Author's Note: Here's the next chapter, enjoy~
Warning: some implied sexual content.
Dialogue in regular font=Spoken Japanese
Dialogue in italics=Spoken English
Text in italics outside of quotes=Shinsuke's inner thoughts
Dialogue/text in bold=Emphasis on word(s)
Italic text inside quotes=Sung lyrics of a song.
Dialogue/text that is italicized and centered inside "-"=Shinsuke's flashbacks
Text inside "*"=Text messages
Italicized text inside "/"=Shinsuke and Asuka's inner souls talking to each other.
Centered "..."=A time jump of less than a day
Centered ":::"=A time jump of about a day or more
"I certainly had a lot of reservations. I think I still do." Seth admitted.
"No surprise." Shinsuke folded his arms and leaned against the wall.
"But then after talking it over with Dean and Roman—"
Anger and fear flooded Shinsuke. His hands unconsciously coiled into fists at his sides as he pushed himself off the wall. "I told you…keep this between us," he hissed.
Seth raised one hand in a calm manner yet he had the sense to take a step back. "Don't worry, they won't tell anyone."
"How can I trust them if I can not trust you?" Shinsuke's fists shook.
Flashbacks of his start in New Japan bombarded him. Years' worth of flashbacks. Of jealous murmurs behind his back. Hostile looks. The fact that he had ended up befriending some of those faces did not completely erase the past. Maybe it went further back than that. Back to when he was a kid, always feeling targeted – because of his size or because he defended others – and unable to protect himself.
"Shinsuke," Seth said softly, slowly, like he was speaking to a wounded animal.
The other man's voice gently cut through his memories. Grounded him back to the here and now. Shinsuke blinked rapidly. He felt like waking from sleep. From a sort of nightmare. He felt inexplicably calmer now – maybe not as calm Asuka as would have made him, but considerably calmer than most anyone else in WWE could after such a rare episode. And he barely knew the man.
Shinsuke studied Seth in silence. His doe eyes had softened impossibly further, the empathetic crease between his brows adding to the sense that he meant no harm. Seth seemed to have done this many times before with another.
Seemingly sensing his less agitated state, Seth continued in that same soft voice, "You can trust them. Dean has had his own hang-ups with Vince and management, so he understands your position. And Roman's simply one of the best guys in the company. He's no snitch, and Dean most certainly isn't."
Continuing to stare at Seth, Shinsuke sensed no hidden malicious intent. He relaxed. "Fine, I will trust you and them." Unless I'm given reason not to, he thought. "Please continue."
"After talking it over with Dean and Roman," Seth began again. "They both agreed with me that this is a big risk. However…after a lot of consideration between the three of us, we came to the consensus that I should help you. So I will."
Shinsuke was blindsided by Seth's answer, the ease and conviction with which he gave it. It was a complete 180 from the conflict he had detected when the younger man first came to him.
"Why?" he had to know.
Seth shrugged. "Your ideas piqued our interest, especially with elevating the Mixed Match picture. WWE is attempting progress but the product is slowly becoming staler and staler. Everyone in the locker room feels it and we know the fans feel it…but most of us haven't done much to try and change it, just accepted our marching orders. We've stopped being bold so it's just snowballed from there. But maybe that's just what we need to be right now. Maybe seeing you and Asuka being so bold will inspire the rest of us to fight even harder for something better for us and future talent."
Seth's and his comrades' support in his and Asuka's vision touched Shinsuke on a deeply profound level. None of the three men knew him or Asuka well. And still, they were willing to support them and come to their aid.
"Thank you very much," he said, bowing deep towards the younger man.
"I-It's nothing really," Seth said, appearing a little flustered by an older, more experienced wrestler showing him such devote respect.
"It is more than what can be said," Shinsuke insisted.
"How soon do you need to use the ring?" Seth blushingly changed the subject.
"As soon as conveniently possible."
A short silence fell over them as Seth became thoughtful. "You guys could fly in on Wednesday and stay over through Thursday. I've got some extra rooms in my academy dorm if you don't want to stay in a hotel. But if I do this for you, then I ask that you and Asuka give a few lessons to my academy students. Deal?" He held out his hand.
"Sounds perfect!" Shinsuke could hardly contain himself as he shook the other man's hand, his smile wide and toothy. "Deal!"
"Awesome!" Seth's grin matched his in magnitude. "See ya Wednesday then."
"See you Wednesday," he agreed.
When he was alone once more, he returned to his phone and texted Asuka. *Get a plane ticket and a hotel reservation for Cameron, NC for Tuesday ASAP. I'll pick you up from the hotel after the show.*
*Does this have to do with the surprise?* came her replying text.
*Maybe~ Just be sure to pack at least two days' worth of clothes, your workout, clothes, and a set of ring gear. Oh and give me your ID number so I can book your flight.*
*Ohh a two-day stay at a mystery location? Wherever this ring is must be at a five-star location.*
*I'll let you believe that.* He typed back with a chuckle. While he waited for her to reply, he texted Seth about what airport he should fly to. Seth texted back the location.
