#seth's bus?

[ybcpatrick]

toronto i am in you

[cryoverlife]

*sharp inhale* TOP FIVE FAVORITE CHARACTER HEADCANONS GO!

Why thank you for the ask.

*inhales sharply*

ONE: Conner Bailey (tlos) likes wearing dresses and skirts and had a brief obsession with the language of flowers

TWO: Seth Sorensen (fhdw) hate hiding his wings and there for keeps knocking stuff over when he gets emotional cause his wings will puff up.

THREE: Tyler Hernandez (sbg) is the both the best cook and the best at doing people’s hair cause of how often he did it when he was younger.

FOUR: Leo Valdez (hoo) can do parkour and it’s like the only athletic thing he can do that doesn’t involve building stuff ( he mostly uses this skill to annoying and so he can yell “Parkour!” Whenever he wants)

FIVE: Kaz taught Wylan how to read and communicate in morse code and Wylan “forces” Kaz to come over and play chess with him every so often (Jesper misses Kaz and neither of them like making Jesper upset) (soc)

[heartbreakfeelsogood]

What does your tag sb mean

my friends and i have an inside joke for a group of our favorite wrestlers so whenever i reblog stuff of that group together i tag it with “sb” because its an initials of the joke

[toastsnaffler]

exordia is so sickeningly fun so far.. I almost regret starting it at work bc I've been itching thinking abt it all afternoon its sooo visual to me

[shmorp-mcdurgen]

"You left me behind. I thought you cared."

hehehehehehehehhehehehehehehehhehehehe

UH OH-

[fairvstairs]

FOXES HEADCANONS!

Nicky watches soap operas when they are in the bus/plane/travelling to a game. The other foxes learned everything they know against their will but it's actually a good way to spend the time. Kevin keeps saying he hates them ("It always takes so long for secrets to get discovered" "Says the guy who waited years to tell his father his truth") but he's the only one who actually remembers the names of the characters. Every time an evil twin comes into the screen Neil laughs and points at Aaron . Every time someone lies about their identity Aaron laughs and points at Neil.

Neil has amazing hair but hates to take care of them. Andrew washes them with curly hair product, Allison cuts them (he lets her near him with scissors!!!) and Matt braids them during the summer.

Aaron can't study anatomy around the foxes because they scream "BROKE IT!" every time he mentions a bone they broke.

On the anniversary of Seth's death, the foxes and Wymack gather at Abby's place to have dinner together. They don't really talk about him but they leave one seat empty.

Neil found a injured rabbit during one of his runs, he brought it back to the dorm and the foxes successfully hid the pet for three weeks. One day they came back to their dorms from classes only to find Wymack there, holding the rabbit in his arms. This imagine becomes Abby's lock screen and the rabbit goes to live with Bee.

Matt is an amazing cook but Aaron finds his meals way too spicy. When he first said this around the others, Dan looked at him dead in the eyes and said "White trash," only to continue eating like nothing had happened.

Renee loves puzzle but she only does them in company so she usually sends a puzzle emoji on the group chat and whoever is free just goes to her dorm to spend quality time together.

Allison can't watch criminal shows around Andrew because he always spoils her about who the murderer is. He hasn't watched the shows, he just knows, and when she asks him how he knows he gives the stupidest answers. ("He was wearing a red tie," "He said 'good day' instead of 'good morning,' "He has a mole under his eye.")

Dan and Renee love Halloween and they always get matching costumes with Matt and Allison but not the couple kind. So far they have done the Ninja Turtles, the Fantastic Fours and the Teletubbies.

The twins wear each other's clothes on Halloween. Nicky, Katelyn and Neil are the only ones who don't fall for it. Neither does Wymack but he just lets them be without saying anything.

[deansdelicate]

I CAN SEE YOU

CHAPTER II: WATCHING YOU FOR AGES

seth rollins x fem!writer+producer reader

word count: [8.5K]

warnings: no use of y/n, mild cursing, mentions of having a baby out of wedlock (steph and paul), slight allusions to anxiety/loneliness, flirting (you don't even have to squint), mostly a light-hearted, domestic chapter <3

🎧 the soundtrack

summary: You're still getting accustomed to the fast life that comes with working for WWE, but it's all starting to settle down and you're beginning to feel like you belong with each day that passes—and it sure does help when a special someone is always going out of their way to make sure you know it too.

Seth and the rest of the superstars sat patiently on the shuttle bus, awaiting one last person before they could head to the arena for the night’s taping of SmackDown. It wasn’t often that they got to travel as one big group, but it was always something he took up when possible.

Usually the procedure was driving themselves to and from cities, hotels, and arenas, but now that Paul was in charge, he did his best to work in bus accommodations in order to give talent the slot to relax before shows. But even then, some opted to drive themselves, like Roman who was missing from his usual seat beside Seth.

“Who are we even waiting for?” Xavier complained, standing up to scan the area, trying to detect who exactly was holding them up.

“I’m surprised it isn’t you,” Seth cackled over at Finn who was notoriously known for being chronically late to every bus ride.

The Irish lad rolled his eyes. “Whoever has me beat is far more a mess.”

“Mr. Driver, can we get this show on the road?” piped Kofi with a clap as all the superstars agreed, preferring to get to the arena before doors so they could all get situated.

The driver looked up in the rear-view mirror, laughing shortly with the shake of his head. The superstars grumbled, patience dwindling by the second, trying to pinpoint who was the culprit of them running behind and making a pact to bar them from any future bus rides.

It wasn’t unusual for a crowd to gather outside the hotel—many of them children accompanied with their parents to get autographs and photos if they weren’t able to snag tickets to the show. But this time around, the crowd felt larger, more amateur photographers scattered throughout, which was odd considering it wasn’t a pay-per-view event.

“Oh, shit…” Big E singsonged, leaning out of his seat towards the window to see what all the ruckus was about as the fans’ cheers got louder.

Security surrounded you closely, keeping their arms outwards to stop people from getting too close to you. You happily waved at everyone, pausing for the kids who asked for autographs and selfies, making small talk with them before you waved goodbye and continued following the security.

“This way, Ms. Levesque.” One of the guards escorted you towards the doors of the bus, holding it open and ensuring you’d get in safely.

“Thank you,” you murmured with a tight smile, giving each of them a handshake for going out of their way for you.

“Hi! I’m so sorry for the holdup,” you apologized sincerely, turning to meet the driver, “They just wanted to make sure we were clear to go ahead.” You explained, extending your hand.

The man reassured you with a comforting shake of his head and meeting your hand gently. Your father was extremely protective of you, therefore many, if not all drivers and security crew of the company were well aware of the procedure of making sure you got where you needed to be safely no matter how long it took.

“You are precious cargo, Ms. Levesque. Have a seat and I’ll get us to the arena promptly.” He directed, gesturing you to get comfortable wherever you pleased.

Passing through the aisle, you smiled and said your ‘hello’s’ to everyone, most were surprised that you were joining them, considering that you were almost always a driven separately.

But what they didn’t know was that you had to practically beg your father to switch transportation for the day, simply wanting to be around everyone instead of being chauffeured to every event, which was starting to become a little lonely.

Seth sat in the last row of the bus, an empty seat beside him catching your eye. You paused in the aisle, pointing to the space with a hopeful smile.

“Is it okay if I sit here?” you asked timidly, crossing your fingers he didn’t mind you invading his space.

He immediately bopped his head, patting the seat.

“Course, here, let me help you.” He offered, holding his arms out towards you to take your things so that you could get settled with the fuss.

“Thanks.” You breathed a sigh of relief, passing him your purse and laptop.

You slid into the seat and buckled in before retrieving your stuff, your eyes meeting Seth’s with a grateful expression when his fingers brushed against yours for a split second.

“I hope you guys weren’t waiting too long,” you apologized, placing your purse on the ground between your feet.

He shook his head, leaning back into his seat. “Nah, we weren’t waiting long. Plus, it’s always a pleasure to be waiting for the princess herself.”

You giggled, brushing your hair over your shoulders then laying your head against the rest. “I’ll be sure to remember that.”

The bus began moving en route to the arena that was a good twenty-five minutes away, giving you enough time to look over the script that you had been working on since what felt like forever ago. It was a part of an assignment your dad had you complete ting—writing four original scripts for the main roster, three of which focused on superstars who needed a bit more of character development.

The three completed scripts were met with praise by your dad alongside a number of producers and fellow writers who thought you were able to curate a story worthy enough to be showcased on TV. The remaining storyline, however, was a challenge—a romantic one.

You had been circling back to early storylines that involved romance, and while they were entertaining and good TV, they all felt one dimensional.

Therefore, you challenged yourself to come up with a script that would allow both leads to shine without acting as if their relationship was the only thing that existed. Sure, it was a longshot your dad would approve of it since TV hadn’t seen a romance trope in a while, but you wanted to take the risk and give it a shot.

“Important business?” Seth peered past your shoulder, raising his brow at your screen that had an overwhelming volume of text splayed across it.

You gawked up at him, nodding with a light laugh. “Just my final assignment.”

He looked at you, confused, feigning concern. “Final assignment? Did I miss the memo or something?”

You swung your head as you giggled, stopping your typing in order to show him exactly what you were up to.

“It’s the last storyline I’m writing for my dad to approve. I’ve been working on it for a while and now I’m just trying to polish it up for him.” You explained, tilting the screen towards him as you scrolled through the document.

“Whose it for?” he wondered, genuine curiosity in his eyes as he read a short fragment.

You rolled your shoulders with a shrug.

“To be honest, I don’t even have any particular superstars in mind. It’s very vague, but the details and sequencing are all there.”

“Well, if you’re writing it, I’m positive it’ll be worthy of Paul’s green-light.” He said confidently, his tone sincere, hoping it would make you feel slightly better to know he was rooting for you.

“I hope so,” your voice soft, exchanging tight smiles before you turned your attention back to work, trying to ignore the feeling of Seth’s eyes peering at you every so often while you typed away.

The bus ride was the perfect change of scenery even if it was just for a little while. It had been a bit lonesome traveling all by yourself and with the presence of everyone else you started to feel like you could get into the groove of things. Even if you weren’t involved in the conversation, the chatter of everyone cracking jokes made you grin through the work.

As the bus parked out back, the driver promptly exited to get the undercarriage opened so that talent could retrieve their luggages. Everyone stayed in their seats, just getting up to stretch their legs.

A security personnel poked their head into the bus, scanning the area until they saw you.

“Ms. Levesque, we’re going to escort you into the building.”

You acknowledged them with a nod, swiftly closing your laptop and gathering your things.

“How come we don’t get an escort too?” Kofi frowned, eliciting amusement from the entire bus, including yourself.

“Because I’m not a professional wrestler who could easily defend herself against crazed fans.” You half-joked with a pout.

“Noted.” Kofi replied with a smirk, flexing his arms and taking what you said as a compliment.

You shook your head with a laugh, turning back to Seth, who had been watching closely visibly seeing that now you were breaking out of your shell and learning everyone’s personalities.

“I’ll see you inside?” You proposed, getting up from your seat.

He nodded, knocking his knuckles against the window behind him. “See you in there.”

You twiddled your fingers goodbye before you walked through the aisle towards the front of the bus where security was already waiting.

“Bye everyone! I’ll see you inside,” you called out to everyone, waving as you exited and followed security through the surveillance screening to get into the arena.

After retrieving his bags, Seth headed straight to the locker room, dropping off his bags and then making his way toward catering for some food. He caught a glimpse of you on the way there, already sitting in hair and makeup, doing work on your laptop while you chit-chatted with the ladies.

He figured he’d leave you to it, hoping he’d run into you later in the night to talk more. He knew how important it was to make others feel welcomed, but it felt especially important to him that he could be someone you knew you could lean on, whether it was casual conversations or just talking about work.

“Where you off to? We’re all scheduled for a meeting with Paul.” Charlotte stopped him in the halls, going in the opposite direction of where all the talent was heading.

He scratched the back of his neck, pointing at her phone in her hand, “Was it an email? I didn’t see it on the itinerary.”

The blonde nodded, scrolling through her inbox. “Should’ve got sent to you this morning, but it doesn’t matter. It said all talent anyway.”

Seth nodded, walking alongside her, noting just how many people were headed in the same direction as Paul’s office. Usually they were all scheduled for meeting by group, but it seemed like it was an important one if Paul was calling for everyone on the same day at the same time.

As they squeezed into the office, some superstars found empty chairs while the rest stood against the walls, making space for those still arriving. The room buzzed with loud chatter, everyone speculating about the meeting’s purpose, hoping it wasn’t anything bad, like another round of roster splits.

Paul who sat at the head of the table, finally cleared his throat, silencing the room with an assertive presence that meant business.

“Okay everyone, let’s make this quick so you all can get out of here.” He rubbed his hands together, passing around papers that had the upcoming schedule for the next month.

“We’ve got some shows scattered across the east coast and mid-west. We’re prepping for SummerSlam, so things are going to start moving quicker and as we wrap up some storylines, we’re also going to be starting new ones.”

