belair said and Trish and Randy looked at each other with a smile.
"Why do you say that? Are you guys having problems too?" Seth asked Bianca.
"No but you and Sasha were fine and then you started doing all this stuff for God and now you're having problems. What if being friends with you does the same thing to my marriage? I mean the only reason why you're fighting with your wife is because you did something for God, you tried to stop your best friend from going to Hell. What if God asks me to do something and my husband doesn't like it? I don't think I could do it. I really respect you for fighting the good fight for Bayley but I think if I was in your situation, I would do everything I could to keep my marriage from failing and that means letting Bayley go to Hell," Belair said and Seth nodded respectfully.
"Bayley is not going to Hell and my wife is going to be fine. She just needs time to cool off. Now let's talk about Monty," Seth said and Belair rolled her eyes.
"Please don't call him that," she said twirling her braid.
"Is he the jealous type?" Seth asked her.
"Wouldn't you be if you were married to th of WWE?" Belair said confidently.
"Well I kind of am, only m is 5' 4" and she calls herself the Boss. Did you marry Monty because you loved him or because you thought he was cute?" Seth asked Belair eyeing her braid as she stroked it.
"I married him because he asked me to marry him," Belair said.
"So are you saying that if he never asked you to marry him you guys would just be dating?" Seth asked her.
"I guess I wanted to focus on my career so I was just happy taking things easy, when I blew up in NXT Monty – I mean Montez, see now you got me doing it!" Belair said and Seth laughed. "He was doing his own thing and then after awhile it just got serious between us. We couldn't get through a day without being with each other. It was like a natural progression that happened super fast and before you know it, I was saying "I do","
"Just like me and Sasha, we blew up at the same-time though. She got over in NXT the same time I was getting over with the Shield, our careers paralleled each other. I mean we've known each other forever but sex changes everything," Seth said an nodded with a heavy sigh.
"It sure does," she said and she looked down at the comb before throwing it back to Trish who was listening to their conversation intently with her husband who was pretending to fix furniture.
"Are you guys expecting anyone else because I don't see anybody showing up?" Seth asked them curiously.
"We invited DX and some others. They're obviously taking their time enjoying the city, keep talking amongst yourselves, this conversation is clearly making Seth feel better. Let me get you guys something to drink," Randy said heading to the kitchen with a smile.
"Seth likes water," E S T called to Randy and she looked at her cell-phone. "Monty - I mean Montez should have been here by now, I wonder what's keeping him so long?"
Seth shrugged, "Don't worry I'm sure he's on his way, at least he's not on a flight to Los Angeles with my two best friends in the whole world," he said with a deep sigh.
"I can't believe Roman and Dean did that," E S T said.
"They obviously thought I'd be okay with you and Bliss, they wanted to make sure she got to L A safe. I mean I'm pissed at them for leaving but I totally get why they went with her and left me alone with you and Alexa, ATM and the DX family," Seth said.
"Are you worried about them taking sides?" Belair asked him. "I mean you guys have been though a lot right? Do you think this could be another one of those things that you fall out over?"
Seth's face softened and he eventually looked at Belair seriously, "Do you think I should be with my wife right now?" he asked her softly and Belair nodded.
"Yes Seth I do, she's pregnant you guys should not be separated right now. Tension is really bad for babies and their moms, whatever you gotta do to make things right with her just do it. If Alexa was here I'm sure she'd be telling you to pray right now, so why aren't you praying about this?" Belair said.
"When Bayley attacked Sasha, Bliss and I talked and we decided to do what we thought was the only thing we could do to stop the DX family from sending Bayley to Hell. It turns out that we were both right and Bayley was spared from judgement. I tell my wife and she freaks out so why would I want to be anywhere near her after that?" Seth replied.
"You didn't answer my question Seth Rollins," Belair said. "Why aren't you asking God where He wants you to be right now?"
"Because I know where He wants me to be Belair," Seth replied confidently.
"And where's that?" Belair asked unconvinced and Seth pointed at her lap.