Asuka finally sent him her information and he set to work checking the earliest available Wednesday flights to Quad City International Airport. He double-checked with Seth the arrival time of around 7:45 am was a good time. Seth texted back that it was fine and that he would pick them up. He booked their flight then sent Asuka her ticket.
Now that things were in place, his worries lessened, Shinsuke stretched his arms up above his head and let out a massive yawn. It looked like time for a well-earned nap.
"This is getting old…" Akira said grumpily after shaking him awake.
"And good morning to you too, Sunshine~" Shinsuke snickered tiredly.
:::
When he and Asuka landed in Moline Illinois, not only was Seth there waiting to pick them up but so was Dean.
"Eh?" Asuka blinked upon seeing them. "Seth and Dean?"
Shinsuke stepped up behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Surprised?" he asked.
"Unexpected," Asuka corrected.
"Same thing," he countered smugly. "Seth has his own wrestling academy and has agreed to let us use one of his rings. In return, we will teach some lessons."
"I see. Sounds fair."
Shinsuke kissed the side of her head then moved to join their hosts. Asuka matched his stride and took his free hand in hers.
"Can we trust them?" she asked.
"I believe we can," he said. Next, he addressed Seth and Dean. "Good morning Seth, Dean." He bowed his head and Asuka followed suit.
"Good morning Shinsuke, Asuka," Seth returned amiably. He shook their hands. Seth was dressed casually in a pair of dark skinny jeans and a T-shirt that read Parkway drive. His hair was tied back and hidden beneath a beanie. Though he dressed comfortably, Seth seemed alert.
Dean, on the other hand, looked scruffy, like he just rolled out of bed and tossed on the first set of clothes he could cobble together. His eyes were hidden behind a pair of aviators. "G'mornin'," he drawled in a sleep-rough voice. He also offered his hand to him and Asuka.
"You could at least be more inviting," Seth nudged the other man.
"What?" Dean shrugged his arms. "It's like eight in the morning…this is as inviting as I get."
Seth rolled his eyes. "How well do I know…"
Shinsuke's lips quirked in amusement. Asuka giggled. Seth and Dean could not be more different, and yet their chemistry was as undeniable as his and Asuka's. Like bees to honey.
"You guys hungry?" Seth asked. "We've got the LemonGrass Café nearby. It's Asian-Fusion."
"I could eat," Asuka replied without hesitation.
"Yes, me too," Shinsuke seconded.
"Alright then, let's blow this hot dog stand!" It was the most enthusiastic Shinsuke had seen Dean since they arrived. Apparently, food was one of his motivators.
Seth sighed and shook his head at his partner. "Nice choice of words when we're standing in an airport."
"I know right?" Dean grinned, dimples showing.
"Let's leave before doofus here attracts any more unwanted attention." Seth glowered lightly at Dean. "Ya know, like fans who might start taking pictures?"
"Okay, okay, I'll behave princess." Dean raised his hands in surrender. His playful smile remained.
Seth's cheeks flushed. He grabbed one of his partner's arms and began hauling him along towards the exit to the airport. Shinsuke thought he heard Dean say, "Ohh are you gonna slap the cuffs on me?" That earned him a harder yank.
"Shin." Asuka tugged questioningly at his hoodie sleeve as they trailed after the duo. "Are those two?"
Shinsuke chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck. "I think so."
"Ohh," she said long and soft. Then she beamed. "I think I like them. They're cute."
"They seem to make a good match." He shrugged simply. I wonder how this will impact things? he wondered since he had only expected Seth to pick them up.
After eating, Seth drove them to his wrestling dormitory. The dorm was the size of a medium-sized building. There was a large kitchen and rec room, three bathrooms – upstairs and down – and at least a dozen bedrooms. Each room was big enough to be furnished with two bunk beds, a closet, and two chests of drawers. Seven of the rooms were fully occupied. Currently, the occupants were attending the academy just a short drive away.
"This is a nice place," Asuka said, admiring the setup of the facility.
Shinsuke silently agreed. It brought back memories of his days training to become a pro wrestler – though this was so much nicer than his old dorm. He still half-expected Liger-san to pop up.
"Thanks," Seth said, graciously. He possessed a proud gleam in his eyes. "This used to be a small-scale nursing home. It closed down in the '80s and just sat around, abandoned. It was close to my academy so I bought it and had it fixed up."
"The kids got it cushy nowadays," Dean remarked. He plopped himself down on one of the bunks. Shinsuke sensed a small vibe of broodiness from him. Perhaps he was the one that Seth usually calmed with soft reassurances.
"Sure they have it a little better than we did," Seth said. "But it's our duty to pave a better road for the next generation."
Dean's lips curved upward and his eyes lit up in adoration. "You're right, cupcake. Just so long as we don't go easy on them when it comes to the training."
