Rise Above The Tides (Male Reader X Skye Blue)

Chapter 1

The arena is electric as fans eagerly await the debut of the mysterious and highly-touted newcomer, Y/N. The commentary team, consisting of Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, and Taz, hypes up Y/N’s arrival, discussing his impressive background and the buzz surrounding his signing with AEW. Suddenly, the lights dim, and a heavy, adrenaline-pumping beat hits the speakers. The titantron flashes Y/N’s name as he steps onto the stage, his eyes locked on the ring with a mix of intensity and confidence. The crowd, intrigued by his presence, offers a mix of cheers and curious murmurs as Y/N makes his way down the ramp, his gaze never leaving the ring.

As Y/N enters the ring, his theme fades, and a brief moment of silence follows. Then, Orange Cassidy’s theme, "Where Is My Mind" by Pixies, hits the speakers. The crowd erupts in cheers as Cassidy casually strolls out, hands in his pockets, sunglasses on, and an air of nonchalance about him. He barely acknowledges Y/N as he lazily walks to the ring, his every move dripping with indifference. He rolls into the ring, slouches against the turnbuckle, and gives a slow thumbs-up to the crowd, which they return with enthusiasm.

The referee calls both men to the center of the ring. Y/N is focused, muscles tense, while Cassidy barely seems to be paying attention. The bell rings, and the match is underway.

Orange Cassidy, still with his hands in his pockets, saunters to the center of the ring. Y/N circles him cautiously, unsure what to make of Cassidy’s laid-back approach. Cassidy then delivers his trademark “weak” shin kicks, barely making contact but drawing loud cheers from the crowd. Y/N raises an eyebrow, slightly amused but unimpressed. The crowd, familiar with Cassidy's antics, begins chanting, "This is awesome!"

Cassidy continues with the playful kicks, but Y/N decides to put an end to it, quickly grabbing Cassidy by the wrist. With a sudden burst of speed, Y/N whips Cassidy into the ropes. Cassidy bounces back, and Y/N takes him down with a lightning-fast Snapmare followed by a stiff kick to the back. Cassidy winces slightly, but his expression remains nonchalant. Y/N, sensing an opening, moves to follow up, but Cassidy rolls out of the way at the last second, using his deceptive quickness to avoid further damage.

Orange Cassidy slowly gets back to his feet, now with a hint of a smirk on his face. He removes his sunglasses and tosses them to the referee, signaling that he’s ready to get serious—or as serious as Cassidy ever gets. Y/N charges forward, looking for a Lock-Up, but Cassidy sidesteps him effortlessly, almost mockingly.

Cassidy uses the ropes to build momentum and hits Y/N with a surprise Dropkick, sending Y/N stumbling back into the corner. Cassidy follows up by running toward the cornered Y/N, jumping up for a Flying Headscissors Takedown. Y/N, caught off-guard, is flipped across the ring, but he quickly rolls through, landing on his feet and charging back with a Running Lariat. Cassidy ducks under it, running the ropes again, and catches Y/N with a perfectly timed Tilt-a-Whirl DDT. Y/N’s head spikes into the mat, and Cassidy goes for the cover: