[Fenris]

 Disclaimer: I was given full permission to use (you'll see!)



Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Radisson Hotel

"Like it?" Aron asked as he stood in the center of the hotel room he was sharing alongside his brother Kristjan aka Fenris, pivoting in the one spot and making sure that his and Kristjan's baby sister Freyja got a good look at the surrounding area. The room was adorned in an old world feel, appropriate given it was in the heart and capital of Louisiana. The walls were a soft, off-white tile while the doors were framed in hard wood and the floor was tiled the same. The end table between the double beds, as well as the cabinet across from the beds and against the wall were also made of polished and smoothed over wood. It would seem the only modern fixture in the room was the large flat screen television in the center of the cabinet.

"I don't know. It's nice but a little more rustic than I was expecting you guys to be staying in." Freyja observed as her eyes took in everything she was being shown. Her light colored brow knitted itself into a mild frown, not one of anger or annoyance but more so of curiosity. "Why didn't Kristjan get you guys one of those higher end hotels?"

"Some of them didn't accept pets." Aron answered. "And you know how protective he is of Kyssa. Besides, I think this old world decor is what sold him on the place. He wanted the full experience of being in this state." Aron's face lit up. "Actually he really wanted to experience being here by staying on one of those plantation bed and breakfasts but the best ones were all reserved months in advance. I'm must trying to get him to experience a little bit while we're here and calm down. Get him out in the nature and fresh air. He's been bitching every since his next match was announced."

Freyja giggled, "He's been bitching ever since he popped out of mom, according to dad. What's the big deal about his match?"

"It's his last before he wrestles kris Ryans for the world title." Aron said. "He was expecting a bigger name to get ready. Have you seen the guy he's wrestling Sunday?"

"Yeah." Freyja gave Aron an impish, girly smile. "He's really cute!"

"Oh God!" Aron exclaimed and rolled his eyes and looked back protectively over his shoulder. "Don't let him hear you say that!"

"Don't let me here who say what?"

The aforementioned Kristjan walked into the hotel room, clad in a white, open sleeved shirt and matching shorts, his preferred bare feet sporting just a pair of simple, sand colored sandals. He was greeted by Aron with a half-hearted "Nothing." as he walked over to the bed his younger brother was seated on and had a seat  himself right beside him. The moment he did, Fenris's "baby girl" Kyssa got up from where she had been snoozing on the floor and walked over to the front of the bed, plopping her chin on her master's lap and looking up ay him with those bright blue, soulful eyes.

Fenris ran his fingers through her soft, white fur until he gave her the scratch behind the ears that she was obviously hinting for. He also leaned over at the waist just enough to see who Aron was speaking to on his phone via video chat and the face of his little sister made him smile in a way few thought possible, given his openly hostile personality.

"Sæti." Kristjan used the Icelandic term of endearment in regards to the cherubic faced young woman. Their joint conversation was in Icelandic of course, but the use of the Icelandic term was not lost on his sister as she smiled brightly. Fenris said, "I still wish you could have stayed with us for a while longer."

"I do too." She replied. "I loved that train!"

Aron shook his head, "Then why didn't you...?" He joking jetted a thumb in Kristjan's direction and added, "This one was actually 'nice' while you were here!" Fenris turned his head enough to cast Aron a withering glare, but one that was good natured enough that the younger brother did not feel the subconscious desire to fidget in discomfort. He knew Kristjan well enough to know he'd never do him harm.

"I wanted to." Freyja finally broke the mock tension, sighing with exasperation that was not perhaps entirely mock. "But I wasn't about to leave mom and dad alone with Viktoria and Elin. Nobody deserves that!"

"Proof positive that they don't have to be around in order to ruin someone's day." Aron quipped, to which Kristjan just pointed at him and nodded as if to silently proclaim 'What he said.'

"I'll be watching your match though." Freyja offered in a hopeful olive branch. "So will dad."

"Not mom?" Fenris frowned.