"He wants me to be right here with you," he said simply before shrugging, "You don't think I prayed about this? I already asked Him if I should go after her and He told me that I didn't do anything wrong. So yeah, I might fall out with my baby boy's godparents but I know I did what was necessary to keep things from getting out of hand. If after all we've been though this year all my wife, Roman and Dean can think about is the fact that I kissed Bayley, then so be it but I'm staying right here with you,"
Belair raised a suspicious eyebrow as Randy Orton gave them both almost a gallon of water each to drink, "That should keep you both going," he said with a smile before going back to his fake DIY.
"He's acting like we're going to be here for a long time," Belair said before getting back to her point, "Why do you like me so much?" she asked Seth.
"I barely know you so I have no idea, I just like hanging out with you. Ever since Hunter told me to mentor you I've loved every second we've spent together," Seth said.
"Yeah but that's just business, I feel like we have this chemistry, you know the kind of chemistry that would make a married man nervous, you know where I'm going right?" Belair asked Seth who nodded.
"Look I didn't ask you to comb my hair you did that all on your own," he said playfully and Trish laughed getting both Seth and Belair's attention.
"Trish is there something you wanna add?" Belair asked her directly. She couldn't figure the Ortons out it was like they knew something she didn't.
"No I'm good I got a few more of these reps to go before I attack my quads," Trish said. "Feel free to join me if you want,"
"Okay sounds good after I'm done talking to Seth," Belair said and Trish laughed again much to Belair's irritation. "Trish is there something you wanna say to me?"
"No just that you're a really good listener. Not every woman can sit next to Seth Rollins and make it though a full conversation without flirting. Keep it up you're doing great Champ," Trish said and Belair shook her head.
"I guess we do have chemistry, you know what they say; if you ever want a second opinion about something ask Aunt Trish and Uncle Randy," Seth said.
"I don't know them very well but I hear they have a Gift from God like you," Belair said.
"Yeah they're prophets; they know the Truth before it even happens," Seth said. "Good to know that you're a good listener I'm gonna need someone to talk to while all this is going on,"
"Seth I hope you don't think I want this to go on," Belair said honestly and Seth shrugged sadly.
"I might be in New York for awhile, I don't think me and Sasha are getting back together anytime soon," he said quietly. "At least not until she changes her mind about what I did,"
"Seth - I, look I think you're a super cool dude and you obviously know how to pray I just don't know if I'm okay with you substituting the time you should be spending with your wife with me instead. It just doesn't seem right, I know Monty - I mean Montez won't approve of it," Belair said.
"How long are you gonna hide behind that husband of yours? I love my wife but I'm my own person, we both have personalities and sometimes that makes for a very combustible relationship. It doesn't mean that I don't love her, I just don't wanna be with her right now. How are you going to grow if you have to run everything you do past your husband, who is half as talented as you by-the-way.
If he put half of the effort into his character that you did he'd be the freakin Champion right now alongside you. I know you feel the same way but of course you won't say it to his face because you're afraid he might leave you for a 6'ft blond from North Carolina named Charlotte Flair," Seth said and EST leapt to her feet with her fist cocked at Seth's face before pulling back and stepping away from him.
"I nearly punched you. Damn," she said admonishing herself. "Hunter was right I gotta get it together or else I'm gonna lose my job. Just the idea of losing my husband, Seth he means the world to me!" Belair turned around and looked at Seth gently. "I'm not like you Seth, I can't risk losing my husband even if it might be for the wrong reason. I know I'm good but I'm not that good,"
Seth reached out and grabbed her braid, "Hunter wouldn't have had me mentor you if you weren't that good. You're so good you make people wanna be better themselves, even if they're already good. People like Trish, don't talk down to yourself. If Self-Esteem class has taught me one thing it's that great people do better when they're around each other. The more time you spend on the main roster the better you'll be but remember, Hunter introduced us for a reason and it sure wasn't to give you marital advice," he said.
"Let go of my braid," EST said and Seth removed it from her head much to EST's horror. "Do you know how long that took me to put in this morning?!"
Seth curled the braid up, "It's my braid now," he said playfully. "You're going to have to wrestle me for it,"
As mad as she was Belair was so happy to see Seth smile. He had been crying for hours and it was so nice to see him back to his happy self.