Many of the superstars were already well aware if they would be on the pay-per-view card or not, except Seth, who was still awaiting his opponent after he and Dean lost the tag team championships to Sheamus and Cesaro. They were originally going to have a rematch, but Dean ended up getting written into a different storyline with The Miz for the intercontinental championship.

“As you know my daughter joined us just a few days ago, but she has been watching and closely working alongside creative and producers in order to write a few scripts. Some of which will be getting played out in the coming weeks.”

Seth heard through the grapevine that some superstars already had meetings with you the following day after your debut to pitch the new storylines. Braun Strowman was one of the superstars to have a script written specifically for himself, and it was safe to say that everyone else was excited to see if they’d receive a script with your name on it too.

Your father was also greatly elated that you were taking the reins on helping him develop some talent—the pride evident in his voice and face as he spoke about you though you weren’t around to hear.

“And speaking about my daughter, I feel like this goes without saying, but just to make it abundantly clear, I think you should hear it from me.”

The tone in Paul’s voice suddenly shifted to something more serious, causing the superstars to deliberately fixate their sights on him.

“She’s new to this scene and to be quite frank she didn’t even want to step foot anywhere near the business, but she gave it a shot and while she’s still getting adjusted to the way things work around here, I have a good feeling she’s going to be the person taking over when I decide its time for me to step away…”

Everyone nodded along understanding that Paul’s time in charge might not be for long seeing as though he was getting older and he didn’t want to overstay his position of the head of creative knowing that it was best for a new perspective to be let in before things went stale.

Paul took a deep breath, the shift in his demeanor palpable as he transitioned from boss to protective father. His eyes scanned the room, settling on each superstar with a look that spoke volumes and caused most of them to squirm including Seth.

“Which is why I need to make myself crystal clear,” he began, his voice firm and unwavering. “My daughter is absolutely off-limits.”

He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in despite him feeling like it should have been an automatic rule everyone should’ve been expected to follow without him saying it explicitly.

Seth found it a little hypocritical considering the nature of Paul and Stephanie’s relationship. Everyone knew they had gotten together despite Vince’s warning and everyone else tell them it was bad for business, yet here they were years later not only married but with four daughters to show for it.

But Seth also knew that mixing pleasure with business wasn’t always successful as theirs was—most times it was like playing a dangerous game, and he respected that aspect of it—plus, who would be crazy enough to go after the boss’s daughter, anyway?

“She’s a sweet girl,” he continued, his voice softening slightly trying not to get emotional when it came to you.

“And I’m not just saying that because she’s my kid. If anyone were to hurt her, especially when I’m the person signing their checks, I would hate to be the one to have to fire them too. Am I clear?”

Paul was anything other than threatening especially outside of the character he played up for fans, but it felt like the first time he showed the true colors that could come out if anyone dared to get on his bad side. There was a collective ‘yes’ that filled the room, nearly suffocating everyone with how thick the tension in the air was.

From the back of the room, Randy’s voice cut through the silence with a choked up laugh.

“I guess my dreams of calling you dad are finally crushed.”

Laughter calmed the room and everyone in it—of course Randy was the only one who could make a joke like that and live to see another day.

Paul chortled, pointing a finger in his direction. “Son of a bitch,” he muttered, shaking his head and settling down.

Just then, the door swung open, causing everyone to look in its direction.

You stumbled in, changed out of your casual clothing into a little black dress with your hair pinned up in curlers. Your eyes widened, forehead creasing with worry as you quickly shut the door and darted your eyes towards your dad, sputtering out an apology.

“I’m sorry, I’m late! I thought the meeting started at—”

He shook his head, lifting a hand and cutting you off. “You’re right on time, sweetheart. I just got them briefed on next month’s schedule.”

He picked up one of the printed papers, waving you over to sit in the empty seat next to him.

A sigh of relief escaped your lips, smiling and waving to all the superstars as you made your way to the front of the room.

“Is there anything you guys talked about?” You speculated, brushing your hands against the fabric of your dress before you sat.

Everyone remained dead silent, shaking their heads realizing Paul had strategically given you a different time just so he could give all of them the word of warning without you present.

For a moment you caught eyes with Seth who stood near the back of the room, arms crossed over his chest and he quickly moved his eyes elsewhere, shaking his head like everyone else.

Your dad clicked his tongue, getting your attention. “No, just that and briefly about the storylines you had been working on.” He replied smoothly, covering the previous discussion without you knowing.

“Maybe you should formally introduce yourself, since they don’t know very much about you.”

He sat back in his chair, nodding for you to go ahead. For some reason, it was more nerve-racking to talk to all of them at once instead of the usual one-on-one conversations you had been having with them as the week went on.

“Oh, okay,” you muttered, nodding your head as you stood up, taking a deep breath.

“My apologies in advance for how I look right now. As you could tell, I am horrible with time management.” You bit your lip, miming at your head of curlers.

The room snickered, somewhat relaxing you seeing that they weren’t as intimidating and scary as they came off. They all understood how hectic the job could get, and some of them were still needed to change into gear, which made you feel like it was no big deal after all.

“As you know I’m Paul and Stephanie’s eldest daughter and I am currently serving as a freshman creative writer and backstage producer on the main roster. But before this, I had been writing storylines for NXT, the developmental brand, for about a year and a half. And before that, I was working in freelance writing after I graduated college.” You said, gaining a little more confidence the more you spoke.

“On screen I play according to my dad, a semi-heel and semi-face heiress to the legacy in which my mother’s side of the family forged and now has merged with father. And now that you’re all here, I just wanted to say thank you for welcoming me with open arms and giving me the opportunity to be a part of your world.” You pressed your hands together, bowing slightly towards them.

You caught a few impressed nods and smiles from the superstars, clearly unaware of your extensive experience and appreciating that you gave them their flowers despite you still being so new to the main roster.

“It’s been a huge deal for me that my father trusts me with creating stories, and I know it’s important that you, the performers who make it your own, feel connected to them, therefore I am always open to talking and hearing what we could do to make it better. So please do not feel intimidated by me at all—I’m seriously the least intimidating person around here, and I can’t wait to work with you all.”

The room filled with a round of applause that made you smile in relief as you sat back down after what felt like eternity with all eyes on you. And of course, like your eyes were trained to look in his direction, you couldn’t miss Seth wearing a tight lip grin and giving you a subtle thumbs up as if he knew you would be looking his way.

Your dad reached over, giving you a small pat on the back, displaying a proud smile.

“Well, that wraps it up. Let’s have a good show tonight, alright?”

Everyone slowly began to file out of your dad’s office, a few superstars sticking around to catch up with him, while some came up to you, indicating their excitement at having you on board. Seth waited until you wrapped up with some of them before approaching you to do the same.

“Good job,” Seth spoke genuinely, giving your arm a gentle tap, “Didn’t know you had so much experience.”

You laughed softly, feeling at ease with him around compared to everyone else.

“I didn’t want to bore you with my resume.” You shrugged.

Your father turned his attention to you both, a surprised look spreading across his face as he gestured between you both.

“You guys met already?”

You looked up at Seth, nodding with a silly grin before turning to your dad. “I actually ran into him on Monday before the show. I was totally klutz and bumped into him.” You confessed embarrassingly.

“Sounds just about right.” Your dad joked, prompting you to roll your eyes.

“She did deceive me a little bit,” Seth started, tipping his head towards you, “Left out that she’s the boss’s daughter.”

Your dad let out a snort, shaking his head knowing that you partly did so because you didn’t want to gloat, but mostly because you wanted to keep your debut a surprise for as long as possible.

“How are you feeling today?” Paul asked curiously, lacing his fingers together as he sat back into his chair.

You played with your fingers idly, smiling a little, “I think I’m getting the hang of it, but I still get nervous getting on live tv.” You admitted.

“Well, tonight’s good practice. You’ve got three short segments with some superstars, so they’ll help you through it.”

Alexa Bliss, Kevin Owens, and Roman Reigns.

You had gone over the script an abundant amount of times having your lines memorized off the top of your head.

Alexa, you had met down in NXT before she was drafted onto the main roster, the two of you becoming good acquaintances outside of the ring. When she found out you two would be having a segment together, she immediately shot you a text, gushing about how excited she was.

Kevin was introduced to you by your dad on Monday night. Him voicing his delight that you decided to come work for the company and all nice things said about the storylines you had forged in NXT prior. He still had a few friends down in developmental who bragged about the storylines you and Shawn were working on together and now that he finally had a face to your name, he was excited about what else you’d do on the main roster.

Roman was someone you watched consistently on TV. He was a part of the same faction Seth and Dean were in—The Shield. You hadn’t met him on Monday since he was on paternity leave, but tonight, having him back in action was the perfect opportunity to introduce yourself.

“Speaking of that,” you diverted your eyes back up to Seth who lingered at your side, “Do you know where Roman might be? I didn’t get the chance to talk to him one on one yet.”

Seth nodded, pointing his thumbs towards the door.

“I’m pretty sure he’s in catering. I’m heading there now if you want to come with.” He offered politely.

And you nodded thankfully, getting up to reach over and give your dad a small hug, “I’ll stop by before the show.”

“Don’t forget to get those out of your hair,” he reminded, chuckling along with Seth as you shook your head. “See you later, Seth,” He added, giving the wrestler a firm handshake before you were on your way.

The hallways were busy with crew members rolling in carts and transporting equipment before doors opened—a rush you were just starting to get used to it. You and Seth were practically shoulder to shoulder trying not to get in anyone’s way. Each time your hand brushed against his arm, you muttered a quiet apology, to which he hushed you, saying it was nothing to worry about.

As the haste in the hallway slowly dwindled, you glanced at him. “Thanks for saying those kinds of things. I really appreciate it.”

So far, Seth was the one superstar you had multiple interactions with and he had been pleasant each and every single time. You figured it was because he held a lot of respect for your dad, but another part of you knew it was just him being a good person.

He met your eyes, nodding his head and rubbing his hands together, “I know how daunting it is, especially when you’re so new to the scene, but just know that everyone already thinks you’re killing it…me especially.” He bragged, gesturing to himself with a smirk.

Your cheeks rose with a smile. “Thank you,” you whispered, and it never seemed to leave your face after that.

Reaching catering, he held the door open for you, letting you through first. Renee and Charlotte had caught a glimpse and immediately waved at you, their eyes briefly widening when they saw Seth strolling in behind you. He said something to you, pointing towards Roman’s back at the same table where the rest of his friends sat.

“Yo, big dog!” He shouted, garnering Roman’s attention as the man looked over his shoulder.

Seth motioned to you then headed off to grab food while you walked up to the man. You immediately greeted him with a glowing smile and a small wave. He grinned, setting his fork down and sticking his hand out to shake yours.

“Hey! Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt you, but I just wanted to say hello and introduce myself. I heard you and your wife just welcomed two new little ones—congratulations!” You bubbled, making him smile at the thoughtfulness.

Rising up out of his chair, he opening his arms and gave you a warm appreciative hug.

“Thanks, and it’s nice to meet you too.” He replied, before drawing away, “I saw what you did on Monday and man…the fans already love you.” He smirked, crossing his arms over his chest.

“I think they’re still a little skeptical if I’m going to be more like my mom’s character or my dad’s.” You threw your hands up, making him chuckle.

Nearly forgetting, your eyes widened, and you snapped your fingers.

“And hey, if you want to change anything about our segment, just let me know. I’m always in my office and if I’m not there, I’m probably hiding from my dad’s personal assistant.”

He and the rest of the table cracked a laugh, aware that your father kept a close eye on you, especially after what they gathered from the meeting.

“I appreciate that. It’s always nice to know I can talk to you,” He replied earnestly, his statement showing his gratitude before taking his seat again to continue eating.

“Wanna sit?” Seth offered, returning with a plate of food and he pulled out the empty chair beside him for you to take. You nodded, thanking him with a smile as you took a seat.

“So you said that before NXT you were working as a freelance writer,” Renee spoke, leaning towards you across the table and you nodded. “Anything we know you from?”

You thought for a moment, shaking your head.

“To be honest, I don’t think so. I did a lot of screenwriting after college. Short films and mini projects that didn’t really take off, but then after that I got really into creative writing and launched a tiny little column in the local paper about fictional entertainment.”

“Wow, you really are a workhorse.” Dean complimented.

“You have to show us one of your short films someday,” Seth chimed in, chuckling when he saw embarrassment flush over your cheeks.

You shook your head vigorously, covering your face, making everyone laugh and shake their heads.

“It was mediocre at the very least. A lot of angst and tropey plot lines.”

Maybe it was you attempting to be humble or truly just wanting to save yourself the mess, but they all knew deep down that you had a vividly gifted mind. It already proved itself to be true with the experience you had, but more so in the fact that you took the time to make sure everyone in the locker-room knew you were approachable because the storylines meant just as much to you as it did to them.

Charlotte reached across the table, grazing your hand, “We’re all going out to dinner tonight. You should join us!”

She extended the invitation with a friendly smile, hoping you would take her up on it, seeing as though they all wanted to get to know you more.

