Love Bares All Things (Black Severin vs Keira Robinson)

[DSX93]

***
Match Type: Candlelight Bliss Match
Victory Conditions: Forcing the opponent to say "I love you", followed by the one's full name. Hentai is allowed and encouraged.
***

couldn't believe that she was doing this. She had her interest in Hentai, for sure, but that was...maybe thirty to forty percent interest in competing -- if she found the right guy -- with the rest in just watching. Sure,

hadn't asked her to outright cross over, but she was going to be close enough as the special guest referee!

Though watching him in action up close did have its appeal...

But still...

But still!

It made perfect sense that he asked her, though. He was still fighting management, and Alix was occupied with some stuff backstage. Terrell had been trying to get this match together for a while now. On a regular broadcast: After Dark wasn't going to cut it with what he and Keira had planned.

And for so long, there were setbacks and delays. Spots just happening to go to other wrestlers at the last minute, misalignment with the delivery of the ring, all kinds of nonsense. But Alix managed to get it together tonight, somehow. She'd even hired The Coterie on the sly to make sure that nobody ran down to mess this up. And she was the only person who could be trusted to ensure that things go smoothly for them in the ring.

Beatriz spotted Emilia in the front row. Took her a few seconds to recognize her through

She had to give it to her: She was dedicated to the roles she plays. Angelica wasn't even on the card tonight, but Emilia still went all out with the makeup, dye, and other effects. It's amazing how she's able to hide her identity without masks or facepaint.

Owing to it being that of passion, red was the prominent color of what Alix called the Bed Ring. The silk sheet that made up its canvas, the turnbuckle, and half the pillows that were scattered about it. Black was the other, making up the other half of the aforementioned pillows, the ropes, and the turnbuckle padding. The cushioning underneath the sheet as well, but that wasn't meant to be seen.

The ring was smaller than normal. Its lesser width would keep competitors in close proximity always, and its height required them to kneel. A test run for the one she finally approved had the top rope being just above her hips while standing, and just below shoulder level in her intended position. Such as it was for her at five-foot-six.

The lighting was different too. There nearly wasn't any, with some carefully placed orange focused on the customized ring providing the perfect amount of illumination. Enough to simulate candles lit to brighten the night without overtaking the other colors inside.

She was sad about having to miss this. The very first match of its kind, held between two halves of a couple, as she'd hoped to see at some point. But business called, and it wouldn't be ignored.

***

There were plenty of eyes on Black Severin and Keira backstage. Small wonder why: Aside from one of those earpiece microphones, Severin was wearing next to nothing. His statuesque, finely crafted muscular body on full display, his shape contoured in a leather speedo that left very little to the imagination. And Keira? Woo, boy! She was an absolute smokeshow as always.

When he got his start, he wouldn't have imagined coming out to wrestle a match in front of a capacity crowd of thousands wearing this. Even for something with standard rules. Private matches? Sure. But a live broadcast...

That was a large part of the reason why he was going for something so skimpy tonight. He was a new man now, and now that things had finally, finally come together, he was so ready to show it.

His eyes trailed up and down the woman beside him, devouring the sight of her curves as though it had gotten a taste for the first time. A regular occurrence whenever she brought out something new. And this...Wow!

"I have been waiting a long, long time for this!" He started rubbing his hands together, with a theater of several sexy scenarios running through his head. He's picked up a lot of moves in his matches. Honed his craft. Thought of the very best ways to attack her in this rematch. Thought of how he'd top the overwhelming performance he'd bestowed upon her last time.

It's gonna happen. Win or lose. During the match, or right after.

"For this match, and for...You know."

There were cameras right there, capturing the moment they had together before they were off to it. He didn't want to spoil the surprise for the viewers.

[ThurmanMermanPlx]

Of all the matches she'd had during her time here, this was the one Keira was, by far, the most nervous about.

It wasn't because she was afraid - while an official match, she didn't give a damn which column on her record it fell into; and it was with her man, after all. There was no one in the world less scary (well, to her; she was his woman, and he'd treated her better than Egyptian royalty). It wasn't because of

for the evening - or lack thereof, nor the prospect of wearing it in front of others. She'd been in the buff during matches in front of an audience before, for heaven's sake. This was nothing. And it wasn't even because this was a live broadcast to be seen by more than just those in physical attendance. Once she was in that ring, she had zero doubt about being able to completely tune everything else out.

