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Today's a big day for the family, everyone's here, well, everyone who can be, it's Sione's 35th birthday, he's getting old but you couldn't tell since he's in the best shape of his life, everyone's around Joe's house, the twin's, friends from work, Uncles, Aunts, their sisters, nephew's and nieces, everyone's here, even Gionna turned up and they've made peace for this happy occasion.

Joe: Huddle up little Uce. Time to pray...

John smiled as Joe handed him a beer and they walked with arms around each other till they found themselves in front of a fire pit, John stood with his mother to the left of him, her right hand reaching up to put a kiss to his cheek, to his right is Gionna, the past week has been weird to say the least but he was really happy she turned up today...

... She didn't give him a kiss though because tensions are high between them right now so instead, her left hand took his right while he kept a hold of his beer in his left hand, it's tradition in their family to do a little pray on moments like these, to acknowledge not just the people around them but the people they've lost since the last family gathering and this time, there was a big loss for Joe, John, Vanessa, Myritza, and Summer.

Joe: Together, as aiga. We stand here around this fire to celebrate life...

Everyone around dropped their heads, closed their eyes while looking up, however they wanted to feel like their paying respects to the family they've lost, Gionna copied John while he just closed his eyes facing into the fire, reflecting on the loss of not only his father but their Uncle fighting for his life in hospital right now.

Joe: ... We mourn loss as well, since we last stood here for Sione. We've lost loved ones, faced challenges...

Joe's the oldest living man in their family, so with him being oldest to Sione, Joe prey's it's been their father for their whole lives before this moment but this is their first birthday celebration without him, so Joe's stepped up to do say a few words, he really is the Tribal Chief, Joe cleared his throat before continuing though, adding a little intensity to his words.

Joe: ... But we're still here. Together, stronger. Fa'afeiloa'i a'u le aiga!

Joe called out hoisting his beer into the air, everyone family based copied but Gionna isn't part of the family yet, maybe one day she can call out those words to but not just yet, for years she's had to watch from the side lines, but this means a lot to John, family means a lot to him so why when they had the chance to have their own family did he brush it aside.

Everyone: Fa'afetai!

Gionna watched as Joe and John shared a hug, when they did, Joe smiled to Gionna before letting him go, the party then got underway, John didn't get much in terms off gifts but they don't really do possession items, Samoan's are more interested in family things, just being here today is enough for him to be grateful but as the party got later, Gionna felt like they needed to clear the air a little.

Gionna: Can we talk?

John nodded to her as she took his hand and lead him towards the back patio doors, it's getting dark out so everyone's moved inside other then one or two of his nieces and nephews running around but they aren't interested in the adults, why would they be, their just playing, Gionna however isn't, they've spent today like the past week hasn't happened, not just them but their friends and his family, Gionna's happy to put this behind them but she can't just bury it like that.

John: What's wrong?

John didn't seem to feel the same as Gionna, she didn't think he's happy just burying what has happened, she just thinks he's been around his family all day and with them acting like everything's normal, he's followed along, not that it's a bad thing but John's been through a lot, so it's normally he's easily swayed by the people he loves the most, even if it's just for laughs and giggles.

Gionna: Nothing, but there's something I need to tell you...

John looked to her and his face dropped, Gionna missed it since she glanced to the ground trying to figure out the best way to tell him, she's not really sure how to speak about these sorts of things, to be fair, neither have really spoken to the other about their past relationships, sure they know about them and what went on but since then they've just been treading on eggshells around each other trying not to bring up rough memories.

John: Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait...

Gionna stopped thinking and looked to him, his eyes closed and hands slightly elevated in the air, she's not sure what she said, maybe he knows what she wants to talk about and he's going to say he's sorry or something but it wasn't that, John's mind instantly went to the worst case scenario and as usual, he tried to walk away from it.

John: ... I don't think I want to know.

John was quite quick to turn around and go to head back to the party, Gionna wasn't sure where that came from but then realised how what she said sounded, she hasn't done anything with Dom, minus the kissing the closest they've got to doing anything was after SummerSlam when Dom sat on their bed eating chicken tenders, other then that she hasn't touched the guy.

Gionna: No, not that... but the fact you think I did... makes me wonder if you still trust me or not.

Gionna rushed to get in front of him and stop him from walking away from her, she walked away the last time which was wrong, she shouldn't have done that but she was upset with him at that point, spending today with him and their friends has made her realise how much she loves him and how little she wants this to end, so she's not going to let him leave as easy as she left last time.

