A whistle shot through the echoing room and everyone stopped in their tracks.

"Everyone meet at the main mat," Seth partner, Matt called through the room.

The students and trainers gathered around the ring, Sasha hung back behind them as Seth settled into the apron.

"Alright kids, ya miss me?" he teased with a huge smile on his face. A couple brave students booed and Seth laughed, "aw shut up. Rookies, you're with Collins today, go through all of it and ask questions. I want to have you guys tested next week so we can start bringing those of you who are ready up to the intermediate class. Bert, start working with those guys for a test-match,"

The crowd nodded their heads, watching him intently. She always thought it was amazing how he was able to capture a room.

"And ladies, got a special treat for you today. You guys know my-" his voice caught for a second, "my girlfriend Sasha Banks?"

The three girls turned and looked at her, their eyes lit up. She waved nervously.

"She's here to help work with you guys and she's been through it all so don't be afraid to ask. Everyone good? Okay break."

They started moving around, a mass of chattering. From the corner of the gym Brandon walked in and waved, still in a button down and tie from the day.

"Hey Sash," he loosened the tie and rolled up his sleeves. "You getting in there?"

"Maybe later. You?"

"Ha no, I'm just an observer. Did Seth ever tell you at one point he came up with this crazy stupid gimmick based on me?"

"No?" she laughed, "What, deadly CPA?"

"Deadly CPA. He had this whole Clark Kent/Superman idea. It was ridiculous."

She laughed and felt a hand on her back as Seth came up behind her.

"Why are you two always yucking it up?"

"Common enemy," she responded.

"Ouch. Hey so, I'm gonna run through some stuff with the girls and then I thought you could do some one on one?"

"Sure."

"Daniele, she's the one with the curly hair," he nodded towards the ring to a young woman tying long curls up into a high bun. "She's the one I said reminds me of you. Maybe you could help her figure out what works for her."

"Oh, sure, yeah,"

"Alright thanks, there are some chairs in the corner."

Sasha sat with Brandon a few feet from the ring, watching as Seth ran drills with the women. Despite herself, her eyes kept coming back to Daniela, the young, pretty rookie. She smiled and Sasha could tell right away that she was one of those wrestlers who would look right at home in the ring or on a photo shoot.

"Do you know anything about her?" she asked Brandon after a moment.

"Uh Daniele? Seth mentioned her a few times. Quick on her feet but her size is an obstacle. Sure you know all about that?"

"Yeah…I do."

She stood probably 5'2, and looking up at Seth's hulking frame as he stood close to her to show her something. Laughing, she nodded and practiced the Baseball slide on one of the other girls across the ring. Daniela looked up at him for feedback, her eyes twinkling. God she was pretty.

"Sasha?" Seth called.

"Hmm?"

"You wanna get in here?"

"Sure," she hopped up and ducked under the ropes.

"Hi," the girl said, ""I am a huge fan."

"Aw thanks, where are you in your training?"

"About two and a half months in so,"

"Past the hating it and the frustration," Seth commented, "she gave me a hard time this one."

She blushed and shrugged, "I wasn't gonna leave until it was right."

"We were here till midnight," he shook his head, leaning in on the apron. "Now her issue is figuring out a style that works for her. Especially given-"

"Height, right." Sasha nodded, "what're you thinking at the moment?"

"So I have some background in martial arts,"

"Really?"

"Yeah I'm not like, a black belt or anything, but that's what I did in high school-"

"How old are you?" Sasha asked.

"20,"

"She's rounding up," Seth commented.

"Point is, I've been trying to incorporate some of that technique,"

"She said it's inspired by that anime you like," he chuckled.

"Well some would say Avatar is anime-style, not anime. But that depends on your definition,"

"See?" he looked at Sasha, "told you the two of you would get along."

Daniele laughed, "I like the look of Earthbending and I understand a lot of those movements, I just think it could be something different."

"Definitely, but you have to remember wrestling and martial arts are two totally different animals, so you need to make sure the other person can react properly. It's a conversation. Here, lock up,"

Daniele came in with the lock up and the two ran through a couple of chain wrestling moves.

"Okay now, to push me back, you do a combo."

"Like the stomp," she asked testing it out, "and then punch with the other hand?" she stopped just short of Sasha's cheek.

"Yeah, like that. Try it all at once."

