They signed their contract for the pay per view, Seth hovering behind Sasha, his arms crossed and staring down the Revival. He felt tough and strong, and in truth, he missed being in the ring with her. She glanced back at him and he nodded to her, assuring her he wouldn't let them get the jump on her. It went smoothly at first, but as soon as the contracts were signed, Seth ducked out of the ring, and the Revival capitalize on the moment, grabbing Sasha and throwing her to the ground. Emma jumped on her and pulled her hair, punching left and right.
"HEY!" Seth shouted as he ran back to the ring, but the Revival would catch him and knock him off.
Emma's music played and they left, laughing and holding up the title. Seth crawled back in and asked her if she was okay. She pulled away aggressively and stormed off, leaving him in the ring to watch her walk away.
He nodded to her when he came through the curtain, she'd taken a seat next to Big E in front of a monitor. Xavier caught his eye, glancing between them suspiciously. Had Sasha told him about their little sleepover? That seemed like the last thing she would want to do. He took the hint from Xavier's stare and moved along.
"Hey Seth," Hunter called, "can we get you and Kevin in a promo after they run the video package?"
"Sure, where do you need me?"
"Locker room, two segments from now."
"Got it."
Seth made his way over the locker room a little while later, the crew was setting it up for their promo. Kevin nodded to him as he entered the room. They got into places, Seth out of frame and Kevin watching the monitor.
The screen transitioned from the ring to the video package of Seth and Sasha training. A smirk came over his face as he watched himself doing push ups with Sasha cross-legged on his back. He watched as Sasha mimicked Kevin's sequences and he got better and better at countering it. You ready? She said with a sweet smile, their faces close. I'm always ready, baby he told her, and watching it back, Seth bit his lip. He could feel that heat now like she was right in front him.
His cue came, and he walked into frame, cackling as Kevin gave him an eye roll.
"Getting worried yet, Kevin?"
"No, not really."
"Well just know this, while you're sitting on your ass, I'm out there training every single day to take back my Universal Championship."
"Yeah working real hard there, what does she even weigh, like 100 pounds soaking wet?"
Seth bit his lip, despite himself, and tried to shake it off.
"It's the motions that matter, not how much mass."
"Sure. What do those silly pushups even accomplish anyway?"
Seth snarled at him, not responding.
"Hey, I get it man. I've got a wife, you do anything to make them happy. No matter how pointless it is, oh trust me, you do it."
"You don't know what you're talking about."
"Doesn't matter. Go ahead, waste your time on things that look good. We'll see how you look when I beat you."
"We'll see about that alright."
"And cut!" the producer shouted. "Good work guys."
The crew started to pack up and Seth looked back at Kevin
"Hey, uh do me a favor man, go easy on the whole me and Sasha thing."
"You opened yourself up to it," he shrugged. "What even is the point of those things?"
"Nothing, they just look good. That's not the point. Cut me some slack, alright? It's hard enough working with her without the audience thinking we're together."
"Cut you some slack?" Kevin turned around, his eyes narrowed, "Really? Dude you knew exactly what you were getting yourself into. Sleeping with your coworkers is messy stuff, and you chose the coworker who happens to be the darling of the entire locker room."
"I know that but-"
"Then you went and hurt her, embarrassed her in front of everyone. And now you want sympathy?"
"What does it matter to you?"
"It's just typical of you. You know, we've been friends a long time you and me."
"Yeah, I thought so."
"Well maybe it's time Seth Rollins learned that when he makes his bed he has to lay in it."
XXX
Sasha was done for the night when they came out of the opener, so she spent the rest of the night watching the show and talking with the others. About halfway through the show, Bayley and Alicia were tagging against Dana and Charlotte, and they left her alone backstage. She glanced around the area and found Roman sitting on a production crate behind their chairs, texting on his phone.
"Hey there," she said with a smile, walking up to him.
He glanced up, "Hey Sash, how are ya?"
"Good, good. You mind?"
"No, of course," he scooted over to give her room. "What's up?"
"I feel like anytime we talk it's about Seth."
He laughed, "Well we could talk about something that's not Seth. But I feel like that's not happening."
"You know Seth better than anyone. Look, you're always straight with me, I appreciate that.
"What do you need?" he asked earnestly.
"It seems weird to ask but,"
"Sasha, c'mon."
"Have there been girls around, the last few weeks?"
He thought about it for a minute, "actually, no. The last time I saw him with someone was…uh the last pay per view show. Saw him take her up on my way to the bar."
"There hasn't been anyone since?"
"He might just be getting sneakier, but I haven't seen any. Why?"
"I just…am trying really hard to trust him."
"Trust him about what?"
"That he's, y'know, done with that."
Roman paused again, "did he say he was?"
"He didn't tell you?"
"Tell me what? Wait, are you back with him?"
"No! No, he just…he says he's taking it seriously now. Working to earn my trust and get me back."
"Is it working?"
"Maybe a little."
"I'm not saying he deserves it," Roman said quietly, "but I've never seen him want anything more."
XXX
Sunday night, Sasha stood at the curtain, trying to breath deep as her music hit. She glanced back at Seth, her bodyguard for the night, and he smiled at her. They came through the curtain, Seth walking a few paces behind her. Opening up her jacket, she slipped it off and handed it towards him. He shot her a side eye, grumpily, not reaching out for it.
Emma's music started and she made her own entrance, the Revival flanking her on either side, and the belt around her waist. The boys held the ropes open for her and she smirked at Sasha. She looked back at Seth again, but his eyes were fixed on the Revival. He wouldn't let her down again, that much he promised her in a promo earlier in the night.