“You sure?” You asked hesitantly, not wanting to impose.

“Yeah, come on,” Seth nudged you gently, flashing you a toothy grin, “The restaurant we’re going to is known for the best steak in the city and I heard they’ve got a killer dessert menu.” His voice had a teasing lilt, as if trying to entice you.

You pressed your lips together, shoulders caving in shyly until you finally nodded.

“Sure, why not” You gave in, the table hooting with a frenzy, making you smile wider.

“I just have to ask my driver to drop me off. Do you mind giving me the address?” You asked, looking towards Charlotte.

“You could ride with me and Seth after the show,” Roman suggested, jutting his chin over at his buddy who nodded in agreement.

“And we’re staying at the same hotel, so it’ll be no problem getting back.” Seth added, his eyes meeting yours in a reassuring gaze.

You nodded, smiling happily, “That’s perfect, thank you so much! Should I meet you guys in the parking garage after the show?”

They nodded. “We’ll be there.”

“Great! I’m going to get these out of hair, but I’ll see you guys tonight!” You beamed, rising up and giving all of them a wave.

As you wandered away, you suddenly turned back on your heel, shooting Roman a playful point.

“And I’ll see you later for the segment!” You added eagerly, and he chuckled nodding as you went on your way.

By the time the main event match was wrapping up, gorilla was nearly empty. Just a few producers and your dad who hung back sticking around to congratulate Kevin and Roman.

You had been sitting in gorilla after your three segments had wrapped, needing a change in scenery while you worked through your final script and took some producer notes as your dad worked.

Soon enough Roman’s music hit, signaling the end of the show. The hard camera continued rolling for a few more seconds until your dad spoke through the headsets to cut, and soon the two superstars began making their way up the ramp.

You immediately stood up, walking over to the curtain to greet them, watching as they shook each other’s hand.

“Amazing match, you two,” you applauded.

The two men laughed when you stuck your arm out offering them a first bump, not wanting to give them a proper hug due to the sweat and they met your knuckles in a friendly manner.

Roman pointed at you, still catching his breath as a stage hand passed him a bottle of water.

“Parking garage, don’t forget.” He spoke and then chugged the liquid.

You nodded, thanking him for reminding you, “Yeah, I’ll be there as soon as I wrap up here.”

He went over to your father and the rest of the producers, shaking their hands before heading to the locker room to catch a shower and gather his things for the road. You said goodnight to all that were leaving, thanking them for their kind words regarding your segment and all the work you had been doing so far.

Your dad took off his headsets, shrugging off his suit jacket.

“Where you headed off to?” He wondered, watching you collect your laptop and notebook from the monitor desks.

“Charlotte invited me out to dinner with a few people and I’m gonna catch a ride with Roman and Seth there.” You announced cheerfully, holding your things against your chest.

He smiled lovingly, happy to see that they were making an effort to make you feel extra welcomed.

“That’s nice of them. Just make sure you get back to the hotel alright. We have an early flight in the morning.”

“Of course, dad.” You nodded, going to give him a hug, “And if you see Eddie, tell him I said thank you for sending my stuff over to my suite.” You spoke against him.

He nodded, pressing a kiss to cheek forehead. “Shoot me a text when you turn in. I love you.”

“Love you too, dad.”

You quickly made a pit stop at your office to tidy up the space and grab the rest of your belongings, checking that you had everything before the arena locked up for the night. Anticipating the brisk cold of the night, you pulled on your black oversized blazer, giving the room one last look over before shutting the door and walking towards the back entrance where the parking garage was located.

You looked around, stepping further until you spotted Roman and Seth loading up the trunk of their rental with their bags while Charlotte, Renee, and Dean lingered against the rental beside them, making small talk while waiting for you.

Your heels clacked against the concrete, catching their attention.

“Thanks again for the ride,” you chirped, pausing near the boys who finished up sliding in their luggage and bags.

Seth frowned, looking down and around you.

“Where’s your stuff?” He wondered, pointing to the small space he reserved for your things.

You waved your hand off in the air, “Eddie sent it over to my suite earlier in the night. Didn’t want you guys doing extra arm work.”

Roman tsked, patted his biceps and flexing them dramatically, “Don’t worry, baby girl, these puppies can lift anything.”

You giggled, rolling your eyes playfully until Dean whistled, tossing his keys between his palms.

“Let’s get this show on the road. I want my steak pronto.” He said, rubbing his tummy.

You all began getting into your respective cars. Seth taking the liberty of motioning you to follow him, holding open the backdoor for you, “After you.”

“Thanks,” you murmured softly, sliding in and buckling your seatbelt.

He shut your door gently, walking around to the driver’s seat, getting the car started while Roman got comfortable in the passenger. The radio was on low, and Seth deliberately toggled with the climate control, turning on the heating for the backseat, knowing you were a bit chilly now that you sported a jacket over your dress.

He signalled for Dean to go first, waiting as the other car reversed out of the stall, and Seth followed behind en route to the restaurant that was just a few more minutes into the city.

Roman cleared his throat, briefly looking back at you. “How did you feel about your segments?”

You shifted in your seat, sitting up a tad. “It actually went better than I thought! It’s just the thought of the camera being there and the anticipation of going live that gets me all nervous.”

They both understood what you meant, and to be fair they had a bit of an advantage when they were first starting out. Seth, Roman, and Dean having each other to lean on during segments, matches, and promos which made the whole thing feel less intimidating and prepared them for when they became singles competitors.

“Well, if it makes you feel better, the crowd is already receptive to you and you have good chemistry with everyone you’ve worked with so far.” Seth said kindly, eyes looking at you in the rearview, catching a smile that spread across your face even in the dingy lighting of the car.

The rest of the drive was full of chitchat—Roman gushing over his kids, pride sweltering as he spoke about them and how much he missed them while on the road. Seth expressed the same feelings, except regarding his adorable yorkie named Kevin who he had since his NXT days.

You had a little bit of both—three little sisters whom you were extremely close with, and like a second mother figure to them, and childhood dogs who snuggled you each time you came to visit home.

When you all arrived, Seth the ever gentleman he was, opened your door, helping you out before you all walked in. The restaurant was rustic yet sleek, nothing too fancy or out of the ordinary, which was charming for a nice spot in the city. The heavy wooden doors gave way to the space adorned with marble countertops and wooden panelling that complimented the setting.

“You guys can follow me…” the hostess instructed, guiding your group towards the back of the restaurant in a secluded corner perfect for all seven of you.

Everyone picked their seats—Dean and Renee sitting on one side along with Charlotte. Roman sat at the head of the table and you and Seth sat directly across from the trio, with you on the tail end.

He pulled out the chair for you, nodding his head as you smiled and bowed slightly at the gesture. “Why thank you,” you giggled, taking a seat as he pushed the chair in slightly and took the empty adjacent to Roman.

The hostess got you all started with some menus, letting you all browse over it before she would come back and get your orders. You flipped through the laminated pages, picking two items just in case they were out of the other.

You peered over at Seth who was doing the same until you nudged your elbow gently into his, gaining his attention as he perked up and nodded towards you.

“What are you getting?”

“A medium rare tomahawk, potatoes, and a water,” He said without skipping a beat or taking another look at the menu, “I already knew what I was gonna get.”

The act alone made you giggle, shaking your head at him as he too broke out into a laugh, watching you fold up your menu as you settled down.

“So you were just trying to fit in the whole time?” You bantered, narrowing your eyes at him.

He rubbed his hands over his chest, nodding, “I didn’t want to be the only one not looking at the menu.” He whispered, eyes shifting to everyone else who was still deciding what they were going to get.

You sat back, folding your arms across your chest, shifting an inch closer to him, “I probably won’t get anything too fancy, but I am definitely getting some red wine…you’re not having a beer?”

He shook his head, mimicking your action, his shoulder pressed against your arm. “I am transporting precious cargo and I would hate for you to suffer even a scratch.”

You felt warm all over, trying to suppress another smile that always seemed to be incessantly glued to your face whenever Seth said something nice to you. And you failed to conceal it again, letting your cheeks rise.

“I appreciate your chivalry.” You spoke quietly enough for just him to hear.

“You’re getting dessert after too, right?” He insisted, pointing at the image of a chocolate lava cake that he was most certainly talking up earlier in the night.

You pursed your lips, not knowing if you could stomach it by yourself. “Wanna split it?”

He smirked, nodding, “Yeah sure, but just letting you know, I am going to ask for a scoop of vanilla ice cream over top.”

“Sounds divine.” You wiggled your brows, making him chuckle.

Dinner was full of laughter, with food and drinks served on the side. It had been a while since you had been around people who made you laugh so much without even trying too hard. All of them were so lively, cracking jokes left and right and somehow still being able to carry a casual conversation without missing a beat.

You felt safe around all of them, a kind of camaraderie that didn’t make you feel as if you were just solely the boss’s daughter, but rather a friend in the making through your new venture in life. Good things took time, and you knew the friendships you were going to make with all of them was totally worth it.

“No, they did not!” Renee and Charlotte stared at you wide eyed, the rest of the table bursting out into laughs while you nodded your head instantaneously and rested your palms on the tabletop, leaning towards them.

“I swear to god, I’m not making this up!” You drew an x over your heart, holding your palms in the air.

“Maybe I pissed the guy off for turning him down, but there I was getting ready to drive to class and that piece of shit spray painted “suck it!” all over my car!” You exclaimed, disturbed, but not for long, as you threw your head back and laughed uncontrollably.

The girls followed suit, hunching over the table, reaching for your arms and clinging to you while you all laughed like little kids. You had no clue how you got to talking about your terrible college experience with boys, but somehow you got there, and everyone was dumbfounded that one guy you turned down would go all Degeneration X on you.

“Your parents must have been pissed, right?” Dean sought, settling down with a stiffled laugh.

Your eyes widened as you nodded, sipping on your wine before you replied.

“Oh, they were livid once they first found out! But eventually when it passed, and I got it painted over, we just couldn’t stop laughing because it was just so absurd.”

Roman shook his head, staring at you in amazement.

“I can’t believe we didn’t know about you this entire time. Your parents really kept you out of the limelight, huh?”

You nodded, “That, and the fact that having a baby out of wedlock really wasn’t something my parents wanted out at the time—mostly because of my grandpa Vince.”

They all winced, grinning guiltily knowing of course Vince of all people was the one who wanted to keep his daughter’s premarital pregnancy under wraps. Thankfully, now it wasn’t such a big deal and you and your parents found it slightly comical.

“What’s funny is that I swore I saw you running up and down the arenas back when I was like 10 and you were like 3?” Charlotte recalled, looking over at you puzzled.

You nodded, gesturing up at your hair. “If my hair was in pigtails and I sported a gigantic DX shirt as a dress, then yes. That was totally me causing trouble in the corridors.”

Seth peered at you, watching you closely. “How come you didn’t want to get into the business sooner?”

You sighed heavily, shrugging your shoulders, “I don’t know. I guess I just thought it was too much. Too much business. Too much drama. Too many feelings getting hurt, especially when family is involved.” You pointed out to which everyone understood.

“How’d your dad convince you?” He added, knowing it must have not been so easy.

You set your elbow on the table, resting your chin on your first as you stared at him ardently.

“I had a feeling my dad was going to take over the company, and at that time I wasn’t doing a lot, so when he came to me and pitched the idea, I was a teeny bit hesitant, but he promised me I could have all the creative freedom I wanted. So long as I didn’t erase history or disregarded any talent’s input.”

Seth nodded along, listening to you express your relationship with the company and most importantly your dad. It was clear that you had no intentions of getting involved because to be fair you loved what you did on your own, but you took a risk and fell in love with writing storylines that were refreshing for the product and the new era of television they were in.

Many of the superstars, including Seth were thrilled when it was announced that Paul was taking over, but adding you into the mix made everything feel a little different in the best way possible. Usually writers and producers pushed back against their ideas and suggestions, but you exhibited a profound way of keeping and getting them involved in the product behind the scenes in a way that many never got to chance to have.

He knew, just as well as everyone else that you were going to leave your mark. The way you talked about your craft and the sincerity that leaked with every word had him enthralled—that was until Dean broke up the stare he had on you.

“We better cross our fingers we get a script written by you.” Dean raised his glass, breaking the silence.

You blinked slowly, the warmth still lingering in the air between you and Seth as you shifted your eyes to the rest of your friends lifting their glasses to you.

“To the Levesque Era,” Seth declared, following suit and nodding for you to pick up your wine glass.

“And new beginnings,” you continued, your voice soft but sanguine, the rim of your glass clinking with his lightly as you repeated the sentiment with everyone else.

As promised, you and Seth shared a chocolate molten lava cake topped with vanilla bean ice cream. The two of you sliding the plate between each other, sitting back comfortably as you listened to everyone catch you up on what they were up to in their lives outside the company.

Out of the corner of your eye, you spotted the hostess. You smiled at her, straightening up as she approached. Subtly, you handed her your card, and she nodded, promising to be back with the receipt.