"You know what hold onto it, whatever it takes to keep that smile on your face," she said patting her bun which felt naked now that her braid was out. Seth started to unbraid the braid as EST drank her water. He had no idea what was about to happen with it or that it was going to bring EST into her own Gift from God and change her life in ways she could never imagine. As Seth played with the braid he started to tear up. The texture of it started to remind him of Sasha's hair and it became too real. He reached up and reconnected it to Belair's head with surprising ease much to EST's delight. "You re-attached my braid!" she said in shock.
"Why are you so surprised? Half the time Sasha looks good is because I made sure she checked with me before she left the house," Seth said and EST gave him his water.
"Let's work out some of this tension with Trish, I think we've both been inside for too long," she said patting Seth on the leg. She looked at her phone and saw that there had been no missed calls from her husband. "Where is he?" she wondered.
"You okay?" Seth asked her while removing his shirt.
"No I'm worried Montez hasn't called me it's not like him," she said her eyes wondering over Seth's fat free abdomen.
"Is that it or are you worried that I might do more than take your braid out if we spend anymore time together?" Seth asked her playfully but EST didn't laugh.
"Its not funny Seth," she said and Seth nodded.
"You're right there's nothing funny about the Street Profits," he said and he made Bianca laugh. "You ready to go work out?"
Bianca nodded, "I'm ready I just hope my husband doesn't get the wrong idea when he gets here and sees us both together, you know – sweating," Belair said and Seth rolled his eyes before heading out to the Ortons' gym.
"I'll be outside sweating, feel free to join me when you stop sweating over your husband," he said and Belair exhaled deeply.
"He's right I need to chill," she said to Trish who was listening to the whole conversation. "Its just l get on with Seth so well, why couldn't he just be ugly?"
"Because he's Seth Rollins, you can't worry about hanging out with him because he's not the non-black equivalent to Angelo Dawkins. If you wanna make it in this business honey and trust me I know a thing or two about making it, you gotta learn how to handle the hot ones because there are going to be a lot of them along the way. At least Seth's happily married," Trish said and Belair frowned at her.
"Is he happily married?" she asked Trish and she shook her head, "I felt like we've been on a date for the past thirty minutes,"
Trish nodded, "Don't worry I've got you, we both do right Randy?" she asked her husband and Randy nodded supportively. "There will be no adultery in this house,"
"So that's why you brought me here, you wanted to see for yourself if there was anything going on between us," Belair said.
"Randy and I have a Gift and that Gift allows us to see the Truth before it even happens. After getting a prophetic word from the Lord we both took action to see if what the Lord was telling us was True," Trish said.
"What did God tell you, is there something going on with me and Seth?" Belair asked nervously.
"Yes but its not adultery at least, it won't be as long as we're here. Its our job to make sure that both your marriages stay healthy. I know it doesn't make sense to you right now Bianca but you being here with Seth is exactly what he needs, God says so. So you can relax now, you are in the perfect will of God," Trish assured her and Belair sank into her hands in distress.
"Great, why did I get him water when Bliss came to Full Sail?!" she said in frustration while the Ortons smiled.
"Go have a guilt free workout with Seth we've got you both," Randy assured Belair who headed to the Orton gym where a fit and healthy Seth Rollins was waiting for her. As she walked towards him she kept telling herself over and over that they were just friends.
"We're just friends?" he asked her curiously, "Did I read your lips correctly?"
"I'm just counselling myself until Montez gets here," Belair said and she kept muttering that she and Seth were just friends as they worked out much to Seth's amusement.
"Monty doesn't deserve you, Monty doesn't deserve you, Monty doesn't deserve you," he murmured loudly and Bianca gave him a dark look.
"Seth quit it I'm trying to get this workout going and I can't do it with you making fun of me," Bianca said and Seth started to laugh.
"Wow you are really wound up. I wonder why that is? Could it be that my new best friend is in need of a little alone time with her undeserving husband? Did you guys not spend enough time with each other last night?" Seth teased her.