John: It's not that I don't trust you Gio. I don't trust other men.

Gionna smiled up to him from that, he can be a little jealous, even if he won't say it, sure he agreed to her doing this storyline but that doesn't mean he liked it, he just didn't want her to think he was telling her what to do and that's of course the last thing he's ever want, Gionna's smart enough to not cheat on him, he's more worried about a jackass taking advantage of her.

Gionna: Dom's not a bad guy. He wouldn't do anything to me I'm not okay with doing...

John knows that, he knows Dom, he even met him once or twice when he was just a kid backstage at the shows, sure John was a kid back then too but he was more of a young Teenager back then while Dom was still picking his nose, he is a good guy, he is married, but married men literally cheat all the time, especially ones that spend 3 or 4 days a week with their wife.

Gionna: ... And I don't want to do anything you're not okay with.

John sighed while rubbing both his hands down his face, this seems to be a common theory among the people backstage, John doesn't want Liv Morgan doing this because she's getting the spotlight over him, he's jealous, he just wants her to sit by and look pretty, John's heard them all and their all completely wrong and so far away from the truth.

John: That's not what I want. I want you to have fun, do what you want. I just want to know the next time you stick your tongue down another guy's throat...

That was the issue with John, she didn't tell him about the kiss and he was so excited about his return and that SummerSlam was awesome that he never noticed it, not really till Joe said something about it, Gionna however is mad because he didn't tell her, when Gionna got back from the locker room and he wasn't around, she assumed he'd gone back to the hotel, only to see him on the Tv in the ring when she put the show on.

Vanessa: Hey, here you are... Oh... bad timing, I'll just...

Before Gionna could reply, John's sister was apparently looking for them, John looked past Gionna to see Vanessa walking towards them but she stopped when she saw the look on his face and turned back around leaving the two to their little talk, she didn't want to either make things worse or get involved for that matter, John's a big boy and can deal with this himself.

Gionna: You said you were okay with it.

John did say that, he remember when they first talked about it, they were watching Tv, he can't actually remember what, knowing Gionna it was probably something Horror based, about halfway through she paused and told him that she's going to be getting the Women's World heavyweight title, John was of course happy with it but she then told him she was asked to kiss Dom to get it, obviously it wasn't a must, she could have just hugged him really tight or something but John saw the potential in the story and agreed to it, the first kiss that is.

John: That was the first one Gio. I didn't know you were asking for a Universe permission slip to tongue fuck other guys.

Gionna was now the one to sigh but a little louder and dramatized then he did with her hands clenching into small fists, not aggressively but she's been getting that a lot as well, people saying things like "If she's willing to do that for a title, what else is she going to do?" Some people are even sending her death threats for hurting poor little Rhea... they're clearly to stupid to know that Demi put herself into the wall, Gio has nothing to do with it yet she's getting the stick.

Gionna: Why do you keep saying it like that? It was 2 kisses, not 76 of them.

It was now her turn to exaggerate since everyone else seems to be doing that lately, everyone just seems to think they know what's going on but in reality they don't, hell, John and Gionna don't even know all that much about each other's past relationships, sure they know everything else but that's a subject they tended to avoid, Gionna even learnt that John can be quite a petty guy when he wants to be.

John: You know what...?

Gionna looked to him as he seemed to calm down, maybe he's going to be a little more understanding about this on her side but Gionna was just being way too hopeful about it, she's not sure why she assumed he was going to be an adult about this situation but he wasn't, John was just not thinking straight and to be fair, neither was she.

John: ... You're right, I'm over reacting. Of course it was just 2 kisses, what am I getting bugged about?

He was being sarcastic and that's when Gionna lost a little bit of faith in him, sure their kind of having an argument but for him to take the piss right now didn't sit right with her and she gave a small sniff getting herself upset, this makes her think that he doesn't care about this relationship, maybe he doesn't care and they should just go their separate ways.

Gionna: If you're not going to talk to me like an adult then I'm getting out of here.

John realised he messed up then and shouldn't have replied like that, he just wants things to go back to the way things were, all of this could have been avoided had he just told Gionna about him returning at SummerSlam, then she would have waited up with him and he wouldn't have got that ride back to the hotel with Joe, that way Joe's comments wouldn't have made John question what he's let them get away with so far...

John: Gio wait...