As she walked away and you discreetly tucked your wallet back into your purse, Seth leaned in over your shoulder, wondering what you were up to.

“What did you just do?” He asked, his mouth still full, staring at you with a mix of suspicion and amusement.

You looked back at him, slowly relaxing back as you bit your lip and tried to pretend you didn’t hear him the first time.

“What do you mean?” you raised your brow at him.

He swallowed, shaking his head. “Did you just pay? I told you it was on us,” He protested, eyes widening in playful disbelief.

“Oh hey c’mon, that’s cheating.” Roman chimed in, pointing at you.

You held your hands up in defense, a smirk playing on your lips. “No, seriously, it’s on me. You guys invited me out, and it’s the least I could do.”

“Next time we’re baring you from even sticking your hand in your purse,” Renee threatened, sticking her hand out for you to shake on it.

Giggling, you nodded as you clasped her hand. “You have my word.”

You let go, all of you beginning to wrap up and get ready to head out for the night.

Seth, still shaking his head, leaned closer, a mischievous look in his eyes.

“You’re something else, you know that?”

“Just trying to make a good impression.” You argued with a playful shrug.

“Well, you’re definitely succeeding,” he retorted, voice true despite the teasing tone that came along with it.

The night winded down perfectly, zero traffic heading back to the hotel and sleepiness just on the precipice of settling behind your eyes. You, Seth, and Roman said goodnight to three after you and the girls exchanged phone numbers while the men got their bags and suitcases unloaded from the trunks.

“What floor?” Roman ordered, looking over towards you and Seth entering the elevator.

“Six,” you and Seth said in unison, turning to each other with matching looks of surprise and a shared laugh. Roman chuckled as he pressed the buttons for both floors.

The elevator hummed quietly as it ascended, a comfortable silence settling over the three of you after the night of laughter and conversations you had. When it dinged on Roman’s floor, he reached around, pulling you into a small hug.

“Thanks again for dinner.”

“Of course! You have a good night.” You replied warmly, returning the hug and stepping back. Roman and Seth exchanged a firm handshake, a silent nod of understanding between them before Roman exited the elevator.

As the doors closed, and continued its ascension to the sixth floor, Seth turned to you with a gentle smile. “Want me to walk you to your room?”

You nodded without a second thought, feeling a warmth spread through your chest.

“I’d like that.”

The hallway was quiet and shadowy, the carpeted floors muffling your footsteps and rolling of his suitcase as you walked sided by side. Your room was at the end of the corridor, just a few doors away from him. Stopping in front of your door, you searched your bag for the keycard.

“Thanks again for tonight.” He kept his eyes on you, catching the way you looked up past your lashes, and shook your head with a small smile.

“It’s the least I could do, and thank you for making me feel welcomed. It really means a lot to me.” You said, finally fishing the key out of your bag.

“Any chance I can treat you for coffee in the morning?” He proposed politely, wanting to return the gesture.

But you pouted wistfully, shaking your head and feeling genuinely bummed.

“I’ve actually got an early flight. It’s my little sister’s birthday and me and my dad are surprising her.” You apologized, wishing your fight was later in the day.

Seth nodded understandingly, not letting his disappointment show past his smile. “That’s alright. Tell her I said happy birthday.”

You grinned, nodding, “Of course! And I’ll definitely take you up on that coffee date when I get back.” You promised, eyes twinkling with anticipating for it.

“Looking forward to it,” he breathed, his gaze lingering on you as you slid the key into your door, turning the handle.

You gave him one last smile, feeling just a tad reluctant to end the night despite your tiredness.

“Night, Seth.”

“Night sweetheart.” He said quietly, watching as you stepped inside and offered him one last wave before shutting the door.

And so he walked back a few doors down, looking down your way one last time, already hoping for the next time he’d see you again.

💌 reblogs, tags, comments, + likes are greatly appreciated! leave a comment and let me know if want to be added to my taglist!! 💌

a/n: i hope you guys like chapter two of icsy!!! i was aiming to do something domestic and fun, and i thought why not dinner with the whole crew and a side of seth and reader flirting like idiots the whole time??? let me know what you guys think and i cannot wait for you to read the next chapter (hehehe it's already one of my faves <3).

[firenati0n]

hello friends :) i am so sorry i have been...so behind on all things tag games and writing challenges. i have been riding the struggle bus and i am Doing My Best but a lot of things have suffered in the meantime, like writing consistently. thank you so much for continuing to tag me in these, it means a lot that people think of me or read my work. i will always be grateful for my friends and readers and everyone who shows me kindness. anyway, many thanks as always! <3 much love for y'all.

i have been posting random prompt fics and drabbles here and there, while slowly updating people ruin people as inspiration strikes. I also made a fun graphic for proposal au and people ruin people! i hope to get back into the swing of things soon. not rushing it though, because rest is important. but i don't do well with stillness, you know? I'm not used to that. but i hope y'all have enjoyed the random words in recent weeks! i have written some things I'm very proud of and happy with in the prompt collection especially. and people ruin people is truly a stretch of my writing muscles...I'm not used to angst. but it's fun! it's hard, too. but so far people have been very kind about it!

here's a long snip from a flufftober prompt for ingredients and spells, it will be a little sequel / extension of the kiki's delivery service au / warlock!henry and baker!alex i posted a while back!

Henry is eight, and he can’t sleep.  The trees outside are too big, their shadows too scary in his window as the wind makes the branches thump against the glass. He rubs at his eyes before digging his head in his pillow again, hoping sleep claims him. From underneath his door, light filters in from the hallway—his mother is probably in the kitchen, grinding herbs and ingredients for her potions.  If there’s anyone who can help him, it’s her. “Oh, my little love,” she says, when Henry walks into the kitchen, knowing he looks as miserable as he feels. “Are we having trouble sleeping?” He nods. “I have just the thing.” She flits around, grabbing leaves and powders from the cupboard to grind before mixing everything in a pot. The smell of chamomile and honey fills the kitchen, warm and comforting.  She pours the potion into two mugs and hands one to Henry with a soft smile. “This should help, my darling. Here, I’ll drink it with you.” They both sip their drinks in comfortable silence. Henry can already feel the magical effects of the brew in his body, limbs starting to sag, head feeling heavy. His eyelids flutter, and Catherine notices.  “Up we go,” she says, before putting the mugs in the sink and scooping Henry up in her arms. He is warm, and he is safe, and he is sleepy.  After he’s all tucked in, duvet up to his chin, he sneaks an arm out to clutch his mother’s shirt as she moves to get off the bed.  “Please,” he pleads quietly. "Not yet." She settles in next to him, slender fingers carding through his hair as she hums. He drifts off, the smell of tea and honey blanketing him. He never learns what was in the brew. Catherine calls it her secret recipe, just for Henry. 

xoxo roop

+ open tag + tagging back everyone who got me in the past few weeks. it's been a while afjslkdjfklasdf

@seths-rogens @sherryvalli @sophie1973 @orchidscript @cha-melodius

@whimsymanaged @kiwiana-writes @alasse9 @porcelainmortal @wordsofhoneydew

@firstprincehornyramblings @run-for-chamo-miles @miharaikko @blueeyedgrlwrites @onthewaytosomewhere

@cultofsappho @ninzied @sparklepocalypse @clottedcreamfudge @zwiazdziarka

@clockwrkpendrxgon @milowren29 @thesleepyskipper @msmarvelouswinchester @caterpills

@suseagull04 @judasofsuburbia @getmehighonmagic @onward--upward @stellarmeadow

@welcometololaland @indestructibleheart @miss-minnelli @thedramasummer @priincebutt

@incalamity @stratocumulusperlucidus @leaves-of-laurelin @14carrotghoul @anincompletelist

[kyleoreillylover]

Protectors

Jey Uso x Sami Zayn x Fem!Reader

Summary: As the youngest on the roster, you are used to the protective antics of the older members of the WWE- specifically Jey and Sami, who took you under their wing and see you as their little sister, who deemed themselves as your protectors- despite you thinking you can take care of yourself. But tonight, after wanting to experience being a normal teenager and sneaking out to a party you get ditched and stranded at, you call them for help. And Jey is not happy with you.

A/N: This is very self-indulgent. Not that I get stranded at parties, but I wish Sami and Jey were some of my college besties, especially as a first year, and could comfort me, don't we all 🥹 Hope ya'll enjoy!!

tag list: @southerngirl41 @venusesworld @jeysbae @reci1996 @tbonesteakwithasideofmashngrav (if you wanna be added to the tag list just lmk!)

Word Count: 4,631

The rational part of your brain knew it was a stupid idea ever since your friends suggested it- you had to be stupid to not think that -but the irrational part of your brain wanted to finally act your age and have fun with the friends you barely saw ever since being called up and constantly on the road 300 days a year. 

As a college student who also happened to be a WWE superstar and the hottest act on WWE.

And at a mere 18 years old.

Any other person your age would have jumped at the chance for a wild night out. And you finally wanted to live up to your age. 

Which is why you didnt tell anyone on the roster that you were planning to attend the party. Sneaking out from the tour bus was easy enough, slipping away from the watchful eyes of your older colleagues who often acted as your guardians whenever you were on tour. You were grateful for their protectiveness, but tonight, you craved a taste of freedom, and you weren't gonna get that with them breathing down your necks. 

But now, with the bitter cold air biting at your skin, and the distant sound of music fading behind you, you found yourself regretting your decision. You hadn't anticipated how quickly everything could turn sour. Your friends had scattered away a few hours ago to god knows where, leaving you stranded and uncomfortable in a sea of drunk idiots (there was no way you were trusting the drinks of a bunch of college boys) that were either trying to get in your pants or trying to get you into their friends’ pants. 

And to make things worse-you got recognized. An over-zelous frat boy took one look at you from across the room and literally screamed out your name over the loud music, which in turn made his other over-zelous frat boy friends turn towards you with recognition in their drunken-hazed eyes and run over to you and wrap their sweaty arms around you and beg you for selfies, which in turn made everyone else realize you were there and do the same thing. 

You quickly dipped before shit could hit the fan and managed to slip away and run far away from the house without anyone following you, but now you had no idea where you were, it was getting colder by the second, and you were nervous that a fan would eventually find you. 

You navigated through dimly lit streets, shivering in the cold, desperately trying to remember the route back to the main road to get the hell out of here. The unfamiliar streets twisted and turned, leading you deeper into a residential neighborhood you didn't recognize. Panic began to well up within you as you realized you truly had no idea where the fuck you were going. 

You groaned as as frustration mixed with the cold night air. You had two options now. Either suck it up and keep walking, hoping to stumble upon a familiar place with using google maps, or call one of your friends for help.

You started mentally weighing the pros and cons of each option to call. Cody was finally spending time with his family, you weren't close enough with Seth to ask him for help, Rhea would chew you up and spit you out for being this stupid and leaving without telling her, Bianca was spending time with Montez and busy dealing with Damage Control, Nia hated your guts…which left you with two options...

You reached for your phone, feeling the chill of the night biting at your fingertips as you dialed the numbers of the two people who you defineltey felt the most guilty about not telling about your plans because they were the closest to you and the most protective of you, but you had no choice now. The phone rang, each ring and every second you waited for an answer amplifying your anxiety. 

After a few agonizing moments, the phone finally finally clicked, indicating that someone had picked up. 

"Why the hell you calling at 1 am? I ain't getting you no food uce." Jeys groggy voice greeted on the other end of the line, sounding slightly annoyed at being awakened. "Hey...." You answered back nervously, knowing he'd be even more irritated. 

"Jey, be nice." You heard Sami's equally tired voice chastise Jey. Sami was always the sweetest between the two of them, even though Jey was also syrupy sweet with you and being protective hell over you. Sami was always spoiling you despite Jey's teasing and gruff exterior. You were like the little sister they never had.

"But why are you calling at this time, kiddo? Shouldn't you be sleeping or something, all that teenage angst catching up to you?" Sami teased lightly.

You let out a nervous laugh, the sound slightly shaky from the cold, your breath visible in the chilly night air. "Uh, yeah, about that...I kind of need your help," you admitted, rubbing your arms in an attempt to generate some warmth.

There was a brief pause on the other end of the line before Jey spoke up again, this time more alert. "What kind of help? What the hell you do?" Jey's voice was filled with concern yet tinged with a hint of scolding. 

You let out another nervous laugh, knowing he was going to get more angry. "Don't get mad..." 

"Don't get mad?" Jey's voice rose a notch, and you could practically hear the skepticism in his tone. "What. Did. You. Do?"

"Well, you see, I may or may not have snuck out to a party without telling anyone, and now I'm kind of lost in the middle of nowhere," you confessed immediately at his demanding tone, cringing at the admission.

There was a moment of silence, followed by a deep sigh from Sami. "You did what?!" Jey's disbelief was evident, and you could almost picture him running a hand through his hair, a habit he had when he was stressed or frustrated.

"I know, I know, but I called you now, shouldn't that count for something?" You babbled out in a rush to quell his frustations, your teeth chattering slightly from the cold.

