Post by Aurora Graves on Dec 4, 2016 19:10:45 GMT -5
Galleria Dallas Shopping Mall
Dallas, TX
Friday, December 2, 2016
In the heart of the mall, a massive ice skating rink dominated the ground floor. And in the center of the ice, a gargantuan Christmas tree stretched all the way to the top of the three-story shopping center, with a glittering white star nearly scraping the glass panes in the ceiling. Aurora sat on a bench just outside of the entrance to the ice, tightening the laces on her skates as she scoured the crowd of skaters making their way through.
Aurora: Goddamn it, Damon! Where the fuck are you?
She craned her neck, trying to see beyond the seemingly endless sea of humanity, until she spotted the all-too-familiar sculpted pompadour of her husband peeking up in the distance. She couldn’t see his face – there were too many people in the way – but she watched as his head darted from one side of the crowd to the other as he made his way through. Finally, Damon made his way to the bench where she was sitting, letting out an exhausted sigh as he collapsed beside her, a pair of black ice skates in his hand.
Damon: PHEW! For a minute, I thought I was gonna get trampled by a bunch of women in mom jeans!
Aurora giggled softly as she set a hand down on his thigh, tapping her fingers against his black jeans.
Aurora: Come on, Puddin’. I figured you’d be used to being mobbed by women....
Damon: And if I was single, I sure as hell wouldn’t be complaining. But now, it’s different. They can mob me all they want, but no matter what... I’ve only got eyes for you. After all, I let you talk me into this shit...
Damon gestured with his head toward the rink, with its steady flow of skaters making their way around the giant Christmas tree.
Damon: I think it only fair to warn you... I haven’t put on a pair of skates since I was... I think maybe nine years old.
Aurora: When I was little, my grandmother would take me to see Disney on Ice. Daddy had hoped it would lure me away from the desire to watch wrestling with my brothers, but...
Damon: He thought wrong.
Aurora: It became another thing I did on the side. I took a few lessons, but I never got beyond the basics. You know – how to not fall on your ass when you’ve basically got knives strapped to the bottoms of your shoes. I can skate forward and backward, but all of that fancy jumping and shit... forget about it!
Damon: So then, why bring me out here?
Aurora: Because it’s something different. It’s fun, and depending on how long we’re on the ice, it’ll be great for the legs.
Damon: Hardly the same as hitting the gym on leg day....
Aurora: Still beats the hell out of the treadmill. Now come on; get your skates on and let’s get out there!
Damon rolled his eyes as he kicked off his shoes and slipped his feet into the black leather skates. As he pulled on the laces, he grimaced as the edge of the skate dug into his ankle.
Damon: Damn... gotta wonder how those Olympic skaters were able to pull off all those fancy moves with these things.
Aurora: You get used to it after a while. Pretty soon, you won’t even notice the digging. Or the blood-soaked socks.
Damon paused as he looked up from tying his skates, his eyes wide with shock as he turned to his wife. Aurora just flashed a sly grin in his direction, twitching her eyebrow as if to say “Gotcha!” He scoffed, shaking his head before turning his attention back to his laces.
Damon: You almost had me there, Harley.
Aurora: Hmmm... according to the ring on your left hand, I DO have you.
He reached over to touch the diamond tattoo on Aurora’s left hand, smiling as he looked at his own left hand. There, hidden in the image of a woman’s face painted as a calavera, was a diamond; located not that far from the spot where Aurora’s tattoo sat.
Damon: I always knew we were kindred spirits... Even when I looked into your eyes and saw nothing but contempt.
Aurora: And yet you still took the risk, and for that, I’m glad.
Damon: Hey, some things in life are worth the risk... you were – no, you ARE – one of those things.
He stood up, holding out his hand, even as he wobbled precariously on the blades of his skates. Aurora took hold of his hand, smiling as she stood up.
Damon: Hell, I’m willing to take the risk of going out onto that ice and making a complete ass of myself!
Aurora: Well in that case... shall we?
Husband and wife stepped through the entrance of the rink and out onto the ice. Damon warily let go of the wall, gliding slowly out into the open, his wife following a few feet behind him. He watched with a smile as Aurora effortlessly circled around him, her sapphire blue eyes staring into his own as she smiled.
Damon: How hard can it be?
He pushed off in an attempt to catch up to Aurora, only to lose his footing.
Damon: Whoa, whoa... WHOA!!!!
Damon’s feet slipped out from underneath him, causing him to land flat on his ass at the feet of his wife. Aurora looked down at him with a sympathetic smile, but inside, she was trying desperately not to laugh as she offered a hand to help him to his feet.
Aurora: Well, I did fall pretty hard for you. I suppose it’s about time you returned the favor.
Damon said nothing, narrowing his eyes as he growled softly, brushing the ice shavings off of the seat of his pants.
Damon: Very funny. Next time, I get to pick what we do on Date Night!
Aurora: Fair enough, Puddin’. Now let’s go!
Aurora grabbed Damon’s hand, and despite the slight wobble in Damon’s feet, they skated off, blending into the flow of skaters as they made their way around the Christmas tree.
