Southpaw [Ethan Dolan au]

S I X

"I'll tell ya what Jim, that Porter kid has got a lot of heart. With such skill at a young age I guarantee we'll be seeing him in the main event in no time."

"I'm with you on that one, Roy. Tommy Porter is definitely my pick for Saturday. Sanchez has been taking a beating as of recently with no signs of improvement being made – he's a Palooka at their finest, and Porter is fully aware of that. The fight between the two will definitely be a brutal undercard to watch. But, Roy, let's move on to the main event of the night – a match we've been talking about for months now with anticipated excitement. We've got Nico 'Serpent' Alvarez putting his title on the line against the number one contender, Ethan Dolan, who you, I know, have had the pleasure of watching in the past, is that correct?"

"That's right, that's right. And Jim, we're in for a real treat with this one. The kid is a star in the making, hands down, the best I've seen in a very long time – a real-life Balboa if we're being honest. A small-town kid with a clean fighting style, heavy fists, and the heart of a champion. I've got nothing but good things to say about him. At only twenty-two, he has climbed his way to the very top, getting that number one contender spot after a TKO in the third round against Serg Kolavev back in September. He's definitely my pick for Saturday night - Alvarez doesn't know what's coming."

"Ehhh, you know what, Roy, think you and I are going to butt heads about this one. There is absolutely no way in hell this Dolan kid is going to usurp Alvarez for that title spot. Nope, not a shot. Even if he's as good as you say he is, he's not going to beat the best in the division. Alvarez is a powerhouse; there's a reason they call him the Serpent; he strikes with venom that'll leave you dead in seconds. All I know about this Dolan kid is that he's got a decent left fist and a twin brother who I'd much rather see fighting on Saturday – at least that fight would be filled with entertainment from both parties."

"Listen, Alvarez has a few good years on Dolan, but what he doesn't have is the heart. You know how much I love a southpaw, Jim, so this kid is it for me. No question about it."

"Well, I guess we're just going to have to wait and see Saturday night then. For now, viewers can tune into their press conference, in just under two hours, to see how they size each other up. This will be their first face-to-face meeting, and it will be an interesting one at that. We've got the loud-mouth Alvarez going toe-to-toe with Dolan who I haven't even heard say more than twenty words – actually, Roy, I think he might be a little too punch-drunk to comprehend—"

The television screen goes black with the click of a button, filling the room with peaceful silence to replace the bothersome sound of the world of boxing's biggest commentators. Roy Jones Jr. and Jim Lampley may have been legends to the sport, but it didn't mean Y/N was quite fond of listening to them bash on her boyfriend before the biggest match of his life.

With a sigh, she tosses the remote to the television back on the leather couch, running a hand through her hair to tame the waves that were already losing their coil with the more she stressed. She looks around the large suite, scanning the luxurious living room where they'd been set up in for the weekend at the Palms Resort, but stops short when her eyes land on Ethan. His back is to her, standing in front of the wall of glass which separates them from the Vegas landscape outside. It was hot, much hotter than Jersey, and she could tell he felt uncomfortable as he tugs on the collar of his crisp, white, button down. Y/N can't help the sympathetic smile that graces her face as she watches him squirm uncomfortably in his fancy new suit; the fight promoter, Bobby Goldstein, had hired a professional stylist for him – citing that sweatpants and a t-shirt weren't going to cut it for coverage of an HBO main event. As to not disturb his current train of thought, she tip-toes slowly up behind him.

His body ceases its fidgeting antics when he feels her arms slowly slip around his torso. Y/N lifts herself up on the tips of her toes, planting a soft kiss to the nape of his neck which soothes the way his entire body burns with anxiety for tonight. He sighs as her lips fall on his skin, placing his hands atop hers and leaning back into her touch. When she feels his body ease, she falls flat to her feet, inhaling the scent of his cologne which swirls sweetly around them as she nuzzles her cheek carefully against his forest green suit jacket.