"No." Freyja shook her head. "You know how she is and how she feels about you in these type of combat sports. She worries about you getting hurt and losing your..." **air quotes** "... good looks." She giggled as Aron rolled his eyes quite impressively, teasing his brother despite himself. There was just something amusing about how much of a bad ass their older brother was, coupled by his boyish good looks. It seemed just wrong for one man to be coupled with both, and to top off that "gas on fire" personality?

Of course Kristjan had the inkling that his much loved mother did not watch his matches, but it still did nothing to alleviate the sting of disappointment any son might feel given the circumstances. She had refused outright to watch his matches on the MMA circuit as well, both during his amateur status as well as his professional run in EliteXL.

"She does come in after your fights to ask how you did though?" Freyja offered in what she hoped was a bit of reassurance, sensing the disappointment in him, even from near four thousand miles between them. She was about to say more when someone off-camera shouted from Freyja's end of the call, causing the young woman to huff and look heavenward before turning her head to shout back at whomever called to her.

"It's MY tablet and I'll talk to my brothers as long as I want to!!!"

"Viktoria?" Aron asked, to which Freyja turned back to them and sighed, "Viktoria."

"Tell her I asked doesn't she have an infection she should be clearing up?" Fenris said, causing a wicked smile from Aron to break out on his face and Freyja almost choked on her own laugh with wide eyes dancing with humor at their mutual sister's expense.

"She's been getting even nastier ever since she found out she can't go running to dad for every little thing any more." Freyja resigned herself. "But I better go before someone drops a house on her."

Aron winked, whereas Fenris touched the tips of his fingers to his lips and cast a wave toward her before the call was ended. Once Aron switched the phone off, he looked to Kristjan and said, "Come on and get ready."

"For...?"

"Kyssa needs some exercise." Aron answered, as if he knew well enough that the reference toward the Siberian Husky was all the reason needed. "And you need some fresh air. You're not staying cooped up in this hotel room like you have been everywhere else."

Kristjan finally relented, forcing himself to his feet and he stalked over to where Kyssa's leash was set aside, cursing beneath his breath. Aron blinked at his brother's choice of words and replied, "I'm telling mom."



Baton Rouge was the capital of Louisiana, and really -- what wasn't there to do for the average tourist when visiting the Bayou state? There was the Old Louisiana State capitol building, a castle-like former statehouse that now served as a museum. There was also the Baton Rouge Zoo which housed over eight hundred animals for one to walk through and enjoy. This was actually an intended destination for Fenris and his brother, but dogs were not welcome on this day so they had to pass on this one so as they would not have to leave Kyssa alone in their hotel room, or with a rare trusted acquaintance.

That left the Bluebonnet Swamp Nature Center, a one hundred and three acre natural habitat housed in a building that was well over nine thousand square feet. And luckily enough, this was one of those rare days where ;pets were allowed in the facility, so Kyssa trotted right between the Baltasarsson brothers, her tongue hanging in a wet doggy grin and her tail swinging to and fro, quite happy and content to be out and about. So near the other animals although she was well behaved enough to not bark or make a beeline for said animals.

Kristjan and Aron, along with a scattered number of others, tourist and local alike, walked a gravel path that linked the various habitats of the animals, such as the cypress-tupelo swamp, beech-magnolia and hardwood forests. As they walked and their blue eyes (a family trait amongst the clan) roamed across everything offered before them, Aron could feel the tension drain away from Kristjan, although some yet remained. This particular outing doing what he had intended, just not as completely as he had hoped.

Finally he was unable to take it any longer and asked, "Alright, what's wrong?"

"Hm?" Kristjan mused, but kept his eyes ahead and not on his brother. He gnawed at his bottom lip and shook his head in answer.

"Don't give me that shit." Aron commented, drawing a look from Fenris. It was perhaps a very good thing that nobody around them that had joined them on this part of the tour spoke a word of Icelandic (or so Aron hoped -- Fenris couldn't have given a fuck).

Aron continued, "I know you better than anyone. I can tell something's wrong so what. Is. It?"

