LDWS Round 3, Week 8 Final Voting
The final prompt was Do or Die, and had to be between 475-500 words.
1. Author: LogicStates 12
Title: Stay Alive
Pairing: Seth Rollins/Buddy Murphy
Rating: T
Warnings: Alcohol
Word count: 499
Buddy stifles a frustrated yell as Seth's ringtone begins again. He's lost track of how many times the man's tried calling despite Buddy pleading for space .
His fingers vibrate with the weight of his actions. His eyes ache with the vision of driving Aleister's eye into that sharp corner. His ears buzz with the echo of Seth's words bouncing in his head.
You know what you need to do.
Once upon a time, Buddy feared mediocrity. He fought hard against those trying to push him gently to the background. He seized every opportunity, dreaming of the day they would see him in all his glory.
Buddy lets out a bitter laugh at the memory. How foolish he'd been.
He had done just what he’d set out to do. The whole world knew who he was, and it was all thanks to the one who’d found him in his darkest moment and promised him the world.
Now a larger question lingers.
At what cost?
Buddy jabs at the off button on his phone as Seth tries once again to reach him.
Maybe a hot shower can offer him respite.
He throws his phone into his sock drawer as he heads towards the bathroom. He says a silent prayer for the peace he so desperately craves.
He turns the water on as hot as it will go, and sheds his clothing. Pulling the curtain back, he steps into the tub and rests directly beneath the spray.
Resting his head against the tile wall, he lets the water pound over sore muscle . A lavender shower bomb activates, perfuming the air with its thick sweetness
It promises peace and clarity.
Buddy gets neither.
They had warned him about Seth Rollins. He had a way of making a person fall deeply in love with him . Inevitably, it ended badly.
Did Buddy really want to get in over his head?
Yes.
Seth made him feel alive in a way no one else had. More importantly, being with him kept Buddy away from the mediocrity he feared.
Buddy stands there so long that the water grows icy. He knows he should dry off but he can't bring himself to move. This is the closest to peace he's had since everything had happened.
Soon, a violent wave of shivers pass through him. The water no longer brings comfort. It only adds to his uncertainty.
He dresses in a pair of loose basketball shorts, and heads into the kitchen. His thoughts wander to the bottle of Peppermint Schnapps buried deep in his freezer.
He pulls it out, and twists the cap off. He swigs directly from the bottle, letting it warm his soul as the mint lingers on his lips.
It reminds him of Seth's Chapstick- the cool sweetness that always made him feel alive.
This isn't a feeling he can easily shake, nor one he ever wants to be away from.
It might be easy to walk away.
Regardless, he chooses not to.
~~~
2. Author: Ambruises
Title: touch of yellow
Pairing(s)/Character(s): Seth Rollins/Drew McIntyre
Rating: Teen
Warnings: Mature themes
Word count: 497
“Do or die, do or die,” Seth mutters under his breath as he tries to slow his heartbeat down. He can’t quite believe he’s actually doing this, but he can fully believe that if he doesn’t pay the two months of back rent he owes by Monday, he’ll be homeless. He’ll do whatever it takes to make it as a professional wrestler, but it’s expensive to keep up the elite gym membership, and cover all the travel expenses. Waiting tables just isn’t cutting it anymore if he wants to wrestle and keep a roof over his head.
The neon yellow hotpants he has on have a liquid latex shine and had cost Seth forty-five of his last sixty dollars. He’d found them in an adult store just last night, desperate to find something flashy enough for the stage once he’d finally made the decision to do this. The desperation had shown because the clerk, Scarlett, had even given him a discount.
“First time is always the hardest,” MVP says. Seth had watched him bounce three guys from the club just half an hour ago. He has the kind of physique that Seth always wanted, heavyset and solid. Somebody you know better than to mess with just from looking at them. Instead, he’s always tended towards being thin, fighting to add muscle mass by cramming chicken breasts and protein shakes everyday.
Tonight, he’s going to have to work what he’s got. The club’s owner, Regal, says Seth has a good look for dancing. “Not too big, not too small. The long hair is a nice touch, too.”