Aurora and Damon’s Hotel Room
Dallas, TX
Saturday, December 3, 2016
Aurora stood beside the window, looking out through the sheer black curtains down to the street below. Tiny drops of rain danced against the glass, rolling down into a narrow trickle of water that spilled over the edge of the window sill. She traced the trail of one drop of rain down to the bottom edge of the window, a long, low squeaking noise overlapping the sound of pattering rain.
Aurora: I bet you think you’re real cute, don’t you, Daisy? “Oh, we’ll be totally professional and call this match right down the middle.”
Aurora rolled her eyes so far back into her head that for a moment, only the whites of her eyes were visible. A disgusted groan forced its way from her throat as she flopped down into a nearby armchair. She leaned her head back, slowly shaking it as she stared at the ceiling.
Aurora: Yeah... that little performance you and your husband gave would only count as “professional” if you two were filming a porno! I mean, how bad to you have to be to have a pair of 20-somethings call you out for acting like a pair of hormonally charged dogs in heat when you’re 30 fucking years old!?
Oh, who am I kidding? Like you’d ever listen to a damn word I say, except for all of the immature subtweeting you do, when you say “Oh, we’re just having fun!” There’s a time and a place for all of that shit, and when you’re supposed to be calling a match, it’s NOT the time to be playing tonsil hockey with that Poindexter you call a husband!
She stood up again, walking across the room toward a desk, where her laptop sat open, an image of Daisy’s husband RC Tucker on the screen; he was beaten, drenched in sweat, and looking completely dumbfounded.
Aurora: You know, I can’t tell you how good it felt to stand there in the middle of the ring and stare down at him, with that stupid look on his face that he always has, only this time it was mixed with “what the hell just happened?” Well, I’ll tell you what the fuck happened. I kicked his ass! Right now, if you two aren’t feeling each other up to keep up appearances, you’re keeping a death grip on those belts. Maybe now, you two realize that your days as the Redemption Tag Team Champions are gradually coming to a close. You say you’re getting ready, but in truth, you’re dreading Winter Solstice. Though if you ask me, December 18 can’t come soon enough.
Aurora rubbed her hands together, then stared down at her open palms.
Aurora: But before my husband and I take those championships that you and RC have been white-knuckling, you and I will face off for the first time in singles competition, and I can’t wait to wrap my hands around your scrawny little pencil neck and squeeze until your face turns blue, and you’re scratching, clawing, doing anything you possibly can to try and break free...
Meanwhile, Poindexter will be watching the whole thing... completely powerless to do anything about it.
A wicked grin stretched across her face as she looked up, her eyes gleaming with glee.
Aurora: Oh, I can’t wait until this Sunday! I get to start the night watching my husband wipe the floor with that nerdy little sweatstain you share a bed with, and then, while your so-called “Perfect Chaos” sits in the back licking his wounds, I get to kick your carrot-headed ass from pillar to post!
You think it’s all fun and games, but by the time I’m finished choking you with your own hair, the only one laughing will be ME! I will be laughing when I’m staring down at you with the referee raising MY hand. I will be laughing when they scrape your pathetic little carcass off the canvas. I will be laughing when you’re carted out of the arena on your back. But the sound you hear will be just a whisper compared to the deafening sound of your ultimate defeat as Damon and I go on to bring those championships home where they belong... around the waists of Rebel Ink!
She made a motion with her hands in front of her waist, as if visualizing one of the Redemption Tag Team Championship belts wrapped around it.
Aurora: Up until now, I’ve played relatively nice with a lot of the other people I’ve stepped into the ring with. But you? No; you don’t get the same courtesy. The other people in Redemption have at least garnered some amount of respect from me, but when it comes to you, I can’t bring myself to respect someone that openly makes a mockery of the sport I’ve loved since before I could even see over the ring apron.
This Sunday marks the final countdown for you, your husband, and the Redemption Tag Team Championships. Pretty soon, you’ll be waving goodbye to your titles as Damon and I right a wrong that has gone on for FAR too long. But on the bright side, you two can go right back to planning your future – whatever’s left of it.
The door to the hotel room opened, and Damon stepped into the room with a Wendy’s bag in his hand. Aurora looked at him, licking her lips as she contemplated the contents of the bag.
Damon: Lunch is served, Harley! And I brought you a little something special...
He reached into the bag, pulling out a taco salad. Steam from the chili clouded what would otherwise have been a clear plastic lid, and as Damon handed his bride her food, she lifted the lid, revealing the usual toppings one would find on a taco salad, along with a healthy dusting of shredded carrots. She squealed with delight as she pulled a fork and a cup filled with salsa, pouring the salsa all over the salad.
Aurora: Oh, Puddin’... you’re far too good to me. I’m SOOOOO going to enjoy this....
Damon: You know me, Harley... I do aim to please.
Aurora: And you do an amazing job, at that.
She giggled softly as she took her fork and jabbed it deep into the heart of the salad to take her first bite.