It was rare for Aron to take such a stand where Kristjan was concerned. As far as his temper and cocky attitude, he mostly just stood by and let it all slide off his back. Not that he didn't want to strangle some sense or humility into his brother every now and then, as others have observed in passing. But when he was legit concerned for Kristjan's welfare, he wouldn't stand by and let Fenris simply brush him and his concern off as if it meant nothing. Kristjan knew this, and you might never get him to openly admit this, but he also appreciated it.

Kyssa brought herself to a halt and her ears perked up, putting her at full attention as something off the trail, about twenty yards into the trees, captured her attention. A  small fox had risen from a bush, it's sleek head peeking out through the leaves and staring at her, having sensed the other animal and its curious nature had taken it over temporarily.

Of course, they had come across other animals at random intervals as they walked the paths throughout; amongst them rabbits and squirrels, raccoons and deer, and even a coyote. A snake had slithered its way up a tree near where Aron had passed, causing the younger brother to yelp in a startled cry and take a few hasty steps away. Snakes did not bother Fenris personally, but it did Aron who absolutely hated (feared) the creatures. His response was the cause of the one time Kyssa lost herself and barked, but Kristjan quickly got her under control and moved Aron forward and away from the reptile.

See, with family it was the little things.

"I'm fine." Fenris finally answered, even if it was not entirely truthful. "My mind is just wandering. Been thinking."

"About your match?"

"God no!" Fenris exclaimed, his face now marred by a frown. "Well, not entirely. The match doesn't concern me. Just annoyed as fuck they stuck me against a fucking CHILD in my last match before I get Ryans in the ring!"

"Then what is it?" Aron asked, knowing Kristjan wasn't as open about his thoughts as most others, but if it were family, he would open up eventually if you put just the right amount of pressure on him. Reluctantly.

Fenris said, "I'm thinking about after. About the match with Kris, and if I'm doing enough."

"What are you talking about, 'doing enough'?" Aron frowned as they came upon a small, stone bridge that had a running brook flowing beneath it. The two men came to a pause to take a break in their small nature hike, and Aron knew that running water had a soothing effect on Kristjan. Actually, his older brother had an extreme fondness for waterfalls in particular. He loved them, collected pictures of them and had even bough a rather impressive desktop one for their condo back in Las Vegas.

If he could just keep Kyssa from drinking out of it!

Still, the stream was calming, the sound of the running water flowing beneath them and across the rocks and bed reeds. Kyssa even hopped up on her hind legs with her front paws rested on the bridge's side so she could gaze out where the two brothers were looking.

Aron went on, "You train every damn day. Weights. Boxing. Wrestling. You never take a damn break, I'm surprised I was able to get you to take the time off to just come here! And in Vegas you're always at Gabriel and Odette's gym, working out and sparring in their ring. Not sure what else you could do."

Fenris turned his back to the sight of the stream flowing in their direction and rested back against the bridge, his backside seated on the edge. Kyssa hopped down and laid at his sandaled feet, while he folded his arms over his chest with the one hand retaining its grip on her leash.

He answered back, "Yeah but I've been focusing more and more on the wrestling aspect of things, and have barely touched what got me started." He turned his head to look at Aron and said, "I'm thinking about talking to Gabriel and getting in touch with Maksym."

"Well he was your trainer and coach before all this." Aron reasoned, seeing what his brother wanted and was thinking. "If you want to pick back up your MMA sessions while continuing to wrest;e, I'm sure he could help you out." Aron then joined him at his side and rested back against the wall of the bridge as well and looked up to him.

"Is it really necessary, though?" He asked. "Even Gabriel and that Daniel Morgan said you blended your MMA training with the wrestling training better than they expected. Why bring in your old MMA coach? You planning to go back to the MMA circuit?"

"No." Fenris frowned, but then got a thoughtful expression on his face. "Although I guess it wouldn't hurt for the option to be there. I still like to fight in the cage, and don't want that part of me to get rusty or forgotten. And I just think if I keep training in both MMA and wrestling, I'll be more ready for whatever comes my way."

Aron looked him over for what seemed an uncomfortable eternity until he finally asked, "This world title match against Kris really has you concerned, doesn't it?"

"If he wasn't good, then he wouldn't be the best, Aron." Fenris answered in a rare moment of humility. "I don't think concerned is the right word, either. I'm not afraid of Kris Ryans, but I can't say I don't look at the man and don't like what I see. The match with crimson, they totally fucked each others shit up and he still walked away."

"Minus a chunk of his ear." Aron mused.

Fenris continued, "So he can obviously take a beating and dish one out so I just want to double down and make damn sure I'm ready." He turned his head to Aron and smirked "that" smirk and added, "I wouldn't be the arrogant shit you know and love if I wasn't confident that I could be the best."

Aron laughed aloud and patted his brother on his bare and tanned shoulder, stating, "Not to worry asshole. You'll always be an arrogant shit to your family." Fenris snorted with an uncharacteristic smile and Aron said, "Come on. Got something else in mind for us to do, or for you to do, actually."

"Me?" Fenris asked. "This little nature walk wasn't enough??? And what about you?"

"I'm not the one with a match against the Disney Channel mascot on Sunday." Aron laughed. "And it would look pretty bad if you lost to that kid and go into the match with Kris with that spot on your record."

Fenris gave him a hard stare and shook his head, "Won't. Happen."

"Then shut up and follow me. I did a little touristy research before we left and found something you always wanted to try. Have some fun and get some exercise, too."

"You hired me a prostitute?"

"Tried, but she canceled after I sent her your picture."

Fenris reached over and playfully cuffed Aron upside of the head. Not enough to hurt his brother but enough to let him know that indeed he was there. The act only brought a smile to Aron's face as the older sibling said, "Actually, let's rain check on that for tomorrow. Its getting late and I thought maybe we could go for a drink."

"Ehhh!" Aron frowned, clearly not sold on the idea. "I really don't feel like drinking tonight." Kristjan just gave him a funny look and Aron laughed. "I know! That's sacrilege to you, but come on! It takes a little time for the liver to digest!"

"Psht!" Kristjan scoffed. "Amateur. Well then here..." He passed Kyssa's leash to Aron's hand. He said, "Take her back to the hotel and do whatever the hell it is that you do to pass time when nobody is around. Beat your meat for all I care."

"And what about you?" Aron shook his head at his brother's sarcastic wit.

"I told you..." He responded. "I feel like getting a drink or two ... mom."

The two then  pushed themselves up from their resting spot on the wall, and Kyssa stood up, sensing her own time of rest was over. They started to walk along the path again and Fenris said in passing, "You know, when I win the title, the first thing I'm going to do is send an autographed eight by ten of me with the belt to Viktoria and Elin."

"Oh yeah, I'm sure they'd just LOVE that!"



The day was indeed growing late, as the hour of eight p.m. had passed, and the sun had started its slow descent into the Baton Rouge horizon. Being the start of the weekend, Friday night, the city was starting to come alive. Its nightlife had been described by locals as mediocre at best, certainly not what its neighbor New Orleans was known for being. But in the city limits where the bars, clubs and lights were, things did indeed pick up enough to lure locals and tourists alike who were in the hunt for a fun time out in the city.

Having taken the time to ensure his brother had returned to the Radisson Hotel safely with Kyssa in tow, Fenris had caught a taxi to the downtown scene and gotten out and he had just started to wander rather aimlessly. He had no particular destination in mind, and knew that when he felt like he found the right place to stop in and have a few drinks, he'd know it.

He spotted a few people looking and pointing in his general direction, perhaps fans who recognized him as an SCW Superstar or from his EliteXL days on the MMA circuit. As they did not deign to approach him, he paid them no mind and tucked his hands deeply into his shorts pockets and went about in his search for some adult refreshments.

"Kyle Kavanagh. What the hell you must have done to piss off the wrong staff member to be put into this match is beyond me. You either worked Christian Underwood's nerves raw, or drew the short stick from Mark Ward. I mean, they had to have known how I would have felt being stuck in the opening match with the equivalent of wrestling's answer to Peter Pan. A boy who desperately needs to grow up, but obviously has little to no intention of ever doing so."