Gionna didn't wait and didn't even go back into the house, she just took the back path out to the front where he heard a car drive away a few seconds later, John sighed again, his face back in his hands while moving to site on a small stone wall nearby, he was so stupid, all he needed to do was just calm down, they could have talked and got this over with but nope, he needed to be an idiot.

Joe: You know. I thought you were just unlucky with relationships. Turns out you just suck.

John removed his hands from his face and looked over to Joe standing by the door, he wasn't there just now so he's not sure how much of this he heard , he is a little annoyed though because it was Joe that said he wouldn't have let it happen, if it was him he wouldn't have let some other guy on his girl, it was that which pretty much started all this mess.

John: Aren't you the one that told me to be worried about that...?

Joe huffed a little because he did but that's not what he meant, he tried to explain himself but before he could someone opened the patio doors behind them making both brothers look over to see their mother, Patricia stepping out the doors with a not so happy look on her face, mostly aimed at Joe.

Patricia: He did what now?

Joe spun quickly and looked between their mother and his brother, John looked up to Joe while watching him back peddle, at home he's not the Tribal Chief, it's quite funny to watch sometimes to see Roman Reigns so tough and strong but Joe is just a regular... Well, he's a regular Joe.

Joe: I was just giving him advice ma.

Patricia didn't seem to feel the same way about it as Joe did since she marched over to him and grabbed his ear pulling him down to her, John tried and badly hid his smirk while Joe was marched back towards the house, "owing" and begging her to let go of his ear but she didn't till they made it to the door.

Patricia: Get back inside. Don't give advice on things you don't understand...

John watched Joe rub at his ear while closing the door heading back inside, she's an Italian and Samoan mother, you don't say no to either, what do you do when she's a mix of both, John hasn't figured that out and never wants to, he just wants to love his family and fix whatever is going on right now, his mother knows that and wanted to help her youngest son as much as she could.

Patricia: ... Now my toa itiiti. What's going on?

"Toa Itiiti" roughly means Little Warrior, she's always called him that for some reason, he never really minded though since it made him feel that he can do anything, no matter was was laid out in front of him, knowing his mother, his family actually cared so much and wanted the best for him, made him unstoppable, so he told his mother everything, from agreeing to the storyline to SummerSlam and now his own pettiness getting him a similar story on the Blue brand.

Patricia: Your first mistake was not coming to me to begin with. I know more of this than your brother does.

John looked to his mom after spilling the beans on everything, she's mostly disappointed he didn't talk to her first, out of all of them, she knows what it's like to date on of the family who was in the WWE, Gionna might be struggling with the same things that Patricia was, it's not easy dating an Anoaʻi in the WWE, Patricia knows that better than anyone else.

John: Really? How?

Patricia smiled to him while remembering all those stubborn arguments she had with Sika, most days weren't easy but it was all worth it in the end because she got the family she has now, when their marriage failed, Sika didn't push her away like most would do, she now shares blood with the Anoaʻi family, that makes you part of them and Sika saw her as just that, maybe John's not seeing Gionna in that light right now.

Patricia: I was married to your father dear. Sure things didn't work out for us but there's not a day that goes by I don't thank my lucky stars for meeting him.

Patricia put her right hand on the back of his neck making him smile, one thing that never changed with their parents is their love for their kids, that's something that John does want but is Gionna the one he wants it with? They had the opportunity, countless times actually but they never did it, John actually even talked out of it the more recent chance.

Patricia: Don't let jealousy get in the way of your life. You'll regret it if you do...

John nodded to her, he never really saw himself as a jealous person but maybe he is, maybe that's why so many of his past relationships failed because he saw himself in this perfect light but in reality he's not, he's just a guy with a little bit of jealousy issues and that's okay, everyone can be a little jealous, it just depends on how you handle said feelings determines what happens next.

Patricia: ... Now come back inside. You're missing your own birthday.

Patricia tapped on his leg as she stood from the stone wall with a little groan, she made John smile with the comment "I'm getting old", with age comes wisdom apparently because he went from looking at this Liv Morgan and Dom storyline with blind eyes, to eyes that are so wide he's seeing past it, now with just a few words from his mother, he's seeing what he was meant to see the entire time.

John: I'll be there in a minute. I need to do a little thinking.

Patricia smiled down to him before leaning and placing a kiss to his head, John's a smart man but he can let others get into his head, Joe was probably just trying to help in doing so John took his words the wrong way and now he's potentially going to lose someone he's loved for a long time, that's not fair, John has to fix this before there's nothing left to save...

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{To Be Continued!}