Learning Curves

seven.

BARON might have been able to fool the rest of the roster, but Audrey had been able to see through his stoic persona, and this time was no different. He'd been hard to get a hold of the past few days, always out on his bike, or at the gym, just like he was that evening. He'd never let anyone see if he could help it, but the thought of facing someone like Adrian Neville was making him nervous. Nervous enough for Audrey to find him that night in the Performance Center alone, going through the training regimens he'd been taught the past few years, headphones drowning out the silence around him.

Finding a perch on the apron of a nearby ring, Audrey sat in silence, watching him. His face red and full of determination. His charcoal gray tank top sticking to his sweat-slicked torso, his rarely seen leg tattoos exposed thanks to his shorts, the bright colors a striking difference from his dark clothes and the darkness around him. She didn't know the technical names of what he was doing, but she knew he looked good doing it.

Baron didn't know what he was trying to exhaust more, his body or his mind. He'd had the gym to himself for over an hour, everyone else headed home or into the other rooms to watch Monday Night RAW, trying to pick up tips to help them get ready for the main roster. Rolling out of the ring he was in, he grabbed his water bottle out of his bag, suddenly noticing he wasn't alone. Taking a better look, he'd know that silhouette anywhere. Audrey waved innocently, Baron wrapping her up in a sweaty hug, laughing at her attempts to get free.

"How long have you been here?" he asked, kissing her forehead after he set her back down on the apron. There'd been a lot of forehead and cheek kisses lately, his lips soft against her skin.

"Not long. You didn't come over this afternoon like you said you were gonna. I figured you'd be here, and I was right." Baron's eyes trained on his reddened hands, mumbling an apology. Audrey stood, looking at the ring, hanging on the ropes. She didn't want him to feel like she expected a response out of him, but was surprised when she got one.

"I'm scared. What if I can't beat him?"

"You can." she replied, turning to face him fully.

"But what if I can't? There goes my streak. There goes my title shot. There goes me being relevant." Audrey's eyes widened, hopping off the apron to stand in front of him, Baron instinctively reaching out to hold her by the waist.

"Talk like that is gonna get you no where. You are so much more than your streak, Baron. Who was it that told me they wished I saw myself the way they saw me?" she wiggled her eyebrows, causing him to smile a little, taking one hand off her waist to tuck her hair behind her ear.

"What would I do without you?"

"Who knows. But I do know what we're gonna do right now. That's get you home and cleaned up, while I cook dinner. Pep talks make me hungry."

XxX

For the first time since her first days with the company, Audrey found herself with the night off. It was weird walking around backstage, watching everyone else get ready, while she was there with nothing to do. She thought about going to check on Baron, who she hadn't talked to since their dinner on Monday night, but thought against it quickly, not wanting to be a distraction before his match. Catering was almost empty when she entered, getting her food, settling on one of the couches in the corner, enjoying the silence, until she heard Corey's voice.

"Don't you look like a little intern." he joked, Audrey realizing she was still in jeans and a NXT shirt. She rolled her eyes, looking up to find not only him, but the rest of the commentary team coming in the room. He plopped down beside her, his smug look turning annoyed as Alex Riley sat on her other side, a little too close for his liking. Thinking back, she finally remembered where she'd seen that look before, not minding so much this time. Riley was far from another Ambrose. He was sweet, he was kind, and he was really attractive, especially since he started growing his hair out of that ridiculous crew cut he used to have the last time he wrestled. Alex Riley was a great guy, but Audrey knew someone else had already stolen her heart.