He held a hand up.

"Not that I care about being in the opening match. I'm not a whiny little bitch like SOME people when they are chosen to kick start the night's action. To me, the opening match is just as important, if not more so, than the main event. In the main event, you bring the show to a close and leave everyone sitting there, watching your every move, wanting more. In the opening match, you set the pace for the entire show, and challenge every single man and woman following you to match and beat the hype that you just instilled into the show. I've watched the opening matches in the shows since I signed on to Sin City Wrestling, and I've noticed the fans cheer the loudest for that first match, because they've waited long enough and the excitement level generated is set to blow the roof off of the whole damn place!"

Fenris paused at a cross walk and as the light changed to green, he crossed over to Citiplace Court, all the while continuing his focus on the unfortunate young man he was set to face at the Blue Bayou/Dixie Landin' stop in the Fatal Attractions tour.

"That's where you and I find ourselves, and I hate to admit that I can't see such a high level of excitement being generated by the crowd when that bell rings and you and I lock up. After all, the match will be over before anyone knows it, and not much can come from a match when you're going to get your skinny ass handed to you from start to finish."

A car wanted to make an early turn at the corner just as Fenris finished  crossing the street and the driver honked in his impatience. Fenris turned to the driver and simply flipped him off.

"Fuck you!" Screamed the driver, to which Fenris predictably called back, "No, fuck YOU!"

The car sped around the corner, peeling rubber and Fenris just shook his head and muttered, "Fucker." Before he continued his thought process.

"Now Kyle, I can't fault you for trying to make it look as if you really are as confident as you want everyone too think you are. But really..." He held his arms out in a gesture of self presentation. "I've had five matches so far in my career, six counting you. And so far? Undefeated. Can you say the same?"

He frowned and tapped a finger to his chin.

"No, you can't, can you? You've just had the one match, and you pretty much got shamed. Who was that you lost to?"

He snapped his fingers. "Oh that's right! You lost to the same guy that I beat! You got pinned by the same guy that I beat down so badly that his body literally gave out. That should speak volumes on what the Norns have in store for you in their predestined paintings. You, laying down on your back, and me standing over you. I mean, I can't fault you for trying to convince others that you stand a chance, but you can't fight fate, Kyle. You're going in the ring with the Number One challenger to your buddy kris Ryans. You're facing the next World Heavyweight Champion."

He smiled and cast the camera a coy wink.

"That's the key difference between us, Kyle. When I'm confident, it's a foregone conclusion. When you're confident, it's simple delusions of grandeur. You've done nothing of note except for embarrassing yourself against a B list actor who couldn't finish a match against me on his feet!  What do you really expect to happen, hm? Do you think that you will have any kind of edge for you just because kris Ryans is out there?"

he frowned and shook his head. "Kris is only there to get a close up view of you getting humbled, just like everyone else I've been in the ring against! He is going to watch and cringe when he sees you get your head kicked clear off your shoulders. He is going to feel nothing but remorse when I have you tied up in so many knots, you won't have enough sense to beg the referee to stop the match so you can ..." **air quotes** "... live to fight another day."

He scoffed and kept moving.

"It's all over for you Kyle, before it's even had a chance to begin. I guess that could be seen as merciful in your eyes. I just want to end this quickly because I have bigger, and sure as hell better things to deal with than fighting a prepubescent boy like yourself. The sad thing is...?"

He turned his head one last time to the camera.

"You just don't know it yet. Or maybe you do? Denial will cost you in the end."

That being said, Fenris ended the promo part of this appearance and glanced up to where he had arrived...

"Speaking of fate..."

As he found himself right outside of the Cove, a local bar that had been around since 2008. When perusing some ads in the hotel for bars and nightclubs, this one had admittedly stood out to both him and his brother for its extensive array of alcoholic beverages. It offered over a thousand whiskies, including five hundred scotches, six hundred different beers and fifty types of absinthe. Had he known this would be where he would have ended up, he would have been hard pressed not to contact Ben Jordan to join him. Such an offering would have surely attracted the Cockney King!

