Orange Stardust

Dean paced back and forth, keeping his hand wrapped firmly around the title belt he worked so hard to keep. His jaw clenched, muscles aching, stomach starving for something more than just a power bar, and his fingers shaking were all signs of a successful match.

He couldn't stand still. There was too much on his mind. Too many thoughts and unspoken words that raced around the spirals within his brain and forced him to ignore the urge to drown them out by sitting at the bottom of a swimming pool for hours.

Not even the nuisance of co-workers hounding him for photos and hugs could erase the never-ending trail of thoughts.

It took nearly an hour for the swarm the SmackDown roster to dissipate, leaving Dean with his retained championship alone in the hallway of the Verizon Center in Washington D.C.. His interview, done, was the last thing he needed to finish before safely retreating to his hotel for a night's rest.

Thankfully, with the split brands, Dean didn't have to rush to RAW the next day meaning he could rest even longer than usual. It probably wouldn't do much, considering his body had fallen victim to the routine of sleeping for four hours and working for twenty. He was prepared to do nothing by lay awake in his uncomfortable hotel bed and stare at the bland ceiling above him.

Taking his time leaving the arena was more appealing.

The air was thick with heat lingering from the night's matches. He could still feel the vibrations of the arena pulsing through his body as the referee counted to three and the bell rang, signaling his victory. Everything went black until he turned around and saw her.

Orange hair - an odd color, but she wore it so damn well. Black outfit - he didn't know if it was a dress or pant suit, but he didn't care. That bright smile - it melted his tough exterior right down into a puddle of confusion.

He couldn't stop staring. It took everything inside of him to refrain from grabbing her onscreen, in front of millions of people. He had to give her mindless glances while celebrating with less controversial roster members to hide his affections.

However, even as he was hoisted onto the Uso's shoulders in the middle of the ring with his title displayed for everyone, the only thing on his mind was her.

Her laugh. Her smile. Her eyes. Hell, her crazy hair.

Everything. A haze of orange stardust.

"I don't know if you could hear me out there," a familiar voice sounded from behind him, "but, you did fucking great. You stole the show, nonetheless."

Dean spun so quickly on his heels that his heavy belt almost slid off of his shoulder. Of course, it was her. What else could he expect?

"I heard you," he muttered quietly with a calm smile. "You didn't do so bad yourself against Nattie."

Becky chuckled and shook her head. "Oh, please. She kicked my ass and did it with grace. I'm lucky I didn't die after the nine minutes were up."

"Nine is nothing. Try eighteen."

Both shook their heads and stared at each other for a silent moment. They didn't know each other as well as they wanted to, having never crossed paths for longer than a handful of seconds at a time. Tonight was the first time they had a real conversation that didn't involve Enzo Amore or Roman Reigns or any other co-worker who didn't see the flirtatious tension between them and jumped in, wanted to add their two cents.

Becky tugged a thick strand of hair behind her ear and licked her bottom lip. "So, we're both on SmackDown now."

A dimple formed as Dean's lips thinned into a smile. "So I've heard. Looks like the company saw something in common between us that they liked."

Something between them? They were complete opposites. She gave up every bad impulse to better herself for the company whereas he dove headfirst into every bad temptation, making him a star. His simple appearance - dark sandy hair that frames his chiseled face and baby blue eyes - contrasted her vibrant looks.

She returned his smile and felt her insides burn. She'd had her fair share of locker-room romances throughout her time in the wrestling business, but nobody ever looked at her the way Dean was looking at her in that very moment. It was as if he couldn't remove his eyes from her for one second without seeing her would risk him forgetting her appearance.

She didn't mind, of course. Who wouldn't want someone so charming staring him or her down with sensual and primal eyes?

"Does that mean I'm gonna see more of you?" Becky asked innocently, unaware that her eyelashes were batting carelessly.

Dean's teeth grinded together and he silently gulped. Her Irish accent flowed seamlessly through the air and into his brain. Every time they spoke, it did the same thing - and it never left. It simply grew each time another word or phrase slipped through her lips and Dean loved it. He couldn't get enough of it.

The heat between them was suddenly so hot that Dean could feel his skin burning with every breath they took. "I'd love to see more of you."

His words caused Becky's cheeks to grow rosy as she caught his subtle innuendo with open arms. "I'll see you around then, I guess."

"I guess you will," he replied with his smile fading into awe. She was beautiful, even when she wasn't trying.

They were so close that it would take barely a single step for Dean to wrap himself around her and indulge in a passionate kiss, but he stood still. All he could hear was the word boundaries being shouted repeatedly at him by his conscious.

Becky nodded and turned to leave without giving another glance, too afraid to check behind her and see whether he was still watching her. He was, of course, not wanting to miss every step she took. Something in her walk was intoxicating. The way her hair bounced as her feet pranced along the cement flooring and how her legs carried her smoothly away from him.

Distance didn't fade away the intensity of their conversation. He could still feel her presence wrapping around his bones, preventing him from moving. His jittery self hated this, wanting nothing more than to run miles back and forth throughout the arena to relieve the pressure of a flirtatious encounter with the Irish beauty.

He stood there, however, waiting until her orange hair was out of sight.

It didn't matter how far she walked away. She wasn't out of his mind.

a/n: I couldn't stop myself from writing this after seeing them in the ring together last night...something within me kept telling me that I needed to see more of them together and the only way for me to do that was to write a scene for them. This was short, I'm aware. I just wanted to see it written out. I hope you all enjoyed this new couple! (New for me, not the fandom entirely).