The rain thumped down hard against the hood and the windows alike, it was unrelenting right now. Sami let out a soft laugh at the sight of his coffee being thieved, “Nice, is it?” He unclipped his seatbelt, settled back in the driver’s seat and reached for his cup of coffee. “Any ideas on how to pass the time? You know, besides stealing my drink…”

        “I heard that you said I was your favorite seamstress.” Val blushed a tiny bit even saying it. Valentina liked to think some of the wrestlers liked her but she never thought she’d be anyone’s favorite. Even now, she didn’t quite believe it to be true. “At least that’s what I heard through the grapevine and all.”

He was irritated to say the least, that was supposed to have been his moment. His one opportunity to prove himself to the company that had so clearly decided to leave him behind. Rami was a patient man, he didn’t force himself into situations to gain a title opportunity yet it seemed as if that patience was being punished. From the result of the Women’s match he should have known really, that his night wasn’t going to work out the way he wanted. After he finally made it backstage and was heading toward the locker room he bumped into Ashley coming from the opposite direction, “Hey,” he sighed, “Can you believe tonight?”

As those thoughts ran through his head, all the ifs, buts and maybes and Sami began to doubt himself. Grim reality reminded him it was all in his head and he pulled away like he’d been stung. He couldn’t meet his eyes and could only stutter out an apology, “I’m - I’m sorry. I’m gonna -” 

“Are you mad with me?” his original question didn’t seem so important in the face of the contempt in Dean’s voice, he’d clearly done something to upset him. What, he didn’t have any clue. “I only asked because everything’s different over on Raw, and I wanted know who was showing you the ropes.” Sami sighed and put his hands on his hips, they’d been comrades on more than one occasion and all he’d hoped was that the vastly different roster was good for him. “All this opportunity is nothing if I can’t win.”

“That’s you, you parade around the place like you think you own it,” Sami paused to rub at the scruff of his beard. “Well, newflash you don’t. Neither do I, hence why I said we shouldn’t.” The thought of Pete dictating what they could and couldn’t do was a terrifying prospect to say the least.

                                                            @dyingbrced┋here

        She had kept her distance from him. Sami was rapidly changing and Valentina couldn’t keep up. She knew he was changing in an effort to better his career... but he was simultaneously alienating himself from everyone else. Everyone else except Kevin who, in truth, Valentina nearly despised. And she hated feeling like that but many harsh words had been thrown at her by the man. It didn't make her want to be around Sami any more than she already wanted to be, now with his new smugness and swagger. But, despite herself, she still cared for him. And she still felt... something. Something that was definitely more than friendship. Rolling her eyes at his words, she took the tape from him. "I don't think I'm some saint." She muttered, taking his hand into hers and starting to properly fix the tape around it better. "And I don't feel like arguing with you either so... please, don't." More soft words, not bringing her eyes to meet his but instead focusing them on the tape.