At the media event later that day, Sasha inwardly groaned as Seth was already seated on one of the chairs behind the long table. The empty seat right beside him was labelled in big, bold letters: SASHA BANKS.
"Great," she muttered under her breath, adjusting the Women's Championship Belt on her shoulder and blatantly ignoring him as she sat down.
He smiled a little awkwardly at her, which was bizarre considering this was Seth—she was so used to his smug looks, smirks, and cocky laugh. Moments later, they were joined by Cesaro, who gave her a nod and a polite smile before giving Seth a firm pat on the shoulder.
"Hello, Sasha," Cesaro sat to her right. "How are you today?"
"Just fine," she replied, placing the belt on the table. "I'm just happy I have this back."
Seth kept a straight face, though his ears started turning red as Cesaro laughed. "Well, yes. I'm glad it wasn't lost after all."
It was still a few minutes before the panel started as Cesaro leaned back and called out to Seth. "Hey, do you want to hit the gym later, man?"
"Yeah, I got a couple of hours to spare," Seth shrugged. "Sure."
Cesaro then looked at Sasha, who had already made herself busy looking through Instagram. "Sasha? Would you like to join us?"
"Oh," she looked up at him. "No, thank you. I already agreed to do CrossFit with Bayley and Charlotte."
"Where?" Seth suddenly asked.
Sasha ignored him and continued to look through Instagram.
Seth sighed. "Really, Sash? You're really playing the silent treatment with me? I think that's a little childish even for you."
Sasha scoffed and glared at him. "This coming from someone who stole someone else's Championship Belt and thinks it's funny? Yeah, real childish," she rolled her eyes.
"Look, I'm sorry, alright? It was low, and I didn't mean for you to panic like that."
"Do you have any idea how much trouble I went through just looking for it?" she hissed. "You can ask Cesaro. He can tell you," she looked at the Swiss superstar and sighed. "Can we switch seats, please?"
Cesaro slumped and pressed his lips together in a straight line. He really didn't want to be caught in between the two, but Sasha seemed desperate, so he agreed and took the seat beside Seth instead. "Sorry, man."
"Why are you apologizing to him? Don't apologize to him!" Sasha scolded. "He should be apologizing to you!"
"She's right," Seth said genuinely. "Sorry you had to go through the trouble of driving back to the arena just to check on it."
Cesaro chuckled and shook his head. "It was nothing."
Sasha crossed her arms and leaned back, having had enough of talking to Seth. God, he was so infuriating. There was really no coming back after what he did.
The media event went smoothly with interviewers asking the usual questions, and the three Superstars answered them as best as they could. Sasha was thankful she didn't have to interact with Seth as much, though they both put up a good front that they were close friends—fans loved it that way. At one point, one of the interviewers had asked Seth what he thought of Sasha as the Women's Champion.
Sasha wanted nothing more than to frown at that moment, but Seth cleared his throat and spoke on the microphone. "I think Boss here is one of the most talented Superstars I've ever seen. She's already accomplished so much, and to be honest, it's kind of intimidating how her matches with Charlotte seem to always one up mine and Kevin's."
"Not seem, Rollins. We always do," she interrupted with a smirk on her face to keep herself in character.
The crowd laughed as Seth smirked back at her.
"So is it safe to say that you'll be rooting for Sasha in her championship match tonight against Charlotte?" the interviewer asked.
"Of course," he gave her a smug look. "I mean, Team Sesha all the way, right?" he winked.
Sasha's face nearly fell—she was going to get him for that little comment. But she quickly recovered and rode on the joke. "Ha. That's right!" she told the audience, placing her belt on her shoulder and pointing at it.
After the panel, the three Superstars were led to an SUV that would take them back to the hotel. Sasha sat in between Seth and Cesaro and as soon as the doors shut close, Sasha faced Seth and slapped his shoulder. Hard.
"Ow, fuck!" he yelped.
"What the hell was that, Rollins?!"
"Here we go," Cesaro muttered and rubbed his temple, leaning back against his seat. This was going to be the longest 20-minute ride ever.
"It's bad enough that people on social media think we're together, you just had to add fuel to the fire," Sasha glared at him.
"Would you please relax? They all know it's a joke, alright?"
"Tell that to the people on Tumblr who keep Photoshopping our pictures together!"
Seth laughed out loud, causing another slap on his shoulder. "Ow, ow! Stop!" he held her wrists from inflicting further damage, and looked at Cesaro. "I could use a little help here, man."
"I'd rather not," Cesaro shook his head and wore his Beats By Dre headphones instead.
"You're such a child, Seth!" Sasha finally exclaimed, crossing her arms and giving a loud huff.
Seth cackled, but didn't say anything. At least she was talking to him again.
It was silent the first few minutes, before Seth looked to Sasha. She was busy staring out the window, watching the colorful mid-rise buildings they passed that made Mexico such a rich, cultural place. It was one of the greatest perks of their job—being able to travel and see the world. Sasha, for one, cherished these moments considering how she almost had nothing prior to joining the WWE.
