𝐻𝒾𝓈 𝐻𝑜𝓊𝓃𝒹 𝒪𝒻 𝒥𝓊𝓈𝓉𝒾𝒸𝑒~ 𝑅𝑜𝓂𝒶𝓃 𝑅𝑒𝒾𝑔𝓃𝓈 𝐹𝒶𝓃𝒻𝒾𝒸

CHAPTER 17

7 Months Later

"Hey," Royce smiled at Joe while she walked in the gym. "How are you?"

"Hey," Joe nodded to her. "I'm good, how are you?"

Royce put her hair in a ponytail. "Alright, just tired." She yawned.

"Long night?" He wondered.

She nodded, "Nicole spent the majority of the night arguing with John on the phone."

"Ooh you bunked with Nikki." Joe chuckled. "Brie didn't want her?"

"Brie wanted a little privacy and a getaway from her twin, I can see why now." Royce said, sighing. "Anyways, what's up with you?"

"Nothing much, just busy being papa bear and working out. How about you?" He tied his shoes. "How are you and Neels?"

Royce was a bit taken back that Joe asked about her and Neels, anytime her and Neels' relationship came up, he was almost always silent. "We uh.. We're really good, yeah. He's going to be at Wrestlemania."

"That's nice, Galina and Jojo are going to be there too." He added.

"Awe, Jojo is going to see her dad win the Heavyweight Championship." She smiled at him.

Joe felt himself staring at her and had to force himself to move his eyes away. "Y-yeah, um if I win."

"You will Joe." Royce stated, so sure he would. She walked over to the bar and began doing her pull-ups.

He cleared his throat and went to the bar next to her. "I bet you I can do more than you."

She jumped down and eyed him. "Is that challenge?"

"Yes Presley it is." He flashed his smirk.

"Okay," Royce tighten her ponytail. "On three."

"One... Two... Three!"

The two began competing against each other as Royce was ahead of Joe.

"Stop! That's cheating!" She yelled at him, he tried kicking Royce and pushing her. Royce hopped down and grabbed his water bottle, splashing him with water.

"Royce!" Joe gasped as the cold water hit him. He quickly snatched his bottle and copied her actions.

"Okay okay! We're even." Royce put her hands up in defense.

They both looked at each other and began to laugh, it's been awhile since either of them had a good laugh with one another. To both... It felt, well really great. She missed their friendship, but Joe just missed her.

"I guess we should workout now." Joe dramatically sighed.

Royce bit her lip. "Yeah, we should. You still cheated though."

"I did not." He defended.

"Yes you did and you know it." She said.

Joe put on his headphones. "Sorry what? I can't hear you."

"Jerk." Royce mumbled under her breath.

"I heard that." Joe walked passed her and slightly pushed her to the side.

Royce widely grinned and shook her head. Boy, did she miss him more than she thought.

———

Royce laid on the floor in the gym, exhausted from the intense workout. Her and Paige would be defending the tag team titles at Wrestlemania against Brie and Nicole, neither knew who would win but they'd hope to lose them at Extreme Rules.