"That, I assure you, will never be the case." Seth leaned in the doorway and crossed his arms. He smiled down at the other man. The two caressed each other with their eyes.
Shinsuke sensed Asuka's giddiness and grabbed her arm. He shook his head.
"Ahh, but I wanna see them kiss~" she pouted.
"Don't embarrass them just because you don't have a problem kissing in front of co-workers."
"Buzzkill…"
"I'm sure whatever I say won't stop you from boring a hole into their room to peep." Shinsuke squinted one of his eyes accusingly at her.
"Of course not!" she happily admitted.
Feeling a pair of inquisitive eyes on his exchange with Asuka, Shinsuke chuckled nervously and said. "We're eager to see academy."
"Ohh right!" Seth flushed again. "Let me show you your room." Seth showed them a vacant variation of the other rooms. "Our room is to the left of yours if you ever need anything," he said.
"Thank you very much." Shinsuke nodded his head once more. The two men gave him and Asuka time to put away whatever they didn't need with them, and Seth gave them a key with which to lock up their room. They all then left for the academy.
The Black and Brave Wrestling Academy was housed in another medium-sized building. Seth explained that it was once a hardware store before it went out of business and was also abandoned. A class was clearly in session when the four of them entered. They quietly waited in the wings.
In the ring, two young men squared off. More young men and some women surrounded the ring, watching. The group was so focused on the practice in the squared circle, that no one appeared to notice the arrival of four WWE Superstars. Among the group was a man around Seth and Dean's age who occasionally threw in some coaching to the two participants. It was clear by the fluidity and the moves used by both students that they had a fair amount of training under their belts. Shinsuke was impressed.
After a short while of watching the men go back and forth in the ring, the coach announced the end of the session. It was then that everyone became aware of the arrivals near the door. Most of the students looked a little surprised but held themselves in check. Others stared openly at Shinsuke, Asuka, and Dean and whispered to each other excitedly.
The coach stepped forward and Seth met him with a hug. "This is the other half of Black and Brave, my friend, Marek Brave," Seth said, introducing the other man to his co-workers.
"Happy to have you both here," Marek welcomed and shook hands with Shinsuke and Asuka. He then turned to Dean and said jokingly. "And I suppose it's good you're here too."
"Figured I should give you some students some proper pointers," Dean undauntedly teased back.
"Get along you two," Seth scolded, then addressed his students. "I'm sure most of you know who these two are, but I'll formally introduce them. This is the King of Strong Style, Shinsuke Nakamura." Shinsuke stepped forward at the sound of his name and gave a dramatic bow."And the Empress of Tomorrow, Asuka." Asuka also gave a bow and offered the students a friendly smile.
The group clapped enthusiastically.
"They are here to use our facility for some…"special top secret" training for an upcoming match, so please keep their presence here to yourself. No posts to social media. Don't even share it with your family." Seth leveled everyone with a stern stare. "They will also be giving you guys some very special lessons, training, and advice while they are here. So for today and tomorrow, and perhaps some days in the next few weeks, they will be your teachers." He shifted his gaze to Shinsuke and Asuka. "They're all yours."
A slight wave of trepidation flowed over Shinsuke as he and Asuka stepped forward once again. He had a hand in overseeing some training of the Young Lions back at New Japan but never before had he been given the role of lead trainer. Shinsuke hoped they would be able to keep up with his English.
"Thank you for allowing us to use your facilities," he said first to Seth and Marek. To the students, he said, "Asuka and I feel very honored to be here. To be given the opportunity to teach you, the future."
Beside him Asuka nodded at the group, silently affirming his words.
Encouraged by her presence at his side, he continued. "We hope our lessons will help your growth." At the conclusion of his speech, the students clapped again. "Please allow us time for warm-up," he said apologetically.
"By all means. We have also workout equipment you can use if you wish." Marek gestured to the facility.
Shinsuke nodded his thanks, but he and Asuka opted to warm up by some stretching, some jump roping, and a little weight lifting. Once their warm-up was taken care of, they returned to the front of the class.
"First lesson involves watching," Shinsuke stated, slowly looking over the students as he spoke. Inwardly his nervousness returned as he second-guessed his methods. "I am sure you have done much watching already in training. But watching is very important. Watch old opponents, watch new opponents. Watch styles you know and watch styles you do not know. Watching is key. Never stop watching."
The students all became so silent that Shinsuke heard his own racing heartbeat. He hoped they were silent because they were absorbing his words and not because they were bored or disappointed that they would start off by watching.
"Asuka and I will have a match." A small collective murmur followed his words. "Yes, maybe surprising." He smiled wryly. "But I think it's important for men not only watch men, and women not only watch women. We can learn from each other and help each other. Men may face women in smaller promotions outside WWE. One day…WWE may even allow men to face women. So good to be ready for anything."
"Are you ready?" he said to Asuka.
"Yes," she nodded fervently.
They stepped up into the ring. The students immediately crowded around the ring apron like eager koi awaiting bread to be tossed their way.