"No - I mean, shut up Rollins," Bianca said nervously turning her head to the left as she lifted weights.
Seth reasoned with himself and decided to quit teasing her but he was definitely having fun. He was glad she was there and she would eventually realise that nothing was going on and relax.
Still he couldn't help but wonder why she was so nervous and he thought it might have something to do with the Ortons. "Did Trish say anything to you when I left the room?" he asked her curiously.
"Yeah she said I need to relax," Bianca replied still avoiding Seth.
"Is that all she said?" Seth asked her.
"No, she said that I should be here with you and that its okay for us to spend time together, you know – outside of work," she said and Seth lowered his gaze to meet her eyeline.
"Is that not okay?" he asked her concerned.
"Seth ever since you came over I've been on this butterfly trip. My stomach won't stop flipping and that was when you had a shirt on," she said before finally meeting his eyeline, "Why am I nervous? Is there something going on between us?"
"No," Seth said confidently. "There might be something going on with you though,"
Seth turned away from her but she turned him back toward her, "I'm sorry for being so weird," she said.
"You are a lot of thing but weird is not one of them," Seth assured her.
"I'm a relax now," she said and she worked out with ease and more power and grace at the same level as Seth.
An hour later everyone else had arrived but they had decided to hang out in the Ortons living room inside of going out to where the gym was. Seth and Bianca were rehydrated now and back to talking about Sasha as the evening drew to a close. The Ortons were making dinner for everyone but they were okay just to spend the night talking.
"So where are you going to stay while you're on the East Coast?" Bianca asked Seth.
"Wherever you're staying. You and Monty live in Orlando right?" Seth said. "Can I stay with you guys?"
"You are not serious?" Bianca said thinking Seth was kidding.
"I am serious. I can't stay here by myself, I have no idea where Bliss is and Hunter works all the time. I'd rather hang out with you and your over-achieving husband," Seth said and Bianca laughed.
"Just the idea of telling Montez you wanna stay with us is hilarious enough. Seth you can stay with any number of people in Orlando it doesn't have to be me and my husband," Bianca said.
"Yes it does, I don't think I could be with anyone else right now. Don't worry about Monty he'll be fine. Do you think you can handle me being in the same house as you?" Seth said and Bianca hesitated. "I could do your braid,"
"Wow you are funny, so funny in fact I gotta tell Monty what you said," Belair said and she turned and headed inside but Montez was already coming out to get her.
"Hey sweetie," he said giving her a kiss and a hug. "Its time for dinner the Ortons have made this vegetable chicken thing I don't know what it is but its low in fat,"
"You never guess what Seth said," Bianca said.
"That he wants to move in with us? Yeah I know he sent me a text and asked me if it was okay. I said it was cool, Angelo will finally have someone to stay up late with so I can spend more time alone with you," Montez said and he kissed Bianca lovingly on the lips. The kiss was so loving he couldn't see the colour draining from Bianca's face.
"You're cool with Seth staying with us?" Bianca asked almost breathlessly.
"He's got some marital problems this is what brothers do when we in trouble with our old ladies. Hey if I ever got in trouble with you I know he'd do the same thing," Montez said.
"You sure?" Bianca said unconvinced. "He doesn't think much of you as a wrestler,"
"Neither do I so we're already off to a good start! Seth – time for dinner!" Montez called to Seth who gestured that he would be in soon. "Let's eat,"
"I'll be right there I just wanna ask Seth something," Bianca said.
"You can ask him at the dinner table," Montez said.
"You know I hate to talk during dinner," Bianca said and Montez left her alone with Seth.
Seth was reading through his text messages, none of which were from Sasha, Alexa, Roman or Dean. Bianca stood over him as he sat by the pool casting a shadow over him forcing him to look up at her.
"I told you not to worry about Monty," he said to her with a smile but Bianca was frowning. "Why are you still stressing?"
"Whatever game you're trying to play you better make sure my husband doesn't get hurt when this game of yours is over. Whatever you got going on with Sasha you better leave it at the door, I can't make you go to LA but I can sure as Hell stop you from taking away the one thing that means more to me than my career ever will," Bianca warned him and Seth got to his feet.
