20 votes and I'll upload the next chapter.
Wednesday, September 21st, 2022
The air in the Las Vegas ballroom was thick with manufactured hype and the scent of expensive cologne. Roman Reigns stood center stage, flanked by Paul Heyman, the entire atmosphere radiating a dismissive boredom that only the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion could muster.
The press conference for Crown Jewel, positioning Roman against Logan Paul, felt like an unnecessary obstacle course. Roman saw the assignment for what it was: a required distraction.
He was defending the most prestigious prize in the industry against a celebrity with two matches under his belt, yet another attempt by the company to find a challenger worthy of the Tribal Chief outside of the decimated main event scene.
The Usos and Solo Sikoa stood behind him, the impenetrable fortress of The Bloodline. But the fortress had a missing piece.
Roman glanced at the empty space where Y/N, the family's volatile, unpredictable asset, should have been standing.
Roman had beaten them all, true, but Y/N had been the one to land the most recent, painful blow to Logan Paul had hit him with the list before nearly stomping Paul into the mat.
And this past Monday faced AJ Styles and lost.
And now, Y/N was absent. Unaccounted for.
Roman pushed down the irritation. He was The Head of the Table. He performed flawlessly, even when facing an incompetent opponent like Paul.
He finished his monologue, projecting dominance, until the crowd's energy shifted. They weren't reacting to Paul or even to Roman's greatness; they were chanting.
"We Want Y/N! We Want Y/N!"
A subtle, wry smile played on Roman's lips. He took the microphone one last time.
"You want him?" Roman asked the screaming audience, his tone dripping with disdain. "After how you acted tonight, you don't deserve Y/N."
The Bloodline exited the stage, Roman's gaze hard and focused. As soon as they were backstage, out of the cameras' line of sight, the facade cracked.
Roman stopped abruptly, turning to face his cousins. His voice was quiet, dangerously calm.
"Look for Y/N. Call him, text him, email him if you have to. Find him. I want my nephew here this Friday."
Roman strode away, Paul Heyman scurrying behind him, whispering urgent platitudes. The three enforcers of The Bloodline stared at the empty corridor.
Jey looked at Jimmy, his eyebrow knotted in disbelief, the adrenaline from the press conference fading rapidly, replaced by a deep, confusing uncertainty.
"Did you hear him right?" Jey whispered, keeping his voice low, habitually checking to make sure Roman wasn't lurking around a corner.
Jimmy nodded slowly, running a hand over his face. "It sounds like he said... nephew."
"Nah," Jey shook his head fiercely. "It can't be. If he was Roman's nephew, why didn't Roman tell us? Why didn't Y/N tell us?"
"It could," Jimmy countered, his eyes wide with the realization. "Think about it, Uce. Makes sense why Roman's been so... dedicated to keeping him close. Roman's always been nice to Y/N, even when Y/N was pushing the boundaries. More patient than he ever was with us."
YOU ARE READING
Rhea's Web.
FanfictionI hate writing these descriptions. Y/N L/N has had a complicated time in WWE, and it only gets even more complicated as he gets ensnared by Rhea, who wants nothing more than for him to be by her side.
