Flames

Challenge, part 1

"Becky Two Belts!" Becky's voice got a bit raspier each time she yelled her victory cry, so by Seth's estimation she'd have no voice left by the end of the night, or at least she'd be very hoarse. "First-ever woman to be the UpUpDownDown champ!"

If Becky's throat was going to be sore from yelling, Seth's face was going to be sore from smiling. As much as he hated to lose, seeing Becky so happy delighted him in turn. "I'm sure that's going to be the highlight of your Hall of Fame video," he quipped, kissing her temple as she hugged her new belt; she had insisted on carrying it with her, which earned them some very strange looks in the hotel lobby. "Not being the first SmackDown Women's Champion or being one of the first women to main-event Wrestlemania or any of that. . . ."

Becky narrowed her eyes. "Don't belittle my precious."

Given that her croaky voice was starting to sound rather Gollum-like, Seth had to fight not to laugh. "Did you actually get lessons from Samoa Joe," he asked as he opened the door to their hotel suite, "or was that just luck and button mashing?"

Pretending not to hear him, Becky set the UpUpDownDown belt on the couch and promptly opened her bag to retrieve her Raw Women's title. With all the focus of someone painting a miniature figurine, she positioned the two titles on the cushions, making tiny adjustments until she was satisfied. "Red will be such a good big sister."

Hugging her from behind, Seth buried his face in Becky's hair for a moment. "Does that mean they're not sharing the bed with us tonight?"

Becky half-turned and looked up at him. "What happened to 'the loser gets the bathtub'?"

Seth chuckled, digging his chin into her head until she relaxed back against him. "That was for cleaning up," he insisted, "not for sleeping."

"Says the loser." Becky ran her fingers over his and leaned back, making him bear more of her weight. "Down on your knees again and everything. I could get used to this."

"Could?" Seth echoed, sliding his hands under her shirt. Becky wasn't exceptionally ticklish, but he knew which spots to target to get the quickest response.

"On your knees on a bed doesn't count," Becky declared. "Everyone knows that." After a moment's thought, she added, "Same with showers."

"So when I beat you and get the belt back," Seth said, turning her around and walking her backwards toward the bed, "then you'll have no problem kneeling for me, right?"

"I wouldn't," Becky clarified, "if I lost to you. Which I won't." She stopped just short of the bed and planted her feet so Seth couldn't move her as easily. "No automatic rematch clauses anymore, remember?"

"Becks, you know if you have to go up against. . . ." Seth paused, trapping her between him and the bed. Realistically, her win had been sheer luck and almost any of her potential opponents would trounce her. There was no way to say it that wouldn't involve an uncomfortable sleep in his immediate future, though. "Samoa Joe or AJ will destroy you," he finished awkwardly.

Becky's smirk wasn't quite as sharp as her chuckle, but it came close. "I'll practice. I'm a fighting champion. While you watch your football, I'll go practice on your PlayStation."

The thought alone made Seth flinch. He was surprised Xavier's controller had survived Becky's manhandling; he hated to think about what she'd inflict upon his custom ones. While he was dreading the damage she might cause, Becky took advantage of the lapse in his attention to squeeze past him and run to the other side of the bed. "You don't even know where the power button is," he scoffed, slowly edging his way to the foot of the bed.

"Kids play them all the time," Becky replied. "It can't be that hard to figure out." Realizing that she had backed herself into a corner, she started to step up on to the bed, but Seth was tracking her every move.