; glory and gore [1]

T W E N T Y - S E V E N ; MOON

_______Still lost in the light, and I don't know what night is...

The cigarettes' scent that would so frequently upset him now seems like a distant memory whilst he's walking through the fans' ocean - polluted and vibrating. Numerous people gathered in front of the radio station him and Owens stopped by earlier in the morning, promoting the upcoming Money in the Bank's event.

Rollins would usually ignore their pathetic existences, the stalking trend still a foreign and irritating concept to his methodical mind.

He'd make his way in the middle of the frenzy, his slightly contracted features overshadowed by the sunglasses perched upon his nose, themselves masking his scornful stare. The Reaper only had for habit to lay his depraved eyes upon pure and useful souls, not absolute unknowns craving for his attention.

Which is exactly the reason why a confused expression's written all over his Canadian acolyte's face, blinking several times in order to assure himself he hasn't been drugged.

Seth even shocks a couple of supporters as he's truthfully thrilled to pose for cherished pictures and to append his signature on random pieces of paper.

Kevin eventually perceives a glimpse of the arrogant yet caring guy he's met years prior on the independent circuit, the two immediately connecting on the obvious fact not many people could bear with them.

They used to share the kind of bond producers only dream to recreate on screens and writers spend lifetimes to capture its essence, never even approaching the beauty of it.

It was a brotherhood that would have effortlessly outshine the factice Shield's one, since none of them was still around Rollins when he lost himself in the depth of his torments.

The only person who always had been here for him, no matter how many times he stabbed him in the back, leaving him for dead in the middle of a cold street, was Owens. He actively fought to help him escape from his demons, painfully witnessing his dementia and self-destruction at first hand.

He'd always defend him even though all the evidences proved his culpability, believing that a spark would eventually revive itself and light his path to recovery. Even if he had to await ages to see it happen, time marking his falling apart body and afllicted mind, he'd gladly make patience his biggest virtue.

Fortunately enough for him, Seth's rise could unfold sooner than he'd ever expected it to.

"Since when Seth Rollins went so soft ?" Owens questions, patting his friend on the back to encourage him to open up for a change.

"What if she brings out the good in me ?" The Iowa native jokingly responds, his devious mouth sincerely curved in a small smile.

"There is no good in you." Owens remarks on the exact same tone his ally used moments before, crossing his arms whilst craning his head a little.

"You're breaking my heart."Rollins fakes being offended, letting the words flow with a theatral sadden voice, mimicking the movement of his so called absent heart.

As minutes pass by, the amicable atmosphere setting in softly surrends the wrestlers, their conversation's topics eventually stumbling upon a very irritating one to the Canadian : the Intercontinental Championship.

Since Sami won it from him he apparently couldn't get the bitterness out of his system, the countless angry glances he'd throw at him every so often never eluding Seth's knowledge.

He's obviously stuck in between mixed feelings : on one hand the pride of seeing his best friend succeeding in the big leagues yet on the other hand, he can't help but repeating his victory's scene over and over in his head. The intentional referee's slow count and the way Zayn subtly crept up from behind him became almost unbearable images to him.

"I let him have fun for a bit but-." Kevin attempts to spit out the calmest way possible, his attitude quickly betraying him as he's nevously twitching his fingers.

"It's coming home." His stare becomes icy, replacing the playful spark previously distinguishable in his usual gentle green eyes.

"The question you need to really ask yourself is : what lines are you willing to cross in order to get it back ?" Rollins eventually asks, serioussness exuding out of his venemous entity.

Owens' hopeless dream comes crashing upon his troubling state of mind, the blurry but brightful figure surrending his former brother slowly fading away, confirming once more than he's nothing more but a ghost anymore.

"I could say the same thing to you, about Leighla." Kevin instantly answers, causing a drastic change of mood.

Rollins anxiously chuckles, lowering his face as if protecting the few fragments of sanity still presents inside of his sicken brain. But just like all of his previous attempts, that one turns to be vain as the flames of his heart only ignite to allow the rare emotions' manifestation : hatred and animosity.

Once his gaze connects with Kevin's judgmental stare again, the things Rollins he's holding inside of his brown and traumatised eyes are polar opposite. He went from a frail glimpse of joy perceivable through he's newly found behavior to a devourous desire to annihilate his former friend's existence, punishing him from pronouncing such a holy yet taboo name.

Very few things are off limits when it comes to his emotionless self but the love of his life is definitely one of those.

She was his purity and he was her vice, a constant fight opposing polar sides. He hoped she could blind his shadows with her light but in the end, he's the one who corrupted the goodness of her heart.

After the nudes' scandal exploded to his face, he desesperatly wanted to pacify the situation, to earn a chance at explanations but he never received one. Not because she was too heartbroken to offer him that opportunity - tears falling from her puffy, red eyes for countless hours - but because his carreer once again got in the way.

Seth's mentor at the time and one part of their oppressive and authoritive stable made it very clear that if he still expected to one day hold the Hall of Famers' ring in his sharp grip, he had to follow by his lead.

Therefore he was forced to put up an act with Zahra, pretending as if she became her new girlfriend, showing up at WWE's events together all because the audience's wouldn't, in Hunter's words, "ever accept a sleeze as a champion".

The company's hypocritical rolemodel policy and fantasy soon sicken him to his guts, not even able to clearly imagine how much more he hurt Leighla since he's blinded by his glory's hunger.

Although he spends most of his time in denial, the truth always hits Seth when he least expects it.

Whilst staring deep inside Kevin's eyes, even the deformed reflection in them less monstruous than his true self, he eventually comprehends that he and Leighla indeed are more similar than he thought.

Just like her he'd always been Rollins' crutch - his mental's wounds deeper and more hurtful than a million of physical injuries.

Both men are like two pieces of an unfinished masterpiece, each parted in different universes and though it is impossible for them to fully understand one another, they still are able to get through each other.

________

E L E N A ;

Who's that "she" Rollins joked about ? Do you think the championship's situation between Zayn and Owens could go out of hands soon or will it get solved eventually ?

Thanks a lot for the lovely support, love ya all guys! xxx