Whecn he walks on stage, Seth can barely hear the music over the sound of blood rushing in his ears. He tries to think of the advice everyone gives when you’re nervous. “Think of people in their underwear” isn’t going to work because Seth is actually the one in underwear, trying his best to find his rhythm.
Instead, Seth goes for “pick someone and look at the top of their head.” Off to the back right of the floor, there’s a man with long dark hair and a thick beard. His legs are so long they extend under the next table over. He’s staring Seth down, a smirk on his face.
Time slows down for Seth, he can feel the music now, and he watches the man watch him. The guy’s eyes go wide when Seth does a spin into a split, thanking wrestling for making him flexible. He’s strong enough to do pole tricks, too, but Regal had said not to get too fancy for his first dance.
When it's over, Seth counts $437, the bills damp with sweat. Some of it will have to go to the club, but Seth can’t believe he made that kind of money in six minutes.
“Yo, Tyler,” MVP calls from the door separating the dancers’ room and the hall to the floor. “Got a guy wants to know if you do private dances.”
~~~
BONUS
Author: penelo14
Title: The Final Battle Begins
Characters: Becky Lynch, Jon Moxley
Rating: E
Warnings: N/A
Word count: 490
The Summoner looked at her companions as they approached the large looming castle. The place where the final battles will be held, where the goddess of discord plans to destroy this world and build anew.
They all have endured so much during their time here. Losing friends and loved ones, endless fighting, missing memories.
One of the survivors was Riho. She first traveled with The Elite. But after an intense battle with Bullet Club, led by Jay White, she was the only survivor, watching Kenny Omega die protecting her.
Next was Naomi. She traveled with Dana Brooke until she perished. She then learned of her husband’s end upon seeing his manakin shortly after.
Kazuchika Okada was a loner, opting to travel alone to avoid the feeling of loss. That all changed when he saw the aforementioned women in danger and decided to accompany them.
Roman Reigns, a troubled warrior. He cannot remember some important people in his life, and the guilt weights on him heavily. He and Okada butt heads often, but manage to work together when the need arises.
Tetsuya Naito, a strange man of few words. He traveled with his close friends, until one by the name of EVIL betrayed them and killed all but him. He looks to a plush cat for encouragement, a symbol of his dear friend Hiromu Takahashi.
Jon Moxley and Hikaru Shida never left each other’s sides since she saved him and Darby Allin from The Dark Order. He also has missing memories upon some people calling him by a different name. She however dealt with the loss of her best friend Kris Statlander upon seeing her manakin. They both still grieve for Darby, who gave his life to protect them.
And right next to her was Will Osperay, her samurai guardian. He vowed to protect her after saving him from a hoard of manakins. Even with the deaths of their friends Kris and Shayna Baszler, they’re going strong.
Looking up at the castle, she remembers the words spoken by the deceased when they traveled through the Spirit Forest.
Kip Sabin wants them to protect his fiancé Penelope Ford, who has sworn vengeance on EVIL for his death.
Alexa Bliss begged them to bring her friend Braun Strowman back to his senses. His anger over her death is causing him to go on a rampage.
SHO warns them of Nyla Rose’s rage and hunger for power.
But Darby’s words ring in her mind over and over. He warns them that part of the goddess’ plan is to destroy the souls of the dead after the world is rebuilt.
On top of that; Becky and Will haven’t seen their fiancés since this whole thing started.
“Guys,” Jon starts as Hikaru tightens her grip on his arm, “Darby is the last death. We promised him his will be the final one. We have to save everyone else.”
Becky nods in agreement.
No more death.
Just..freedom.
~~~
Voting will stay open until Monday at 11pm EST, until the end of Raw.
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I should explain a bit more how this works, I guess. The winner isn't decided by whoever gets the most most fav votes. Each most fav vote gets +1. Each least fav gets -1. Once those are tallied, a winner will be determined. If there's a tie, there will be a tie breaker so that there is one winner and one person eliminated.
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Poll LDWS Week 8