They locked up again, this time with Daniele pushing off to get a bit of space and coming at her with the stomp-punch combo.

"That looked great," Seth commented from bellow.

"See so you can use some of those cool movements without getting gimmicky."

"That's perfect, thank you."

"Okay so about your height, what're you doing to combat it?"

"Low moves mostly, kicks and swipes, that sort of things."

"It really has to come through your storytelling too. You gotta sell your bumps-"

"Bump!" Seth shouted into the ring. Instinctively Daniele and the other two girls dropped into back bumps. He snickered to himself, "my first trainer used to do that all the time. I see why now."

"You mind?"

"Stage is yours," he held his hands up.

"Thank you," she rolled her eyes, "everyone will expect a girl twice your size to toss you around so lean into it, but you gotta decide who are you beyond that. Are you consistently resilient, or can you come back with one devastating move."

"Got it," she nodded.

"Alright," Seth called, "Dani, pair up with Mike, Sasha'll help me with group instruction on the hour."

He handed Sasha a hand and helped her off the ring.

"You were great,"

"Thanks,"

"You should think about it as your post-retirement career."

"I'm 25."

"Never too early to prepare. What'd you think?"

"She's got a lot of potential."

"I told you she was fantastic, the right coaching and she could be a star in this business."

"Coaching, timing, and luck," she reminded him.

"Right of course, but you have to admit she's got that it factor, that fire that sets apart champions."

"Yeah, she's got the fire."

He smiled, "like a young Sasha Banks."

She looked at him from the side of his eyes. Was he really that oblivious?

"We'll see."

"Fair, I gotta talk to Collins, I'll be back."

She watched as he walked away and sighed.

"That looked really good," Brandon told her as he walked up.

"Yeah, it was…it was fun."

"What?"

She looked up at him, "the 20-year old who reminds him of me, huh?"

"Aw, Sash,"

"Forget it,"

"Sasha!" Seth called her across the room.

"Gotta go,"

XXX

In the car on the way home she didn't say anything, and he assumed she was just tired and hungry. The small space of his fancy car was filling up with the Chinese take out. It would smell for days, but Seth didn't mind.

"You still mad I asked AJ before you?" he teased as they pulled into the driveway.

"No, that's okay," she gave him a small smile. "I don't know if I'm cut out for that."

"You were great," he opened the door for her. "I'm sure they learned a lot from you."

"Thanks, happy to help," she pulled out plates from his cabinets.

"Daniele's fantastic, huh? I really think she's gonna be something."

Sasha sighed heavily.

"What? I thought you two would click? You're so similar. She's got that same craftiness, that stubbornness, that million dollar smile."

"So what," her tone came out bitterly, "is that the newest model?"

He dropped his fork onto his plate, the clank echoing through the awkward silence. She looked at him through long lashes, that look she gave him when something had come out of her mouth without considering it. He looked at her in the eye, gnawing as the side of his mouth.

"Okay, I'm gonna move past the insinuation that I would ever lay a hand on a student, even though you know I'd never cross that line." He leaned onto the island on his elbows and looked up at her. "The newest model? Are you kidding me? You really think I'm out here chasing after a 19 years old because she talks like you? Is that your opinion of me? So low that you actually think I'm drooling over girls a decade younger?"

"Yeah well," she crossed her arms, "you're gushing over how great she is, how much she's like me."

"She is like you!"

"Just younger and shinier," she scoffed, he could see her blinking away tears, "prettier."

"Saaash," he sighed, walking around the island to her, "it's not that. I promise."

He wrapped his arms around her waist, pressing his lips to her head.

"Saying she's like you is the biggest compliment I can give anyone. But no one can compare to you, not really. She's not prettier than you, she's definitely not a shinier version. I want you, nothing else."

"Okay, you're right I overreacted. I'm sorry." She embraced his torso, leaning her head on his chest.

"You wanna tell me where this is coming from?"

She pulled away from him, returning to her dinner, but he kept his eyes trained on her.

"Forget it."

"I don't want to." His voice was scratchy.

"You wanna hear it? Fine. Everyone knows you've got a wandering eye, everyone. My friends, your friends, your family."

"Do I not make it clear that you are everything to me?"

"But I still have to worry about you and every cute girl in your life? "

"Well you shouldn't worry. You're it Sasha. I promised you that when you took me back."