"Asuka and I, we have very different body types," Shinsuke commented as he circled around Asuka. She kept him within her sights, her guard up from the moment she stepped through the ropes. "I have height, weight, and reach over Asuka." Shinsuke demonstrated by quickly attempting to grab Asuka in a waist lock. As fast as he moved, she still evaded, swiftly trapping him in a twisting wrist lock. "But Asuka has speed." Shinsuke grimaced, playing up his "pain" to the maximum as she yanked on his arm and cranked it behind him into a hammerlock.
Shinsuke tried countering by reaching behind him but even his long arms proved ineffective at grabbing ahold of her. "Sometimes very small opponents are difficult," he grunted. He went an alternative route, tripping her with a drop toehold. From there he smoothly transitioned into a front chancery.
Asuka struggled in his hold before throwing him off with a head scissors takedown. He scrambled up from the mat in time to see her coming at him. He ninja rolled beneath her spinning heel kick and came at her with one of his own. Asuka ducked his as well.
Bouncing off the ropes for momentum, she attempted a hip attack but he caught her around the waist from behind. He went for a German suplex. Some of the students gasped.
Asuka blocked him, bending her legs back and gripping him around his waist. After she gave him a few well-placed elbows, he loosened his arms enough for her to escape.
She ran the ropes once more. Shinsuke stood his ground. He shifted his right leg just so, telegraphing his intentions to Asuka. She only had milliseconds to read his tell. With his foot only a scant inch from her sternum, she already began leaning backward to lessen the impact of his kick. And still, the speed of this last sequence helped sell it.
Another chorus of surprised sounds traveled amongst the students.
"Big or small, we all have strengths and weaknesses," Shinsuke said. He stood over Asuka's supine body and looked around at their spectators. "Learn them!" he shouted as he moved to stomp on her midsection.
Asuka moved just enough to avoid his boot then grabbed his leg. Pulling on his trapped leg, she swept his other leg out from under him and he fell prone to the mat. She grabbed him in an ankle lock.
They continued back and forth for a good thirty minutes, maybe longer. Countering each other's moves, Countering counters. Taking strikes, submissions, and suplexes – Asuka even got a few power moves in with his help. When he thought verbal advice would be beneficial, Shinsuke explained his strategy and sometimes Asuka's.
When he could, he observed the students from the corner of his eye. Every single man and woman watched on with rapt expressions. They were soaking everything in like sponges. Shinsuke mentally patted himself on the back.
He and Asuka were at opposite corners of the ring – panting, yet ready to keep going – When he noticed the time on the wall clock. Straightening from his battle stance, he nodded to Asuka and she relaxed as well.
"Seems good place to stop first lesson, right Asuka?" he asked.
Asuka smirked, hands on her hips. "I can keep going."
Laughter filled the room
"How well I know." Shinsuke sighed as though exhausted. He grinned and turned back to the students. "Thank you for being good watchers. I hope this lesson helped show what to do if you are small facing bigger opponent, or big facing small opponent."
The students clapped again and Shinsuke and Asuka bowed together.
"Is anyone wanting more focus on martial arts strikes or submissions?" Shinsuke asked the group. Several hands raised, male and female. "If there is time, we would like working one on one with each of you. I'll work with the men, and Asuka will work with the women."
There were fewer women than men, so Shinsuke let Asuka take centerstage first. Despite her clipped English, Asuka proved herself a good teacher. She first demonstrated moves and holds on the students. Then she had the students try the same move on her, correcting mistakes here and there. Her students were very respectful and studious. They patiently and happily practiced each move until their teacher was satisfied. When they finished, Asuka praised each one of them.
Shinsuke took over and conducted his session much the same way as Asuka. Only he had to move a little faster and reduce the repertoire. He had a lot more participants to work with and he wanted to be able to fit them all in. Like their female counterparts, his students were polite and engrossed in his teachings.
By the time he and Asuka were done with them, each participant was well on their way to mastering at least some basic to intermediate martial arts strikes and MMA submissions. Midday had also turned into evening.
To close out the day, Shinsuke and Asuka answered some questions. Then each student approached both of them and personally thanked them for their time. Shinsuke felt immensely humbled and yet proud to be able to play a small part in the lives of these young people. And he was proud of Asuka too. She didn't let the language barrier get to her.
After the students left Shinsuke said to Seth and Marek. "Such talented and respectful students. You've done well."
"Well, they're nearing the end of their three-month training period. Some weren't so disciplined at first," Seth admitted sheepishly.
"They are very good." Asuka complimented.
Marek thanked her. "Our goal is to provide them with the fundamental tools to ready them for participating in the Indy scene. Show them how to get started. What they do from there though, is up to them."
"Yeah, Seth and Marek do pretty well for themselves," Dean said, slinging an arm around Seth's shoulder.
"So we get the Ambrose stamp of approval?" Seth asked, amused.