Jey let out a frustrated growl. So much for quelling his rage. "You should've not done this shit in the first place, that would've counted for something! You know better than to do this shit-"

"Alright, alright, let's not make her feel worse than she already does." Sami interjected, his tone softer as he put a hand on Jey's shoulder, trying to calm his friend down. "We'll figure this out kiddo, okay? Just send us your location." 

You quickly fumbled with your phone to send them your location- hoping they wouldn't notice you turned it off, but Jey's angry growl indicated that he probably caught on. "And you turned off your location, didn't you?" Jey's voice was stern, and you winced at the disappointment you could feel emanating from him.

"I...uh, didn't want anyone else to track me down," you admitted sheepishly, knowing it was a feeble excuse.

Sami sighed. "Look, just turn it back on so we can find you. We'll be there in a few minutes."

You followed Sami's instructions, turning on your location sharing. As you waited for them to arrive, you couldn't help but feel a mix of relief and anxiety. Relief that you wouldn't have to be in these cold, unfamiliar streets alone and would have company soon and anxiety about facing the inevitable lecture from Jey and Sami. 

True to their word, Jey and Sami showed up shortly, wearing sweatpants and hoodies, looking more like they were ready to sleep than to show up and get you. 

Jey's face was etched with anger, disappointment, and concern, while Sami's held a more understanding and sympathetic look, but also had a tinge of disappointment in his face. They both stepped out of their car, and Sami pulled you into a tight, protective hug. The warmth from his hoodie was a stark contrast to the chilly night air, and you couldn't help but sigh in relief.

"Are you okay?" Sami whispered, concern evident in his voice as he pulled away to examine you. You were wearing a low cut black dress that was definitely not suitable for the cold weather, and Sami's worry deepened as he noticed your shivering.

"I'm fine, just cold," you replied, trying to brush off the concern, but the chattering of your teeth betrayed your attempt.

Jey, who had been standing there with his arms crossed, finally spoke up, walking over to you and giving you a jacket."We're taking you back to the bus. This was a stupid idea, and you should know better. Now get in the car."

You nodded solemnly, slipping into the jacket, but Sami frowned at Jeys stern tone. "You don't have to yell at her, Jey. She's already scared and cold." Sami shot Jey a disapproving look that Jey shot right back at him. "Then what the hell am I supposed to do, Sami? Be happy like you that she's almost a grown ass adult that decided to play hide and seek in the middle of the night in some random neighboorhood?"

Your frown turned into a glare as you looked between them, understanding where Jey was coming from but nonetheless still hurt by his words. "You're right. I am an adult, so I shouldn't have to listen to you yell at me like I'm a child," you retorted, crossing your arms defensively.

Jey scoffed, rubbing his temples. "Yeah, your such an adult that you got yourself lost in the middle of the night," he muttered under his breath, but Sami shot him another warning look.

"Enough, Jey. Yelling at her won't change what happened. Let's just get her back to the bus and talk about this when we're all in a warmer, less public place," Sami suggested, guiding you towards the car.

You were about to go into the car, but a voice yelling out your name made you freeze in your tracks. "Y/N!!" The three of you turned to see a big ass frat boy running towards you, phone in hand, with a wide grin on his face. 

"You didnt listen to me ask you for a selfie earlier!" he exclaimed, clearly still drunk. "So now that I finally found you, are you done being a bitch and will take a selfie with me?" He barely finished his sentence before Jey grabbed the collar of his shirt and lifted him off the ground, a low growl escaping his throat.

"You need to learn some damn manners, you fucking fool!" Jey snarled, his grip tightening on the guy's shirt. "You talk to her like that again I'ma stick my foot up your ass and make sure you can't talk at all, uce."

"Jey, let him go!" Sami intervened, trying to pry Jey's fingers off the frat boy. You watched, wide-eyed, as the frat boy stammered out an apology, fear etched across his face as Jey chocked the life out of him. "Nah, he gotta learn to keep his fucking mouth shut!" Jey's grip tightened on his throat as he pushed him against a nearby car. "You wanna talk that shit to her, you deal with the consequences, uce." Jey's tone was deadly serious, and the frat boy nodded frantically, struggling to catch his breath. 

"Jey, seriously, let him go. We don't need trouble," Sami pleaded, still attempting to calm his friend down. 

"Jey please, let him go. We don't need you getting suspended for hurting a fan over me." Your voice softened as you approached, placing a gentle hand on Jey's arm. He turned to you, his expression still filled with anger but softening slightly at your touch. He listened to you and released the frat boy, who stumbled backward, coughing and trying to regain his composure.

"Get lost," Jey growled at the frat boy, who nodded vigorously before stumbling away, casting frightened glances over his shoulder.

Sami shot Jey a disapproving look, but Jey just shrugged it off. "You didnt have to fight him. You could've just ignored him," Sami scolded gently, shaking his head at Jey's temper.

"I ain't gonna let anyone disrespect her like that, Sami. You know that." Jey replied, still seething but slightly more composed now. You took a step closer to Jey, looking up at him with a mix of fear and love in your eyes. "Thank you, Jey. I'm sorry for causing all this shit." You looked away from him guiltily, not waiting for a response as you crawled into the car, missing the way Jey sighed heavily, his anger slowly dissipating as he met Sami's gaze, who was giving him a knowing look. "Lemme guess, now you are feeling bad and wishing you listened to me?"

Jey sighed again, running a hand through his hair in frustration. 'I fucking know, okay? I shouldn’t have blown up on her like that." Jey admitted gruffly, his voice laced with guilt. 

Sami placed a reassuring hand on Jey's shoulder. "I know, man. But now, let's bring her back to the bus, make sure she's good, and then you can talk to her, okay?”

Jey nodded a mix of concern and remorse on his face as he got into the drivers seat, Jey's grip on the steering wheel tight and Sami sitting quietly beside him, occasionally shooting concerned glances at you in the backseat, where you were shrunken back into your seat, scrolling on your phone to avoid the tense vibes in the car.

The silence was thick, only broken by the occasional sigh from Jey and the sound of Sami shifting in his seat. You glanced up from your phone just in time to see you pull up to the tour bus.

As soon as the car stopped, you hurriedly exited, hoping to avoid the tension inside. You were met with the chilly night air once again, and you wrapped the jacket tighter around yourself, then felt anther arm wrap around you and looked up to see Sami by your side. He gave you a gentle squeeze, silently comforting you as you stood there, feeling the cold night air prickling against your skin. "You'll be okay," he murmured softly.

As you turned to head towards the tour bus, you noticed Jey lingering behind. His expression seemed torn between frustration and worry, his hand running through his hair as if he was battling an internal struggle. His eyes met yours briefly before he turned away, heading towards the bus after you and Sami, making your heart drop in guilt.

You sat down on the couch, pulling the jacket closer around you, trying to shake off the chill that had seeped deep into your bones, the heat emanating from the tour bus a welcome relief. You glanced up as Sami settled down next to you, offering a warm smile in an attempt to ease your n nerves as Jey stomped to the kitchen, his movements tense and agitated. He was trying to mask his concern with a facade of indifference, but it was evident in the way he kept glancing in your direction.

"I'm sorry," you murmured, breaking the silence, your voice barely audible. Sami's face softened at the sadness in your face. "I didnt mean to make you guys scared, or worry you both, or try to prove that I am independent. I just wanted to have fun for once."

Sami gently placed a hand on your shoulder, offering a reassuring squeeze. 

"It's okay, kiddo. We understand that. But you have to realize, sneaking out alone wasn't the safest way to have fun," Sami replied, his voice calm and understanding. "Jey and I were worried sick when you called. You are like our little sister, and we care about you, and we want you to be safe."

You nodded, feeling guilt weighing heavily in your chest. "I know, and I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to cause so much trouble."

Sami paused for a moment, his gaze sympathetic and filled with concern. "I know. And I know the pressure can be overwhelming, trust me, I can barely handle it and I am twice your age. But are you not having fun? Are you not happy with Raw and Smackdown? I don't want you to crack under the pressure this young just because you feel like you have to prove something to yourself or others."

You sighed softly, feeling a mix of relief and guilt wash over you. "I am, Sami. I really am happy when I'm with you guys. I'm happy with everyone. I am happy with me life. It's just... sometimes I feel like I'm missing out on being a regular teenager. Everyone else my age is out having fun, and I'm constantly on the road, living this extraordinary life but missing out on ordinary things."

Sami's expression turned into an understanding and his eyes had a pensive glint in his eyes as he pulled you into a tight hug. "I get it, kiddo. I do. I know how tough it is, but I also know that you're strong enough to handle it. You accomplished so much that others can only dream of doing, and youre being a badass while dong it."

You giggled softly at Sami's attempt to lighten the mood, and he smiled back, happy to have finally made you turn back to your normal self. "But you shouldn't be worrying about what you are missing, you should be proud of what you've achieved. You're not missing out on life; you're living it differently, and that's okay."

You smiled into his neck, his words and warm embrace being exactly what you needed. Sami was always so sweet to you. "I needed to hear that. Thank you, Sami.”

Sami pulled back slightly, giving you a warm smile. "Anytime, kiddo. Besides, who else would I be able to spill drama and gossip about with you're not here? Sami chuckled softly, trying to lighten the mood further.

You giggled again, nudging Sami playfully. "You have Jey to gossip with."

Sami laughed heartily, the sound echoing through the bus. "Ah, he's got his moments too, but you know, you're the one who keeps things interesting around here."

The two of you turned towards the kitchen when you heard a clang, seeing Jey, rummaging through the fridge with unnecessary force, his back tensed.

Sami turned back to you, a knowing glint in his eyes. "Look, we'll talk more, but I think Jey needs a moment. He's just worried about you, and it's his way of showing it. He needs you more than I do right now."

You nodded your head understandingly at Sami's words; Jey might've had a hard exterior, but underneath all that he needed you right now, needed to make sure you were safe.

"I'll go talk to him," you said softly, standing up from the couch. Sami gave you an encouraging nod as you walked over to Jey, who had his back turned to you, who was aggressively fixing things in the kitchen. You approached him cautiously, knowing he was on edge.

"Jey?" You spoke softly, hoping to get his attention without startling him. You saw his back stiffen, but he didnt turn around. You took a deep breath and continued, knowing he was listening to you. "I'm really sorry about what happened tonight. I didnt mean to worry you or cause any trouble. I just wanted to..." You trailed off, unsure how to express your feelings without making things worse.

Jey finally turned to face you, his eyes red and tired, but full of concern. He didnt say anything at first, just observed you with a mix of emotions flickering his face. His expression softened slightly as he took in your nervous stance, and he let out a heavy sigh. 

"Look sweetheart," Jey began, his voice surprisingly gentle despite the frustration lingering underneath. "I ain't mad at you because I wanna ruin your night or make you feel bad. I'm mad because I care about you. We care about you.

He gestured toward where Sami was sitting, still looking in your direction. "You mean a lot to us, and seeing you like that.." He sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "You're not supposed to be sorry, you know? You're supposed to be safe and sound, not running around in the middle of the night and scaring the hell out of us. And you like my sister, so of course I'ma feel some typa way about it." 

You felt your throat close up at the genuine concern in Jey's voice. You moved closer to him, reaching out tentatively to touch his arm. "I... I understand, Jey. I didn't mean to cause so much worry. I just... I wanted to let loose for a night, to feel like a regular teenager, " you admitted, your voice wavering slightly with emotion. “I won't do something stupid like that again, I promise." You looked up at him, sincerity shining in your eyes.

Jey's expression softened at your words, and he sighed, pulling you into a hug. "You better not, or I'ma beat your ass," he said, his tone serious but laced with affection. You giggled into his neck when he lifted you up slightly in a bear hug, your laughter easing the tension between you both. "Okay, okay, I promise! No more sneaking out without telling anyone," you assured him, hugging him back tightly.

"And no more partying alone somewhere you have no idea about."

"Okay!"

"And no more hanging out with friends that ditch you."

"Okay!!"

"And no more stealing my snacks from my locker room when I go out for a match."

"Aye, now you doing too much!"

You both chuckled at your comment, and you pulled away from the hug to look up at Jey.

"I love your protective ass, you know that?"

Jey smirked slightly, a playful glint in his eyes. "Of course you do. Who else is gonna keep you in check, huh?" You nudged him playfully, smiling up at him. "You and Sami are the best. I don't know what I'd do without you guys."

Jey's smirk softened into a genuine smile, and he squeezed your arm affectionally. "We got your back, always. Just promise me you'll have ours."

You smiled back at him, your eyes softening with gratitude at having the greatest support system ever. "I promise, Jey. I'll always have your back, just like you have mine."

Jey nodded, a sense of relief washing over him, his demeanor shifting back to his usual protective yet playful self. "Good. Now go back and sit with Sami, your hot chocolate will be out in a minute."

You raised your eyebrows at his words, a grin creeping up on your face. "Hot chocolate? You're spoiling me now, Jey," you teased, feeling a sense of warmth spread through you despite the chilly air outside.

