Post by FPV on Sept 23, 2023 22:29:04 GMT -5
FPV RP #5 - Where I Belong
One step forward, two steps back.
I walked out of the first ever Monday Night Melee with a much needed win over Edward Grado. After 45 minutes of intense action in our down-to-wire Iron Man match, I was ready to spend the next day or so taking a well deserved rest.
Alas, it was not to be. Shortly after my match ended, Joule Ortiz pulled me aside to let me know that she would be taking some time away from the ring for personal reasons, ending The Pride’s run in the tag division before it even had a chance to start. While I completely understood the reasoning behind her actions, it still hurt to hear.
That wasn’t the end of it either. The pumpkin spice providers for The People’s Grounds were still playing hard to get, even after repeated phone meetings with the head of the company. With fall approaching in days and nothing to make the signature fall beverage with, projections from the business heads showed TPG losing out on a dire amount of money. Needless to say, I had no chance to rest and spent several fitful days working my ass off, to my detriment.
Ramon could see it too. He was getting ready for bed while I was still at my desk searching for alternative providers nationwide, eyes half lowered and my attention span shot to hell. Ramon put his phone down before turning to see me.
One step forward, two steps back.
I walked out of the first ever Monday Night Melee with a much needed win over Edward Grado. After 45 minutes of intense action in our down-to-wire Iron Man match, I was ready to spend the next day or so taking a well deserved rest.
Alas, it was not to be. Shortly after my match ended, Joule Ortiz pulled me aside to let me know that she would be taking some time away from the ring for personal reasons, ending The Pride’s run in the tag division before it even had a chance to start. While I completely understood the reasoning behind her actions, it still hurt to hear.
That wasn’t the end of it either. The pumpkin spice providers for The People’s Grounds were still playing hard to get, even after repeated phone meetings with the head of the company. With fall approaching in days and nothing to make the signature fall beverage with, projections from the business heads showed TPG losing out on a dire amount of money. Needless to say, I had no chance to rest and spent several fitful days working my ass off, to my detriment.
Ramon could see it too. He was getting ready for bed while I was still at my desk searching for alternative providers nationwide, eyes half lowered and my attention span shot to hell. Ramon put his phone down before turning to see me.
Ramon: You like an absolute mess, you know that right?
FPV: Yeah, but don’t worry, I’ll be getting off soon.
Ramon: I’d recommend you get off before you fall asleep at that thing. I’m worried about you, darling.
Hearing him say that broke my heart. Here he was, someone battling his own familial battles and being made to fear the wrath of his ex-wife, and he’s worried about me. Granted, I could infer from his more upbeat demeanor compared to a few days ago that his son Trent must’ve put in a good word for me to Ramon’s ex-wife, as Ramon was always at his jumpiest after her daily phone call to him. I could only hope that she was finally going to shut up about everything. I couldn’t take having another Herculean issue to solve.
FPV: Truth be told Ramon, even if I got off right now I don’t know how long it’ll be until I actually fall asleep. I’ve got so many things going through my head right now it’s making me dizzy. With all this pumpkin spice nonsense and now Joule leaving, I feel like I’m trying to bale out the Titanic with one bucket.
Ramon: You were really pushing for that Pride tag run, I know that. But don’t you still have those space cowboys? You can still do things with them, right.
FPV: I could, and I will in the near future. But they’ve already got the ball rolling for them, they’ve got a shot at the Tag Titles on the Anniversary show! Meanwhile I’m stuck in the midcard fighting John Blade. It’s got me wondering what the purpose of me being with the Guardians at this point. You’re right, they’re goddamn space cowboys, drifting wherever they want to and getting into all sorts of adventures. Compared to them, t I’m just a guy. A normal being overwhelmed by his normal Earth problems.
Ramon stayed looking at me for a second. I could see him just barely out of my peripheral vision while I stared at my screen’s Google results without absorbing a shred of information. Without missing a beat, Ramon turned away from me, pulled his phone back and began to brows on it before saying something that instantly brought me back down to reality.
Ramon: You really should hear just how crazy you sound right now, my love.
I broke gaze from my laptop and turned to look directly at Ramon, scrolling and tapping away.
FPV: What do you mean?
Ramon: Darling, you’re Frank Patrick Venable. You’ve been a champion everywhere you go, you’ve one of the most passionate fan bases in the business who will go the ends of the Earth for you. Hell, you even struck it out with your own business outside of the ring, and you made a fortune with it. You’re one of the most extraordinary men I’ve ever met, and I’ve thought that since I met you. Sure, you may not be as intrepid as your friends are, but they need you too. They need someone who can bring them back down to Earth, someone who can keep them grounded and focused on being champions on top of everything else they’re doing.
FPV: Huh. When you put it like that…
Ramon: Tell me, love. You’re next match is against…John Blade, is it?
FPV: Yeah, that’s the one.
Ramon: Do you think you can win against him on Monday.
FPV: Yeah, I do. I’ve known John since his stint in Action Wrestling. He’s not the winning type, and he’s already got two losses in WGWF. I’m just afraid with everything going on-
Ramon shushed me, gently but also assertively.
Ramon: No no no. You let ME handle all of that tomorrow. I just checked and I still have a few connections I can loan out to help you. In the meantime, you spend as much time as you can in that gym, training your cute little butt off to make sure you make an absolute STATEMENT against John Blade. Because if I’m interpreting this correctly, John Blade doesn’t have much to gain with this match, while you have so much to lose if you slip up and let this guy win. You showed the WGWF faithful just what you can do against Grado, you just need to keep that momentum going. Get another win here and I’m sure we can get gold around that beautiful waist of yours sooner rather than later.
Ramon let out a flirtatious chuckle, and I couldn’t help but crack a smile. Ramon had brought my guard down after being so uptight the entire day. I leaned over from my desk and gave an appreciative kiss.
FPV: Oh Ramon. Where would I be without you.
Ramon: I shudder at the thought. Now go get out of your work clothes and come to bed. You’ve got some training to do.
FPV: You’re damn right I do.
I did as he asked and got up from my desk and made my way to the bathroom to get ready for bed. I hadn’t been this relieved in a long, long time. It was acts of love and service like this that made me adore him more and more every day.
I just hoped that Ramon was right about whatever he had planned for The People’s Grounds.
I just hoped that Ramon was right about whatever he had planned for The People’s Grounds.