Post by Aurora Graves on Oct 29, 2017 15:59:24 GMT -5
The Godfrey Hotel
Chicago, IL
Saturday, October 28, 2017
Damon and Aurora Graves sat at a table at a rooftop lounge, digging into some delicious prime beef sliders as the ambient noise of the city below filled the air. In an effort to make conversation, Aurora cleared her throat to get her husband’s attention.
Aurora: So...
The tattooed bombshell stared across the dinner table from her husband, biting her bottom lip as she picked up of one of her sliders.
Damon: So, what?
He picked up one of his sliders, bringing it up to his mouth and taking a bite. As he began to chew, he glanced up at his wife, his eyebrow arched.
Aurora: I know we don’t know what the gender of Julia’s baby is yet, but...
Damon reached for his glass of water, washing down the food in his mouth before responding to her with a question of his own.
Damon: Aren’t we going with her to her ultrasound appointment on Tuesday? Think maybe we’ll find out the gender then?
Aurora: Fingers crossed that the baby cooperates....
Damon chuckled, nodding his head.
Damon: True enough.
Aurora: Still, we should probably start thinking about names.
She finally took a bite of her food, following the slider with a couple of fries as Damon narrowed his eyes.
Damon: Harley, I think we should hold off on that. I mean, what if we settle on a name, and then the whole adoption deal falls through? What if Julia changes her mind?
Swallowing the chewed food in her mouth, she shook her head, as if to cram such a possibility into the back of her mind.
Aurora: I’d just as soon not think about that. I know it’s a possibility, but that’s only the worst case scenario. It would put us right back at square one, which would suck royally. You know me, Puddin’. I prefer to think positively. I’ve had far too much negativity in my life, and I don’t want to invite any more into it.
Damon pursed his lips, then nodded his head.
Damon: Right. Forget I even said anything, then.
He popped a few fries into his mouth, a curious look in his eyes as he gazed at his wife.
Damon: So, have you had any ideas as far as names go?
Aurora set the slider in her hand down, resting her hands on the table as she looked up at the light fixture hanging overhead, a dreamy smile on her face.
Aurora: Well, before we get into first names, I wanted to run something by you. I wanted to honor my side of the family by including Quinn somewhere in the name.
Damon shrugged his shoulders.
Damon: I guess we could do that. Besides, it’d work for either a boy or a girl.
Aurora: Exactly. So, what do you think of the name Ivy for a girl?
He gave his wife a knowing look, chuckling at the idea. Not because he thought it was a bad idea; it just seemed a little too obvious.
Damon: You would suggest a name like that.
Aurora: Yeah, and?
Damon: I’m just sayin’... that sounds like a name you’d pick. But what if it’s a boy? PLEASE don’t say Harvey!
The look on his face changed into an almost pleading expression as he pressed his hands together as if he was praying.
Aurora: Of course not! Why would I want to name our son after Two-Face?
With a playful smirk on her face, she tossed her napkin across the table. Damon laughed as the white cloth square made contact with his face, then dropped down into his lap.
Damon: Alright, already; geez! It was a joke, Harley!
Aurora: Yeah, you better have been joking...
She smirked again.
Aurora: Besides, I was thinking of doing it a little differently. How about this? If it’s a girl, we pick a name from the DC Universe. If it’s a boy... Marvel. How does that sound?
Aurora tilted her head slightly, smiling as she leaned forward, awaiting his input.
Damon: I guess I could work with that. I guess we’ll see what happens when we get home, right?
She nodded her head in agreement as Damon returned her napkin.
Aurora: Right. But that’s enough domestic talk for now, okay? We’re not at home; we’re in Chicago.
Damon: Yeah, I know. I’ve got that match against Johnny Maverick, and you’ve got that match against...
Aurora: Travis Blake. Might as well enjoy some damn good food before we go to war tomorrow, right?
Damon chuckled as he looked across at his wife.
Damon: War, you say? I thought you and Travis were cool?
Aurora: It’s a figure of speech, Puddin’, but you know me. Doesn’t matter who’s across the ring from me. I always give it everything I’ve got.
Damon: I expect no less from you, and I’m sure he doesn’t either. I know you, Harley... you’ll be great tomorrow night. That’s what you need to focus on.