Setting foot inside, Fenris looked about at his surroundings and was pleased by the decor; it looked just like an old school pub back home, with wooden tables and matching chairs, none of that more modern marble shit that so many clubs seemed to go in for. This had a cozy feel to it, and many were already filling its seats, socializing or just looking to have a few to drown whatever sorrows plagued them at the time.

Damn, he wished he had made Aron come along! It would have been nice to have someone to share this with. He waded through the bodies standing around tables and found himself at the bar, where luckily there was a vacant seat. As he sat, the dutiful man behind the bar moved over to him and gave him a friendly smile.

"What'll it be?"

Fenris paused only briefly before he answered, "Aberlour. Tall."

The bartender nodded and moved to fill his order, taking no note of the accent. They got all kinds from every walk of life here at the Cove. He filled the glass with the sherry and oak toasted bourbon, with just a hint of vanilla.

"Seven." The man said, telling him his total, and Fenris tossed a ten to the counter and waved away any change as he picked up his glass and had that first of many sips...

Two hours later....

Fenris drained the last remnants of his fourth glass of Aberlour and held a hand up, signaling the bartender for a fifth. Once satisfied, Fenris picked up the glass, the effects of the previous drinks starting to course through his body with a sense of warmness and feeling rather well. He was about to taste the glasses contents when fate played a wild twist, and a familiar form caught his attention -- seated right beside him.

How the hell he did not notice him sitting beside him was beyond his scope of comprehension, unless he had just sat down to make himself comfortable -- but he seemed in even worse shape than Fenris himself was on the way to being. Kris Ryans!

Yes -- KRIS RYANS!

Fenris frowned, but then again, so did Kris as the reigning World Champion of SCW had noticed him as well! They turned their heads to stare hard at the other and both spoke up...

"What the fuck are you doing here!?"

""Hvað ertu að gera hérna!?"

Of course, if you understood Icelandic, you would know that they had asked the other the exact same question, in their own way! Fenris paused, realizing he had slipped back into his native tongue, and turned in his chair, his drink all but forgotten, "What... are you doing here?"

"I asked you first." Kris replied, his words slurred somewhat. His smile was evident, despite the fact that technically he had not done just that.

"You look like shit." Fenris took note of Kris's condition, his eyes were blurry and his breath wreaked of liquor, although at this point Fenris himself was not in much better shape.

"Right back atcha." Kris quipped, picking up Fenris's forgotten glass and draining it without so much as a protest from the White Wolf. His soon-to-be challenger stared at the champion, uncertain of what he was seeing and why he was having such an e=unexpected reaction to seeing the champion in such a condition. He wasn't just having a drink. He was getting himself drunk.

Big difference.

Fenris turned back away from the champion, leaving him to his own vices, as he sat there and contemplated whether or not he should call it a night and get back to Aron and Kyssa at their hotel. But still, something was nagging away at him, inside. He would never outright admit it, but when he looked at Kris Ryans, he was looking at a capable and talented wrestler. A man who's ability with the microphone was matched only by his talent for competing inside of the ring. And next to the great J2H, Kris was quite literally the best Sin City Wrestling had to offer!

And in just a few weeks, he would be meeting that very man in the ring to wrestle for the biggest prize.

That was the man he thought of when he thought of Kris Ryans, but was not the man he saw when he was looking at him now. The man he would be facing, he wanted to be clear minded and at his very best. It would prove nothing  to nobody if he were to defeat a man who was letting some unseen demons consume him internally. He sighed, resigned to knowing what he was about to do, but not quite willing to believe he was about to do it.

The bartender made a move to see if either man wanted anything further, but Fenris silently warned him off and he instead turned away from them to see if any of the other multitude of patrons were ready for anything more to wet their palettes.

Fenris stood up, grabbing is wallet and taking Kris by the upper arm. "Come on." He said calmly. "You've had enough."