Jey chuckled, pushing you playfully out of the kitchen. "Yeah, yeah, just go before I change my mind."

You grinned and hurried back to the couch where Sami was waiting, a smile on his face as he watched your interaction with Jey. "I take it everything's okay?" Sami asked softly as you sat back down next to him.

"Yeah, everything's good," you replied, leaning against Sami's shoulder. "Jey's just being Jey, you know?"

Sami nodded, wrapping an arm around your shoulders comfortingly. "Yeah, I can tell." He paused for a moment before continuing, his voice filled with warmth. "Jey may not always show it in the best way, but he's fiercely protective because he cares deeply. We both do. You're like family to us."

You smiled gratefully, feeling a surge of emotion at Sami's words. "I'm lucky to have you guys. Don't tell anyone, but when I got called up to the main roster… I was scared. I didnt know anyone, and everyone was so much older and experienced, so I thought to just shut myself off and focus on wrestling. But you guys… you made me feel welcome, like I belonged."

Sami's smile widened at your confession. "Aw, kiddo." He pulled you into his arms again, holding you close. "You fit in right from the start. I saw potential in you from before Cody introduced us, and I knew you'd be something special. You've proved that and more. And don't tell Jey I told you this…"

Sami leaned in to your ear conspiratorially. "But he told me when we first met you that he thought you were the most talented person he had seen in a while, and that it was crazy NXT didn't capitalize on you when they had the chance." Sami pulled back to see the surprised expression on your face, chuckling softly at it.

"He really said that?" You asked, surprised and touched.

Sami nodded, his smile warm and reassuring. "Yeah, he did. But don't spill the beans, he has a reputation to maintain." You laughed as you leaned back onto the couch, smiling up at Sami gratefully. "Thank you for telling me that. And don't worry, your secret's safe with me."

Just then, Jey came into the room, carrying three mugs of steaming hot chocolate. He handed each of you a mug and settled into the seat across from you, a small smile on his face. "Here you go, kid. Don't burn your tongue," he said in a teasing tone.

You rolled your eyes at his teasing, taking a cautious sip of the hot chocolate, reveling in its warmth. "Thanks, Jey. This is perfect," you said, shooting him a grateful smile.

Jey leaned back in his seat, taking a sip of his drink and shooting a knowing look between you and Sami. "So, what'chall taking 'bout?" he asked casually.

You and Sami exchanged glances before chuckling nervously. The two of you were the worst liars on earth. "Oh, nothing, just catching up on some stuff," Sami replied smoothly, trying to cover up the conversation.

Jey raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying it. "Ya'll were talking bout me, weren't you?"

You were a little worried Jey had caught on, but Sami was quick on his feet. "Of course not, man. Why would we talk about you when we have more important things to discuss?" Sami flashed a mischievous grin.

Jey squinted at Sami, clearly not convinced. "I know when you're lying, Sami. spill it."

You chuckled nervously, deciding to take the plunge. "We were just talking about this hot guy from school hitting on me at the show one time." you said, trying to divert the conversation with a playful grin.

Jey raised an eyebrow, looking between you and Sami skeptically. "Hot guy, huh? Should I be worried?" he teased, taking a sip of his hot chocolate.

Sami laughed, playing along. "Oh yeah, definitely. He was so into her, it was unreal. I had to swoop in and save her from his charming ways," Sami joked, nudging you lightly.

You giggled, grateful for Sami's quick thinking. "Yeah, Sami's my hero," you said with a wink, trying to keep a straight face.

Jey chuckled, shaking his head at your antics. "Yeah, in your dreams, cause ain't no way mans took a look at Sami and got intimidated." Jey smirked, taking another sip of his drink. You laughed at the offended look Sami wore, his hand over his heart in mock hurt.

And as you sipped your warm hot choclate, your heart felt even warmer. You might not have been a regular teenager, but if being a regular teenager meant you couldn't have these friends looking out for you and having your back, then you didn't mind missing out on regular teenage normalcy at all.

BONUS

[heart4reigns]

hiiii! I was wondering if you could write a Cody imagine?! The reader is Brock’s sister, and like a big name in the women’s division. When Cody returns they spark up a relationship, and no one knows which leads to her sitting and watching her brother just tear him apart. Then one night it goes too far, and she tries to save him and admits that they’re in love. Then Brock like makes her pick between the two of them!

IN ARMS, cody rhodes.

warnings: curse words, kissing, inaccurate events,

tags: awkward adults falling in love, brock being kinda evil (sorry cowboy), sexual implications, backstreet relationships

TO say the least, your older brother was definitely overprotective towards you. although you were the women's champion, in his eyes, you were still his little baby sister. at times, it got annoying because some people were intimidated by you. but you were the polar opposite of your brother. you liked people, you liked making new friends, and most important of them all, you were approachable. some people who didn't know never thought that you were the beast incarnate's little sister.

you were backstage, after your big fight with becky. the two of you were chilling backstage, putting ice on your bruises. "that's gonna hurt like a bitch." you pointed at her arm. "ya, you kicked the shit out of my arm!" she joked. "sorry, that's my job!" you laughed. you heard the door being opened by none other than seth rollins, who was going on stage for the next fight. "so, who are you fighting?" you asked the question.

"not your brother, i hope." he replied, stealing your water. "get your own damn water." you rolled your eyes. "nah, it can't be him. he's fighting your ex-boyfriend." you continued, earning a chuckle from the couple. "well ha ha, anyways we're going out. see you (y/n)!" becky and seth stood up, you hugged the two. "good luck!" you gave him a pat on the back.

as you walked the hallways on your own, you felt your legs tarting to ache more. "hey, (y/n)!" you saw roman greeting you. "where you going?" he asked. "i don't know, becks left me... so, just looking for company." "let's watch seth's match together." and there you were, watching the match with roman. your brother warned you about him being flirty, but you brushed it off. he was one of your closest friends backstage. "i swear, seth's entrances are always very extra." you commented, watching the monitor. "sometimes i'm jealous of his wardrobe." roman added.

no one knew who he was fighting. even you, one of the company's favorites, didn't know. "no fucking way." roman muttered. you zoned out for a second, turning back your attention to the monitor. "NO FUCKING WAY!" you repeated roman's sentences. "is that cody fucking rhodes?" you furrowed your brows. "he's back?" you nudged roman, who was still in awe. "it could be anyone, but i didn't expect it to be him." the black-haired man replied.

there he was, cody rhodes, the american nightmare. you have never worked with him, but he was so damn good looking with his bleached blond hair and his gear. needless to say, you looked forward to his return. the crowd went wild and you could feel that everyone was happy that he was back. you watched his early works in the wwe, his gimmicks were always enjoyable. you were in awe, seeing him being in the same company of you. "that dude is hot." you commented. "don't let your brother know, last time you said i was hot, got my ass beat really hard." roman said. "well, i'm sorry for having him as my brother!"

the night ended with a blast. everyone was satisfied with the match. cody's comeback left everyone speechless. it made you very excited to work with him. you went back to the locker room to gather all your things before going to the bus. but this time, the locker room wasn't empty. "oh, sorry! am i blocking your locker?" you jumped a bit, hearing an unfamiliar voice.

"no worries!" he scooted a bit, allowing you to collect your things. "i'm cody, by the way." you giggled at his sentence. "hi cody, i'm (y/n). i know who you are!" you shook his hand. "and i know who you are too, (y/n)." cody chuckled. "that was one hell of a comeback you did." you complimented him. "really? i was afraid that people were expecting someone else..." cody unwrapped his gloves, putting them inside his bag. "no one knew, so we're all quite surprised!" you assured him that he did great.

"are you riding back with us?" you asked him. "yeah i am, now that i'm out in the world." the two of you were walking back to the bus. "great! you should sit with me!" your positive and friendly attitude didn't match your brother's, he thought. "that would be great." he smiled. you kept on talking to him, finding yourself comfortable in the conversation.

the night went on and you couldn't stop talking to him, even after you got back to the hotel–the conversation continued. you were inside his hotel room, cracking jokes, when you heard your phone ringing. "listen, i'd love to continue this conversation, but i really need to go to my brother, he's been looking for me." you flashed him your lockscreen, 6 missed calls from brock. "oh, sorry! we got carried away. it was nice talking to you, (y/n)." you smiled at him. "is it okay if we exchange numbers? i haven't been talking to anyone. you're practically my first friend here." he asked, slightly hesitating.

"sure!" he walked you out of his room, with a big smile plastered on his face. "get some rest, cody. you did well tonight, welcome back." maybe it was your kind nature that made his heart beat faster than before. a pretty face, a kind soul, and an amazing wrestler–you were his dream girl. "thank you, (y/n). good night!" you gave him hug. "good night, rhodes!"

that wasn't your last encounter with the american nightmare. he was settled back in the game, meaning that you saw him every once in a while during work. he didn't have many colleagues, they were still getting used by his presence backstage, but he had you. you were well-known for your over-the-top kindness for new and old talents. so, it became a regular thing for you to accompany him whenever he was around. so people didn't find it weird when you had lunch with him or continuously play-fight with him backstage.

you grew closer than ever, closer than you and any other colleagues that you had. you had something to look forward to at work and it was the dashing man who was laying his head on your lap, playing with his phone before he had to go on stage. this backstage romance that you had stirring up was unknown to anyone except for the two of you.

little did you know, he was taking pictures of you dozing off. "you better delete that." you groaned. "but you look cute!" he pouted, showing you the picture. "rhodes, i swear i am going to kill you." "you sound a lot like your brother." ah yes, your brother. there had been several times that he almost caught you sneaking off to the american nightmare's locker room, but you simply said that you were going to visit seth.

it was well-known that your brother was the most intimidating wrestler wwe had nowadays. he had this menacing-like presence that caused everyone to stray away from his path, including cody. you heard a knock on the door, it was the backstage crew. "cody, you're up in 10!" "right!" every time you were in the room, you always locked the door, not wanting anyone to burst in and caught the two of you cuddling on the couch together. "you need to get ready, cody." he nodded, getting up from his position.

cody took off his sweatshirt, exposing his upper body as he was already wearing his work pants. you whistled at your sight, earning a groan from the blond wrestler. "stop flirting with me or i might just kiss you." he put on his shirt and tie. "all bark and no bite." the tension between the two of you lingered in the air. "really?" he sat down next to you, fixing his tie. "really-" your sentence was cut-off by him. there he was, kissing you, moving his body closer to yours. "all bark and all bite, baby." he chuckled.

that was the very first kissed that you shared with him and not your last. "did you just kissed me?" you were baffled. "and i'm gonna do it again." he said, a chuckle in between his words. you were obviously ecstatic by the thought of your 'colleague' kissing and holding you. "cody, you're up in 5! let's go!" yet again, you were interrupted by the stage crew. "you gotta go, cody."

"let's eat after this, i'm cooking." you smiled at him. "okay." you also stood up, helping him fix his suit. "you look good." you complimented, kissing his cheeks. "and you look too good to be single, (y/n)." he cracked a joke, opening the door. to your surprise, you saw a certain wrestler passing by. it was none other than your brother.

there was a quiet and painful silence between the three of you. "oh, hey brock!" you greeted him, slowly feeling your heart thumping faster. "i've been looking for you everywhere, where have you been- cody?" he looked at the man. "hey brock." cody greeted him as well. "what were you doing with her?" your older brother furrowed his eyebrows. "we were just talking. listen, i need to go on stage. i'll see you all later." cody practically ran to the entrance door, avoiding your brother.

"why were you with him? i keep on seeing you with him." you saw his expression and it was very intimidating to you. "i was just talking to him, jesus. don't worry about me." you shook your head. "i'm not worried, i just don't want anyone messing with you, if he messes with you, i'll break his legs." your gaze softened at your brother. "don't worry, bro. come one, let's get dressed. cody and i have nothing going on." and how wrong you were. there was definitely something going on between you and cody.

work was over and you were ready to get the hell out of this building. being in a tag-team with your brother meant that you were basically on his radar. thankfully, the company had something cooking up for him, meaning that was the last performance you gave as a duo. "where you going after this?" he asked, taking off his boots. "home." you lied. "ya want me to drive?" you shook your head. "no, i brought my car." you lied once again. "alright, drive safe."

you made sure no one was around you when you got inside cody's car. "live-streamed your good-byes being your brother's tag-team partner, got quite emotional." cody joked, causing you to ruffle his hair. "just say you're thankful that you're not gonna see him with me again." cody drove you to his house, knowing well you were tired enough from your fight. he didn't fight today, only delivering a promo for his upcoming rivalry with whoever it is that the company was setting him up with.

see, cody couldn't cook before he met you. you were a great cook and you helped him learn several things about being a masterchef in the kitchen. "this is actually good, finally." you spoke to him with a proud tone. "you? actually liking my food? is this the day that i can die peacefully?" you continued to eat your food. "anyways, did your brother say something about us?" us. his last word caused butterflies in your stomach.

