Love That Liv's For Eternity

When One Forbidden Door Closes, Another Opens

Seb's POV:
I am awoken by the sound of my alarm clock. As I roll over got shut it off, I check the time. it is currently 4:00 a.m. I roll over and shut my eyes telling myself "I can squeeze in an extra 30 minutes" but right as my mind starts to slowly drift into that soft warm dream space, my alarm goes off again. I typically set multiple alarms like that every 5 minutes to make sure my lazy ass doesn't return to my comfortable slumber. When i get escape the covers or my bed and place my feet onto the floor. To start my day I get my gym clothes on, grab my airpods and head down to the hotel gym. I've been around these people for a few years now, but i still prefer to work out in an empty gym. There's a nice calmness to it. As I finish my last rep on the squat rack, My friend's Jason and Peter come into my vision from the corner of my eye. After I rack the weight, I remove my airpods from my ear. "Told you he'd be here. Early as ever like usual", Jason says to Peter. Jason, Peter and I all came from the same small town in West Texas. Jason is a year older so I met him when I was a freshman and he was a sophomore. Peter was a freshman my junior year but we were the only members of our school's wrestling club. We never actually wrestled. It was more of an appreciation of the craft type group. After we all graduated we stayed in touch and hung out every week. Mondays to watch Raw, Friday's to watch Smackdown, Every PayPerView and big event, we never missed with each other. We got into the business together. "There's the infamous traitor to Paragon", Peter said referring to our old faction name. "Pete it's been 3 years. Are you ever gonna let that go?", I said firing back to him. "Big words coming from a traitor", he continued to joke. "Hey TK thought I'd be a better fit in the BCC. Paragon ran its course.", I replied. We weren't really happy when Tony Khan came to us with the idea of splitting up Paragon. It was what got us to the dance. We also weren't sure how the crowd would react. I wasn't going to take the offer originally but Jason and Peter both thought it would be a good push for me and that I had worked hard enough to earn it. Ever since then we'd had matches against each other. Rivalries, and even a triple threat match to crown a new International Champion, which was how i won my first singles title. The title was vacated due to Orange Cassidy unfortunately gaining an injury. Since then our characters have made up due to me becoming a babyface on the road to winning the world title. I gave Peter a fist bump and a side hug and one to Jason. "Oh no, the AEW World Champion is breaking kayfabe, someone arrest this man!", Jason joked. "Come on dude I'm not MJF. Being in character 24/7 gets exhausting. I don't know how the man does it.", I claimed referring to our coworker. "So what are you guys doing up so early?", I asked. "We wanted to see if you've heard from the boss about your title match tonight. You beating Ospreay?", Jason questioned. "As far as I know I am. He's a New Japan guy. They're not gonna give their main title to a guy who doesn't work for them. Speaking of Maxwell Jacob Friedman, I believe I'm starting a feud with him after this.", I answered. "We heard something about you dropping the title. Guess it was just rumors," Peter informed me. "You guys have nothing to worry about. The Eternal King has this one in the bag. Who knows? Maybe I'll join the United Empire after this match with Ospreay. I am the most successful member of Paragon", I tease. we banter a bit back and forth as I finish my workout and they begin theirs. The conversation follows us to breakfast before we go our separate ways to get ready for the show.

*9 Hours Later

It is around 3 o'clock in the afternoon when I return to my hotel room after a brief visit to my seamstress. Forbidden Door was taking place in Houston, Texas, which is where me and the guys trained and is also where we found the woman who makes our gear. So since the show was local I figured there was no reason for it to be mailed, and decided to drop by and catch up. Typically for PayPerViews and big matches I like to have special gear made inspired by some show or movie. I take the gear out of the box and begin to pack it into my suitcase and give it a good long look. Tonight's gear is based off of the DC comic superhero, Nightwing. It has the blue lines and a mix of mine and Nightwing's logos. As i'm loading my stuff into my suitcase to head to the area, i receive a phone call from the boss himself, Tony Khan. "Hello Sebastian, I wanted to go over some last minute changes to the main event tonight", He says. "Sure thing boss, what's up?", I ask. "We're going to have you drop the title to Ospreay tonight", he replies dropping a bomb on me. My eyes widen and my anger rises. "What? Will doesn't even work for AEW!", I complain. "We know but this is going to be a way for more of our viewers to get introduced to NJPW. It'll also bring more of their viewers to AEW.", he attempts to sell me the idea. "What the hell am I supposed to do after this? I just won the title a month ago. Do I get win it back? This is going to kill my momentum.", I shoot back. "Actually we're going to keep you away from the title picture for a while. We have this amazing idea. After taking some time off, you're going to be Ricky Starks' new manger! You're so skilled on the mic and after that tag team match you guys had last week against The Gunns we think you two are a great pairing!", he exclaims. "A manager?! Tony I've won every title this company has to offer! I've beaten the best of the best! I even put the company on my back when the CM Punk stuff went down two years ago! I was supposed to get married, my girlfriend left me because i cancelled my vacation! You can't do this to me" I argue. "Sorry King, it's all set up and done. We've already informed Will and Ricky about the new direction. See you tonight Champ. Oh and we need to schedule a meeting to renew your contact after the media scrum tonight. It expires tomorrow.", he says "You know what Tony, don't worry about it. I just decided I won't be renewing my contact with AEW", I respond and hang up before he can say anything else. Just like that. After one phone call everything I have worked so hard for is crumbling down in one night. I gave everything to that man, to this COMPANY, and this is what I get for my sacrifices? Is it really back to the indies? I guess we'll just have to get through tonight and see what becomes of it.

