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IRL!

(Wednesday, August 10th, 2022)

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"We finally doing that one we've been talking about for months?" I smirk at Damian as we walk into my tattoo shop. I found this gem when I moved here years ago, and I've been coming to it ever since.

Damian nods with a huge grin on his face.

I rub my hands together, I've been waiting for the moment for this to work out for us, and can't think of a more perfect time.

"Hey, Briar." I happily greet my tattoo girl as we enter the shop.

She glances up from her phone, immediately untangling herself from the couch in their sitting area.

"Crim!" She exclaims, and if she was anyone else, other than Denni, Rhea, or Day, I would've back all the way up as she engulfs me in a hug. "Oh, it's been ages, girl how are you?"

Briar and I met when I was first signed with the performance center, the day of, actually. I busted my ass living pay check to pay check, and each one I saved a tiny chunk of it for a tat. I had a couple before that one, done for free and definitely not done professionally, but hey, tattoos tell a story, right?

Thankfully I found this tattoo shop that her and her dad had opened together. I wanted to find a good, high quality one I could start using regularly and when I met Briar I instantly knew this was it. We hit it off immediately.

She slowly leans back before smacking my arm.

"Wha-ow!" I shout, looking at her in betrayal.

"That's for not telling me about your SummerSlam debut!" She says very seriously.

Damian chuckles beside me. "She didn't tell any of us, don't worry."

Briar's eyes move from me to Damian back to me. "You didn't even tell him." She points to Day. "I'm shocked."

"I had to keep it a secret." I turn to shoot Damian a glare. "And I wanted it to be a surprise." I push into his chest playfully.

"How are you?" He looks to B, swinging his arm over me. "Keeping this one in line here in Florida?" He chuckles.

When I brought Damian here with me the first time a few years ago to get one of our watching tattoos Briar about died on the spot. She did our matching bow and arrow dripping with blood, a tattoo that mixed the both us so beautifully, and it's still by far one of my absolute favorites to this day.

If the wrestling decor on the dark walls of the studio wasn't enough of a giveaway, her and her dad are huge wrestling fans. I've snagged them tickets to shows many times whenever I can a huge thanks, and gift for being a such a good friend over the years. When I debuted on NXT for the first time she blew my phone up, wondering why the hell I didn't tell her I was a wrestler and I laughed my ass off and said I didn't want special treatment here.

"I'm great." She smiles. "Just living life, tattooing along the way. You?"

"Ah life's been great. Better now that this one's on the main roster." Damian smirks down at me.

I beam proudly. "What can I say? I make everyone's life better."

Briar laughs. "Oh, I cannot wait for SmackDown this week girl." With a wink she motions us to follow her back.

Damian and I follow her, arm in arm as I hum in amusement. "I'm not telling you anything, gotta wait and be surprised like everyone else."

She glances over her shoulder with a pout. "But I'm not supposed to be just like everyone else!"

Damian and I laugh at her antics as she brings us to the counter. Truthfully, I have no idea what's in store for Friday. But I know damn sure I want to assert my dominance on SmackDown and make one thing clear... Friday Night's are my nights now. Liv and Rhonda will no longer have peace, neither will the women's division now that I'm here. A smirk graces my lips as my brain buzzes with all sorts of ideas and motivation of the chaos I could cause on Friday...

"So what're we thinking for today?" Briar pulls me out of my thoughts before they can spiral any further.

Damian and I glance at each other with matching grins.

"A scorpion." I reveal to her excitedly and her eyes light up.

"Ohhhh, this is going to be fun!" She rubs her hands together, grabbing her binder. "What made you two decide to that?" She asks curiously, flipping through the pages as she glances between us.

I nod to Damian, letting him take this one.

"We've been talking about it for a while.Scorpions mean protection, psychopaths, risk, danger, solitude, everything CK and I represent and bring out of each other." He squeezes my arm, rocking us as he does.

"Cool, huh?" I smirk at Briar's shining eyes. She loves doing fun and meaningful tats. And I'm her favorite client... not to be biased or anything. "We haven't had the chance to do it since we talked about, but today felt like the perfect time."

"And it's about time you came to me. I saw you cheated on me last week with another artist." Briar wipes a fake tear and I scoff playfully at her dramatics.

It's a wonder how her and Denni hit it off so well...

"Hey, it was Rhea's idea!" I hold my hand up in defense.

"So I told her it was only fair we go too." Damian chimes in.

"Mmm, I'll think about forgiving you." Briar hums with a devious smirk. "Okay, I have a few options here or you can show a reference photo if you have one." She explains, diving into business mode. "C, I'll take you and we can have some catch up time." She raises her brows up and down.

"Perfect." I nod. I know we've messaged back and forth, or at least sent each other funny posts on TikTok and Instagram, but I haven't been by in quite a while and we haven't been out for lunch or anything in so long. I know I'm incredibly busy, and she knows and totally understands of course, but when she's one of the only few people's presence I actually enjoy... I like to make an effort when I can.