"I think I need to stand up for this," he said and now he was casting a shadow over her. "You think I have something against your husband?"
"You call him Monty, guys only do that when they're trying to undermine someone they're threatened by. If you think this is going to work you've made a sad mistake. You're trying to make it look like you're in pain so my husband will drop his guard and then, one night when he's not at home and we're left alone together, you'll move in on me like a Quad City tsunami!" EST said convinced that Seth was up to no good.
"First of all I don't think Iowa's ever had a tsunami and second of all, the E i does not stand for Ego, so I suggest you check it before we get to Orlando," Seth said as Bianca folded her arms defensively.
"Okay so th means I'm the bEST at everything I do and you know what that includes?" she asked Seth who was amused at her bravado.
"What?" he asked her with a smile.
"Everything!" she yelled back. "Don't think for one second that it doesn't include my marriage,"
Seth put his hands up innocently, "Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. I guess I am going to have to go through this by myself, it's a shame I really thought we had a good thing going. I won't stay with you, I don't need anymore trouble,"
"I don't trust myself when I'm alone with you Seth, I'm sorry this is just not the time for us to be spending so much time together," E S T said honestly. "Wrestling is one thing but we've spent the whole day together and that's just one day too much for me,"
"I guess that's one more thing you and my wife have in common," Seth said. "You both can't stand me,"
As soon as Seth said those words Bianca knew she wasn't going anywhere. She realised that there was definitely something going on between them but it wasn't about their marriages. It was about much more than that. She reached out and squeezed Seth's hand.
"I'm having a change of heart but just so we're clear we're not sleeping in the same bed, you're sleeping with Angelo," E S T said and Seth nodded.
"And just so we're clear I like to walk around the house naked," Seth said an gasped much to Seth's delight, "I'm kidding, that's more of an Ambrose thing,"
"Phew, I thought you were serious," E S T said her head exploding with images of Seth naked. "At least my sex life is about to improve, with you in the house Monty and I will be doing it and doing it and doing it well even more than we were before,"
Seth sighed, "I won't be doing it with anyone for a while. Can you think of me when you and your husband are doing it so at least I feel like I'm part of something special?" he said and Bianca looked at him like he was crazy.
"Seth why do you think I didn't want you in the house? Having sex with you was one of my fantasies, I've never been with a guy like you before, can you imagine what goes on inside my head? That's a place you wanna be buddy trust me, when I said I'm good at everything I mean everything," EST said and Seth nodded.
"Noted," he said. "So the E i stands for Everything, the S stands for Sexy and the T stands for Tough, got it. Anything else I should know before we officially become house mates?"
"That's not wha – never mind, just try not to make it so obvious that you know your way around a black woman's body," E S T said and Seth shrugged.
"I don't think that's something you can unlearn, I mean you've seen me and Sasha together, we're good right?" Seth said an gulped.
"Let's go eat dinner," she said not responding to Seth's awkward question.
"You never answered me, don't you think Sasha and I have great chemistry? You know it's kind of like the chemistry we have but as friends," Seth said an tried to blank out the images she had in her head of Seth and Sasha having marital relations but now that Seth knew he was one of her fantasies it was going to be almost impossible to imagine him any other way.
I hope you know what You're doing Lord, she prayed.
"He always does," Seth responded intercepting her prayer an blushed. "You can't hide anything from me E S T, I know more about you than any work colleague should. I think you should get used to it,"
"Thy will be done," she said with a shrug trusting that God actually had a purpose and hopefully that didn't include having to stop herself from drooling everytime Seth mentioned sex. "So this is what Bliss went through when you guys became friends. Well things worked out okay for her I guess they will for me too. Where is your armour bearer anyway? I thought she'd be here tonight,"
Seth didn't respond; he knew where Bliss was and the less said about her whereabouts the better. As much as he liked Bianca Belair he didn't fully trust her yet and he most certainly couldn't tell her that Bliss was in danger of being thrown in jail for taking something that didn't belong to her on behalf of the DX family.