"On this visit, yep," Dean nodded. "But I'll be back for another surprise inspection, so stay on your toes."
"We'll be sure everything's up to the Ambrose code," Marek rolled his eyes but smiled.
"You better," Dean retorted. He lowered his hand from Seth's shoulder.
"Please, you're in my back pocket, Dean," Seth said confidently. Then he yelped and jumped. "That's not what I meant!" He flushed bright red.
"What?" Dean said innocently. "You said I was in your back pocket."
Seth shoved Dean away, changing the subject. "Anyways…watching you two wrestle gave me an appetite and I missed lunch."
"Oh? Then imagine how Asuka and I feel." Shinsuke chuckled. He nudged Asuka. "Hungry, devil woman?"
Asuka opened her mouth but her stomach spoke for her, rumbling loudly. She giggled nervously. "Maybe a little."
Everyone laughed.
"Don't worry, David cooks mean dinners," Marek assured.
...
The students had been surprised again when Seth arrived at the dorm with Dean, Shinsuke, and Asuka in tow.
The trainees had all been up to various activities when they walked in. Many took up the rec room. A man and woman were in the middle of intense competition on the video game console. The rest of their peers cheered on one player or the other. Others were scattered throughout the room talking to one another or seeking alone time with their headphones on. A few students, one of them presumably David, were busy cooking in the kitchen.
Several pairs of eyes all looked up when Seth and his co-workers walked in.
"Yes, we're all staying here at the dorm from now until Friday morning," Seth said. "I hope you don't mind us old-timers cramping your style."
"You know we love it when you come around," said one of the students who had been sparing in the ring when they first arrived in the academy. He was of average height. The olive skin of his arms and legs were toned with wiry muscle. "And none of you are old, but it wouldn't matter if you were."
"Thanks, Carlos," Seth smiled fondly.
While they waited for the large dinner to be finished, Seth went around the room. He pulled each of his students aside for a one on one chat. Shinsuke supposed that he was likely getting a feel for how each one felt about their training progress.
Dean, on the other hand, seemed to be doing his best to blend into the scenery.
Asuka became curious about the video game that was being played and wandered over to an empty seat behind the sofa to watch. With little else to do, Shinsuke followed and sat down next to her. The students around them looked over, and though some of them gazed at them for longer than a few moments, they eventually went back to their business as though he and Asuka were just any other average joes. Shinsuke had expected someone to begin questioning them about their careers or for other wrestling-related advice. But apparently, that was something that was mostly kept for class. Outside of that, life seemed to go on as usual.
Turned out the game being played was Tekken. The girl won the match.
Asuka smiled. "She's good."
"Let me guess, you want to challenge her." Shinsuke grinned knowingly.
"Maybe, but I've got my eye on something else," she nodded her head towards a device sitting against the wall. It was a karaoke machine.
Shinsuke chuckled. "This should be interesting indeed."
After a while, David called everyone to the table for dinner. Though the table was large and had plenty of chairs, it was still a bit of a squeeze to fit everyone now that there were additional mouths to feed. Dinner was a sort of potluck of assorted dishes. There was a big pan of zucchini lasagna, a Mexican layered salad, various types of shish kebobs, and even a few vegan dishes. There was something for everyone.
Most of those in the room, tired from either traveling or training – or in his and Asuka's case, both – dug into their food with such gusto that little was said at the table. Once dinner was over, several students tackled the duty of cleaning up the kitchen. It was an organized effort, leading Shinsuke to believe each student had assigned tasks.
Dean took it upon himself to begin passing out beers to anyone who wanted one or could have one. Shinsuke hesitated at the proffered bottle – even if it was unlikely to get him drunk. There was still the memory of the last time he drank. He had made quite a fool of himself.
"Just one won't hurt," Asuka told him. She accepted a bottle for herself.
"You're right," he said and took the other beer.
Asuka smiled and patted his arm, then got up and wandered over to where Seth and Dean were talking quietly in a corner.
She nodded her head in the direction of the karaoke machine. Seth looked towards the lonely machine, said something, then he, Dean, and Asuka all traveled over to the device. They began looking it over, surely wondering how to get it working. Dean and Seth began to banter over the mechanics, over who knew what they were talking about.
Shinsuke shook his head at their antics and took a pull from his bottle. The beer went down smooth. It began to warm his belly quite quickly but he wasn't worried over it.
Returning his attention to his fiancée and his two co-workers, he found them all three of them to be arguing, Dean and Seth in English, and Asuka in broken English and Japanese. Finally, Asuka shooed both men away and set to work on the karaoke machine herself. She examined some cables and then the television before hooking them together. The TV flashed to a typical karaoke start-up screen.
"I did it!" Asuka shouted with glee.
"Yeah, karaoke time, baby!" Dean exclaimed with matching zeal. "Everyone stop what you're doing and get over here!"
The students paused in what they were doing, unsure.
"Clean up can wait, guys, it's okay," Seth said, waving them over.
"What's going on?" asked one of the young women, a sporty blonde named Kat.