No, her nerves weren't shot for any superficial reason. It was the investment. This match had been in the works for some time now, and they'd gone through great lengths to make it happen. Not just herself, but Alix and Beatrix as well. Tonight had a special meaning for the pair of them - more so even for Terrell. This was a culmination of their entire relationship and personal growth up to this point. And Keira needed it to go well.

She'd play her part to the best of her abilities. It was quite literally the least she could do for him, but of course, she wanted to as well, which was the more important detail. She owed him more than she could quantify.

Backstage, she and Terrell - no, it was go time, so back to Severin, for now - were drawing quite the attention. Not that she could blame anyone; she was on fire, and she herself was actively keeping her eyes closed so as to not simply drool all over her man. She just had to keep reminding herself that they'd have all night to play together; she could wait a few minutes longer.

"I have been waiting a long, long time for this! For this match, and for...You know."

Keira broke her stony silence in favor of half-turning her head towards him with a soft smile, allowing her eyes to open while she addressed him. "Don't I know it. And I know you know, but I promise this'll be a match for the ages. Just remember: I'm not holding back. You won't get me as easily as you did our first match; you're gonna have to earn it. Consider it my 'thank you'."

And she meant that; she wasn't going to allow herself to roll over for him like she had during their first meeting. He'd earned that, too, but Keira hadn't really challenged him for it. And back then, that was acceptable. But not now. Now, she was going to give him a proper workout, regardless of how the result ended up. He was ready for it. She was ready for it.

A staffer nearby stepped up to the pair, tapping her wrist; she didn't need a watch for Keira to get the message. Anticipation began to swell up inside; she'd only heard about the details of the setup they were about to walk into. As far as she knew, neither of them had actually seen the arena that had been prepared for them, but from what they'd been told, it was the perfect setting for what they planned to accomplish here tonight. She took a deep breath before turning once more to Terrell.

"It's time. You sure you wanna do this, T?" With cameras even here, she knew he wanted to keep his surprise, well, a surprise; he'd know what she was asking about.

[DSX93]

He could hear it from here: The fans were already getting amped up. Gauntlet? Thrown. Spice? Guaranteed. There were no Hentai matches hotter than those between couples. Lovers who knew each other's every nook and cranny. Every button. Every little thing that makes them tick. And they've had an abundance of time to learn each other's bodies since their last competitive encounter.

And this match was one that would let them get crazy. They could bring each other on several round trips between Earth and the Promised Land, run their wells dry. But the one and only thing that would make this match stop is a deep declaration of love.

It was these things that would prevent those fans that were paying attention from waving this thing off as a mismatch from the start: Severin was twenty pounds heavier than he was in their first match, and every single one was muscle. Carefully packed on in such a way as to sacrifice none of the speed, agility, and flexibility he had as a Middleweight. It was the very reason why he avoided breaking through to two hundred pounds.

The edge in terms of physicality was his, without question. But no one knew his heart, mind, and soul like she did. It made for the most exciting prospect he's ever had for a match. But there was so much more to this...

"It's time. You sure you wanna do this, T?"

He responded with a nod. Zero hesitation here. "Oh yeah." He said with a bright smile that flashed his top row of teeth. "I'm ready."

He was surprised that she didn't ask about the mic. But then again, with what he was wearing...Heh. Yeah, the hours that your boy's put into the gym have borne fruit.

That was just make the surprise all the sweeter. He spent a long time thinking of what he'd do for his entrance when this night came. What song would he pick? What would his performance look like? It had to be special. Something that'll stand out looking back at this years from now. He'd come up with some strong ideas. Stuff from the superior era of the 90's, back when artists actually put their hearts into their work. But then he had a novel idea. Something he's never seen done before:

The two of them coming out together. Why not? The Candlelight Bliss match is the perfect kind to try that out. That was all that Keira knew about what he had planned for this.

Then he went back to the drawing board. The songs he considered, in his eyes, worked better when played for separate entrances. He had to pick something that would gel well with this. And after a long while, he finally felt satisfied with

Some good ole D'angelo. Rest in peace. This particular track wasn't the best fit for the aesthetic in the arena -- in his eyes, anyway -- but the important thing was the lyrics and the situation they depicted.

And in a twist, the sound guys would be waiting for his cue. He had them listen to the track, and told them that they'd know it when they hear it.

Severin took the lead, stopping with a turn, just behind the curtain. His voice would sound through the arena as he sang those first notes...