Seth naturalized the Revival from early in the match when they tried to get involved. He punched Dawson in the face as he tried to grab Sasha 's hair. It gave her enough leeway to get in offense and make a stand against Emma. They went back and forth for a solid 15 minutes, with plenty of near falls, while Seth chased off Dash and Dawson on the outside. Sasha put up a good fight. After a very close near fall that made the Revial try to up their involvement, Seth laid both of them out on the ramp. But it wasn't enough, and Emma rolled her up, fair and square.
Emma celebrated, by herself, on the ropes, while Seth pulled Sasha out of the ring. She limped up the ramp to the sound of Emma's music, and he let her lean on him, selling the ankle injury. They came through to guerrilla and he looked down on her.
"You good?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. I need a shower," she rolled her neck groaning.
"That was great, but I really think I should get to rescue you next time."
She rolled her eyes. "You celebrating tonight?"
"Maybe, we'll see. Think I made that group cranky. They all think I screwed you over."
"Well you did sort of do that first part…"
"What…screw you?" his tone was serious, his brow furrowed until she nodded and smirked, which made it break out into wide smile. He dropped his voice low, "I think technically, you screwed me."
Her eyes sparkled and she bit her lip, trying to shake it off. "I thought they weren't shunning you, didn't Xavier invite you to the Madden tournament?"
"At your behest, yeah. Don't worry about me, alright?"
"Yeah, alright."
Later in the night, Sasha sat in the bar at a table with Charlotte and Bayley. She made her way through a glass of wine quickly, ready for the tension from the rough match and the long week to leave her body. Her and Bayley were talking about the Cruiserweight match from the night when out of the corner of her eye she saw Seth sit down at the bar.
She looked over, he wasn't dressed up, black jeans and a backwards baseball cap. He ordered a scotch and sipped on it, scrolling through his phone, and not paying attention around the room. Was he waiting for someone?
"Sash?" Bayley's voice pulled her back.
"Hmm? Oh sorry."
Bayley looked over where Sasha had been staring.
"Ohhh."
"Don't stare,"
"Seth again?" Charlotte asked, turning around in her seat.
"Guys, stop being obvious,"
Charlotte ignored her, "Is he with anyone?"
"Not yet," Bayley said, "He might be on the hunt."
After a moment of the three of them ogling him, Seth turned his head and caught her eye. His brow furrowed and the other two looked away, laughing. She sent him a sympathetic look and he smiled, looking back to his scotch.
"You both are terrible."
"Just looking out for you," Charlotte shrugged.
She shook her head and tried to change the subject. A few minutes later, one of the servers brought another glass of wine over.
"Oh we didn't order-"
"It's from baseball cap over there," the woman said, "on his tab."
Sasha glanced over and saw Seth divert his gaze down to his own drink just in time. Looking back down on it, she saw a note scrawled in his messy handwriting. I'm here alone, that's all it said. She sighed and looked back at him, he was carefully looking at them, and she nodded for him to come over. He gave her an uncertain look and she insisted. Bayley was watching her, a small smile on her face as he walked over.
"Ladies," he said, sitting down at the empty chair.
"How's it going Seth?" Bayley asked.
"Good, your match was great by the way," he told the two of them, but his eyes flickered back to Sasha.
"Thanks, we enjoyed yours too. Think they're gonna keep going with the two of you?"
"Yeah probably, apparently the fans eat us up," he chuckled and caught her eye again. He smiled sweetly and she couldn't help but return it.
She sat back, sipping on the drink he bought her, and watching him talk and laugh with her friends. His eyes kept slipping back over to her, as if constantly asking permission to be there. She smiled at him, it felt good to have him back in her life, even just bit by bit. If she was honest, it was all she really wanted. But she was far too stubborn to be honest.
XXX
"G'night Bay," Sasha waved, in line at the hotel in Toronto the next week, as Bayley got in the elevator up to her room.
Seth was in front of her and glanced over his shoulder. "Not going out tonight?"
"Not happening, I'm exhausted," she rolled her neck, "haven't been home for 2 weeks."
"I feel ya," he smiled, and the reservationist called him over. "Have a good night, Sash,"
"Yeah you too," she said, waiting another minute before the next window was open. She dragged her roller suitcase over and handed the woman her ID.
"For tonight?" the woman behind the desk asked.
"Yep,"
"You don't have a reservation for tonight,"
"Sorry, what?"
"Did you get a confirmation email?"
"Yeah, last week. I don't have a room?" her eyes were wide, this was the last thing she needed tonight. Seth was glancing over out of the corner of her eye.
"No, it looks like you had one last night. The calendar on our website starts on Monday. You should've gotten an email when you no-showed."
"Ughh, I'm drowning in them." It had been a tough week, they had shows and appearances all over the place. "Is there anything available?"
"We're at capacity, I'm sorry. I can override the no-show fee, but that's all."
"It's okay, I'll find somewhere, thanks."
She moved out to the side and pulled out her phone, she needed a room and fast.
"You're welcome to come with me," his voice was above her suddenly, a soft smile on his face. "I'm stuck with two queens anyway, might as well."
"Uh, no. I'm not that desperate."
"Okay. But the offer's there. You can spend all that time calling around trying to find a spot, or you can come with me and crash in the next five minutes." He shrugged. "Doesn't much matter to me."
Seth smiled again and turned away.
"Wait," she sighed and grabbed her suitcase, "Okay. Thank you."