"Do you like this one?" Damian has moved over to the binder, looking over the options.

I step up behind him, peeking over his arm to look at which one he's pointing to— perfect.

"That's the one."

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Damian went with one of the other girls, Carmen, and I shut my eyes peacefully as Briar begins sketching the design on my arm.

I know it's crazy, but, I love getting tattoos. The pain is exhilarating, and at this point after so many, and wrestling for a living... it feels more like a pinch or a tickle than anything. Tattoo's, needles... are nothing. Nothing compared to—

"So, how have you really been, C?" Briar asks, giving me her you better not bullshit me look, and I'm grateful for the interruption of my thoughts.

"Good." I exhale deeply. "Really good actually." A genuine smile graces my lips smally. "These past few months off tv have been agonizing, but the wait was well worth it." My toes curl in my shoes. "I've been practically living at the performance center, training, working, planning... but now I feel like I can finally breathe." I just hope I can capitalize on this moment. I don't want it to be like other times where wrestlers were built up so much and then nothing happens with them... the crowd doesn't latch on to you, it just doesn't work how you were hoping for.

No. This is going to be different, it will be. I can feel it. I know it. And I've come all this way. I won't be on for a couple weeks and then fade into the background backstage, where all of my momentum dies out. This is a whole new level to step up to, and I gladly will. Seems dramatic, but this is the moment in my career, maybe the most important one. And I will not let it all be for nothing. I want to be on top and run Friday night, or nothing. You might as well kill me and bury me under the ring right there.

"And you deserve to." Briar squeezes my arm gently as she finishes up the last few details from what I can see. "Don't you forget it."

"I won't." I wave her off.

"I mean it, Crimson Kae." She points her finger at me and I bite back a laugh, holding my hands up.

"Yes ma'am."

"I know how you are, and how you get. Busy, obsessive, bury yourself in your work." Her tongue pokes out of the side of her moth as she concentrates.

"Like someone else I know..." I say, earning a whack in the head with her towel. "Hey!"

"I just saying, it's okay to take breaks, breathe, relax. Even in doing something you love." She continues, wiping her gloves on the towel she just whacked me with. "Someone I know taught me that, and I'm still trying to live by it day by day, I think she needs to be reminded she should to." She finishes with a satisfied smile, and I just know she's so proud of herself for coming up with all that.

She's right... Briar always is.

"Thank you." I give in. "Getting to spend these past couple weeks with Rhea and Damian has really helped." I know a lot don't, but I love behind on the road. Traveling week to week is where I thrive, and getting to be with them again, even if they're on Raw and I'm on SmackDown, is all I need. Denni getting to go on the road with us too, it's going to be perfect.

It's going to be a dream. It is a dream. To live a life like this. And it's all mine.

I just hope I don't end up waking up to a nightmare...

"Okay, nowww..." Briar dust her hands off, reaching for the hand mirror for me to check the design and placement. "You better spill everything about what the hell that was on Friday with you and Roman Reigns!" She exclaims.

"Ugh." I groan, throwing my head back. If I never have to hear his name again... I really will be living the dream.

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𝟶ʙᴜᴛᴛᴇʀʙɪsᴄᴜɪᴛ𝟽sᴘᴇᴀᴋs!

Hey, heyyy... Welcome back to Crimson Ustulationnn!! And HAPPY MONJEY NIGHT MAMIIII!!!

I was gonna update on Friday lmao, but it was notttt ready to publish lmao & then I fell asleep after SmackDown, so that did not work out lmao, but we made it for Raw!! Haha.

Also, this is a very special chapter... as y'all got to meet Brairrr!! This is not just any character tho,
this is to pay tribute to my bestie ripleysversion_

I've been trying to think of a way I could give a shoutout/nod in this book & didn't think I was going to be able to... buttt the opportunity presented itself bc ofc Crimson is going to have her go to tattoo artist & I was very excited to have some fun with this character & give a little shoutout in the process!! :)

Well, I hope y'all enjoyed this chappp!! I know there haven't been many wrestling chapters so far... buttt no worries bc they are DEF coming!! I've been having so much fun with these chaps of Crimson having fun with Damian & Rhea & wanted to show y'all their friendship before we really dive into the chaos that wrestling will bring lol. So thank y'all for sticking around & I hope y'all have been enjoying these fun chaps as much as I have writing them!!

ANDDD WE HIT 7K+ READSSS, WOWWW, THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH!!! <33333

Also hope y'all enjoyed the next matching tattoo for Crimson & Damian!! I thought scorpions had such perfect meaning for them & their friendship!! Idk why it just popped in my head & I was like you know what, hell yeah bahaha.

Anywayssss, sorry for all my yapping lmao, UNTIL NEXT TIMEEE, mwah!!