Play It Cool

I just couldn't help myself. After watching the 3 UpUpDownDown episodes with Shinsuke and Asuka, I had to write my take on it into my series. Honestly why WWE doesn't put Shinsuke and Asuka together as a team is beyond me. Anyways if you want to watch those episodes, here they are in the order they were posted: https://youtu.be/gWWpHl6WuEA
https://youtu.be/thpbvo5-uN0
https://youtu.be/beAtUX8cEYw

Words in italics = thoughts
Words in Bold = Emphasis on words
Quotes in regular text = spoken Japanese
Quotes in italic text = spoken English

Translation notes (in case it wasn't already obvious): Wate - In Kansai-ben or Asuka's Osaka dialect this means "I". Shinsuke on the other hand says "Watashi" in his "regular Japanese". Wate and Watashi mean the same though.
Nee - "Older sister"

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Asuka and Shinsuke were sitting together in catering before a house show. Usually, they sat amongst groups so that people didn't start becoming suspicious but currently there weren't too many others in the vicinity for them to really care. So they decided to try and blend into the background. So far it seemed to be working.

"I've been giving it some thought," Shinsuke started after finishing off a bite of his sandwich.

Asuka blinked in confusion as she stabbed at her salad. "Thought about what?"

"About when we go to the beach," he replied. "I didn't just want you to sit on the beach while Sin Cara and I had all the fun in the water, so we put our heads together and thought that maybe teaching you to boogie board would be a much safer alternative to surfing."

She chewed her food thoughtfully, considering his offer. Part of her wanted to enjoy the ocean, not just be someone to be coddled or to sit on the beach like a piece of eye candy. But another part of her worried about a repeat of last time, even if it was unlikely for lightning to strike twice.

"That is, of course...if you're comfortable with that," Shinsuke added rapidly, taking her silence as a negative towards that idea. "I mean you could paddle board or do whatever you like."

"You're cute when you ramble." She laughed at the contrast between the flush of his cheeks and his expression of mild irritation. "I agree to try it."

His face shifted to complete seriousness. "Are you sure?"

Asuka's eyes met his, drinking in the depths of earnest swirling within his gaze. She became more certain of her answer. "Even if I can't trust myself, I know I can trust you."

One of Shinsuke's rare smiles of unbridled fondness graced his lips and her heart began to race in response. "You honor me," he said.

Their hands seemed to move in unison, fingers inching closer and closer to each from other across the table.

"Shin! Asuka!" called a boisterous voice.

In tandem, their hands darted away from their intended goal to instead rest safely in their respective laps, just in time to keep Xavier Woods from seeing their secret moment of intimacy.

"Hi~" she greeted the other man with an enthusiastic wave.

Shinsuke gave a more subdued "Hey."

Xavier pulled up a chair to sit at the end of their table. "Good thing I found you two together!"

"Why is that?" her boyfriend asked, sounding mildly on edge.