"Asuka wants you all to participate in karaoke,"Seth explained.
Many of the students protested.
"Everyone must do it," Asuka persisted.
"But I can't sing well," another woman, Jenny, if Shinsuke remembered right, said. The other students nodded and murmured in agreement.
Shinsuke decided to join in. "Doesn't matter. It's about participation. Karaoke can help build trust and friendship. Some machines may even help you sound better."
Still, the students as a whole seemed skeptical.
"Shinsuke and I will go first." She hooked her arm around his and hauled him over to the machine.
Oh boy…Shinsuke thought, chugging his beer. He always hated going first when it came to karaoke.
"What song should we pick?" Asuka asked.
Coming to a slightly wobbly stop before the machine, Shinsuke began perusing songs. There weren't many songs he knew or cared for when it came to duets. In fact, there was only one song that appealed to him. But it was okay because it was an epic song.
"This one," he said, pointing to Under Pressure by Bowie and Queen. "Do you know it?"
"Well…mostly," she laughed.
"You suggested this. Can't back out now." He winked at her. "Besides you'll have the lyrics right in front of you."
"You're right," she sighed, then her lips quirked at the corners. "Let's do this!"
As much as he loved Freddie Mercury, Shinsuke judiciously took over Bowie's role and handed over Freddie to Asuka, as he didn't have the vocal range.
"Think you can handle it?" he asked.
"Of course," she said. She took a large swig of liquid courage.
Shinsuke selected the song and he and Asuka readied themselves. When the song started, he began snapping his fingers and tapping his foot to the beat. The warmth of the alcohol and moving his body helped him lose some nerves.
He side-eyed Asuka. She was mirroring his movements. Watching her, he felt that she too was also letting go of her tension. Even their audience got into an easier mood, clapping and snapping along with them.
"Mmm num ba de. Dum bum ba be. Doo buh dum ba beh beh," Asuka began the iconic lyrical beat.
Shinsuke sang. "Pressure pushing down on me. Pressing down on you, no man ask for."
"Under pressure that burns a building down. Splits a family in two. Puts People on streets." Asuka joined him. She didn't look at the screen, but into his eyes. Clearly she had paid more attention to the song all the times he had played it on the road than she had let on.
Shinsuke was so taken aback by Asuka's voice and how well she articulated the lyrics that he nearly forgot his part. "It's the terror of knowing what this world is about. Watching some good friends screaming—"
Together they sang, "Let me out!"
"Pray tomorrow gets me higher." Asuka sang solo. She took his free hand and he twirled her across the makeshift stage.
"Pressure on people, people on streets," they united as one again.
As the song went on their levels of onstage charisma only grew and flourished. In response, the expressions of everyone watching were of unanimous astonishment and awe.
"Because love's such an old-fashioned word." Shinsuke reached the outage of the song. Sharing a public yet intimate moment such as singing with Asuka erased what was left of fear his of outward appearance. Free of care – and though he wasn't singing Freddie's parts – Shinsuke channeled his inner Mercury, strutting as he sang, "And love dares you to care for the people on the edge of the night. And love dares you to change our way of—"
Asuka's voice rejoined his and he pulled her in for another dance, "Caring about ourselves. This is our last dance. This is our last dance. This is ourselves," he managed to dip her while keeping his microphone in hand. "Under pressure," they sang softly. Slowly he brought her back to her feet. "Under pressure. Under pressure. Pressure."
They ended the song at each other's sides, fingers once again snapping. Once the music faded, the room erupted in loud cheers and applause. Shinsuke took Asuka's hand and they both bowed low. He then brought her hand up to his lips.
"Jesus Christ. How are any of us gonna compete with that, Dean?" Seth asked. He looked shook.
"Like this." Dean polished off his beer and got up. He walked up to Shinsuke and held out his hand.
Shinsuke looked at first his hand then his blue-green eyes, recognized the intensity there. He grinned and relinquished his microphone to Dean.
Dean went up to the karaoke machine to select a song.
"Do we all really have to do this?" Josh, a young man with dark skin and dreads asked Asuka as she passed. He sounded almost pitiful.
Asuka placed a hand on his shoulder and smiled. "If Shin and did it, so can you. Beer gives courage." She pried his hand open and gave him her cordless microphone. She obviously wanted him to go next after Dean. Josh may have whimpered.
A beautiful guitar cord started up. The Karaoke screen read "Hunger Strike by Temple of the Dog."
"Alright, PonyBoy get on up here," Dean said into his microphone. His eyes were glued to Seth.
"What?" Seth nearly squawked.
"You heard me, now get over here before you miss your part."
"My part? I can't sing as high as Cornell," Seth argued. He looked a little pale.
"Asuka couldn't quite sing as high as Freddie, but she still tried, and made it work," Dean pointed out. "No more excuses, get your ass over here."
Seth grumbled something under his breath before picking up an extra microphone. He made it up just in time to begin a shaky, but admirable. "I don't mind stealin' bread out of the mouths of decadence."