"Wh-what the hell are y-you going on about...!?" Kris wrenched his arm free from Fenris's grasp and sat back down. But before he could try to signal for another drink, he found himself pulled much more forcibly from his chair.

"I said you had enough!" Fenris said harshly in his broken English, pulling Kris along with him and steering him towards the bar's entrance. Ordinarily Kris would have had little to no trouble at all pulling free, but he had much more to drink than Fenris and his response was affected thusly.

"Who the f-fuck do you think y-you are!!?" Kris confronted him as he tried struggling, planting his feet firmly in front of him but Fenris practically used his fighting skill to hook an arm around Kris's waist and drag him right out the front door, as many an eye turned in their direction wondering or enjoying the free entertainment.

Once out on the pavement and in the night air, Kris finally managed to get free of Fenris and he wrenched an arm back and threw a wild punch that would have done some serious damage, and given Fenris's own inebriation, he would most likely not have been able to block or counter! But as we stated before, Kris had been drinking much more and his own punch threw him off balance and he stumbled forward and only luck had Fenris able to catch him so he did not suffer a mischief on the pavement!

"Get OFF of me!" kris staggered back, shoving Fenris away! The two engaged in a tense stare down, both aware that the people around them on the outside of the Cove as well as surrounding businesses had caught sight of the spectacle and were freely watching. Kris paid it less heed than Fenris did as he practically swayed on his feet but he shook his head, "Think you'll get in a cheap shot before we fight for real? You need that, huh?"

His own troubles with the English language, and the fact Kris's words were not steady, had the White Wolf momentarily confused before he was able to put two and two together. Over the past several weeks, Kris's life had been made a complete wasteland, thanks much in part to Crimson, his then-challenger!And all in the name of getting his hands on the title belt that Kris sported with such pride. Crimson turned his life completely upside down and damn near killed him, or so it seemed, and all in the name of making his own mark in the world of professional wrestling!

And if one challenger was willing to go that far....

Fenris held his hands up and said as calmly as possible, which was a strain for him considering these assholes were moving in closer and bringing out their cameras, hoping to catch some action that could be made famous on youtube or Instagram.

Fenris said in broken English, "No. Just want to help."

"Help..." Kris repeated, nodding his head but his distrustful eyes never once leaving Fenris. Clearly not believing him.

"You're drunk..." Fenris offered, but kris held his arms out and said aloud, "No shit, Sherlock! So are you!"

Fenris drew in a deep breath, trying to reign in that (in)famous temper before he really exploded and got him or Kris, or both, arrested for being more of a public spectacle than they already were! Once calmed, or relatively close, Fenris said, "Not as bad. Come. Just call it a night before we both get in trouble."

And for the first time, Kris glanced up and saw the number of people watching him and felt something stir deep inside of him. His face flushed from more than just the effects of the alcohol coursing through his body, and he did not move to protest as Fenris started hailing for a cab. It was  a busy weekend, so the taxi drivers were out in full force, ready to make a buck. Kris kept his head down and rubbed a hand along his forehead, not wanting to look at anyone as one cab pulled up to the curb.

Perhaps surprisingly so, Kris did not put up a struggle as Fenris laid a hand on the small of his back to help him into the cab, and more surprisingly, climbed in after him, all the better to ensure he got back to his hotel room safely.

"Where you headed?" The cab driver asked in a thick, Creole accent. Fenris could not make out what he said, but Kris could and he answered simply, "Renaissance." The name of his hotel. As the cab pulled away from the curb and headed for the intended destination, for some strange reason, Kris was feeling the smallest sense of trust for the man who was seated beside him, even if he would be meeting him in the ring in just over three weeks.

Small being the key word. He had still been burned badly by his horrid experiences with Crimson, and he had yet to see any evidence that this temperamental Icelandic fighter wouldn't stoop to the same depths to take advantage of him just to steal his cherished championship away.