"♩You're my Ladyyyy!"♩

...Letting his self-taught dancer's instincts take control, grooving to the beat. He beckoned her to follow.

The tape he'd given to the sound guys was a special one: Originally an instrumental, with him recording his own backing vocals. The meat of it would be done live.

You could already feel the crowd licking their collective lips in anticipation for the actual sight of them as opposed to a feed from a camera, and when they got it, well...He didn't think he could feel any more electric than he already was. But that's just how it goes here: He's always at the tip of the iceberg.

And he'd do the lion's share of the dancing here. Nothing particularly big or flashy; just vibing to the music. Sticking close to his titular Lady, the focus being on serenading her with some Rnb-Hip-Hop flair.

"♩Don't think I don't see them lookin' at ya...♩" Circling around to her rear, wrapping her tight in his arms. "♩All of 'em wishin' they could have ya. And as a matter of fact, uh, a bunch of them are itchin' for you to scratch 'em.♩" He pointedly turned his thumb into a brush here, drawing those circles she liked on her shoulder before he withdrew. Gliding, dancing back into the lead.

"♩I'm tired of hidin' what we feeeel! I'm tryna come with the reeeal! And I'm gonna make it known, 'cause I want them to know...♩"

Sing it, pre-recorded Terrell!

("♩You're my Ladyyyy!♩")

He purposely took his time moving along. His rendition covered D'angelo's entire section of the remix, set to fade out before AZ came in, and he was going to milk that two minutes and change. And the fans were loving it. The women in particular, many watching on with coveting eyes, wishing that they could be in Keira's place.

"♩You're my little baby.♩" ("♩Baby!♩") "♩My darlin' baby.♩" ("♩Babyyy!♩") Severin formed an L with his indexes and thumbs,

with them. A nod to the modelling gig that she'd gone into with little confidence, only to knock it out of the park. Synced pefectly with the words that followed. "♩I swear you're the talk of the town...♩" A little touch that he planned the day after deciding on this song. "♩...And everybody wants to know what's goin' down! Babe, I know they've seen us before. Maybe at the liquor store. Maybe at the health food stand. They don't know that I'm your man!♩"

An arm was brought around Keira's shoulder so he could hold her close for the rest of the way to the ring while pre-recorded Terrell tore it up, hitting notes that he wasn't quite capable of before. He spent a lot of time practicing in secret until he finally got it right with some consistency.

And it was here that he took any real time to look at what had been prepared for them. From a little over halfway down the ramp, it looked even smaller than expected. Like, "How is this even gonna work?" small. But the glimpse he took when he mounted the apron assuaged his concerns.

"♩I can tell they're lookin' at us!♩"

Yeah, this'll work real nicely, actually. He stopped to hold the ropes open...

"♩I pick you up every day from your job. Every guy in the parking lot wants to rob me of my girl! And my heart and soul, and everybody wants to treat me so cold. But I know I love you and you love me! There's no other lover for you or meeee!♩

[ThurmanMermanPlx]

"It's time. You sure you wanna do this, T?"

"Oh yeah. I'm ready."

Severin responded immediately with a grin. Keira had to ask just one last time, given this was his last chance to go back even just to postpone, if not cancel, this plan of his, but no, he had resolutely made up his mind. So Keira simply nodded, any nagging fears or concerns put to rest for good. They were doing this, and he had absolutely zero regrets.

All the more reason to make sure she didn't screw it up for him. She had to get the timing just right. An inner voice told her she'd know when that time came - this was still an official match, after all, so they hadn't planned how it would go - but these were not the kinds of significant situations Keira enjoyed leaving up to chance. But she'd just have to deal and trust that she'd find the right moment, know when the match was coming to a head. Once they got going, her anxiety would melt away without the time to worry about it, anyway. Whatever was to come would come.

It wasn't until it was time to head out that Keira spared a thought for the mic that Severin wore. Given the symbolic nature of their impending battle and the debut of this special kind of stipulations, she assumed he'd simply planned to make some kind of announcement, maybe hype up the crowd or something given they weren't going to be slamming each other around, and they'd better understand what they were actually cheering for tonight.

All she'd been told was that they had been given some special entrance music for this match rather than their standard. Keira thought nothing of it, frankly. Opponents entering the ring together was basically unheard of, even in friendly bouts between tag partners and such. Why not mark the occasion with some fitting music?

