#will kroos

In theory, it felt good to be back in the ring after a year away. Alyssa Stevely had always known that, just like her elder brother, the ring was where she belonged. Over the past year, she had allowed herself to fall into the trap of thinking that her partners career was the only one that mattered, mostly due to the meteoric rise of the prestigious one into a world-wide phenomenon, but the breakup had been messy and made Alyssa realize everything she had given up. One plane ride back to her home country later, and everything was going to be right as rain.

Well, everything was 𝑠𝑢𝑝𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑒𝑑 to be right as rain.

It wasn't Alyssa leaving the independent scene that had the majority of the gym she found herself in side-eyeing her as if she were an enemy in a foreign land, that was all due to how she had split from one of the members of the gym's training team. Gene Munny, who was currently standing in the ring, was beloved in the British independent scene and had been heartbroken when Alyssa left to pursue the relationship that had led her to the States. She wasn't surprised by the icy glare in his blue eyes as she approached the training ring, even if she hated it, "Your back."

The words were pointed, devoid of Gene's usual mirth. Alyssa knew she deserved it, muttering as she pushed a loose strand of her blonde hair behind her ear, "I…I know I broke your heart, but…but I needed somewhere to train and-"

"So you chose here after things with Joey didn't turn out," Gene rolled his eyes as he leaned against the yellow ring ropes, "Forget about it."

"Gene, that ain't the way we work here and you know it," the larger man next to Gene in the ring spoke. Alyssa couldn't help but smile at the other's presence. Maybe it was his shoulder length mullet or the easy grin that crossed his lips. He seemed to have an ease about him that reminded Alyssa of the man he stood next to.

"Who's this, Gene?" Alyssa questioned with a half-smile, "Seems smart."

"Kroos, ma'am! Will Kroos," the portly man gave a crooked grin, bringing his fingertips up to his head and giving a small salute, "Mr. Munny has been working with me for a bit! I've heard all about you, Miss Stevely, Gene won't shut up about ya!"

"Oi!" Gene protested with an elbow to Will's ribs, "Don't be telling her everything! She's a traitor!"

"A traitor, Genie?" Alyssa climbed onto the ring apron so that she could stand toe-to-toe with the man that a part of her still loved. Gene had always been good to her, doting and sweet. It hadn't been until she had been with someone less attentive that she realized just how good she had it. "You really think I'm a traitor?"

"She don't look like a traitor t' me, Gene," Will goaded Gene just as much as Alyssa found herself urging the man who called himself the damned dirty dog to reconsider, "Matter of fact, she looks pretty sorry. Right, Miss Lyss?"

"Definitely sorry," Alyssa was sincere as she put one of her hands on Gene's, gently squeezing it, "I shouldn't have left the way I did. I…I shouldn't have left at all, if I'm being honest with myself. You never deserved any of that."

Gene sighed, placing his free hand over the top of hers. There was the tenderness that she had missed since she left, the kindness and warmth that had helped make Gene such a lovable part of any roster he decided to work with. "Getting you two together is going to be hazardous to my health, innit?"

Alyssa climbed into the ring, where Will wrapped one of his meaty arms around her shoulders. His energy, his enthusiasm, was infectious. She knew how much she already owed to the young man who was sticking up for her. She leaned into her half embrace, blowing a kiss to Gene, "You can pretend all ya want, Genie Pooh. You know you love us."