Ambrose Steel Hounds

Part 2

Roman Reigns sent a last text message to his mother promising to visit soon on his Samsung S6 before his Treatment Strategies and Ethical Considerations class.

It had only been a day but he couldn't stop thinking about his interaction with Dean. Roman wondered what Dean saw in him. He was just a simple guy with simple aspirations. He lived in a small room in his friend, Mark Hunt's apartment.

He had some money but he wasn't rich by any means. His idea of a good day off consisted of a good workout at the gym and volunteering at a library reading to children.

His professor had assigned them to write their preferred treatment strategy for alcoholism. Roman scribbled some points in his notebook before heading to his next class, Applied Human Growth and Development where his professor had promised last week that there would be a diagnostic test.

To say he wasn't flattered by Dean's interest in him would have been a lie. Roman usually tended to just go through the motions of his life. He had a relationship or two but nothing significant that stood out.

He stared at the test paper in front of him.

Define personality.

Roman clicked on his pen and started to write his answer: Personality is defined as a distinct pattern of behavior, mannerisms, motives, thoughts and emotions that categorise an individual over time and across different situations.

Okay. That had been easy.

Define traits.

Was the whole paper going to be like this? Roman did a quick read through and saw that there were only two questions like that. He scribbled his answer down and proceeded to the third question.

Give three examples of defense mechanisms...

Roman smiled. Finally.

...and define them.

He groaned inwardly.

"Dude, where were you last night? We looked everywhere for you."

Dean rolled his eyes at his lead guitarist, Seth Rollins as he walked into the recording studio, . "Did you check the bathroom?"

"The heck would I do that for?"

"I was only sleeping in there."

Corey Graves who was tuning his rhythm guitar looked up and grinned. "How many bottles did you drink?"

Dean shrugged as he sat down on the red swivel chair in front of the control surface. "I don't know. Three. Four. I lost count after my second."

Jeff Hardy chortled as he strummed his bass absent mindedly. "Dean, I love you like a brother but you need to control your drinking or you'll find yourself in the ER one of these days."

"Nah. That's why I got you boys. Oh wait. I don't." Dean scowled. "Thanks for looking out for me."

"Always a pleasure," Matt Hardy laughed before he randomly hit the cymbals of the DW drums.

"Work on your drumming, Matt. I can't hear myself over your snares."

"I could do that but you're nowhere near to finish writing Solace Of Retribution."

Dean pulled out a paper from his pocket and shook it triumphantly. "Wrong. Wrote the song complete last night." He shoved it back in his pocket when Corey tried to snatch it for him. "Nope. I want to hear the full chords by tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" Jeff whined. "No can do, Deano. We don't have a deadline for this album. We're on a break, remember?"

"Nobody said that the break was indefinite."

"We've been touring our butts off for two years promoting Salvation's Fall, Dean. I think we can afford a couple of months off."

Jeff did have a point. They knew when they released Salvation's Fall that they had to do interviews, photo shoots and a worldwide tour. Salvation's Fall was their first mainstream album after having released three albums targeted towards the underground scene with a cult like following.

There were complaints from some fans that they had sold out but the band knew that they wanted to gain success. It was why they worked hard after all.

"I guess a couple of months would do us good," Dean admitted. "I could use some rest. A couple of beers, maybe some skiing in Switzerland..."

Or he could see Roman again, he qualified. Bring him on a date. At least that was what had crossed his mind when he woke up that morning.

The man was a walking piece of art.

More than anything, he was not fazed by Dean's fame and that was something he appreciated a great deal.

"Uh oh," Corey's voice interrupted his thoughts. "Axl Rose is not with us."

"Call me that again and I swear I will destroy your precious Gibson."

Corey laughed at his threat.

As Roman rode on the bus home, he decided to open his Spotify app to find Dean's band, Steel Hounds. There was a black and white picture of the band in the standing in a line with t-shirts and jeans. One of them wore face paint.

They had over four million monthly listeners.

If they had that many fans, their music must be really good, Roman thought. He scrolled down some more. Their top five popular songs were Absolve My Rapture, Alone in the Asylum, Forsaken, Unseen Comfort and Impaled in Thy Empire.

He decided to listen to Alone in the Asylum.

Dean's voice soon began to play over his headphones. It was deep and smooth and Roman could see why the band had a huge following. Dean was certainly gifted.

The song was a slow rock ballad about being locked up in the asylum he called his life with no escape. Roman found himself wondering if Dean wrote the songs based on his life experiences or did he just imagine being in such situations?

Why can't they see

The person inside of me

That's trying to break free

Cut these chains off me

Don't hold me back

Just let me be me

I am lost

Here I stand

Alone in the asylum

There you are

Looking in

Gloating in silence