Flames

Self(ish), part 1

Happy six-year anniversary to FLAMES! According to AO3, I posted the first chapter on 24 June 2019.

"Look, Roux! There's our new champ!"

After Becky cleared Gorilla and the cameras, she usually liked to head to the locker room to change and unwind, but the first thing she saw was Bayley holding Roux. "Hi, sweet girl!" She set down her newly won Women's Intercontinental Title and hugged Roux and Bayley as one. "Did you see Mama's big win?" Normally Roux was backstage when she or Seth were wrestling, especially at the big events, because she still didn't like the noise levels. Since they were in Los Angeles, though—home turf for their little family—they thought it might be a good test run for her to be in the audience.

Roux's face fell a bit and Bayley kissed the top of her head. "She watched it from back here," Bayley said. "She got a bit overwhelmed out there, so Joshy and Jen brought her back."

Roux's scowl reminded Becky so much of Seth that she almost smiled. "They were saying mean things about you, Mama."

"Oh, sweetheart, I know." Becky took Roux from Bayley and squeezed her tight. "But I'm a bad guy right now, remember? What do we do at home when the bad guys are on TV?"

"We shout at them, like Grandma Annette does. And do this," Roux added, making a fist and shaking it at an imaginary foe. Her nose wrinkled up at the same time.

Becky nodded. "That's right. Well, all those people were shouting at me because I'm the bad guy right now." She kissed her daughter's cheek and added, "But you know what? To a bad guy, that's like applause. It means I'm doing a good job. Because you know I'm a good guy for real, right?"

"Yeah. But Auntie Bird is too, isn't she?" Roux buried her face in her mother's shoulder.

"She is," Becky agreed, "but she's playing one on TV right now too, so she gets the cheers."

"If lots of people boo your mama," Bayley chimed in, stroking Roux's hair, "that means she's doing a really good job, because she's fooling all of them into thinking she's bad. She's a very good actress, isn't she?" Bayley grinned at her friend. "And she'll get even more time to show off her skills when she goes against me."

Becky perked up a bit. There had certainly been seeds planted for a feud between the two of them, but she hadn't heard anything concrete yet. "Seriously? When?"

"I'm supposed to be coming back on Monday, so...." Bayley crossed her fingers and held them up for luck. "Hunter didn't say if it's going to be just you and me or if Lyra's going to be in the mix." Then she glanced around. "I know I saw her. I think they wanted to interview her quick, but that shouldn't take too long."

A slight pang of guilt twisted Becky's gut. She knew she was helping to build Lyra up—her and the still-new Women's Intercontinental Title. But acknowledging and utilizing all the online criticism wasn't always easy. The 'Becky Hogan' comments still stung, and not just because she knew how much she was doing to help the women's division improve. "I've been hearing whispers of them putting us with Charlotte and finally doing something with the Horsewomen...." When Roux started to squirm, Becky set her down.

Judging from the look on Bayley's face, she wasn't a fan of the idea either, and Becky couldn't blame her. Without Sasha—Mercedes, now—it would never feel quite right, and the whole idea would come under fire from ardent fans. Even now, after so many years and betrayals, the Four Horsewomen held a special place in fans' hearts, it seemed. "Yeah. I've heard that too." Bayley ruffled Roux's hair as the little girl started to dance around her and her mother. "But I think the draft is going to be held later this year, so...."

"Anything can happen, right? Maybe we'll even be tag team champions someday." As soon as she said it, Becky regretted it. Bayley and Sasha had been the inaugural champions, something both women were very proud of—and deservedly so. They had campaigned long and hard for the creation of the women's tag team titles, and Becky didn't want to intrude on that legacy. "If you'd want to team up...."