The more the Iowa native sang, the more gradually he became comfortable with his voice. His voice wasn't perfect, but it was nothing to be ashamed of either. Dean simply watched his partner as he waited for his turn. Blue-grey eyes sparkled with love.
"I don't mind stealin' bread out of the mouths of decadence. But I can't feed on the powerless when my cup's already overfilled." Dean took over.
Seth took a deep breath once his part was done for the moment. When he heard Dean's raspy voice, his dark eyes also softened with devotion. Dean's singing took up the middle of the song, with Seth providing backup vocals. Towards the end of the song, they switched roles.
Though Dean and Seth's interactions with each other were more subdued compared with his and Asuka's, Shinsuke could clearly see and sense the emotions they felt for each other. It made their performance no less impactful than his and Asuka's first act.
"Okay," Shinsuke conceded, clapping with the rest of the group. "They are kind of cute."
"I told you~" Asuka said as though she had spoken some universal truth.
"You still don't get to spy on them."
"Lame!"
Asuka then moved to Josh. She told him, "You're next."
Josh gulped but got up from his seat. He grabbed another male student on his way to the stage. They performed Girl from North Country by Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan. Though both of them were a little stiff throughout their performance, they didn't do too bad.
By the end of their performance, most of the students had become well lubricated from their beers. Young men and women stepped up willingly. Some sang alone, some sang in duets, and others came up in groups of three or four. And with each performance, everyone's confidence as a whole increased. The singers had a good time performing and the audience enjoyed the performances. So much in fact that there were a lot of repeat performers.
Dean sang a lot of songs on his own but also invited Seth and Asuka, and anyone else he could get, to share the spotlight with him.
For the last song, Dean called Seth, Asuka, and Shinsuke up and they all performed Motorhead and Girlschool's rendition of "Please Don't touch". Shinsuke nor Asuka knew the lyrics, but they did their best. And when they couldn't read the prompt in time, they just took the attention off the fact by dancing.
They all received a raucous round of applause.
"Remember, Karaoke creates trust," Asuka addressed the students. "Creates bonds. Okay?"
"Okay!" replied the students.
After the long session of karaoke, students either buzzed about the fun they just had, turned in for bed, or returned to any dormitory tasks they needed to complete.
Asuka mingled with the students that had enjoyed karaoke the most. Dean and Seth disappeared somewhere. Shinsuke spotted David and a few others continuing kitchen duty. He decided to help them out.
When David noticed him – it took a few minutes – he said anxiously, "Oh you don't have to help us…er…Nakamura, sir."
"It's okay, I want to." Shinsuke smiled and went back to scrubbing a used pan. "It reminds me of younger days. And please, call me Shinsuke."
David's ears turned a little pink but he graciously thanked him.
"When I was a Young Lion, Liger and other veterans helped us at the dorm. Of course, Young Lions did the dirty work," Shinsuke said, still fondly reminiscing. He finished drying one pan and moved on to another. "Back then Liger was kind of scary. But he is all right."
"You're a little scary in the ring, like with your strikes and all," David admitted. "But you're all right too. And you're a good teacher."
"You think so?" Shinsuke asked. "I have never taught a whole class before."
"I do. You should do it more often."
"Thank you, David." Shinsuke inclined his head. They continued their work in companionable silence.
After helping finish the kitchen duties, Shinsuke moved back into the rec room to find Asuka. She too seemed to have vanished. "Maybe she went to bed," he said to himself. He walked towards their bedroom and looked inside. Asuka was on one of the bottom bunks, her ear placed against the wall.
Shinsuke lifted a brow. "What are you doing?"
"You said I couldn't spy on them," she whispered. "But you didn't say I couldn't listen in on them."
"Hearing anything?" he humored her by whispering back.
"I think I hear the bed springs creaking."
Shinsuke's other brow rose. "Really?"
"Mhmm." She leaned closer to the wall. Her bottom wiggled a little with the movement.
Shinsuke's eyes instantly glued themselves to that curvy ass and he unconsciously licked his bottom lip. If only to distract himself, Shinsuke climbed into bed beside her, placing his ear to the wall. They faced each other as they listened.
It was quiet but unmistakable. A rhythmic creaking of bedsprings. Even quieter moans and hitched breaths.
"Oh, you're right." Shinsuke's mouth dropped open and before he could stop himself he said, "I think they might be using the handcuffs."
"What?" Asuka nearly said above the volume of a whisper. "They have cuffs?"
He winced slightly. "Maybe." Now he'd never be able to look at the two men again without handcuffs coming into the equation.
"I have an idea," he murmured.
"What's that?"
His answer was to grab her around the waist and gently wrestle her down onto the bed. She squeaked in surprise but only half fought his playful grappling. Pinning her beneath his body, he waggled his eyebrows at her. "Why don't we give them something to listen to, Devil Woman?"