*3 Hours Later*
"So you're really out huh? You're really heading back?", says a consoling Jon Moxley to me as we get our gear on before the show. Him and BCC have a match against CHAOS tonight for the trios titles. "Jon I can't take a backseat and be someone's hype man. Not after all I've done. I'm a world champion, I've paid my dues. Don't get me wrong, I like Ricky but after all my achievements, I'm just supposed to be Taz 2.0?", I complain expecting disappointment from my former mentor. "I get it", he replies shocking me. "You do?" He stands up from his chair and walks over to me sitting on the crate to my left. "When I was in WWE, I was doing everything I could to make whatever they gave me work. Eventually after seeing how upset I was, Renee showed me that they would only ever see me as 'Dean Ambrose from The Shield' or 'The Lunatic Fringe', fuck that nickname by the way. I was just going to be the fall guy. They had me facing EC3 out of nowhere then teasing a match with Nia Jax. I wasn't happy and I knew I wasn't being used to my full potential and i wasn't going to if I stayed there. You have so much more to give and to show the world. This isn't where your story ends. Come on. You're MY student. You really think this is how one of us goes out?", He educates me. "But where do I go from here? My friends are here, I like everyone I work with. You and Renee are here. Punk even apologized to me. This is my home.", the words leave my mouth with worry. "Tell you what, I can't make any promises, but Seth and Roman and I keep in touch all the time. They've mentioned how much WWE, and more specifically Triple H is interested in you. They've been trying to poach you since you were a member of the combat club. I can reach out and try to pull some strings. Knowing those two, they got a lot of pull. Maybe we can help get the ball rolling.", he smiles. "you'd really do that?", i look at him. "Of course. You think Renee would be okay with me letting you go back to the indies? We love ya kid but you've had your time crashing on our couch. For now, you go out there, put on one of the best matches of your career against Ospreay and show Tony Khan the mega star he's dropping the ball on like only you can do", He consoles. I thank him and he confides in my more wisdom as we converse before the show starts and he leaves for his match.

*Later On In The Show*

I struggle but am able to get back to my feet. I just kicked out of Ospreay's Stormbreaker. we've been going at it for 45 minutes in a match with a hour time limit. Something's gotta give and I know it has to be me. Will tries to hit an Oscutter to finish it but I catch him. My heart is pounding in my ears and I adjust him into an inverted fireman's carry. Lift him up and drop him with a knee to the back of his head on the way down landing. "Killshot! Drake lands a Killshot on Ospreay!", shouts Taz from the commentary desk. "Ospreay is out on his knees!", Jim Ross replies. I remove my elbow pad, grab my arm "Bankai!", I charge in to land it but then some thing comes from the corner of my eyes. It's MJF, he's got someone distracting the ref before he nails me in the face with his Dynamite Diamond Ring. To follow up, Will hits me with the hidden blade and covers me

"1.....2.....3! ring the bell!"

And just like that, my AEW world championship reign, along with my career in AEW has come to an end. After Will gets his response from the crowd, what he does surprised me. He helps me up and shakes my hand and in my ear he says, "they're not cheering for me bruv. It's all you. I wish things didn't have to be this way, Good Luck in what you do next." He raises my arm, bows to me and leaves with his newly won title. I look around and take in everything in my field of view. The AEW ring, lights, ramp and most importantly, the fans. They've backed me since day 1. This is my home, and i'm saying goodbye.
While the media scrum goes on, I take the opportunity to say goodbye to my friends in the company. Anna Jay gives me a hug and says "Be careful, stay in touch" Darby shakes my hand and pulls me in for a bro hug and whispers to me, "Go give them hell, Don't be a stranger" I bid farewell to everyone else then grab my suitcase and walk away. I pass Jon and the rest of BCC on the way out the door. No words were exchanged. Just a nod, but their one act spoke a thousand words. I get back to my hotel room, i ice my wounds and lay on my bed processing the events of tonight. I get ready for bed before I received before the phone call that would change my life....