Neither man said a word during the ride. Fenris sat there silently brooding, wondering what the hell he was thinking getting involved in someone's life to help like this. And Kris continued to wonder why Fenris would be doing this when  he showed nobody any inkling of concern, unless of course he had ulterior motives. It didn't take long, fifteen minutes, maybe less. That was when the cab pulled up to the front court of the Renaissance hotel. The can driver made the move to step outside in order to lend the men a hand, as he had been able to tell both had quite a bit to drink.

Fenris, however, held up a hand to stall the driver, preferring to handle it himself. He stepped out first, then lent a hand to an unwilling Kris to exit the cab, but Fenris was not about to take no for an answer now. As kris staggered towards the door of the hotel, Fenris paused long enough to realize he best follow this through. He passed the driver some cash and quickly moved to follow Kris into the hotel, when he paused, realizing he had forgotten to get change back from the driver.

"FUCK!!"

Inside of the hotel, Kris had made his way towards the elevator, trying his damndest to ignore the looks that he was being given. Not that it was of any real importance. It wouldn't have been the first time he returned to the hotels he stayed at during his tour, inebriated, but he had admittedly overdid it tonight. He felt it, he knew it. He just would not admit it. And his new found purpose to Sin City Wrestling as its champion, he didn't like the image that he was currently giving off to the casual observer. And he did not like the possibility that word might get back to Mark or Christian, or result in some damaging publicity.

He stopped at the elevator, his room being on the top floor, and leaned over, resting a hand against the wall as he pressed the call button. He wouldn't admit this either, but Fenris did him a favor, getting him out of that bar before he did himself any further damage, and despite his initial misgivings against his number one challenger, it would seem that he did so without any motives.

Which was why Kris reacted the way he did once the elevator doors opened, and Fenris followed him inside! Kris had not even realized until he turned around from pressing the button for the top floor and saw him standing there!

"Fuck...!" Kris fell back against the wall of the elevator, staring in shock. But by now his blood was BOILING! Here he thought that the man had done something simply because it was the right thing to do, to help another, and now he just felt damn foolish for trusting another challenger...! "What the hell...!? Now you're following me!?"

Fenris looked surprised at this outburst, looking from left to right at nothing in particular, but Kris was not to be deterred! Fenris just shrugged almost helplessly and tried to defend himself, "No...? I was just..."

"Bullshit!" Kris barked. "I've been around long enough to know people don't just do things like this out of the kindness of their hearts! They always want something and I am SICK. OF. IT!" And he walked right up to Fenris, planted both hands on his chest and SHOVED him! Fenris fell back hard against the closed elevator doors, but quickly righted himself. He knew that Kris was drunk, and thanks to Crimson, had many reasons to be suspicious of, well -- anyone! But still, he wasn't about to just stand there and allow himself to be physically assaulted, especially when he did nothing wrong in the first place!

"Don't touch me..." He started to say, taking a firm stance with his face starting to go hard in expression, but Kris stepped right up and shoved him again!

"Don't...?" Kris raised his eyebrows, his expression turning quite ugly thanks in part to his level of intoxication. "You go and want to start some shit here, now? And you tell ME not to touch YOU...!?" And he moved to shove Fenris again, but this time he found him arm caught and Fenris used his self defense training to whip kris around and slam him back against the elevator wall, his forearm pressed hard just below the throat! Hard enough to hold Kris steady but not enough to prevent his breathing!

The two men's stares burned hard into one another's eyes, their breathing hard and skin flushed -- WHEN FENRIS SUDDENLY GRABBED KRIS BY THE HAIR AND KISSED HIM FULL ON THE MOUTH!!! It seemed like an eternity as their mouths pressed hard against each other until Kris broke it up, shoving Fenris away from him! At that moment, Kristjan felt as if he were about to die from embarrassment, when Kris turned his head to the elevator buttons and slammed a closed fist against the 'stop' button.

Fenris blinked in slight confusion, at least until Kris took that step forward and this time HE grabbed HIM by the head and returned the kiss from earlier! Only harder and far more intense! Intense enough that they fell back against the wall of the elevator, grabbing at one another's shirts and pulling....

As the scene shifted up just enough to catch sight of the security camera in the upper corner of the elevator....