Asuka's lashes fluttered up at him and she smiled like a cat that got her cream. "I suppose that's only fair," she agreed, her hand trailing over his side. She sat up beneath him, caressing his cheek and jawline. "But only if you let me tie you up."
"Ohh?" He wasn't against that. Not at all. "But how do you intend to tie me up?"
Asuka pressed a finger to his lips then wiggled out from under him. He got another show when she bent over to dig through their things. At the end of her rummaging, she proudly held up her rainbow sash as well as his red and black armband.
He quickly pulled off his shirt. "Well…I guess I better shut up now and never doubt your thinking again." He lay back as she slowly straddled him.
She claimed one of his wrists and began fixing it to the bedpost. "No, by all means… keep making as much noise as you want~"
:::
The next morning Shinsuke awoke to an empty bed. He waited a few minutes to see if Asuka would return after a bathroom visit. When she didn't, he threw on a shirt over his sleep shorts and wandered out of their room and down the stairs.
He heard the faint sound of the television playing and followed it to the rec room. There he found Asuka and Dean. They both looked like little kids, watching We Bare Bears while sitting cross-legged on the floor in their sleepwear. They were munching on big bowls of cereal.
Shinsuke didn't disturb them. He simply leaned against the wall just inside the rec room and watched them, feeling happy that Asuka was connecting with more people.
Seth entered the rec room the same way he had. He froze when he caught Shinsuke in his peripheral view. The younger man's eyes suddenly went wide and his face nearly resembled a tomato in its redness.
"Good morning, Seth" Shinsuke greeted with a sly smile.
Seth coughed as though something got stuck in his throat. "G-Good morning, Shin."
Asuka and Dean turned their heads upon hearing the voices of their other halves. "Oh, good morning~" Asuka said, her face lighting up. Dean merely waved, as his mouth was busy chewing. "Come, sit~" she called to them.
Shinsuke gave Seth one last teasing grin before moving to sit beside his fiancée. Once Seth settled on the other side of Dean, his boyfriend turned towards Shinsuke and casually asked, "Wild night, huh?"
"Dean!" Seth cried, horror evident in his tone. He appeared on the verge of passing out from all the blood rushing to his face.
"I could ask the same question," Shinsuke drawled, completely nonplussed while looking Dean dead in the eye.
Dean's lips slowly curled into a grin. "Touché."
"I tied him up," Asuka interjected just as casually, jerking her thumb in Shinsuke's direction. "Did you use…cuffs" She made a gesture for handcuffs by encircling her wrist with her other hand.
"Handcuffs?" Dean looked at her with his brows drawn together. "Wait…How did you—"
"What episode is this?" Shinsuke changed the subject tactfully to avoid blame.
"Oh my gawd…" Seth hid his face in his hands. "I can't believe we're talking about this!"
"Don't mind sourpuss over here," Dean said. "Episode's called "Lord of the Poppies"."
Later on, everyone got around and headed to the academy. Shinsuke and Asuka were given free rein of the facility and lesson specifics.
This time they began by leading a workout session. They alternated each set between something from his workout repertoire and then something from hers. Once they felt everyone was sufficiently warmed up, they conducted things much as they had the previous day.
There was a short pause for lunch
Then he and Asuka held another practice match together. They kept some things the same but also changed up to other moves, adding Asuka's dropkick and his yakuza kick. After another long match with the students observing, they welcomed the young men and women back to learn more moves and tactics.
The class was concluded and everyone either traveled back to the dorm for dinner or went about their business elsewhere. There was more conversation at the table that night. The students seemed even more comfortable with him and Asuka. And in turn, they grew more accustomed to the students. The talk didn't stick too long on wrestling. Everyday mundane topics came to dominate the conversation and Shinsuke preferred it after regurgitating the same wrestling-related answers to media.
After dinner, the movie Pulp Fiction was put on. Shinsuke just managed to stay awake to the end – not for lack of interest in the movie, but out of plain tiredness. He and Asuka headed straight to bed as the credits began to roll.
"What will we do if this plan doesn't work?" Shinsuke asked sleepily. His larger body spooned Asuka's.
"Well," she began, stroking his arm. "Our last resort, our worst-case scenario…would be to hold a self-produced event. I've done a few of those myself so I have experience. But it's definitely not easy work. Not by a long shot."
Shinsuke hummed and snuggled into his face into her hair. "Anything truly rewarding in this world rarely comes easily."
:::
"Anything truly rewarding in this world rarely comes easily."
Shinsuke didn't expect his own words to ring true so soon, but they unquestionably seemed to be just five short days later.
After his match Tuesday night – which thankfully didn't contain any surprises courtesy of Vince – he was getting ready to head to the locker room to change.
Triple H suddenly approached him and pulled him aside. "I know what you're doing," he said.
Shinsuke tried to formulate a coherent refute, but words failed him. His thudding heart sank to his stomach.
A.N.: Thanks for reading~ I will have another update before October is over! Comments, etc. are very appreciated~