So she was thoroughly surprised when Severin began to sing. Before they even exited backstage, but it was clear his voice echoed enough to know that the arena was broadcasting it, meaning everyone out in the audience could hear. And when the pair finally emerged, the response was... well, not what Keira was used to, that's for sure. The cheers and whistles were there, the energy was there, but at the same time, they were leaving room; room for Severin to fill in with his voice, to hear what he would say.

She followed at a calm pace, just a step behind him as he danced out down the ramp. She swayed a bit as she walked, but this was his show - even if his first words made it clear he was putting it on for her, for them. Truthfully, it was a bit awkward to be put on the spot like this, completely unprepared to be serenaded all the way down to the ring. But her own words, their mantra, cycled through her brain immediately. Own it. So she kept close to him, sparing what few moments she could to wave and salute to the crowd while showing Severin the respectful attention he deserved.

Whether he picked up on her sudden bout of self-consciousness, or if he'd intended to as part of his performance the entire time, Severin wrapped his arms around her, thumb tracing circles on her skin, and she perked up, leaning into the performance now, giving him a sly grin and light "Ooooh~" that his mic may or may not have picked up. In response, she traced a pointer finger gently up the side of his body, while her other hand rested on his back, happy for this brief moment of close contact. He'd even had the foresight to pre-record the backup lyrics, putting the entire song in his voice. Impressive, but little acts like that came less and less as surprises to Keira by this point; the man was dedicated and had a great eye for detail.

He made an improvised frame with his fingers, and Keira, without hesitation, paused and struck a pose for him, one hand on her hip, the other on the back of her head, body twisted at a slight angle, chest pushed out to accentuate the look. She gave him a wink to complete the look, and there the crowd popped, a crescendo of whistles and cheers for just a few moments in appreciation.

Severin followed up by draping an arm around her shoulders, which Keira gleefully leaned into, her own snaking around his back and resting her palm on his waist. She really had to hand it to him; they'd been planning this night for some time, but she had no idea he'd been working on his singing voice all that time, too!

They'd made it all the way down to the shrunken ring that would be their stage for the evening before Keira had even registered it was there, so absorbed in Severin's performance as she was. But he held the ropes open for her - she offered a small bow of thanks before slipping between them - and once she was inside she finally took a good, hard look around. This was the first time they were actually seeing their battlefield for the evening, and Keira was in awe.

The ground below was soft. Far softer than any ring mat. Hell, it felt softer than any luxury bed she'd ever had the pleasure of spending a night in. And there were plenty of pillows scattered about, too, for use as weapons or otherwise. Perfect; there would be no sore knees tonight.

The ring was small intentionally, made that way to encourage fighters to remain in close proximity, and Keira had every intention of putting that on display. It also hit her just how dark the arena was; even the jumbo screens offered little light, as there was little light in the room to broadcast. Save for emergency lighting, the entire arena glowed with candlelight alone, reflecting titular match type's namesake. Enough light to see by and not be entirely blind, but dim enough to invoke the exact vibes and mood their encounter called for.

The whole setting, from entrance to arrival, was perfect. Step one: an indisputable success.

She stood there beside the ropes, feeling rather like a giant with how low the barriers were and being unaccustomed to it yet, while Severin followed her through. As the song came to its conclusion, she made sure to catch his eye. She knew she didn't need to say what she was about to say - he already knew - but it felt appropriate in the moment to help set the mood.

"Alright, T. This is it. The culmination of our journey to this point. I'm gonna give you all I got," she gave him a knowing wink at her words here, "so be a good boy and don't hold anything back, either."

[DSX93]

That was perfect. Keira was perfect. But what else is new?

Severin followed her into the ring with a beaming smile. Just the two of them crawling into the ring was enough to draw another pop. The applause! The setup! The plan! His stomach filled with butterflies, but it was different from when they first met. He hadn't been so excited since that little ball had landed in Black 8 on that fateful night at the Madison.

Alix had gone all out for this thing. He could tell that they were having the same thoughts about the make of the ring: Softer, comfier than anything they've ever had before. And best believe that things got more luxurious after those investments started bearing fruit. Nothing crazy -- he took it steady -- but he had a promise to keep. Keira was there from the beginning, standing in his corner for every step of this come-up, and asked for nothing in return through it all. Through the best and the worst.

A ride-or-die like that deserves the world, and he intended to give it to her.

As they settled into kneeling positions, Keira would offer a few final words before the match would get underway. "Alright, T. This is it. The culmination of our journey to this point. I'm gonna give you all I got, so be a good boy and don't hold anything back, either."