"he didn't say anything, just threatened to break your legs if you mess with me." he choked on his chicken. "but don't worry, he's not a threat for us." some people might call you crazy for not being afraid of the brock lesnar, but you were his sister, you knew him. "so, how are you adapting?" you asked him. "it's good to be back honestly, i couldn't ask for more." he was genuinely glowing from happiness. "and i have you, so, i'm glad i met you." the two of you made eye-contact, slowly feeling your cheeks reddening from the conversation.

"are you always this flirty, rhodes?" "only to you, lesnar. wait, i take it back, (y/n). it sounds like i'm flirting with your brother every time i say your last name."

you were going to stay the night, like you usually do. you offered to wash the dishes, which cody was thankful for because he said he was going to fix something in his garage. you finished washing the dishes, sitting down on his couch, waiting for him to finish his business. "(y/n)! can you help me out here?" you heard his voice coming from the garage. "okay, wait!"

the garage was empty, cody wasn't there. "cody?" you called his name. "right here." you turned around and saw him holding a bouquet of lilies, your favorite flowers. your eyes widened in surprise. "uh?" you tilted your head in confusion. "i think it's obvious that i like you, (y/n). let me put it shortly, i like you and," he paused for a second, regaining confidence. "will you be my girlfriend?" the question was out and you were smiling like crazy. "of course i will."

your relationship made your bond stronger. you were practically living together already. your alarm woke you up from your deep slumber. "shit." you muttered under your breath. you quickly got dressed, looking for your shirt. "just wear one of mine, love." your new boyfriend watched as you tried to look for you shirt. "where are you going anyways?" he was still half-asleep. "we have a meeting with creatives today! i totally forgot." you quickly stole a small kiss on his lips. "see you later, baby."

"sorry, i'm not late am i?" the board meeting started. your brother was also there, clearly confused at your current disheveled state. "rhodes is running late, he said he had some issues with his car." you nodded, looking at the papers. the entire room was discussing about where your storyline might lead to.

cody came around, greeting people from the board. "now rhodes is here, let me lay down the plan." your boss said. "we're pinning rhodes and lesnar, not (y/n) but brock." you made eye-contact with cody, slightly panicking. it didn't take any random stranger to notice that brock took a dislike on cody after several encounters they had. it also didn't take any random person to notice that cody was definitely interested in you. "bring it on, blondie." brock grimacly chuckled, earning goosebumps on cody's skin.

to this day, people didn't know that you were already dating. cody was actually pretty nervous being pinned up to a storyline where he was facing your brother. it was brutal, you thought. your brother, on the other hand, was enjoying the time of his life. although it was all an act, you could tell that it was personal. you were watching the monitor, with roman right next to you. "i'd be pissed if i just came back like months ago and now i'm facing brock lesnar." roman joked.

"it feels like it's personal." roman repeated the thought you had in your mind. "huh?" you furrowed your brows, still focusing on your boyfriend being beaten up. "i don't know, i've been in the ring with brock. he always holds his punches, but this? seems like there's something going on between them." he chuckled. "my brother is just like that." you cringed, seeing cody being dropped on his back by your brother.

the camera stopped rolling and the two wrestlers went backstage. your first immediate response was to aid your boyfriend, it was a muscle memory already. "cody, are you alright?" he was limping on his right foot. "babe, i'm alright." you didn't realize your brother was standing behind the two of you. "babe?" he asked. a sheer panic ran through your spine. "uh..." you were speechless.

"is there something going on between you two?"

needless to say, things went downhill after that. you continued to deny about your relationship. but brock knew damn well that his opponent was dating his little sister. the punches he threw, the kicks he did, all felt personal. everyone thought it was all for the show, but cody and you knew that brock wasn't holding back his attacks.

it took you several shows to realize that cody's injuries after his shows were worse than before. "hold your arm out for me." you said. cody lifted his arm, adjusting his position. "okay, now hold on." you put ice on his injuries. "this is going out of hand." he only sighed. "i'm sorry." you apologized. "it's not your fault, love." cody leaned his head on your shoulder. "i guess your brother doesn't like us." he chuckled. "i need to tell him to stop making it personal."

the blond man shook his head. "no, it's okay." "it's not okay, cody. we both know the industry like the back of our hands, this isn't for the show anymore!" you slightly shouted. you were very concerned since they still had a long-running story. "i just can't stand seeing him beat the shit out of you almost every match." you confessed. "you don't need to worry about me, baby." his words calmed you down. "hell, i'll fight the entire roster for you."

"i love you and i'm sorry that my brother is tough to work with." "i love you too, please don't apologize. it's not your fault, we'll go through this together."

you had to come clean to your friends that you were in fact dating cody. "i can't stand this." you muttered under your breath, looking at the monitor. "i know, babes." becky sighed in frustration, pity in her eyes. "he's hurting him, it's not for the show anymore." seth added. "fuck, i can't stand this!" you quickly ran out of the locker room, not thinking straight.

"is- is that lesnar? that is (y/n) lesnar coming out of the backstage!" the commentator saw you sliding inside the ring. before brock could do more damage to your boyfriend, you quickly pushed him. you saw him smirking, knowing well how this would end. "stop it, brock!" you yelled, causing the crowd to go silent. "so, it's true then, (y/n)." brock spoke to the mic. "you really are dating him." the crowd gasped at his sentence. "yeah! i am and i love him!" you stood up, having a stare down while your boyfriend was still leaning on the ropes, his entire arm bruised.

cody looked at you, shaking his head, not want you to fight your brother for him. "(y/n), you either fight me or you help me fight your little boyfriend." brock once again spoke to the mic. you clenched your fist, trying your best to diffuse the situation. "who is she going to pick? her brother or her lover? this is some drama going on." the commentator said. "(y/n), fight brock!" "no, fight cody!" the crowd had mixed emotions towards your presence.

you took off your hoodie and threw it away, hearing the crowd go wild. "come on, bro. if you wanna get to him, you'll have to go through me."

a/n: hii! hope u enjoyed it!!! bc i heart cody so much damn that man is so sexy… requests are still open but i might not be posting very often bc i am currently busy w my exams <3!!

[afterdarkprincess]

🌟✨ Fic Masterlist ✨🌟

Sami Zayn & Jey Uso

Aftershocks Rating: Explicit Word Count: 14,595 Summary: Sami and Jey dealing with the aftermath of Tribal Combat at SummerSlam Masterpost Pretty in Pink- Aftershocks side story Rating: Explicit Word Count: 2,570 Summary: On a brief vacation from shows, Sami comes home to find his boyfriend all dressed up and waiting for him. Post

The Devil's in the Details (But You Got a Friend in Me) Rating: Explicit Word Count: 33,090 (currently) Summary: Royal Rumble AU- Sami gets injured at the Rumble and never betrays Roman. Friends to Lovers through SummerSlam Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Sweet Like Justice Rating: Gen Word Count: 660 Summary: Backstage at Crown Jewel, Jey and Sami hatch a plan to subvert the Judgement Day Post

A Moment Backstage Rating: Gen Word Count: 1,027 Summary: Sami and Jey share an interaction backstage before the Tag Title Rematch (set during Nov 13th 2023 Monday Night Raw) Post

Ruin(ed) Rating: Explicit Word Count: 729 Summary: Watching from backstage as Rhea flirts with Jey, Sami gets possessive and pulls Jey into the closest closet Post

Beauty Rating: Mature Word Count: 356 Summary: Sami Zayn reflects on the most beautiful thing he's ever seen Post

Did you touch yourself to the thought of me? Rating: Explicit Word Count: 1051 Summary:Sami finds out just how long Jey had been thinking about the two of them together. Post am I allowed to cry? Rating: Explicit Word Count: 1,556 Summary: Sami reflects on his relationship with Jey and the visions of Jey he sees in his head. Post

fuck it if i can't have him Rating: Mature Word Count: 1,514 Summary: Jey reflects on the choices he's made since the Royal Rumble and his feelings for Sami Post I love you (it's ruining my life) Rating: Explicit Word Count: 4,372 Summary: Sami and Jey realize they're in the same hotel and meet up for a late night discussion. Post

Seth Rollins & Roman Reigns & Jon Moxley

tangled up with you all night (burning it down) Rating: Explicit Word Count: 3,720 Summary: Shield Era 2012 Seth has an encounter with 2023's Jon Moxley and Tribal Chief. Sexytimes ensue. Post

Seth Rollins & Jon Moxley

all you ever did was wreck me (yeah you wreck me) Rating: Explicit Word Count: 3,278 Summary: Newly returned Dean Ambrose has a press event at the WWE Performance Center and World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins is among those there to greet him. They find one another in a practice room long after everyone else has gone home and things escalate quickly. Post

mine Rating: Explicit Word Count: 2,083 Summary: Dean Ambrose pays Seth Rollins a visit after Smackdown 3/29/24 to remind Seth who he belongs to. Post

The Bloodline- Roman & Sami

ours Rating: Explicit Word Count: 4,990 Summary: After WarGames, Roman decides what Sami Zayn's place is in the bloodline, a willing hole for them to use. Post Roman's Pet Rating: Explicit Word Count: 859 Summary: Roman's pet Sami serves the Tribal Chief and earns his reward Post

Sami & Jey & Cody Rhodes

Can't Keep My Hands to Myself Rating: Explicit Word Count: 6,053 Summary: Things get a little heated in the bus after the Fastlane Press Conference, Sami facetimes his boyfriend to get in on the action. Part 1 Part 2

Jey Uso & Cody Rhodes

you can be rough, I can take it Rating: Explicit Word Count: 1,108 Summary: Set after Fastlane 2023 press conference- Cody and Jey fall into bed together after winning the undisputed tag team championships. Post

Jey Uso & Sami Zayn & Cody Rhodes & Seth Rollins

all's fair in love and war Rating: Explicit Word Count: 4,413 Summary: Aftermath of November 20th Monday Night Raw- Jey panics at hearing Randy Orton's name out of Cody's mouth. He's lost the advantage and feels less secure than ever in his position on their team, but Sami, Cody, and Seth are there to support and spoil him. Part 1 Part 2

LA Knight & JD McDonagh

nothing safe is worth the drive (and I will follow you home) Rating: Gen/Teen Word Count: 1,305 Summary: LA Knight waits and watches and worries as JD fights in the Wargames match and comforts him afterwards. Post

Seth Rollins & Jey Uso

dont worry, I'll be gentle Rating: Explicit Word Count: 331 Summary: Seth ties up Jey for some playtime Post

Jey Uso x Reader

can you feel how much I want you? Rating: Mature Word Count: 774 Summary: You've had one of the best nights of your life at the Royal Rumble, and you go out with the rest of the locker room to celebrate and run into your best friend Jey after a few drinks. Post

CM Punk/Drew McIntyre

i won't be denied by you (the animal inside of you) Rating: Explicit Word Count: 932 Summary: Drew McIntyre is obsessed with CM Punk. Haunted by CM Punk. Possessed by him. Post

Winner Take All Rating: Explicit Word Count: 1,778 Summary: After their encounters on the April 29th Monday Night RAW, Drew McIntyre finds CM Punk backstage. Alone. Post

Acts of Contrition Rating: Explicit Word Count: 2,581 Summary: Drew kidnaps CM Punk and cleanses him of his many sins Post

Solo Sikoa/ Sami Zayn

Leather & Lace Rating: Explicit Word Count: 2,009 Summary: Solo Sikoa finds himself as the new Tribal Chief. The Tribal Chief gets what the Tribal Chief wants. Solo Sikoa wants Sami Zayn. Post

[yuurivoice]

Laying in bed having a think.

As I try and tackle three intertwined (four? fuck) narrative stories more meticulously than I've crafted any of my narratives thus far, I find myself making several realizations.

BitterSweet is a product of me being at several mental low points but failing upwards. BitterSweet wasn't even intended to be a real narrative, but rather an introduction to Seth then sort of a choose you own adventure, listen to either "path" type thing. When the story revealed itself to me it was very exciting, but I was just going episode to episode and seeing where I'd end up.

Chapter 2 had more planning, a pretty defined outline, and was executed just about to perfection. I think 2 is probably the strongest in terms of knowing wtf was going on and seeing it through.

Chapter 3 is one I feel deeply conflicted about. Plans had to change on the fly multiple times. The scale got out of hand. I was on the struggle bus and only managed to write an episode two at once. It was a mess. We hit some high marks, and some of my favorite performances are in there, but there's this dark cloud over it for me. It's a shame, but it got done.

I can see really clearly how my struggle with my mental health, ADHD, etc. played significant roles in hindering me. So on one hand, I'm thrilled that I was able to make something cool that so many people appreciate and enjoy despite how challenging it was. On the other hand...there's a lot I wish could have been different.

Those wishes have informed many of the choices I'm making now as I tackle Shattered and Echoes, as well as BitterSweet and the unnamed thing. I'm not hitting the big red launch button until it is complete. I've never done that. But I want my writing to be tighter and more cohesive. I'm lucky that making shit up as I went and hitting the broader strokes I knew were there worked out as well as it did, but also I've tripped over myself a time or two.