"You look beautiful, by the way," Seth said suddenly, causing her to quickly face him with a surprised expression on her face. "I'm just saying," he shrugged.
"Sweet talking isn't going to get you out of this mess, Seth."
"I know," he looked out the window. "Just felt like being completely honest."
…
The live show was loud and filled with passionate fans as usual—right after the main event, most of the Superstars talked about getting a few drinks in before hitting the next city the following day.
"I don't feel like doing the hotel bar tonight," Charlotte stated.
"I second that," Bayley agreed. "We're in Mexico, baby! Maybe we can find a bar or pub nearby?" she suggested.
"Pass," Sasha shook her head. "I think I'm just about ready to crash."
"Aw, come on, Sash!" Xavier complained. "For a millennial, you've got a pretty old soul."
Sasha laughed and rolled her eyes at him. "Fine. One drink."
"There we go," Xavier grinned.
"One drink, Xavier," she repeated.
After freshening up at the hotel, the group met up again at the lobby. Sasha stepped out of the elevator in a strappy black dress that cut a bit low and ended right below her thighs. "God, why do you always have to slay?" Charlotte rolled her eyes, causing Sasha to giggle. It was no secret how Charlotte sometimes felt bitter about her age compared to the rest of the girls—but they always reminded her of what an incredible athlete she was and how they could never do some of the things she did in the ring.
The elevator bell rang again, and out came Seth in slacks and a dark blue polo together with Xavier, Sami, Kevin, Cesaro, and Sheamus.
"Who invited him?" Sasha asked lowly, glaring at Bayley.
"Wasn't me!" Bayley put her hands up in the air.
"Hey, if it makes you feel better, he's treating the first round," Charlotte nudged her, which meant Seth had already made peace with her.
They walked a few blocks down and found a dim speakeasy that wasn't as crowded. Taking a seat at an empty booth that could fit their entire group, Seth made his way over to the bar in the middle of the room and ordered drinks for everyone. "I'll get eight beers, and a mojito," he told the bartender.
Moments later, Seth came back with a tray of their drinks. "Beer for everyone," he gently placed the tray down. "And a mojito for Sasha," he took the glass and placed it in front of her.
"Wow," Xavier commented. "Real subtle, Seth."
"She gets a mojito, and we're stuck with beer?" Charlotte protested.
Sasha fought the smile that was beginning to creep up—it was nice of Seth to notice her drink of choice every time they were out. "Drink up, Queen," Seth clinked his bottle against Charlotte's and took a seat. "We both know how much I owe this one," he nodded towards Sasha, who was seated in front of him.
"I hope you didn't poison this," Sasha teased, taking a sip.
"Careful, he could have spiked it with a love potion instead," Kevin snickered.
The group laughed, earning a glare from Seth. "Alright, shut up! Shut up, everyone!"
Sasha continued to laugh at him, and he smiled. It felt good that she was finally coming around.
A few rounds of beer later (and a couple of shots for Bayley and Charlotte), the two ladies found themselves on the dance floor as the rest of the group watched in amusement. "Great. Guess I'm playing babysitter later," Sasha playfully rolled her eyes.
She finished the rest of her drink, before excusing herself to go to the bathroom. Xavier scooted over and let her pass, as Seth watched her out of the corner of his eye. "Kevin, scoot," Seth ordered, gesturing for Kevin to move so he could leave the booth as well.
"She doesn't need a babysitter, dude," Kevin pointedly told him, staying in his position.
"Yeah, remember the last time?" Xavier reminded him. "Was that in Glasgow? She got pretty pissed off."
"Because she doesn't know how to say no, and can never tell when a guy is hitting on her!" Seth defended. "She tries to act all tough, that one. But we all know how naïve she can be."
"You know, Seth. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you've got a little something for her," Sami pointed out with a grin.
Cesaro chuckled and agreed, looking to Sheamus. "You should have seen the tension this morning. I got caught right smack in between it."
Sheamus laughed and took a sip of his beer. "Come on, guys. Cut the man some slack. He's just being a protective older brother. We all feel that way, right?"
"Gross," Seth shook his head. "I don't see Sasha as a younger sister at all."
"Ha!" Kevin laughed. "So Sami was right. There is something!"
"No!" Seth denied. "Will you all just cut the crap? This is stupid."
From the bathroom, Sasha made her way back to their booth when a tall figure blocked her. "Hey. Sasha Banks?"
He was devilishly handsome, with dark locks, piercing hazel eyes, and a flawless smile that could land him a Colgate commercial. He seemed like he was on a business trip, dressed in slacks, a leather belt, and a white polo shirt with buttons loose at the top.
"Uh, hi," Sasha smiled awkwardly at him.
"Sorry, I'm just a really huge fan of yours."
