Rose & Thorn: Becky/Seth

Chapter 6

Wasn't how I was planning to end it (not that I can remember my original plans), but it works for now.

Location, location, location. It applied to more than real estate, Seth knew. There were places in his hometown he found difficult to drive past because of bad memories associated with them, and other spots where he loved to linger, thinking of good times long past. Part of him still thought he and Becky should have gone to Rose & Thorn to keep things even, but in the end he was glad he went up to Becky's apartment. It wasn't the same as at the club—definitely fewer sex toys, for starters—but it felt so much more real. She was purely herself in the little apartment, with no traces of the Rebecca facade she had worn when they met. He saw a toaster that probably cost more than her shoes as they staggered past the kitchen. Pictures of her family were a blur as they stumbled down the hallway, pressing each other against the wall between frames of smiling faces with gloriously real wrinkles and teeth that hadn't been bleached to oblivion. He even spotted a photo of her and Finn when they were far younger—maybe even in their teens—and it left no doubt about how close they were, but he didn't let it ruin the mood. Having sex with Becky in her own bed meant so much more than renting a random room at Rose & Thorn.

He would have gladly gone back to her place again after his last night in NXT or invited her to his, but Dean and Roman wanted to go out and celebrate and it would have looked too suspicious if he had declined. "Come to the club tonight," Seth whispered the next day as he walked past Becky at the Performance Center. "I'll leave a message for you at the desk." Roman and Dean were only a few steps ahead of him, so he couldn't say much more.

When The Shield arrived at Rose & Thorn, they went to one of the lounges first and relaxed with a drink as they checked out the crowds. It was earlier than they would usually go, since Hunter had them signed up for an early flight the next day, so the club wasn't too busy yet. That also meant Seth was able to position himself in a spot where he could see out the lounge's entrance to the main desk, so he knew exactly when Becky arrived. "I'll be right back," he told his Shield brothers. "I think I recognize that girl at the counter."

Roman rolled his eyes. "Remember the club rules, bro. Privacy."

"I know," Seth replied. "I meant I think she's in NXT. The new girl? The Irish one?" It was a gamble—Becky might appeal to Dean, and Seth didn't particularly want to share—but Seth thought if he went for a 'hiding in plain sight' approach, they might not suspect anything at all. "She might not know how Rose & Thorn works, so we could give her some tips. Do they have any branches in Ireland?"

Roman shrugged. "Dublin, maybe? I don't know. I've never been."

"It's not like we're seeing anyone interesting yet," Dean pointed out. "Go ahead. Bring her over. We should tell her to avoid that one weird actor guy who always ends up on the ninth floor. That one who always wears leg warmers even though we're in fucking Florida?"

Seth hadn't noticed the man in question, but he nodded anyway. He was sure Becky could handle a few minutes of conversation with Roman and Dean, and then if she got their numbers, it would be less suspicious if anyone at NXT saw the entries in their contacts. "Sure. I'll be right back."

This hadn't been part of his plan or the message he had left for Becky. He had already rented a room before he and Roman and Dean arrived, and had told the desk clerk to give Becky access to it. Now he just had to hope the temporary diversion would work. Peeling himself away from Becky, though, was going to be difficult. Making sure his back was to Roman and Dean, Seth kept his voice low. "Hey. Don't worry: I'm not angling for a four-way with Dean and Roman."

Maybe it was a trick of the lighting as they moved away from the main desk to give the next client some privacy, but Seth almost thought there was a glimmer of disappointment in Becky's eyes. "So what's the plan then? Are you telling them... about us?"