As ambitious as I'm trying to be with weaving these stories, I want to make sure that when you step back and look at the big picture, it makes sense, but is also really fucking dope.

That's my hope.

This next batch of work is going to be special for me. I'm in my medicated era, but I'm working with a lot of the bones put in place by a version of me that was operating well below capacity.

Reading those first drafts I wrote last year was humbling. God they were bad. Frustratingly so because when I took a hammer to it, what I cooked up in significantly less time on the second draft was so much better than what felt like I had to pull teeth to accomplish before.

I try and tell myself not to look at all of my work through that lens of "I could have done so much better" but it's frustrating. I've gotta cook with the groceries that version of me brought home lol.

It boils down to this. When these next projects launch and the dust settles, I don't want to be glad it's over. When I finished BS3, I breathed a sigh of relief because it felt like I just got out of a year long brawl.

When I finish these projects, I want to be proud. I think that's the conclusion I reached. I was not proud of my work, because it was tainted with compromise and frustration that outside factors fucked with several aspects of it.

So I'm trying to prove to myself that I can do better than that. For myself. I've shaken off the frustration that I'm an entire year behind schedule. I've committed myself to completing it all before it sees the light of day. I've streamlined the process. I really tried to set myself up for success.

When I was struggling I'd cut every corner, I'd phone it in, I'd toss out ambitious ideas for the sake of just being able to call it done.

There's a lot less of that happening now. I'm able to at least try and hold myself to something resembling a standard. Now I just hope I can execute.

Thanks for reading. Sorry about all of whatever that was.

[cakerybakery]

More characters should be cowboys. Adam would good as a cowboy, and no, I don’t mean the daisy dukes and flannel shirt tied at the front look (although yes he would) I mean dirty and rough, worked all day on the ranch he manages alone because Eve passed a couple years past in child birth. The baby made it and she’s his precious little girl. But he’s got three older boys too. Cain and Abel are teens. They don’t need much supervision but they’re daredevils and always egging each other into dangerous crap. Seth is a preteen who can��t keep up but wants to, and still needs some supervision. The baby is more like a toddler of course and Adam loves her but she looks so much like Eve that it hurts. And he’s so busy so he can’t take her and Seth along with him all day, and the older boys need to buckle down for college. Doesn’t matter what they take, they could even if they just go off and work, he still wants them to get off the ranch for a few years and see what the world has to offer.

Just cause he took over the family ranch when his folks died young doesn’t mean he wants to trap his kids into running it. He would love it if they loved it, but he knows too many folks given the expectation and ended up miserable.

If in a modern setting:

Lucifer is new in town, he and Charlie are looking for a fresh start. Lilith is serving time for kidnapping. The divorce got real nasty and in a moment of petty revenge she grabbed Charlie. It was only after everything was over with that Lilith realized she’d traumatized a five year old to hurt Lucifer. The whole this is like walking on eggshells. She gets weekly heavily supervised calls with Charlie. And they’re working towards her being able to see Charlie again one day. Far in the future.

If in a Wild West setting:

Lucifer is new in town, he and Charlie are looking for a fresh start. Lilith is on the lamb and looking to take Charlie.

Either way he and Adam run into each other. Adam is struggling to control his four kids, Lucifer steps in for a second to avert danger and they end up talking. Lucifer doesn’t have a job yet or a place to stay. Adam ends up setting him up with an apartment and a job. They even split a sitter. Lucifer’s neighbour watches the toddler (thinking Emily is the toddler) and so she picks up Charlie before she heads out and they spend the day on the ranch. She’s starting kindergarten in the fall but it’s still summer. His family has lived there for generations, he knows most folks in the town so it’s easy to get the word out and find him a place.

Time passes and they become friends. By fall they’re going out to the ranch on Saturdays. The job Lucifer has is enough but he can’t really save or anything and he’s pretty jumpy sometimes about certain things that remind him of Charlie being kidnapped. The neighbour is moving away through, her mom is sick or something and she’s moving to take care of her.

Adam knows Lucifer is thinking about getting a new job, especially with Christmas around the corner, and he needs a sitter. But Lucifer can’t really make the hours work with Charlie’s school and driving out to the ranch. But if Lucifer moves out to the guest house, Cain can drive the kids in and Lucifer can go get Charlie, taking the baby with him, since he doesn’t trust the bus (if modern setting. Details would change if it was a Wild West setting like a tutor or something). Adam would include free board and pay him what he was paying the old sitter.

The drama would definitely be Lilith. I’m not usually into making her abusive or whatever but I’m digging outlaw Lilith or just drama “I want you back Lucifer” Lilith.

… hmm. I started this post to say Adam would look hot as a cowboy and it turned into a story idea

[writingquestionsanswered]

Transition from Exposition to Action

Anonymous asked: I'm writing my first chapter and am setting the tone with a sort of 1st person overview of what leads to the reader finally getting to experience the world through the eyes of the MC. Imagine a detached rant of the day and insecurity of failed love life/school day without world description, then finally having the POV get to the MC in their current world/environment (bustling city, weaving through crowd, aka the story starts...) I can't figure out how to write a natural transition into where the actual pov starts. I have three WIPs with a similar abrupt start of the POV instead of the smooth transition I want.

First, you're a little confused about POV, so let's start there.

POV means "point-of-view" and it refers to the narrative perspective through which the story is told. Third-person omniscient POV has a detached omniscient narrator who can jump in and out of different character perspectives as needed. Third-person close/limited POV has a narrator who is limited to the perspective of one character at a time, switching only at the beginning of a new scene or chapter. First-person POV is where the narrator and POV character are one and the same. POV starts at the very beginning of the story... it isn't something that begins at some later point.

Stories are a balance of exposition (explaining things), action (things happening), and dialogue (characters talking about things.) What you're describing at the beginning of your story (the character having an internal rant about their failed love life/bad school day and connecting them) is exposition. The first-person narrator/MC is explaining things to the reader, more specifically, explaining their internal conflict to the reader.

What you're describing happening next... the character entering their world, walking through the bustling city and shouldering their way through the crowds, is action... something happening. The "something happening" is that your character is walking somewhere and experiencing their world as they go.

As far as naturally transitioning between exposition and action, the key is to find something in the character's environment to pull them out of their thoughts and back into "the real world." Start by thinking about where your character is and what they're doing while they're having this internal rant. You may even want to start by thinking about where they need to be when the action begins, then back up a little from there. For example, if they're going to be walking through the bustling city, we can probably assume they exit a building at some point to get out into the bustling crowd. What building did they leave? Was it the school? Their apartment building? Or perhaps they got out of a car, bus, or subway?

Let's say they're sitting in their last class of the day, inwardly thinking about everything wrong in their life while the teacher drones on about an upcoming research paper that's due. What's something that can pull your character back into the moment? Perhaps the teacher calls them out. Maybe another student taps them on the shoulder. Or maybe the class bell rings. In any case, this signal brings them out of their thoughts (exposition) and into the action (things happening). It might look something like this...

All I knew is everything was a mess. My love life was a disaster. My grades were a joke. And if I couldn't find an after school job in the next week, I'd never be able to save up for the Spring Break trip to London. "Hey... Tammy... the teacher is talking to you..." "Huh?" I looked up and saw Seth Buckley looking at me expectantly. I followed the shift of his gaze to where Mr. Sampson looked down his nose at me from the front of the classroom. "Do I have your attention now, Miss Penney?" I nodded, my face red as a tomato, and listened intently to the end of Mr. Sampson's spiel. Never was I more relieved than when the bell rang and I shot out of my seat with the rest of my classmates, letting their momentum carry me into the hall to my locker. After emptying the contents of said locker into my threadbare backpack, I followed the flow of students out the school doors and into the bustling city.

The other student is something in the MC's immediate environment that brings them out of their thoughts and into the moment.

I hope that helps!

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

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[thebeast-dennis-etcetera]

Eye Opener

Prompt: After a nasty argument between your son and Gibbs, he runs away.

Notes: Ends on a good note. Also, I gave the son a name for the sake of writing. It would be a little difficult and confusing if I kept putting S/N, Y/N, etc. Let me know if anyone doesn’t like that. 🙃

You tried his cell again but had no luck as it went straight to voicemail. “Dammit Noah.”

The next number you called was Noah’s best friend. Thankfully, he picked up on the second ring.

“Hey Seth, is Noah with you?”

“Uh, no. I haven’t seen him since school ended today. I asked if he wanted a ride but he was gonna take the bus.”

“Ok, well he calls or comes to your place will you please let me know? Thank you.”

You hung up with him and bit your lip nervously. You didn’t want to call Jethro and get him worried but it was extremely unusual for your son not to come home after school, let alone not answer his phone. He knew the rule to always let one of you know where he was.

You suspected his behavior had something to do with the argument him and Jethro had last night over career choices. Noah wanted to join the Marines but Jethro was adamant on not letting him, telling him that it was too dangerous and not worth throwing away his academic achievements. You knew he was just scared of his son getting hurt, maybe even killed in the line of duty and was trying to protect him but Noah didn’t see it like that. All he saw was his father being a hypocrite and control freak.

Deciding that you couldn’t wait any longer without letting your husband know, you got in your car and drove to the navy yard, getting your visitor pass and taking the elevator to his floor.

You spotted the familiar grey-haired Marine standing beside Bishop as they both stood in front of the plasma tv that showed a picture of a random Naval officer and made your way over, ignoring Tony’s wave.

“Jethro, I need to talk with you please,” you said, making him turn around. The team just stared in silence as you both walked off to the hallway, not sure if their boss was in trouble or not.

“What’s the matter?” he asked, seeing how distressed you were.

“It’s Noah. He never came home from school and he’s not answering his phone. I called Seth to see if he was with him but he says he hasn’t seen him since school. You know he always lets us know if he’s not coming straight home. And after the argument last night-.”

“Alright, alright. It’s gonna be fine, we’ll figure it out,” he comforted, pulling you into his arms and hugging you tight, stopping your spiraling. You took a deep breath, Jethro’s presence calming you down immediately.

“Let’s see if McGee can help,” he said softly, giving your temple a kiss and pulling away. You followed him back into the squad room and smiled lightly at the team.

“McGee, I need a trace on Noah’s phone.”

“On it boss.”

“What’s going on? Everything alright?” Bishop asked with concern.

You explained the situation as McGee’s computer beeped.

“Alright boss, his phone is at the corner of 18th and M street.”

“What’s over there?” you asked. Jethro’s face became hard as he grabbed his jacket and began walking off. “Recruitment Center.”

————

The car screeched to a stop in front of the building and Jethro exited the car aggressively. You got out quickly and tried to stop him before he got to the door but it was too late. Ripping open the door, he stepped in and we saw Noah sitting at a desk with a Marine in uniform across from him.

“Get up, now,” Jethro growled at your son who looked just as angry.

“No. It’s too late. I already signed the papers.”

Jethro went to reach for the papers but Noah grabbed them and stood up, challenging his father. Both you and the recruiter just watched as the two Gibbs’ bored holes into each other, neither one willing to back down.

“You don’t know what you’re getting into Noah. You’re throwing away a perfectly good education,” Gibbs argued.

“I know exactly what I’m getting into dad. You can’t make all the decisions for me, I’m 18 now. I wanna fight for my country-

“And what if you die fighting for your country?! What then?! I’m not letting you go, so that I can lose you!”

“You’re gonna lose me if you don’t let me do this!”

You put your hand on your husband’s shoulder, trying to simmer the fire between the two stubborn men and added your piece.

“Jethro, he’s right. We can’t force him not to do something just because we’re scared. It’s not fair to him.”

He didn’t say anything but continued staring his son down, a battle going on behind his eyes. A second later, he grabbed Noah and pulled him in for a bone crushing hug, arms wrapping around his body and gripping his jacket tight.

Noah hugged him back and your eyes stung with tears threatening to fall.

“Why do you have to grow up so fast,” Jethro whispered, letting him go and putting his hands on Noah’s shoulders. “As much as I don’t want you to do this, I get it. I felt the same way when I was your age. Just promise me you’ll be smart. And you’ll call us every week, come hell or high water.”

Noah nodded, wiping a couple tears away and cleared his throat, trying to be stoic. Now it was your turn to hug him, relieved that he was safe but sad that you only had little time left to spend with your little boy.

Noah gave the recruitment papers to the Marine and you stood by Jethro, hugging his arm and resting your head on his shoulder as they finished up the paperwork. Once everything was done, you all got into the car and began driving home.

“Don’t think that you leaving for boot camp gets you out of being grounded for making your mother and I worried about where you were all day,” Jethro said, looking at your son in the rear view mirror.

“I’m sorry about that but I knew Uncle Tim would pull through,” he replied with a small smirk.

“Well since you have such an allegiance to Uncle Tim, you can babysit the twins this weekend and mow his yard as well.”

The smirk left Noah’s face and appeared on Jethro’s as he looked over at you and gave you a wink.

[freakin-nightmare]

WHAT DO YOU MEAN SETH LET CODY SLEEP ON HIS BUS????? THEY ARE LOVERS!!!!!