Flames

Circle of Life, part 2

(Author Note: I wrote this before the RAW Reunion, so I didn't know how the LION KING invite happened. I could have fixed the story to fit, but I kinda like my version, and it's not like this is factually accurate anyway.)

Could you have too much of a good thing? Whenever people asked that, Seth always thought they were crazy. Obviously it didn't apply to something like food, where an excess could make you sick. For something like music, though, he loved to surround himself in it; most of his collection was digital or on CD, but he had plenty of records and cassette tapes too. Even in his idle moments, he was usually listening to something; he couldn't imagine not having music in his life, just like it was hard to picture a day without coffee. Or, increasingly, Becky.

Some of his exes had accused him of being needy. He figured it stemmed from spending so much time on the road: when he was home, of course he would want to spend as much time with them as he could. Becky didn't seem to mind, even if it had taken her a little while to get used to his habit of casual touching; she had assured him it was only because her previous boyfriends weren't into it, and it hadn't taken her long to reciprocate and even initiate it. It made him ridiculously happy when she would lean on his shoulder or wrap her arms around his waist. The height difference didn't always make it easy, but if anything, she seemed to have a slight height kink, so it all worked out.

She loved him. He knew that. So why was he overanalyzing photos and the comments to them? The picture in question was one taken at Black and Brave; he didn't even remember seeing the flash, which annoyed him a little bit. He knew that he was a celebrity of sorts and with that came a certain lack of privacy, but when he was at his wrestling school, he considered himself a teacher first. He didn't want to dread every time he saw one of his students reaching for their phone when was at the school.

She looks bored, one commenter said. She's probably just tired of Seth dragging her everywhere, said another. Maybe he hasn't made her a sandwich yet, one joked. Seth looked at the photo again and tried to see bored or tired or even hungry. Judging from the assembled students, he had a rough idea when the picture was taken, and he and Becky had just eaten an hour before, so the joke post was moot. Becky had a busy schedule, so she was always a bit tired; it came with the territory. Bored? He didn't think so. If he had to pick a single word, he would have chosen intent. She was focussed on the action in the ring, as she should have been. What did people want? If she was hanging off his arm, people would have complained that they were too sappy. If they sat too far apart, the 'no chemistry' movement would pipe up again.

When Becky walked into his living room, trying to adjust her baseball cap as she walked, Seth set his phone aside and rose to meet her. "If you were anyone else," he grinned, "I'd accuse you of raiding Mickie James's gear closet." Becky made the bright white bell bottoms and matching halter top look amazing, though. "Not sure white is the best choice for a baseball field, though."

Becky wrapped an arm around his neck and kissed him. "Well, there's that whole 'no white after Labour Day' thing, so I guess I have to wear it while I can. Plus you're the one playing, not me." Then she stepped back, smoothing hair away from his forehead. "What's wrong? You were so worried about being early so you'd have time to practice, and you're still where I left you." He had offered to help her get the tight-fitting bell bottoms on, but they both knew how his attempts to get her dressed usually ended up. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw his phone screen start to dim and she grabbed it before he could stop her. "Bad news?" she asked as the screen came back to life.

"It's nothing." Seth didn't try to grab for the phone, though. Becky would see the comments eventually, or someone else would tell her. "Just stupid people being stupid." He hated watching the light dim in her eyes as she read the comments and critiques, the way her jaw went from framing a glorious smile to almost steeling itself for a blow.