"No worries, my Lady!" He raised his arms, fingers wiggling with anticipation, his hungry eyes telling which kind was winning out here. "Especially when you're wearing that. Trust your humble servant when he says that you're getting everything."

Beatriz crawled over to take that one last check of the two, and tried not to let her nerves show. She couldn't let herself think too much about how she'd been given the closest seat in the building to her best friend making love to his girlfriend. She could already feel the heat in her cheeks. They were probably a rosy red now.

(They totally were.)

Ever the observant type, Severin noticed this in the corner of his eye and gave her a nod in thanks. He owed her one.

"Are you ready?" Another nod. She'd turn to Keira now. "Ready?"

And once she had her confirmation..."Get it on!" She signaled for the opening bell.

[ThurmanMermanPlx]

"No worries, my Lady! Especially when you're wearing that. Trust your humble servant when he says that you're getting everything."

Keira let out a snarky giggle at the way Severin's fingers wiggled in her direction. He couldn't wait to get his hands on her, and under normal circumstances, Keira would be more than happy to let him. But their relationship had evolved to incorporate more than just that. In fact, it was a significant change in him since they'd first gotten together, and a significant step forward on his path. This match wouldn't be complete if Terrell didn't get to showcase that part, too. Besides, he had a surprise already up his sleeve... and turnabout was fair play, wasn't it?

She turned to Beatriz with a nod before she really knew what she was doing; the gears in her mind were turning, and she had an idea. The bell sounded to signal the official start of the match, but Keira, as it turned out, was not ready. Instead of readying a grappling stance, she held up a pointer finger in a 'one second' gesture.

"One more moment, T." She didn't have to wait, hoping he would stop, or worry that he'd pull a sneak attack on her (the match had officially begun, after all, and he would be within his rights to ignore her request for pause). She just knew he would wait anyway. If she had something to say, it was important. So she didn't wait for him to respond at all before continuing.

"We both know how this match is going to finish," she said with a vague gesture at their surroundings full of pillows. "But our journey has been more than that. And this match is supposed to show how much you've improved, how much you've changed, is it not? So, we're going to show off the best of both worlds."

She held her hands out in front of her, running them down her body as if she was one of those game show models showing off the prize a contestant could win. "If you want this, you're gonna have to show me that you've really come as far from the Kings and Queens tournament as you say you have. You know exactly what that means.

"Pin me or make me tap, and these come off. And if you really impress me, I'll do something special for you.

"But until then, no funny business. Understand?"

[DSX93]

And "get it on", he would! Severin was ready to pounce! To start off strong, take her right down to the soft mat and-

He caught himself before he could go too far; you could almost hear the brakes screech and the record skip. Keira had something on her mind. And despite her best, though unintentional distractionary efforts...

God.

...He picked up on what she was about to say during that heavenly pause. So she'd already see him sobering up to that degree she needed out of him when it was said.

It gave him pause. She was right, but that didn't mean he had to like it; he knew exactly what she was referring to. This wasn't going to be as simple as taking her down with a cross body and a quick and easy application of technique and size advantage. Or some merciful choke. That was off the table: It was possible. He could. But it wouldn't be left alone with that. And of course, it wouldn't. It was disrespect to her as a combat wrestler.

Even without the prospect of that "something special", he would've done as she asked. She was the one who explained that to him in the first place. Though he did hope that she'd voluntarily bypass that part tonight.

But "something special", though! The two of them were always searching. Discovering new plateaus within each other, and new ways to lift each other to them, and onto the next. And things were set up in that way that promised the very best rises: He had some things in mind to bring her to what his eyes currently saw as the top of the mountain tonight, and vice versa.

It always follows the same plotline: They come together. Bust out their new tricks. And it turns into an entire festival. Every time; sometimes things would clash, but it would never be significant. Never showstopping.

To this man of sentiment, this was shaping up into something grand already. Just like that night at the Madison that inspired the heart of this match.

Severin nodded his head, bright-eyed. "Yes, my Lady!"

But...

"First move's yours." An offer that hadn't been made simply for the sake of being a gentleman. There can be a lot of power in being the reactor, instead of the aggressor.

[ThurmanMermanPlx]

Keira's proposal was met with total understanding; as she had expected, of course, because Terrell would not deny her, but now everyone watching knew what to expect going forward. The promise of steamy action was there, an inevitability hanging over them, but it was a goal to work towards, not a dessert to be devoured before dinner.

