Underrated

xv.

the world turned upside-down.

Why Rami was so nervous for Fastlane, he couldn't definitively say. Maybe it was the implications and stakes behind the bout. Maybe it was because it was unlike any match the WWE Universe had seen before. Maybe it was because he would be standing a ring away from a woman his heart loved and his brain longed to have. It wasn't like any match he'd been in before, and that honestly filled him with fear.

As he continuously paced the ring for the show, Lucille emerged from the ramp. She took in the sight of him and it brought chills. Sure, she had a few matches against men before, but this one felt different. Both of them continued to chase different dreams: him becoming champion and she leading a revolution. What stood in their ways were each other, and that broke their hearts equally. Huffing out a breath, she made her way down to the ring.

"Hey." His motions ceased as she slid up onto the ring apron. Her eyes showed genuine concern as she looked him over. The idea of him being nervous caused her to feel the same, "Is everything alright?"

"Y-yeah. Yeah, I'm okay." He reassured her, his voice faulting slightly as he rubbed the back of his neck, "It's just a lot to take in, you know?"

"Tell me about it." She ducked in between the middle and top rope and perched herself on them, "This is huge for the women's division as a whole, and all eyes are on me."

"For all the right reasons," He noted as he squatted in his usually position in the corner, "If you win, you'll be seen as equal to the men. If I win, I'll be seen as the man you beat up a woman. I'm already having a bad streak as is. Either way this match goes I'm screwed."

"Hey, stop that," she moved from her position to kneel in front of him. Rami tried with all his might to keep his blushing at bay, but in the dim light of the arena, she was still as beautiful to him. Saying he was a bit lovesick was an understatement, "Whatever happens happens. Remember what I told you five months ago? I trust you, and nothing is going to break that. This is just another match, just another opponent. Don't sugar coat it and treat it as anything else, okay?"

He nodded slowly before blowing out a puff of breath. He tried hard to think it was just another match, but how could he when he couldn't will himself to strike her?

As they went through different motions and tried to find things that made the match stand out more than it already did, most of it led my his mad genius rambling, Lucy noticed Rami becoming distant.It was as if he wanted to be anywhere else but there in that moment, but being there was what she needed most. She stifled a gulp of nerves.

Trying a Tilt-A-Whirl Backbreaker, he was pulled from his thoughts as Lucy let out a small yelp. A string of curses followed as he realized his mistake. She had connected to his knee a bit further up her back than she should've, which could result in an injury.

"Shit, shit, shit. I'm sorry. God, I'm so sorry." He rambled apologizes as she groaned.

"It's okay. Just scared me is all." Turning her head to and fro, she reassured him. A hand rubbed the back of her neck as to make sure it was okay.

This was too much for him. Rami shook his head as he backed away from her. He couldn't do this, not to her. He didn't care about the fact of the title opportunity on the other end; if it meant hurting her to get it, he didn't want it.

"Rami?" Her voice softened as she rose to a knee, her hand falling from her neck. She noticed the nervous look in his eye which grew from his mistake, "Hey, it's okay. I'm fine. Don't worry."