merenwen | shes on the fringe 2

The thing about the dress and the makeup and how new it is to Dean is that it lets her blend into a bar after the awards and no one notices her. There is a re-run of the previous smackdown showing her match on the TV but she looks so different that no one puts that together with the red head sat in the corner nursing a bottle of red wine. It felt like a red wine sort of night. Wine takes time to drink, especially if you don't set out looking for a fuckin' hangover, and so it lets her think.

We. She knew Seth and Roman were a thing before they did but she never entertained the idea of them wanting something more. Something like her. Despite her spit out snarls at the show she knows her boys well enough to know they would never say such things that imply such things if not serious. Somehow that makes it harder to handle and ponder. So red fucking wine and a permanent scowl and a phone she is not looking at.

To be fair there is only the one text from Seth and missed call from Roman who prefers a more direct approach.

It is not that Dean does not feel pretty. It is more that she grew up where she did and she had to learn how to survive and that meant jeans and big hoodies and learning a solid right hook at a hell of a young age. Being complimented on her looks tended to lead to her skin crawling. Makeup and hair and stuff costs money she never had growing up so she just never learned that shit. Or at least she never got used to it. There was more cash in taping herself down and fighting the guys. Her voice has always been low and harsh due to a childhood around a chain smoking mother and fuck knows what else her string of boyfriends took on top.

Sure, she agreed to show herself when asked but the reality of it is like a stone in her stomach. It is one thing for Alberto to fist bump her and love their matches but now she feels vulnerable. She's never appeared like that in front of the only two people she has left. And now they want what she both fears and wants. Fuck.

By the time she's come through her thoughts the wine bottle is empty and she's demanded another. She may have also texted Seth.

***

The phone vibrates and lights up and dings on the table and they both stare at it wordlessly. Both Seth and Roman have returned to the hotel and given up hope of Dean getting in touch. A bar is her most likely location and if they are honest they are banking on it taking her at least a day to get into touch so they can get their game plan together. Well life fucks people over doesn't it?

Seth notices first. "It's her man. She is down the street. Wants us to join her. Sounds drunk if I'm honest cause I know she's shit with a phone but she usually hates letting typos getting past her."

Roman does that thing where he shrugs his shoulders and his whole body just seems to apologise and while normally Seth would find it endearing now he just finds it irritating. "Helpful. So are we going or not?"

"If we do what to we say when we see her?"

"Well clearly no comments on her appearance. She's... it should be her thing. I guess. I don't know."

"You act like I do." Roman mutters while looking for his sneakers. " We can only go listen I guess. Shit I mean...she's still Dean. We're still gonna tape her wrists and laugh when she does that thing where she falls half out the ring and comes back in so...maybe we tell her that?"

"Maybe." Seth has no idea. "Should I like...do something with my hair?"

"Don't be a dick."

"Fuck you too." Seth snarls and follows Roman out into the corridor.

***

The second bottle of wine has been left untouched since Seth said they were on their way. Hell, Dean even ordered another two glasses and she doesn't even know if Seth drinks it. She's pretty sure that Roman does. Either way she has three whiskeys sitting waiting just because she thinks they might need it.

Her life feels like it has reached another corner. Her career ain't gonna change and she's been assured of that but she doesn't want one dress and some eyeliner to force her into travelling with Summer fucking Rae or some shit. She needs her boys to be on board.

Dean doesn't know how her phone actually works so she can't distract herself with it. All she can do is either watch a show she has already performed or people watch and she goes for the latter. People are kinda interestin when oblivious. It is nice to watch fans when they are being honest in their reactions. By the time she notices Seth and Roman slink into the bar she is determined to crush some balls and get the women who are actually wrestling women more air time because damn the fans want it.

She's got a speech half written in her head when Seth is pushing her into the wall and Roman is using a backpack to block himself off on the other side. Dean can't help it.

She starts laughing from the pit of her stomach.

She does get it. She does. Block them off. Get privacy . No questions or autographs or harassment but he's huge and blocking himself off with a bag as Seth is trying to disappear into his hoody and dammed if she doesn't need this.

As she tries to pull back her splutters she pushes both the glasses for wine and whiskeys towards the two men. Seth raises an eyebrow and Roman laughs gently so she figures she is fine for now.

"You done Ambrose?"

"Dunno, Rollins I find you pretty funny. Pretty sure I could fit in that hoody with you."

"Yeah, sure you could." And it could have crossed that line but it doesn't. It isn't them now. It is them then then.

"Rome, he's bullying me."

"So kick him in the nuts." Yeah they are back on course.

"Do either of you even drink wine? I just...I wanted some and then I wanted more and then I wanted to talk and-"

"It is good. We got it." Roman states firmly and pours them all a glass as if to prove a point.

"Fuckin good then cause I paid for it." She splutters.

"Ain't no one asked you to do that." Roman states firmly and another muscle in Dean's back relaxes because it is just him.

"You've never been one for shit so... we gonna talk about this?" Seth states. It should be a question but it is too flat.

Dean pushes herself further away from him. Bullshit time is over.

"Well I dunno what you want me to say given...well you guys...said more. And shit." She adds that in for effect but it doesn't work. A conversation clearly took place before she was brought into it.

"We like you." Roman states. "We liked you before. We like you now. Just cause we never seen you like this...kind of a shock. Made us say things we didn't have a plan for yet. I mean...three folks aren't...the norm."

"You afraid of me?" is Deans gut reaction but the glower from Seth settles that down in an instant. Both take a drink.

Dean stares. Then she downs her whiskey. She was right. They are afraid. Of her.