"Oh," she felt her face flush. "Thank you."
"My name's Alex," he stuck a hand out, and she took it. "Can I buy you one drink?"
Normally, she declined these kinds of offers from strangers but Alex seemed like the genuine type—plus he was really, really cute. And if ever something went wrong, she could always cry for help and for sure, Xavier or Seth would come running. "Sure," Sasha shrugged, eyeing their booth which was a few meters away, before following Alex to the bar.
"I'll get a beer," he told the bartender. "And she'll have?"
"A mojito," she smiled.
"So, you guys came from the live show?" Alex started, pulling up a stool for her.
"Thanks," she hopped on. "Yup! We leave for Monterrey tomorrow."
"I loved your match with Charlotte last week," he commented, nodding at the bartender who handed them their drinks.
"Thank you. It was pretty brutal," she grinned, taking a sip.
"How long will you guys be here for?"
"Just until Sunday. We fly back for RAW in Austin. What about you?"
"Oh, I'm here on a business trip. I work in sales for a pharmaceutical company."
"Sounds interesting," Sasha commented.
Alex smiled at her. "It gets tough, but the traveling sure is a perk."
"Yeah, I love being able to see the world," Sasha agreed.
All of a sudden, her vision began to swirl and she felt herself wanting to throw up in that instant. Everything was hazy, and she grabbed on to the bar to keep herself steady. "Woah, are you alright?" Alex asked her, holding on to her shoulder to keep her from falling off.
"Yeah, that mojito was just a little too strong I think," Sasha shook her head, her vision getting worse. What the hell was happening? It was only her second drink for the night but it felt like she had zero control over her body, and she was starting to fade. "Ugh."
"Here," Alex helped her down the stool. "How about I drive for you? What's your hotel and room number?"
Sasha struggled and fought hard to keep herself awake. It may have been a generous offer, but she certainly didn't want to be driven home by a stranger, especially not in this situation.
"Hey," she heard a familiar voice, and even in her current state, she could tell that voice anywhere. "What's going on here?"
Seth looked beyond pissed when he found Sasha leaned against a stranger, close to passing out. "Sasha!" he took her in his arms and scowled at Alex. "Who the fuck are you?"
"Woah, sorry dude," Alex raised his hands up. "I don't want any trouble."
"Get out of here," Seth hissed, steadying Sasha against his shoulder. Alex walked away quickly, though he looked clearly disappointed.
"Hey," he asked Sasha gently. "What happened?"
Sasha could barely even lift her head as Seth balanced her in his arms. "Come on," he tried to keep his temper in check. If he saw that guy again, he wouldn't think twice to punch his perfectly lined teeth out. Half-carrying Sasha to their booth, their eyes widened when they saw her state.
"Woah, what happened?" Xavier asked, standing up.
"I found her like this with some asshole hitting on her," he looked to Kevin crossly. "She doesn't need a babysitter, huh?"
"Come on," Kevin stood up as well. "Let's get her home."
Cesaro and Sheamus fetched Charlotte and Bayley from the dance floor, who both slightly protested, before their group headed back to the hotel.
By this time, Sasha had passed out completely as Seth placed one arm under her knees and one under her neck, carrying her carefully. It was fairly easy, given her lightweight size.
"What happened?!" Charlotte panicked, seeing Sasha out cold in Seth's arms.
Seth ignored her and kept walking. When they reached the hotel, Bayley had sobered up and led the way to their room. "I don't understand how this could happen," she shook her head, watching as Seth placed Sasha down on her bed and began taking off her shoes.
"It was my fault," Seth started. "I should have stood guard when she went to the bathroom."
Charlotte shook her head. "This isn't your fault at all. God knows what could have happened if you didn't find her with that creep."
Bayley continued to remove Sasha's earrings and necklace, placing them on the side table, before pulling the covers to tuck her in. "Thanks, Seth."
"You mind if I stay for a bit?" he asked Bayley, who shook her head.
"No, not at all."
Seth nodded, took out his shoes, and laid down on top of the covers beside Sasha.
Charlotte smiled lightly, before saying goodnight and leaving the room, but only after telling Bayley to text her when Sasha was awake. Sasha had given them quite the scare, and when she was sober, she would definitely be getting a long lecture on never taking candy (or drinks) from strangers.
"You good there, Seth?" Bayley asked.
"Yeah, I'm alright," he rested his head against his hands.
"That scared you, didn't it?"
He looked to Bayley and shrugged, but didn't say anything.
"I'm just going to change," Bayley headed towards the bathroom. "Don't steal anything."
"Ha-ha," Seth rolled his eyes, turning to face Sasha. Her chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm, as she peacefully snoozed, unaware of how she had frightened him tonight. Half of him wanted to yell at her, but the other half was just relieved she was safe—he'd probably leave the yelling to Charlotte in the morning. Right now, he just didn't want her to leave his sight.