And she knew this setup wouldn't be easy for her, either. Severin had an obvious size advantage, especially now, while Keira's usual lithe speed would not be an asset here on her knees. She hadn't had a solid plan for how to handle that, yet. But her mind was working. With slams and flips and ropes not being options, this situation called for a more ground-based approach. She could work with that, provided she could get him down. And Severin, ever the gentleman even in the ring, offered her the first move.

But Keira also wanted to show that she wasn't afraid of the physical difference between them. She could still catch him by surprise - a subtle lean here, a quick shift in weight there - and she could still come out on top. And so, when offered the first move, Keira's reaction was to aim for a traditional lock-up. If she could endure his presence bearing down on her for just a few moments, long enough for Severin to feel confident in his edge, she'd be able to pull off her twist, shifting to the side and letting him fall right into the empty space she'd have been in just prior. She'd figure out what move to put him in once that happened.

In the back of her mind, she knew that Severin knew that she knew she was at a disadvantage here. And he also knew how she fought. So he'd be looking for deceptions, more than like. He might see it coming, feel her shift before she fully committed. Or he might not. But it was going to be a gamble she'd have to take over and over tonight to make sure she squeezed out any advantage she could, and keep them both on their toes (in a matter of speaking, anyway). Assuming he didn't flat-out have a counter ready for her already. He was sharp enough to guess how she might begin.

That was the double-edged blade that pitting partners against each other was; knowing how each other fought was both a strength and a weakness. And so Keira's ultimate plan for tonight was to try and surprise Severin as often as possible - opening volley aside. It wouldn't do to start playing her best cards in the opening round.

[DSX93]

Traditional lock-up? Oh yeah, she's looking to get tricky with it. It's what he'd do, if he were her. But of course, she'd know that he'd be looking for that. And he's got his tricks too. Makes their spars every last bit about mental alertness as physicality, if not more. Turned them into straight-up games of chess on the most intensive days. A meeting of Holmes and Moriarty.

And Terrell intended to be Holmes this time. And to that end, an idea sprang to his witty mind.

When they clashed, he would give her a good push, but wouldn't go as hard as Keira knew he could. The likelihood of her taking this as him going against what she'd just asked him to do was all but nil: A "Yes, my Lady!" had never been followed by flagrant disobedience before. But tonight could always be that night.

But nonetheless, this might spur her on to something to try to light that proverbial fire under his ass.

It wouldn't take long. A "blink and you'll miss it" slip to the side that took him forever to get a handle of. And even these days, she can still catch him good with it.

But tonight, though, he managed to get a handle of her wrist, hanging on as he tumbled into a roll, away from the space Keira had to launch a counter and into one where he could launch his own.

He pulled...

[ThurmanMermanPlx]

Severin went for it. He shoved Keira almost immediately, and she knew right away that he was holding back. For the briefest of moments, she considered reprimanding him for that; but realistically, he had no reason to brute force her that way, and even if he had, he knew better than to exert all his strength on the opening salvo. He was playing smart, conserving his energy for later on, among other things.

Even so, Keira wasn't one to let an opportunity slip away. He was up to something, and all she had to do was shove back long enough to pick up on what that was. Which, as it happened, would not take long. There it was - a subtle shift to the side. It was early, and she was hyper-focused on looking for signs; there wasn't much chance she'd miss that. Ten minutes in? Maybe. But not now.

Except this time, there was a twist. Severin planned to pull her closer, and he had snared her wrist at the same time, ensuring that she couldn't slip away. Whatever he was planning to follow-up with, she was going to eat it whether that was a clothesline or a bearhug or whatever.

At least, if she couldn't think of a way to counter it.

All this thought happened in the span of a fraction of a second. As Severin caught her wrist and shifted his position, Keira knew she was trapped. So rather than make a futile attempt to escape, she ducked her shoulder, preparing to lean into it instead. Severin rolled, as expected. In response, Keira shifted her own position, making sure her shoulder was properly aligned.

When he finally pulled, Keira squared herself fully. She lunged forward, adding her own momentum to Severin's tug. And unless he was lightning quick, she'd be the one colliding with him instead. And she wouldn't waste any time in taking advantage of her position - although she would take the time to quip at him in the process.

"Gonna take more than that tonight."

With that, she flopped down on top of him, attempting to lock in an Americana. If she could weaken his upper body strength early, she'd have an easier time the rest of the evening.