A Long December

[Drako Damone]

Drako outright laughs at the question.

"I mean, I could charge you but you do remember what being in the ring with my brother is like right? if you paid me for what it'll take to whip you back into shape, well, that would make you one kinky son of a b***h. On some masochistic stuff. But if it makes you feel better, technically we do have all those things. Doubt you'll use the pool table much but the hot tub will be a god send."

Drako pulls out his phone and hands it to Salem.

"Oh yeah, production sent me the video of Cart's trashed office and his unedited reaction. Classic stuff. I'd say it cost more than he paid Bison to trash you, but everything in that office is cheap and fake."  

[Salem Croft]

Salem almost coughed a laugh at Drako's answer, reliving the tense encounters he'd had with the Elder Damone.

"Hah, I bet you could've gotten HIM to pay YOU for this, then. That hospital gurney was feeling like a mat, anyway, had my back on it for too long."

Taking the phone from Drako, Salem watched the highlight reel of destruction his friend had waged on Cartwright's office, smiling and laughing at the wreckage he'd left.

"You know, I'm really proud of you. I know we had our moment in the tournament, I should've won that belt. But if not me, I'm glad it's you wearing it. Just remember, I still want what you've got, bro. Eventually, we're gonna have to run that back. And I'll do whatever I have to and I'll fight anyone I've gotta to make that happen, but you're not allowed to lose that title 'til I'm in the ring across from you. Understand?"

Salem held his knuckles out towards Drako, offering him a fist bump.

 

[Drako Damone]

Drako returns the fist bmp.

"First thing's first, gotta make sure you're in ring shape. Then I get to go do the defending the title thing. Not looking past Luca because either way she's a Leone, but after that, I'm looking at that Wrestlemania main event and wondering how many ways Cartwright will attempt to screw me over. So if it makes you feel better, they'll be training me too. So you won't be going through it all alone."  

[Salem Croft]

Salem laughed and laid his head back against the seat, contemplating the future ahead of him. In some ways, it felt like the world was new to him, while in others the game felt as familiar as it always did. Good or bad, all he knew was two things. It was going to be fun, and...

"Well, it's like they say." Salem answered with a smirk. "Misery loves company."