He paused, clearing his throat.
Damon: What do you say after this, we go back to our room and re-watch the last Dissension?
Aurora nodded in agreement.
Aurora: Sounds like a plan to me. But first, let’s finish our food.
She flashed him a beautiful smile as husband and wife went back to their dinner.
Godfrey Hotel
Chicago, IL
Later that night
Aurora sat alone on the plush purple sofa of her suite, the replay of the handicap match between Rebel Ink and Gray Malone being shown on her laptop. As Rebel Ink’s entrance theme began to play, the former Tag Team Champion closed her laptop and reached for a bottle of beer on the coffee table in front of her. A smug, yet proud smile stretched across her face as she looked up and smiled.
Aurora: I can’t begin to tell you how good it felt to stand beside my husband in that ring and kick the ever-living shit out of Gray Malone! To think that I once considered him to be like a brother... only for him to betray us the way he did....
She scoffed, sneering as she brushed a lock of blonde hair away from her eyes.
Aurora: Well, good riddance to bad rubbish, as they say. With any luck, he’ll never show his worthless ass in an NGW arena ever again. I’m through with wasting my time and my oxygen on trash like him.
Aurora’s expression softened just a little, into the sweet but confident smile more commonly seen on her face.
Aurora: Now, I get to switch from a piece of shit that can’t get anything done unless he’s got someone just as – if not even more sleazy – to do his dirty work for him, to someone I’ve never had a cross word with for as long as I’ve been out of the indies.
And yeah, I’m talking about you, Travis Blake. Out of just about everyone I’ve ever interacted with on Twitter, you’re one of the EXTREMELY rare few that hasn’t pissed me off at some point. Not even my own husband can say he’s a part of that list, and that’s saying something! But then again, you’ve never given me any reason to want to cave in your skull...
She paused, taking a drink from her beer before she closed her eyes and shook her head.
Aurora: But there are a few issues I have with what you said about me. You’ve got it all wrong, Travis. I’m hardly a legend in this business. Yeah, I’ve been wrestling since I was 13 years old, but I didn’t really accomplish anything in my career until I came to NGW over a year ago.
She glanced up toward the ceiling, tapping a finger on her chin. A soft giggle squeaked from her mouth as she continued.
Aurora: Damn... has it really been that long? I guess when you’re doing what you’ve loved since you were a kid, and you’ve actually got a few things to show for it, then you don’t really pay much attention to time. But a legend? Dude, I’m flattered, but you’re way off. You’ve done a hell of a lot more in this business than I have, Travis. And while you might say I’m selling myself short, I’m just stating a fact. But hey, you came barreling into NGW looking for competition, and well...
Ask and you shall receive. If there’s anything you’ve learned about me, it’s that when it comes to this sport, I’ve never half-assed anything, and now that I’m flying solo, I don’t intend to start any time soon. If it’s the type of fight that will have the fans screaming, clamoring for round two from the second the final bell rings that you’re looking for, then I say we get into that ring and blow the fucking roof off the joint! This may not be the main event of the night, but even if we were jerking the curtain, we can show everyone else on the card what a match-of-the-year caliber contest looks like.
But just so we’re clear, I don’t go into any match – regardless of who I’m facing – with the attitude that I’m going to lose. And while I’m sure you’re coming into this match with the same attitude – at least, I hope you are – the fact is that one of us is going to walk away from this match with an L on their record. My only objective is to make sure that person isn’t me.
But yeah... I guess I’ll see you in the ring soon enough. At least I know you won’t disappoint me.
She laughed, then finished off the remaining beer in the bottle.
Aurora: Okay... that could be taken the wrong way. But seriously, good luck, Travis. You’ve seen what I can do as a tag team wrestler, but when it comes to being by myself, you ain’t seen a damn thing yet!
Aurora got up from the sofa, stepping through the doorway that led into the bedroom. As she stepped in, the sound of the shower running in the bathroom suddenly stopped. She opened the door, revealing her husband Damon, who had barely had enough time to wrap a towel around his waist. Aurora giggled, then glanced over her shoulder, winking before shutting the bedroom door.