"How am I supposed to do that?"

"Maybe you need to try a little harder!" His brow was furrowed and he could feel his anger rising. "It's called trust."

"I am trying really hard, way harder than most people would but-"

"Hold up, I think we both know you're prone to jealousy."

"Oh I'm prone to jealousy am I?"

"I am too but you have to admit-"

"Admit that it's actually all my fault?"

"No, Sasha. No. I didn't say that."

"How the hell do you expect me to feel when you've always got your eye on any chick who's smiling and laughing at your dumb jokes?"

"Don't be insulting my jokes."

"Hmpf."

He sighed, "you get my heart and you get my body. You and only you. But you don't get to be the only one to ever be in my head okay? The only woman I ever want to see naked? That's not what monogamy is."

"Well excuse me for hoping I might be enough for you."

"That's not fair," That anger was boiling again, he felt it pulsing in his neck and his stomach tightening in a knot, "and frankly, the hypocrisy of it-"

"Hypocrisy?" she scoffed, she'd been up a high horse about the whole thing.

He gulped, so they were doing this then.

"Yeah Sash, the hypocrisy. Cause I don't know if anyone's ever told you this before, but you talk in your sleep."

Her face fell, eyes widening. "I talk?"

"You moan. At least during the sex dreams, which are weekly. At a minimum. Think your record is four."

Her face was flushing, her expression stunned and hurt. "I…" her voice trailed off.

"So I have heard a lot of names, Sash," he continued, unable to reel himself in. "A lot of names in the last year. Plenty names that weren't mine. And not just guys-"

"What does that have to do with anything?" she lunged back, defensively.

"It doesn't. You're right," he sighed, "that was dumb. "

"This whole attack is a low blow."

"It's not an attack," there it was again, tightening.

"Like hell it's not! If you're trying to humiliate me-"

"I'm not. I'm trying to say that you wanna sleep with other people as much as I do. Don't you?"

She looked down and didn't respond.

"Don't you?" he insisted, more angrily this time. She was so damn stubborn. "Sami? That's quite a common one."

"Okay fine! Fine. You win. Happy?" her cheeks were bright red.

"I'm not trying to win Sash I'm trying to-ugh. You get to think about whoever you want, okay? Sami, anyone, I don't care. I get to think about whoever I want, and you and me always come home to each other. That's all I'm asking for."

He took her in his arms again and she didn't protest.

"Always?"

"Always." He kissed the top of her head and sighed. "I'm sorry. You're right, it was low."

"Damn right, and I'm still mad about it," she tried to pull away but he grabbed her lightly and wrapped his arm around her waist. "If you think you're getting make up sex…"

"I'll wait," he returned to his dinner.

"Does it bother you?" she asked, "to hear me moan someone else's name in my sleep?"

"Sometimes…I mean a little. It's not that I'm jealous, just I prefer to hear my own name." He smirked, "you know,"

"What?" she smiled slyly as his hands found their way to her waist, moving his hips slowly.

"There are also plenty of times that you'll toss in our sheets and cuddle up to me, then you moan my name in your sleep and it is just…the best feeling in the world."

"See, not just Sami."

"Mm, there's a lot of Sami. Whatever, I get it. He's cute and sweet. He's got those little curls, the girls go wild for them."

"Stop," she laughed, "all I want is you, Seth."

"And that's all I want too. Let me promise you this," he pressed his lips to her forehead again. "I have never thought about another woman while in bed with you, and I never will."

"You promise?" she pulled out of his grasp.

"Yes."

"I hate fighting with you."

"Yeah you and me both."

She looked up at him. "I'm sorry too."

"We're good, baby."

She rolled her eyes and then paused. "Guess the honeymoon's over huh?"

"It can't be nonstop sex forever."

"I was enjoying that."

"Me too but, I want to the rest of it. Even the fighting."

"Even the fighting?"

"All of it."

"Yeah, me too."

Sasha took a bite of her eggroll and then a thought came across her face.

"Hey, Seth?"

"Yeah?"

"The nights that I moan your name in my sleep… they wouldn't have any correlation with the mornings you wake me up early and try to get something before we have to get up?"

He blushed and grinned.

"I try to give you a little treat." He kissed her on the lips. "plus it gets me pretty hot."