Afterparty

Afterparty
By: Cath

Randy leaned against the wall outside the cafeteria, skimming through his phone.  A loner by nature, he wasn't too keen on joining the impromptu party that had started up in catering; it always happened after a big show like the Rumble.  The adrenaline still lingered in his system, but nothing like the old days, where a Pay Per View would leave him thrumming, needing the release of a fight or something else.  It was still there, just more balanced.  A show was a show was a show, he supposed.  Still, he found himself restless, trying to put his finger on precisely what he was craving.  Maybe he could cajole a few people out into a real club and have a few drinks.

He'd taken a step into catering when someone blocked his path.  His gaze started at a pair of thick combat boots, up past jeans, to a black t-shirt with two words on it, past messy orange hair and up to a familiar smirking face.  He frowned.  "Hey, Becky."  He cocked his head.  "Nice win tonight."

"Yeah, I know."  She nodded and gave him that smirk again.

Silence lingered and Randy tilted his head.  "Was there something on your mind?"

"You know something, Randy.  I think there is something you can help with.  See, I'm in the mood to blow off a little steam and-"

Randy's relative disinterest in the situation evaporated and he lifted an eyebrow.  "Oh really?"  Maybe this night wouldn't be boring after all.

She held up her hand.  "No, no, no, no, not that.  See, by my count, Nia Jax almost ruined two Royal Rumbles tonight.  And I've had such a great time punching her in the face that I wanna do it a few more times."

"And what does this have to do with me?  Because if you're looking for help with that, let's just say I'm not really in the mood to have management breathing down my ass for laying hands on a lady."

"Rich coming from a man who's RKO'ed every single person who runs this company."  Becky debated for a few minutes, as if having a conversation in her head.  "I'd rather not do this where Tamina or any one of Nia's little pals could interrupt, so what I need is a lure."

"A lure?"  Randy snorted and pointedly looked back down at his phone.  "What, like a Looney Tunes trap with a carrot, a string and a cardboard box?"

"Randy, Randy, Randy," Becky put her fingers on top of his phone and gently pushed it down.  "Come on now, you're a smart lad.  I'm sure you could figure out what could get a girl to want to be alone with a fella like yerself.  It's not like you've got a whole lot else going on right now."

-

Randy sighed.  He really ought to know better than to feel bored.  It took him everything not to glance back down the deserted hall where Becky was waiting.

Hey didn't have to wait long for his quarry to approach.  "Hey, Nia!"

Jax glanced over at him.  "What the hell do you want?"

This really never could go easy.  He bit back another sigh.  "You had a hell of a showing out there tonight.  Both times.  I was impressed."

"Yeah, right, because I just live to impress you.  Get over yourself, Orton."

Randy's nails dug into his palm and he used the pain to distract himself from his irritation.  "No, I'm serious.  Men's Rumbles aren't easy, even for the guys.  Takes a lot of-"

"Balls?"  Nia smirked.  She put her hands on her hips.

"I was going to say 'guts' but yeah."  He smiled at her.  "Like I said, I was impressed... on a lot of levels.  So I was thinking you and I could-"

"Could what, Randy?  Could what?"  Nia crossed her arms.  "Let's face it, guys like you don't come up to women like me, so what the hell is your angle?"

"Hey, it's like the song says, you're not like most girls."

Nia stared at him.  "Is that.... is that really the line you're going with?  That's so original.  I've only heard it a hundred times today on Twitter."

Randy was sorely tempted to walk off, but now his pride had been insulted.  He decided to try for a different tactic; Nia was an asshole, so maybe.... "Look," he snapped.  "I was offering.  I wanted to see if you'd be cool with it, but if you've got your head so far up your ass that you can't appreciate a simple good time, then forget it."

Nia chuckled softly.  "What, so you went from nice guy to dickbag and you're hoping that'll work?"

"Did it?"

Nia gave him a quick appraisal, then shrugged.  "Eh, I've got ten minutes to kill.  Lead the way."

Randy turned on his heel and started down the darkened hallway, rolling his eyes.  They passed several small offices and what looked like a conference room.  They were getting close to an elevator.  Becky had chosen a good spot; he couldn't hear any people in the halls, which meant there would be no cameras.

Nia huffed.  "Seriously, where is this place?  Did you find a-?"

Becky lunged from the shadows with a shout, tackling Nia at the knees.  Jax, caught off guard, had no time to brace herself and hit the wall hard before sagging to the ground, dazed.

Randy walked back down the hall and waited, checking each way to make sure nobody was around.  Despite the brawl, nobody came by.  There were no cameras, there was no security.  Damn, Becky must have scouted this out ahead of time.  He checked the time and started back down the hall.  The hall had gone ominously silent.

Nia was laid out, moving and breathing just enough to convince Randy she wasn't going to croak any time soon.  She had a cut above one eye, but it didn't look too major.  Still, she was going to be feeling that for days.  She was curled in on herself, protecting her ribs.  Wracking gasps shook her body now and again.

Becky was standing on the other side of the hall, grimly triumphant.  She was breathing hard, her hands clenched into fists, looking like a coiled spring.  It was as if she was waiting for Nia to make a move before jumping on her again.

Orton cleared his throat to announce his presence and Becky turned to look at him so sharply, he braced himself to fight her off.  "You happy now?"

"I'll be happy after I get my due at Wrestlemania."  Becky said.  "But I'll settle for this right now."

Glancing at the prone woman, Randy nodded.  "Well, now that that's out of the way-"

"What?"

Randy was struck by a distinct sense of deja vouz, but he'd gone this and he'd never been one to shy away from a challenge.  He smiled.  "Well this whole thing was fun, but I figured maybe we could have a little fun of our own.  Without the third wheel."  He gestured vaguely, if unnecessarily, towards Nia.

"Oh.... oh."  Becky's gaze shifted to the side for a moment.  "Well, see, the thing is Randy, I heard you out there with Nia.  Some of it, I mean.  I heard your A game and I think it's just too much for a woman like me to handle."  Sarcasm dripped from her tone as she reached out, patting him on the arm.  "But you and me, we will always have the Rumble."  She smiled at him again and headed down the hall, leaving Randy alone.

"God damn it," he muttered.  "God damn it, that's what I get for being bored."